Friday, July 29, 2011

Ever Bamboo - REVIEW/GIVEAWAY (closed)

closed

Did you know all the uses that bamboo has? Because I certainly didn't. I have seen bamboo shoots in pots in people's homes or offices; and as a wedding present we received some bamboo towels (SUPER soft and VERY absorbant!) but other than that, I thought it was just a plant.




Very recently, I came across a Canadian company - Ever Bamboo. I started following them on twitter and facebook, and was fortunate enough to have the chance to review some of their products. They are an Alberta based company, and they make bamboo/charcoal deodorizer's (for drawers, shoes, rooms, diaper bags, diaper pails and more) and they are now even making soap!

A little about Bamboo Charcoal:
Bamboo charcoal is produced from the rapidly growing moso bamboo. This type of bamboo can grow two feet or more in a single day, reaching a height of 60 feet in two to three months.

Due to the growth characteristics of moso bamboo, millions of tiny holes are created as the plant densifies as it matures. The porous structure of bamboo charcoal provides countless tiny holes that effectively absorb odors, moisture, and polluted air particles such as formaldehyde, ammonia, and benzene.


Use bamboo charcoal as a:
-deodorizer in your fridge, freezer, bedroom and bathroom, gym bag, hockey equipment, footwear, kitchen, car, pet area, renovation area, garage, compost pail and diaper pail
-decoration for home and vivarium
-air filter to absorb toxic chemical substances for commercial and industrial applications

REVIEW

Ever Bamboo very kindly sent me 5 items to review. I have them listed below, along with my thoughts!

Shoe Deodorizer - My hubby works in construction, so I thought his work boots would be a great place to try out the shoe deo! After only a few hours, I was amazed at how quickly it worked! I have been putting the deo's in each boot when he gets home from work every night, and they no longer smell like they have been worn for 8hrs a day, in this hot weather!

Room Deodorizer - I  placed the room deo under the kitchen sink next to our garbage pail (although it can be used for quite a large space). I am happy to report that now when I open the cupboard to grab the dish soap, I am not bombarded by the smell of garbage!

Fridge/ Freezer - I placed the fridge/freezer deo in my fridge, and placed it pretty close to the clove of garlic I had. Wasn't I surprised when I opened the fridge and was no longer met by the scent of garlic (and I love garlic, but it's nice that the entire fridge doesn't smell of it anymore)

Drawer packets - I used a drawer packet in my wetbag that I use for my sons soiled cloth diapers; it was nice not having the smell of urine/poop greet me every time I opened it to place a new one in the bag.

Face/Body bar - I have sensitive/acne prone skin, so I am always hesitant about trying new products; however, I am very glad that I tried the HEI Soap! It left my skin feeling clean, it isn't harsh (although it does have quite a strong smell - not in a bad way though) and it did not irritate my sensitive skin! After almost 4 weeks of use, I still love this soap!

One of the things that I really like about the Ever Bamboo deodorizer's is that they have no smell to them. It's not like the over-powering gels and sprays, that just kind of cover the smell that is there with a chemical scent - these packs actually ABSORB the smell, and leave everything smelling "normal".


Buy IT:


Right now, Ever Bamboo is running a promotion with one of their Ottawa retailers, readi,set, go! They are located at 793 Bank Street. For any purchase made in store of Ever Bamboo products (over $20.00) they will receive a 10% discount and a free sport deodorizer ($5 value) while quantities last!

Ever Bamboo is also running a promotion with one of their online retailers check out Greenwala Marketplace - they are a US online store that ships to both the US and Canada.

For any purchase of Ever Bamboo products over $30, customer would receive 10% off and receive a bonus Sport Deodorizer ($5 value). Ends August 15 - use coupon code - bonus10.


Win IT:
Ever bamboo is going to provide one of my readers with your choice (dependant on availability) of TWO of their products!

Mandatory Entries: 2 entries (both must be completed to qualify)

1) you MUST be a GFC follower
2) visit Ever Bamboo and tell me which product you like the most
Bonus Entries:


- follow @tlsofmommyhood on twitter
- like Tales of Mommyhood on facebook (2 entries)
- follow @everbamboo on twitter
- like Ever Bamboo on facebook (feel free to tell them I sent you) (2 entries)
- share this giveaway (facebook, twitter, blog) and leave me a link to where I can find it

Remember, your comment is your entry, so leave seperate comments for each entry you do

Don't forget to leave your email in the comment (or have it visible in GFC), if I can't contact you - your entry will be excluded

The contest opens July 29, 2011 and will run until August 12th at 9pm (EST) I will be using random.org to choose the winner. Winner will be contacted by email and will have 48hrs to reply back; if not, another entry will be chosen. Open to Canadian and US residents. Good luck!Remember to leave your email adress with your comment so I can reach you; and 1 comment per entry (your entry is your comment) check out here for more info on entering my giveaways

*I was sent the products free of charge in exchange for my opinion. My opinion was not influenced by this, and as always, the opinions stated belong to Tales of Mommyhood; your experiences may differ, and your opinion may vary*

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

and the lucky reader is ......

Congratulations to:

Bee W Bedard said...

follow @babybanz on twitter
@BeeWBedard
brendawitherspoon at hotmail dot com
July 22, 2011 6:49 PM


True Random Number Generator:
Min: 1
Max: 74
Result:
32

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Bee will have until 9:00pm EST, on Thursday, July 28 to contact me or another winner will be chosen! Thanks again to Baby Banz for sponsoring this giveaway~! and to all those that entered. Keep your eyes on the blog over the next few weeks for a few more giveaways!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

July 21, 1995 - a day that forever changed my life

On this day, in 1995 - my father died. He had a heart attack in the basement.  My mom did CPR, but wasn't able to revive him. I was just shy of my 15th birthday. 

It's amazing the things that go through your mind when someone dies. I was a kid, I had no idea what was going to happen - but I was surrounded by my mom, brother and lots of aunts/uncles and the best cousin/friend a girl could ask for - and I made it through.

I think about all the things my father has missed being a part of in my life (and my brothers); how he would have looked on my wedding day; seeing him with his first grandchild (there are 7 now). I wonder how many dogs he would have; if my parents would still live in the same house or if they would have sold it and moved out to the country like he always wanted to.

I think what gets me the most is that my kids will never meet him. They know who Papa Rick is - and Julien likes to visit his grave (it's on the water, so he always says Papa Rick lives on the water).

Today, is 16 years since he died. 16 years I have lived without my father, that's more time than I even had him with me.

Love you daddy

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

(CLOSED)Banz Sunscreen travel kit REVIEW/GIVEAWAY

Have you heard of Baby Banz before? I have known about their childrens sunglasses for a few years - but I had no idea about all the other amazing products. Baby Banz was founded in 2001, and originally hit the market in 2002.  They are winners of the iparenting Media award! They are members of the InfantSEE Family Tree, and also have approval by the Melanoma International Foundation. 

I recently had the opportunity to review the Banz Sunscreen Travel Kit, available from Baby Banz.  It comes in a handy little TSA approved ziploc bag, so that everything can stay together. The travel kit is perfect for a day long outing - it comes with sunscreen, after sun aloe gel, lip balm with spf, and hand sanitizer! 



Review:

I love the fact that they come in portable sizes. You don't need to lug around a huge bottle of sunscreen or sanitizer; and the after sun gel comes in a handy size too! Since it arrives in a TSA approved bag, you can put it in your carry on if your travelling and not need to worry about leakage. If your not travelling, you can still throw it in your diaper bag, purse or back pack and not worry about leaking!

Features (I have copied these from the website and added in my thoughts in bold/italics)

Sunscreen - Aloe Gator® SPF30 sunblock is oil- and PABA-free so it’s easy on your skin. It’s non-greasy, water-resistant, and dries quickly. Convenient Travel Size Carabiner Clip Bottle Great for any outdoor or water sport. UVA/UVB protection, SPF 30. Unscented.  I loved the fact that it came in such a handy size! I did find it a little thick to put on, but once it was on I didn't notice it. Since it is unscented, it doesn't have any after smell to it.  The carabiner is a great feature; allows you to keep it attached to a belt loop, stroller, purse strap or keychain! Both my boys have sensitive skin, and were able to tolerate this sunscreen, which is pretty big around our house.


Lip Balm - Moisturizes and protects lips from dryness and sun damage. Cherry flavored. PABA free formula with added Aloe and Vitamin E. I think this is my favorite product from the travel kit. I LOVE the lip balm. It made my lips feel so soft, and since it has an SPF in it, it helps to protect them from sun damage - something I know I often forget about. My oldest son loved it also - he thought it smelled great and loved the fact that he could wear "lipstick".

Aloe Gator After Sun Lotion -This rich formulation of soothing moisturizing ingredients makes AFTER SUN LOTION the very best protection against the effects of exposure to sun and wind. Its 9 botanical extract soften the skin, while the Aloe Vera and Vitamin E restore moisture, promote healing and help prevent peeling.  I loved having the convenient aloe after sun lotion. I often forget to moisturize when we come home from a day out, and having it in the travel kit allowed me to do it before we even got in the car. It soothes the skin and leaves it feeling soft - what more can you ask?

Hand Sanitizer - Moisturizing Jojoba Beads for Dry Hands Allows you to Clean and Soften Hands in One Application
Kills 99.9 % of all Bacteria. 62% Alcohol    Having kids has made me realize how important hand sanitizers are. It's such a great thing to keep in my bag for when we are out and about and aren't able to wash our hands.  I love the smell - it doesn't have a super strong alcohol smell to it; the scent is subtle and appealing! There are tiny jojoba beads in it which help with moisturizing and helps to keep the alcohol in it from drying out your skin!


Buy it:
Check out Baby Banz and you can purchase a travel kit of your own, along with a number of other great products ! (the reversible bucket hat here is pretty adorable!)

Win it:
BabyBanz is offering one of my lucky readers their very own Banz Sunscreen Travel Kit! How wonderful is that?

Mandatory Entries: 2 entries (both must be completed to qualify)
1) follow my blog publicly with GFC
2) check out the BabyBanz website and tell me another product that interests you

Bonus Entries:

- like Tales of Mommyhood on Facebook (2 entries)
- like Baby Banz on facebook - feel free to tell them I sent you ! (2 entries)
- follow @tlsofmommyhood on twitter
- follow @babybanz on twitter
- share this giveway (blog, twitter, facebook) and leave me a link to where I can find it

Click here for more info on entering giveaways on Tales of Mommyhood

Remember, your comment is your entry, so leave seperate comments for each entry you do
The contest opens July 19, 2011 and will run until July 26th at 9pm (EST) I will be using random.org to choose the winner. Winner will be contacted by email and will have 48hrs to reply back; if not, another entry will be chosen. Open to Canadian and US residents. Good luck! Remember to leave your email adress with your comment so I can reach you; and 1 comment per entry (your entry is your comment) check out here for more info on entering my giveaways

*I was sent the products free of charge in exchange for my opinion. My opinion was not influenced by this, and as always, the opinions stated belong to Tales of Mommyhood; your experiences may differ, and your opinion may vary*

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Quick update on Kyle and his teeth

We saw the dentist on Monday, and she said that everything looks great.  There is no signs of damage that she can see, and due to his age she said an Xray is too much to put him through - so unless something crops up (apparently damage from an impact can show up as late as 5 yrs after) to just proceed as normal. 

He did great, let her look in his mouth and touch his teeth/gums!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

made from scratch gold fish crackers (or teddy bears in this case!)

 A friend of mine recently told me about a recipe for home-made gold fish crackers. My older son, hubby and I all love them, so I thought it was worth a try.  Here is the original recipe. I made some changes, so this is how mine looks

1 cup whole wheat flour
4 tbs cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 1/4 cups shredded cheese (I used light marble - it's what was in my frige - next time I will use the sharp)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
3 tbs water


I followed the directions, rolled out the dough and cut with teddy bear cutters (smallest one I had - although I think slightly smaller would be good) and baked them for about 14 min. They turned out good - as I mentioned, I used light marble - next time I will use sharp chedder to give them a little more bite!  The original recipe calls for unsalted butter, and 1/4 tsp salt. I always use salted butter, so I omitted the salt.

I will add some pictures when I have a chance to get on my other computer! I hope you enjoy!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

healthy, affordable meals

I think most of us are in the same position - we want to make meals for our families that are nutritious, taste good and affordable.

One of the most affordable meals I have come across is pasta. If you buy the vegetable or whole wheat pasta, it is quite nutritious.

I thought I would do a little run down of a pasta meal, with the cost so you can see just how economic it can be.

1 950g bag of pasta - $1.19
1 tin of Bravo pasta sauce - $1.79 (you can buy your favorite brand, there are many that are even cheaper than this)
.5 lb of lean ground beef - $5.99 (to save even more, you could buy medium)

Total =$8.97

This will feed my husband, older son and myself for 3 meals each. When you divide that up to a per serving cost, your looking at $0.75 per meal. How awesome is that?

You could add in a loaf of garlic bread and a salad, and still be looking at under $1.00 per meal.

If you want a side to a meal, or a lunch (or dinner even) then you could make a pasta salad. Cook the pasta, add in whatever veggies you want, protein (I like tuna or chicken with mine) and some salad dressing (zesty italian or sundried tomato and oregano are my favorites)

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Beautiful day in the neighbourhood....

it's a beautiful day in the neighbourhood - I used to love watching Mr. Rogers - it was one of my favorite shows (along with Mr. Dress-up and Polkaroo - and now as an adult, I can admit that I watched, and enjoyed them, until I was about 10 years old)

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day. Hubby and Jules headed out to Costco in the morning, and Kyle and I took an hour long walk. When hubby and J got home, we played outside in the backyard for a couple of hours - and then we headed out on another hour long walk as a family - we were hoping to see some deer, but we didn't.

When we got home, we played outside for another hour or so, and then it was supper time; Kyle went to bed and we finished off the night watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

and another trip to CHEO for Kyle

Well it wasn't an "emergency" I was really at a loss of what to do.  He was crawling around picking up cheerio's (one of his favorite pass times, the er doc nicknamed him "cheerio hunter") and he lunged himself forward, mouth first into our kitchen table leg (its a pedastel type table). He screamed, when I got him calmed down I noticed blood trickling out of his mouth - my biggest fear thinking he had knocked out a tooth - and there was a LOT of blood.  After the bleeding seemed to stop, hubby lay him down and had a look in his mouth.  There was now a large space between his top 2 teeth (which didn't use to be so wide) and it looked as if the inside of his lip was caught between them. We didn't want to rip his lip out - so we headed to CHEO. They are wonderful there. 

It was a quick trip, in and out in 1 hr!  The resident looked and thought the same as us, although she wasn't quite sure how to proceed, so she got the staff ped to come and take a look. Upon further investigation, it was NOT his lip stuck; the doc thinks the teeth got pushed back up into the gums, and because of that we were just seeing more gum than normal (although it was bloody and cut). He said not to be surprised if the teeth turn grey (because they are probably dead) and that we need to see the dentist so they can decide on the best course of action (leave them be or pull them out)

Poor little bugga bugga.......

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Beloved Special Events (Ottawa)

For any of my readers in Ottawa, if you are looking for help with party planning, check out Beloved Special Events facebook page, and the website.  Amy is a mom of 2, and has a passion for party planning. She has just started this new venture, and would love to work with you!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

OXO Candela Glow rechargable lights! (bzzagent)




I am looking forward to being able to try the OXO Candela Glow rechargable lights! I am a BzzAgent and thanks to them will get the chance!

Have you used them before? What do you think about them? Would you recommend them?

Saturday, July 2, 2011

My hubby's hard work!

A few weeks ago, hubby and I were talking and decided that we should get the kids a playstructure for the backyard (bigger than the Little Tikes one that we have now).

After doing some looking online, the ones that we liked were ridiculously expensive, and way beyond our budget - so hubby did some research and decided to build his own.

So, here it is  - we still need to add the roof, but the main thing was to have the structure built and usable by July 1st, so the kids could enjoy it at our bbq.

will use the umbrella for shade until the roof is built


Rock Wall

J building the roof

Happy Canada Day!

I had actually scheduled this to post yesterday, but somehow it didn't happen - so it is a little late!

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians!

I hope that you have a fun, enjoyable Holiday - and remember to stay safe - no drinking and driving!

We host an annual bbq on Canada Day - the kids play, we est and socialize - and watch fireworks that nearby neighbours sometime have (if ppl are here late enough) Some years we are out on the deck until 2am, and other years it is earlier. Now that most of us have kids, I imagine tonight will be earlier.

I will be back tomorrow to post some pictures!

Happy Canada Day!