Natural and Organic Food Review

HFCS Free Vermont Bread

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I’m OK with high fructose corn syrup in moderation, but when it’s in every flipping thing on the store shelves, moderation is hard to achieve!  I’ve been trying to find other options for anything containing HFCS which we buy with any regularity.  I think ketchup and bread are the last ones we have to replace.
Arnold bread is the only one I’m aware of that’s HFCS free and available at my usual grocery store.  I’ve bought the country white before and it’s OK.  I like multi grain bread for sandwiches, but for PB&J, fluffernutters etc, there’s nothing like fluffy white bread.  I know, I’m ashamed.  I think it must be from growing up on 100% whole wheat bread (stored in the refrigerator for extra hardness, LOL.)  Sorry Mom, hope you don’t read this, hee hee.

This Vermont soft white bread was on sale at my local organic market for just a few cents more than my usual brand, so I picked it up.
It’s wider (more rectangular) than “regular” bread, and slightly higher in calories than what I usually buy.
It seems to have the same texture as the Arnold Country White.  It’s dense and has more of a homemade texture.
With a regular price of almost $5 per loaf, I don’t think I’ll be buying it again.  The Arnold bread is $4 at my store.
I really enjoy baking bread, so if all HFCS-free bread is going to have homemade texture, I’ll just go back to perfecting a sandwich bread recipe.  That one was OK with a little less sweetener, but it was gag inducingly salty.  I wonder if it was supposed to be 2 teaspoons rather than two tablespoons.
If anyone finds a great, HFCS free white bread, let me know!
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Giveaway Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Winner of the Thirsties Fab Wipes & Booty Luster!

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Congratulations to slang76!  I’m contacting you by email!
On another note (because I have to make even the simplest things long-winded, heh.)  I added an option to subscribe to the blog by email, via feedburner.  Look in the upper left corner of the page if you’re interested.
Also, check out the new Bliss Congo on Hyenacart.  You can find several vendors there with products I’ve reviewed, including EllaBella Bottoms, Dypes By Dixon, Five in a Row, Heartland Dreams, Licorice Lane and Mobums.  Rumpsack is also there, I’ve heard a lot about her diapers and had gotten a request to review them.  I contacted her, but I don’t think she knows the ins and outs of the whole blogger review/giveaway thing and was a bit leery of me.  Understandable!
Anyway, check out the Congo.  There is some seriously cute stuff, some FFS drawings and some low starting bid auctions.
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BPA Free Eco-Friendly/Green Review

Boon Flo Review

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Boon, Inc. is a company that makes great, affordable, BPA, phthalate and PVC free products for babies and kids, and donates 10% of their profits to charity
If the name sounds familiar, you may have seen the Boon Frog Pod
We’ve been using ours for over a year now and we still love it.
They have “odd ducks” (hee hee) and other bath items that are completely PVC, BPA and phthalate-free.  Another product I’ve seen in stores and loved is their countertop drying rack.  So unique and fun, but still no PVC, BPA or phthalates.  They have snack containers, utensils, plates, bowls and sippies that are also sans the nasty stuff.
I have to point out their animal bags.  We have weeded my daughter’s stuffed animals dozens of times, but they keep breeding.  I keep threatening to let hunters in here to thin down the herd, LOL.  This is just the most awesome idea.  Ingenious! 
The last thing I want to show you before I actually get to the review is the Flair High Chair.  It has a sleek, modern design, pneumatic lift (really!) and a seamless seat.  As you may have already guessed, yep, no BPA, PVC or phthalates.
OK, so Boon sent me the Flo water deflector and protective faucet cover with bubble bath dispenser.  In our old house, we had the little guy pictured below covering the spout in my daughter’s tub.  It won’t fit on the faucet in this house.  I didn’t worry about it too much since my daughter is 5 and my son is still using the baby tub, but he will be taking baths in the “big tub” soon enough, and I need a cover!

The Boon Flo is way better because not only does it have soft materials to cushion from bumps, it actually creates a waterfall to help you rinse hair!  We use a cup to rinse hair now.

It also has a spot for the shower diverter, so you don’t have to take the cover off in order to use it.

It has a spring activated grip that makes it easy to install and remove.  I was really excited to install it and let my daughter test out the bubble bath dispenser.
Augh!!  It doesn’t fit!  I guess this weird freakin’ 90 degree angle faucet has doomed me. 
On a side rant, I am still peeved that I even bought this faucet.  I loathe the stupid thing.  Not only do covers not fit on it, but as you can see, it looks perpetually filthy with water spots.  Who wants to clean their faucet with appliance cleaner?  Not me!  Guess who did just that right after taking the picture.  Yep, me!
So, why did I buy it?  Well, we wanted a set that had variable pressure and temperature (in previous homes we’ve owned, you could go from cold to hot, but on full blast only) and had a satin nickel finish.  The *(&((*^ in the plumbing department at Lowes basically said I was a sucker and a snob for wanting to buy Moen, which is what we have everywhere else in the house (except the laundry room, which is Kohler and actually brushed stainless, not satin nickel.)  I caved and got this.  It was less expensive, yes, but our Moen satin nickel faucets are a lot nicer and we have no problems with them, despite what he said.  >:-(
Back to the subject at hand.
I put it on the best I could, and it works well enough for what I want it to do (protect little noggins.)  It’s such an awesome product with the “waterfall” feature, the ability to put the bubble bath in and let your kids push the button to dispense it, along with the easy access to the shower diverter, sleek looks and easy installation.
I love Boon’s affordable, safe and quality products and I love their commitment to giving back.  Check out Boon’s Blog, Boon’s Facebook Page and follow Boon on Twitter to keep up on all the latest.
Thank you Boon for sending me the Flo at no charge.  The complimentary product in no way affected my review!  All opinions are always my own.
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Cloth Diapers Fitted Diapers Made in the USA One Size Diapers Review Snap Closure WAHM made

Two Little Piggies Tester Diaper

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I got to test a one size fitted for Two Little Piggies Diapers

The fabric is super soft.

The snaps were evenly applied.
It has the same fold down rise with extra snaps that many one size fitteds have.
What made it unique was the snaps on the front that allowed you to snap the rise in place after folding.
This would eliminate one step in diapering a smaller baby (folding the rise and then holding it in place while you snap.)  There are also plenty of overlap snaps for itty babies!
The soaker is petal style for more thorough washing and faster drying.
If you needed to, you could stuff more material inside the petals for extra absorbency.
In this picture, you get a good view of the extra snaps where you could secure the fold down rise if needed.  I got a good fit on the larger setting.
It was a bit smaller than some other one-size fitteds I have.  It fit about the same as some larger ones do on the smaller setting.
Normally, I wouldn’t put a brand new diaper to the test for something like sleeping, car rides and so forth until it had gotten several daytime uses.
I topped the diaper with a wool cover and shortly after that, the child who does not nap, took a nap.  A long one.  I was getting nervous!  I was expecting soaked clothes and soaked sheets but nope!  Not a single leak!  The diaper was saturated but his clothes and his sheets were dry!  Not too shabby!  It’s been in our regular rotation since we got it, and it even contained a very messy poop yesterday, without getting any on the cover!
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Apparel & Accessories Giveaway Handmade Items Made in the USA Reusable Products Review

Voodookitten / Cranky Cat Studio Review & Gift Certificate Giveaway (discount too!) CLOSED

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Deborah of Cranky Cat Studio doesn’t make your typical cutesy baby stuff.  If the business card graphic & font didn’t tip you off, here’s her son’s 1 year portrait (she said I could share!)
So flippin cute!  All he needs is this diaper to go with it.  No, I don’t think I’ll ever stop moping about that diaper.  I want it!  (Imagine me pouting and stomping my foot like a petulant child.)
Cranky Cat Studio sells from her Bonanzle store (you can also get there by typing http://www.voodookitten.com/  For those who had never heard of Bonanzle (I hadn’t), Deborah described it as “an upscale eBay. Kinda like what would happen if eBay and Etsy had a baby!”  That cracked me up.  She also has an Etsy Shop.  She has lots of products for sale including baby blankets, bibs, purses and totes, hair clips, shopping totes and tutu overalls (you have got to see these!)  She has quite a bit more in her Bonanzle store than in Etsy, including items that aren’t handmade, like squeaky shoes.  My fingers would be nubs if I tried to list and link to every single thing she makes; she makes a lot!
Deborah sent me a shopping tote and a clutch purse to review.  She’s also offering up a $30 gift certificate to one lucky blog reader and a discount code good for 10% off that you can all use.  The code is MamaRocks because “gosh darn it…Mama does rock!”
The bag is actually intended for my hubby to keep in his car to have handy for when he picks up a few things here and there.  The guitar print seemed more manly than some of the other reusable bags, LOL.  It’s also perfect for a blanket, a few toys and some snacks for a trip to the park!
It’s nice and roomy, but rolled up small, around 5 x 3.
I just realized that I didn’t get a good shot of the bag itself, sheesh.  I was so focused on function!  My hubby has been using it and has it in his car.  I promise it looks as great as it functions!
That’s 15 pounds of flour and sugar.  No problems at all.  I’m quite sure it could have held more weight.  It was also both comfortable to hold and secure thanks to the design of the handles.
I easily fit five boxes of cereal in it.
Still no trouble holding it!
Overstuffed and overloaded it was still really comfy to hold.  No double bagging like plastic bags, no ripping holes in the bag like plastic, and no digging into your fingers, cutting off your circulation like plastic!
Most of Deborah’s diaper bags started out as purses, and this clutch/wristlet is no exception.  The fabric is gorgeous.
It is the perfect size to use with a pretty dress for a night out (Night…out??  What is that again?) when you just need keys, wallet, lipstick, phone etc. 
One strap is longer than the other, so you can tuck the long through the short and cinch it.
The intention is to use as a grab and go diaper bag, for those quick trips when you just need a few diapers/wipes.  Those situations get a little more complicated for cloth diaperers, since you can’t just cram a couple into your regular purse!  I use my wet/dry bag when I know I will need to change several diapers while we’re away, but when I might only need to change one, it’s a bit much to lug out with me.
I put a Bumgenius 3.0, a Rumparooz, a PlanetWise medium wet bag, a Planet wise wipe bag with 10 wipes and a spray bottle of solution in this teeny bag!
Yep, it’s all in there!
Close it up and hit the road!
Love it!  I think both bags are really well made and they’re unique in form, function and style.  I can definitely see using the wristlet with a little black dress someday when I don’t need it for diapers anymore!
So, want your ownShop Cranky Cat Studio and use coupon code MamaRocks to get 10% off.
Or, win a gift certificate!  One reader gets $30 to spend at Cranky Cat Studio.  It will be good for anything out of either her Etsy or her Bonanzle store!

Here’s how to enter:  The first entry is mandatory, do as many or as few of the others as you like.  You must enter a separate comment on this blog post for each entry.  Please make sure to include your email address if it is not visible in your profile.

1. Visit Cranky Cat Studio and let me know what you would buy if you won.
2. Follow my blog publicly.  Comment to get your entry.
3. Fan me on Facebook.  Comment here to get your entry.  (Yes, I know it’s not “fan” anymore but all this like, liker, liking stuff is too clunky!)
4. Fan Cranky Cat Studio on Facebook.  Comment to get your entry.
5. Follow me on Twitter.  Comment to get your entry.
6. Follow Cranky Cat Studio on Twitter.  Comment to get your entry.
7. Tweet about this giveaway.  Please no more than one tweet per day and make sure to include @chgdiapers and @CrankyCatStudio.  You may use this tweet if you like “Enter the @chgdiapers #giveaway for a $30 @crankycatstudio gift certificate and get great #handmade items! http://bit.ly/cF7xai Ends 5/21”
8. Blog about this giveaway, this blog, Cranky Cat studio etc and leave a link to your blog post to get your entry.

I will accept entries until Friday, May 21st, 2010 at 9 P.M. EST.  I’ll choose a winner with random.org’s true random number generator and contact the winner by email.
Thank you to Deborah at Cranky Cat Studio for sending me the bags to review.  The freebies in no way affected my review and the opinions are my own.  Results may vary and all that rot.  🙂
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