Green Virgin's Soap Nuts and Stainless Steel Bottle Giveaway-Ends 5/31!!!

Reminder:  2 days left to enter for this awesome giveaway!  Giveaway ends Monday, May 31st at midnight.

Green Virgin's Soap Nuts and Stainless Steel Bottle Giveaway-Ends 5/31

Since I know all of you are interested in clean, healthy, non-toxic, and sustainable products for your home, I know you will love this giveaway!  Green Virgin Products will be giving away 1 kilo of their soap nuts:

These are the finest de-seeded gourmet Soap Nuts money can buy. This 1 Kilogram bag includes real decorated wooden beads on the draw strings (1 kilogram equals 1000 grams or 2.2 lbs or 35.274 ounces) contains enough Soap Nuts for about 330 wash loads and includes 3 wash bags.  A $26.95 value!!!

And to all of you who cloth diaper,
Soap nuts are the best thing for washing diapers as they leave no residue and the diapers are more absorbent, and since there are no chemicals left behind diaper rash is greatly reduced. They also get rid of odors better than toxic chemical detergents. And of course they don't pollute our valuable water supplies.

-Ken Marion (owner of Green Virgin Products)

I use Green Virgin Product's soap nuts to clean our cloth diapers and they work great!

But that's not all Green Virgin Products are giving away...

They understand the importance of non-toxic products for your children so they are also offering to giveaway one 304 stainless steel bottle with your choice of a BPA free nipple or sippy cap.

Highest Quality Available
Green Virgin Products Stainless Steel Water Bottles will last forever, but are totally recyclable. They are certified BPA free, FDA and CA approved. Our bottles are made of 100% 304 stainless steel. 304 stainless steel is also known as 18/8 stainless steel. These bottles have a wide mouth design (1.75 inches. all our caps will fit the Kleen Kanteen bottles as our bottles are made in the same factory as theirs) so its easy to chug liquids and add large ice cubes quickly. Several different caps are available for no charge including a nipple cap and a sippy cup cap. 

Lifetime Guarantee.
 
Green Virgin Products bottles are the highest quality stainless steel water bottles available. Beware of the companies out there selling cheap bottles that are not much thicker than a beer can. Our bottles are made to the highest quality standards, in the most modern of factories using the highest quality materials available, and therefore, we can offer a Lifetime Guarantee for materials and workmanship. A $7.95 value!!!

Here is what I need from you in order for your entries to be accepted:

***REMEMBER: POST A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY (in other words, tell me you subscribe to my blog and another product from Green Virgin Products you are interested in in one comment, tell me you are a facebook fan in another comment, etc.)

***Also, remember to leave your email address with your comments so you can be reached***

  
MANDATORY: 

• visit Green Virgin Product's web site and tell me another product you are interested in other than those for giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog (if you haven't already done so) (if you wish to not receive emails, you can opt out of the emails at any time and still be a subscriber)

The above details are necessary for your entry into the drawing to be accepted.  You also have the opportunity to have multiple entries if you do any or all of the following:

• retweet this giveaway and send me the link to your tweet by comment (worth 2 extra entries) (don't forget to tell me so by comment:)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook personal page (worth 3 extra entries)
• join my Facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries) again, tell me so by comment
• join my Twitter fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• join Green Virgin Product's mailing list (can be found at bottom of home page) (worth 2 extra entries)
• follow green Virgin Product's facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries)

This drawing ends Monday, May 31st at midnight.  The winner will be notified June 1st by email so please don't forget your email address!!!


Good luck!
~Mommy Bridget

Your Sunscreen Exposed

The Environmental Working Group posted their 2010 Sunscreen Guide and I encourage you all to look at it before heading out into the sunny summer.  We were very surprised and disappointed to see that our new sunscreen was on the list of sunscreens to use caution when using.  Because of the good reputation of our sunscreen brand for making products made with all natural, completely safe ingredients, I didn't think I needed to worry.  Unfortunately, our sunscreen contains oxybenzone, a chemical used to suppress ultraviolet rays which is what we want in sunscreens but that when absorbed into the skin, often times causes allergic responses (not what we want).

If you click below or on this link, you can enter in the name of your sunscreen and it will tell you whether or not it's safe to use.  It also has a list of safe sunscreens.  You can upload their widget onto your cell phone or computer and take it with you when you are doing your shopping for sunscreens so you can be sure you are buying the safest brand for your family.



~Mommy Bridget

US top scientists urge coal, oil use penalties

ksl.com - US top scientists urge coal, oil use penalties

I like to inform on the proposed cap and trade program which sets limits on high carbon dioxide polluting companies. 

I would really like to see this enforced someday!

~Mommy Bridget

Earthbath Review and Giveaway

I don't know about your pets but our furry friends are very much a part of our family as we are and in being one of our "children", we like our kids to look and feel their best!  My two furry children had the wonderful opportunity to review a product called Earthbath, a line of products for dogs, cats, and horses that cleanses their fur and leaves them feeling and smelling their furry best!  And the best part of using these products on our doggies is that Earthbath's products are made from all natural ingredients, are totally non-toxic, paraben free, phtalate free, and phosphate free.

Only the best for our children!

Our dogs had the opportunity to review the "oatmeal and aloe" shampoo from Earthbath.  This particular kind of shampoo was so fitting for our arid environment as their skin and coats tend to be dry.  I remember a few hours after I bathed my little Latti, I was petting her and commenting to my husband how amazing her fur felt.  I remember saying, "Latti's fur feels really soft honey...no really, it feels REALLY good!"  We were so impressed by it.  And it feels really good knowing that the products I'm using on them is as safe for them to use as it is for us!  The ingredients in this particular shampoo include:

Purified water, renewable coconut-based cleansers, colloidal oatmeal (3%), aloe vera, almond and vanilla essences, olive oil squalene (natural preservative) 


Pretty great huh.

We are so pleased with this product for our dogs that we can't imagine using anything else ever again.

Earthbath carries a variety of products for your furry pet's grooming needs including shampoos, spritzes, wipes, and "rub on towel off" foams.  There is so much to choose from!

That's not all, Earthbath is sponsoring a giveaway on The Curious Case of Mommyhood!  One lucky winner will get to choose any product of their choice.  Whether you are a cat, dog, or horse lover...there is something for everyone!

To enter:

***REMEMBER: POST A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY***

***Also, remember to leave your email address with your comments so you can be reached***

  
MANDATORY: 

• visit Earthbath's web site and tell me the name of the product you want to win
• Subscribe to my blog (if you haven't already done so) (if you wish to not receive emails, you can opt out of the emails at any time and still be a subscriber) 

The above details are necessary for your entry into the drawing to be accepted.  You also have the opportunity to have multiple entries if you do any or all of the following:

• retweet this giveaway and send me the link to your tweet by comment (worth 2 extra entries) (don't forget to tell me so by comment:)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook personal page (worth 2 extra entries)
• join my Facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries) again, tell me so by comment
• join my Twitter fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• follow Earthbath's facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• follow Earth bath on Twitter

This drawing ends Sunday, June 6th at midnight.  The winner will be notified June 7th by email so please don't forget your email address!!!


Good luck!
~Mommy Bridget 

ksl.com - Pampers Dry Max diapers under investigation

ksl.com - Pampers Dry Max diapers under investigation

I know many of you have already heard about the controversial Pampers Dry Max diapers.  Apparently, a group of mothers filed a class action lawsuit against Pampers because their children experienced rashes, blisters, and burns from chemicals contained in the diapers.  Proctor and Gamble denies the diapers are dangerous and states they had extensive testing.  They blame the common diaper rash as the culprit.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission and Health Canada recently announced their intent on investigating the complaints further...

Can anybody say...cloth diaper?  I'm so glad that we are replacing our regular diapers with reusable, non-toxic cloth diapers.  And really...could they be any cuter???

~Mommy Bridget

Green Virgin Products Review

May 20^th, 2010

Green Virgin Products Review

I am so excited to share this review with you all.  A few months ago I was surfing the web and came across Green Virgin Product’s web site.  It caught my eye when I read about “soap nuts” because I had never heard of them so I inquired to learn more. 

Soap nuts come from Soap Berry Trees in the Himalayan Mountains and are completely non-toxic, organic and chemical free.  The nuts are harvested then dried in the sun.  After that, the seed is removed from the shell where it is then reharvested.  The outer shell of the Soap Berry Nut contains the soap which can be used in a variety of ways.

One really great use of the Soap Berry nut is for laundry detergent.  They can also be used to make concentrated liquid soap for everyday household use, for washing your vehicles (the soap produced is non-toxic), for bathing your pets, and can even be used to wash off insecticides that cling on to your fruits and vegetables!  It doesn’t get more sustainable than that!  Below are some more facts on soap nuts:

• ·         By using soap nuts, your clothes will be soft without the use of a fabric softener

• ·         Soap nuts cost 2.5 times less than leading national brands (1 kilo bag of soap nuts costs $26.95 and washes up to 330 loads of laundry)

• ·         Using soap nuts doesn’t pollute our valuable water supply like toxic name brands do

• ·         Soap nuts have been used for thousands of years

• ·         They are completely sustainable!  They grow on trees, drop to the ground, are cracked open then dried naturally in the sun.

I was so impressed when I began using the soap nuts as a replacement for our laundry detergent.  I put 4-6 nuts into a cloth bag (also from green Virgin Products), I make sure the nuts are cracked open so the soap can be extracted, and throw the bag directly into my wash.  They are also safe to use with HE washers.

My clothes come out completely clean and smelling fresh.  The soap nuts also work as a natural fabric softener which is a bonus!

And to those of you wondering, they work excellent in cleaning our little one’s cloth diapers. 

Soap nuts are the best thing for washing diapers as they leave no residue and the diapers are more absorbent, and since there are no chemicals left behind diaper rash is greatly reduced. They also get rid of odors better than toxic chemical detergents. And of course they don't pollute our valuable water supplies. (Ken Marion, owner of Green Virgin Products)

For a free sample of Green Virgin Product’s soap nuts, email ken@greenvirginproducts.com.  Be sure to include your address.

That’s not all…my husband and I also had the opportunity to use Green Virgin Product’s Mineral Salt Deodorant stones.  I don’t know about you but I’m a stickler when it comes to deodorants used in our house.  After learning of the toxic harmful chemicals in most mainstream deodorants some years ago, I made the switch to non-toxic deodorants.  I’ve tried so many…and to be honest with you hadn’t found one until this year that I actually felt worked well and kept away bad odor.  To my surprise since the mineral salts deodorant has no scent, it actually worked really well at keeping me feeling fresh and clean all day.  You can even use it on your sweaty feet!  The stone is a natural astringent that can also be used on cuts and scrapes. And the lifespan of one mineral salts deodorant that costs $4.95 can last up to one year!  What a bargain!!

Park reviewed Green Virgin Product’s stainless steel baby/toddler bottle with the BPA free sippy cap and insulated covers and he loves them!  We have filled the bottle with everything from his water, juice, and milk and with the help from the insulated covers, everything stays nice and cold like it just came out of the refrigerator.  We were really impressed.  Green Virgin Products also has BPA free nipple tops if your wee ones are drinking from those.  The stainless steel bottles are easy to hold for all ages and could be a wonderful addition to your baby’s/toddler’s drinking devices.  They also stand up to the test of being dropped and thrown on anything from carpet to hardwood floors to the cement outside without denting.  These are lightweight yet sturdy bottles that are great to use.

Highest Quality Available
Green Virgin Products Stainless Steel Water Bottles will last forever, but are totally recyclable. They are certified BPA free, FDA and CA approved. Our bottles are made of 100% 304 stainless steel. 304 stainless steel is also known as 18/8 stainless steel. These bottles have a wide mouth design (1.75 inches. all our caps will fit the Kleen Kanteen bottles as our bottles are made in the same factory as theirs) so its easy to chug liquids and add large ice cubes quickly. Several different caps are available for no charge including a nipple cap and a sippy cup cap.
Lifetime Guarantee.
  Green Virgin Products bottles are the highest quality stainless steel water bottles available. Beware of the companies out there selling cheap bottles that are not much thicker than a beer can. Our bottles are made to the highest quality standards, in the most modern of factories using the highest quality materials available, and therefore, we can offer a Lifetime Guarantee for materials and workmanship. (Green Virgin Products)

I want to thank Green Virgin Product’s for the opportunity to review their eco-friendly, sustainable, non-toxic, safe to use products for our families and for the environment.  For more information on their variety of products, visit their web site at www.greenvirginproducts.com.

Bridget James

(author of The Curious Case of Mommyhood)

Free PhotoMini-Session Drawing Ends 5/23

Just a few days remain to enter!!!

Free Mini-Photo Session for Utah Locals

Hello everyone!
I have another great giveaway on The Curious Case of Mommyhood.  This particular giveaway is for those of you living in Utah with children (I apologize to those of you living outside).  This giveaway is so fun, I've been waiting months to let you all know about it.

Child Mini Session Giveaway!!

SassaFrass Photography is giving away a child Summer Mini Session at Wheeler Farm.  The session will take place on Friday June 11^th at 8:00pm.  The session is a 30 minute mini session, and you will receive 10 edited images on CD with print release.  For more information on SassaFrass Photography you can go to her site at www.sassafrassphoto.com

The photographer Kattrina Holt is the owner/photographer of SassaFrass Photography.  She specializes in children, family, and senior natural light photography.  She is a mother of two, and claims her children have always been her inspiration behind what she does! 

My family had the pleasure of working with Kattrina when Park was only 1 and we were very satisfied with our results.  Kattrina uses beautiful lighting to capture those timeless moments we can treasure forever.  If you would like to include more children to the mini-session, she asks for an additional $10 for each.

Here are a few more photos of our photo session to share with you...

 

Here is what I need from you for your entry to be accepted into this fun drawing:

***REMEMBER: POST A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY (in other words, tell me you subscribe to my blog and how many children you want for the photo session in one comment, tell me you are a facebook fan in another comment, etc.)  Click here to comment at the end of the post.

***Also, remember to leave your email address with your comments so you can be reached***

  

Here is what I need from you in order for your entry to be accepted:

• tell me how many children you would like for the photo session 
• subscribe to my blog (if you haven't already done so) (if you wish to not receive emails, you can opt out of the emails at any time and still be a subscriber)

The above details are necessary for your entry into the drawing to be accepted.  You also have the opportunity to have multiple entries if you do any or all of the following:

• retweet this giveaway and send me the link to your tweet by comment (worth 5 extra entries)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook personal page (worth five extra entries) and tell me you did so by comment
• join my Facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries) again, tell me so by comment
• join my Twitter fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook fan page (worth five extra entries)

This drawing ends Sunday, May 23rd at midnight.  The winner will be notified May 24th by email along with the details of the photo session.


Good luck!
~Mommy Bridget

Robert Redford Calls for Clean Energy Now

To view Robert Redford's full article from the Huffington Post, click here.

I understand that many of you, including myself, are very busy mothers and are swamped with raising our children and our families...I am too.  However, I know we can all spare a few minutes and spend some time helping in the fight to protect our environment by informing yourself on the issues we are faced with and by seeing what it is you can do to help.  Who better to learn from by example than us mothers!

~Mommy Bridget

Pesticides link to ADHD

Click here to view a story from the Today Show linking pesticides to ADHD in children.

There is interesting information on organo-phosphates on this show... I highly suggest watching the quick video clip.

~Mommy Bridget

Green Virgin's Soap Nuts and Stainless Steel Bottle Giveaway-Ends 5/31

I am starting a great new giveaway today.  Since I know all of you are interested in clean, healthy, non-toxic, and sustainable products for your home, I know you will love this giveaway!  Green Virgin Products will be giving away 1 kilo of their soap nuts:

These are the finest de-seeded gourmet Soap Nuts money can buy. This 1 Kilogram bag includes real decorated wooden beads on the draw strings (1 kilogram equals 1000 grams or 2.2 lbs or 35.274 ounces) contains enough Soap Nuts for about 330 wash loads and includes 3 wash bags.  A $26.95 value!!!

And to all of you who cloth diaper,
Soap nuts are the best thing for washing diapers as they leave no residue and the diapers are more absorbent, and since there are no chemicals left behind diaper rash is greatly reduced. They also get rid of odors better than toxic chemical detergents. And of course they don't pollute our valuable water supplies.

-Ken Marion (owner of Green Virgin Products)

I use Green Virgin Product's soap nuts to clean our cloth diapers and they work great!

But that's not all Green Virgin Products are giving away...

They understand the importance of non-toxic products for your children so they are also offering to giveaway one 304 stainless steel bottle with your choice of a BPA free nipple or sippy cap.

Highest Quality Available
Green Virgin Products Stainless Steel Water Bottles will last forever, but are totally recyclable. They are certified BPA free, FDA and CA approved. Our bottles are made of 100% 304 stainless steel. 304 stainless steel is also known as 18/8 stainless steel. These bottles have a wide mouth design (1.75 inches. all our caps will fit the Kleen Kanteen bottles as our bottles are made in the same factory as theirs) so its easy to chug liquids and add large ice cubes quickly. Several different caps are available for no charge including a nipple cap and a sippy cup cap. 

Lifetime Guarantee.
 
Green Virgin Products bottles are the highest quality stainless steel water bottles available. Beware of the companies out there selling cheap bottles that are not much thicker than a beer can. Our bottles are made to the highest quality standards, in the most modern of factories using the highest quality materials available, and therefore, we can offer a Lifetime Guarantee for materials and workmanship. A $7.95 value!!!

Here is what I need from you in order for your entries to be accepted:

***REMEMBER: POST A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY (in other words, tell me you subscribe to my blog and another product from Green Virgin Products you are interested in in one comment, tell me you are a facebook fan in another comment, etc.)

***Also, remember to leave your email address with your comments so you can be reached***

  
MANDATORY: 

• visit Green Virgin Product's web site and tell me another product you are interested in other than those for giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog (if you haven't already done so) (if you wish to not receive emails, you can opt out of the emails at any time and still be a subscriber)

The above details are necessary for your entry into the drawing to be accepted.  You also have the opportunity to have multiple entries if you do any or all of the following:

• retweet this giveaway and send me the link to your tweet by comment (worth 2 extra entries) (don't forget to tell me so by comment:)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook personal page (worth 3 extra entries)
• join my Facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries) again, tell me so by comment
• join my Twitter fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• join Green Virgin Product's mailing list (can be found at bottom of home page) (worth 2 extra entries)
• follow green Virgin Product's facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries)

This drawing ends Monday, May 31st at midnight.  The winner will be notified June 1st by email so please don't forget your email address!!!


Good luck!
~Mommy Bridget

 

Reminder: One Week Left to Enter for the Free Mini-Photo Session for Utahns

Free Mini-Photo Session for Utah Locals

Hello everyone!
I am starting a new giveaway on The Curious Case of Mommyhood.  This particular giveaway is for those of you living in Utah with children (I apologize to those of you living outside).  This giveaway is so fun, I've been waiting months to let you all know about it.

Child Mini Session Giveaway!!

SassaFrass Photography is giving away a child Summer Mini Session at Wheeler Farm.  The session will take place on Friday June 11^th at 8:00pm.  The session is a 30 minute mini session, and you will receive 10 edited images on CD with print release.  For more information on SassaFrass Photography you can go to her site at www.sassafrassphoto.com

The photographer Kattrina Holt is the owner/photographer of SassaFrass Photography.  She specializes in children, family, and senior natural light photography.  She is a mother of two, and claims her children have always been her inspiration behind what she does! 

My family had the pleasure of working with Kattrina when Park was only 1 and we were very satisfied with our results.  Kattrina uses beautiful lighting to capture those timeless moments we can treasure forever.  If you would like to include more children to the mini-session, she asks for an additional $10 for each.

Here are a few more photos of our photo session to share with you...

***REMEMBER: POST A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY (in other words, tell me you subscribe to my blog and how many children you want for the photo session in one comment, tell me you are a facebook fan in another comment, etc.)

***Also, remember to leave your email address with your comments so you can be reached***

  

Here is what I need from you in order for your entry to be accepted:

• tell me how many children you would like for the photo session 
• subscribe to my blog (if you haven't already done so) (if you wish to not receive emails, you can opt out of the emails at any time and still be a subscriber)

The above details are necessary for your entry into the drawing to be accepted.  You also have the opportunity to have multiple entries if you do any or all of the following:

• retweet this giveaway and send me the link to your tweet by comment (worth 5 extra entries)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook personal page (worth five extra entries) and tell me you did so by comment
• join my Facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries) again, tell me so by comment
• join my Twitter fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook fan page (worth five extra entries)

This drawing ends Sunday, May 23rd at midnight.  The winner will be notified May 24th by email along with the details of the photo session.


Good luck!
~Mommy Bridget

Healthy Home Tips | Environmental Working Group

Healthy Home Tips | Environmental Working Group

Posted using ShareThis

Peaceful Parenting: United States' Breastfeeding Laws

peaceful parenting: United States' Breastfeeding Laws

I know that I don't speak often about the importance of breastfeeding and breastfeeding rights, or at least I don't feel I speak about it enough, but I came across this blog post from the Peaceful Parenting blog that I feel is very important for all of you mothers to read and know about your state rights as a breastfeeding mother.

I've never actually researched the laws myself because to be honest with you, I had no idea there were laws in place to (hopefully) protect breastfeeding mothers and babies.  I just always nursed my son wherever and whenever he was hungry or needed me.  It is mindbloggling to think that we even need laws to feed our babies yet alone that there are some places in our country where a hungry infant is not allowed to be fed because others are uncomfortable with it or think it's "inappropriate"...only in our country I swear!

Anyways, check out the link above and get to know your rights as a mother in your area.

Thank you to Peaceful Parenting for doing the research and blogging about such an important topic.

~Mommy Bridget

Oil Contaminate

In the wake of the large oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, I couldn't help but write a little something about the potential hazards of oil.

According to the Department of Environmental Quality, just one gallon of used oil, the amount from a single small vehicle engine, has the potential to contaminate up to one million gallons of fresh water-a year's supply of water for 50 people.  That's huge! 

Imagine what the oil spill in the Gulf has the potential to disrupt and destroy...

I am so terribly terribly saddened by this tragic event in the Gulf.  Please click here to see how you can help with the clean up.
~Mommy Bridget

Another Mcneil Recall on Common Children's Medicines

I found out just today that there has been yet another recall on common OTC children and infant medicines.  Medicines such as Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec, and Benadryl products are voluntarily being recalled because some of these products may not meet required quality standards (Fort Washington, PA (April 30, 2010)).  They are offering full refunds on your products.

For the full press release, click here.

For the full listing of products being recalled, click here.

~Curious Mommy

Happy Mother's Day

 I just wanted to extend to all you mothers a very happy, wonderful, and family filled Mother's Day.

Here is a quote from an old and dear friend of mine:

MOTHERS...the world cannot stand without you...you are the glue that binds us all...god bless you for all you do and for all you are...you make it all possible..thank you from the bottom of my heart...
(written by: Guy G.  His wife is currently serving for the US National Guard in Kosovo while he cares for their 2 year old)

All of my love to you all on this our special day!!!

~Mommy Bridget

Child Mini-Photo-Session Giveaway for Utah Locals

Hello everyone!
I am starting a new giveaway on The Curious Case of Mommyhood.  This particular giveaway is for those of you living in Utah with children (I apologize to those of you living outside).  This giveaway is so fun, I've been waiting months to let you all know about it.

Child Mini Session Giveaway!!

SassaFrass Photography is giving away a child Summer Mini Session at Wheeler Farm.  The session will take place on Friday June 11^th at 8:00pm.  The session is a 30 minute mini session, and you will receive 10 edited images on CD with print release.  For more information on SassaFrass Photography you can go to her site at www.sassafrassphoto.com

The photographer Kattrina Holt is the owner/photographer of SassaFrass Photography.  She specializes in children, family, and senior natural light photography.  She is a mother of two, and claims her children have always been her inspiration behind what she does! 

My family had the pleasure of working with Kattrina when Park was only 1 and we were very satisfied with our results.  Kattrina uses beautiful lighting to capture those timeless moments we can treasure forever.  If you would like to include more children to the mini-session, she asks for an additional $10 for each.

Here are a few more photos of our photo session to share with you...

 

Here is what I need from you for your entry to be accepted into this fun drawing:

• tell me how many children you would like for the photo session 
• either post a comment with the above information or email it to me along with your contact information to thecuriouscaseofmommyhood@gmail.com
• subscribe to my blog (if you haven't already done so) (if you wish to not receive emails, you can opt out of the emails at any time and still be a subscriber)

The above details are necessary for your entry into the drawing to be accepted.  You also have the opportunity to have multiple entries if you do any or all of the following:

• retweet this giveaway and send me the link to your tweet at thecuriouscaseofmommyhood@gmail.com (worth 5 extra entries)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook personal page (worth five extra entries)
• join my Facebook fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• join my Twitter fan page (worth 2 extra entries)
• repost this giveaway on your facebook fan page (worth five extra entries)

This drawing ends Sunday, May 23rd at midnight.  The winner will be notified May 24th by email along with the details of the photo session.


Good luck!
~Mommy Bridget

Green Virgin Products

Hello everyone!

I'm in the middle of a really great review of some eco-friendly products from Green Virgin Products that I had to tell you a sneak peak about.  They carry a product called "soap nuts" which are used to in place of laundry detergent and softener.  And they are so amazing!

You just drop a handful of nuts into a a little cloth bag and toss it into your washing machine and it cleans your laundry.  How easy is that....and they are straight from trees!  You can't get much more sustainable from that now can you...

It sounds unreal right?  I recommend trying a free sample from Green Virgin Products.  Just drop an email requesting a sample of the soap nuts to ken@greenvirginproducts.com and include your shipping address.

Enjoy!

~Curious Mommy

Ecological Footprint

I remember during my senior year in college, taking my very first ecological footprint test.  I assumed when I took the test that I would come back with an impressive score.  I thought that because for sometime I recycled, I used reusable bags, I picked up litter and bought organic, that I was doing what I felt was my part in turning around the damage my just being here did to the planet.  It turned out that I was very wrong in my assumption.

One thing that greatly affected my results, not to mention my view on consuming, was the location with which the products I was choosing were from.  Yes because the products are organic the process with which the products were made were less harmful to the environment.  But if the products came from Australia, and I live on the other side of the globe, then I have to take responsibility for the fossil fuels used to get that $3 product to my refrigerator.  It was this point in time that I began to realize the importance of buying local.  I mean I always knew that it was important to support local business, but now it was also an environmental issue to do so.  So I like to do what I can to keep it local.  I'll be the first to admit that there is room for improvement, but that will come with time.

Now back to the ecological footprint test.  Our ecological footprint measures how many resources we use in our daily lives.  People who have larger ecological footprints use more of nature's resources than those with smaller footprints.  The test is very simple.  It will ask you a series of questions such as where you live, how often you consume meat, where your groceries are from, how much you fly...that takes maybe 10 minutes.  We all have 10 minutes to spare, especially for our earth.  You can take the test here.

And why is this so important you ask?  Because it is scary how much of the industrialized world consumes the entire world's resources.  According to the Worldwide Institute, Despite rising consumption in the developing world, industrial countries remain responsible for the bulk of the world’s resource consumption—as well as the associated global environmental degradation. Yet there is little evidence that the consumption locomotive is braking, even in the United States, where most people are amply supplied with the goods and services needed to lead a dignified life.

Here are some facts from the Worldwide Institute's web site that might halt your consumption choices:

The U.S. Consumer

• The United States, with less than 5 % of the global population, uses about a quarter of the world’s fossil fuel resources—burning up nearly 25 % of the coal, 26 % of the oil, and 27 % of the world’s natural gas.
• As of 2003, the U.S. had more private cars than licensed drivers, and gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles were among the best-selling vehicles.
• New houses in the U.S. were 38 % bigger in 2002 than in 1975, despite having fewer people per household on average.

And these are facts are over 7 years old!

I hope that you take a minute to take your ecological footprint test.  I promise you will find it enlightening!

~Mommy Bridget

"Use Less Plastic to Save Our Oceans"

Click here to view

Nature's Gate Product Review

April 29th, 2010

Nature's Gate Sun Care Products

In the past month, as the sun's intense rays have begun to show their face in sunny Utah, I had the opportunity to review some of Nature's Gate's sun care products.  I was so excited about this review as I have yet to find a sun care product that I am satisfied with AND because I knew we would be going to the desert for a few days where the sun's rays are very intense therefore would be in need of a very good sunblock!

In the past I found it difficult to find sun care products that did not contain ingredients found to be toxic to humans.  When my son was very little, I used a very popular brand sunblock for him and he broke out in little red bumps which took a couple of weeks to go away.  It could have been his age that I used the product (1 month old) but after looking at the ingredients in the product that claimed to be "natural", I'm convinced it was the ingredients that irritated his skin.  After 2 years of mommyhood I can happily say I am much more aware now of the products we use in our family. 

Although it is recommended not to use sunblock on babies 6 months or younger, the American Academy of Pediatrics says it's safe to use IF there is no other way to protect your child's skin from the sun.  However, if necessary, sunblock should only be used on small areas of the body such as the face, back of hands, and ears.  (Click here for a better explanation)  

All of Nature's Gate's products are paraben and phthalate free, contain no animal derived ingredients and have never been tested on animals.  We are very pleased about that!

Park reviewed the "Kid's Block SPF 30" while on our camping trip to the desert this past weekend and it worked perfectly.  His skin didn't get sunburned...surprisingly for where we were located...and it's soothing aloe vera seemed to keep his skin moisturized against the desert's elements.  We also enjoyed the "giggleberry"scent of it!  We are very satisfied with this product's ability to withstand the sun on our little one's delicate skin. 

My husband and I used the "Sport's Block SPF 30" and this also held up to our standards as a good sunblock.  I really like this sunblock too because it has a "dry finish".  When I'm outside in the summer months running or gardening or just hanging out with my son, I would like to use a sunblock that doesn't make my skin greasy.  I actually really dislike that feeling.  This didn't make me feel like I was putting on anything!  It was great and it will definitely be our sun block for the summer.

We were very pleased to be able to review Nature's Gate's sun care products.  Thank you to Nature's Gate for the opportunity to do so!  I encourage you all to give their products a try.  You can find them online at www.natures-gate.com and in many of the natural health sections of your grocery stores or at other natural markets around the country.

Bridget James

(author of) The Curious Case of Mommyhood