Growing Tree Toys Toddler Tote Review

With four young boys, I do my fair share of toy shopping. And since I don't generally get to shop solo, I do most of my toy shopping online. One website I love to visit when in search of a new toy is Growing Tree Toys.

I enjoy shopping at Growing Tree Toys because they have a huge selection of educational toys and they make it so easy to find something to fit your needs. My twins are 3.5 now and have been receiving occupational therapy for almost 2 years. Since Growing Tree Toys lists the developmental benefits for each of the toys they sell I can always find something to help with motor skills.

Recently, Growing Tree Toys sent me this colorful Toddler Tote,by Lauri toys, to try out. I chose it because based on their detailed description I felt that it would help them with some cognitive skills, likes shapes and colors, as well as some fine motor skills. As a bonus this toy is also listed as an eco-friendly option because it is regionally source so it has a smaller carbon footprint since it components travel less.

The first thing I like about this product is the carrying case that it is packaged in. It has a Velcro closure and a little handle so you can store it in there forever and easily take it anywhere your kids go. The pieces are made from crepe rubber which makes them very easy to clean. Yes, I found this out after some juice was spilled on them. But really, the most important test of a toy is seeing f your kids actually play with it and enjoy it. The twins were very anxious for me to get all the pieces out so they could start playing. My 6 year old even got in on the fun. They pulled the shapes out and put them back in and stacked the pegs. Then they even played interactively with the animal shapes as the dog chased the cat and talked to each other. It was quite cute and comical.




I can definitely say that the Toddler Tote was a hit with my boys.They sat at the table for some structured play and then they carried the pieces around the house for some imaginative play. I am pretty sure they flashed me a few nasty looks when it was time to clean up and put everything back in the case. The tote has actually stayed pretty close to the table since they ask to play with it on a regular basis.

Growing Tree Toys has many toddler activity toys to choose from and as I mentioned they break everything down to let you know what the benefits of each toy is. For me, this is very helpful as I am often looking for specific things. I am currently eyeballing the Miracle Pounding Toddler Toy since my 14 month old loves to bang things and I know he would enjoy this. Plus since it is made by Plan Toys, it has several eco-friendly attributes.

Please note that the opinions and views expressed here are my own and based on my personal experience with the product. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. I received this product for review as part of the Growing Tree Toys Blogger Network.

The Benefits of DHA & Horizon Milk Giveaway

DHA. You may have seen this acronym around, usually found on products like milk and vitamins. I would bet that most people though aware of the term, have little to no idea of what it means. To be honest, I really didn't know what DHA is until very recently, even though I was buying products with DHA on the label. So the question is: What is DHA?

DHA is an Omega-3 healthy fatty acid the helps support the brain, heart and eyes. It is a major structural fat in the brain and retina and scientists believe that the more DHA is consumed then the more will be available to support healthy function in these areas. Everyone needs DHA, yet many people do not get enough in their diets. For infants and children, DHA supports brain and eye development and function. DHA is very important to children but most are only getting a fraction of what they need. For example, a three year old needs 150mg per day yet on average they are only getting 19mg. If you are pregnant or nursing, it is recommended that you consume an adequate amount of DHA. Which is why many prenatal vitamins now contain this powerful fatty acid. Studies for the senior years have shown a possible impact on eye health. Finally, for basically every age bracket, DHA supports heart health. So as you can see, it important for all of us.

Horizon Organic is making it easier to get the DHA we need with a variety of milk choices containing DHA Omega-3. Their milk comes in half gallons and is available in whole, reduced fat (2%), fat-free and lowfat chocolate (1%). Plus everything is certified organic, which is super important to me. You can visit their website to find out where Horizon Milk is sold near you and print out coupons to bring with you.

I have 4 young boys and it has been a struggle to get them to drink milk. Thankfully my oldest now loves organic chocolate milk and I am happy that Horizon's has DHA. Unfortunately our Stop & Shop does not carry it, but Target does. And since I love Target, it gives me an excuse to shop there!

Follow Horizon on:

Giveaway
Two (2) winners will each receive an Horizon Goody Bag.
Goody Bag contents:
1 Red Chico Bag
1 Red SIGG water bottle (branded w/ Horizon logo)
1 Horizon soft sided lunch box
1 Horizon Rubiks Cube keychain
1 Horizon T-shirt
5 Horizon free product coupons

Mandatory Entry
What is your favorite Horizon product or which do you want to try the most?

Extra Entries
- "Like" Horizon on Facebook. Please leave me your first name and last name initial to validate. It would be awesome if you posted on their wall telling themI sent you.
- Follow @GreenMamasPad and @HorizonDairy on Twitter and and tweet this giveaway. You can tweet once daily. Leave link to tweet in comment. You must have at least 50 followers. You can use the tweet button at the bottom of the post or copy and paste this:
@HorizonDairy goody bag #giveaway! Includes free product coupons, SIGG water bottle & more! @GreenMamasPad #win http://bit.ly/g2YE1C
- "Like" Green Mama's Pad on Facebook. Please leave me your first name and last name initial to validate. If you leave a comment on my wall you can give yourself an additional entry.
- Share this giveaway on Facebook. You can do this once daily. Leave link in comment.
- Follow Green Mama's Pad on Google Friend Connect.
- Subscribe to my RSS feed in a reader or subscribe via e-mail. Your email must validate or it will not count.
- Add my Green Mama's Pad button to your sidebar or add Green Mama's Pad to your blogroll. Leave your blog link.
- Blog about this giveaway. Your post must include a link to this post plus a link to the sponsor. Please leave link.
- Stumble one of my non-giveaway posts and tell me which one plus leave your StumbleUpon ID.
- Leave a comment on any of my non-giveaway posts and tell me which one.

This giveaway is open to US Residents 18+ only and will end on Friday, March 11 at 11:59pm EST. Two winners will be chosen at random using Random.org and will be posted on the Winner's Announcement Page. Winner has 48 hours to claim his/her prize otherwise a new winner will be picked. Please leave your e-mail address in all of your comment(s) so I can contact you. I will not share your e-mail address with anyone, it will strictly be used to notify you if you win. Good luck!

Please note that the opinions and views expressed here are my own. This post is a sponsored post in conjunction with the BabyCenter Blog Network. Horizon is providing the giveaway items.

Green Giveaway Friday Linky 2/25

Here are some featured Green Giveaways that I have found around the blogosphere. Please add both your green and non-green giveaways and contests into Mr. Linky below so we can do some blog hoppin! Be sure to include the expiration date. Thanks!

You can also submit your green giveaways to me during the week for me to feature on Fridays.

Being Alison
EcoMom $15 GC 2/28

Family Focus Blog
$100 Hayneedle GC 3/22
TruKid Natural Skincare 3/9
Cloth Diaper 3/4
$50 GC Saffron Organics 3/3
Eco Dog Bed 3/2
$550 Baby Crib Mattress 2/28
$30 GC Maternity & Nursing 2/25

Jessica Loves to Save Money
BagInspiration $20 GC 2/28

Mama Dweeb
Diapers Etc. $25 GC 2/28

Mommies on Vacation
Apple iPad & Kodak PlaySport 3/11

So Easy Being Green
EasyLunchBox 3.1

The Shopping Mama
Natural Mat Top Mat 2/25

How Do You Keep Your Kids Active In The Winter?

Here in New England we have had an insane amount of snow this winter. INSANE. You may have seen some of my Wordless Wednesday posts showcasing over 3 feet of snow. I lost track of how many snowstorms we had between Christmas and the end of January, but it was out of control and a state record. I don't like the cold and I don't like the snow. But what I like least of all is being trapped inside the house with 4 rambunctious boys all winter long.

Yes we went out and played in the snow a lot, when my little guy was napping. But he is still too young for me to bring him out there, so we only went out in short increments. They will run around for a bit inside and play with their toys, but this gets boring quickly or eventually leads to fighting and someone hurting someone else. I even started letting the twins play Wii with their big brother, figuring it was some activity and better than just sitting on their bums all day. Bu these are not enough, we need more options.

Some of the snow has started to melt, thankfully. But we still have a good foot on the ground and unfortunately, it has turned into a solid sheet of ice. So no more playing on that. I am out of ideas. I've thought about bringing them to an indoor play space, there are plenty around here, but those cost money and I have 4 kids.

So I need your help. If you live in an area with cold, snow filled winters, what do you to keep the kids busy and active till it thaws outside? Do you have fun indoor activities that they like to do? Are there days when your throw them in the car and take them to the mall just to get them out of the house? How do you survive the winter?

Free Cotton Babies bumGenius Starter Kit

Thinking about making the switch from disposable diapers to cloth? Here is a great way to get your feet wet and see why cloth diapers are better. Get a Cotton Babies® bumGenius™ Starter Kit FREE, details apply. Kit includes diapers, inserts, and detergent.

Why do people litter?

Littering. This is something that I just do.not.understand. Really, I cannot fathom what makes people think it is okay for them to throw their garbage on the ground. Granted, I feel like I see less litter these days then I did when I was younger, but it is still happening and any litter is too much litter. Most of what I see tends to be from fast food restaurants like bags and soda cups.

So let's picture the scene. You are driving in your car eating your lunch or enjoying your morning coffee. You finish whatever it is you have and the first thought that comes to your mind is to roll down your window and throw the leftover garbage out? Really? Because it would kill you to keep it in your car until you reach your destination, which I am 100% sure will have a trash can somewhere? I really need someone to explain this to me because it just doesn't make any sense.

I'm not sure what we can do to get people to stop this, but I do know that we can educate our future generations so they know this is not okay to do. If you see a piece of liter on the ground, use it as a learning opportunity to tell your kids not to litter. A few months ago when bringing my oldest son to his swimming lesson, we get out of the car an there is an empty water bottle laying on the ground. He points it out to me and I explained to him how wrong it is to throw your garbage on the ground and that it either goes in the recycle bin or trash can. I then picked up the bottle and we placed it in the recycle bin inside. It seems so simple but I know that taking the time to talk to him and leading by example had an impact and that he will not forget it.

What are your thoughts on this? What do you do when you see litter on the ground? Do you pick it up and throw it away or just keep walking? Have you ever called someone out after witnessing them litter?

Wordless Wednesday: Happy 6th Birthday!

Today is my oldest's 6th birthday. I still can't believe that my "baby" is such a big boy already. Where has the time gone? These pictures are from his party this past Sunday.

Swagbucks 3rd Birthday & 50 Swag Bucks Registration Code

Happy 3rd Birthday Swagbucks! I wish I could say that I had joined Swagbucks in the very beginning and have been earning lots of free stuff for the past 3 years. I've only been a member for about 6 months now and I think I have earned a decent amount of Swag Bucks during that time.

In honor of Swagbucks 3rd birthday, they are having a huge celebration on Monday, February 28. They have some pretty cool things planned for the day so you are going to want to check it out. Here is a sampling of the events:

• A Swag Code Extravaganza with at least 5 different codes throughout the day, and the opportunity to earn lots of Swag Bucks with them.

• A new look and feel for the Swagbucks Blog.

• The launch of two new features, one of which will redefine the way you use their search function

Swagbucks.com is a site where you can earn rewards points to redeem 1,000s of free products for doing the things you do every day. Whether it's searching the web, watching videos, playing games, shopping or more. You do not want to miss out on this birthday celebration.

New members automatically receive 30 Swag Bucks when they sign up to get them started. For this awesome birthday event, I have an exclusive code that will give you an additional 50 Swag Bucks when you sign up. That means you will start off with a total of 80! The code to enter when you register is 3rdBirthday107 and expires on February 28 at 11:59pm EST. Just click on the banner below to get started.



Please note that the above registration code is for new sign ups only and will not wok for existing members. I am a member of the Swagbucks Bloggers Outreach Program however I was not compensated for this post. The opinions and views expressed here are my own and based on my personal experience with the product. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. The Swagbucks links included within this post do contain my referral code.

Joss & Main: Flash Sales on Designer Home Goods

Flash sale sites seem to be all the rage lately. Every time I log into Facebook I see my friends posting about new ones. I love browsing these types of sites as they usualluy have really good deals. And you may have noticed I have shared some eco-friendly sales that I have found from time to time.

I was recently introduced to Joss & Main which has flash sales on designer brands for your home.

What is Joss & Main? Joss & Main is a premier members-only site that offers private, limited-time sale events on the world's best brands for your home and life. Each day, Members receive an email invitation to exclusive sale events on the best merchandise at prices up to 70% off retail. New brands and products are added daily by our talented group of buyers who continually strive to find you the best deals on the brands you love.

The other day when I first signed up they had some really cool looking bowls and kitchen-ware made from various sustainable wood. As I look at their upcoming events schedule, I see several eco-friendly deals that I can't wait to check out.

February 21
• Berndes, Cast Iron Cookware

February 22
• Coyuchi, Organic Linens
• Mod Green Pod, Organic Wallpaper & Fabrics

February 23
• Totally Bamboo, Sustainable Kitchenware

February 24
• Designs for Living, Natural Scents & Gifts

Now these are member exclusive deals so in order to see them you do have to sign up. Registration is free and once you sign up you will receive daily email with new deals and you'll be able to login and see not only current deals, but upcoming events like the ones I posted here. Personally, I am really looking forward to the Totally Bamboo event. I absolutely LOVE bamboo kitchen accessories.

Green Giveaway Friday Linky 2/18

Here are some featured Green Giveaways that I have found around the blogosphere. Please add both your green and non-green giveaways and contests into Mr. Linky below so we can do some blog hoppin! Be sure to include the expiration date. Thanks!

You can also submit your green giveaways to me during the week for me to feature on Fridays.

Green Mama's Pad

BagInspirations $20 Gift Certificate 2/18 

Eco Natural Soap 2/24

Being Alison
EcoMom $15 GC 2/28

Family Focus Blog
Cloth Diaper 3/4
$50 GC Saffron Organics 3/3
Eco Dog Bed 3/2
$550 Baby Crib Mattress 2/28
$30 GC Maternity & Nursing 2/25
Eco Dish Liquid 2/24
$50 GC to TheCleanBedroom 2/22
$25 Publix GC 2/21
Melissa and Doug 2/21
Prenatal Vitamins 2/18

Katydid and Kid
$40 Gift Certificate to Vyssanlull Scandinavian Baby 2/20

Mama Dweeb
Gypsy Jewels $20 GC 2/18
Diapers Etc. $25 GC 2/28

So Easy Being Green
Wahmies Pail Liner ends 2/18
Dropps Detergent ends 2.19
Sweet Cheeks Pail Powder & GC ends 2.20
Diaper Bag Wrangler Wetbag ends 2.21
Nellie's All-Natural Laundry Soda ends 2.22
Softbums Omni ends 2.24

The Shopping Mama
Natural Mat Top Mat 2/25

Thrifty Thursday: YoBaby Coupon, B1G1 Roses & More

Welcome to Thrifty Thursday! We all know that buying eco-friendly products can be expensive at times. So here are some coupons and sales for green products I have come across. Happy shopping!

Stonyfield Farm - YoBaby Coupon
Share a coupon with a friend and Stonyfield will also send you a Buy One Get One Free coupon for YoBaby Multipack.

Organic / All Natural Grocery Coupons from Coupons.com
Unfortunately I cannot link directly to a coupon so I will list what page it can be found to hopefully make them easier for you to find and print.
$1.00 off Rice Dream 64oz Rice Dream (Redeem at Wakefern, Shoprite, & Pricerite) page 3
$1.00 off So Delicious 64oz or 32oz Coconut Milk Beverage page 3
$2.00 off ZarBee's Cough Syrup (Available at Walgreen's) page 5
$1.00 off 8th Continent Soymilk, 1/2 Gallon (Redeem at Wakefern, Shoprite, & Pricerite) page 4
$1.00 off on any TWO (2) Yogi™ Granola Snack Crisps page 4
$1.00 off ANY Pacific Breeze™ Tea product page 5
$1.00 off On ANY Sundown Naturals® or Marvel Heroes Vitamin Product page 10
 

Zuliy.com
Kate Quinn Organics
Organic and fair trade clothing for girls, boys and maternity. Sale ends 2/21 at 6am PST. While supplies last.

Skye & Dragonfly Square Neck Dress - Infant$44.00 | $21.99

Charcoal Square Neck Maternity Dress
$78.00 | $39.99


Organic Bouquet
Buy one dozen assorted roses get another dozen of assorted roses for free! That is 24 long stem roses for $49.95. All roses must be shipped together in the same package to the same address. While supplies last.





This post contains some affiliate links.

Wordless Wednesday: Subtle Hint

Last month I started receiving a free subscription to Redbook (I still don't know why). The other day my husband came home from work and placed the mail on the kitchen island. When I glanced down at the mail I saw this:

He's really subtle. lol.

Shop for Eco-Friendly Modern Furniture with CSN Stores

If you are looking for a one stop online shopping experience than CSN Stores is absolutely a site that you need to visit. CSN has over 200 stores, like Cookware, Shoes, Toys, Office supplies and really anything else you can possibly imagine. I have been spending quite a bit of time browsing their Bunk Beds store recently. We are looking to get a set of bunk beds for our twins who will be 4 soon and a loft bed for our almost 6 year old. I still can't believe how many they have!

In addition to their Bunk Beds store, CSN Stores has over 30 other furniture stores, including a modern furniture store, which I could spend hours "window shopping" on. Do you know what I love about it? Right there on the main page is a "go green" link which brings you right to a page with all of their eco-friendly items broken up into sub-categories. I have been to so many sites who don't do this and I am left to search for terms like "eco" on my own which gives me a lot of non-green results to sift through. CSN's All Modern store cuts out all of those extra steps and puts it all in one place for us.

From their eco-friendly main menu you can easily shop for baby & kids, tables, lighting, storage etc. When it comes to furniture and home accent shopping, All Modern from CSN Stores is making it that much easier to go green!

Please note that the opinions and views expressed here are my own and based on my personal experience with the site. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. CSN Stores will be providing me with a product for review.

Green Giveaway Friday Linky 2/11

Here are some featured Green Giveaways that I have found around the blogosphere. Please add both your green and non-green giveaways and contests into Mr. Linky below so we can do some blog hoppin! Be sure to include the expiration date. Thanks!

You can also submit your green giveaways to me during the week for me to feature on Fridays.


Green Mama's Pad (hey, that's me!)
Ecolissa.com $50 Gift Certificate 2/11
BagInspirations $20 Gift Certificate 2/18 
Eco Natural Soap 2/24

Family Focus Blog
Eco Dog Bed 3/2
$550 Baby Crib Mattress 2/28
$30 GC Maternity & Nursing 2/25
Eco Dish Liquid 2/24
$50 GC to TheCleanBedroom 2/22
$25 Publix GC 2/21
Melissa and Doug 2/21
Prenatal Vitamins 2/18
Decleor Gift Set 2/15

Just Another New Blog
Tropical Traditions Dishwasher Detergent 2/12
Mom's Best Naturals Cereal 2/13

Katydid and Kid
$40 Gift Certificate to Vyssanlull Scandinavian Baby 2/20
Poster from Uprinting.com 2/16
Pure Face Organics Night Cream 2/13
Quorn Vegetarian Foods 2/13

So Easy Being Green
Rockin' Green ends 2/14
RubyMoon Detergent ends 2/15
Clean B Detergent ends 2/17
Wahmies Pail Liner ends 2/18

The Shopping Mama
Burt's Bees Skin Care 2/14
Natural Mat Top Mat 2/25

Thrifty Thursday 2/10: Organic Coupons & Zulily!

Welcome to Thrifty Thursday! We all know that buying eco-friendly products can be expensive at times. So here are some coupons and sales for green products I have come across. Happy shopping!

Organic / All Natural Grocery Coupons from Coupons.com
75¢ off Cascadian Farm
75¢ off Muir Glen Tomatoes
$1.00 off Rice Dream 64oz Rice Dream (Redeem at Wakefern, Shoprite, & Pricerite)
$1.00 off So Delicious 64oz or 32oz Coconut Milk Beverage
$1.00 off Olivia's Organics Salad
$2.00 off ZarBee's Cough Syrup (Available at Walgreen's)
$1.00 off 8th Continent Soymilk, 1/2 Gallon (Redeem at Wakefern, Shoprite, & Pricerite)
75¢ off any one all-natural Snikiddy Snacks 4.0 oz bag or larger
$1.00 off on any TWO (2) Yogi™ Granola Snack Crisps
$1.00 off ANY Pacific Breeze™ Tea product
$1.00 off On ANY Sundown Naturals® or Marvel Heroes Vitamin Product
 

Zuiliy.com
Envirosax Reusable Bags
Great deal on Envirosax kids' bags as low as $5.95 and over 20 styles to choose from. Not only ideal for shopping but great for sleepovers or school or my favorite is to use them as gift bags for birthdays or as Easter baskets! Stock up now! Deal is from 2/10 to 2/15, while supplies last.

Blue 'To the Moon' Kids' Bag $8.95 | $5.99

Elmo Kids' Bag $9.95 | $6.99

Flower Power Kids' Bag $8.95 | $5.99

This post contains some affiliate links.