Life, Gluten Free

Shutterfly Photo Cards

I don't know about you, but sending out christmas cards has always been a favorite part of the holiday season for me. I like picking out the stamps, signing our names and wishing our friends and family a wonderful holiday season - from our family to theirs. Last year, we sent a photo card with pictures of our family - myself, my daughter and my husband. Everyone really appreciated it and I decided that it was a really, really good idea.

Most of our family and friends live in different states across the U.S. We even have one set of family members in Europe. So what better way to say Merry Christmas then to send them a card with a joyful picture of ourselves. In fact, I kind of realized that it's our duty to spread the christmas cheer in form of a very cute picture of our daughter. She brightens the hearts of many.

Shutterfly offers a variety of holiday cards and christmas photo cards to suit your taste and budget. They even offer photo calendars, which I think would be a great gift for grandparents especially.

I browsed through their selection and my favorite card is the Many Memories Tree Christmas Card with my second favorite being the Picture Joy flat photo card.

Shutterfly also offers:

• Photo Mugs
• Christmas Invitations
• Birthday Cards

*For writing about Shutterfly, I will receive 50 complimentary photo cards. We recently took a family photo at a park and we hope our holiday card will brighten the season for our friends and family while gently reminding them how much we care and that our thoughts are with them, even though they may be miles away.

Do you send Christmas Cards? What is your favorite kind to send?

Melissa & Doug Shopping Cart Review on OpenSky

Thank you to OpenSky plus Melissa and Doug for sponsoring this review for the Melissa and Doug Shopping Cart!

We are beyond impressed, folks. It was really easy to put together, which is always a huge plus. It is the most realistic shopping cart for kids that I've seen that is also very sturdy, durable and safe. It isn't "tipsy," which is especially a concern for younger ones.

I received it in a large box and it comes basically in three pieces. You attach the basket to the base (which is the wheels and handle part of the cart).The third piece is the plastic "seat"  that you attach after the basket is attached. The directions are clear and you do not need any extra tools because it comse with everything you need to get it up and going in say, 10 minutes.

My daughter is really thrilled and she loves to cart around her dolls in it too. I love how well it glides across the floor and how it is very solid (thanks to the metal construction).

Yes, it's a winner! Thanks Melissa and Doug.

Want one?! You can purcahse it from my OpenSky store with coupon code EXCITE25.

- From August 10th through August 16, use coupon code EXCITE25 you'll receive 25% off any product on OpenSky. 

What is OpenSky?

You may have heard of it already, but it is a platform for bloggers to sell products that they use to their readers. The seller (me) gets part of the proceeds when a product is purchased.

I decided to give it a shot, and today is the official day that it opens. I will start out with a few products. The big plus is that they will be products that we use and products that we trust. Ecofriendly products for kids and families, gluten-free products, allergen-free products, etc!

If you've read my recent post, then you know what has been going on with me personally. It was nice to have a "reason" to post to my blog. Thanks again to OpenSky and Melissa and Doug!

Pedoodles: Review and Giveaway! (Cute shoes!)

My daughter has cute feet, and that's a totally unbiased remark of course. So, naturally I want to outfit her with cute shoes that match her whimsical personality and awesome sense of adventure. I was so pleased when I stumbled upon Pedoodles, especially their eco-friendly line. I talked with someone from the company and worked out a review and giveaway combo!

Sophie received the Petal Jumpers to test out and she loves them! They look really comfortable and soft.. I am jealous :) Where are the comfortable and cute adult shoes?! I like that the Pedoodles seem to be very high quality and built very well too. I can imagine that once Sophie is done with them, they will be ready to pass on to another little munchkin to wear.

The owl on the bottom of the shoes is way cute too...

So the eco-friendly line...

- recycled packaging

- recycled soles!

- constructed from eco-friendly leather, which has been tested to be free of lead, antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, mercury, selenium and harmful amines.

And they just came out with some eco-friendly winter boots too. I am so excited, especially since we've been looking for a pair of boots for our daughter but haven't found any that we like.

They offer different sizes: Crawling (0-8 months), Walking (8 months - 2 years) and Running (2-4 years).

From the web site:

"In creating Pedoodles, our goal was to create soft, comfortable, quality footwear that kids really love to wear.  In doing so, we've delighted parents and gift seekers alike, with our fun designs that become fast favorites.  Our shoes provide the best possible fit for your child's feet, their personality, and the way they live."

Here's how to enter:  

1) Visit Pedoodles and tell me which pair of shoes you like. (required to be eligible to win)

2) Leave a comment with the above answer.

3) You must have a U.S. mailing address to qualify to win.

4) Contest is open until Monday, November 23rd at 11:00pm MST.

Please note that your comment will not appear immediately because I have to approve them first. There is no need to submit it more than once unless there is some obvious error. Thanks!

Good luck! The winner will be chosen randomly :) And a BIG thank you to Pedoodles for sending me a pair of shoes and sponsoring this giveaway.

And according to Random.org, the winner is: comment #14

Kristi C

"I would love a pair of Little Caesar."

Congrats to Kristi C!

-heather

Product Review: Organic Brown Rice Pasta by Lundberg

We found this pasta at Whole Foods for $2.99. It has a great texture and the noodles are thin. I like them for soups, but they are also great with pasta sauce as well. So far, we've only found it at different Whole Foods locations. We are going to request it at the local natural grocers that we shop at so hopefully more stores will start to carry it. This pasta is also made in a gluten-free facility.

The first time we tried it, we served it with some black bean and vegetable stew that we made.

 Check out our video for more information on this gluten-free pasta!

Have you tried this pasta before? If you have, let me know how you liked it!

-heather

Coconut Bliss Dairy-Free Ice Cream

As the summer months overtake spring and the sun casts its powerful rays, we naturally crave foods that are cooler and lighter. Thoughts turn to ice cream, popsicles and lemonade. But for people with allergies and other dietary restrictions, those treats are often forbidden. Coconut Bliss offers an option for those who are dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free. The ice cream is also low glycemic because it is sweetened with agave.The ingredients are organic and they use organic fair-trade vanilla extract.

Want to win a free pint of Coconut Bliss? Check out Coconut Gal's blog and enter to win a free pint of your chosen flavor!

I'm also really excited about the upcoming Coconut Bliss Bars. If you want a creamy, tasty and healthy alternative to dairy free ice cream, then Coconut Bliss is right up your alley! 

 Indulge yourself in a treat!

-heather

Ener-G Pizza Crust Review

We made pizzas with the Ener-G 10 inch PIzza Crust. We also made some pizzas for Sophie with the Energ-G 6 inch Yeast-Free Pizza Crust. The yeast-free one doesn't have sunflower oil, while the one with yeast does.

There was a notable but nominal taste difference between the yeast and yeast-free pizza crusts. Both pizza crusts were a bit bland and needed salt, which is okay because you can lightly sprinkle some sea salt on the crust before adding your toppings. I recommend sprinkling a small amount of sea salt and herbs of your choice, like: basil, oregano, parsley, etc. The cheese for our pizza was dairy-free Vegan Gourmet.

Overall, it was a decent pizza crust and we would use them again. It is definitely chewable, unlike other crusts we have tried, where they are almost too hard to chew.

It was, as Sophie would say, "tastey."

Let me know if you've tried them and what you think. Got any other pizza crust recommendations? Leave a comment and let us know!

-heather

Speesees Organic Clothing Review & Giveaway

second random winner, Daniel (first winner never responded).

I got the opportunity to sample a shirt for Sophie from Speesees Organic Clothing. She got to try the hum :: lap tee with humming birds on it.

Soft, high quality, and incredibly cute? I found this shirt to be all three. Speesees has a definitive and unique style. I enjoy the color options and their boisterous but not overpowering designs, like the their blossom lap tee.

One thing that really stood out to me after researching the company, is their reSpeesees program. It is an awesome addition to their company. When your child outgrows their Speesees clothing, you can send it back to them and they will:

1) donate it on your behalf to be used by children of disadvantaged women

2) give you a respeesees discounted price on future items:

“respeesees” 1-3 items, get 25% off one future order!
“respeesees” 3-6 items, get 30% off one future order!
“respeesees” 6 or more items, get 40% off one future order!

The clothing is soft and comfy and the company's ethics are outstanding. It is very important to us to feel good about the company we are purchasing items from. Speesees is also certified through social accountability international, which means that they have standards for their factory in india; such as fair working hours, no discrimination, etc. From start to finish, you can be sure that Speesees clothing is high quality and made with an eco-conscious. 

From the web site:

speesees ingredients::
organic cotton
low-impact dyes
pigment + pvc-free prints
nickel-free snaps
no formaldehyde 
no dioxin
lots of love

Speesees is kindly offering one of my readers a chance to win a long-sleeve lap-tee in their choice of pattern or color. Sizes from infant to 4 years! Winner gets to choose from Cocoa, Tomato, Hum or Harmonize.

Rules on How to Enter:

1) Visit Speesees and tell me one thing you learned there - either about the company or about organic clothing. 

2) Let me know which lap-tee you would choose (cocoa, tomato, hum or harmonize) along with the size.

3) Be sure to include an email address so that I contact you if you win.

4) Entries not meeting the above requirements will be deleted.

The giveaway will be open until Tuesday, November 18th at 11:00pm MST.

Please note that the giveaway is open to entrants with a U.S. mailing address.

Thank you to Speesees for sending me a sample and sponsoring this giveaway!

enjoy!

-heather

BabyLegs Review and Giveaway

The random winner is #16, Kelly! Thanks everyone for participating. Check back, there will be more giveaways soon.

BabyLegs are leg and arm warmers. They make diaper changes a snap and also make potty training easier. This is because they just cover the legs, and not the baby's bum. But they can also be worn by older children and adults.

BabyLegs was created by a stay-at-home mom. She wanted to keep her daughter's legs warm when she had to keep her diapers off to heal a diaper rash. 

They protect little knees while crawling, and help keep socks on (I can attest to that!). You can also use BabyLegs to stop the dreaded Gapiosis; the space between the sock and bottom of the pant.

My daughter is a fan. She loves wearing her BabyLegs on both her arms and legs. It gives us greater flexibility because she can wear a short-sleeve shirt with BabyLegs on her arms to keep them warm if necessary. 

My favorite of the BabyLegs are the Organic line. 

The Natural Organic Cotton BabyLegs and Natural Organic Wool BabyLegs are manufactured in Vermont, USA.

Beyond the Organic Cotton BabyLegs, they have a huge assortment of cotton BabyLegs. They have Seasonal, Funky, Retro, Basic, and more! Go to the BabyLegs Store and check them out.

BabyLegs are offering a limited edition Pink Ribbon Design. Ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of this design will go to the Puget Sound Affiliate of Susan. G Komen for the Cure.

And guess what else? One of you will win a pair of the Organic BabyLegs in your choice of style! Sponsored by BabyLegs.

Rules on How to Enter:

1) Check out the Organic Line and choose your favorite style.

2) Come back here and leave a comment telling me which style you'd choose, why you want to win a pair of BabyLegs and how you would use them.

3) For an extra entry, blog about this giveaway and post the link here for me to see. Or subscribe to my blog. 

Deadline to Enter: Thursday, October 23rd at 7:00pm MST.

A winner will be chosen and contacted via e-mail, so be sure to leave a way for me to contact you.

Good luck and have fun looking at all the cute styles. BabyLegs has just won a customer for life from me! They will be on my list of gifts to give as well. 

I am so pleased with the BabyLegs, that I have ordered more. Thank you again BabyLegs for letting me try some and allowing my readers a chance to as well!

-heather

See Kai Run Shoes

Thanks to Julie at See Kai Run, my little Sophie got to try a pair of their boots. They are so cute. I can't tell you how many comments we get on them. Thank you so much again!

They are so well constructed, and my daughter just loves them. The company was created by a mom. She wanted a safe, practical and fashionable shoe for her son Kai. The company has a partnership with Soles4Souls, which has enabled them to supply shoes to thousands of children around the world that are in need of footwear. 

See Kai Run has three options:

• Smaller (0-18 mos)

• See Kai Run (6 mos-3 yrs)

• Eleven (3-8yrs)

Go on over and take a look. The boots are a great option for the upcoming crisp fall weather!

They are great for playing in the sand:

And they are extremely photogenic. That's a pretty impressive quality for a pair of boots.

 

 

And the shoebox is not only cute but re-usable. These are apples that we picked from our neighbor's tree (with permission of course).

I hope you'll check on these shoes. If you try them, let me know what you think!

-heather