Last week was an adventurous one around here. Most of the kiddos were spread out here and there. One was at camp, two of them with one set of grandparents and two more with another set of grandparents. CJ was the only one home most of the week, but there was a reason.

I went in for minor surgery on Tuesday. It honestly wasn’t a big deal and I have felt very good all week despite it, as long as I don’t overdo. Add to that the insanity that is called ‘signing up a child for high school’ though, in addition to daily life with 6 boys and things definitely feel a little more nuts.

As we head out of summer and into yet another fall/school year I am gathering many many very fun ideas and products to share with all of you. So, after taking a lot of time off from blogging this summer I am definitely looking forward to the exciting things I have planned for you very soon.

I am going to be featuring a couple of weeks of giveaways and now is definitely the time to start spreading the news! Next week we will be having a Back To School Bash. The fun thing is, this bash will offer great items and ideas for kids AND moms!!!

Then two weeks later I will be offering several super fun and exciting products and ideas mainly for the grown ups (though there might be a few items for little people thrown in as well)!!  Feel free to join in the festivities during my Hooray for Fall Week!  I’m so looking forward to it and hope that I can squeeze everything in to the one week for each that I have alotted.

Here’s your chance to get a jump start on extra entries!

1. Have a blog? Mention my Back to School Bash (August 30 – Sept 3) and/or my Hooray for Fall Week (Sept. 13th – Sept 17th).  Once the giveaways come around for each event simply leave a separate comment with a link to your blog post as an extra entry.
2. Tweet it! If you use twitter, feel free to tweet about these events to let everyone know with a link back to AFrogInMySoup.com and in addition to the extra entry you usually get for tweeting each giveaway you’ll get yet another entry for any giveaway you choose to enter.
3. Share on Facebook! yep, if you choose to let your friends on facebook know about these events with a link back to the site you will get yet another entry.

These options offer you an additional three entries PER giveaway that you choose to enter during both giveaway weeks! (yes you are welcome to cheer). Until I have a better way for giving each of you lots of entries with one submission I am afraid that you will have to leave a separate comment for each qualified entry for each giveaway.

Not every review featured during those weeks will offer a giveaway, but there are some amazing products out there that I simply felt you all should know about.

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.

It’s hard to believe, but the 4th of July is quickly approching.  We throw a huge bash here on our property for …well… any family and friends who want to pop in throughout the day.   We have been doing this for at least 6 years now and each year it just gets crazier.

There are always tons of fireworks of every shape and size around here.  During the day there are a lot of kiddie works that they enjoy watching, but I always like to have other activities and lots of fun food for the day!  So I was excited to find out about some great resources available on Better Homes and Gardens’ website.

For some great Craft ideas check out their 4th Of July/Memorial Day Craft pages.  This year, I think the kiddos may be trying out the Candy Flag, the Patriotic Candy Display (looks like a great pre-4th project),  and I’m lovin’ the star spangled Bubble Wands.  What’s funny is that the main ones I want to do this year would also be great for decorating.

If you want to go all out and decorate your entire home in patriotic fashion, be sure to check out their 4th of July/Memorial Day Decorating page.

One last thing though that I cannot resist mentioning is their great Outdoor Summer Crafts for Kids. I know I’m not the only mom looking for fantastic projects to keep my kiddos busy through the summer with projects that are specifically summerish.  I first stumbled on BHG’s summer crafts page last year, and as I looked through this year’s lineup, I was VERY excited and honestly think my kids would enjoy almost all of the activities they listed.

Remember the Pledge Seattle Blogger Event I mentioned I was attending?  Well, that happened last week and it was tons of fun!  Myself and several other bloggers were treated to a fun evening at a Seattle spa where we were given manicures, pedicures, massages and some great food!

Getting out of the house to spend time with just a bunch of other mom bloggers was exciting enough, but all the fun we had while there definitely exceeded my expectations.  I had a ton of fun hanging out with Susan and meeting a bunch of mom bloggers I had never even heard of!

Did I mention that my computer got some pretty special treatment as well?  Yup, it sure did!  It was a spa night for my laptop as well.  I have to admit when the gals started going at my computer with a can of the new Pledge Multi Surface, I was a little nervous, but it cleaned up fantastically.

Before we left we were given a bag of goodies featuring Pledge so that we could try them at home.  I was very excited and my kiddos love new products so I knew I would be able to get some free labor out of it when the boys all wanted to give it a try (heehee).

I think one of the most surprising things about Pledge Multi Surface is not only the amazing variety of surfaces it works on, but also the fact that since it comes in a variety of scents it’s kind of an air freshener in whatever room you use it in.

Want to try it for yourself?  Well, even though it’s Tuesday, I have a fun giveaway opportunity for you!  Apparently we’re on a spring cleaning giveaway kick over the last week so I’m thrilled to offer you the chance to win a Pledge Multi Surface product pack.  Just leave a comment telling me a little bit about the products you use to clean wood, glass and electronics.

Remember, there are always plenty of ways to get extra entries (also read my policies on that page)…tweet, blog, stumble, kirtsy, etc!  Giveaway ends on June 1st.

Be sure to check out the fun cleaning campaign they are sponsoring How I Clean Now…Susan from 5 Minutes for Mom is involved in that and it’s very fun!

The other bloggers in attendance were…

Susan Carraretto, 5 Minutes for Mom
Mona Hickey, Kirida
Drew Zandonella-Stannard, One More Salute
Erin Sirianni, Plink Plink
Wendi Barker, Wendi’s Book Corner
Shannon Steen-Larsen, The Mommy Files
Alexis Peloquin, Running Away? I’ll Help You Pack.
Astacia Carter, Type-A Mom
Ellen Marden, Zoom About Ellen
Maggie Cheung, Mighty Maggie
Kathryn Thompson, Daring Young Mom
Susan Mettas, Adoption Adventures
Amy Lathrop, Sprightly Amy Anne

When I first heard about Windex™ Outdoor All-in-One, my first thought was of the windows in the back of our house that are basically as high as a second story.   So, as soon as I heard that this product reaches up to 11 feet I was definitely interested in trying it for myself.

The process is super simple too, just spray the window with a garden hose, wipe the window with the cleaning pad (lasts for up to 20 uses and replacement pads are easy to find), then rinse the window with the garden hose.  You don’t even need to dry it, the sheeting action prevents streaks and spotting.

I highly recommend that you visit their site and watch the quick little video they offer!  That way you’ll really understand what I’m talking about!

If you, like me, are just a little (or a lot) disgusted by all the pollen, dust and grime that has built up on the outside of the windows around your house, this is definitely the product for you.  Whether you are a “spring cleaning” type or not, I think we all are suddenly noticing all the work that  needs to be done outdoors and need the right tools to do these chores easily and effectively.

Three of you will have the opportunity to try out this great product for yourself!  To enter, just visit the site, check out the product and video…when you’re done, come back here and leave a comment telling me why you’d like to have this product for your home (or who you’d like it for). Remember, don’t just say “enter me” or “I want to win” …those entries will be deleted (so sorry).

Remember, there are always great ways to get extra entries, the most popular…

• Tweet this giveaway (click on the link below or send a tweet with a link to this post), just leave a comment for your tweet here (along with your twitter handle please).
• Blog about it…when you’re done just come back here and leave a comment with a link to your post.
• Stumble it or Kirtsy it…leave a comment for each thing you do with the link to you.

Check out all the ways you can enter and my giveaway policy HERE. Be sure to enter by May 28th and this giveaway is open to US addresses.

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.

I’m always looking for greener, healthier products for my family.  Especially in the kitchen!  So, when I was asked to check out Healthy Kitchenware I was excited to see what they have to offer…and I wasn’t disappointed.

When Cynthia was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2005, she had never heard of the word. Her research pointed to the importance of nutrition and environment as the very important areas to monitor to fight this disease. When reading about endometriosis, Cynthia realized she had to change her lifestyle. She decided to get rid of all the plastic in her kitchen that came in contact with her food. This proved to be a big project, much easier said than done.

So, she decided to take matters into her own hands and now offers a variety of safe kitchen products through Healthy Kitchenware.

I’m very excited that she has many great products just for kids!  In fact, her number one seller is the stainless steel lunch carrier with sauce container…perfect for those healthy lunches you’re trying to pack for your little ones.  I love the Children’s Dish Set (includes a plate, bowl and mug)…it’s green with a frog on each peice so of course I love it!

They are generously offering a Stainless steel lunch carrier for one very lucky commenter!  To enter, just visit Healthy Kitchenware and take a look around.  When you’re done, come back here and leave a comment mentioning your favorite product.  If you want extra entries, just take a peek at this page for all the details.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian addresses, will close on April 16th and is void where prohibited.

Chore charts and accomplishment charts are always a great idea, but finding one for littler people can definitely be a huge challenge.  So, when I was contacted to review Behavior Buddies’ Goalkeeper, I realized that this might be the perfect solution for my younger crowd.

Behavior Buddies is the result of two moms’ desire to create visual behavior products for parents to use with their children. These tools are designed to support positive parenting by reinforcing what parents say with kid-friendly illustrations. This can help to increase kids memory, motivation, and compliance.

Both Kim and I are busy working mothers who understand the importance of being consistent and positive when parenting children. But we also understand that, as busy parents, not everyone has the time to plan out and organize a behavior system that young, non-reader, and/or special needs children can easily understand.

The Goalkeeper helps parents and children keep track of the behavior goals they are working on. It uses simple, colorful illustrations that are easy for non-readers to understand, but also includes simple text for young readers.

The Goalkeeper includes 24 illustrated magnets that target some of the most common childhood behavior problems, but we also supply blank magnets so the chart can be customized for any behavior. There are 30 fun “star” magnets to put on the chart when kids are successful. Most importantly, each Goalkeeper comes with a parent handbook that explains it all and makes it easy to get started and get results. Kids love to track their progress on the Goalkeeper!

This product really is perfect for our 5 year old who is struggling at times to grasp some very key concepts preparing him for Kindergarten. This week we have been focusing on Using Manners, Respecting Others’ Space and Picking up After ourselves. He loves looking at the chart and seeing his progress and I like the flexibility of behavior to work on! You will definitely want a different chart for each child!

I’m so excited to see all the new products they have “in the works”! The end of this month, they will start shipping out a very cute Bath Buddy chart that helps children in their quest to be more independent in their personal care. I’m also VERY interested in their upcoming Potty Training chart and their Table Manners chart!!!  I can’t wait to see what’s in store for this company!

Be sure to get on their mailing list so that you can be the first to know when their new products are released and get great discount information!!!  In the meantime, they have offered my readers a 20% discount through April 30th when you go to THIS LINK!

They are also offering one very lucky commenter the opportunity to win a Behavior Buddies Goalkeeper for your child! To enter, just visit their site and take a look around.  Then, come back here and leave a comment telling me what product you love and why.

There are always lots of ways to get extra entries for A Frog In My Soup giveaways!  Visit THIS PAGE to see how.  This giveaway ends on March 25th and is void where prohibited.

Harvard Sweet Boutique was founded in January 2007 by Susan George.  They offer a huge variety of gift packages all containing baked goodies that are made from scratch.  Their packaging is beautiful and very fun and I love all the options they offer for everyday gifts, holidays and special occasions!

Their Bakery in A Box package is their best seller, and I can totally see why.  Every baked goody you could possibly dream of getting all in one box and they are absolutely FABULOUS!!!  This box contains the following goodies: one pound of Chocolate Swirl Almond Toffee, 6 Chocolate Fudge Brownies and 8 Chocolate Chip Cookies … YUM!

Our attention to detail extends from the product to the packaging. All baked goods from Harvard Sweet Boutique are made to order in small batches from scratch using all natural ingredients and premium ingredients (European chocolate with highest cocoa butter content, double strength Madagascar vanilla, premium nuts, etc), and are beautifully packaged in whimsical boxes ideal for giving. No matter what the occasion, Harvard Sweet Boutique masterfully personalizes each order.

Harvard Sweet Boutique’s products are available through the Harvard Sweet Boutique website at www.harvardsweetboutique.com, by telephone at 1(888)5-SWEETS.Custom orders are welcome, and gifts are shipped nationwide.

I got to try a lovely assortment of goodies from them and I can tell you first hand that not only do they taste bakery fresh, but they are absolutely homemade delicious and the packaging was so very cute!  Whether you want to get it as a gift for a party or need it shipped to someone that doesn’t live near you, you will know that the package will arrive and be absolutely beautiful straight out of the box!

Their Monthly Sweet Treat Club is another of their best sellers.  What a great idea!  Keep the gift coming with loads of goodies for each month.  Be sure to check out that page to see the line up for each month’s featured treat (in March it’s their Mint Chocolate Fudge Brownies – YUUUUUM).

Harvard Sweet Boutique would love to have all of you give their great products a try, so they are offering all of you 20% off any cookies from their Gourmet Cookie selection!!!  To order, just click on the link and when you’re checking out use the code frog09 (offer expires 5/30/09). Although I highly recommend them all, I especially recommend the Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk cookies … need you ask me why?  But rest assured, they are all fabulous and this is a great opportunity to try them out and get a fun gift for someone you love!

Food and kids are an interesting combination … they either don’t want to eat it, don’t want to eat it at meal time or want to eat too much of the wrong thing.  This episode entitled Mealtime Mania offers suggestions that help moms stay out of the kitchen a little more.

Well, the time has come and you are now all going to be subjected to my voice … I have decided to actually present this to you as a podcast.  To listen, just click on the button below .  There are many ways to listen … look below the button for more options (should be available through iTunes podcasts soon).

 

 Mealtime Mania - Kids and Food [9:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download