You are here: Home / Archives for Beth

Reinvent Your Cereal with Silk Soymilk! {Giveaway}

October 25, 2011 By

Having an infant that is severely allergic to milk has made me look into other types of milk as an alternative.  I have heard of Silk but never personally purchased it for my household.  After doing a little research into substitutes for milk I was pleasantly surprised to find out how similar Silk is to our normal purchase of 2% milk.  The one major difference I found was that Silk is completely dairy-free and contains just as much calcium and omega-3s as milk plus, you get the nourishment of soy, one of nature’s perfect proteins, too.  From the website:

“Nutrition experts agree that getting plenty of high-quality protein is a key factor in feeling your best.  Protein rewards your body in a couple of different ways. First, it’s the body’s primary building block for making muscles—you need protein to grow strong. Second, protein can help provide a sustained feeling of energy and satisfaction to keep your day on track.

Treating your body to the strength of Silk doesn’t take much effort. Pour it over whole-grain cereal for a power-packed breakfast; recharge with a smooth, refreshing glass after your workout or discover the possibilities of Silk in the kitchen with delicious and nourishing recipes.”

We gave Silk the ultimate challenge and used it in our morning cereal.   It tasted wonderful!  The texture was smooth and it gave our cereal a really good taste, better than regular milk.  My husband thought it tasted like the left over milk after you finish eating the cereal, which of course is the best part!  To me, Silk is slightly sweeter than standard milk and I love the variety of flavors, 17 to be exact (including 13 flavors under 100 calories per serving).

If your family eats a ton of cereal like mine, you need to see the new Silk Cereal Bowl! The bowl has an inner piece that you put in the freezer over night, then in the morning, fill it with your favorite Silk and Cereal and you can eat your breakfast on the run.  The bowl even comes with a spoon that fits right into the bowl, what more do you need?

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive 2 coupons for a FREE Silk product, the Silk cereal bowl pictured above and a Silk branded bag!

How to Enter:

1. Tell me which Silk variety you love the most!
Additional entries:

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

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @LoveMySilk on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Limited to 10 a day, please. (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 Silk on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on November 14th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This post is the opinion of Beth of Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  While a sample product was received, all opinions remain 100% honest.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

Playtex Twist ‘n Click: Review and Giveaway

October 23, 2011 By

Having an extremely picky eater in the house makes it difficult when we are away from home.  I always try to bring something that he likes to eat, but that can be very messy.   Putting food in bowls usually ends up spilled all over the place!  Playtex has come out with a new Twist ‘n Click Snacker with Flip Top and Twist ‘n Click Stack Bowls that prevents spills.  Both are durable and can withstand the drops, throws and kicks of the average toddler.  They have a leak proof seal that makes a clicking noise so that you know your food will stay in and not all over your diaper bag.  At the end of the day you can put them in the dishwasher for a good cleaning.

My son took the Snacker with us to the park this weekend and when he dropped it, the top stayed on and none of his snacks fell out.  Another wonderful feature about the Snacker is the fact that it not only has a lid,  but the lid stays attached.  It makes it so easy when you are out to eat some snacks and then flip the lid around and keep your snacks fresh until next time.  No need to worry about tracking down a lid or worry that your food will go stale.  It is so easy to use that my two year old snaps the lid back on with ease when he is finished with it.

I absolutely love these bowls, as they make bringing food from home so easy.   I am not afraid to throw them in the diaper bag or even my purse even when they are filled with a liquid. I have used them mostly for my daughter’s  baby food purees and her oatmeal.  I have not had any problems with any kind of leaks. Unlike most other bowls and lids these bowls stack with the lids on the bottom so that you don’t have to search the entire cabinet for a matching lid.

Both the Snacker and bowls are available at Babies R Us.

GIVEAWAY

One reader will win a set of Playtex Twist ‘n Click Snackers and Bowls!

How to Enter:

1. Tell me another Playtex Twist ‘N Click product your child would love!
Additional entries:

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

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @PlaytexBaby on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Limited to 10 a day, please. (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 November 7th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This post is the opinion of Beth of Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  While a sample was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% honest.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

Stop Spilling Snacks with Gyro Bowl!

October 13, 2011 By 1 Comment

It never fails that half of my sons snacks end up on the floor, no matter if they are in a bag, bowl or cup.  Sometimes I think he leaves himself a trail throughout the house so that he can find his way back.  Finally there is a solution to spilling snacks!  With the Gyrobowl you will never again have to worry about snacks being spilled all over the house.  From the website:

• Kid-Proof Gyro Bowl
• Inner Bowl Rotates 360 Degrees
• Virtually Indestructible
• Saves Time, No More Cleaning
• Use it for Non-Food Items
• BPA-Free Plastic
• Top Rack Dishwasher Safe
• Not Microwave Safe


We decided to give the Gyrobowl the ultimate test and took it with us to our local zoo.  My son carried it around eating snacks, put it on his tray of the stroller, walked, ran, and jumped with the bowl and not one time did any of his snacks fall out of the bowl.  If fact, it became funny because he was trying his hardest to get them to fall out and no matter how hard he tried his snacks didn’t slip out.

The Gyrobowl has a convenient lid so that you can fill it before you leave home and your child can eat them in the car or when you get to your destination.  With the 360 degrees rotation the bowl works like an orbit so that when you hold it upside down, sideways or any other way imaginable the snacks never fall out.  Since the holidays are right around the corner the Gyrobowl would make a great stocking stuffer for your little ones. Right now, when you buy one for $14.99 plus shipping and handling, you get one FREE!

This post is the opinion of Beth of the Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  While a sample product was received to facilitate this review, all opinions are 100% honest.
Filed Under: Reviews

Genie SilentMax 1000: Review and Giveaway

September 26, 2011 By

When an appliance/electronic device in your house is older than you are, I guess it is time to bite the bullet and upgrade.    My husband and I have discussed getting a new garage door opener for about a year now, but it was one of those things that keep getting pushed farther and farther down on the list of things to buy for our house.  We were thrilled when we  received the Genie SilentMax 1000 and the closed confirm/network adapter combo.  From the website:

“The SilentMax® 1000 provides intelligent design for the homeowner that wants quiet performance with superior design and conveniences that fit their busy lifestyle.  The SilentMax® comes with two 3 button remotes, a wall console, and a wireless keypad.

• Power: ¾ HPc* 140 Volt DC motor provides power to operate almost any residential garage door.
• Quiet operation: The DC motor and belt drive allow for quiet, smooth operation and soft start and soft stop.
• Two-Bulb Lighting System: Two 100 Watt bulb lighting system provides added convenience and safety.
• SmartSet™ programming: Push button programming makes set up fast and easy.
• Auto Seek Dual Frequency: System will automatically seek either the 315 or 390 MHz frequency produced by a remote, helping to ensure the opener will respond regardless of nearby frequency interference.
• GenieSense™ Monitoring and Diagnostic Technology: Delivers the power needed at every movement of the garage door and continuously monitors the operation of the door, stopping operation when significant changes occur. GenieSense™ minimizes noise, wear and tear on the door, and improves overall safety.
• Safety: Comprehensive Safe-T-Beam® system meets or exceeds all UL, state, federal and CSA regulations, and incorporates an auto reversing system and diagnostics.
• Security: Genie® Intellicode® 2 technology, a new generation of superior encryption, prevents unauthorized persons from opening your garage door by automatically changing the access code every time you use it.

For starters, this new garage door opener is about half the size and a quarter of the weight of our old opener.  With step by step instructions the installation was quite simple for my dad and husband. After an afternoon and evening the Genie was fully installed and ready to be used.  We opened the garage and were absolutely amazed at how quiet it was, in fact the Genie didn’t make any at all, only the garage door itself creaked as it rose.  My husband works late hours and it never fails that one of the children are sleeping when he arrives but as soon as the garage door would start to open they would be woken up with the loud noises.   This is no longer a problem, in fact my husband has scared me on a few occasions because I couldn’t hear him coming in.

The Genie also has the Safe-T-Beam system which is a wonderful feature.  We decided to give it a try the first time we closed it,  as soon as my foot hit the beam the garage reversed and started going up.  Never again will I have to worry that the door will come down on one of the children.   Another great feature that can be added to the Genie is the closed confirm/network adapter.  Never again will you need to wonder if you closed the garage, I know it never fails that I get 5 blocks from my house and start to wonder if I left it wide open.  The closed confirm accessory will beep three times and blinks green for thirty seconds to confirm that your garage is fully closed.  If there is a problem and the door doesn’t close the opener turns red.

The Genie also works with homelink. This is definitely a plus for us, no need to carry around the three button opener. Programing the homelink system was a little tricky, but was easily figured out with the use of the Genie instructions and the manual for my van.

There are several videos that will help with the installation and programing of your Genie SilentMax 1000.  They can be found on Genie’s YouTube Page.  Please note that the SilentMax 1000 is the dealer equivalent of IntelliG 1000.  If you purchase this garage door opener from a dealer it would be called the IntelliG 1000 as reflected in the videos.  You can also go on Genie website and find a  dealer locater in your area if you need help installing your new Genie.

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive Genie SilentMax 1000 and the closed confirm/network adapter add-on accessory! (ARV $249)

How to Enter:

1. Tell me which feature of the Genie SilentMax 1000 you are most excited about!

Additional entries:

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

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @TheGenieCompany on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Limited to 10 a day, please. (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 The Genie Company Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on October 20th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This post is the opinion of Beth of the Experimental Mommy. Others may have a differing opinion of the product. While a sample was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% honest.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With:

Dinosaur Train Lights and Sound: Review and Giveaway

September 12, 2011 By

Dinosaur Train

Do you ever catch yourself singing along to children’s songs and there are no children in the room?  That is how it is at my house with just about every PBS theme song including Dinosaur Train.  My husband and I could tell you every word to the theme song without blinking.  Needless to say my son was quite thrilled when we received the Lights & Sounds Dinosaur Train with Laura Giganotosaurus from Learning Curve.

The train is a prefect size for his small hands and rolls easy on our hard wood floors.  By pressing on the smokestack the train sings fun songs,  makes sounds, lights up, and says phrases, that your child will recognize from the show.  The best part about this train is that your child won’t get bored, because there are additional collectible cars and characters that are available for purchase, including  the entire Pteranodon Family and family friends.  You can switch up the cars and characters and it is like having a whole new train!  Dinosaur Train is about to enter its second season on PBS and has recently released Dinosaur  Train DVD: Dinosaur Big City.

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive the Dinosaur Train Lights and Sounds Train

How to Enter:

1. Tell me another product your child would love from Learning Curve!

Additional entries:

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

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @lctoys on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Limited to 10 a day, please. (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 Learning Curve on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on September 30th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This post is the opinion of Beth of Experimental Mommy. Others may have a differing opinion of the product. While a sample product was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% honest.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: ,

CitiBlocs: Review and Giveaway

September 8, 2011 By

Any product that can entertain my almost three year old and husband gets an A+ in my book. The possibilities with CitiBlocs are endless, you can build anything from houses and helicopters to tigers and towers. From the website:

Citiblocs are high quality wooden construction blocks which inspire both traditional building and modern design. The secret behind Citiblocs is that every piece is exactly the same shape and size. Each block is precisely cut from Grade A Radiata Pine from certified renewable forests in New Zealand. Citiblocs Building requires no glue, no snaps, no connectors and no magnets: just gravity, balance and imagination.

Building with Citiblocs is simple: stack one block on top of another. Their specific size and shape and weight allows building that is simply not possible with other building toys. Build a small cabin by the lake or a tower that reaches the stars!”

My son has played with the CitiBlocs every day since they arrived. He has attempted to build houses and bridges, but he is a little young to make anything by himself, so it becomes a family affair. We received the new Citiblocs Camouflage Color, in exciting new colors: green, olive, brown, khaki plus natural blocks, but the blocs come in many different colors and are all the same size making building easy. It is amazing to me how high you can build and they remain stable. Unlike different models that require snaps and/or glue, when you are finish building you just knock your creation down and start all over again! I have to admit that this is my son’s favorite part.

Since the blocs are made of real wood pine, they will last a lifetime. An added advantage of the Citiblocs is that they are certified safe and non-toxic!  Citiblocs can provide hours of entertainment for your entire family.

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive the 100 piece CitiBlocs set in Camouflage colors!

How to Enter:

1. Tell me what your child would build with CitiBlocs!

Additional entries:

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

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @CitiBlocs on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Limited to 10 a day, please. (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 CitiBlocs on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on September 26th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This post is the opinion of Beth of Experimental Mommy. Others may have a differing opinion of the product. While a sample product was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% honest.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , , , ,

Gerber Grabbers: Review

September 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

imageIf I had a nickel for every time I heard, “Jack do it all by himself,”  I could quit my day job.  Like any typical 2 year old, my son wants to do everything with no help.  As you can imagine I spend a lot of time cleaning up after the mess he makes.   Finally, a solution to the messy snacks!  Gerber has come out with a new product called Graduates Grabbers. These snacks are perfect for on the go and for youngsters that want to be independent.  My son loves the fact that he can have them in the car, at the park and just about any where we go. I love the fact that there is no clean up.  From Gerber Grabbers website:

Product Highlights

  • Made with 100% natural fruit
  • 2 Servings of fruit per pouch*
  • Excellent source of Vitamin C & E
  • Unsweetened, unsalted, no added starch, artificial flavors or colors

P9030281

*One serving is 1/4 cup of fruit for toddlers

Not only are the Grabbers full of vitamins that your toddler needs, they are also in the words of my son, “very very delicious.”  They come in five different flavors: Banana Blueberry, Apple, Mango & Strawberry,  Apple and Sweet Potato with Cinnamon, Pear & Squash, Apple, Pear and Peach.  Although we liked all of the flavors my son and I both agree that the Banana Blueberry was the best and they were even better once they were refrigerated.  The pouch is rather large and Jack never finished one in a single sitting; however, since it has a resealable top, we put it in the refrigerator for later. For an easy to go, easy to stow you can’t go wrong.

Check out the latest Gerber news by becoming a fan on Facebook!

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: ,

MyBabyClothes.com: Review and Giveaway

September 4, 2011 By

Shopping for children’s dress clothes and accessories is not always the easiest thing to do. It is so hard because most of the stores carry the same clothes which means you go to a party and three children are wearing the same outfit. I always like my little one to stand out in something cute and different, but at an affordable price. I was recently asked to pick a dress from My Baby Clothes Boutique.  From the website:

“At MyBabyClothes.com we strive to bring you the most fashion forward and unique baby clothes on the web, all at a Guaranteed Lowest Price! Our team searches to find the cutest, most comfortable, and highest quality clothes and accessories available. Our goal is to offer these unique and trendy boutique style clothes at affordable prices.”

P9040288

The hardest part was narrowing down my choices. I loved all of their clothes and accessories so much that I had a hard time picking something out. They sell everything from tutus, baby headbands, baby hats and newborn-4T baby clothes for both boys and girls. The best part about purchasing from My Baby Clothes is that your child will stand out and be unique!

On My Baby Clothes’ website you can search by category, size and style which makes navigating the site super easy. When I finally made my decision, I ordered the Mud Pie Cow EIEIO Bubble Dress, because my husband loves anything with cows on it. He was thrilled when it arrived and would put it on her everyday if I allowed him to. The dress is fully lined, has precious little bows on the shoulders and, of course, an adorable cow.

I was completely satisfied for the ordering, delivery and quality of the clothes. I know like many others, I hesitate to purchase products online because of the shipping costs.  But right now you don’t need to worry about shipping because My Baby Clothes is currently offering free shipping on ALL orders. Not only are you getting a good price on your clothes but they will be shipped for free! Check out their adorable Halloween items!

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive a $25 gift card to My Baby Clothes Boutique!

How to Enter:

1. Tell me how you would spend your $25 My Baby Clothes Boutique gift card!

Additional entries:

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

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @mybabyclothes on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Limited to 10 a day, please. (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 My Baby Clothes on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

6.  Subscribe to My Baby Clothes Boutique Newsletter and let me know you did!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on September 21st.  Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This post is the opinion of Beth of The Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  While a sample product was received to facilitate the review, all opinions remain 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With:

Softy Soakers by Aurora: Review and Giveaway

August 24, 2011 By

I remember as a child getting little figurines that you soaked in the water for two or three days to watch it grow.  I also remember thinking it was never going to be ready!  Thankfully, Aurora World Inc. has come up with a new concept that allows your toy to grow in just 40 seconds instead of 72 hours.

“Aurora World, Inc. celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year, is releasing a plush collection that loves diving into water in the summer as much as kids do.  Simply place Softy Soakers in water and the plush expands from practically nothing into a full size, eight-inch plush animal. The initial collection includes the “Fanta-Sea“ plush assortment, and based on the response from buyers at this year’s winter shows, Aurora sees a huge hit in the making.”

P8230279

We received a flat alligator with instructions to make it grow. Jack submerged the alligator and I massaged it for about 40 seconds, and that quick we had a precious new toy. My son loves the Softy Soakers because he got to watch is toy go from a flat alligator to a 3D toy. This unique filling process allows you to make the soaker as soft or as firm as you would like, just by adding more or less water. This is a real plus in my house since my son likes to throw share all of his toys with his baby sister. We made the alligator on the soft side so that it cannot hurt my daughter if it gets ‘shared’ with her. Unlike stuffed toys, if the water evaporates over time all you need to do is soak again and your toy will be good as new.

The Fanta-Sea collection includes the alligator, octopus, a sea horse, hammerhead shark, dolphin, and sea turtle. You can find Softy Soakers at high-end toy stores, top gift chains such as Hallmark and Claire’s as well as hospital gift shops, fine florists, candy stores and gift/stationery stores worldwide. You can also purchase on Aurora’s website where each animal is $10.  www.facebook.com/auroraworld.

GIVEAWAY

One reader will win one Aurora Softy Soaker!

How to Enter:

1. Tell me which Aurora Softy Soaker you would choose!

Additional entries:

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

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Limited to 10 a day, please. (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 Aurora World Inc on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on September 10th.  Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This post is the opinion of Beth of The Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  While a sample product was received to facilitate the review, all opinions remain 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

Gerber Graduates Fruit and Veggie Melts Review

August 1, 2011 By 2 Comments

Asking my son what he would like to eat will always get you the same response: “nuggets and fries.” Getting him to eat anything healthy is a challenge everyday. Now that Gerber Graduates has come up with fruit and veggie melts he is eating healthy and doesn’t even know it.

“GERBER® GRADUATES® Fruit & Veggie Melts™ Snacks are made with a NutriProtect™ blend of vitamins A, C and E for healthy growth and natural immune support and each package delivers 3 fruit/vegetable servings with a taste toddlers love.”

P7150198

If you look at the ingredients list on most toddler snacks, most of them are quite unfamiliar. However, that is not the case with the Gerber Graduates Fruit and Veggie Melts. My son really enjoyed the Very Berry Blend and the ingredients list read like a parent’s dream: Squash, Apple, Banana, Carrot, Strawberry, Blueberry and several other fruit and vegetable juices with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.  Every bag contains three servings of fruit/veggies and only 25 calories and only 4 grams of sugar per serving. My son absolutely loves these melts and ever since we received them they have been a staple on my grocery list. Check these out at your local grocery store along with Gerber Graduates meals, drinks and other snacks.

This post is the opinion of Beth of Experimental Mommy.  While a sample product was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% honest.
Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »