"Newborns AND Cloth" Tropical/Household Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent review and #GIVEAWAY

Ok, so you have a newborn, or maybe you are a mama of multiples, or (recently like me) you have two (or more) in cloth! That makes for a whole-lotta dirty dipes and a whole bunch of laundry!
I recently reviewed Tropical/Household Traditions powdered laundry detergent and I really liked it. During the course of the review, I was made aware that this laundry detergent was safe for cloth diapers. In fact, my contact at Tropical/Household Traditions told me that he and his wife had used cloth diapers and used this detergent with no issues. So I decided to put this detergent to the test!
Tropical Traditions sent me another 5 lb container of their powdered laundry detergent for review on my cloth diapers!
This is what I received:

Here is a bit more information about the powdered laundry detergent:
(the following information was taken from the Tropical Traditions Website):
Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent cleans and removes stains from your laundry with the power of Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer. Powdered Laundry Detergent is safe and effective at ALL temperatures on whites, permanent press, bright colors, pastels, prints, and delicates in hard or soft water. (Not suitable for Silk or Wool) Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent is non-toxic, environmentally safe and contains no phosphates. Powdered Laundry Detergent cleans and safely bleaches your clothes with the added power of Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer.

With our Laundry Detergent there are no harmful by-products upon decomposition. Powdered Laundry Detergent dissolves as completely as liquid detergents and rinses away completely leaving no residue in your clothes.

Powdered Laundry Detergent costs less to use than commercial liquid detergents and costs no more to use than commercial powdered household laundry detergents. Powdered Laundry Detergent contains no dyes, perfumes, fillers or phosphates. Compare our Laundry Detergent to your normal laundry detergent and you’ll see the difference!

Powdered Laundry Detergent can be used with Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer to provide optimum cleaning and stain removal!

GENERAL USE DIRECTIONS:

Begin filling washer with water, add Powdered Laundry Detergent, then add laundry.

For regular size washers and normally soiled loads use 1/4 cup (2 oz) of detergent.
For large size washers add 1/2 cup (4 oz) of detergent.
For heavily soiled loads add 1/2 cup (4 oz) of detergent and 1/4 to 1/2 cup (2-4 oz) of Oxygen Bleach
For extra cleaning and stain removal power use Oxygen Bleach as a pre-soak or add 2-4 ounces of Oxygen Bleach to 1/4 cup of our Laundry Detergent per load!!
Note: For front-loading machines use half the amount that is called for with top loading washing machines. For front loading washers and normally soiled loads, use 1/8 cup (1 oz) of Powdered Laundry Detergent.

I must admit at first I was a bit apprehensive about using this detergent on my cloth diapers. After all, I am a creature of habit (when it comes to my fluff) and was a bit concerned about ruining my dipes! This detergent works great!
I used it on about 6 diapers to start.
Here is what I did:
1. Cold rinse, no detergent
2. Hot wash using 1 oz of the detergent
3. Cold rinse
The diapers came out great. There was no residue build up or any other problems.
This detergent really goes a long way!
It is great to have on hand because it is safe for cloth diapers and it is also safe for all your other laundering needs!
You can purchase a 5 lb tub of this detergent directly from the Tropical Traditions website! The retail value of the detergent is $30.00 but right now its on sale for $16.99!

As a sponsor for the Newborns AND Cloth event, Tropical Traditions has graciously offered one LWML follower a chance to win a 5 lb tub of their powdered laundry detergent!!
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 Tropical Traditions! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

Welcome to the Military Monday Blog Hop!

We invite all of you, military or not, to join in this great blog hop. Would you like to be connected to other blogs? Would you like to increase your number of blog followers via Google Friend Connect? Then this hop is for you. No, you don't have to be affiliated with the Military, you just have to have a blog!  Please don't leave links to your Facebook, Twitter, or other blog hops. Those links will be deleted.

The guidelines are quite simple here!

• Grab the Military Monday Blog Hop button and post it as a new blog post or on your blog's sidebar!  

<a href="http://semperwifey.blogspot.com/" ><img src="http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m531/semperwifey/MilitaryMondayButton1.jpg" ></a>

• Follow the hosts publicly via Google Friend Connect {just click the buttons below!}.  Be sure to leave a comment on this post that you stopped by from the Military Monday Blog Hop in order for us to follow you back. The hosts will follow you back, as long as you leave a comment on this post with your blog address. Just give us a few days to catch up with everyone!

  
  

  
  
  

• Follow as many of the linked blogs as you'd like!  But remember...the more you follow, the more followers you will get in return! 

*Please note, this linky will close on Monday at 11:59 pm (EST). But don't worry...we'll be back next week!

Have a great week!

~Mama of the Littles and Semper Wifey

"Newborns AND Cloth" Rockin Green Femme Rock Review and #GIVEAWAY

I LOVE mama cloth! I really do!
I love knowing that I am using something that is non-toxic, safe for the environment and non-toxic.... did I already mention that one?
On 16 November, Kimberly-Clark recalled some Kotex tampons because they may be contaminated with "infection-causing bacteria" YET ANOTHER REASON I LOVE MY MAMA CLOTH! Yikes!!! Who wants to use potentially contaminated tampons??? Not me! Oh, and then there is the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome when using tampons (you can read more about that here)!

Please note I am NOT here to point my finger at you or to condemn you if you do use disposable feminine hygiene products! Not at all! In fact I am hoping that you will give reusable mama cloth a try! I promise, you'll love it and never go back to disposables!

Okay, onto the review and #GIVEAWAY!
I Love Rockin Green soap!
Recently they came out with a new soap for mama cloth!! Yay! It's called Femme Rock!
Kim over at Rockin Green sent me a bag for review!
This is what I received:

A pic of the backside of the package:

The simple, easy to follow instructions:

This is what the actual soap looks like:

It's pretty much the same texture as the remix soap!
I LOVE this soap!
First of all, it's free from Phosphates SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulfates) and fragrances!
This stuff is awesome! It came at the perfect time too!
I had a load of mama cloth to wash.
I always soak my mama cloth in cold water for about 30 minutes (or longer if I forget about it)!
Then I rinse. Then I added 2 tablespoons (only use 1 for an HE machine) and washed on hot!
The pads came out very fresh and clean. I had been using Rockin Green's Remix to wash my mama cloth and in doing that I usually soaked the pads in Rockin Green for about 30 minutes prior to washing. This stuff is awesome! I LOVE it!
It is very affordable and only costs $11.95!
As a sponsor of the Newborns AND Cloth event, Kim at Rockin Green Soap has graciously offered one LWML follower a chance to win a bag of Femme Rock!!!
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 Rockin Green! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

"Newborns AND Cloth" Lil Joey newborn diaper review and #GIVEAWAY {Madison Organics}

Madison Organics is a GREAT company. I've worked with Svetlana in the past just last April when she sent me a Grovia AIO for review! (Read the review HERE)! Madison Organics is choc-full of wonderful items for you, your baby, your eco-friendly home oh and did I mention that Madison Organics carries an awesome selection of natural feminine care? Madison Organics offers free shipping on orders over $50.00 and $5.00 flat rate shipping on all orders under $50.00 (within the US)!
This time around, Svetlana graciously sent me a Lil Joey Newborn/Preemie AIO diaper in "Lil Monster" to try on my little nephew Ezra for this event! This is what I received:

Such a cute little diaper!

Notice this AIO diaper has the leg gussets to keep poopy explosions inside the diaper where they belong!

It also has the snap down in the front to protect the little umbilical cord:

Here is a bit more information on this diaper (taken from Madison Organics' website):
The Lil Joey is an AIO (all in one diaper) with a sewn in soaker, no pocket. This specialty diaper was designed to fill the gap between a newborn size and other brands of one size diapers. The Lil Joey fits babies 4-12 lbs. The Rump•a•rooz® One Size Diaper will fit a newborn starting at 6 lbs, while a lot of other brands of one size diapers will not fit until 10-12 lbs. The Lil Joey has a snap down center for easy umbilical care and comfort. The Lil Joey is a 2 size or grow with me diaper as it has shorter rise setting in the snapped down position and then higher rise settings in the unsnapped position.

This diaper fit Ezra perfectly!

I didn't need to button down the front since his umbilical cord stump had already fallen off!
This diaper is an AIO and therefore takes a bit more time to dry as compared to a pocket diaper!
I love this diaper. The inside of the diaper is really soft and it is so easy to use and clean!
These diapers are a great choice for your preemie or newborn baby!
You can purchase these diapers from Madison Organics for only $29.95 for a pack of two (making them only about $15.00 each)! The Lil Joey's also come in many really cute prints and solid colors!

But wait, of course that's not all!
As a sponsor of the Newborns AND Cloth event, Svetlana has graciously offered one LWML follower a chance to win a Lil Joey newborn/preemie AIO diaper in Monsters (the exact same one as I reviewed)!
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 Svetlana at Madison Organics! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

"Newborns AND Cloth" Lulu's in the Fluff Glamour Wash review and $10.00 GC GIVEAWAY {My Precious Kid LLC}

I have worked with My Precious Kid LLC back in April when I did a review on a pair of Blueberry trainers here on the blog! I really liked this company because it is so dedicated to child safety and also the fact that they carry a large variety of natural, non-toxic items for the whole family!
Oh, did I mention too that they are an Oregon based brick and mortar and on-line store that is located only about 4 miles from where I grew up? So when I went home to Oregon (before heading out to my sister's house) I stopped into My Precious Kid LLC and met with the owner Kay!
The store is absolutely beautiful!
Here are a few pictures I took for the purpose of this review:

Right inside the door there is a little play area for kids! As you can see, my boys loved it!

A little nook with reading materials and local event news!

Here is the story time area (and nursing station) with a picture of my mom!

The store is full of awesome products for sale... like cloth diapers:

Another view:

And baby carriers:

Gates, back packs, car seats... you name it, they sell it!!

Then I met Kay!!

She is such a sweet lady! She was very friendly and informative about her store, the products sold and of course her passion for keeping little ones safe! I was really impressed with her professionalism, but at the same time I felt as though I'd known her for years. You know, when you meet one of those transparent people that are just a blessing to be around?? That fits Kay to a T!
Kay gave me a bag of Lulu's in the Fluff Glamour Wash to take to my sister's to try out. That is not all she gave me though. She also gave me 3 car seat id cards as well (two for me and one for my sister)!
This is what I received:

As a faithful Rockin Green user I was curious to try this new laundry detergent! I took the bag to my sister's house with me and we used it on all her new diapers for prepping! This laundry soap worked really well, though I did not have the chance to try it out on any poop-explosion diapers!

What I really like about this laundry detergent is that it's *The following information taken from My Precious Kid LLC's Website* dye free, contains no fillers, no enzymes or optical brighteners, is phosphate free, is great for sensitive skin, is an easy rinsing formula, approved for military use (on military clothes and uniforms), that it works great on microfiber, of course, that it's a cloth Diaper Safe Detergent, and that it's HE compatible!!

LULU'S LAUNDRY DETERGENT - Put Lulu's In The Fluff and you're using safe, environmentally friendly detergents that smell fabulous in your laundry room and rinse clean, leaving no residue behind. Lulu's cloth diaper & laundry detergent was formulated out of a need to clean with glamour! It’s made of safe, phosphate free ingredients, which are good for the planet, and is great for kids and adults. Best of all, it is totally safe for cloth diapers. Just one tablespoon and you are on your way to clean diapers and clothing.

I think I would use Lulu's in the Fluff for a change, but I really LOVE my Rockin' Green soap for my lovely Cloth diapers! That's a hard addiction for me to break!

You can purchase a bag of Lulu's in the Fluff Glamour Wash directly from My Precious Kid LLC for $14.99!

As a sponsor of the Newborns AND Cloth event, My Precious Kid LLC has graciously offered one LWML follower a chance to win a $10.00 GC towards the purchase of anything in their shop!

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 My Precious Kid LLC *thanks Kay*! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.

Bouncing Babies USA pre-Black Friday sale!!

Taken from the Bouncing Babies Blog:
We have a little special going on in preparation for Black Friday. You can basically double dip your discount! Say what? Yep, you can get extra spending money right now, and then shop the discounts on Black Friday through Cyber Monday!
Here are the details: Simply purchase a gift certificate for $20, and then we’ll credit your account $5. That’s an extra 20% shopping money for you! You can purchase gift certificates for yourself or as gifts. There is no limit to how many gift certificates you can purchase, but the deal is only good through this Sunday, November 20th. Hurry to get your deal before it’s too late!
**wink, wink! this deal allows you to get a discount on brands that we typically can’t discount too! ahem, bumGenius! flip! grovia! YAY!**
We have lots of great specials coming your way for Black Friday! Stay tuned for more details early in the week! Happy Holidays from both of us here at Bouncing Babies!

Happy Shopping!!

~Mama of the Littles~

"Newborns AND Cloth" Under the Nile organic fitted crib sheet review and $25.00 GC #GIVEAWAY {Mighty Nest}

Have you ever had an experience where you are searching the Internet looking for safe, non-toxic items to buy for you your baby and come across a website that really takes the cake? Well, this happened to me awhile ago. I was searching all around trying to find an online store where I could purchase non-toxic and safe items for the whole family.... and that is how I found Mighty Nest! I had been perusing their website looking for some new feeding utensils for my boys when I received an e-mail from them. This e-mail was received during the time I had posted the review of my Naturepedic organic crib mattress! Apparently Mighty Nest was having a giveaway on their blog of a Naturepedic organic crib mattress at the same time!
I love that Mighty Nest is committed to educating parents about the chemicals and toxins that surround us every day! They are determined to only sell items that are safe and free of toxic chemicals and other harmful ingredients!
Here is what Kristen (the co-founder of Mighty Nest) has to say about the company:
*the following information taken from the Mighty Nest Website:
MightyNest is a unique Web site that provides you the ability to research, get advice and buy natural, organic and non-toxic products all in one place. All of the products we sell are free from known toxic ingredients such as: BPA, PVC, Phthalates, Lead, Melamine, Formaldehyde, Flame retardants, Parabens and more. Our dream is for MightyNest to become a place where people feel motivated and empowered, not discouraged and judged; somewhere people feel encouraged to make changes in their lives, whether large or small. We truly believe that simple changes bring mighty impact.

I really respect this company's mission!
There is even a section on their website where you can LEARN how to get rid of unhealthy toxins and harmful chemicals from the home. Mighty Nest can show you how to Build a healthy nursery, and lists things that can easily be done to help you create a non-toxic home! This website is really choc-full of helpful information!

Mighty Nest sent me an organic cotton fitted crib sheet in sage by Under the Nile for review! This is what I received:

I really love this crib sheet. I love the fact that the little baby sleeping on it (in this case my nephew) is not being exposed to chemicals that may be found in other fabrics and bedding material. *ever wonder why things (even clothing) are often labeled "flame resistant?"
With this crib sheet you don't have to worry about harmful chemicals at all!
While I was at my sister's house in Oregon, Ezra was sleeping in a bassinet in his parent's room and his crib had not even been set up yet. So even though I did wash the sheet and try it on his older brother's crib (it fit perfectly) it had not been truly 'put to the test' when I left back for my mom's house!

You can purchase this fabulous crib sheet from Mighty Nest for $34.00! Mighty Nest offers free shipping on purchases $50.00 and over and charges $5.95 shipping for orders under $50.00!

As a sponsor of the Newborns AND Cloth event, Mighty Nest has graciously offered one LWML follower a chance to win an a $25.00 Gift Certificate to be used towards anything on their site! Can you say non-toxic Christmas toys!!! :)
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 Mighty Nest! No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours.