Chore Time Is Quick & Easy With #SwifferEffect! #rafflecopter

At the Monster House we use the "divide and conquer" method to tackle household chores. Otherwise, it would be me doing everything, and I just have to say, one person cleaning up after nine people just doesn't work out so well.

From picking up to doing dishes, to vacuuming and dusting, everyone pitches in - even the twinnies. But not everyone has 8 other family members to help get things done, like Lee and Morty, a 90 year old couple  living in New York. You can imagine how lugging around a heavy mop bucket or stretching on a rickety step stool to get the dusting done could be both difficult and dangerous for Lee, who does all the housekeeping in their home. Check out their story, and fall in love with them like I did:



Everyone has problem areas in their own home, or chores that are difficult to accomplish because of the contortions you have to do or cleaning supplies you have to heft around. Well, Swiffer has all kinds of products to help make your chore time shorter, more effective, and more enjoyable! And you'll feel better knowing that your home is really clean, and safe for your family. If you're anything lke me, and have a child or family member with allergies or sensitivities, cleanliness is a big, BIG deal. And for homes with pets and/or small children, Swiffer products are amazing for quick clean up of those pesky perpetual spills and messes.

But wait, there's more! (Lookit me all sounding like and infomercial...) One lucky Living with Logan reader living in the United States will WIN a #SwifferEffect kit ($20 value) of their very own to make cleaning faster and easier! Enter by using the super simple entries within the rafflecopter form below. Though I love love LOVE blog comments, those entries will not be valid, or counted. But always feel free drop me a comment to let me know how much you love me and the monsters. It makes me feel all gooey and get the warm fuzzies...

Remember: only entrants from the US are eligible to win. Good luck, and happy cleaning with #SwifferEffects!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


**disclaimer** I was provided with a #SwifferEffects kit in exchange for this post, including the provided video. Opinions and views stated within the body of the post are mine alone and were not compensated beyond free product. #SwifferEffect, Swiffer, and Swiffer Wet Jet are products of Proctor and Gamble, and copyrighted by same. Referenced here, for purposes of this post, with permission.

Chicken Soup for the Soul for ASD parents! review and #giveaway

We all know, as parents of kids "on the spectrum", the feeling of being alone, not having anyone around us that understands what it's like day to day with these amazing, incredible, wonderful kids of ours. It can be frustrating, exhilarating, exhausting, hilarious, and heartbreaking to parent these unique little people of ours. Most days, I'm convinced that Logan teaches me far more than I have ever taught him.

As Autism and Asperger's diagnosis' increase, and as awareness increases, the number of parents looking for support and understanding increases as well. Chicken Soup for the Soul has come out with a book of 101 stories written by parents of children with Autism and Asperger's, and I was impressed! In keeping with the high standards of other Chicken Soup books, this book will offer comfort and support and understanding apart from support groups online.

Covering such topics as therapies and tips, funny moments, getting the diagnosis, school and camp, family and siblings, hopes, expectations, and leaving the nest, this CSS book will be appropriate for every ASD parent.

Some authors may be familiar, like Big Daddy Stark, Dawn Hentrich , and Leigh Merryday. But regardless of whether I was familiar with the writer or not, each and every story in this book touched me in some way, and left me feeling a little lighter. Advertised as "A portable support group for families with children on the spectrum- with inspirational stories, useful tips, and solid advice from other parents!", this book is right on.

Though I read it from cover to cover, it's formatted in a way that going from story to story in no particular order would be just as satisfying. I have to say... CSS, you get 18 thumbs up! I love this book, and think that every parent should have one, whether they have a child with ASD or not. It's that good.

This quote from co-author Nancy Burrows says it all:

"I remember when my son was first diagnosed. It was like I was staring into the abyss, and I felt this need to turn somewhere for information...

"...I would have loved to have this book to turn to for support, guidance and tips. There's a big difference between Googling 'autism' on the internet and reading 101 stories from parents who have already been there."

And, the great news is, one of my lucky lucky US readers will get to win one of these books of their very own! How completely cool is that?! Enter to win by using the rafflecopter form below. Entries made in blog comments below the post will not be counted. Please read all terms and conditions within the rafflecopter form before entering. Giveaway ends 6/12 at 12am EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chicken Soup for the Soul, CSS, and cover art are property of Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC and are used here with permission for purposes of this review.

I was provided a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. My opinion may vary from yours.
This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook or twitter in any way.

Bounty DuraTowel Review and Giveaway!

If you're anything like me, when the winter weather gives way to sunny days and warm breezes, I get the urge to purge. I go through the monsters' clothing, I sort through toys. And... much to the shock and horror of the entire fam, I start cleaning everything. Yes, folks, I have been bitten by that evil little Spring cleaning bug. Spring has sprung, even though Mother Nature wasn't all that cooperative for the first little while.

Now, here at the Monster House, we make messes. Lots and lots of messes. Some of them are easy to take care of, and some of them aren't. And with Logan's allergies and sensitivities, I have had to become really aware of things that could pose a potential hazard to him. I don't just mean chemicals, though I am starting to shift to chemical free cleaners.

One major change that I have made is that I have stopped using the traditional dish rag. That little scrap of fabric is a breeding ground for bacteria, and something I don't even want to think about seeing under a blacklight or microscope. But, it's tradition, right? The dishrag folded over the partition between the sinks after the dishes are done and the sinks wiped out. The same dishrag that I just used on the counters, rinsed, used on the stove top, rinsed, used on the coffee pot, rinsed, used on the cabinet doors, rinsed, washed dishes with, and wiped sinks with. And, because of all that, I effectively spread bacteria and germs evenly all over my kitchen. Yummy, right? Who could ask for anything more?

Well, Bounty has come up with a much better alternative. Bounty's DuraTowel is my new favorite cleaning tool in the kitchen. The disposable dishcloth. The cloth-like texture and weight of this paper towel makes it a worthy opponent to any kitchen clean up task. And using disposable dishcloths can leave surfaces up to three times cleaner than your traditional dishrag.*

Now, you know me. I have seven monsters running around. I cook from scratch every day. We have sit down dinners together every evening. I bake a lot. I do a lot.. a LOT... of dishes. There are fingerprints on everything, and pretty much anything that can be spilled usually is. So I was skeptical. Very skeptical. Because you just have to know that things that work for smaller families with fewer disasters usually are not up to the task of the Monster House.

Scary stove

So, I decided I would use DuraTowel on the meanest kitchen job I had available. Scrubbing the stove. And people? This was not just a few spatters of tomato sauce. This was after Sunday dinner, with the pot roast and the real mashed potatoes and the gravy and the honey glazed carrots and the dinner rolls and the veggie sides. You should know that anything that could boil over, splatter, spill onto the burner and cremate itself that day, did. And it scared even me. So I thought to myself, "Self, let's see how this....(little snicker in my head).. paper towel... does on my stove." I have pictures as evidence. You won't believe this. *I* didn't believe it. And I was there! Check this out. Look to the right. Observe the scariness. Usually? I have a routine where I use a razor blade, rinse, use scotch brite pad with powdered cleanser, rinse, use a spritz of my favorite liquid cleaner, and do a little polish with a dishrag. But this time.. I didn't.

I did the spritz with the kitchen cleaner. And I used a shake or two of powdered cleanser. But I didn't used a razor blade. I didn't use a scotch brite pad. I didn't use anything except 2 DuraTowels, certain that they would be in shreds within the first 34 seconds of cleaning. And then I would get out the trusty razor.

PRETTY STOVE!

It was not in shreds in 34 seconds. Or even in 5 minutes. Or 10. In fact...well.. the pictures speak for themselves. So here's another one. People? It held up. It held up as well as the scary bacteria breeding dishrag. It didn't shred. And though I have to admit that by the time I was done with it, the layers had separated, there was not one hole in those paper towels! I'm not a gentle cleaning person. I hate to do the dirty cleaning at the end of the night. I put major elbow grease into it. And I am so impressed, I can't even tell you.

To be completely fair, I took a picture of the before and after, side by side,  DuraTowel. The two sheets on the left are after scrubbing my stove, the oven door, the control panel, the knobs and the part under the knobs (yes, I have more than one knob. But I have to hide them, because the monsterlettes can turn on my stove if I don't.).

Dirty. Greasy. But NOT SHREDDED! WOW!

Bounty DuraTowel can be found at your favorite grocery or mass merchandise store for the MSRP of $3.19. AND.... you can enter here to be one of three, yes THREE, lucky winners of Bounty DuraTowel by using the rafflecopter form below. It just doesn't get much better than that!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
*based on a secure P&G demonstration comparing a used dishtowel to DuraTowel under a blacklight after cleaning up 1tsp. spaghetti sauce, 10 mls coffee, and 1/8 tsp creamer on a laminate countertop.

Bounty and DuraTowel are property of Proctor and Gamble, and images and references are used here with permission for purposes of this review and giveaway only.

I was given free product for purposes of review. I was not compensated monetarily, or otherwise, for my honest opinion on this product.

How to Behave When You Win a Giveaway

Everyone enters a giveaway at least once in their life. At some point, everyone wins something, whether it's the PTA raffle or Publisher's Clearing House. Online, the opportunities to enter blog giveaways are nearly endless. And we all wait with our fingers crossed to get that thrilling email:

Oh, joy! Oh, rapture! I'm a WINNER! And we walk around all day feeling proud of ourselves for being the random winner that rafflecopter pulled out of it's databank.

Recently, however, I have seen posts from different bloggers about winners that kinda overstepped their boundaries. So, today we shall go over the proper behavior for a blog giveaway winner. Because all giveaway winners should be as well behaved as this blog's winners have been!! Y'all are the bombdiggity!

1. When you receive a winner email from the blogger hosting the giveaway you entered, respond ASAP! There is usually a time limit to claim your prize. Usually 24-48 hours. If that time limit expires without a response from you, another winner is chosen and you miss out. Bummer!!
2. After replying to the host blogger's email with thanks and oodles of praise for choosing you, do not, under any circumstances, contact the company supplying the prize. It's tacky! And seriously, what are you gonna say? "I won, so cough it up or you sleep with the fishes!"? Just don't. At most, tweet your excitement about winning @so-and-so's giveaway, and you're so thrilled to be getting a prize from @such-and-such company. 
3. When you receive your prize, make sure to email the blogger to inform them that it arrived. Tell them how thrilled you are. Thank them for the giveaway again. Bloggers love happy email! Conversely, if you never get the prize within, say, 6 weeks, it is absolutely acceptable, and appreciated, to send a quick email to the host blogger to let them know that their sponsor did not follow through. The blogger and the sponsor work closely together before and during giveaways, and the blogger will have the quickest and easiest access to the proper person to let them know the prize is missing.

This isn't hard. It's basic good manners. Why anyone would take it upon themselves to contact, say, Proctor and Gamble, and tell them that they won a year's supply of Oil of Olay (FOR EXAMPLE! Seriously. This is just an example.)through my blog, and think that it would be taken seriously by the P&G people is beyond me! And also, it makes the blogger look bad. Really really bad. So bad, in fact, that bloggers have had companies sever their professional relationship with them. And that is so very not okay.

So, be good little boys and girls. Be mature. And enter those giveaways! We bloggers love it when people are excited about things we're able to offer! Don't let a few dingbats ruin the fun for everyone. By nipping this problem in the bud, and spreading the word, companies will continue to view advertising and giveaways on blogs as a positive thing. Which means giveaways will continue, which means people will continue to win.

Go. Enter. Win. Be mature. That is all. Good luck!

image by iamanitinerantpoet.blogspot.com via Google images

And Now... The News

Happy Monday, all my dedicated Monster House addicts! There is SO much to tell you today. Firstly, though... a HUMONGOUS standing ovation to everyone who is participating in Jackson's Mail Flurry! Bombdiggity!!! I have heard several times from Gina, Jackson's mother, how touched and truly thankful the family is for all the love and support they feel with each envelope and package they receive. My cup runneth over, y'all. I'm proud of ya!! Keep those cards and letters coming. And, if you need a flier about the mail flurry to post on your church bulletin board, at a daycare, a library, your pediatrician's office, OT's office, whatever... shoot me an email and I'll be happy to send you the PDF.

Speaking of the mail flurry.. there is a completely awesome giveaway being hosted by my friend Deanne over at Small But Kinda Mighty. Here's all the info. What you do is, click on over to her site using the "completely awesome giveaway" link above. Create an ecard for Jackson using any iOS app, and then email it to babyomum@live.com .If you do not have an iOS device, no worries! Create a paper card, and scan it or take a digital picture of it, and email the pic to the email address above. Now, the cool part about doing this is, THEN you can enter some of her giveaways and gain extra entry points for emailing her the card! What could you win?? 

• $10 gift card to iTunes, Target, or Amazon
• One app of your choice from KidsAndBeyond, and a copy each of 123 Kids Fun All In One and 123 Kids Fun Alphabet.
• Copy of 123 Kids Fun All In One and 123 Kids Fun Alphabet

Seriously.. how cool is THAT?? So, when you're done reading the news report from the Monster House, click on over people!! Deanne wants to collate all the cards that are emailed to her and get them to Jackson so he can see them before his surgery. And people? Surgery is this Friday. Get on it!!!

Next in the news, and just as important, is a need that became known to me late last week. Jackson needs a weighted blanket. And he needs it now.  Any of you that have little monsters, or even big monsters, with sensory issues know how helpful a weighted blanket can be. And you also know how seriously expensive they are.  Carl from Why Not Fathers has posted about this and has a great idea for getting them the blanket they need. Check it out by clicking the "great idea" link above. In case his idea doesn't work(and it might not), we are running a little fundraiser. We need to raise $300 pretty dang quick. It's not a lot of money, and it will purchase the weighted blanket Jackson needs. Please help, whether you donate $2 or $20, your contribution is enormous. Your help in promoting this fundraiser is greatly appreciated. We need to get the word out, and we need to do it quickly, so I'll ask you to please share this to facebook, twitter, google +, whatever social media you use, please post. Donations can be made through rally.org, and the info can be found in the next paragraph.

This brings me to the last bit of news for today. Sober up, y'all. And pay close attention. This part isn't going to be all fun and glitter. Here we go. Jackson's surgery is this Friday. As in, four days from now. That's quite a reality check, isn't it? On Friday afternoon, the halves of Jackson's brain will be separated. And no one is really quite sure what the outcome will be until they see it. And this is where it gets real. On Jackson's official site, there are not only daily updates, but also links for donations to the family through rally.org, and a page full of resources for those of you who would like to send gift cards for gas, meals, or groceries. Addresses for care packages and other resources can be found there as well. Remember, these needs start happening this weekend. THIS WEEKEND. The hospital is 30 miles away, which will make their gas costs soar. Gina and Hubs will be spending all the time they can at the hospital with Jackson, and will need to eat. The sibs will be tended while Gina and Hubs are at hospital, and there will HAVE to be groceries in the house. I think of it like this: if it were one of MY monsters having this surgery, I know Gina would be posting things like I am. I can't do any less for her, Jackson, and her fam.

I am continuously astounded at your generosity. I am regularly brought to tears with all you do for others. I know it's a lot that I'm asking. But, I'm asking. Because you would do it for me.

Broadway standing ovation image via The Producer's Perspective

Nature's Sleep Slipper Review & G!veaway

There is something I have to confess. I am a slipper addict. I wear slippers all day long, whatever the weather, whatever the season. I have been known to run to the store or the post office while wearing them. At least I haven't even gone to one of my children's schools with slippers on, in a ratty bathrobe, with curlers in my hair. For one thing, I don't wear curlers. And for another, if I did that, I would traumatize small children and most household pets.

I consider myself a slipper connoisseur. It sounds elegant, you know. So, when I heard that Nature's Sleep wanted some bloggers to help do reviews, I jumped at the chance!

Nature's Sleep is known for their memory foam mattresses and variety of pillows, but did you know that they also have toppers, foundations,  memory foam slippers and even a pet bed your pet will fall in love with? Nature's Sleep has something for everyone. And, by registering your email on the Nature's Sleep site, you'll be privy to exclusive deals, info on new products AND be able to enter to win in their Monthly Mattress Giveaway!

I was thrilled to be able to review a pair of open toed terry slippers made with Nature's Sleep memory foam. I anxiously awaited the arrival of the FedEx man and UPS man each day, silently chanting "Please let today be the day! Please let today be the day!" And finally, one day, it was THE DAY!

I recieved open toed terry slippers in Mocha. There are both open toe and closed toe slippers to choose from, in a variety of colors. The ones I reviewed are available in Mocha, Lavender, or Pale Blue.

I have to be honest. I ripped open that FedEx package about 3.7 seconds after I got it. I was SO excited! We were still having freezing weather here in Southern Utah at the end of April when I received them, so I was anxious to see how these memory foam slippers measured up to a pair of expensive Isotoner arch support slippers I had purchased just a couple of weeks prior to getting these. I have high arches that are falling, so I have daily foot pain that can get so severe that I hobble.

The first time I wore these slippers, I was disappointed! It felt like there was a wooden block in the heels of the slippers. When I think slippers, I think cushy, and relaxing, and the very definition of comfort. This is not what I experienced that first time. But, I told myself, maybe it's because it's been so cold, and the memory foam just needs to warm up and mold to the shape of my feet. I was seriously worried, people! I thought, I can't put up a review about these slippers! But I was determined that even if the review was not favorable, I was going to make sure I had given these new slippers as much of a chance as I could. I was so glad I did! I wore them all that first day. That night, when I went to bed, I noticed my feet didn't hurt! This was HUGE!

The next morning, I put them on again as soon as I got up. They were comfortable. They were cushy, but not in a "super soft, pillow for your feet" kind of cushy. It's the "tailor made for your foot so they feel wonderful" kind of cushy. And just like that, I was in LOVE with these slippers. They have never been uncomfortable since that first few hours.  The expensive Isotoner ones? They make my feet hurt. These? I never want to take them off. Ever. Again.

Guess what! Living with Logan readers can shop online with Nature's Sleep and receive 50% off anything on the site by entering  BEARS50 savings code when checking out. How cool is that!

Are you jealous of my relaxed, happy feet up there in that picture? Are you wishing you had a pair of memory foam slippers of your very own? The good people at Nature's Sleep think jealousy is a bad thing. Okay, I don't KNOW that. But, I DO know one lucky Living with Logan reader in the US or Canada will WIN  a pair of open toe terry slippers like mine for their VERY OWN!!

Entering is super easy. Just follow instructions within the rafflecopter form below. You do not need to be a blogger to win, but you do need to a valid email address. Entries will be verified. Giveaway opens Wednesday, May 16 and closes 12:01am EST Thursday, May 31

**Disclaimer: I received a pair of memory foam slippers to review free of charge. All views and opinions expressed are my own. Your views and opinions may vary from mine. **

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Jars By Lisa Mother's Day Giveaway!

Mother's Day is just a couple of weeks away. I have the hardest time trying to figure out what to give my mother. There are so many things I see throughout the year that remind me of her, and I either don't pick it up, or I give it to her right away. This leaves me stuck when Mother's Day rolls around. There's this whole online shopping, scrolling through nine bazillion things that never quite seem right. I always want to present something that shows I've put a lot of thought into her gift, rather than just a card and a voucher for a facial or something. That always seems like such a cop out to me.

Jars by Lisa is the perfect solution! Lisa creates jars that can be customized for any occasion. Whether it's by using Mom's favorite colors, characters, photos, or even having her name put on, Jars by Lisa makes sure your order fits the person that will receive it.

There is something about a handmade gift. It's immediately obvious it wasn't made in Taiwan, it wasn't produced by the million, and a lot of thought and care went into the creation of the gift. Jars by Lisa is there to help every step of the way. From first email to finished product, Lisa works with her clients to ensure that the end result is everything they hoped for, and more. Take a look at a couple of the jars someone else is getting for Mother's Day! (Thanks for letting us peek, Lisa!)

The Mother's Day jars pictured above can be customized in a variety of ways, including changing the colors, up to four children's pictures can be added, the picture frames can be a choice of hearts, flowers, stars, or even puzzle pieces. The Lids can be painted to match, or be lined with a matching color of ribbon. And it can all be done for the bargain price of $14.00 per jar, not including shipping.

Liking what you see? Thinking of jars for another event or occasion? Well, Lisa does that, too. No matter the occasion, Lisa can help. From Autism Awareness, to birthdays and holidays, or even just because, Lisa has a jar for you. To see more pictures and ideas for jars, you can look through her albums on facebook. From glitter to graduation, Lisa has it covered.

BUY IT:

Lisa offers custom jars like the ones pictured above for $14 each, Autism Awareness jars for $12 each, and standard holiday jars for $12 each. Discounts are given for bulk orders. Just drop Lisa a line through the "contact" tab on her Facebook Page for more information.

WIN IT:

One lucky Living with Logan reader in the US will win a custom made Mother's Day jar in the color of their choice! Fill in the rafflecopter form below to enter. Please note, comments  MUST be within the form to count as an entry, unless otherwise specified. Entrants must be over 18 to be eligible. Giveaway ends May 6, 2012. Winner will have 48 hours to respond, or another winner will be chosen.

**disclosure** I was not compensated in any way, either monetarily or with free product, for this post. All opinions stated within this post are my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook or twitter. **

Want more entries? You can enter on the form over at Special Happens, for double the chances of winning. Want TRIPLE the chances of winning? Enter over on 7 Yuckmouths and Autism, too!

Due to technical difficulties beyond our control with rafflecopter, you may enter this giveaway through 11:59 pm April 30 by leaving a blog post comment answering this question:

"Who would you like to win this jar for, and what colors and/or theme would you choose?" 

Entries submitted in this way, through any/all of the three participating blogs will be valid. As of 12:00am May 1, all entries must once again be submitted through the rafflecopter form. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Lovable Labels Review and Give Away!

Summer is coming, and with it comes all the activities for kids and families: sports, camps, vacations, sleepovers, play dates, birthday parties, neighborhood BBQs, swimming parties, daycare.. and on and on and on. As fun as all this is, with it comes camping supplies, sports gear, gym bags, extra shoes and clothing, water bottles, hats, towels, sunscreen, medications, lunch bags, snack boxes. It's no wonder that half the summer taken up by thinking, "Did I forget anything?"

Lovable Labels is here to help!  Lovable Labels was started by a mom that had a problem when she took her son to daycare and was asked to label all of his belongings - from clothes and backpack, to lunches and sippy cups. It was during this process that she recognized the need for personalized labels that were tough, durable, and could withstand the test of time and rough everyday use that comes with being  a kid.

Lovable Labels launched in 2003, with personalized durable labels and tags being their specialty. Their labels are waterproof, dishwasher and microwave safe, washer and dryer safe, and sun, bleach, sunscreen, and temperature safe to boot! Since their launch, Lovable Labels has continued to develop innovative and useful products, and many of them came about through customer suggestions and feedback!

We all know that our kids lose stuff. They forget where their lunch bag landed, or one shoe will mysteriously disappear. The weather will warm during the day, and the jacket gets tossed to the side. It's inevitable that they will return home missing one thing or another. BUT, with Lovable Labels, your child's belongings will come back home, because there will be no question who the items belong to.

The Monster House was thrilled to review a Split Pack of Lovable Labels. This is a large value pack of labels, with one design and two names. Each name packet includes:

15 Sticker labels
40 Slimline labels
12 shoes labels
24 Press n' Stick Clothing DOTS™

This was perfect for our twinnies, who both started preschool this year. And, you guessed it. We had to label shoes, back packs, coats, benadryl, epipen, and even treats to be kept in the classroom cupboard for Logan, because he is so deathly allergic to most sweets.

But the need for labeling didn't stop there! Both of my monsterlettes have sensory issues, so the labeling went on to include therapy balls, giant bottles of bubbles, and other items. I cannot tell you how many times I have been thankful for these labels. And they last! Unlike other labels I've used, these have never fallen off toys,clothes, cups,etc.

But, let's talk about other good uses for the split pack that we discovered. Both twins were sick at the same time. Not wanting to pass along germs and illness into infinity, I gave them each their own bottle of sports drink. But, they both wanted the same flavor. Oh, yes we did! We labeled it, and the twinnies thought that was the coolest thing ever!

My favorite thing about Lovable Labels is the variety. Shoe labels, slimline, Clothing DOTS™,  camp packs and medical/allergy warnings are just a few of the choices Lovable Labels offers. They are located online, which makes ordering easy for anyone, anywhere in the world! Lovable Labels is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via their website, or by calling 1.866.327.LOVE (5683)

I'm so excited to announce that Lovable Labels is offering a Split Pack to one lucky Living with Logan reader in the US or Canada! Entering is easy, by using the rafflecopter form below.  Entrants must be 18 or older to be eligible for this giveaway.

**DISCLOSURE** The product in this review was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions in this review are my own, and are not influenced by monetary compensation.** a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adult Essentials Gummies: A Review and #G!veaway!

It's hard to believe that I could love Life Science Nutritionals more than I already did, after meeting with Deb and working with her to present the Iron Kids Gummies review and giveaway we did a while back. But guess what! I do indeed love Life Science Nutritionals more now, because they have a whole line of ADULT gummy vitamins and supplements, too! I am no longer jealous of my little monsters, as they chomp and chew on their fun gummies, and fight to see who gets to choose their vitamins first, while I  choke down "horse pills". I'm a big kid now! Yippee!

We were sent a bottle each of Adult Essentials Enhanced Multivitamin with Omega-3, DHA and RHA, Smart Omega-3, Adult Strength Vitamin D, and Metabolic Vitamin B12 to try. They. Are. Awesome! Truly, I was so impressed. No weird metallic/chalky/vitamin-y taste at all. It's seriously just like eating gummy fruits candies. The only supplement I had any issue with is the Omega-3, because it's shaped like a fish and has a very mild fishy after taste.  My imagination is overactive and my taste buds are happy to contribute to the delusion. However, my mother and the Daddy tried them and said they didn't get even the hint of fishy flavor. Because the multi has Omega-3 as well, I didn't feel bad about not taking an additional Omega-3 supplement.

Here's the very best part: just like Iron Kids, the Adult Essentials line is gluten, nut, and dairy free. And as you know, the Monster House loves finding stuff like that! Check out the guarantee from the Adult Essentials website:

Our Guarantee 

Life Science Nutritionals specializes in Gummy Vitamins and only manufactures gummy vitamins.

As North America's only government audited and licensed gummy vitamin manufacturing facility, we are mandated to maintain the highest quality standards. These standards are maintained all the way through our supply chain and our manufacturing processes. By controlling our manufacturing we can guarantee that our products are dairy, nut and gluten free.  With Health Canada's stamp of approval you can be assured that our products deliver nutrition you can trust!!

Stuart Lowther 
Founder/CEO/President
Life Science Nutritionals Inc

How cool is that?! Want to know more about the people behind Life Science Nutritionals, and why it was created in the first place? Click on over, and read all about it! You can connect with Adult Essentials on facebook, twitter, linkedin, and youtube, too!

Buy It!

In Canada, Adult Essentials can be found at a variety of retailers, listed here . For US customers, log on to well.ca  to place your order today! You'll love them!

Win It!

One lucky Living with Logan reader in the US or Canada will win an Adult Essentials prize pack including:

• Adult Essentials Enhanced Multivitamin with Omega-3, DHA, and RHA
• Smart Omega-3
• Adult Strength Vitamin D
• Metabolic B12

Please note: if you have won an Iron Kids or Adult Essentials prize pack from Life Science Nutritionals within the last 6 months, you will not be eligible to win this giveaway. Entries will be verified prior to releasing the name of the winner.


To enter, simply fill out the rafflecopter form below. Be aware that it may take a couple of minutes to load. If you have trouble viewing the form, try reloading the page.

Handmade for the Holidays ~ Storyblox™

This week, we're featuring Tammy Bowles, creator of Storyblox™! We've all had experience with wooden blocks as toys/teethers  for our children, and we all know that interest in them wanes as our little ones graduate from toddlerhood, moving on to legos and other building toys. But, Tammy has put a new twist on the traditional wooden block, making them fun and educational for children and their families by incorporating songs,stories, and tongue twisters into  block sets as well as the letters we are all familiar with. Here's a bit from her website to tell you all about it:

Alphabet blocks are one of the best toys ever made, in our opinion. Most of the time, however, young children are left to play with them by themselves, and older children quickly lose interest in them. StoryBlox™ are much more engaging, as parents, caretakers and older siblings are much more inclined to play with small children, helping them to pick out the stories, songs, or rhymes and reading with them. 

Pre-school aged children will be able to play with these blocks just like regular alphabet blocks, but older children will also be interested in finding the right blocks, putting them in order, and reading along. These blocks are also great for households with children of varying ages, as older children often enjoy showing off and reading to their younger siblings.

Far from being limited to blocks however, StoryBlox™  also offers Holiday ornaments, recycled crayons, handmade hardwood yoyos, dreidels, and so very much more, all handmade by Tammy.. Items are very reasonable priced, beginning at $1.50 and peaking at $65.00. Shipping costs will vary dependent upon the items you select.

This is the part that impresses me the most about StoryBlox™... The KinderBlox Project. For every 10 sets of Build-Your-Own StoryBlox sold, a set will be donated to a classroom or nursery that cannot afford a set of their own. Schools and other organizations that would like to be considered for these donations are encouraged to send in their info .


You can find StoryBlox™ on the official site, etsy, Artfire, facebook, and twitter. Cut off date for Christmas orders of existing stock is December 12. Though personalized orders are offered, please contact info@storyblox.com to verify availability, especially for those desiring a custom order for Christmas.

Tammy has generously agreed to offer a set of EIEIO blocks and choice of one Christmas or Hannukah block ornament (pictured below) to one lucky reader in the US or Canada! To enter, simply fill out rafflecopter form. Mandatory entries MUST be completed for other entries to qualify.

StoryBlox™, images, The KinderBlox Project, links, and references to same are property of Tammy Bowles and are used with permission for purposes of this feature, ONLY! I was not compensated in any way to write this feature.

Handmade for the Holidays ~ AdR Designs

This week, our feature is another jewelry artist, but her work is more than just jewelry construction. Amy de Ridder of AdR Designs actually makes glass lampwork beads from Moretti glass. Now, if you're anything like me, you have no idea what lampworking is. So, I'll fill you in. Amy uses molten glass, shaping and forming it in a flame, then she decorates these beads using other glasses and texture. Following that process, she anneals the beads in a kiln for 24 hours to give strength and durability. After all THAT, she uses silver plated copper wire to turn these gorgeous beads into wearable pieces of art.  And, holy cow, y'all. Her work is AMAZING! Take a look at some of her work:

From necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, to loose beads for those of you with the talent to make your own jewelry, Amy has you covered. What? Loose beads? Oh, yes! She makes beads for YOU to play with, too!

One of the things that melts my heart is businesses that donate portions of each sale to autism charities or research funds. Well, Amy loves two someones with autism, and she has committed to donate $2 of each sale to Autism Ontario. By ordering gifts from her, you are supporting a cause near and dear to many of our hearts.

BUY:

Now that you've seen some of the things Amy can do, I'm sure you're just BURSTING to find out how to contact her for a Christmas order. You can find her on twitter, on facebook, and through her site. And yes, she DOES do custom orders. Pricing ranges from $10 to $30 for existing pieces, shipping averages an additional $5.

Please note: AdR Designs is based in Canada. US residents ordering with the intent of using items for Christmas gifts do so at their own risk. AdR Beads cannot guarantee your purchase will arrive prior to Christmas, as of the date of this feature.

WIN:

Because this is Handmade for the Holidays, and each featured crafter has generously agreed to provide a giveaway item, of COURSE we have one from AdR Designs! Feel free to oh and ah as I did when I saw these pictures. Here's Amy to tell you all about it:

I had called this bracelet Play date, its relaxed and fun, with rings and dangles.

It is 7.5” in length.

It has 4 clear glass beads with pink, pale orange and burgundy.  All the beads are non-tarnish silver plated.

The wire I use for each handmade clasp is a silver plated non-tarnish copper wire.

AdR Designs, images, links and references to same belong to Amy de Ridder and are used here with permission for purposes of this feature ONLY.

Handmade for the Holidays ~ taradaramadeit

I am all kinds of behind, and have really done a disservice to those of you following the Handmade for the Holidays series. I promise it's not over, and today is a really fun one! Y'all, meet Tara Rex of taradaramadeit.

Here's the skinny on Tara and her creations:
I was born and raised in a small town in Canada, my mom and dad recognized very early they were raising an artist. Maybe it was my superior finger paint art in Kindergarten or when I was the envy of my {not so} fashion conscience friends when I made my own clothes in the eighth grade. As I and my talent grew, I received scholarships to colleges for my art but surprised everyone when I opted for an education in nursing.

 My choice took me out of Canada and to the United States to work as an RN in a level 1 Trauma Center in New Mexico.  My calling kept whispering in my ear and I continued to create and educate myself in the arts. Not only do I create one-of-a-kind sewn accessories, I’ve also studied faux finishing and mural painting, raku pottery, photography, and now, I so some amazing work with Play Doh, yes Play Doh. I am mum to two handsome little boys and married to my NM sweetheart.  I now make my art and our home in Colorado.

I love being at home, therefore, I have decided to work at home to be readily accessible to them at all times (I know, crazy, right?!).  I love to sew and have designed some great pieces that I absolutely LOVE.  I come by sewing as my craft quite honestly … my great-gramma quilted, both of my grammas sewed (one quilted) and they both knitted, my auntie is a pattern maker for theater and the movies, and my dear mom is a sewer as well.  So, I was destined to sew and good thing ’cause I do love it … did I mention I love sewing?

Did you hear?   Taradara won the 2011 Inventor Showcase at the Moms in Business Unite Conference in Denver for my iPad covers!!!

Did you hear this also?  Taradara’s {not yet released} iPhone covers are going in the 2012 Golden Globe Award’s swag bags!!!

People, seriously. This woman has some skills! You can find her on twitter, on facebook, at her etsy shop (which is running an AWESOME Black Friday sale of 30% off until Friday midnight), and of COURSE, on her blog. And really, how amazing is it that her creations will be in the Golden Globes swag bags?!?!  You can still order creations from Tara in time for Christmas! For those of you that would like to support Small Business Saturday, you can enter savings code SHOPSMALL and save 25% at taradara's etsy shop on Saturday, November 26.  Cut off date for Canadian Christmas orders is November 30. For US Christmas orders, cut off date is December 10. 


And now, following in Handmade for the Holidays style, Tara is offering one lucky Living with Logan follower their very own ice cream pint cozy! Perfect for certified ice cream addicts like myself (hint, hint, the Daddy! Also, hint, hint, Santa Claus!!), who love ice cream no matter what the weather is like outside!

All references to taradara, taradaramadeit, product and personal images, and links to same belong to taradaramadeit.com and are used here with permission for purposes of this feature, only!

My True Nature 100% natural & organic kids bath products

A couple of weeks ago, I entered a giveaway for natural, organic kids' bath products from My True Nature. As you know, I have a heck of a time finding things that Logan can use that won't irritate his eczema or provoke an allergic reaction. So, when I come across something I think will be safe for him, I get all kinds of giddy and excited.

As part of the giveaway requirements, I followed this company on twitter. A couple of days later Kelly, the president and CEO of My True Nature, emailed me and asked me if our family had troubles with eczema. Of course I replied that we did (#1, #3, and Logan all have eczema in various stages of severity, from skin sensitivity to bleeding eczema). She offered to send me some products to review. I was happy to accept!

I received a 4 oz. bottle of  Bubbly by Nature Bobo's baby Bubble Bath, and a 4 oz. pump bottle of Stinky by Nature Milo's 2-in-1 Baby Shampoo and Body Wash.

Now. I am the first to be put off by any natural, organic product that doesn't have an appealing scent,or even too much scent resulting in something overpowering like the herb section of the health food store. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the clean, fresh scent of citrus in the shampoo/body wash, and was thrilled when I read ingredients like olive oil, silk amino acids, pro-vitamin B-5 and grapefruit and nutmeg essential oils.

The bubble bath was equally impressive with organic aloe vera, plantain extract, white peony tea extract, and bergamot, lemongrass, litsea cubeba & fresh mint essential oils.

Best of all, it rinses off cleanly, leaves the skin soft and not itchy, and the bubbles are AMAZING, something you don't always see with organic products.

I love it when I can pronounce ingredients without having to sound them out. I love it even more when the products are gluten free, animal cruelty free, and packaged in 100% FDA approved post consumer PET plastic!!  Here's a little background on My True Nature, direct from the website:

The idea for My True Nature™ came after my first baby was born. Like many mothers, I wanted to create a safe home environment. But when I couldn’t find a line of soaps and shampoos that had 100% natural ingredients, performed as well as typical mainstream products, and were completely free of genetically modified organisms, parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic dyes, synthetic fragrances, triclosan or preservatives, I decided to start producing them myself. Before I knew it, I had a line of products that my friends and family loved. I started selling them by word of mouth, and the business has grown from there.

When I started using my products at home, I put cartoon labels on the bottles to make them laugh. I mean, who doesn't love to make their kids laugh? It is intoxicating. My kids loved them, and that’s when the idea forTubbyTown™, a make-believe bath-time wonderland, was born. TubbyTown™’s residents currently include Dewey the dragon, Daisy the skunk, Clio the teddy bear and Ollie the octopus. Each has its own distinctive personality, and its own dedicated bath-time product. I know your little ones will look forward to playing with them each time they step into the tub just like mine do.

It gets even better! My True Nature recently won the coveted Red Tricycle Award for Most Awesome Kids Skin Care Products! In light of all this awesomeness,  I'm thrilled to announce a giveaway for my readers. My True Nature would like to give one Living with Logan reader living in the US a Holiday travel set just like the one I got (pictured above, left)!

Handmade for the Holidays ~ Devillerouge Designs

Oh, this one's going to be FUN! I just love Mondays, truly I do.  You'll have to pardon the gleeful hand rubbing and cackling going on here. I don't get out much. But... I digress. Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to Dawn Hentrich, of Devillerouge Designs.

Growing up in the Midwest, the daughter of a long line of crafter/seamstresses, Dawn has had busy hands since she was a child.  Shortly before the birth of her son, she started her own small business making custom embroidered baby onesies and boutique quality burp cloths. Since then, her work has expanded to Halloween costumes, crocheted items, jewelry, sock creatures, men’s bowling shirts and even bridal wear.  Almost everything in her shop is made to order.

And holy cannoli, is it EVER made to order! Dawn sews, she spins, she crochets, she embroiders, the list is endless. Her capability knows no bounds. You really must go and see all the gorgeous things she can do.

You'll find the Devillerouge Designs blog on wordpress, Etsy and facebook. AND, for this week anyway, you'll find her here at Living with Logan. I am thrilled to be able to feature her on our Handmade for the Holidays series.

Now. Let it never be said that Dawn is as straight laced as that stunning corset over there. Oh, no. While she does do the cutest EVER baby bibs and onesies, she also makes...wait for it...wait for it..... hand crocheted and embroidered mug cozies! I have a favorite, actually. I simply must share it with you. Check it out:

Those of you that I chat with on twitter may have seen me shooting the shi..... er.. breeze, with @jillsmo. Well.. Here she is, in all her avatar glory, as a mug cozy!

Pricing varies on products, but here are a few lowdowns:

For embroidery—any embroidery Dawn does on a piece is $5 for each “hooping” or separate designs (in different places on the piece)

Embroidered onesies are generally $10, embroidered burp cloths are $20

Short, tourist sized mug cozies with a custom embroidered patch is $12, for a tall latte mug, $15

Sock creatures are $35 and require a good two weeks for creation.

Bowling shirts are $50, kid sized are $30

Anything else—just ask!  Dawn quick to answer all emails and willing to make whatever changes are reasonable. 

BUY

Did you see something of Dawn's and think, "Oh, that would be perfect for__(fill in name here)__?" Well. You can order right from her and not have to wait to see if you've won! 

CUT OFF DATES 

Dawn's laying down the law:

Sock creatures and bowling shirts need two weeks for creation PLUS shipping time, so my cutoffs would be:December 10 (BUT—I could take no more than ONE order that day to guarantee xmas delivery—any others would have to wait—so save yourself the worry and order EARLY) 

Embroidered onesies and mug cozies: Dec 15.I work on orders first come first serve, so  early ordering is better!

WIN
Here's Dawn to tell you what she'll be offering:

I will make one custom embroidered standard tourist mug cozy with your own words and color choices.  And yes, I have no problem embroidering something…er…profane. Cuss away!

Enter this giveaway by filling out the rafflecopter form below. PLEASE read through the tasks thoroughly before you start typing. ONLY the "Blog post comment" tasks should be left in comments below the post. ALL OTHER ENTRIES SHOULD BE WITHIN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM.  Good luck! 

Devillerouge Designs, images, links, and references to same are property of Dawn Hentrich and used here for purposes of this feature/giveaway ONLY! I was not compensated in any way to write this feature. 

Handmade for the Holidays ~ BooMonkey Creations

Happy Monday, everyone! This week we're pleased to feature Stephanie from BooMonkey Creations, where your wildest dreams can come true in the form of repurposed window glass art! Stephanie uses sheets of old window glass, cuts them down to the desired size, traces your picture on it in sharpie marker, then hand paints the color in, and frames the finished product. She has done some amazing seasonal art as well as custom pieces that are absolutely stunning.

Prices start at $5 and go up from there, all dependent on size & detail.  Shipping prices start at:


$5 for small pieces 
$15 for 7x7-11x13 pieces 
Larger pieces start at $30 for shipping and will be shipped via UPS


Pieces smaller than 11x13 are shipped in Priority Flat Rate boxes, stuffed full of packing materials to ensure safe traveling.  Christmas orders must be submitted prior to November 15 to ensure delivery by Christmas.  Orders placed after November 15 for Christmas delivery are subject to approval. 


Payment is non-refundable after the piece has shipped out, and for specific custom pieces (pieces with names, dates or other specific personalization fall in this category).  If pieces break during shipping BooMonkey  offers 100% free replacement with photo proof of the piece being broken during shipment, within 48 hours of receipt of the piece.  All glass pieces are shipped with delivery confirmation.


ALL items are customizable within reason.  Stephanie works with her clients during all stages of creation to ensure pieces are up to photo expectations.  Pictures are taken with a Nikon COOLPIX S8100 12.1MB camera, in natural lighting, to ensure the pieces are true to how they will look in person.  Glass pieces are shown both hanging on a white wall or laying on a white background as well as with natural sunlight showing through them for hanging in a window.  

And now, the fun part! Stephanie is having a month long giveaway exclusive to Handmade for the Holidays! One lucky Living with Logan reader in the US or Canada will win their choice of a 7x7 piece of BooMonkey glass art including free shipping -OR- a $25 gift certificate toward a larger piece of their choice.  Shipping is NOT included with the gift certificate option. 


Additionally, all orders placed between now and November 7, 2011 will receive a 10% discount if you mention that you learned about BooMonkey here on Living with Logan's Handmade for the Holidays. Those interested in custom orders may contact Stephanie through the "Contact" feature on facebook under her BooMonkey Creations profile picture, or may email her directly at bonds_stephanie@yahoo.com with BooMonkey Creations in the subject line for pricing and availability.

Stephanie, also known as Stephi on the interwebs, is the Mama of 2 children.  The Monkey is Mikeal, her 9 year old son and big brother to The Boo, a precocious 3 year old girl named Mikaila.  Halloween marks the fourth anniversary since she married her awesome, but often annoying husband, Brian.  Stephanie is currently working on a Bachelor's degree in Occupational Psychology which she plans on using to assist persons in learning how to live full and enriching lives despite any handicaps society feels they have.  Her psychiatrist thinks it's a great career choice as she pulls out the prescription pad, yet again.  Based in the outer reaches ofWest Nashville she enjoys a quiet life in the country amid the chaos, can often be found on Twitter (@gypsy_momma) when life allows.

Images, BooMonkey Creations, and references to both belong to Stephanie Bonds and are used here with permission.

Handmade for the Holidays ~ Jars By Lisa

Happy Monday everyone! Today is exciting because it's the first post for our Handmade for the Holidays series, where I will feature one crafter a week and their products! If YOU would like to be featured on Handmade for the Holidays, please visit the tab above and fill out the form.

This week's featured crafter is Lisa Gallegos of Jars By Lisa. Lisa takes ordinary glass canning jars and decorates them for every possible occasion. These darling jars are perfect for birthdays,  teacher appreciation, baby showers, graduation, holidays, autism awareness, and everything in between. And if you need a gift for someone special, Lisa has a jar for you.

Whether you have a specific theme in mind or want to order in bulk,  want to receive them filled with candy or plan to fill them yourselves, these jars will be the perfect  for anyone on your list.

Jars are priced at $10 unfilled, for existing stock. For custom orders or filled jars, the price is $12 each. Discounts will be given for orders of 10 jars or more. Shipping costs are not included in the price of the jar.

Lisa ships anywhere in the US and Canada and welcomes custom orders. To contact her for your order, see the contact tab on her Jars By Lisa facebook page. Orders for Christmas must be placed no later than December 1 for Canada, and December 5 for US.


But wait, there's more! That's right.. we're having a Jars By Lisa giveaway! One lucky Living with Logan reader in the US or Canada will win 2 decorated jars for Halloween or Christmas from existing stock!

But first, the boring, responsible adult part:
Jars By Lisa, images, and references are property of Lisa Gallegos and are used here with permission.  I was not compensated in any way for this post!


And now, the fun entering the giveaway part!

Have You Confessed Today? Riceworks #giveaway

You know when you have a really powerful craving for peanut M&Ms, and you try to squash it, but it just won't go away? And you know that it would be just evil of you to get some, because your child is deathly allergic to peanuts (not to mention chocolate) and he'll want some? Then after two weeks of craving the stupid things, you finally cave in and buy some. Sure enough, the child catches you stuffing a handful of them in your mouth, and wants to share. So, you say the first thing that pops into your head. "Ew, YUCK! I HATE this medicine!" and you make all manner of horrid faces and disgusting gagging noises to throw him off. Yeah. I've never done that. 

Well, riceworks knows that everyone.. and I do mean EVERYONE, has a snacking secret, and they want to know what it is! They cornered me at BlogHer. They made me confess!  It was traumatic. It was... ok. I'm totally lying here. IT. WAS. SO. MUCH. FUN!!! And riceworks wants to hear YOUR confession!  They are not above bribing people for their confessions, either! You'll get a $1 off coupon after confessing~ to help you "win the battle against evil snacks".

We're doing things a little differently this week, and we're having a Tuesday giveaway! YAY! I get the pleasure of telling you all about riceworks, a fabulous company that makes rice "chips" that *gasp* are Logan safe and YOU get to win some!

 We tried the wild rice, Sea Salt, and Salsa Fresca flavors, because that's all our market carried. But holy cow, was I impressed! Now. It has to be said that I have tried a LOT of new things in the time since Logan started this ridiculously restrictive diet. And I have tasted a LOT of things that should never have been called food. Riceworks could seriously take the place of *whisper* Doritos in the Monster House. And no one would complain about it!

Guess what! 5 lucky Living with Logan readers can win a coupon for a free bag of riceworks crisps in the flavor of your choice! 

Before the fun giveaway part, y'all know I have to get the serious, responsible adult part out of the way. Here we go:

I was provided with coupons for 5 free bags of riceworks crisps. All opinions in this post are my own. Images and references to riceworks are used here with permission. I was not compensated to write this post in any way!

And NOW.... the fun giveaway part!