Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Facebook and Blog Celebration Giveaway!

Ok, so I've made a few changes regarding the Facebook and Blog celebration giveaway. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, that's ok, just click here to catch up! :)

The event will start once my blog hits 1950 GFC followers AND my Facebook Fan Page hits 1650 likes!
Once this happens, all the items listed for the giveaway will be available to be won! Entries will be taken on the blog only via Rafflecopter forms!

The giveaway will run for 2 weeks!

There are some mandatory rules that you NEED to adhere to in order to be elgible to win. You can read the rules/guidelines here!

If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please e-mail me angela_heffner at yahoo dot com

Thanks all!
~Mama of the Littles~

"Birthday Blessings Bash" Thirsties AIO clothdiaper review and #GIVEAWAY {Buttercup Baby) US and Canada


I am a big Thirsties fan! I've reviewed many of their products on the blog and when I found out they had come out with a new diaper, and All-In-One (AIO) I just had to get my hands on one :)
Audrey from Buttercup Baby graciously sent me the Thirsties AIO in Black Bird print!
This is what I received:




The unique 'tunnel system'

Here are some of the features of this great diaper (taken from Thirsties' website):
"Goes on in one simple step - the diaper of choice for the occasional caretaker
Internal trim-fitting soaker combined with reliable waterproof exterior
Signature tunnel design allows for efficient washing & drying and permits customization of absorbency
Gentle elastic around legs and waist provide protection against leaks.
Sizing info:
Size one fits 6-18 lbs (3-8 kg) 0-9 month old baby.
Size two fits 18-40 lbs (8-18 kg) 9-36 month old baby.

Roll out the red carpet for Thirsties Duo AIO. Finally, an All In One reusable diaper that truly challenges the convenience and trim-fit of a disposable diaper. Many All In Ones of the past were pricy, tough to clean, and impossible to customize in size and absorbency. The revolutionary Thirsties Duo AIO offers absorbency, waterproof protection, and adjustability all rolled up into one stylish, comfortable and extremely effective cloth diaper.
The unique design of Thirsties Duo AIO offers a trim-fitting, easy to use, customizable diaper that also cleans up like a dream. This incredible diaper provides a lot of pack for your punch and includes Thirsties’ signature tunnel system which enables stuffing of additional absorbency when needed. To lighten the load on your pocket book, this diaper has been thoughtfully devised so that just two sizes will reliably fit from birth all the way to potty.

A snap down rise and the adjustable snap or Aplix closures ensure that this diaper will accommodate babies of all shapes and sizes. A built-in three-layer microfiber terry soaker absorbs an amazing seven times its weight in liquid. While sporting a Thirsties Duo AIO, your baby experiences nothing but soft, buttery, stay-dry fleece against her sensitive skin. All in all, Thirsties Duo AIO gets a BIG thumbs-up from your wallet, your family, your daycare facility, and your occasional caretakers alike.

Please consider pairing the All In One with our Hemp Inserts or Fab Doublers for heavy wetters or extended, overnight use."

There is also a great You Tube video that shows off this diaper in all it's awesomeness!

Bottom line: I LOVE this diaper!
Why? I love that it comes in snaps, it's a one size diaper, it has the 'tunnel system' which allows you to customize the absorbency (I put my Thirsties hemp insert inside the tunnel for nap-time and had no issues with leaks, and on this particular day, my son slept for 3hrs and 45 minutes!! Hello Growth Spurt)! I LOVE and really admire that it is made in the USA! I also really love the print! There are some other really cute prints and colors available too. You can view them here! Oh, did I mention how affordable they are? You can purchase this diaper for only $15.75!
This is the diaper on my 2 yo son (who all of the sudden runs from me when I have the camera) :/



As a sponsor of the Birthday Blessings Bash event, Buttercup Baby has generously offered one LWML follower the chance to win a Thirsties AIO diaper in choice of color/print size and closure (subject to what is available in stock)! 
This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents!

To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

Good Luck and have fun!

~Mama of the Littles~

Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above in exchange for this review, thanks to Audrey at Buttercup Baby! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

What's in store for Life With My Littles...??? Things to come!! Are you ready?? #GIVEAWAYS

Hello All,
I want to take a few minutes to thank you all for following my blog! I can't believe how much this blog has grown since its humble beginnings just over a year ago!

I've had a lot of fun bringing you my honest reviews of some really awesome products. We are currently coming to the end of the "Birthday Blessings Bash" event. Don't worry, it's not over *just yet* I still have some awesome items for review and some great giveaways to share too.
You can see the current giveaways for the "Birthday Blessings Bash" event by clicking here!
There is also my current Facebook referral contest going on right now. It's a chance for you to win a $100.00 GC to The Tender Tush! This contest is open world-wide and you can read more about the rules/guidelines and how to enter here!

I wanted to let you all know of another fun event I'm planning.
While looking at the blog and Facebook and being totally amazed at how it's grown, I've decided to hold a Facebook and Blog giveaway celebration. This giveaway will happen once the blog reaches 1950 followers via GFC and once my Facebook fan page hits 1650 likes!
The giveaway will be held here on the blog and some of the prizes will be open world-wide, some to US and Canada only and some to US only! This all depends on the sponsor's preference!

This is where you come in. I am currently accepting sponsorship for this event. If you are a blogger or a business owner that would like more traffic to your site, you can sponsor this event with a prize. There is no monetary limit on how much the prize is worth, that is totally up to you (the sponsor)!

Maybe you are a blogger that is looking to increase your Facebook audience or a blogger looking to increase your GFC or Google + numbers! This is a great opportunity for that. For each prize that is sponsored, you will receive one requirement of the entrant (ie: like your Facebook page, follow on twitter or follow your blog via GFC) for example.

If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please e-mail me at angela_heffner at yahoo dot com

I already have some confirmed sponsors and would love to add more.
Keep your eyes on my Facebook page to see the current items that will be up for grabs for this event!

Thanks again for reading LWML!
I've enjoyed sharing my journey with you!

~Mama of trhe Littles~

Monday, February 27, 2012

HUGE $100.00 GC #GIVEAWAY to THE TENDER TUSH {world-wide}

Who is ready for some fun, and a chance to win a $100.00 GC to The Tender Tush?
I've teamed up with Sophia over at The Tender Tush for a Facebook referral contest in order to get The Tender Tush's Facebook page up to 1000 likes. Don't worry, as of right now, they are already at 825!!

Here is how it will work!
1. All comments to win must be made here on this blog post as a comment on the blog (there will be no rafflecopter form for this giveaway)!
2. You MUST publicly follow my blog via GFC (left side bar) and be a Facebook fan of Life With My Littles in order to qualify to win! You MUST also leave your e-mail address in EACH comment so I can contact you if you win!
Failing to do any of the above could make all your hard work null and void, so please follow the steps (you don't want to miss out on a hundred bucks for fluff right)?

How to Enter:
1. Go like The Tender Tush on Facebook, then come back here and leave a comment on this post that you do, if you are already a fan, just comment here with your FB username and say you are already a fan. *be sure to include your Facebook username (and e-mail address) so I can verify that you are a fan and contact you should you win* (1 entry)

2. Invite your friends. For each FB friend that you invite that 'likes' The Tender Tush you will receive an additional entry. There is NO LIMIT on how many people you can refer. If you refer 100, you get 100 extra entries. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each person you refer by following the "IMPORTANT" instructions below*

IMPORTANT: When you are referring a friend to like The Tender Tush, you MUST have that friend write on The Tender Tush's Facebook Wall that you sent them IE: "(your name here) sent me"
Then you come back here and leave a blog post comment on this post for EACH person you refer, being sure to include their Facebook username, the date they wrote on The Tender Tush's wall that you sent them and your e-mail address!

This contest will end once The Tender Tush reaches 1000 FB fans! I will use random.org to draw the winner of the $100 GC to The Tender Tush.

This contest is open world-wide!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at angela_heffner at yahoo dot com

Good luck, and have fun!!

"Birthday Blessings Bash" Northern Essence wool care and body care products review and 1 full size item #GIVEAWAY {US and Canada}

Northern Essence is a shop where you can find so many useful and unique items. They offer products for the whole family from baby care items (soaps, lotions cloth diapers and more) to items for mom's to be, and even items for dad. Their products are all made with natural ingredients and are never tested on animals. I stumbled on Northern Essence the other week while I was searching for items to care for my woolies!

Here is a bit more information about Traci (owner and operator of Northern Essence) and her company (taken from the Northern Essence website):
"My name is Traci, I am very proud to be a WAHM to five great children and wife to my wonderful supportive husband. We are located in Northern Georgia.

You will find that we are committed to quality, ethical sourcing, natural ingredients, with NO animal testing. Our products are simply packaged to save you the consumer the extra cost. We believe that what matters most is the quality of the ingredients and final product.

We are looking forward to providing the best customer service and products to all our customers while making some new friends along the way!

Traci Hoffman, Owner"

I was sent several samples from Northern Essence for my review. This is what I received:
The opposite side of the wool wash bar sample:
From the top left clockwise: Wool wash bar in 'buttermilk bath' whipped lotion, wool wash liquid in 'lavender breeze' Baby sudz soap, and whipped shea.
I used the wool wash bar on my Sloomb knit wool cover. It is Awesome! You simply run some warm water into a basin and rub the bar under the running water. You can also rub the bar directly onto the wool if there are stains or strong odors. I then used the 'wool wash' (far right) after I had washed the wool. I rinsed the residue out from the wool wash bar, then filled the basin with warm water again. I mixed 1 tsp of the wool wash liquid into the basin of water, added the clean sloomb cover and gently squeezed it to ensure all the fibers were saturated (I lanolize my wool inside out). Left it to sit for about 30 minutes then gently removed the excess water by rolling the sloomb cover in a clean, dry towel.
The wool wash liquid left the wool feeling clean and lightly scented with lavender. It's great. I highly recommend it!
The whipped lotion (top middle) I threw in my purse as I was running out the door to the store (it is the perfect size for my purse or the diaper bag). As I was driving I realized how dry and cracked my skin was (the weather was cold and dry and my skin always suffers for it)! I quickly put a dab of the whipped lotion on my skin and found instant relief. Not only did it hydrate and smooth my skin, but it stayed on for quite awhile. After the store, we went to the library then came home. It wasn't until I washed my hands before preparing lunch that I noticed the lotion was actually washing off! So I put on more! This lotion also works great on my boys! It soothes their dry skin really well. My eldest has severe dry winter skin. This is where the whipped shea comes in. I love this stuff. It is a thick substance that kind of reminds me of crisco, but different (you get the point how thick this stuff is)! I applied it on my son's legs for 2 nights directly after his bath and within 2 days his skin was totally fine. No more dry, itchy red bumps, just soft smooth skin!
The Baby Sudz soap became my 4 yo's 'special soap' (we get him a little bar of special goats milk soap from the organic store here in town for him to use after he uses the potty). He claimed the Baby Sudz as his very own soap and used it all up within 2 weeks! Need I say any more about the soap?

As a sponsor of the Birthday Blessings Bash event, Traci of Northern Essence has generously offered one LWML follower the chance to win ONE of the following items:
1. Full size bar of Baby Sudz
2. 4 oz whipped lotion
3. 4 oz wool wash
4. full size bar of wool soap

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents!

To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

Good Luck and have fun!

~Mama of the Littles~

Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above in exchange for this review, thanks to Traci at Northern Essence! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

"Birthday Blessings Bash" Goodmama "Galaxy Glee" clothdiaper review and $20 GC #GIVEAWAY {Bouncing Babies} US and Canada!!

The first time I learned of Goodmama diapers was back when we started using fitteds and wool covers at night when my oldest was around 2 years old and we needed to find a night-time cloth diapering solution. I just couldn't justify (or convince my husband) spending $40+ on one diaper (that needs a cover). So I put the desire in the back of my mind. I searched high and low for a Goodmama giveaway but couldn't find one anywhere!
This is where Bouncing Babies comes in. I've worked with them in the past when Bouncing Babies sponsored the review of the Monkey Foot Designs wet bag review here on the blog (you can read that review here).
I was beside myself when I found out that Bouncing Babies also sold Goodmama fitted cloth diapers amongst the other brands of cloth diapers you will find at Bouncing Babies!
I reached out to Bouncing Babies and they graciously sold a Goodmama fitted diaper in "Galaxy Glee" to me at a bit of a discount for my review.
This is what I received:

This diaper is AWESOME! I LOVE it! I love that it is a one size fitted diaper that can be used from about 10-35+ lbs! The outer is a cotton woven material and the inner is a organic bamboo velour material. Here are some more pics for your viewing pleasure:




As you can see the two layer soaker simply snaps to the back of the diaper.
This diaper is not water-proofed and does need a cover. However I used it on my 2 yo without a cover during the day and just changed him when the out side of the diaper became damp!
This diaper fits my 2 yo perfectly!

Bouncing Babies also offers a great selection of other Cloth Diapers such as bumGenius, GroVia, Thirsties, Flip, OsoCozy and Fuzzibunz. They also provide a wide variety of Cloth Diaper Accessories and Laundry Products

Currently, the Goodmama fitted diaper they carry in stock is the Goodmama one size fitted "Let it Roll" cloth diaper.
Isn't it cute? I love this print too!
As a sponsor of the Birthday Blessings Bash event, Bouncing Babies has generously offered one LWML follower the chance to win a $20 GC to their store! If you've always wanted to try a Goodmama diaper like me, now is your chance. The Let it Roll print (above) costs $42.00, win the $20 GC and get it for only $22!!

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents!

To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

Good Luck and have fun!

~Mama of the Littles~

Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above at a discount in exchange for this review, thanks to Stacey and Megan at Bouncing Babies! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

Looking for a safe, non-toxic hair care product? Look no further... Eco Store is launching it's all new hair care line and it will be on sale!!

ecoSTORE USA
Haircare Launch and Sale - February 27th, 2012
www.ecostoreusa.com is pleased to announce the launch of our newly formulated 3:1 Shampoo and Conditioner line. AVAILABLE at 12:01am EST 2/27/12 All products meet our strict standards and are sulfate, dye and paraben free.
Buy now at 20% off of our everyday low price for TWO WEEKS ONLY!
We know you will love our eco friendly, all-natural Pear, Cucumber and Honey Almond scents. Please share your thoughts with us and post to Facebook or www.ecostoreusa.com

Friday, February 24, 2012

"Birthday Blessings Bash" Smart Snugs one size Pocket Diaper review and #GIVEAWAY {US only}

If you are on a budget (which most of us are) or are just starting out with cloth diapers and are trying to figure out which style (pocket, all in one, fitteds, pre-folds and covers, all in twos) is for you, then you need to read this review. Today I am reviewing the Smart Snugs Pocket diaper.
This is a one size diaper designed to fit babies from 8-35 lbs! It is a pocket diaper (which is great because you can stuff it with whatever you like), and it comes in snaps (a personal favorite of mine), it also comes with a 5-layer insert consisting of 2 outer layers of soft bamboo cotton and 3 layers of microfiber, yet it is extremely trim! Oh, did I mention these diapers only cost $12.00 each? I mean, where else can you get such a deal?
Samantha of Smart Snugs graciously sent me a green pocket diaper for my review! This is what I received:
The snaps:

The inserts (I received a regular insert and a night time booster for the review):

The outside of the diaper:
The generous pocket opening:
There is a great video tutorial section on the Smart Snugs website that will walk you through how to use these awesome diapers! It is very informative!
This is a great diaper. I really like it. It fits my 2 yo perfectly and the 5 layer insert really holds up to a lot of pee!

I love that it only costs $12.00! It's amazing, the quality for that price!
You can purchase your own Smart Snugs diaper directly from Smart Snugs for only $12.00
Or, you can enter to win one here! As a sponsor of the Birthday Blessings Bash event, Smart Snugs has generously offered one LWML follower the chance to win a Smart Snugs diaper in winner's choice of either red, yellow, white or pink!

This giveaway is open to US residents only!

To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

Good Luck and have fun!

~Mama of the Littles~

Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above in exchange for this review, thanks to Samantha at Smart Snugs! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

"Birthday Blessings Bash" Blissful Booty Perfect Pocket diaper review and #GIVEAWAY {US and Canada}

Blissful Booty Cloth Diapers! I've reviewed their products before and was impressed back then. At the time of that review, I was only using Fuzzi Bunz diapers and had not yet explored other opportunities. Now, I am happy to say that Blissful Booty has created a pocket diaper! Yay! When I heard this, I just had to try one!
Cathy, owner and operator of Blissful Booty sent me this adorable one-size pocket diaper in "hunter" print and minkee fabric!
This is what I received:

This diaper is soooooooo soft and minky. Since I am a veteran of the Army, and my hubby is active duty, I thought this print was perfect for us! I love it! I was sent the pocket diaper with a bamboo insert and an additional microfiber insert. When you purchase a Blissful Booty pocket diaper, you will be sent the bamboo insert only.

Here is some more information about Blissful Booty: (taken from Blissful Booty's website):

Blissful Booty Cloth Diapers & Accessories

"We think that cloth diapering should be just as easy as using throw-away diapers! Our product line does just that. With our Original All-in-One diaper, there are no covers, inserts or fasteners needed! You will love our unique design featuring our inner and outer leg casings and front and back waist gathers that REALLY hold in messes and prevent leaks. The strong hold of our hook and loop closures is designed to stay put even on the busiest of toddlers. Our plush, no-pill "stay dry" liner resists stains and keeps baby comfy, and our unique crossover tabs ensure a fabulous fit no matter how slim or chunky! We have also added large touch tape laundry tabs that stay put through washing and drying.
If you prefer a Pocket Diaper, check out our brand new Perfect Pocket Diapers! Available in tons of colors, prints and fabrics, our Perfect Pockets will be an affordable assest to any diaper stash. They are a One Size Diaper with adjustable waist and rise to fit from birth to potty! They feature the same double leg casings as our AIO diapers as well as gentle front and back waist elastic,waterproof outer cover, a stay dry inner lining,color coordinated snaps and are available in your choice of Snap or Aplix waist closure. Your Perfect Pocket comes with a free super soft and absorbent Bamboo Insert."

Ok, so since the insert is bamboo, it takes some prepping. Sometimes I get overwhelmed at the different fibers and how to care for them... ie: separating hemp from all other fabrics until its prepped to prevent your diapers from repelling and so on. But Blissful Booty makes it simple by sending along these easy-to-follow instructions:

Here is some information about Blissful Booty's one size pocket diapers (taken from Blissful Booty's website):
Blissful Booty® Perfect Pocket Diapers are a one size, trim fitting adjustable pocket diaper. Our pocket diapers feature inner and outer leg casings to help contain messes as well as gentle front and back waist elastic for added protection against leaks. The pocket opening is large and easy to stuff. Each vibrant color and fun print has color coordinated snaps and is available in your choice of Aplix or Snap closure. Our Snap waist closure features double row color coordinated snaps for security as well as a crossover option for tiny newborn waists. If you prefer the ease of Aplix closures, you will find our rounded Aplix tabs large and sturdy with crossover feature on both tabs to make diapering your squirmy baby easy for righties or lefties. Fold back laundry tabs keep Aplix lint free in the wash and prevent the dreaded diaper snake. Our snap up rise design gives you 3 rise size options. Our outer waterproof layer of TPU comes in many color and print choices (including several in soft and cuddly Minkee) and keeps wetness in, while the inner layer of stay dry suedecloth wicks moisture away from delicate baby skin. Each Perfect Pocket includes a soft and absorbent Bamboo Terry insert. You can add more absorbency as needed for your baby by stuffing the pocket with additional inserts. Our Bamboo inserts as well as super absorbent Microfiber Terry inserts are available for purchase. As another option, our Blissful Booty® Boosters can also be used with our Pocket diapers for added absorbency. Simply place a booster between the inner leg casings and place on baby! You can mix and match Inserts and Boosters to find what works best for you and your baby. The easily adjustable rise and waist design fits most babies from 7 -35+ pounds. Blissful Booty Diapers are 100% reusable, environmentally friendly, prevents landfill waste and saves money.

Here is a picture of the inside of the diaper, take note of the outer leg casings:
The outside of the diaper:
Ok, I tried this diaper on my 2 yo with the microfiber insert only. It worked GREAT!


Then after prepping the bamboo I used it, along with the microfiber during nap time... no leaks. My little guy is constantly sipping water, and he naps once a day for 2-3 hours! So for him to wake up dry from nap is a total plus. I think this diaper would really hold up well during the night too. I mean, you could customize it (as with any pocket diapers) with any kind of stuffin' you'd like. You could use a hemp insert or doubler, with the bamboo for extra absorbancy. The opportunities are endless. This is one other reason I like pocket diapers so much!

These diapers come in an array of cute prints/colors in either snaps or aplix closure! Oh and did I mention too that they only cost $16.00 to $17.00 (depending on which print/fabric you choose)!
You can purchase these amazing diapers directly from Blissful Booty, or... you can enter to win one here!
As a sponsor of the Birthday Blessings Bash event, Cathy, of Blissful Booty has generously offered one LWML follower the chance to win a Perfect Pocket diaper in winner's choice of closure (snaps or aplix) and color/print! 

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents!

To enter, simply use the rafflecopter form below, you may have to click on "read more" to see the rafflecopter entry form!

Good Luck and have fun!
~Mama of the Littles~

Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above in exchange for this review, thanks to Cathy at Blissful Booty! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.