Creating memories is something that summer is capable of offering us unlike any other time of the year.  Although there are some families that will go away on an extravagant vacation, you do not need to feel like you are slighting your children if that’s something you can’t do!!

I know that for us, a day-cation is all we can usually pull off with a family of 8.  As I was doing a little writing this week for Mom Central Food, I had yet another fun summer adventure idea that is so simple yet memorable that I had to share it with you.

This week, my posts at Mom Central Food are very Fruit and Summer focused.  One of them is about Smoothies and offers a great Blueberry Banana Smoothie recipe, and the other is all about making homemade popsicles.

But here’s the super fun part, you can create an amazing experience for your children just centered on making them fresh homemade popsicles. How? you may ask….. Here’s how to create a Fruity Summer Adventure for your kiddos.

• Find a local farm that has a u-pick area. Check for season information so you know what berries are available when.
• Tip: Go in the morning, fairly early with well fed children that aren’t desperate for a nap. This also avoids being caught in what can often become unbearable heat if you aren’t careful about your timing.  Make sure to still bring sunblock and hats for all.
• If you aren’t familiar with picking berries, most farms will have an employee that can tell you where to go to find them and even basics on how to pick them.  If you don’t bring your own containers for the harvest you pick, most farms will have them available there. Tip: Keep in mind that what you picked gets weighed before you pay so although this is intended to be a fun experience for the kids, don’t let them pick the field dry (hehe).
• Once you get home from berry picking {tip: you will have some very colorful and sticky little ones so you may want to bring along wipes for the trip home}, you will want to start by cleaning the berries thoroughly.
• From here you simply process the berries as needed. If they are for smoothies, lay them on a cookie sheet and stick them in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours until firm then move them to a gallon size zipper bag for storage and return to the freezer. If you are using them for popsicles you can simply store them in a container in the fridge until you are ready to make the popsicles {tip: best if you can use them within a day or two for freshness}.

The best part about all of this is that the kids were involved in the process from start to finish.  They can help with not only the berry picking, but consider taking them to the store with you to pick out the other ingredients (if necessary for the intended purpose), and even have them help (or watch) you puree the fruit and make their treat!!!

Kids love this and they love being involved. It makes them feel important and “big”!  They are far more likely to try anything that they have been involved in the creation of, so for picky kids that aren’t used to what you are making this is a great way to try new things.  You can’t go wrong when you know what’s in your children’s food.

Overall I think this is a fantastic way to create a very fun and memorable summer experience for your children.

Celebrity chef Tyler Florence created Sprout Baby Food, the leading organic gourmet baby food now available on the market.  Reminding us that healthy eating needs to continue as babies begin to try solid foods, delicious combinations of healthy food is what you will find in Sprout.

Available in three stages to grow with your baby, you’ll find yummy combinations such as Roasted Bananas, Sweet Peas & Garden Green Beans, Roasted Pears & Apricots, Sweet Baby Carrots and Sweet Potato and many more.

My niece got to try out a few samples of Sprout Organic Baby food and my sister was very impressed not only with the fact that it’s organic, but with the packaging itself, “I love that I can seal it and throw it in the bag not worrying about it spilling all over.”

The packaging is very unique, definitely not your average baby food….

Complementing Sprout’s high quality organic recipes is the Company’s dedication to serving its gourmet baby food in the Company’s proprietary ecologically packaged, re-sealable pouches. Not only are the pouches eco-friendly and convenient to use, they also deliver Sprout’s organic baby food in a revolutionary manner that maintains superior taste and nutrition when compared to traditional glass jar baby food packaging techniques.

Sprout Baby Food also provides added assurance with your baby’s nutrition and development by providing a recipe growth chart, guiding parents on what meals to feed their child until they are toddlers. In addition to being available online, Sprout Organic Baby Food’s 18 highly nutritious “farm-to-pouch” recipes are also available at retail locations across the country.

You can purchase Sprout Baby Food at Whole Foods, Publix, Kroger, United Supermarkets, Raley’s and many other locations. If you are looking for a discount, you can shop at Amazon.com or Diapers.com.

Disclosure: I always give honest and forthright reviews and will not present something that poses a conflict of interest &/or that I do not like.  I received sample pouches of Sprout Baby Food that my niece tried out…these were provided to me in order for me to offer you with an honest review of their product. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

When I was contacted about this fabulous product, I was totally in love with the idea of a product that easily helps me in my effort to make workouts more effective. The Motiva Petite is easy to use and very small and fashionable.

The directions were so easy to follow, and it was so attractive to wear. I use it whenever I’m working out and it is brilliant. Why you ask…the features are absolutely amazing!

• ECG accurate heart rate, without a chest strap
• Smallest heart rate monitor on the market
• Visual indicator of exertion level based on heart rate and personal data
• Percent of maximum heart rate display based on age and gender
• Multiple timers (5)
• Patented calorie management system allowing users to track calorie intake throughout the day and calories burned during exercise, against a daily calorie target
• Can be used for MIO’s 3500 Calorie Countdown Program
• Full-featured sports watch including alarm, exercise timer, date and backlit display
• Water resistant to 30 meters
• MIO’s signature interchangeable Petite watch band (other colors sold separately)
• BONUS: One extra signature interchangeable Petite watch band!
• BONUS: MioSENSE Guide to Healthy Living

With all the different functions available in the Motiva Stride Petite, you’ll want to wear it all the time for whatever you’re doing. I especially love that it tracks daily caloric intake as well as heart rate, basic time/date, etc.

You can find out more about this great Mio product and more on their website, their Facebook page, through Twitter and on YouTube.

They have offered one very lucky reader your choice of product from their site. Be sure to visit and choose something, then come back here and leave a comment with a link to the product you would like to win in order to enter.

There are lots of great ways to get extra entries!

(be sure to leave a NEW comment for EACH extra entry!):

• Special Extra entries for this giveaway! One each for becoming a fan on their facebook page and/or following them on Twitter.
• Tweet It: Just tweet this giveaway with a link to this post and make sure your comment has your twitter handle in it.
• Blog It: Write a post about this giveaway (with a link to this post of course) on your own blog, make sure your comment has a link to your post.
• Stumble It, Kirtsy It, Digg It, Submit to Mommy Blips: Submit this giveaway to any of these sites and earn an extra entry for each one…and make sure your comment has your Username.

It is void where prohibited, be sure to read my giveaway policies here. Be sure to enter by October 5th, 2009. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian addresses!

Disclosure: I always give honest and forthright reviews and will not present something that poses a conflict of interest &/or that I do not like. I was sent the Motiva Stride Petit watch to try for myself in order to present you with an informed review. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

It isn’t often that I stumble upon a book that I believe needs to be added to EVERY parent’s bookshelf, but this is definitely one of them!  With a title like if your kid eats this book, everything will still be okay it’s immediately obvious that Lara Zibners, MD has written a book completely unlike anything else out there.

If you have a friend that is expecting a baby…give them this book, if you have just become a grandparent or have friends who recently had a child and you would like to give them a great book just because….give them this book.   Get the idea…buy this book for every parent you know.

It’s funny, intelligent, witty, honest, medically balanced and definitely a great read!  You won’t find this to be one of those boring medical how-to or info books that you can read to go to sleep!  With this book you’ll be sucked in and drawn to read chapters on subjects that you know you may never need to know about, but it’s funny to hear what she has to say about it anyway.

Just an example….as I was reading through it to present to all of you, I stumbled upon the section on Colic.  If you have never had a child with colic, or been very close to someone who has, you will have absolutely NO understanding or appreciation for the amazing advice being given in this section.  I called my sister…the queen of daughters with colic (and figuring out how to cope with it) and read the entire section to her knowing full well that she would LOVE it…she did!  She especially loved that Dr. Zibners mentioned the only book that has gotten my sister through her two girls with colic.  Prompting me to give Dr. Zibners two thumbs up…and a big ole hug from my sis!

Author, Lara Zibners, MD (an emergency room pediatrician) has seen far too many children taken to the ER who didn’t need to be there. I love her grounded advice on everything from what to keep in your medicine cabinet (even this experienced mom could use a refresher course in that from time to time), how to tell if the situation is really an emergency or not and if you do have to go to the ER, what to expect when you get there.

I really do encourage families do their research ahead of time. I know it isn’t something that any of us want to think about ever needing to do, but much like finding a qualified pediatrician, it does help to know up front what your best options are. Many parents don’t know that there are some hospitals that have pediatricians on hand and some that don’t…if your child doesn’t have a life threatening emergency, you should always take them to the hospital that offers pediatric care. For instance, if there is a Children’s hospital in your city, take them to the ER there. Many ER’s aren’t really equipped to be the best option for childrens’ care, especially if there are many higher level pediatric facilities within the same city…so do your homework.

You can read an excerpt from the book HERE. Dr. Lara Zibners has a great website too where she answers some great questions, has more information about her book and even has a section where you can ask a question or tell your story.

If you would like to win a copy of this book for your family bookshelf (or a friend), be sure to check out Dr. Lara Zibners’ site, then come back here and leave a comment telling me why you’d love to have a copy of this book.

There are many opportunities to get extra entries as well… (more…)

Going green in all the little ways in life can be challenging.  For instance, where to find the best containers to take lunch to school or work is one of those areas that I was a little less familiar with until recently. New Wave Enviro recently introduced me to their line of products and sent some of their products for me to review.

Learning about the right products to use is definitely most of the battle, so when one company offers them so conveniently it makes life a lot easier.   Doing things like using stainless steel containers in your lunch bag (bamboo lunch bag by the way) – they are healthier for you and can be recycled when you no longer need them.

You can purchase New Wave Enviro products at health food and nutrition stores throughout the USA and Canada as well as through many online retailers!  New Wave Enviro has a great store finder on their site.

I love that their Stainless Steel bottles (which come in various sizes from 12 to 40 oz) are a high grade stainless steel and come in a variety of fun colors!  I like to keep these available to my kiddos througout the day, especially during the summer.  I don’t know what it is about kids and water bottles, but they seem to love to drink out of them and with Stainless Steel I know that the container is SAFE!

Their Bamboo bag is made of bamboo that is grown completely without chemicals or pesticides and regenerates without replanting!  The Bamboo bag itself is hypo-allergenic and anti-bacterial, a definite must for kids’ school lunches.  It is a simple bag, so it would be appropriate for any age to take with them for lunch…from elementary school to the workplace!

If you’re looking for the perfect container for that lunch bag, check out their stainless steel Food Container!  No toxins, no chemicals and the perfect size to hold a sandwich, bagel, small salad or even veggies and dip.  It closes conveniently and is easy to scrub up after use.

New Wave Enviro has offered one very lucky commenter a set of three of their products…Stainless Steel food container, Stainless Steel 20 oz bottle and their Bamboo Bag!  To enter, visit New Wave Enviro’s website and learn a bit about their products.  When you are done simply come back here and tell me why you want to go green for lunch!

As usual, there are lots of ways to get extra entries for this giveaway!  Just make sure you leave a new comment for each one…

• Tweet It: Just tweet this giveaway with a link to this post and make sure your comment has your twitter handle in it.
• Blog It: Write a post about this giveaway (with a link to this post of course) on your own blog, make sure your comment has a link to your post.
• Stumble It, Kirtsy It, Digg It, Submit to Mommy Blips: Submit this giveaway to any of these sites and earn an extra entry for each one…and make sure your comment has your Username.

This giveaway is open to US addresses only.  Be sure to enter by July 9th.  It is void where prohibited, be sure to read my giveaway policies here.

*Disclosure:  My reviews are honest and forthright.  Although companies are required to send me products to review in order to be featured here, I will not post about a product that I do not like.  You can see my full disclosure here.

As a mom, I’m always looking for healthy things to introduce into my children’s diet.  Making sure that they’re eating healthy is generally the first place I start.  When my children aren’t functioning at 100% though, finding creative ways to get their system back in balance can definitely be a challenge.

If they have been on antibiotics or are recovering from a gastrointestinal issue of any sort, I’m thankful that I can rely on Florastor® to restore the healthy balance their little body needs!  For a long time we have relied on feeding them yogurt (with live cultures) or even purchasing liquid acidophillus, but the problem is that they don’t always need the dairy associated with the yogurt and they don’t always like the flavor of the liquid acidophillus.

There are billions of microbiota inside the intestines that keep the digestive system working properly. An upset in the balance of these microbiota, or flora, can cause intestinal problems, including diarrhea and abdominal discomfort, which can range from moderate to severe. Florastor® Kids is a clinically-tested, natural, yeast-based probiotic that aids in the growth of good microbiota in the intestines, while destroying and removing pathogenic (bad or disease-causing) microbiota to help maintain or restore optimal intestinal health.

Unique because it can be safely given to babies and children from the age of two months, Florastor® Kids is a great-tasting powder that can be dissolved in beverages, including infant formula, or soft foods, such as applesauce.

The active ingredient in Florsator® – Saccharomyces boulardii lyo (or S. boulardii) – promotes the growth of good bacteria and kills off toxins…eliminating your child’s diarrhea as it does so. It can also help strengthen and repair your child’s intestines and help them become more resistant to future infections.

For me, it’s all about finding a more balanced and natural solution! If that is available it is definitely the first thing I will look for every time. Florastor® has simply created a product that is more user friendly for both mom and child!  Feel free to read on for some great Q and A’s with Dr. James Sears! (more…)

Are you ready?  Do you even acknowledge Earth day?  Some of us do and some of us don’t.  For our family it’s all about balance…oh yeah, there’s that word again!

I think it’s vastly important that we take care of this amazing planet God created!  As good stewards I believe it’s our job to care for and clean up any messes we have made to retain the integrity of the beauty around us.

So, what is Earth Day…here’s the technical answer:

Earth Day began on April 22 more than 30 years ago when Senator Gaylord Nelson decided that it was important to teach everyone, especially children, about our environment. He wanted to be sure that people understood how important it was to take care of our planet.

Many people will use this day to raise awareness about global warming, endangered animals, recycling, local business support, harmful chemicals and their effects, or they may simply plant a tree. Though all of these are fine in their own right, many of them are justa little over most of our heads!

So what can we do for Earth day with our families that makes more sense?  Let me answer that by telling you just a little bit about what we do.

No, we don’t make a big deal out of Earth day per se, it is a great platform though to learn new things about our earth and to think any other things we’d like to add to what we regularly do.

Most of my suggestions boil down to one thing…make smart purchases.  I could go on all day about the changes you can make in your purchasing that are more environmentally friendly. I am responsible for almost all purchases around here, so whenever possible I do purchase things that preferrably fall into three categories…Natural, Organic & Local.   This especially goes for food and household products (detergents, etc).  This is one of the easiest places to make a change!  Most local supermarkets and many of the warehouse stores offer a wide variety of organic/natural choices that are very affordable options.

You will find that some of it is simply a matter of trial and error.  You may have to go through a few different brands before you find the one that works best or is most comparable to your regular name brand product.  Definitely look for environmentally safe products, but keep in mind…just because the brand says “natural” or “organic” in it doesn’t mean that the product is actually natural or organic.  You have to look for that information in the labeling, NOT the name!

Food: When you are buying food, make sure you look for the organic label, but also make sure that the items are in containers that are easily recyclable.

Recycling: Make recycling a regular thing in your home.  My 5 year old shocked me one day when he was just 3 years old by holding up an empty can and asking me where the recycling bin had been moved to.

Chemicals:  Always keep in mind that the chemicals you use in your home get sent out into ground and our waterways (in our case, a creek just feet from the house).  Something that many parents aren’t aware of though that is potentially an even bigger deal is that the chemicals in everything in your home are absorbed into all your family members’ skin!  Shampoo, soap, detergents, cleaning products and even the chlorine in our water.  If you have a child who suffers from any respiratory issues, remove all bleach from your home – yes, I’m totally being serious!  Do a little research on it and you’ll quickly discover why.

Those are three quick and easy ways to simply incorporate a greener lifestyle into your family’s day.  You’ll be preserving the precious planet we have been given and you’ll be offering your family a healthier home and healthier foods.

Ovarian Cancer … two words that mean sadness and loss in my family.  Four years ago, ovarian cancer took the life of my Aunt, leaving my cousin very alone.  She had already lost all of her grandparents and had even lost her father several years earlier to a tragic accident and as an only child, this was absolutely devastating.

Ovarian Cancer is the leading cause of death from a gynecologic cancer.  It is so difficult to diagnose, and far too many women aren’t able to get a diagnosis until the cancer has progressed too far.  Needless to say, I’m on board for anything that will support research,  finding a cure, and especially finding a tool for early diagnosis!!!

So, when Mom Central contacted me about Electrolux and their new campaign with Kelly Ripa to donate money to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF), I instantly asked them to count me in!  Every time you send a virtual cupcake Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF!!!  What a fun and easy way to support an amazing cause!

I have had a lot of fun sending these virtual cupcakes.  They are so sweet and and pretty and NO calories .  I definitely encourage all of you to head over to the site and give it a try.  Knowing that you’ll be supporting such a wonderful cause is reason enough, but blessing a friend also is even better!

Their sign up process is quick and easy, and so worth it!  Once you’re signed up, have fun making and sending as many cupcakes as you want!

I just want to say that with Valentines Day quickly approaching and the cupcake campaign, timing couldn’t be better for Electrolux to introduce their “Red Hot Red” washer and dryer (pictured above).  Aren’t they just so fun?! 

Well, guess what … Mom Central is giving away one of these great Washer/Dryer sets!  Just send a virtual cupcake and go HERE to enter to win (if you aren’t a member of Mom Central, sign up is quick and easy).

Oh, and one more thing … Kelly Ripa is so passionate about the OCRF campaign that she has even designed a great t-shirt that you can all purchase!!!  Quantities are limited and ALL proceeds from the sale of this shirt will go directly to OCRF!

Be sure to check out Electrolux and their amazing appliances HERE!

Find out more about Kelly Ripa and her campaign with Electrolux and OCRF HERE!

And all the latest information about Ovarian Cancer and OCRF can be found HERE!

I was recently invited to attend a webinar created solely to get information out about the current product recalls and Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak.   Unfortunately I was unable to attend the webinar, due to my current computer issues, but I wanted to pass on some information anyway.

Since this particular outbreak is foodbourne, it can be rather disturbing, especially for parents.  I have definitely found myself second guessing the foods around our house and even throwing out a product or two just to be safe!

Since so many products are affected in this recall, information is the key for families.  First and foremost, here are the three main websites/pages that have been created just for information about Salmonella Typhimurium:

• CDC
• FDA Recall List and Information
• FDA/CDC Recall Blog (latest updates and information)

There is all sorts of information on those three sites, so rather than fill in with a bunch of information here that you may not need or be interested in, I’d like to encourage you to go ahead and visit these sites.

As a mom, I have to know every single one of my childrens’ medical history.  It can be a tall order …. who is allergic to what, what they have taken.  I’m fortunate in that none of my children take any regular prescription medications …. nor does hubby or myself.  I’m very thankful for that.

There is always a bit of a hesitation about medication in the back of my mind though.  You see, I know how deadly the wrong combination of medications can be!  My grandmother died as the result of a lethal combination of asthma medications many years ago and that isn’t something that you forget easily or take lightly even as an adult!

So when I heard about MedNotes, a brand new program offered for free by Drugs.com, I was excited to try it out!  Just hop over to their site and sign up for a free account (or as a casual user, just to see what it’s all about).  Once you are signed up simply add a profile for each of your family members.  Make sure you list all their allergies and any medications they are currently taking!

For instance, Bug is allergic to an antibiotic, but I can’t always remember which one so having that information on hand is vital!  Of course they have the records at his pediatrician’s office, but I know that in case of an emergency I have to know this information myself (or have easy access to it)!  Plus, to be very honest, I can’t always remember which twin is allergic to what.  Monkey is allergic to soy, so every once in a rare while, I mix them up when I have to think of it on the spot.

Peace of mind, for me that’s what it’s all about.  Safety, also a huge factor since once you enter medications for your family, MedNotes will keep you updated on all the latest FDA information about that medication and any new concerns about it.  They will also let you know about any possible warnings for drug interactions for your particular medication(s)!!!!!

I actually felt relieved to know that something like this actually exists.  Even though we don’t have to deal with medications at the moment, that doesn’t mean that we won’t in the future … especially as hubby and I get older!!!

I hope you will check out this site and all it’s great information for your own family, especially if any of your family members are on medications!  I think it could become mom’s best friend !