I am the type of person that has to be organized. If I do not set things up in advance and organize myself to some degree I get really cranky and anxious. With three kids mealtimes definitely need that element of organization.

Traditionally, I always stored the bibs either in a basket or in a drawer in the kitchen. This meant after washing them, I would have fold the bibs and put them away. Now, thanks to the Baby Bib Holder, I can eliminate some steps, free up some space and be organized in advance!

The Baby Bib Holder comes as a cute retro pink or blue elephant that attaches to the back of the highchair with velcro! Hidden away yet extremely handy, now there is one less thing I will forget at dinner time!

In addition to being really handy the Baby Bib Holders, are non-toxic and hand-made! They can hold up to ten bibs and are so cute! Order yours for just fifteen bucks – a great addition to a baby gift!- by Chelle

Win it! To enter to win a bib holder, choose your colour and leave a comment here before noon mst on September 3, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

August is the month with the highest number of births according to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and plenty of soon-to-be mommies are busy “nesting” and preparing for their long-awaited bundles of joy.

In addition to all the pink or blue decorations, new parents have plenty of home safety precautions to check off their lists. A a reminder to all of you to check over your home for some very important & potentially lifesaving safety items (whether you’re having a baby or not!), we’re giving away a great “Security Blanket” kit from First Alert® that’s filled with essential tools to help you keep your family safe.

The winner will receive First Alert Tundra™ Fire Extinguishing Spray (this looks so cool! and way easier than an extinguisher!), a First Alert SA710 Photoelectric Sensor Smoke Alarm, a First Alert CO 400 Battery-operated Carbon Monoxide Alarm, a Cordzilla bungee-like stretch rope to secure items in closets or garages (super cool!) and a Crawford Duramount Multi-purpose Arm Hook to safely store strollers or other heavy objects in a storage room or garage.

To enter to win this kit valued at over $100, leave a comment on this post before noon this Friday (July 31, 2009).

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I recently received some samples of products from Seventh Generation, a Burlington, VT based company that is well known for their full line of non-toxic household products. Where in the past we’d have had to search far & wide to find such products, I can now get them in my local grocery store. (Only one of the ten stores in town, but at least they’re at one!) I have been using several 7th Gen products for a few years and was just as happy with the new (to me) ones I have been using for the past couple of weeks.

I was especially thrilled with the chlorine free diapers and wipes. I’d considered buying them when I fell off the cloth bandwagon but had concerns about their absorbency & comfort. I was pleasantly surprised by our experience with them. While they’re not quite as cushy as a chemical saturated diaper, they work wonderfully and the natural taupe colour is shockingly adorable.

Of all the cleaners I tried, the kitchen cleaner is my favourite. The wild orange & cedar spice scent is so mild it’s barely noticeable and it works great in all areas of the kitchen, including the sticky floors in a pinch. While I try to use Norwex cloths whenever possible, sometimes I am desperate or am cleaning something that I really don’t want on my cloths and I resort to paper towels and I’m digging the recycled & die free rolls from 7th Gen. It’s very green to be brown, you know.

Coupons for 7th Gen products are available here, and be sure to check out their awesome label reading guide (also available as a free iPhone app!)

Win it! We’ve got a bunch of 7th Gen products to give away, all packaged in a reusable shopping bag. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on July 31, 2009. If you’re so inclined, please share your favourite eco-friendly cleaning products, recipes and tips for all to enjoy!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Do you have a front loading washer? Why is it that they start to smell when left closed up more than a top loader does? Frankly, it’s a little gross. A stinky washing machine does not make the unpleasant task of laundry any nicer. You may not have noticed it yet, but go away for a few weeks and forget to leave the washer door ajar and you’ll soon know what I’m talking about.

I used all natural Smelly Washer in mine and the smell is completely gone. It only too a tablespoon so I have lots left for those rare monthly at least weekly times when I forget the laundry in the wash and it reeks by the time I get to it.

If you’re as forgetful as I am, you can get some helpful odor removal tips from Smelly Washer, and then order your own washer cleaner. The first load you leave in there too long will make it more than worth your while. Smelly Washer is fab for my front loader, but supposedly works just as well in top loading machines and can be used to maintain freshness too – no need to wait until it’s nasty!

Formerly Purewasher, the Smelly Washer company has removed all scents and dyes to conform with all natural product standards. It sells for $16.99 + $5.00 S&H from the Smelly Washer website.

Save 10% with the code theopinionatedparent.

Win it! We’re giving away two bottles of Smelly Washer! To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on July 28, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

It doesn’t matter how long I’ve had children of my own or a classroom full of toys. Every time I talk about “playing with your balls” I giggle like a twelve year old boy.

Cleaning up your balls just got easier and a lot better looking with the Ball Claw. For just over ten bucks, you can mount a basketball, volleyball, soccer ball or football just about anywhere – the garage wall, living room, the ceiling, a pole or even in your vehicle trunk, and it’s super easy to do with the included hardware. Whether you’re cleaning up your garage or displaying collectibles. the Ball Claw is a super cool, easy & convenient way to do it.

Win it! We’re giving away ONE ball claw – your choice – to one randomly selected reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post stating which one you want before noon mst this Friday, July 17, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently urged Americans to take extra fire safety precautions this winter in the wake of several recent multiple fatality fires: “These recent tragic fires have painfully underscored that we are right in the middle of the peak season for home fires,” said NFPA President Jim Shannon.

According to NFPA, December, January and February are the leading months for home fires. In 2007 there were an estimated 399,000 home fires resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths. Cooking is the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries. Smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths. Heating ranks second in home fire deaths overall, but in one- or two-family dwellings it is the leading cause.

Among other tips, the NFPA recommends the following key fire safety tips:

Watch your cooking Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
Have a home fire escape plan Make a home fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year.
Install and test smoke alarms Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Interconnect smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound. Test smoke alarms at least once a month and replace batteries once a year or when the alarm “chirps” to tell you the battery is low. Replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old.
Install carbon monoxide alarms Install CO alarms in a central location outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home.
Install sprinklers If you are building or remodeling your home, install residential fire sprinklers. Sprinklers can contain, and may even extinguish, a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive.

Are you following these simple safety tips? Do you have a plan for fire safety in your home? Do you have a working smoke detector and a fire extinguisher on hand? If not, you owe it to yourself to visit Kidde, the world’s largest manufacturer of fire safety products. On Kidde’s website, not only can you learn about their products, you can read all about Fire Safety and Carbon Monoxide Safety . They even have a online product support page!

We were sent three Kidde products to review – I can highly recommend all of them.

The first was the Kidde FX210R Living Area Fire Extinguisher – White:  There are four classes of fire extinguishers (see link for details). The minimum recommendation for the home from the National Fire Protection Association is to have an ABC extinguisher in your home (living area) and your garage. According to my husband (a fire academy grad), this one from Kidde fits the bill perfectly.  Product Description: White Finish Living Area Fire Extinguisher, Fights Fires Common To The Home Living Areas Such As Wood, Fabrics, Furnishings & Drapes, Meets NFPA Recommendations For Primary Home Protection, 10 Year Warranty, Features Bilingual Name Plate & Carton, Features Include Pressure Gauge, Easy To Pull Safety Pin, Rust & Impact Resistant Nylon Handle, UL Rated 2A10BC.

Next up, the Kidde KN-COSM-B Battery-Operated Combination Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm with Talking Alarm (3 AA batteries are required and are included!) Studies show that more than two in three children will sleep through the sound of a regular smoke alarm but will wake up to the sound of their parent’s voice. With two small children, I was excited to get this alarm. And what a great feature that the smoke alarm is combined with a carbon monoxide detector – now we have one on both levels of the house. Did you know that carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in North America? And because it is odorless, tasteless and invisible, a detector is the only way you have of knowing it’s in your house. And don’t worry about the alarm going off and trying to figure out what the alarm has detected because the voice warning system announces “Fire, Carbon Monoxide, Low Battery or Smart Hush Activation” – eliminating any confusion and clearly warns you and your family of a smoke or carbon monoxide danger, or if your battery is in need of replacement.

Finally we installed the Kidde KN-COPP-B Front Load Battery-Operated Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Digital Display (3 AA batteries are required and are included!) in our kitchen. Product Description The Kidde 900-0146 battery-operated carbon monoxide (CO) alarm uses the patented Nighthawk electrochemical CO sensor to help protect you and your family from the dangers of CO. Easy to install, the 900-0146’s backlit digital display shows CO levels in parts per million and updates every 15 seconds. When the unit is operating properly and hazardous CO levels are not detected, its green LED flashes every 30 seconds. In a CO emergency, the red LED pulses and an 85 db horn sounds at specific intervals until the CO threat is eliminated. Because it’s powered by 3 AA batteries, the 900-0146 is able to provide continuous monitoring of CO levels, even during power outages. – by CPA Mom

Win it! We’re giving away a fire safety kit valued at $100 from Kidde which includes all three of the above mentioned items. Our apologies…US readers only because of the chemical content. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on February 2, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED – Congrats to Madeline – another winner with a blog!

We are full to the brim with Christmas spirit around these parts. As anyone with a preschooler can attest, Christmas rocks. Having an excitable child in your midst makes the holiday season truly wondrous. There are so many traditions to pass on from our own childhoods and more to start fresh with our children.

One tradition that I was excited to start this year was Elf on the Shelf (caution: music loads automatically). I was excited when I decided I was going to do it, and now that the kids have experienced him I’m even more excited and thrilled that we’ll be able to use him every Christmas season to come and start a tradition that we hope our children will pass on to theirs one day.

Elf on the Shelf, founded by mom, entrepreneur, former teacher & writer Carol Aebersold, who teamed with her daughter Chanda Bell, also a former teacher, and award-winning illustrator Coë Steinwart to create The Elf on the Shelf in 2005. The tradition of the shelf elf began for her family when her own children were young.

She says, “Plagued by their desire to know how Santa really knew who had been naughty or nice, I searched through the Christmas decorations for a plausible explanation. Nestled among them was the answer; a small elf doll from my own childhood. With that discovery, the idea for the elf tradition was born.

Unwittingly, the tradition provided an added benefit: it helped the children to better control themselves. All it took was a gentle reminder that the “elf was watching” for errant behavior to be modified.”

Seeing the look on my children’s faces when they first spotted the elf and their excitement as I read them the story was the best gift of the season thus far. Each morning as they wake and search for the elf the spirit of the season just keeps on giving. The gift of seeing that innocent wonder & bubbling excitement in a child is the best gift a parent can receive, and the Elf on the Shelf gives it to us every single day. Also a great gift? A little help with the crazy behaviour that comes with December. Just a little added bonus.

Elf on the Shelf sells for $30 US and is available for purchase from their gift shop (shipping to US & Canada) or by phone @ 877-919-4105 (for shipping worldwide or if you’d just rather not buy it online). I also spotted one in the card shop at my local mall for $40, but it was the last one and every other store I checked was sold out so online is the way to go if you’re as excited about getting this tradition started as I am. There’s an additional activity book available for $15.

Win it! We’ve got an Elf on the Shelf gift pack including the book & elf to give to one lucky reader. In order to allow the winner to use this for more than a few days, we’re going to make this contest a little shorter than usual.

To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on Monday, December 15, 2008. The randomly selected winner will be contacted via email within the hour and the parcel shipped that afternoon so that it can be enjoyed to the fullest this season. Good luck! (and if you haven’t gotten an email by Monday at 1 pm mst, order one! Your family will love it!)

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

And that’s not even remotely as dirty as it sounds.

Photofiddle is a new-to-me site that I’ll be revisiting for sure as we have family photos taken over the years. Recently my husband and I took our first half-decent ‘us only’ photo in years. We had planned to frame it somehow but hadn’t decided what to do. When we discovered Photofiddle, we knew it simply had to be turned into a canvas.

With over 50 art styles to choose from and four
products to put them on, there’s surely something everyone’s going to love. We chose a wrapped canvas (a 12×18 is less than $100 including the fiddling) and we absolutely love it.

Even more than the canvas itself, we loved the amazing choices that Photofiddle offered. I simply sent them the bare straight-out-of-the-camera image and they sent me back links to 50 fiddled choices in just a day or two – from turning my husband and I into comic book characters to the oil painting above and the fantasy art & pastel choices you see below. (Incidentally, we chose the oil painting and the canvas makes it look fab. We were incredibly impressed with the quality of the canvas.)

Photofiddle is such an easy site to use, and it allows anybody to turn an uploaded digital photo into super cool styles of art. After you decide on your product and design, you can order it in practically any size ranging from 8″x8″ to 6 feet by 20ft in canvas or art prints, framed or unframed. Like limited edition artists, Photofiddle creates extremely high quality work but for a fraction of the price.

It’s like having a friend who’s really great at photoshopping but can also create cool works of art with their designs and deliver it right to your door. Fast.

Win it! Photofiddle is giving away a $50 gift certificate to one T.O.P. reader for the holidays. To enter, leave a comment mentioning which of the 50 art styles you like best and think you might use your $50 toward. Contest closes at noon mst on December 3, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I’ve got to tell you about this cool new preschooler product developed by Canadian 2FishKids and available from Stork Baby Boutique.

I have a young preschooler (Oh my God – did I just say I have a preschooler?) who is obsessed with what we’re doing each day and never forgets an appointment. I have tried to use my calendar with him and I’ve tried one with little round magnets & no writing space that just didn’t work.

This magnetic weekly calendar is PERFECT for us! It’s well organized, colourful and personalized to his incredibly active week. It teaches about the days of the week, seasons, weather and more. He can now simply look at the calendar to anticipate what’s coming up later this week and it’s greatly reduced the occurrence of “What’s tomorrow, Mommy?”

The fully magnetic calendar measures 13 1/8” x 8 1/8” and comes with 58 activity, season and weather magnets, a dry erase marker and a storage bag. Because of the smallish magnets, it’s recommended for ages 3+. This indispensable preschool tool retails for just $19.99.

Save 10% at Stork Baby Boutique with the code OP1008.

You’ll find this code and many more in the TOP Shops!

Win it! We’re giving away one of these great calendars to one reader. To enter, you just need to browse Stork and leave a comment on this post with your favourite product(s) not mentioned in this post before noon mst on November 28, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED AND WINNER EMAILED

Natural Creation is a Canadian company that hand-makes all natural products for women. It was founded by two doulas, Chelsea LaFrance and Emily Baxter. They specialize in products for pregnancy, labour & postpartum, as well as babies. In addition to making organic cotton and hemp ring slings, Natural Creation offers natural solutions for nausea, headaches,exhaustion, varicose veins, stretch marks, perineal healing, stress, teething pain, cleaning and more. All of their products are made in small batches to ensure quality and freshness and are vegan and free of synthetic perfumes, colours, and preservatives.

As someone who cleans almost exclusively with vinegar and baking soda but often yearns for something that smells a little more pleasant, I was thrilled to discover Tea Tree Clean – a mixture of tea tree and lemon essential oils in purified water. The mixture is naturally antibacterial, antiviral, and deodorizing. While it’s technically labeled “for diaper bags,” Tea Tree Clean mist is awesome as a hand sanitizer or for cleaning change pads or toys. It’s perfect for wiping down shopping carts & restaurant tables, doorknobs and almost anything that could use a little bit of a clean up. It smells great and wonderfully clean, and the lemon lightens the strong tea tree scent just perfectly. The 120 ml glass bottle sells for $15.95 – a great deal since I’ve been using it many times a day for a few weeks and have barely made a dent in it.

Win it! We’ve got a bottle of Tea Tree Clean up for grabs. To enter, leave a comment on this post letting us know some of your other fave products from this page. Contest closes at noon mst on November 25, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Safety Caps were developed by George DeCell after his daughter choked on a standard electrical outlet plug cover. Now that’s what I call a problem solving Daddy!

I had no idea that the standard plugs are only 1 3/8″ wide and fit perfectly into a child’s mouth. We use the Shok Stop outlets from Home Depot so there are no opening visible at any time and we love them. They’re costly, though, and Safety Caps are a much less expensive solution. At only $10.99 for a whole house package (48 Safety Caps), you can afford to keep your kids safe from not only electricity but also other dangerous products that are designed to keep them safe.

The pacifier inspired design of Safety Caps is rather brilliant in the face of the alternative. They measure 2 1/4 inches at their widest point. They take some work to get into a child’s mouth, so it’s not likely to happen. But if your child is crafty and “spirited” like mine then they might, and you don’t have to worry because there are holes on each side designed to allow air flow in and out. Buy them here.

Win it! Five randomly selected T.O.P. readers will win a whole house pack of Safety Caps. To enter, leave a comment on this post before 11:59 mst on October 8, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

With fall (too quickly) approaching, it’s time to start searching out some great personalized items for the kids to take back to school. We’re die hard Olive Kids lovers around here, and preschoolers and school aged kiddos alike will love all of the great personalized items from OK.

My son is an early reader and is loving his personalized bookmark ($9.99). It’s high quality and thick enough that even my dogs couldn’t completely destroy it (and believe me – they tried). My teething baby’s slobber didn’t penetrate it at all so the laminate is obviously well sealed! (Are you seeing a theme here? I live in a zoo, apparently.)

The Olive Kids placemats ($9.99) are a hit at our house too. These aren’t any old disposable placemats. They’re the same high quality as the bookmark and if they can make my crazy kid want to sit still and eat at the table they’ve got my vote!

When your kids head to school, off to daycare or just to a playdate with their backpack in tow, a personalized name tag ($7.99) is not only adorable but can help you get those packs home when they’re abandoned in favour of a good game of tag.

No matter how you feel about personalized goods, kids love them. When they’re high quality like these ones are, they’re sure to be a hit for a long, long time.

Win it! OK is giving away a prize pack valued at $28 including a personalized summer placemat of your choice, a personalized, bookmark of your choice and a name tag of your choice. To enter, visit OK and leave a comment letting us know the patterns you’d choose for each of your three items. Contest closes at 11:59 mst on August 15/08.

Additional entries available – up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

You asked for a great calendar, and we’ve got one for you.

Families With Purpose has a great selection of calendars and my own family is now using the Mom’s Plan It Calendar. It’s a 17-month calendar (August 2008 – December 2009) for a family’s busy world. Hanging below the calendar is a handy storage pocket for party invitations, appointment reminder cards, forms and tickets. There’s a built-in magnetic hanger so you can just slap it on the fridge and start using it, and a sturdy wall hanger too, if that’s your thing. It also comes with 442 stickers to help mark special events. At the top of the calendar there’s a plastic clip that used pages easily tuck in to and stay there. Unless you want to look back at old pages – they’re very easy to pull in and out.

It’s 11″ x 20.5″ when open and fits perfectly on my freezer door. Each writing rectangle is 1.25″ x .25″ and each of up to five family members have their own space for each day. Being a four human family (plus three fur babies, but they don’t have many appointments), I’m using the fifth spot for dinner planning.

There are eight different styles to choose from. No matter what your family composition, if you’ve got kids there’s likely a calendar at Families With Purpose that would be perfect for you.

Buy it here for just $14.99.

Win it! We’ve got a Mom’s Plan It Calendar to give away to one reader. To enter, visit the Families With Purpose store and then leave a comment on this post telling us what other product(s) available there are of interest to you. Alternatively, hit the home page and tell us about any section of the site that you like. Contest closes at 11:59 mst on August 13/08.

Additional entries available – up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Although there are many great reasons to have children, I have to admit one reason for me was having the opportunity to decorate a creative childrens’ space! My inner artist looked forward to painting beautiful murals that my children would gaze upon in awe and wonder.

I have moved four times since my not quite four year old was born. No beautiful paintings on the walls, no murals – just the basics that could be easily moved as we traveled the world. Add another kid into the mix and my days of painting murals have long passed – at least for now.

We have seen some cute wall decorations but when I saw WallaBabies, I squealed with delight! The designs are so retro adorable and NOT a licensed character from a television show! Just looking at the designs makes me (oh, and my kids) so happy. My daughter adores the bugs and my one year old keeps pointing at the bees … b…b…b. The designs are totally a hit!

Putting the wall graphics up was a snap, and took no time at all. In fact I did it myself. No need for my husband this time! The website has a great How To, that walks you through each step with no room for error. We have the Secret Garden Pack which consists of five 13″ x 14″ decal sheets. The perfect amount to decorate one wall beautifully or spread a little more sparsely throughout a whole room.

Now as my kids fall to sleep they are surrounded by clouds, flowers, insects and mushrooms and I can feel guilt-free for not painting them a mural! -Chelle

Win it! We’re giving away the same Secret Garden set that Chelle used and loved. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon MST on June 19/08.

Additional entries available – up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

My friends are wonderful and I don’t get to visit them nearly as often as I’d like. When I do, I love to leave a hostess gift in the room I slept in. For the person who has everything, I love the adorable handmade felt conversation birds from Gifts Define.

In addition to the any occasion birds, they are also available adorned with ribbon and a gift card announcing a pregnancy, welcoming a baby, saying thank you, I love you or any number of other sentiments. If (and I do mean if I have a third child, I’m thinking I’ll leave a conversation bird hanging on a doorknob in various people’s homes to make the announcement.

Then they’ll be able to say truthfully “A little birdie told me!”

Another amazing product from Gifts Define are their handmade felt tooth guardian angels. As a teacher of 6 year old children, I have seen first hand the excitement that accompanies losing a tooth. I make it as special as I can for the children in my classroom but nothing is as awesome as the memories created around those normal childhood experiences at home.

When your child loses a tooth, they can put it in the pocket of the tooth guardian angel and hang it on their door. It’s much easier to get to once they’re asleep than if it were under their pillow, and seeing it on the door drastically reduces the chance of the Tooth Fairy forgetting to come. The tooth can be replaced with a coin or other special item to commemorate the lost tooth for the child to discover when they wake in the morning. I’m saving mine and can hardly wait until we get to use it. I’m assuming my son’s molars will actually come in and he’ll sleep through the night once or twice before he loses a tooth?

Both products are incredibly well made with fabulous detailing and are gifted in a simple yet elegant organza bag. Keep in mind, these are not toys and many contain small pieces not suitable for young children. (Who, generally, are not losing teeth.)

Save 10% at Gifts Define with the code em>GDOPINI10 only until until June 13/08.

I am a rather frequent hand-washer and am intensely disgusted at people who slack in general hygiene – particularly when there is food or children involved. However, I have drawn the line at alcohol-based hand sanitizers anywhere but in a hospital. They dry my skin, they stink and they’re toxic – nothing I’d ever allow in my home. (Unless it’s in the beer fridge – that would be perfectly okay. Preferably a good cabernet.)

I’ve been gifted with some Cleanwell (not yet available in Canada, sadly, but they’re working on the approval process) and have resolved to never leave home without it. Made with Ingenium – a Thyme product – Cleanwell kills 99.5% of germs on contact, including staph, E.Coli and salmonella. It’s poison-free and totally safe for kids, 100% biodegradable and never tested on animals.

The hand sanitizer is available in spray or wipe form and both certainly have their place. A bottle in each purse and the diaper bag as well as in change areas at home, a wipe in the lunch kit and the glove compartment…it’s all about being prepared.

The hand soap smells good enough to eat and has all of the same great benefits as the hand sanitizer with the exception of being portable. Because, you know…it’s soap. Unfortunately, it contains sodium laurel sulphate, which is a deal breaker at my house, but if you use regular soap with SLS in it regularly, this one is much better than any I’ve seen.

I’m very glad I live so close to the Canada-USA border and can get there in less than an hour. I’ll be popping down to Target to pick up some more Cleanwell soon!

Win it! Thanks to Cleanwell, we’re giving away 25 coupons valued at $5 each redeemable at any store that carries CleanWell (Target, anyone?) You choose… a free hand wash or hand sanitizer product. Unfortunately, this contest is only open to US residents. To enter, simply email theopinionatedparent AT gmail DOT com with CLEANWELL in the subject line and your full name and mailing address in the body of the email. Twenty five qualifying emails will be drawn at random and the coupons will be shipped out asap. Contest closes on June 5/08 at noon MST.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

Remember the Flipper toothbrush holder?

Remember how they offered you a 20% off code because they felt sorry for y’all who didn’t win?

Well, you’re getting lucky again! We’ve got two toothbrush holders and two razor holders to give away. Two winners will each receive one of each – just leave a comment to enter! You’ve got just 48 hours to enter – contest closes at 8 pm MST on Wednesday, May 28/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

I’m always shocked when I clean our bathrooms thoroughly (not often enough, but that’s another story) and see the mung that lives in the bottom of the toothbrush holders. That’s some serious grossness. With everything I do to keep my family safe from harm, I’m letting them put that crap near their mouths?

I’m won’t be concerned for long because I’m switching them all out for Flipper toothbrush holders. These cute and sanitary individual toothbrush holders adhere to mirror or tile with suction cups and allow for completely hands free operation with no chance of cross-contamination from brush to brush. They’re super easy to use (see the product demo at the right side of the home page) and when they get dirty I just toss mine in the toddler basket in the dishwasher and it’s good for another 10,000 miles.

They make a great razor holder too!

Save 20% on your Flipper toothbrush holders with the code “opinionated parent”

Win it! We’ve got a cute little golden retriever Flipper (pictured) to give away. To enter, leave a comment on this post listing your favourite Flipper design that’s NOT mentioned in this post. Contest closes May 9/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

I’m a labeling freak. There are labels everywhere in my house – even the bin that holds the labels is labeled!

Lovable Labels is a Canadian mom-run company that carries a large selection of customized labels as well as some cool stuff to help a mom around the house. Goodness knows I need all the help I can get.

My kids especially love their unique fun stickies that are shaped like butterflies and dinosaurs and are available in lots more cool shapes (pictured at right). Believe it or not, they’re less likely to leave their things lying around the park when they have their own special label on them. And for those days when they do, I’ve got a better chance of getting them back eventually!

Have a child with allergies or medical issues? Check out these cool vital ID wristbands. The kids I know would be much more comfortable wearing those than a metal bracelet. And while you’re looking for things that make your kids ecstatically happy? Personalized notecards and way cool books would be fantastic gifts. Is it too early to shop for stocking stuffers? I think not.

Mention that you heard about Lovable Labels through the The Opinionated Parent during the checkout process and receive 15 FREE Red Regular Sticker Bonus Labels with your purchase. One per family. Expires May 30, 2008.

Our house is full of pictures – scrapbooks, boxes, CD’s full of digital images and walls full of frames. I was recently given the opportunity to try out Imagekind Story Frames™.

It’s an online service that allows you to build your own visual narrative by placing multiple images in the frame of your choosing. After uploading and selecting your images you use their unique framing engine to position, crop, rotate and resize your images in the frame of your choice.

The process is fun and extremely easy. You can try it out at no charge and see for yourself!

I made a story frame for my new daughter’s room with a belly photo, her ultrasound photo, a newborn photo with me and a 6 week photo. It looked great on my monitor but I was still very pleasantly surprised when the (extremely well packed & protected) parcel arrived on my doorstep. The framing is truly professional quality and the frame itself is obviously not from the local big box store.

Imagekind is so sure you’ll love their products that they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee – no questions asked! Imagekind Story Frames™ range from approximately $50-$90 – less than it would cost me at a local professional framing store but much more than a similar but far lower quality frame from a big box store. Perhaps these aren’t for every day at those prices, but for special occasions like weddings and babies, story frames are perfect!

Wooden letters are all the rage nowadays in children’s rooms. They’re in all of the magazines and you can buy them pretty much everywhere. I’ve looked around a little bit and everything I’ve found I either have to paint myself (no thanks) or is a flat (and therefore generic) paint colour that doesn’t quite match my kids’ rooms. So I’ve kept looking and until recently hadn’t found quite what I wanted.

The decorated letters from So Called Mommy’s Etsy shop fit the bill perfectly. At only $7 per letter maximum and super cheap shipping, they’re not only less than half the price of most I’ve seen but they’re far more beautiful and each one is personalized exactly the way you want it.

So Called Mommy Stephanie Paxman made my newborn daughter the letters of her name to match her new room and her taste is fantastic. They’re crafty but not country and are adorned with scrapbooking accessories like bows & buttons. Unless you like a simpler look. She aims to please! They match our nursery perfectly and have been complimented by everyone who has seen them. As an added bonus, my 22 month old son can now read his sister’s name and recognizes it in other places because he’s read it so many times on her wall!

I love everything about Etsy, and it’s because of people like Stephanie that it’s such a success. At these prices, I’m not only supporting another mom but am saving myself hours of work and getting something even nicer than I could have made and more personalized than I’d ever get from a larger store. What a lovely gift it would be to have these letters made for a baby’s shower to match his or her nursery!

When you place your order, mention The Opinionated Parent to get 10% off.

Be the first reader to place an order from So Called Mommy and mention The Opinionated Parent and you get one free wooden letter in addition to the discount on your order!

If you have a toddler and you haven’t got a KABOOST, you don’t know what you’re missing.

At about 17 months my son began to occasionally refuse his booster because, quite frankly, he got my control freak streak and hates to be strapped in if he’s “in one of those moods” and/or not absolutely famished. We’ve tried letting him sit right at the table without his tray many times but his booster seat didn’t allow him to be pulled close enough and he was eye level with the table without it.

With KABOOST, we’ve found our answer.

It’s a lightweight chair booster that fits under the legs of any 4 legged seat and lifts the whole thing closer to the table. There are two different heights (4.5” and 3.75”) adjusted simply by flipping it over. The height adjustment feature is great for growing kids and also for different table styles. My son could probably use the higher seat height right now at 19.5 months but his legs would be crushed by the edge of the table and the shorter one is certainly good enough to make him happy and comfortable at the table.

The KABOOST folds up small for portability and each of the four legs is tightly spring loaded to grip the legs of your chair safely, whether they’re round or square, fat or skinny. Since it increases the base measurement of the chair, it actually increases the stability slightly. A nice touch for a monkey like my son!

The KABOOST retails for $40 and is available in three colours.

If only they made these for short moms.

(Wait. They hold up to 300 pounds! What do you think the wait staff would say if I brought my own KABOOST for my bar stool?)

Save 20% on your KABOOST order until January 31, 2008
with the code kaboostday

One randomly selected lucky T.O.P. reader will win a KABOOST in their choice of colour. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with KABOOST in the subject line and list the three available colour choices before midnight MST on 12/19/07. Please include your complete mailing address and blog link if you’d like us to link you up if you win. Congratulations Betty!

I seriously can’t believe I didn’t change that title before posting this.
Blame it on the hormones with less than 3 weeks to go…

WedgEZ™ is another one of those products that we love to find here at T.O.P.. You know, the ones that we should have thought of ourselves but didn’t. Or if we did we were too lazy or stupid to do anything about it and that’s why we’re so grateful for all of the great folks that email us to tell us about their inventions!

Such a simple concept really, and one that many parents have likely wished someone would invent.

You know those little plastic outlet plug inserts?

The one you’ve probably broken several nails trying to remove?

The one that I actually used a butter knife to remove once? (Duh.)

Now you can simply insert the top of a WedgEZ™ between the plug and the outlet, gently press it toward the wall and it’s dislodged. So simple. So smart. So not a butter knife.

I tried it and it’s incredibly simple to use and works like a charm. It’s also designed to attach easily to your vacuum cord so it’s easily accessible when you need it. For me, I’m hoping it inspires me to vacuum each time I need an outlet for something.

The WedgEZ™ is 100% guaranteed — if it breaks or fails to perform as specified, they replace it for free. They retail for only $3.99 or 3 for $9.99.

Ten randomly selected readers will win their own WedgEZ! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 12/14/07 with WedgEZ in the subject line and tell us how many forms of payment are accepted at the WedgEZ site. Just a number is good! Congratulations to Kristin, Jennifer, Megan, Renae, Nissa, Amber, Jessie, Bree, Angela & Betsy!

I was excited to hear about Lily On The Fly because, though I consider myself a good cook, I rarely remember to plan meals in advance and am often throwing something together at the last minute or eating appetizers for supper.

When the starter kit arrived in the mail it was even better than I thought it would be. It’s not just recipe cards – it really is a complete family meal planning kit that includes a deck of 36 meal cards and a 7 slot magnetic organizer so your whole week of meals is easily accessible on your fridge. The cards are colour coded into main dishes, side dishes and treats for easy planning, and each card has easy to follow instructions for day-before/morning prep as well as the last minute toss-together instructions. Turn the magnetic holder over and the back of each card becomes your shopping list for the week.

Brilliant, isn’t it? It really is the total package.

There are recipes that take a little bit of prep and recipes that take hardly any so you can plan your weekly according to your schedule and always have something yummy to eat. My favourite recipe so far? Cheesy potato soup. Perfect for a cold Canadian winter! There are currently two 36 card expansion packs available for $10.95 each in addition to the starter kit which sells for $15.95.

This would make an awesome gift for anyone, but especially a family with a new baby looking to do something that I find very challenging for the first several months of newborn life. Eating warm food at least once a day. Is that just me?

Use the discount code OP to save 10% until 1/15/08!

Lily on the Fly is giving a Complete Hearty Meals Collection to one T.O.P. reader. To enter the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 12/10/07 with Lily on the Fly in the subject line and tell us the three ‘on the fly’ steps to creating great hearty meals! Congratulations Katalin!

Anyone who’s had a baby knows that if you aren’t well prepared you’ll often be running stairs just to change a diaper or you may even have a package of diapers and wipes laying in every room just to avoid the hassle. Since that looks, well…crappy, you’ll be very pleased to know about the SaraBear diaper caddy available from the fab online retailer The Polkadot Platypus. Available in six colours including my fave pictured at right, this well-planned basket is perfect for storing changing convenience right at your fingertips without completely ruining the flow of your decor. You know…if that’s important to you. I don’t know many people who go all the way to their child’s bedroom to change a diaper after the first few hazy weeks so why don’t we just make it easy on ourselves from the start? (You know that gorgeous hunk of wood taking-up-valuable-space changing table you bought and set up in the nursery upstairs? Do yourself a favour and return it now.)

Whether you love the diaper caddy for style reasons or not, I guarantee you’ll love it for the function. The removable and washable fabric insert has five fitted compartments and four pockets in the perfect sizes for a baby wipes container, diapers, creams, burp cloths and anything else you might need. I’m a big fan of anything that makes a parent’s life easier and this is one product that will do both that and look a whole lot better than the alternative. I sure wish I had one when I was a new mom!

The Polkadot Platypus always offers free shipping on orders over $75.

Win a SaraBear diaper caddy of your choice from The Polkadot Platypus! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 10/9/07 with Polkadot Platypus in the subject line and tell us the name of your favourite diaper caddy style. Congratulations Betty!

Some kids need a little incentive to get excited about learning. The Learning Calendar from Fat Brain Toys is a fantastic “Back To School” gift that’s sure to get kids pumped!

It’s a 17 month (Aug. – Dec.) activity and trivia calendar that includes some very cool themes like ‘Holidays & Celebrations Around the World.’ Perhaps my favourite feature is new to the 2008 calendar and that’s the ‘Surprise Time Capsule’ assignments that guide children in gathering images, personal artwork & notes, documents and artifacts that, over the 12 fun tasks, create an irreplaceable collection of history from the year 2008!

We’ve got one to give away! To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 9/19/07 with Learning Calendar in the subject line and tell us the retail price of it. Congratulations Allisa!

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By CPA Mom

Wee Gallery uses animals made up of high contrast repeating patterns to stimulate your baby’s visual development. They have recently introduced a new line of products for your baby’s room: Wrapped Canvases. Each 9×12” (some 12×12″ available) canvas print is printed on high-quality canvas with UV-resistant inks, so they’ll last for years! Bonus? No glass means you don’t have to worry about cuts from broken glass should your rambunctious preschooler manage to get them off the wall. They all come in themed sets of three and there’s something to match most every decor. Each set of 3 retails for $60 USD. We fell in love with the simple, yet ingenious art. Designed for babies, my pre-schoolers enjoy them as well.

A stripey zebra, dotty giraffe, and a curly elephant on a green savannah scene make up the Savannah Collection.

A spotty stingray, stripey seahorse and fat turtle on a sea blue undersea scene, pictured below, make up the Undersea Collection.

A sunny lion, patterned parrot and silly monkey on a leaf green jungle scene make up the Jungle Collection.

A stripey dragonfly, swirly squirrel and fat bird on a rose-colored garden scene make up the Garden Collection.

A curly sheep, flowery pig and speckled cow on a corn-yellow farm scene make up the Farmyard Collection.

Like what you see? Wee Gallery also carries flash cards, a mobile, wall graphics and more! Wee Gallery products are highly regarded the world over. All products are available for purchase online and in stores around the world.

We love these classic black and white designs because they’re visible to baby from birth but on these great coloured canvas backgrounds they’re perfect for the big kids who have graduated to colour. We’ve got a 3 pack of UnderSea Wall Canvases for one lucky reader. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Canvas in the subject line by midnight tonight and name one Wee Gallery product not mentioned in this review. Congratulations Cori!

Guest review by T.O.P. reader Heather. Pay her a visit, won’t you?

For no particular reason my aunt sent us a gift of a Cuisinart Ice 45 Mix It In Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker and it was a great surprise. Unfortunately, it may have been a little too great since I have been making it 2-3 times a week and I’m trying to lose weight. We already had a more basic ice cream maker that rarely got used but this one is a soft serve one that lets you mix in candy toppings and even has a cone holder. The kids think its a ton of fun and every time we have their friends over we make it.

Buy it from Amazon. It’s on sale now for $100 (from $235) and ships free!