MaraNatha Peanut Butter

I still think, as a grown up, that there are few things in life as satisfying as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich: Heavy on the peanut butter, light on the jelly.

As the mother of a picky-eater, I have invested heavily in the power and protein of peanut butter and cream cheese sandwiches. (Don't knock it till you try it. On some whole wheat bread? Mmmmm. Good.)

The Parent Bloggers Network gave me the opportunity to try MaraNatha Peanut Butter. Made in small batches with a special grinding process and using carefully roasted Organic Valencia or Natural Runner peanut varietals, MaraNatha comes with the choices of creamy and crunchy textures, either with or without salt.

We picked up a jar of the creamy kind at our local Whole Foods. Did it pass the test of my finicky eater? Not really, but the good news is now there is more for me. The taste was not as sweet as my four year old would have liked but I thought the freshness factor could not be beat. I think it tastes exactly how I would imagine peanut butter to taste if I had made it myself- but hooray! I didn't have to!

Sadly, the stores in my area did not carry the no-stir variety. Now that I know it exists I will go out of my way to find it. As delicious as I found the peanut butter to be, the stirring did slow me down and time is of the essence with a picky HUNGRY pre-schooler to tend to.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to bake a batch of peanut butter cookies. I'm serious.

This was written by Amy Jo who can be found in Binkytowne.

New on DVD March 31, 2009

Wow, there are so many new DVD's this week! I was at the snack bar at Target today and was commenting to the cashier that the popcorn and medium soda deal had increased in price from $1.00 to $1.50.* She said that it's still cheaper than going to the theater. It's true. Two movie tickets, popcorn, and drinks for two people can run you close to $30! I told her that it's so much more economical to buy a movie and watch it at home.

Thomas & Friends: High Speed Adventures
My son eats, breathes, and sleeps Thomas. Seriously, he's addicted. We've seen a lot of the episodes over and over (and over again). So it's always nice when a new DVD comes out.

Thomas & Friends: High Speed Adventures is the latest addition to our collection. The CGI effects really bring not only the tank engines alive, but also the residents of Sodor.

(From the DVD:) Join Thomas & Friends as they speed through the Island of Sodor in these six spectacular stories of fun and adventure. Capture the spirit of 'steamwork' as Thomas learns to share his workload, rescues the water works, and takes on the challenge of a high-speed race! So hop on board and strap on your conductor's hat for this thrilling collection of High Speed Adventures!

Note: Amazon has this on sale at 50% off right now. In fact, quite a few children's DVD's by HIT Entertainment are 40-60% off on Amazon. I'm considering getting a stash for upcoming birthday parties.

Frances: Bedtime for Frances
We began watching the new Frances series on our cable's On Demand on the PBS Sprout. My four-year-old daughter really enjoys this show.

The new CGI animated series by the Jim Henson Company, takes the theme of the books that you probably read as a child, and turns it into vibrant stories.

Frances: Bedtime for Frances includes not only the DVD with three episodes, but also includes the original storybook. There is also an interactive read-along of Bedtime for Frances.

(My question is: do you leave the DVD in the sleeve in the book risking scratches from curious kids, or do you remove the DVD and store it separately?)

Marley and Me
Okay, I swore I wouldn't cry. I had a heads up that the movie had a sad ending. And I swore I wouldn't cry.

I did.

Marley and Me is a coming-of-age story that follows a young couple as they get married, begin careers, and have children. All of this while having a crazy dog named Marley.

With all this dog puts them through (and destroys!) I wonder if I would have had the fortitude not to send her to a farm. But the couple finds they have such a deep love for both the dog and each other.

Strawberry Shortcake
I played with Strawberry Shortcake dolls as a child. This character has been reinvented for this generation. She's a spunky teenager (I say that because she drives a car in this DVD) who has some pretty grand adventures with her friends in the new DVD Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Big Journey.

(From the DVD:) Join Strawberry and her pals as they load up the car and set out for an unforgettable road trip. It's an adventure filled with wonderful discoveries as the girls make new friends, share new experiences and learn that the trip itself can be just as amazing as the destination.

Goosebumps
Do your children read the R.L. Stein Goosebumps books? There are two new DVD's this week that bring these stories to life: Goosebumps: Return of the Mummy and Goosebumps: The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight

"Hair-raising adventures, monster mysteries, creepy tombs, a four thousand year old Mummy, a spooky attic, twelve menacing scarecrows, and more terrifying tales will thrill future ghost hunters."

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.

*My shopping-with-kids trick is to stop at the snack bar first and spend a buck on popcorn. Totally keeps the kids occupied!

Please read our disclosure statement. DVDs were supplied by Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment and I was not paid for my review.

The No-Cry Nap Solution: Ahhh, sweet sleep

When my second child was a baby, I could not believe that I had birthed an even worse sleeper than my firstborn. But my son was one of those newborns (and babies, and toddlers) who hated sleeping alone. He needed someone holding him or at least patting him every time his little eyes closed. I didn't have much any luck with Ferber, or with co-sleeping, although I did end up sleeping in an armchair with him almost every night anyway.

Finally, a friend lent me Elizabeth Pantley's book The No-Cry Sleep Solution. I loved it. The advice was so gentle, helpful, and sensible. Reading the book gave me ideas I could put into practice right away, and they really helped. I won't say that the book was a miracle cure, but it was the only sleep book I read that left me feeling reassured, instead of even more wigged out than I was before I started reading.

Of course, then, I was very pleased to learn that Pantley has just written a new book, The No-Cry Nap Solution. Like her other books, this one is filled with advice that's friendly to both parents and children. How many other authors of parenting books would include a caveat like this:

This book is about solving those problems that you feel are problems. Just because there is a chapter about how to help your baby stop napping in your arms doesn't mean that napping in your arms is an evil sin to be banished and you must stop now no matter what--it means that if having your baby nap in your arms is a problem for you, then I will provide you with ideas that will help you make a change.

Doesn't that just make you breathe a huge sigh of relief?

The book has chapters full of analysis, ideas, and really workable suggestions for all the biggies: children who'll only catnap; who fight naps; who are transitioning from two naps to one (or--sob!--one nap to none), who'll only sleep when being held or bounced or driven in the car; etc. It's all here. There are also shorter sections on how to deal with naps when you travel, or when Daylight Savings Time hits, or when you have multiples, and more.

If you recognize your non-napper in any of these scenarios, do yourself a favor and check out this book.

With three blogs and two kids, Mayberry Mom would love a nap.

Love Your Veggies Game

I've already told you how much my kids love Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. They love to dip carrots in it and use it on their salads.

Hidden Valley's Love Your Veggies website has a wealth of information for parents including recipes and tips to get your children to eat more veggies. But did you know that they also have computer games geared toward young children?

The makers of Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressings have created Veggie Adventures, a free online game that can be played at LoveYourVeggies.com.

There are three vegetable adventures that children can play. And at the end of each stage, children will receive a printable certificate to celebrate their success.

Think of this as one more way to foster a love of vegetables in your children.

(I was asked to talk about Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing and the Veggie Adventures game on behalf of Mom Central.)

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.

Tootsie Rolls Are All I See For Easter

At our house, the Easter Bunny leaves a few treats in each child's basket. Usually a small toy such as a train engine or play-dough. But he hides eggs around the house that are filled with goodies such as coins and small candies. Each child is instructed to find a certain number of eggs, color coded by child. (This reduces the quarreling, trust me!)

This year the Easter Bunny is treating us to an assortment of Tootsie Roll candies. Tootsie Rolls are the perfect size to stuff into plastic Easter eggs, after all.

I was actually amazed when I looked at the entire range of candy in the Tootsie Roll family of products. Since 1896, Tootsie Roll Industries has become one of the country's largest candy companies, making some of the world's most popular candy, chocolate, and bubble gum, including Tootsie Rolls (of course), Tootsie Roll Pops, Sugar Babies, and Andes.

Look for Tootsie Roll products with Easter-themed packaging at your favorite store (or tell the Easter Bunny to).

WIN IT: We have one Tootsie Roll gift pack (your choice of Easter or regular packaging) to award to a lucky reader of The Full Mommy. Click here to fill out our quick entry form. Include "TOOTSIE ROLL" as the giveaway name and provide the answer to this question: Does the Easter Bunny fill your baskets or do the kids have to search for the goodies at your house? Enter by April 3, 2009. $30.

Winners will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.

Unbelievabra by Shapeez

I am not a shredhead. I just can't seem to find the time to exercise right now. I really want to and I'm not just saying that, but I can't. So a mom's got to do what a mom's got to do: Get some supportive undergarments.

I recently got a hold of the unbelievabra. This miracle is designed to eliminate Bra Back Fat and yield a smooth appearance while providing superior shaping.

Yay for getting rid of back fat, what's not to love about that? But what I was more looking for was something to flatten out the belly. The unbelievabra definitely makes you feel supported and helps smooth your appearance but it was more of an overall shaping. I can't say it would make a dramatic difference in everyday wear but would be ideal for a special occasion or a more upscale outfit.

I can't say enough about superior shaping on top. No traditional bra has ever made my girls look so fantastic.

(Also, a cautionary tale, as in most shape-shifting garments, I would recommend careful time management here, don't expect to slip into this when you have thirty seconds to get out the door.)

To read more about the unbelievabra including other products and styles, visit here.

The Perfect Baby Handbook: A Guide for Excessively Motivated Parents

If you have ever flipped through a parenting how-to book, rolled your eyes and said, “Give me a break! I don’t need mega-strollers, draconian sleep schedules or fetal learning systems!” then you must read Dale Hrabi's The Perfect Baby Handbook because in order to have the perfect baby, you do.

Dale Hrabi provides wickedly hilarious twists to the requisite brambles of early parenting. Every page is filled with riotous advice on how to mold your precious baby into perfection. Who doesn’t want a baby whose multifaceted coos stun the pigeon community? From expanding co-parenting outside the family bed (Co-pooping? Co-unicycling?) to competitive breastfeeding to hiring unique entertainers for your baby’s first birthday like a dead 19th century American poet, the beautifully illustrated guide smacks with a tongue-in-cheek comedy you won’t find anywhere else.

One warning: don't read this book on the bus. Don't read this book in front of anyone who would judge you for peeing in your pants. I share this disclaimer because I made those mistakes. This is the first book that has left me laughing so hard, I thought I couldn’t commute without snickering, snorting, and laughing the whole way.

If you don't believe me that you could laugh your way back into the fetal position, check out his book trailer:




WIN IT: We have FIVE copies of The Perfect Baby Handbook to award to a lucky reader of The Full Mommy. Click here to fill out our quick entry form. Include "BABY HANDBOOK" as the giveaway name and provide the answer to this question: What's your funniest parenting moment? Or if you are expecting, what is something funny you are afraid might happen with your baby? (This is a random drawing and your entries will not be judged.)

Enter by April 2, 2009. Winners will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

You can find Mona blogging at Kirida where she talks too much about her love for Ira Glass, Costco, and 90s television.

Curious George Hide and Seek Zoo Game

This adorable Curious George board game was an instant hit at our house (it's the recent-movie-animated George, not the when-we-were-kids George, by the way). My two children, ages 4 and 7, picked it up immediately, and both enjoyed playing--not always easy when you have a boy and a girl spaced three years apart.

The game comes with a board, a set of cards, a battery-operated walkie-talkie, and four cute animal-face masks. Players take turns listening to the game's walkie-talkie, which looks and sounds impressively authentic. Depending on its directions, kids help George take care of the zoo by turning over cards and spinning a spinner. The spinner is attached to the board; that means one less piece to lose.

Players must listen carefully to the walkie-talkie to receive their instructions. They also learn which animals live in what habitat, and must match cards picturing animals who need help with pictures on the board showing the scene resolved. Icons on the spinner also help players match up problems with solutions. I found these too small to be of much use, but my kids didn't need them anyway; it was pretty clear from the cards what needed to be done (give water or food; fix something; clean up a mess--of course those last ones are always kids' favorites).

An active play angle comes in when the walkie-talkie announces that the zoo animals have escaped. Excitement ensues as all the players, except the walkie-talkie holder, grab an animal mask and scurry off to hide. The remaining player then has two minutes to find the hidden animals. While it isn't a substitute for sustained, vigorous physical activity (in the course of one game, there's maybe 8 to 10 minutes of scampering around), this does break up an otherwise sedentary playing experience. Plus, kids can use the walkie-talkie and animal masks for active pretend play separate from the board game.

Players earn points for solving problems in the zoo and for finding escaped animals, but my children cared little about the final score. Mostly, they just wanted to play "again!" and "again!" Parents will appreciate that the game has a finite, not-too-long running time--no drawn-out sessions here (I'm looking at you, Candyland!).

Curious George Hide and Seek Zoo Game comes from I Can Do That! Games, which also makes wonderful Dr. Seuss-themed active board games.

Originally published in a different form at About.com (where you can add your own review of this game, if you've played it!).

Baby Star: Contemporarily cute!

Have you been to baby star yet? This thoroughly modern, thoroughly darling retailer of baby clothes, bedding, and other goodies is a new advertiser/affiliate here at the Full Mommy (inspired by Binkytowne's review of the silver tote diaper bag).

The fabrics and patterns at baby star are graphic and gorgeous, as you can see in the photo: Tons of appeal for stylish tots and parents, and they make a gift that much more special.

Pick up a handy little quick-change diaper pouch for yourself, a fab baby blanket for a friend, or some way-better-than-white onesies for your baby (these are on major markdown right now, btw). If I ever have another baby, you better believe the cariboo bassinet is going to be very high on my shopping list (to replace the cheapie Moses basket that has long since become a dumping ground for my kids' stuffed animals).

Best of all: Shop through our link for a 30% discount.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar 40th Anniversary!

If you asked a group of parents of toddlers and preschoolers to name a few authors that they regularly read to their children, I bet the majority list Eric Carle among the best.

I'm not sure I could count the number of board and picture books by Carle that we have on our shelves. From Brown Bear, Brown Bear to 10 Little Rubber Ducks, I think we must have them all.

But our first acquired, and certainly our favorite, title has to be The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Doesn't every family own at least one version of this book?

March 20, 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, I know! Many of us read it as a child and are now reading it to our children.

You know how they say "everything old is new again"? We'll the newest format of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a wonderful pop-up book.


I am always amazed by the paper engineering that goes into pop-up books. And this one is great! The little caterpillar and all his dining fare are brought to life in tangible form. And my daughter's favorite part? Of course, the very beautiful 3-dimensional butterfly at the end of the book.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-Up Book is available beginning March 10, 2009.

Also available are The Very Hungry Caterpillar Picture Book and Board Book.

This video of Eric Carle is very fascinating because you can see him in action as he paints with vivid colors and creates his collages of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.



This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.

30-Minute Flip Ultra on Sale

You know how we gush about the Flip video camera?

I have the 60-minute Flip Mino and two other Full Mommy contributors have the 60-minute Flip Ultra.

I love, love, love my Mino and I am totally lusting after the new Flip MinoHD.

Amazon has the 30-minute Flip Ultra Series on sale for $69.99 right now. Yeah, that's over 50% off of the retail price. Use promo code 67P7PZO3 at checkout for an extra $10 off making it only $59.99. And it even has free super-saver shipping.

I'm not sure how long they'll accept the promo code, but if you are in the market for this camera, I thought I would pass along this savings info to you.

(Notes on the differences between the models: The Ultra requires batteries and the Mino charges via USB. They both easily download video via USB.)

Bunnytown Hello Bunnies! DVD

New from Disney is Bunnytown Hello Bunnies! (24-carrot fun for everyone, natch).

What a perfect Easter gift this could make! Better for you than chocolate and I will venture to say- more entertaining than most of your other DVDs.

BUNNYTOWN is a hip musical place where these bunnies are always cuttin' loose and cranking up the fun! They search for treasure and say "Arrgghh" with a crew of Pirate Bunnies. If that's not enough they soar through the galaxy with Space Bunny.

What I liked about this was how it differed from some other DVD's with similar plotlines, backdrops (Bob, I'm looking at you) and voices. Bunnytown has colorful characters and silly skits. The music is a plus too- very catchy without grating on your nerves. I loved the bright colors and the dancing and the bunnies are puppets. Who doesn't love puppets? No one, that's who.

Want to see for yourself? WIN IT: We have 1 copy of the new Bunnytown Hello Bunnies! DVD to award to a lucky reader of The Full Mommy. To enter, leave a comment by March 27, 2009 with the answer to the question below. The winner will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

ENTRY QUESTION: What is your favorite treat that the Easter Bunny hides at your house?

Llama Llama Misses Mama Picture Book

Is your child beginning at a new school? Help ease her fears with the latest Llama Llama picture book.

Llama Llama Misses Mama is the follow up to the books Llama Llama Red Pajama and Llama Llama Mad at Mama.

In this catchy picture book, Llama Llama is a little apprehensive about starting at a new preschool. Llama Llama doesn't want to participate in playtime with the other children because he misses his mama so. But by the end of the book, he realizes that he can have fun and his mom will be back to pick him up.

If you love the other books about Llama Llama, you are sure to enjoy this one too. I think it would be appropriate not only for children entering preschool, but also those entering kindergarten.

Available on Amazon and at other book retailers beginning March 19, 2009.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.

Wombat Walkabout Picture Book

We read a lot of books. Some better than others. And I have to say that Wombat Walkabout, written by Carol Diggory Shields and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, just made my list of top picture books.

This is another one of those stories where, one by one, some cute little critters disappear as we count down our numbers. This time the cute little critters are six woolly wombats and the antagonist is a hungry dingo.

There are two things that I really appreciated in this book. First, seven Australian words--wombat, walkabout, dingo, wattle tree, billabong, eucalyptus, kookaburra, and swag--are defined for us (and our children) before the story begins. Second, the rhymes are not gratuitous. How many times have you read a children's book and thought that the author was trying too hard to make it rhymy and sing-songy? Not this one, the prose flows easily and the rhymes are right on spot.

And the illustrations are very endearing.

(Spoiler Alert!) When I asked my daughter what her favorite part of the book was, she said it was when Jen and Jack saved the other wombats.

I know we'll be reading Wombat Walkabout again and again.

Wombat Walkabout is available beginning March 19, 2009.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.

Neosporin + Pain Relief and New Neo To Go!

What's in your medicine cabinet?

I was a little shocked when I recently cleaned out the medicine cabinet and found some antibiotic ointment that had expired, well, let's just say one of my children hadn't even been born yet.

One thing that we always keep stocked and current is Neosporin. Neopsporin + Pain Relief contains not only a first aid antibiotic, but also pain relieving cream.

When one of our children scrapes a knee or gets a cut, we always apply Neosporin before putting on a Band-Aid.

And I'm excited to add the NEO TO GO! First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Spray to our bag that we take everywhere with us in the summer. It will be great to have this on hand at the park where soap and water aren't always quickly available to clean a freshly scraped knee.


The NEW NEOSPORIN^® NEO TO GO!^® First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Spray is specially designed to fit anywhere to give you infection protection, anytime, anywhere.

• Durable, non-aerosol spray fits anywhere
• Designed for easy, one-handed use
• No touch, no sting application
• Infection protection in your: purse, pocket, backpack, travel bag, kitchen, desk
• Available size: 0.26 fl oz (7.7ml) spray

(I have been asked to review Neosporin and blog about it on behalf of Mom Central and Johnson’s.)

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.

Bob the Builder: On Site Skyscrapers DVD (Giveaway)

The original "Yes we can!" man, Bob the Builder brings us another great construction DVD.

In Bob the Builder: On Site Skyscrapers, Bob shows us the three stages of building a skyscraper: the foundation, building high, and the elevator. The DVD is the right mix of animation featuring Bob and the characters we know, live footage of a skyscraper being built, and watching children build their own skyscrapers and elevator.

After the skyscraper is built, we get to see how other things with foundations are constructed, such as a parking garage and skate park. An added bonus is a Roary the Racing Car episode (my kids watch this show on On Demand).

I don't know who likes this DVD more, my husband or the kids.

There is a skyscraper (by our city's standards) being built along our route to get to preschool and we have been watching it progress. What's nice about this DVD is that we have been able to get explanations of how and why certain aspects of skyscraper construction are done. Because I'm sorry to say I don't have the answer to every question that I get asked on the way to school! (I know, hard to believe.)

Bob the Builder: On Site Skyscrapers is available beginning March 17, 2009.

DVD's also available in this series include Bob the Builder: On Site Houses and Playgrounds and Bob the Builder: On-Site Roads and Bridges.

WIN IT: We have one Bob the Builder: On Site Skyscrapers DVD to award to a lucky reader of The Full Mommy. To enter, leave a comment by March 24, 2009 with the answer to the question below. The winner will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

ENTRY QUESTION: What is your or your child's favorite type of construction equipment or favorite character on Bob the Builder?

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.

Nail clippers: Essential bedtime tool

My children are of course quite adept at the bedtime excuse. They start with the "just one more..." strategy (just one more TV show/book/minute in the bathtub). Then they move onto the harder-to-resist sympathy strategy (my tummy just rumbled, my finger hurts, I need you to snuggle me).

Still, they haven't yet topped the lines my cousin used to try on me back in the day. I used to babysit for her often and she was singularly creative with the I-can't-go-to-bed reasons. My all-time favorite? She appeared at the top of the stairs and announced:

"I can't sleep. I have a hangnail!"

*

Can your kids beat that? Write a post about your kids’ excuses for getting out of bedtime. Post anytime this weekend and include links to:

1) http://www.sylvaniaonlinestore.com
2) http://blog.parentbloggers.com

...and you could win a very snazzy prize package from Sylvania, makers of the supercute ladybug and rocketship nightlight/flashlights we recently reviewed.

Whole Foods Podcasts (Giveaway)

The Full Mommy has written before about Whole Foods Market's podcast series. Podcasts are an easy way to learn about topics that are important to parents. This month is especially important to me, and I'm guessing it will also be helpful for a lot of Full Mommy readers.

This month is all about "Whole Baby", and Whole Foods want to know what YOU think of their work.

From now until March 30th, they’re offering Full Mommy readers an incentive for you to listen and provide feedback to their Whole Baby Podcasts covering;

Natural Baby Body Care,

Pregnancy – A Time to Go Natural, and

Organics for Baby, Beyond Food.

Here’s how to participate:

1. There are 3 podcasts - please feel free to listen to all 3 but you just need to leave a comment on ONE. To listen go here.

2. After listening, click on the “comment” text to leave your comment.

*Please enter: http://thefullmommy.com/ in the “website” field on the comment form, so we know your comment is part of this promotion.

When you leave a comment, with http://thefullmommy.com/ in the website field, you will be entered in a drawing, and on March 31st, one winner will be randomly selected to win a Whole Foods Diaper Bag! (Pictured above)

The “Deluxe Urban Sling” is made with 100% post-consumer recycled materials- “yesterday’s discarded water bottles and yogurt containers”. It comes loaded with natural products for new babies, and families.

Enclosed items may vary slightly and will include a mix of:

Belly Bar - Assortment of Chews, Shakes and Bars
California Baby - Super Sensitive Shampoo and Body Wash - No Fragrance
Peter Rabbit Organics - Baby Intense Therapy Cream
Seventh Generation - Natural Baby Laundry Detergent
Hylands - Teething Tablets, and Teething Gel

It's that easy.

Go. Good Luck!

Ecostore USA Products At Meijer (Coupon & Giveaway)

Ecostore products have been stocked in Meijer stores in the Midwest. This Saturday, March 14, from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm, 50 of the stores will have trained people on hand to answer questions about the products.

Here's a coupon for you good through Saturday the 14th. (Click on it and you should be able to print it.)


You can follow ecostore on Twitter (@ecostoreusa), become a fan on Facebook, and visit the ecostore website.

GIVEAWAY: Tweet about @ecostore and give them a follow and you are entered to win any two of their natural chemical free baby care products. Just give a follow and a tweet out to be entered! Three tweeters will be drawn to win on Monday!

Read my review of Ecostore Front Loader Laundry Powder.

From the press release:

Ecostore USA, a leading brand of sustainable household, personal/baby care and pet products headquartered in Michigan, today announces the availability of its line of household cleaning products exclusively in all 185 Meijer supercenters in five states.

Meijer offers five ecostore brand products including:

• Laundry Liquid—composed of 100 percent certified organic eucalyptus oil and plant-based ingredients, making it ideal for washing children’s clothing.

• Citrus Spray Cleaner—a lemony, citrus-based solvent that works wonders on almost every household surface.

• Dishwasher Liquid—free of synthetic chemicals, a liquid that is gentle on skin and provides great grease-cutting power.

• Pure Oxygen Whitener —contains oil of citrus, coconut and other plant-based ingredients to brighten and clean baby’s clothes.

• Cream Cleanser —all plant-based ingredients including lemon verbena oil, it’s as powerful in the kitchen as it is in the bathroom.

Gum Crayola Timer Light Toothbrush (Giveaway)

Dentists say that kids don't brush their teeth for the full 60 seconds that it takes to get them really clean.

How do you get your kids to brush their teeth that long? You make it fun.

The Crayola Timer Light toothbrush from Gum is both colorful and fun because it lights up. It comes in red, blue, green, and yellow and when you push the bottom, the light flashes for 60 seconds. It even has a suction cup so that it stays clean and upright on the counter.

My daughter thinks its fun to suction it horizontally and brush her teeth hands free. She's so goofy!

Our pediatric dentist hands out Gum Crayola toothbrushes. And if she trusts that brand, I know I can too.

The Crayola Timer Light toothbrushes are widely available and retail for under $3.50. If you would like to purchase one online, use promo code CRAYTL for $1 off at the Gum website.

WIN IT: We have a Crayola Light Timer Toothbrush gift bag to award to a lucky reader of The Full Mommy (approximate retail value $20). To enter, leave a comment by March 20, 2009 with the answer to the question below. The winner will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

ENTRY QUESTION: What's you favorite color of Crayola crayon (besides the obvious primary colors). Mine is periwinkle. Or cornflower. I like them both a lot!

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.

"Easy Times" Is Just That (Giveaway)

I’ll state here and now that I have an uneasy relationship with numbers. Math has never come easy to me so it pleases my heart to no end when I hear my children, ages 8 & 5 years, say with enthusiasm, “I love math!”

I wish I’d had “Easy Times: A Beginning Multiplication Tutorial” when I was learning the times tables way back in the day. Professor Stan, the warm, enthusiastic host and creator of “Easy Times” makes the repetition of learning multiplication tables interesting by encouraging the listener to participate. As an educator he knows to allow enough “wait time” (the time between the teacher asking a question and the time it takes a student to provide an answer) between problems to give the student listener time to figure it out and vocalize the answer before providing the answer himself. My son caught on to Professor Stan's format right away without any explanation from me.

The disc is divided into tracks with each track covering a specific set of multiplication facts (i.e., track one explains the concept of multiplication and the 1’s, track 2 covers the 2’s, etc. up to the 12’s). There are also two practice tests included as the last two tracks on the disc.

The goal of “Easy Times” is to provide the student with a tutorial and is not meant to be listened to all the way through in one sitting. Professor Stan makes learning the times tables interesting even though they are presented in a simple, repetitive manner. There are no musical cues or mnemonics, just good old-fashioned, tried-and-true repetition. First, Prof. Stan says the problem (for example, 2x2=4), then asks the listener to repeat it with him, the third time through he will state the problem leaving off the answer for the student to provide (he waits 3-4 seconds then gives the answer).

My 8-year-old, who is in second grade, asked to listen to the CD again and again after listening to the first few tracks covering the 1’s, 2’s, and 3's . Professor Stan suggests that the student listen to a particular track until they have reached proficiency. My son dutifully answered Prof. Stan’s problems. A few days later, after setting aside this CD, my son volunteered, quite out of the blue, the following information, “Mom, three times two is six.”

This CD makes a great introduction to multiplication and would make a nice supplemental to flash cards, especially to those children who are aural learners (those who learn best by listening).

We have a great giveaway, though if you don't want to wait you can order your own copy of “Easy Times” through the publisher, AudioBook Man. Full Mommy readers receive free shipping.

WIN IT: We have THREE copies of "Easy Times" to award to lucky readers of The Full Mommy. To enter, leave a comment by March 20, 2009 with the answer to the question below. The winner will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

ENTRY QUESTION: What was your favorite subject in school?

Missy is a full-time mom and wife and part-time teacher. This is her first post for The Full Mommy and she also writes for her own blog, Misc & Co.

VTech Four Handset Cordless Phone System

I may not be exaggerating much when I say this phone saved my marriage.

Okay, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration. But not much.

Our home has a main floor and a finished basement. The form of communication to the other parent usually consisted on pounding on the floor or yelling. The person trying to get the attention of the other would get frustrated and the person being called would be clueless that they were being summoned.

That is no more.

Seriously, the Vtech Four Handset Cordless Phone System has opened up communication between me and my husband.

How, you ask?

It has an intercom. I love, love, love the intercom.

You can press the number of the handset you are calling and the other person hears and answers. Brilliant!

Is that all, you ask?

No, the phone has another great feature. Only one of the handsets needs to be connected to a phone line. The other handsets just need plugged into an outlet.

That's right. You want a phone in your laundry room, but there is no phone jack? Forget about paying the phone company to install one. Just plug in one of the VTech handsets.

I love this thing!

The phone system also has lots of other great features, including a built-in answering machine, long range, and caller ID. I won't bore you with all the technical details (you can see them below). Let's just say I can't believe we didn't get a phone like this earlier. And I can't believe I'm so gushy over electronics!

You can purchase this VTech DECT 6.0 Cordless Silver Phone System with Digital Answering Machine and Caller ID (Model CS6129) with three, four, or five handsets. The three handset model starts at $79.99. Cheaper than counseling to improve marital communication!

Okay, here's the techy stuff:

• DECT 6.0 digital technology provides the best sound quality, security and range in cordless phones
• Three, four, or five handset system that only requires one phone jack
• Caller ID/call waiting; stores 50 calls
• Digital answering system
• Handset speakerphone
• Intercom between handsets
• Conference an outside call between handsets
• 50 name and number phonebook directory
• Transfer calls between handsets
• Orange backlit keypad and display
• One year limited warranty

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Soy is the New Black where she dishes about family, food, foraging, and frivolity.