With boon, at least the plate Stays Put!

Check out this great new toddler plate from boon! This mod little saucer is the Stay Put Divided Plate, and Buttercup and I love it. Check out our vlog review!



The Saucer has a nifty little edgeless design which prevents the kiddos from throwin it lifting it off the table. And the slip-resistant base keeps it in place. Add the fact that the divided sections keep foods separared for picky little Buttercups toddlers, and we've got another winner from boon.

And at just $5.99, I'm buying tree more so I can keep one at my mom's and mother-in-laws, and so I can always have one clean here at home. So who wants one? Boon is giving one lucky winner the chance at one of these babies, and I am more than happy to help get it in your hands.

To enter the contest, just visit the boon site and let me know which product you want reviewed here next (and offered up for a contest, of course.!) Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on Dec. 5 and the winner has four days from the announcement date to contact me with their information, or alternate winners will be drawn. U.S. and Canada entries only, please.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"! Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Contest: What's your funniest bath-time memory?

I've tested my fair share of baby bath products on Buttercup, and one favorite is the new Baby Phisoderm tear-free gel wash. Buttercup loves her baths, and loves to give me reason to get her in the tub (like yogurt in her hair at almost every meal!) so I'm always on the look-out for great baby cleansers that will do the job without drying her skin out. Major points are added if said product also keeps my lil' Buttercup out of harms way regarding harmful chemicals.

We tried the new Baby Phisoderm this evening for Buttercup's bath and I'm very happy with the results. It smells great and left her skin nice and soft. I loved the scent of baby powder and am happy that the gel foams up very easily with or without a washcloth.

Other reasons I heart this stuff? It's doctor-recommended for senstive skin (which I have, so this is a plus since I am the one bathing her!), phthalate-free, tear-free, and leaves no soapy residue.

And thanks to Phisoderm, two of you have a chance to try this out for your own kids!
The funniest bath time stories win for this contest, so grab a cup of coffee and sit back and reminisce about that time that little Suzie decided to make mud pies in her Sunday best, or that time that Buttercup played in the tub for so long that her daddy had to go... um...fishing afterwards for her little tokens of appreciation (and yep-she got hosed off again after that little escapade.)

Two winners will be randomly selected at midnight, EST, on December 4, from all qualified entries. The winners have four days from the announcement date to contact me with their information, or alternate winners will be drawn. U.S. entries only, please.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* Visit Phisoderm's site and tell me what other products you'd like to see reviewed here next.
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"! Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Oh-and Happy Turkey Day from me and Buttercup!

You Can Make This: A gift from the heart

I can't sew a button. Seriously. My poor Mexican grandmother would be ashamed of me, with all the crocheting and knitting she put into my treasured baby blanket collection. But it's true: I am sewing-challenged!

And yet, I have high hopes that everyone on my Christmas gift list will get a personalized pillow with the help of an easy-to-follow e-book from YouCanMakeThis.com from me and Buttercup in 2009. That's right...I'm going easy on myself and giving myself a pretty large margin for error.

Seriously, aren't they adorable? I'm already picking up fabrics and can't wait to work on Buttercup's pillows (she'll get one with "Buttercup" on it and one with her real name) as soon as I have more than five minutes to myself and I figure out how to use a sewing machine.

I'll be sure to let you know when that happens.

But just because my life is crazy-busy doesn't mean I have to make you wait for a chance at an e-book of your choice from YouCanMakeThis.com, does it? They've got some great Christmas gift and craft ideas with over 700 e-books in 34 categories, like the Duet Apron set for Adult and Child, or the Donut and Cupcake Felt Food set!

The e-books are very affordable, but every little bit helps, right? Through December 1, you can score 10 percent off your order with code MakeGifts!

So here's the deal: In order to make sure my TWO winners get the time they need to go out and buy their supplies for their e-book of choice ($20 value or less) and still have time to get the gift under the Christmas tree, I'm running a live contest via Twitter for FOUR hours only! That means that at 3:20 P.M. EST, time's up!

To enter, all you have to do is stop by YouCanMakeThis.com and find your favorite e-book, then stop back here and leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me which one you want emailed to you if you win AND a comment sharing your thoughts on the site. You know, do you like it? Is it easy to navigate? Do you like the selection of e-books? Will you be back?

And make sure that your comment included a valid email address, cuz if my email gets bounced back, I'm moving on to the next winner. One extra entry are available for retweeting the contest link.

That's it! Why are you still reading? The clock's ticking, people. Let's get crafty!

The Ergo saves the Day!

I've posted about it before, but I am not complete without my Ergo Baby Carrier. And that is no joke. Check out my latest NewBaby vlog about how this little baby helps keep me sane when trying to juggle a teething toddler and my mascara!

Announcement: Kiss my face contest extended

It's bound to happen with all the contests and reviews I post here while the rest of the world is sleeping---I made a major boo-boo.

The funny thing is that no one else has caught it yet!

Remember this contest here? It's for the Kiss My Face kids' product line. One winner gets the whole kit and kaboodle!

Well, I just realized that the original post had no contest end date ( I know, right?) so I went back in and edited the post. The contest now officially ends at midnight, EST, on Nov. 30.

So get to it! Enter already!

Thank you Grace and Sugarplum Dreams!

The best thing about reviewing products for this blog is learning about items I otherwise never would have had the chance to discover...and then, of course, sharing these great finds with my readers!

I am pretty picky about what makes the cut for Berrie Sweet Picks, and even then, there are only a handful of products that have made me get all giddy and wish I was a kid again so I could play with it myself.

My current fave is the 20" tall Oopsy Daisy Zebra from Sugarplum Dreams. I'll admit that the $65 price tag might be a bit shocking for a stuffed animal, but it is more than worth it when you learn the story behind this adorable and visually stimulating plush pal.

The Zebra that I can't wait for Buttercup to fall in love with is a Kenana Knitter Kritter, which means it was hand-knit by a group of rural women in Kenya. These women utilize their knitting skills to support their families in developing economies where life is much tougher than anything I can even begin to imagine. And the money earned by the Kenana Knitters directly benefits the women involved, helping them better the quality of life for themselves and their families.

Our little zebra was hand-knit by a woman named Grace Nanyeit', and it brings a smile to my face knowing that there is an actual person who breathed life into this adorable stuffed animal instead of the usual factory line of machines. I don't know if Grace will get a chance to read this, but I'd like to thank her for the time and care she put into this project.

You can learn more about the Kenana Knitter group here, and I really do recommend taking a few moments to read!

And thanks to Sugarplum Dreams, I not only have a chance for one reader to win an Oopsy Daisy Zebra of their own, I also have a discount code for 15% percent off a $50 purchase or more through December 31. Just enter code berrie15 at checkout!

To enter to the contest, please visit Sugarplum Dreams and then leave me a berrie (read: comment)telling me what item ($50 or more) you'd like to purchase with the help of the offered discount code. You have until midnight, EST. on December. 2 and the winner has four days from the announcement date to respond. U.S. entries only, please.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"! Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Xeko Mission: Have an earth-friendly Christmas

Green is the obvious buzz word for this year's Christmas push, and with good reason. Eco-friendly products are better for the environment and safer for our children, above all else, so why not make an effort to keep your kids' Christmas wish list as green as possible?

One great way to do this is with the new award-winning, earth-friendly trading card games and accompanying plush animals that encourage kids to learn about conservation, the environment, and the world's most threatened species. I got to take a look at the newest addition to the line with Xeko Mission: China starter set.

Buttercup's too young to appreciate this right now, but I was pretty impressed with the packaging (a beautiful pagoda-shaped box decorated with animals from China's habitats)and am glad to see company's realize how important playing can be to helping teach our children about the world they live in. And with earth-friendly materials used in the packaging and game, you can feel good about what you put under the Christmas tree, too.

I also got a chance to look at the new line of Xeko pals, with each based on the most popular characters from the Xeko eco-adventure game. We were sent a Giant
Panda made from soy and certified organic cotton. He' cute, soft, completely squeezable and huggable, and comes with his own "mission code" to allow kids the opportunity to join in on the fun at Xeko!

The starter kit retails for $24.99 and the 7.5" plush Giant Panda retails for $19.99. Both are available at specialty stores across the country like Barnes & Noble, Borders, and select Whole Foods.

And thanks to the good folks at Xeko, I've got a berrie cool chance for one reader to win a Xeko Mission: China starter set and a Giant Panda! To enter to the contest, please visit Xeko and then leave me a berrie (read: comment)about something you and your kids learned while there. You have until midnight, EST. on December. 1 and the winner has four days from the announcement date to respond. U.S. entries only, please.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"! Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Go on a Poingo reading adventure!

Check out my vlog review of the Poingo Reading System!



The set I reviewed retails for $34.99, and additional books are available for $9.99 each. Poingo is available at Target, Walmart, Toys R’ Us, Costco, Sam’s Clubs, and BJ’s Wholesale Clubs, and at www.mypoingo.com. Your readers can also purchase the product at Amazon.

And just in time for Christmas, I've got a great contest for on lucky reader to win the same Poingo set I reviewed! To enter to the contest, please visit My Poingo and then leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me which additional book you would most likely buy for your child to supplement the starter set if you were selected as the winner. You have until midnight, EST. on November 30 and the winner has four days from the announcement date to respond. U.S. entries only, please.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"! Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Get green and cheeky with Cheekeyes wooden toys

There's just something extra special in the simplicity of a wooden toy. No bells and whistles and batteries and flashing lights--just add a little imagination and magic begins to happen.

And when those wooden toys are made from eco-friendly rubberwood, that's just taking the power of green to a whole new level.

Buttercup and I have had the great pleasure to take an up-close-and-personal look at the sweetly simple Cheekeys Farm Animal set from Oompa Toys. And I am in love. The sheep, cow, horse, goat, and pig are easily recognizable in shape, smooth to the touch, and just plain cute. One thing I love about the Cheekeyes is that they are handmade and only partially painted, making each figurine unique.

Dutch designer Rogier van Zijp created his line of dinosaurs and forest, African and Arctic animals with a unique red cheek and painted eye (which is, of course, reflected in the Cheekeyes name.)

And if my opinion isn't enough to get you to order a set for every pre-schooler on your Christmas list, then how about the knowledge that the 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio honored the Cheekeyes line with its prestigious Platinum Award for one of the year's best preschool toys?

The animals sets retail for $29.99 and are geared for children ages three and up. For added fun and imaginative open play, we added the farm fence and tree sets, sold separetly at $16.99 each.

I'd like to thank Oompa toys for offering my readers a chance to win one Cheekeyes set of choice! Perfect timing for Christmas, right? To enter to win a pair, stop by the site and then leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me which wooden toy set you'd choose if selected the winner. You have until midnight, EST. on November 29 and the winner has four days from the announcement date to respond or an alternate will be chosen. U.S. entries only, please.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

chicBuds: that's "hot"

I am so excited to have been selected as a mom vlogger for NewBaby.com! Not only did I get a sweet lil' flip video camera to share mommy moments on their site, I also get to use my new toy for vlogging reviews of the great products I get to try. I'll still write, of course, but some products just lend themselves to a video, and this was certainly one of them.

My first vlog review comes courtesy from chicBuds, which are a pretty hot commodity right now. (They say Paris Hilton has a pair!) ChicBuds are available at Dillard's and Fred Meyer, and retail for $49.00. Watch the vlog review for my thoughts and let me know what you think!



So about that contest! but you can win a pair right here!(Everyone together now on a huge THANK YOU to Nikki from chicBuds!) To enter to win a pair, stop by their site and then leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me which color bud and crystal combo you'd choose if selected the winner. You have until midnight, EST. on November 28. One lucky woman gets to bling it up in time for the holidays!

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"! Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Wear your baby in style with SlingEzee!

Anyone who knows me, or reads this blog reguarly knows that I am a big fan of baby-wearing. Since they day she was born, Buttercup has experienced the skin-to-skin contact and soothing beat of her Mama's heart that I think are so vital to her development.

There are tons of options out there, but the SlingEzee is a great option to look into for those of you who prefer the sling-style carriers. Having undergone a very recent redesign to incorporate better ease of use, increased fexibility in sizing, less bulk, added comfort for mom and baby, and beautiful new fabrics, this sling would make a great gift for a new mom and is a great buy at $59.00. Just make sure to pay attention to the sizing options for the best fit and comfort.

We were lucky enough to try the gorgeous Sage Chocolate Damask design, which is honestly nice enough to wear out for an evening with baby attached! I can't even begin to count how many times I was at a dressy event with a drab baby carrier covering my carefully selected dress or blouse.

As with many other slings I have seen, the SlingEzee is made to carry your child from birth through toddlerhood, making it beyond easy to breastfeed discreetly and comfort your child. I would recommend watching the included instructional DVD, as incorrectly positioning the sling can result in discomfort for you and an unsafe carrying situation for your child. But worn correctly, the SlingEzee is a stylish baby-wearin' Mama's baby carrier of choice!

Verterra: True to the Earth

The holidays are coming up and with them come the requisite family gatherings with too much food and too little time to take care of the dirty dishes (at least in my house!) One option would be to make everyone wash their own dish, but that might take some of the holiday cheer after a hearty turkey dinner.

I could try paper plates-but they just don't seem sturdy enough. And while plastic ware would certainly hold up well enough, it's the least eco-friendly option out there.

So what's a busy mom to do? May I suggest leaves? You know, the kind that fall off of trees and land on the ground? Yeah, you read that right!

I had the pleasure to try a few samples from the innovative Verterra product line of reusable, renewable, and compostable dinnerware. Each bowl, plate, cup, and platter is made from a beautifully simple combination of water and leaves. There are no chemicals, no harmful toxins that can leach into your food, no dyes, and no waxes. Just Mother Nature giving us a second chance to say 'Thank You' to our planet.



Not only are these plates beautiful and sure to be a great conversation starter at your holiday soirees, they are also extremely durable. I tried mine out with spaghetti and fried eggplant one night, then rinsed and reused until the plate lost shape. My Verterra went from the fridge to the microwave and back to the fridge before trying them out in the oven. (Take that, plastic-ware!) And as long as I was careful to wash and not soak my plates, they held their own and lasted me well over 7 meals each. Sure, the plates stained after the spaghetti dinner, but I didn't care because the awe of eating off of a leaf plate was pretty much blinding me.

You can pick up a pack of 10 six-inch rectangle plates for $8.99, which is pretty good considering the durability of the products. Who knows!?!? If you take care with your Verterra during your Thanksgiving meal, you might very well be eating off of the same plate on New Year's Eve.

Go ahead, I dare you.

#motrinmoms speak out: ad campaign misses the mark

I spend a lot of time, okay-a ton of time-on here talking pretty about all of the awesome products I get to try thanks to this blog. I've fallen in love with so many products I never would have known about that have since become a part of my everyday life, and for that I am very grateful.

One such item, or way of mothering, is baby-wearing. I you have read this blog for more than a week, I'm sure you have seen at least one baby-wearing related blog post. So why am I bringing this up now? Because for once, I have to step back and write a negative review. It's related to the now infamous motrin.com ad campaign here,and if they have taken the ad down by the time you see this, you can see the transcript here.

I was up all night on twitter (search for #motrinmoms), part of the storm of outrage that struck once people started commenting on the ad, and even vlogged about it for www.NewBaby.com.



And since it it International Baby Wearing Week, it seems even more important to stress the positives associated with baby-wearing: The connection, the bonding, the sheer joy I experience as a mother with my daughter so close. There are also plenty of documented positives for worn babies, which you can get more info about here.

Motrin: You missed the mark on this one. Baby-wearing is only painful if done incorrecty; kind of like pretending to sympathize with your intended target audience and pissing them off instead. That's why I think it is important to repost all related posts from this blog. Focus on the positives, moms. And wile you're at it, tell Motrin how you feel by taking your dollar elsewhere.

Celebrate Attachment Parenting Month and help students in need

Sling it on

The berrie best carrier ever

Accidentally Attached

It's a wrap!

Wear your baby all summer long

Stocking Stuffer Alert!: Frances England's "Family Tree"

Anyone who has been reading this blog for at least a week will know that I am in absolute love with indie children's singer Frances England. Not only is she a talented musician and lyricist, she also just happens to be "The Buttercup Whisperer." And that pretty much means that anytime I turn France's England's music on in my home or car, the screaming and fussing of a crabby toddler magically turns into the soft and sweet hums of my little girl singing along.

Read my full review here if you don't believe me.

Well, thanks to Frances herself (thanks, Frances!), I have a copy of "Family Tree" to give away to two lucky winners. To enter, please visit France's site here and leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me which track is your favorite! Entries will be accepted until midnight. EST, on November 22 and the winner will have four days from the announcement date to respond or an alternate winner will be chosen. US and Canada only, please.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

I wanna be an (ALL)Star!

With tons of nieces, nephews, and younger cousins in the family, I am sure to get a mile-long Christmas list this year and am on the look-out for original gift ideas for the 10 and under crowd.

One great idea is the new line of mom-invented AllStar Buddies plush animals and their kid-friendly, mom-approved online home in the town of "Varsity Heights."

Chip the Golf buddy, Blitz the Football Buddy, Deuce the Tennis Buddy, Sriker the Soccer Buddy, Ace the Baseball Buddy, Swish the Basketball Buddy, and Deke the Hockey Buddy are all ready to meet your kids in the Locker Room, where they can log in with their private code (on the ticket that comes with your Buddy) for fitness-related fun!

Varsity Heights is a great online hangout for kids, where they can come together on equal playing ground for fun, competition, and socialization, all while learning valuable lessons about team work and healthy lifestyles. And if that isn't enough to convince you that this is truly a great gift-idea for kids, why not try the site and games out for yourself? You can play for free after signing up!

I have two young cousins who had an absolute blast with Striker and Ace as they browsed Varsity Heights and all the town has to offer. It was amazing, but the new Buddies even pulled them away from the Wii without arguments!

I do have a contest for one lucky winner to win the AllStar Buddy of their choice, but I'm running things a little differently this time, so pay attention!

If you think this might be a great gift idea for a child in your family, you (or you and your child) must sign up for a free account at the AllStar Buddies site and test drive the action. Your entry consists of blogging about your experience on your own site, linking to this blog post and AllStar Buddies. You must also leave me comment with the direct URL for your entry to count. US entries only, please.

Non-bloggers can enter by leaving me a comment with their thoughts on their favorite parts of the All Star web site with a valid email address. I will choose one winner randomly from qualified entries, and 4 days maximum is allowed for the winner to contact me with their shipping address.

To give everyone time to sign up and have fun, I'm running this contest for two weeks, which means entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on Nov. 28!

So what are you waiting for? Varsity Heights awaits you!