Health

Strolling in style with the Britax B-Ready! ~ Giveaway

Published May 9, 2012 | By Julie Kieras

Are you ready for a little stroller love? Because the past month has been smooth rolling for me with my new BRITAX B-Ready stroller.

Among the fun things I get to do as a blogger is meet and greet the companies behind the products – which I did about a month or so ago at a media brunch sponsored by BRITAX . They showcased all their new colors and features (and fed us yummy food).

I’m relatively new to the BRITAX brand, but I was impressed by the sturdy construction and the attention to both safety details and comfort/usage details.

BRITAX gave me a B-Ready stroller and the BRITAX Chaperone infant carrier car seat to review. And I likey, likey!

First – the car seat… now we don’t have little Baby 2.0 yet to fully test it out but there are some features I already love! For one, the rebound bar attached to the base – a rebound bar is an important safety feature – in the event of a crash, it will keep the carrier from rebounding into the back of the car seat:

Also, the generous canopy to protect baby from sun, wind, rain… I told my son his baby brother would ride in there, and he was trying to figure out where, exactly, is this “baby brother”!

And… it’s compatible with all the BRITAX strollers using the integrated CLICK & GO adapter system, plus with other stroller brands using the BRITAX adapter strap (which is included! So thoughtful!).

Which leads me to… the amazing BRITAX B-Ready stroller system. Where do I start? First – the frame – simple, sleek and wait till you see what it can do:

For your first baby, see, you can pop on the BRITAX infant carrier right on the front. Click!

(Did you have twins? The B-Ready can handle TWO infant carriers top and bottom!).

When your first baby grows out of the carrier, pop the carrier off, pop the stroller seat back on. Voila – regular baby stroller. The seat on the 2012 model has 4 recline angles!

Oh, you’re ready to have another baby? (Me too!). Guess what? Add a backseat! (Sold Separately). YES! And then pop that baby carrier back on the front, and you have toddler and baby rolling along in style!

My son LOVES sitting in his backseat ride:

Guess what else – babies grow up… soon we’ll have TWO toddlers and that regular stroller seat can go back on the front and the BRITAX B-Ready is once again ready for a two-toddler stroll.

Oh my goodness – does it get better? YES! When you have a toddler riding up front and preschooler who doesn’t want to sit in a stroller seat behind… Get the new Stroller Board for the back and your youngster can hop on and off for a ride to rest their still-young legs. How cool is that?

Other awesome features:

Simple Fold with Automatic Chassis Lock
One-step linked brake locks both rear wheels with one step
All-Wheel Suspension for a smooth ride
Removable storage bag with insulated drink holders
Included accessories: adult cup-holder, rain cover, CLICK & GO BRITAX infant car seat adapters

So… it’s fair to say I’m BRITAX’s new “biggest fan” – we’ve taken this stroller out on many-a walk now, and I am delighted with the one-handed steering capabilities – I can steer WHILE holding and drinking my cup of coffee – that is how smooth and responsive this stroller rides!

If you’re gearing up for baby, check out the BRITAX line of strollers and car seats.

And you simply MUST check out the BRITAX Registry Rewards program - it’s a no-brainer to earn a FREE $319.99 BRITAX Boulevard Car Seat… all you do is create a registry (like you haven’t already!), then receive as a gift or purchase yourself 1 eligible product from each of 5 categories (Stroller, Car Seat, Baby Carrier, Large Accessory, and Small Accessory) on the New Parent Checklist. There’s a submission process to claim your free car seat – read about it by clicking the link above! It’s a great way to earn a free car seat!

Now for the big news! Who wants to WIN IT? Yes, BRITAX has partnered with me to give away a BRITAX B-Ready stroller system to one of my readers!! ARV $499.99. Enter in the Rafflecopter form below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

GIVEAWAY RULES: Open US/CAN. 18+ to enter/win. Winner will be emailed directly and have 48 hours to respond to claim their prize! Ends 11:59 on June 4, 2012. Fulfillment handled by Britax. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook.

Thanks to BRITAX for sending the stroller and car seat for review and offering this GREAT giveaway! All opinions are my own and 100% honest.

Posted in baby gear, Current Giveaways, fitness, Giveaways, review, travel | 157 Comments

Oransi Fridge Air Purifier ~ Giveaway

Published May 4, 2012 | By Julie Kieras

Does your nose wrinkle when you open the fridge? I hate that “weird fridge smell” (do you have a better name for it! ha!), and I start rummaging to find the offending of bit of food.

Still, odors in the fridge just build up, even if you clean out your food regularly, so lately I’ve been using the Oransi Fridge Air Purifier kitchen gadget to refresh my fridge.

I think it’s working better than the box of baking soda I used to keep on the shelf and forget about for years, because I haven’t smelled anything funky lately. I’ve been thinking about shutting this purifier up in our closet, because I can’t quite get that “shoe” smell out of there!

The Oransi Fridge air purifier is about the size of a lemon and fits just about anywhere – I was really pleased that it didn’t take up much room in our fridge. And it works pretty much out of the box once you put in the two AA Batteries. No filters or replacement parts, which I like because I hate keeping track of things like that!

It uses ionic technology to deodorize without ozone like some other deodorizers. Because it silently removes bacteria and odors, your produce stays fresher, so you can reduce food waste and save money! I love seeing the teeny light on when I open the door to my refrigerator because I know it’s working!

What do you do to keep the odors out of your refridgerator?

BUY IT: Get the Oransi Fridge air purifier online for $29. Oransi is also the manufacturer of room air purifiers that produce totally clean air. Worth checking out if you have asthma or allergy sufferers in your house.

WIN IT: One reader gets a fresher fridge by winning an Oransi Fridge Air purifier! Enter in the Rafflecopter form below!
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Posted in cleaning, Giveaways, health, household, review | 75 Comments

Safe Sunshine with UVSkinz ~ Giveaway

Published May 2, 2012 | By Julie Kieras

Today I’m thrilled to give you a review and giveaway from my May Sponsor, UVSkinz, and a peek into company founder, Rhonda Sparks’ mission for UVSkinz!

A Year With Mom and Dad: What inspires you?
Rhonda Sparks: It is extremely inspiring to see the ‘light bulbs’ going on for parents that understand the importance of sun protection, and who absolutely love the peace-of-mind and efficiencies our products bring. I love knowing we are helping families protect their loved ones from the potential dangers of the sun!

AYWMD: What’s your favorite part about what you do? The most challenging?
RS: Favorite part is working with my team to make WOW experiences for our customers. Our mantra in the office is to ‘exceed the customer’s expectations’ … give them something they weren’t expecting! The most challenging aspect of what I do is managing cash flow and budgeting.

AYWMD: How do you incorporate your children/family into your business?
RS: I run all of our designs by our kids to get their opinions and I also listen to ideas they have. I also use our younger kids as fit models and catalog and website models. The joke in the office is that I had more kids because I needed more models for the company – ha!

AYWMD: Do you have a favorite quote or idea that motivates you?
RS: “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” – Lewis Carroll

AYWMD: What do you most want people to know about you and your mission with UVSkinz?
RS: That we are more than just a fashion company, trying to make money. We have a mission to ‘get all kids covered!’ across the world and our goal is to touch each of our customers (and potential customers) with our passion and commitment to education about the importance of sun protection. We don’t measure the dollars that we earn, but the potential lives we save with each unit sold.

Thanks, Rhonda!

UVSkinz is truly about more than making money – Rhonda is personally motivated by life experiences (she lost her husband to melanoma at 32 years old) to educate consumers about the need for adequate sun protection.

95% of skin cancer is preventable! And, when children get a sunburn, they double their risk of skin cancer as an adult. So, let’s prevent and protect!

The baby / kids’ lines from UVSkinz have fun prints and styles so kids will want to “Live in their Skinz.” My favorites are the UVSkinz Combos - short, shirt, and hat sets that coordinate! Check out my little dude in his Surf Set!

With UVSkinz UV protective clothing, my son doesn’t need as much sunscreen on, cutting down on chemical exposure. Plus, it doesn’t wash off like sunscreen does! And, UVSkinz are perfect for the pool because they are chlorine-resistant!

UVSkinz are designed with a comfy fit, not a skin tight fit, which makes them easy on/off clothing for kids – they feel silky and smooth and slide right over kids’ heads! Check out more great features of UVSkinz:

Last year, after reviewing the baby sunwear from UVSkinz, I got hubby and myself each a UVSkinz shirt and am happy to say none of us got sunburnt at all last year!

BUY IT: Check out the baby, kids, and adult lines from UVSkinz – get your whole family protected from the sun this summer!

DISCOUNT:
Just for my readers!! 25% off UVSkinz orders through June 30, 2012! CODE: UVAYMD25

FREE SHIRT: May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, UVSkinz pitches in with their Save a Baby’s Skin campaign. EVERY purchase in May receives a FREE Baby Skinz shirt! Also UVSkinz is donating thousands of UVSkinz swim shirts to maternity wards and pediatrians across the country! I told you they were more than a business! It’s truly a giving operation!

WIN IT: Discounts and free shirts aren’t enough? One lucky reader wins a UVSkinz shirt of choice (baby, kids’ or adult!). ARV $25-39! Enter in the Rafflecopter form below!

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Posted in baby gear, Current Giveaways, discounts, Giveaways, health, outdoor, review, safety, sponsors, summer | 77 Comments

Funshine! Real Kids Shades ~ Giveaway *CLOSED

Published April 24, 2012 | By Julie Kieras

All my son wants to do is “go ow-side, pway few minutes?” The sunshine, green grass, and warm weather are calling him!

Besides gearing him up with protective sunwear, I also endeavor to keep a pair of sunglasses on him!

We know all about protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful rays. But the eyes are an area we often overlook when sending our kids outside to play!

The American Academy of Ophthalmology says, “Like your skin, your eyes never recover from UV exposure,” and, ”exposure to bright sunlight increases the risk of developing cataracts, macular degeneration, and growths on the eye, including malignancies.”

Never recover? That hit me hard, when I think that my children have to live with whatever eyesight damage I allow while they are young.

I see a lot of TOY sunglasses in stores – cheaply made, with super-dark lenses that fall out easily. These kinds of toy glasses do not offer children much sun protection. That’s why this summer my son will be wearing cool new shade from Real Kids Shades.

At RKS, they use science to create kids’ sunglasses that fit well (wrap-around styles that protect all angles of the eyes), are impact resistant, and block out 100% of UV rays.

I love how each pair comes with comfortable velcro straps that keep the glasses on children’s heads (or at least around their neck should they fall off!). It’s definitely hard to teach toddlers to keep their glasses on, my son always wants to shove his up on his forehead like he’s one of the “cool kids!” But if you lead by example and wear your sunglasses, and are persistent (start with small time increments of having them stay on!), your child will eventually grow accustomed to the feeling and forget they are wearing them. We would have our son wear them around the house once in a while so he got used to the idea.

Real Kids Shades started in 2002 when the founders could not find quality, comfortable, fashionable sunglasses for their own children. Now, a decade later, they are working with Prevent Blindness America to educate the public on the importance of protecting children’s eyes.

Real Kids Shades makes sunglasses for kids from birth up to 12 years old. They have several styles and a huge variety of colors and prints! The sizing of glases spans a range of years, so if you take care of them, you can make these glasses last a few summers. And my favorite part about RKS? If your child wears presciption glasses, many of the RKS frames can be fitted for prescription lenses!!