B2B Bright Starts Toys Review & Giveaway!

I am a huge fan of Bright Starts baby gear. Did you know they have great baby toys too? We have a few of their toys from when Danika was a baby and they are great quality and still look new. I was excited to check out some of their great toys for Aiden. He received the Cruise 'n Sort Bus from Bright Starts and it is a great value at just $12.99. It comes with two character shapes that sit in the front of the bus, and 3 letter and 3 number shapes to put in the shaped spots on the bus. This is great for teaching baby shapes, numbers and letters. The top opens and closes and the bus rolls along. Aiden did shut his fingers in the top of the bus once but he quickly learned not to do that!

Both Aiden and Danika (my 2 year old) really love playing with the bus. It is fun and keeps his attention for a long time. It is a really great buy!

The Drop & Giggle is the kids favorite toy of the three we received. It is so fun and entertaining. It comes with 3 balls that you drop through the top three slots on the giraffe and they roll out the bottom and it makes 12 different silly sounds when the ball hits the bottom.

Aiden quickly figured out where to put the balls and had a ton of fun doing it. Danika loves this toy too! I love that with a simple turn of the top of the giraffe the balls don't roll out and can be stored inside of it. That means you don't lose the balls! This is also a great buy at just $14.99!

Aiden loves to look at himself in the mirror so he had fun with this one when it arrived. I was excited to find this because it is a See & Play Auto Mirror. It can attach either to the crib or to the back seat of the car for baby to play with. I love that I can also see him in the car by looking in my rear view mirror. I let Aiden play with this one inside for awhile though since he loved looking in the mirror so much! At $14.99 it is a great value.

Pros: We love all three of these toys from Bright Starts because they are fun, provide a learning element and are a great value for the price.

Cons: The only slight issue we had was Aiden closing his finger in the lid of the bus but it hasn't happened since and hasn't stopped us from using it.

Buy It! You can buy all of these great toys on Bright Starts site as well as at retailers near you including Target, Wal Mart, Babies R Us and more! You can also get them online at Amazon!

Win! Bright Starts is giving one lucky reader all of the products pictured above! That includes the Cruise 'n Sort Bus, Drop & Giggle and See and Play Auto Mirror!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

Heidi Jane Blankets

Here is how to enter to win:

• Visit Bright Starts and tell me another product of theirs that you would like to own.
  *Remember to include your email address in your comment if it is not visible on your profile or you will be disqualified.

After you have completed the above mandatory entry you are eligible for additional entries. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this please see my post here. Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry and include your email address in at least one entry. Each bullet is one entry unless otherwise stated.

• Subscribe to Minnesota Mama's Must Haves by Email (not feed)-remember to activate your subscription! Current subscribers count too.
• Follow my blog publicly-Current followers count too!
• Enter any of my other giveaways- Leave a comment saying which giveaway you entered-you may leave a separate comment for each extra giveaway you enter-LIMIT 5 extra entries-this means you enter 5 different giveaways and comment on each one you entered up to 5 max entries.
• If you blogged about the Bump2Baby event before 8/31/10 and left a comment with the link HERE-1 extra entry
• Blog about my giveaway and link back to my site-must link to this specific giveaway-Leave the URL where you blogged-2 extra entries
• Grab my button-leave the URL where it is posted
• Grab the Bump2Baby event button-leave the URL where it is posted-1 extra entry
• If you grabbed the Bump2Baby event button before 8/31/10 and left a comment HERE-1 extra entry
• If you wrote about the event on Facebook before 8/31/10 and left a comment HERE-1 extra entry
• Follow Me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway-You may Tweet daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit 1 per day. Copy/Paste this tweet:
  
  Enter to win a Bright Starts Toy Pack w/Bus, Giraffe & Auto Mirror 4 #baby! #giveaway #mnmamamusthave http://tinyurl.com/25sq2r7 ends 10/18
  
  Leave the URL where you Tweeted.
• Like Minnesota Mama's Must Haves on Facebook-leave your facebook name with your comment.
• Like Bright Starts on Facebook
• Enter Jennifer's Milan Maternity giveaway over at J. Leigh Designz-1 extra entry-leave me a comment telling me you entered

Open to US only. Giveaway ends October 18th at 11:59pm. Winner will be drawn by random.org and announced on this blog as well as emailed. Products reviewed were provided to me free of charge. No compensation was given in exchange for this review. My opinion is my own and is an honest view of my experience with the product. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. Email address must be in at least one comment or visible on your profile to win. Good Luck!

Is Corn Syrup Bad For You?

I've heard the recent attention given to corn syrup and the bad rap that it has gotten. It isn't "healthy" and is "bad" for you right? Or is it? I was recently given the opportunity to learn more about the science behind it all and get some answers to my questions. Now don't worry, I am not going to bore you with a long talk about science and figures. I am going to give you some simple info that is easy to understand and let you come to your own conclusion :)

The photos you see here are showing you the amount of sugar contained in common foods. Now you may suspect that pop contains a lot of sugar but I was surprised by other things like raisins and breakfast bars containing so much sugar. The cubes represent all types of sugar and are used as a visual aide to show the amount contained in each product.

I was challenged to check my pantry for sugar content in common foods that we eat. Raisins are a snack that I always thought of as healthy and never realized how much sugar is in them! I learned that there are MANY types of sugars and sweetners including:

Agave

Brown sugar or granulated white sugar

Cane juice, cane syrup, and cane juice crystals

Confectioners' sugar

Corn sweeteners and corn syrup

Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Lactose, Maltose, or Sucrose

Fruit juice concentrate

High fructose corn syrup

Honey

Invert sugar

Malt syrup

Molasses

Stevia

Syrup

The big thing I learned from the time spent on this project and the different experts that were brought forth to speak with us was that it is all about moderation. Moderating your sugar intake is more important than the type of sugar you are consuming. Here are the key points that you should know when it comes to the great debate over High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS):

"The decision to switch from High Fructose Corn Syrup to cane sugar is 100% marketing and 0% science." according to David Ludwig from Children's Hospital in Boston, MA

"This is a marketing issue, not a metabolic issue. The real issue is not high fructose corn syrup. It's that we've forgotten what a real serving size is. We have to eat less of everything." according to David Klurfeld from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service

After hearing these two quotes I was really interested to hear more. I know that these days more and more companies are trying to appeal to a mom's desire to serve her family the healthiest food possible. When I hear that companies are twisting this to desire to sell their products it makes me mad. So let's get to the bottom of the issue.

Hear are the realities of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS):

Q.) Which has more fructose: HFCS or table sugar, or are they both the same?

A.) HFCS-42 is LOWER in fructose than table sugar is. HFCS-55 contains roughly the SAME amount of fructose as table sugar does.

The real issue that we need to focus on is moderating all types of sugar intake. We need to remember that most of the foods we eat have sugar of some type in them. Pay closer attention to what you are consuming and the amount of sugar it contains.

Q.) Is granulated sugar better than HFCS?
A.) No!

I hope I've been able to simplify and outline the real issues about High Fructose Corn Syrup. It has gotten a bad rap which is not deserved. It is no worse for you than regular white granulated sugar is. What are your perceptions of high fructose corn syrup? Do you believe that it is bad for you? Did you learn anything here that you didn't know before? I'd love to hear your thoughts as I think this is a big issue with us moms lately.

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of the Corn Refiners Association. I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

B2B Boppy Cuddle Pillow Review & Giveaway!

When I sleep I need lots of pillows. When I am pregnant I need more than that, I need support. When I was pregnant with Danika my husband saw how uncomfortable I was and bought me a Boppy Total Body Pillow. I loved that pillow and used it every day. I was excited to see they now have a smaller version called the Cuddle Pillow. It is the perfect size for snuggling up with and giving support to your legs and belly or back.

I was lucky enough to receive the Cuddle Pillow in their new fabric print. Isn't it cute?! I love it. The Cuddle Pillow is so comfy and I use it in bed now even though I am no longer pregnant. It is great support for nursing Aiden in bed too.

I love that the Cuddle Pillow is small enough to not take over the whole bed and can easily be taken on trips in the car too.
Pros: Great support for legs, back and tummy. Doesn't take up too much space while still giving great support.

Cons: None, the Boppy Cuddle Pillow is a great support pillow for every pregnant mama and works well into nursing too.

Buy It! You can buy the Boppy Cuddle Pillow for $39.99 at retailers near you as well as at Amazon.

Win! Boppy is giving one reader a Cuddle Pillow!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

Felicia K.

Here is how to enter to win:

• Visit Boppy and tell me another product of theirs that you would like to own. *Remember to include your email address in your comment if it is not visible on your profile or you will be disqualified.

After you have completed the above mandatory entry you are eligible for additional entries. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this please see my post here. Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry and include your email address in at least one entry. Each bullet is one entry unless otherwise stated.

• Subscribe to Minnesota Mama's Must Haves by Email (not feed)-remember to activate your subscription! Current subscribers count too.
• Follow my blog publicly-Current followers count too!
• Enter any of my other giveaways- Leave a comment saying which giveaway you entered-you may leave a separate comment for each extra giveaway you enter-LIMIT 5 extra entries-this means you enter 5 different giveaways and comment on each one you entered up to 5 max entries.
• If you blogged about the Bump2Baby event before 8/31/10 and left a comment with the link HERE-1 extra entry
• Blog about my giveaway and link back to my site-must link to this specific giveaway-Leave the URL where you blogged-2 extra entries
• Grab my button-leave the URL where it is posted
• Grab the Bump2Baby event button-leave the URL where it is posted-1 extra entry
• If you grabbed the Bump2Baby event button before 8/31/10 and left a comment HERE-1 extra entry
• If you wrote about the event on Facebook before 8/31/10 and left a comment HERE-1 extra entry
• Follow Me AND Boppy on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway-You may Tweet daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit 1 per day. Copy/Paste this tweet:
  
  RT Enter to win a Boppy Cuddle Pillow for #pregnancy! #giveaway @boppycompany #mnmamamusthave http://tinyurl.com/2clv5o2 ends 10/18
  
  Leave the URL where you Tweeted.
• Like Minnesota Mama's Must Haves on Facebook-leave your facebook name with your comment.
• Like Boppy on Facebook
• Enter Jennifer's Make it easy Feeding giveaway over at J. Leigh Designz-1 extra entry-leave me a comment telling me you entered

Open to US only. Giveaway ends October 18th at 11:59pm. Winner will be drawn by random.org and announced on this blog as well as emailed. Products reviewed were provided to me free of charge. No compensation was given in exchange for this review. My opinion is my own and is an honest view of my experience with the product. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. Email address must be in at least one comment or visible on your profile to win. Good Luck!

Let's Hear It For The Laurie Berkner Band! Now with a Giveaway!

If your kids love to sing and dance as much as my daughter does then you will want to pick up Let's Hear It For the Laurie Berkner Band! on dvd tomorrow. So what's all the fuss about?

Get ready to jump, dance and sing along to the wildly popular Laurie Berkner Band. This DVD compilation is packed with some of Laurie’s most popular tunes, including music videos from her regular appearances on Jack’s Big Music Show. Lyrical themes, interactive music, movement and games will promote creativity and help foster an appreciation for music.

Laurie Berkner was the first children’s singer ever to appear in music videos on Nick Jr. An award-winning, best-selling children’s author and songwriter she has penned two books and released six CDs and a quadruple-platinum-selling DVD. Parenting Magazine describes Laurie as “The Pied Piper of preschool.”

This is a fun dvd packed with 44 minutes of singing and dancing fun for you and your kids. I love to put it on and have a little dance party for Danika. It's great to let her get some energy out and perfect for busting the soon to come "indoor blues" that come along with our chilly weather. Included on the dvd are:

1. “Who’s That?”
2. “Victor Vito”
3. “Five Days Old”
4. “My Energy”
5. “I’m A Mess”
6. “In The Clouds”
7. “Pig On Her Head”
8. “The Cat Came Back”
9. “Farm Song (That’s What I Did On The Farm)”
10. “I Really Love To Dance”
11. “I’m Me And You’re You”
12. “Sneaks”
13. “I’m Not Perfect”
14. “Rocketship Run”
15. “Magic Box”
16. “Fast And Slow (The Rabbit And The Turtle)”

Buy It! You can pick up a copy for your kiddos at retailers nationwide starting tomorrow! It retails for $16.99 but you can preorder it today and get it for just $13.99 on Amazon! Great gift idea too :)

So now that I've told you about this great dvd that we've been singing and dancing to, would you like to win one?

Win! 3 Readers will each win a copy of the dvd Let's Hear It For The Laurie Berkner Band!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winners:

Heather S, Amo & melanie

Here is how to enter to win:

• Tell me who you would like to win this for! *Remember to include your email address in your comment if it is not visible on your profile or you will be disqualified.

After you have completed the above mandatory entry you are eligible for additional entries. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this please see my post here. Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry and include your email address in at least one entry. Each bullet is one entry unless otherwise stated.

• Subscribe to Minnesota Mama's Must Haves by Email (not feed)-remember to activate your subscription! Current subscribers count too.
• Follow my blog publicly-Current followers count too!
• Enter any of my other giveaways- Leave a comment saying which giveaway you entered-you may leave a separate comment for each extra giveaway you enter-LIMIT 5 extra entries-this means you enter 5 different giveaways and comment on each one you entered up to 5 max entries.
• Blog about my giveaway and link back to my site-must link to this specific giveaway-Leave the URL where you blogged-2 extra entries
• Grab my button-leave the URL where it is posted
• Grab the Bump2Baby event button-leave the URL where it is posted-1 extra entry
• Grab the Oreck Giveaway Button-leave the URL where it is posted-1 entry
• Follow Me AND Nickelodeon on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway-You may Tweet daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit 1 per day. Copy/Paste this tweet:
  
  RT Win the new Nickelodeon Laurie Berkner Band Dvd-3 Winners! #giveaway #mnmamamusthave @nickelodeontv http://tinyurl.com/369mkgl ends 10/13
  
  Leave the URL where you Tweeted.
• Like Minnesota Mama's Must Haves on Facebook-leave your facebook name with your comment.
• Like Nickelodeon on Facebook

Open to US only. Giveaway ends October 13th at 11:59pm. Winners will be drawn by random.org and announced on this blog as well as emailed. Products reviewed were provided to me free of charge. No compensation was given in exchange for this review. My opinion is my own and is an honest view of my experience with the product. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. Email address must be in at least one comment or visible on your profile to win. Good Luck!

*I was provided product for review purposes only and was not compensated for this review. My opinions are my own and reflect my experience with the product. Others may have a different experience with the product.

Shoo Shoos Giveaway!

As promised I have the much anticipated Shoo Shoos Giveaway for you this week! Head on over and read my review of the pair of Shoo Shoos we received. They are adorable and super comfy. Check out the pics of Danika modeling them :) Shoo Shoos has so many adorable styles and they've come out with some cute new styles for Fall.

I just love their soft soled baby shoes. They have both of my kids needs covered from baby/pre-walker to toddler! Go check out their full line of styles.

Win! ShooShoos is giving one reader a pair of shoes - your choice!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

Mrs. Smitty

Here is how to enter to win:

• Visit ShooShoos and tell me which pair you would pick if you won! *Remember to include your email address in your comment if it is not visible on your profile or you will be disqualified.

After you have completed the above mandatory entry you are eligible for additional entries. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this please see my post here. Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry and include your email address in at least one entry. Each bullet is one entry unless otherwise stated.

• Subscribe to Minnesota Mama's Must Haves by Email (not feed)-remember to activate your subscription! Current subscribers count too.
• Follow my blog publicly-Current followers count too!
• Enter any of my other giveaways- Leave a comment saying which giveaway you entered-you may leave a separate comment for each extra giveaway you enter-LIMIT 5 extra entries-this means you enter 5 different giveaways and comment on each one you entered up to 5 max entries.
• Blog about my giveaway and link back to my site-Leave the URL where you blogged-2 extra entries
• Grab my button-leave the URL where it is posted
• Grab the Oreck Giveaway button-leave the URL where it is posted
• If you left a comment on the Review post last week-1 extra entry
• If you left a relevant comment on the review post this week-1 extra entry
• Follow Me AND ShooShoos on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway-You may Tweet daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit 1 per day. Copy/Paste this tweet:
  
  RT Enter to win your choice of a pair of shoes from @shooshoos! #giveaway @mnmamamusthave http://tinyurl.com/2bzlqsn ends 10/13 Baby & Kids
  
  Leave the URL where you Tweeted.
• Like Minnesota Mama's Must Haves on Facebook-leave your facebook name with your comment.
• Like ShooShoos on Facebook and tell them Minnesota Mama's Must Haves sent you

Open to US and Canada. Giveaway ends October 13th at 11:59pm. Winner will be drawn by random.org and announced on this blog as well as emailed. Products reviewed were provided to me free of charge. No compensation was given in exchange for this review. My opinion is my own and is an honest view of my experience with the product. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. Good Luck!

The Born Free Sipppy Cup Rocks!

Does your kid have a favorite sippy cup? We have lots of different kinds of sippy cups and Danika has her favorites. The new Born Free Twist n' Pop Cup is among her favorites. I love it because of the large capacity of liquid that it holds. It holds a generous 14 ounces which is perfect for on the go. I love that I can fill it with juice or water and it will last a long time when we are away from home. It is great at home too because I'm not having to refill her cup as often!

The cup features a hygienic pop-up straw mechanism for comfortable mess free drinking. The top of the lid has a cover built right in which is very cool. You simply twist the cap and the straw twists into it and is covered! It's very neat.

The straw is silicone and the cup is really easy to clean too. I also love that it is BPA free! So what sippy cup is your child's favorite? Have you tried this one yet?

Pros: Large capacity, straw cup is perfect for transitioning toddlers away from a traditional sippy cup, cover built right in with a twist to close system.

Cons: None, this is a great sippy cup!

Buy It! You can buy yours at retailers near you as well as at Amazon. They retail for $7.99 on the Born Free site where you can also purchase them. They come in 4 colors!

Winners! Come see if you won!

I drew winners today and will draw more tomorrow. Here is the most recent list!

Tinker Bell Prize Pack - HollyC

Whirl or Chop Bike from Prince Lionheart - Rebecca

Anytime Costumes - Teresha@MarlieandMe

See Kai Run Shoes - Liz

Bumblewee Nursing Wear - Chris and Annalisa

1-2-3 Grow With Me from Magic Cabin - Susan

Winners have been contacted and have 48 hours to respond to my email or a new winner will be drawn. Thanks to all who entered and to the sponsoring companies!

B2B Gummy Vitamins Review & $360 Value Giveaway!

Who ever said gummy vitamins were just for kids? I recently bought Danika some Lil Critters gummy vites and of course I had to try them. They were so tasty I thought why do us adults just get to swallow a horse pill when we could be eating a treat instead? Well, who pops into my inbox a few days later but Northwest Natural Products telling my about their line of gummy vites which my daughter already loves.

Boy was I excited to hear that they make gummy PreNatal vitamins! Wow, why didn't I know that 2 years ago?! I still take PreNatal vitamins as I am breastfeeding Aiden and it is recommended. I always hated taking them and especially when I was pregnant they just made me sick. I was exited to try the gummy PreNatal vitamins and hoped they lived up to my high expectations. I bit into it and Mmmm it was like candy! Hooray! A vitamin that I look forward to taking every day. I then made my husband try them (after assuring him that a PreNatal vitamin wasn't going to harm him since he was a guy lol) and he was equally impressed. The flavors include natural berry, lemon and cherry. They are easy on your stomach and provide all of the vitamins you need for a healthy pregnancy including folic acid.

We also received these Pedia Essentials liquid vitamin drops for Aiden. I have to tell you a little secret. Ever since Danika was little I HATED giving vitamin drops to my babies because they tasted awful, stained everything and even smelled bad. I thought we were going to get rich making good tasting vitamin drops for babies. Then I found out about these Pedia Essentials vitamin drops and my dream was dashed haha. They are berry flavored and so much better than the archaic poly-vi-sol drops we used to use. Thank you Northwest Natural Products for making a great improvement on a much needed product! They are sugar free and are available with or without iron.

My husband and I tend to put stock in Calcium come cold season and find ourselves popping it in hopes of staying healthy. Well lucky us because those are also available in gummy form! They come in some fantastic creamy, swirled flavors including strawberry, orange and cherry. These taste amazing!

And we couldn't leave my husband out since the whole family was chomping up these yummy gummys so he received these equally tasty gummy Multi Vites. They come in berry, peach and orange flavors and are so good!

So what are you waiting for? Start looking forward to taking your vitamins! Now it is a treat for all of us. We love them. I am a gummy vitamin convert and I've been making everyone that visits our house taste them because they are so good. I wouldn't ever want to go back to swallowing my vitamins. Northwest Natural Products has a gummy vitamin or drop to cover every member of your family. After trying their baby, toddler, adult and pre-natal vitamins I would highly recommend them to everyone.

Pros: Tasty, gummy treat that is providing you with the vitamins you need!

Cons: None, we love all of the products we tried!

Buy It! You can buy all of the products featured here as well as many other delicious varieties at stores near you. Some stores include Target, Walgreens, Wal Mart and Sam's Club but there are many others.

Win! One very lucky reader will win a huge prize pack of vitamins valued at $360!! The prize pack includes all of the above pictured vitamins:

--9-months supply of Vitafusion PreNatal

--1 year supply of Vitafusion Multi Vites

--1 year supply of Vitafusion Calcium

--1 year supply of L'il Critters Pedia Essentials

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

joyfilled

Here is how to enter to win:

• Visit Northwest Natural Products and tell me another product of theirs that you would like to try.
  *Remember to include your email address in your comment if it is not visible on your profile or you will be disqualified.

After you have completed the above mandatory entry you are eligible for additional entries. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this please see my post here. Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry and include your email address in at least one entry. Each bullet is one entry unless otherwise stated.

• Subscribe to Minnesota Mama's Must Haves by Email (not feed)-remember to activate your subscription! Current subscribers count too.
• Follow my blog publicly-Current followers count too!
• Enter any of my other giveaways- Leave a comment saying which giveaway you entered-you may leave a separate comment for each extra giveaway you enter-LIMIT 5 extra entries-this means you enter 5 different giveaways and comment on each one you entered up to 5 max entries.
• If you blogged about the Bump2Baby event before 8/31/10 and left a comment with the link HERE-1 extra entry
• Blog about my giveaway and link back to my site-must link to this specific giveaway-Leave the URL where you blogged-2 extra entries
• Grab my button-leave the URL where it is posted
• Grab the Bump2Baby event button-leave the URL where it is posted-1 extra entry
• If you grabbed the Bump2Baby event button before 8/31/10 and left a comment HERE-1 extra entry
• If you wrote about the event on Facebook before 8/31/10 and left a comment HERE-1 extra entry
• Follow Me AND Lil Critters on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway-You may Tweet daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit 1 per day. Copy/Paste this tweet:
  
  RT Win a Gummy Vitamin Prize Pack for the family valued @ $360!! #giveaway @lilcritters #mnmamamusthave http://tinyurl.com/2epsf3a end 10/18
  
  Leave the URL where you Tweeted.
• Follow Vitafusion on Twitter
• Like Minnesota Mama's Must Haves on Facebook-leave your facebook name with your comment.
• Like Vitafusion on Facebook-Tell them Minnesota Mama's Must Haves sent you!
• Like Lil Critters on Facebook - While you are there check out their Video Contest where you could win a family trip with Air Fare to any Great Wolf Lodge location!
• Enter Jennifer's Boppy giveaway over at J. Leigh Designz-1 extra entry-leave me a comment telling me you entered

Open to US only. Giveaway ends October 18th at 11:59pm. Winner will be drawn by random.org and announced on this blog as well as emailed. Products reviewed were provided to me free of charge. No compensation was given in exchange for this review. My opinion is my own and is an honest view of my experience with the product. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. Email address must be in at least one comment or visible on your profile to win. Good Luck!

Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse Test Drive Results

For the past few weeks now I have been using the new Crest Pro Health Complete Mouth Wash twice a day as a sort of experiment to see what changes I noticed in my oral health. In the past I had trouble actually using mouth wash as part of my routine and really disliking the strong taste of it.

I have to say that I've been really impressed with Crest's new Complete Rinse. I brush twice a day with their Pro Health toothpaste, once in the morning and once before bed. I also brush more frequently if I'm leaving the house, i.e-before I leave. I incorporated the Complete Rinse into my routine by using it after my first morning brushing and my bedtime brushing. I love the fresh breath that the rinse gives me.

I did find it to be less strong tasting than other rinses and found that if I waited a little bit after brushing to swish it then it was even better. Similar to drinking ice water right after brushing, it feels very cold. If you wait a bit it isn't as harsh. Same idea with the rinse. I experimented too by not using it for a day after I had been using it for awhile. I found that I definitely noticed the difference, especially in my breath. It really freshens up nicely.

I love knowing that the Crest Complete Rinse can give me better dental check ups than brushing alone too! It Provides six benefits in one:

--Re-builds enamel

--Helps prevent cavities

--Cleans teeth & gums

--Kills bad breath germs

--Freshens breath

--Without the burn of alcohol

After my Crest test drive I would definitely recommend adding Crest Pro Health Complete Rinse to your brushing routine. Give it a test drive yourself and see what you think! What do you have to lose?

Pros: Freshens breath, no burn of alcohol, makes my mouth feel fresher and better overall

Cons: The taste is still strong but is much better if you wait a bit and don't use it immediately after brushing.

Buy It! You can buy Crest Pro Health Complete Rinse at retailers near you for a Suggested Retail Price: $4.59 (500mL) and $5.89 (1L).

*I wrote this review while participating in a test drive campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Crest and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

B2B Bravado Essential Nursing Bra Tank Review & Giveaway!

I love Bravado and I can't get enough of their great products. I love everything they have and haven't been dissapointed by them yet. They truly care about nursing mothers and want to make every mama's experience a good one. You can check out their new site where they have tools to equip you with all you need to know and even have breastfeeding diaries by real, nursing moms so you can relate. They also just came out with a white paper document to make it easy for every nursing mama to make sure she has what she needs in place to pump comfortably at work. Check out their site for all the info. If this doesn't convice you of their passion for nursing mamas then slip on one of their products and you'll be sold. They have so many features I love that I know took time to refine and perfect.

I received the Essential Nursing Bra Tank in Passionate Pink and I love the color. Tanks are so wonderful for every season. For Summer/warm weather you can wear this tank alone because it doesn't look like a nursing tank and the clips are discreet. For colder weather you can wear it layered under another top for easy nursing both home and away. I love that when you lift your shirt to nurse the tank keeps your tummy covered up.

And don't be deceived by the fact that it is a tank top, it still offers the support and comfort that I've come to expect from Bravado. It has a full bra inside, not a cheap shelf bra that won't give support. It is super comfortable and supportive. It will support up to a G cup! I love it too because you can easily find your size and wear it while pregnant and then continue to wear it while you nurse.

The clasps on the tank are discreet so it isn't obvious that you are wearing a nursing tank if you wear it alone. I got many compliments on my tank and people were surprised when I said it was a nursing tank.

Pros: Super comfy, stylish, provides great tummy coverage for nursing in public. Discreet clasps so it can be worn alone or layered with another top. Great buy!

Cons: None, it comes in tons of colos and easy sizing. What more could you ask for?

Buy It! You can buy the Bravado Essential Nursing Bra Tank on their site for $49. This is a good price since it is not just a tank but a full bra with a tank.

Win! Bravado is giving one reader an Essential Nursing Bra Tank!

This giveaway has ended. Congrats to the winner:

Knocked Up and Nursing

Here is how to enter to win:

• Visit Bravado and tell me another product of theirs that you would like to own.
  *Remember to include your email address in your comment if it is not visible on your profile or you will be disqualified.

After you have completed the above mandatory entry you are eligible for additional entries. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this please see my post here. Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry and include your email address in at least one entry. Each bullet is one entry unless otherwise stated.

• Subscribe to Minnesota Mama's Must Haves by Email (not feed)-remember to activate your subscription! Current subscribers count too.
• Follow my blog publicly-Current followers count too!
• Enter any of my other giveaways- Leave a comment saying which giveaway you entered-you may leave a separate comment for each extra giveaway you enter-LIMIT 5 extra entries-this means you enter 5 different giveaways and comment on each one you entered up to 5 max entries.
• If you blogged about the Bump2Baby event before 8/31/10 and left a comment with the link HERE-1 extra entry
• Blog about my giveaway and link back to my site-must link to this specific giveaway-Leave the URL where you blogged-2 extra entries
• Grab my button-leave the URL where it is posted
• Grab the Bump2Baby event button-leave the URL where it is posted-1 extra entry
• If you grabbed the Bump2Baby event button before 8/31/10 and left a comment HERE-1 extra entry
• If you wrote about the event on Facebook before 8/31/10 and left a comment HERE-1 extra entry
• Follow Me AND Bravado on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway-You may Tweet daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit 1 per day. Copy/Paste this tweet:
  
  RT Enter to win a Bravado Essential Nursing Bra Tank! @BravadoDesigns #mnmamamusthave http://tinyurl.com/28tzjba ends 10/18 #breastfeeding
  
  Leave the URL where you Tweeted.
• Like Minnesota Mama's Must Haves on Facebook-leave your facebook name with your comment.
• Sign up for Bravado's Newsletter
• Enter Jennifer's Bravado giveaway over at J. Leigh Designz-1 extra entry-leave me a comment telling me you entered

Open to US and Canada. Giveaway ends October 18th at 11:59pm. Winner will be drawn by random.org and announced on this blog as well as emailed. Products reviewed were provided to me free of charge. No compensation was given in exchange for this review. My opinion is my own and is an honest view of my experience with the product. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. Email address must be in at least one comment or visible on your profile to win. Good Luck!

Making homemade baby food! It's not as hard as you think Part 2!

I know I promised you another baby food making tutorial for last week and this is a week late and I'm sorry! I couldn't find my photos to share with you and that is half the fun of a how-to segment! In Part 1 I shared with you how to make Squash baby food. So for Part 2 of Making Homemade Baby Food: It's not as hard as you think! I will be showing you how to make sweet potatoes! These are Aiden's favorites and are SO easy to make. These are a great first baby food and even Aiden who was very picky about texture really liked them. You can introduce them to babies as young as 4 months old.

Buy some orange sweet potatoes. Look for those that are not bruised or blemished. Orange taste better than lighter colored ones so go with the orange! They will stay good when stored in a cool/dark place for about 2 weeks so you don't have to make them right away.

Wash them and poke holes in them with a fork. Do not peel them! Wrap them individually in tin foil and you are going to bake them in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-60 minutes or until soft.

Once they are done and you've removed them from the oven unwrap each one and slit it lenghwise (as shown in the picture above).

Scoop out the "meat" of the sweet potato and place it all in a food processor.

Puree it to your desired consistency.

When you are done it should look like this.

Next scoop it into ice cube trays or baby food cube trays. I just use ice cube trays and cover them with saran wrap so they don't take on any flavors from the freezer.

Once your cubes have completely frozen place each ice cube tray bottom in a pan of hot water to easily pop them out. Put them in a freezer bag and label with the date and vegetable name.

Now you've got a great supply of sweet potatoes for about the cost of a few jars of store bought baby food!

Enjoy!!