Our family was selected to review some cool toys from spin master. We received a set of monster jam trucks; blue thunder and grave digger. My kiddos are pretty wild with their toys especially when they become a favourite. Since the moment they... +
Our family was selected to review some cool toys from spin master. We received a set of monster jam trucks; blue thunder and grave digger. My kiddos are pretty wild with their toys especially when they become a favourite. Since the moment they arrived my boys were excited to tear open the package. It has been nearly a week since and they’re still going strong. My youngest son (3) has fallen in love with the grave digger (mostly because it’s mostly blue) but also after seeing a clip of what monster jam is and what they do he’s been reenacting jumps and imaginative play with both trucks on blocks, on the carpet car mat, outside in the dirt and in his car seat while we travel. The trucks have been in dirt and water, smashed, thrown, tossed, and stepped on and are still intact. The best moments as a mom and ECE are when you see that youngster in his own world, making jumps out of wooden blocks, pathways and obstacles for his trucks to play on with the sounds of revving engines coming from this immersed child while he plays independently. You see the links and connections he’s making with real life and reimagining in his play, the problem solving and management of the blocks and obstacles he uses and the amount of fun he engages in. These may only be monster trucks in a package but to my little boy it became so much more in just a short amount of time.
I think we have some monster jam tickets coming in our future.
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What all can I say? Except $h!/ happens and lilhelper.ca is there. I have been buying cloth diapers for my growing family since 2016. Shortly after this Canadian company started. Over the years I have purchased different styles of prints and inserts... +
What all can I say? Except $h!/ happens and lilhelper.ca is there. I have been buying cloth diapers for my growing family since 2016. Shortly after this Canadian company started. Over the years I have purchased different styles of prints and inserts and now use them with my third baby. I absolutely love the newest prints and now the change mat which I need the next biggest size for nighttime training for my middle. The first diapers I have from 2016 are still in use today and still hold almost as well as my recent prints. The liners are a charcoal liner which hold quite a bit of pee and wash off relatively easy with our bidet for the poop. The sizes can range in one diaper up to 35ish lbs. Our 21lbs fits quite comfortably in them with both button inserts inside and the first line on the front buttoned down. We never bought the training diapers for our middle but I feel like we will for our youngest. The bags you can get come in a few sizes and all sizes are smell and water proof. Washing is a breeze and their new website has all the info on how, when, and what to use for the cleaning process. We currently have 20 cloth diapers, 2 swim diapers, 3 small wet bags, 2 dry/wet bags, 1 large wet bag, a catcher bib, and a small change mat and I want more. They have recently released a women’s hygiene line for postpartum to menstrual, nursing pads, and bags. I have yet to purchase these but plan to in the future. They usually have new prints a few times a year and the deals are amazing and always changing. Who says caring about the environment has to be so bland when you can have these awesome patterns and designs. If you’re on the fence about cloth diapers, or cloth anything, check them out on Facebook, YouTube or their site. I’ve even gotten hand written cards of thanks for being a loyal customer. You don’t get that in many other places. Thanks lilhelper.ca for the best poop catchers over the last few years and to hopefully for a few more years to come! -
This was a harder review to write as we only used the stock powder a few times in our cooking. We are in the midst of summer so my family is out of the kitchen and at the bbq. Although, we did use the stock powder a few times, each of the times... +
This was a harder review to write as we only used the stock powder a few times in our cooking. We are in the midst of summer so my family is out of the kitchen and at the bbq. Although, we did use the stock powder a few times, each of the times it’s turned out great. We like to make stir fry with rice and usually just use water in our rice. A chef I know (who also absolutely loves this new product) gave us the idea to use the stock powder in our boiling water for the rice to give it a boost of flavour rather than it being bland. It does do the trick. The best part about it, is that it’s vegetable stock, so it doesn’t matter if you are having beef or chicken stir fry it works with both. It also is easier than the bouillon cubes as you can decrease the amount if needed or add just a hint more. The directions on the container state 1 cup boiling water to 1 teaspoon and that was plenty for our rice. You can also use it to make some homemade gravy and of course in soups and stews. (Queue the chef who uses this product at a childcare in the kitchen when making soups, stews and other lovely goodness. She spoke highly of it, and agreed the vegetable stock goes with any dish.) I will be making more inside meals as the days become shorter and cooler again in Northern Ontario and look forward to more dishes with this veggie stock. -
This product is one of my harder reviews. It’s taken us a bit in my family to learn how to use it properly in our cooking. The cubes can be a bit strong if you put more than 1 in a meal at a time. That being said it also depends on the amount of... +
This product is one of my harder reviews. It’s taken us a bit in my family to learn how to use it properly in our cooking. The cubes can be a bit strong if you put more than 1 in a meal at a time. That being said it also depends on the amount of food in your meal. In our case we cook for a family of 4. I used the cube in a cup of boiling water to add to my spaghetti sauce to add some flavour and it seemed to do the trick. Although I only added one and it was just a hint of flavour. I did not get to use it in my stew as it’s summer here and I don’t typically make stew until winter. I look forward to trying it in my stew in the future. Overall, it was a good change from our regular chicken stock to a vegetable stock. -
I love a clean bathroom. I mean who doesn't? So when you have children who are learning to use the toilet, messes can be a huge sticking point. ;) Gross right? I have been struggling to find a very effective cleaner for my bathroom for a few years... +
I love a clean bathroom. I mean who doesn't? So when you have children who are learning to use the toilet, messes can be a huge sticking point. ;) Gross right? I have been struggling to find a very effective cleaner for my bathroom for a few years now. One that isn't going to; break the bank, be more green, not full of harsh chemicals and actually work. I was super excited to use this Vim inspired nature bathroom spray to get all the gritty spots out of my overused bathtub. I am a mom of two young boys who love dirt and food. So we spend a lot of time cleaning up, but who wants to bathe their 1 year old with sensitive skin in a tub with a ring? So I was super impressed when on my first use I was able to actually clean my tub and get rid of the ring on the bottom with little effort. I love having a ring free tub as well as getting rid of all the other spots in my sink and on the sides of my toilet. The smell was not harsh, strong, but not like open the window hold your breath strong, very manageable. The best part is it didn't even leave streaks. My tub was so clean, well until a few hours later when the 4 year old covered in mud, grass and god knows what else immersed into it. But that made me feel all the better knowing there wasn't remaining chemical residue in the bath with my little man. I love how easy it is to use with safety nozzle spray, no elbow grease needed, and no high given from the fumes. Plus the bottle is made or recycled plastic and is then again recyclable right down to the picture cover. It makes the cut in our household and will be something I buy again and again. I totally recommend this product. -
I enjoyed receiving my product testers in the mail and was super excited to try out my new cleaners on a big kitchen mess. Bring on the kitchen projects. So after having a spaghetti night and having all the fun messes that comes with prepping... +
I enjoyed receiving my product testers in the mail and was super excited to try out my new cleaners on a big kitchen mess. Bring on the kitchen projects. So after having a spaghetti night and having all the fun messes that comes with prepping, cooking, serving and then the final clean up. I must say I was ecstatic when I didn't have to do my usual elbow grease to get the tough stains off my stove top and back splash. The bottle is easy to use with a nozzle with a safety feature to lock the spray in case little hands get a hold of it, and its clear. When reading for ingredients, I couldn't find a huge list other than what is on the bottle on the front. With my little guys running around and touching EVERYTHING, I love how it is made with natural ingredients and not harsh chemicals. Also, the bottle is completely recyclable, right down to taking off the cover with the pictures. Overall, I really liked this product and will be buying it again in the future. -
The new Mott’s fruitsation Mango Peach was a good fit for my family. We thoroughly enjoyed eating it as snacks and sometimes with breakfast. My boys 4 years and 11 months both really liked the flavour and asked for more! We didn’t take a picture... +
The new Mott’s fruitsation Mango Peach was a good fit for my family. We thoroughly enjoyed eating it as snacks and sometimes with breakfast. My boys 4 years and 11 months both really liked the flavour and asked for more! We didn’t take a picture of the first set we got, we had to buy more! It will be a different flavour to buy with the other kinds offered on the shelves to keep stock in my household! As a parent I like the added bonus of fibre and unsweetened. Definitely recommend. -
Being a mom of two young boys... means we spend more time in the bathroom than anywhere else in the house (maybe aside the kitchen). When we were selected to be a babygantic trial family I was excited to try the shampoo and body wash. I love that... +
Being a mom of two young boys... means we spend more time in the bathroom than anywhere else in the house (maybe aside the kitchen). When we were selected to be a babygantic trial family I was excited to try the shampoo and body wash. I love that the brand is so into plant based ingredients and for the most part we can pronounce what the ingredients are. This body wash and shampoo are scented and it has a very pleasurable clean scent. I love that it comes with a foaming pump as it makes my 3 year old feel more independent when he can put the soap on his own loofa by himself. This soap is gentle enough for my boys and didn't seem to bother them at the rinse cycle. Again I also like that the bottle has an emblem on the bottom like the moisturizer that indicates it is not tested on animals and of course recyclable. I would recommend this if you are looking for a different wash brand. I love the scent of chamomile and my favourite feature has to be the foaming pump.
I look forward to seeing the babygantics brand come to Canada. I wonder what other products they have to offer us. I have heard about their sunscreen and would be willing to try it come summer.
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With trying the babygantics moisturizing daily lotion, I found it not as effective as some other lotions I use for my babies eczema prone skin. I do like how it is plant based and has a simpler ingredient list that we can pronounce, for the most... +
With trying the babygantics moisturizing daily lotion, I found it not as effective as some other lotions I use for my babies eczema prone skin. I do like how it is plant based and has a simpler ingredient list that we can pronounce, for the most part. I also love the fact that there is an emblem on the bottom stating that the product has not been tested on animals and of course is recyclable. As simple as the moisturizer is, I am not a fan of the smell or texture it leaves behind. I am extremely picky on the type of moisturizer I use on myself and my babies and like non-greasy, non-smelling (for unscented it does have a slight scent, just not perfume based) lotions. I find that this product is about average for its skin care. It will do for dry season and work as a moisturizer. So yes it does pass as something others will like. Especially with organic ingredients. It just doesn't meet my standards for eczema care. -
After being a chosen family to try the new Babygantics wipes I feel obligated to write how my family used them. There are plenty of kinds and brands of wipes out there and being a pampers mom, it is sometimes hard to change what you know and love... +
After being a chosen family to try the new Babygantics wipes I feel obligated to write how my family used them. There are plenty of kinds and brands of wipes out there and being a pampers mom, it is sometimes hard to change what you know and love. After receiving the wipes (or anything else I usually try) the first thing I do is check the ingredients and inspect the packaging. I gotta admit I was skeptical at first, but turned out they do the job just as much as any other wipe. The ingredient list is simple, short and with plant based components. What I love and what caught me off guard was something on the package, the packaging is recyclable! If you worry about your carbon footprint, or like me, try to reduce your family's carbon footprint as much as you can, it makes you feel great knowing its not going into another landfill and is being remade into something else! When you think of how many packages of wipes you go through... sometimes the simplest thought of a recyclable package makes all the difference.
Although the ingredients consist of plants I am not keen on the smell, as they are unscented, they sort of remind me of the hospital smell. Not a bad thing, but not my favourite unscented smell. The wipes are durable to withstand my 8 month old when he grabs hold of one and tries to wipe his own face or when I am not fast enough to grab it before he does when its changing time. They can withstand the stretch without tearing and the stretching can make 1 work a bit more instead of using 2 or 3. My husbands impressed with this aspect. Overall it seems a good brand with less chemicals and more of things we can say on the ingredient list. And they wipe, they wipe it good... ;)
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