DownEast Basics Review and Giveaway

July 29, 2010 By Mom 3 Comments

I don’t buy myself clothes very often unless the clothes are classic and will be durable enough to withstand a mommy lifestyle.  If I am going to spend money on clothes it needs to be stylish, yet classic, and durable.  I recently had the chance to work with a company that specializes in all three of my criteria for clothes.  DownEast Basics is an affordable classic and stylish online clothing boutique perfect for women and moms everywhere!

I love the changing of seasons.  Fall clothing is comfy and a lot of fun to wear.  DownEast Basics has New Arrivals available just in time for the fall season. I recently had the opportunity to review a skirt from DownEast Basics new arrivals line.  Here is a picture of what the skirt looks like:

My favorite thing about the skirt has to be that it has pockets.  It is stylish and perfect for a night out or to wear to work.  It is also lined and so there is not a need to wear a slip under the skirt even though it is white.  DownEast basics is a wonderful place to purchase clothing that will never go out of style and that will work with almost any wardrobe.  DownEast basic product line includes shirts, sweaters, skirts,dresses, denim, swimsuits, accessories, and even fabulous handbags.  What I love the most about DownEast basics is affordable.  Times are tough these days but your wardrobe doesn’t have to reflect it.  My fantastic skirt is only $29.99!  You can find fantastic buys at DownEast Basics.

Win It:

One (1) lucky winner will receive their product of choice from DownEast Basics New Arrivals section!

How to Enter:

Visit DownEast Basics New Arrival section and tell me what item you will choose if you are the lucky winner.

(You must complete this entry before completing any of the bonus entries)

Bonus Entries:

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
Open to US and Canada residents only. This giveaway will end at midnight on August 15. Winners will be picked from Random.org. 
Good Luck!

This product review was made possible by DownEast basics. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Clothing, Giveaways, Mommy, Review

Wordless Wednesday – Packing

July 28, 2010 By Mom 3 Comments

We are on vacation in Michigan…. having a great time.  Here is TJ’s version of packing before we left.  I thought it was cute.

Link up your Wordless Wednesdays:

Filed Under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged With: Wordless Wednesday

Pop On Pals Review

July 26, 2010 By Mom Leave a Comment

Finding toys that keep TJ’s interest for more than a few minutes are vary rare to find these days.  When we received our Pop On Pals Amusement Park I thought it was going to be one more toy that TJ enjoyed for 5 minutes and then on to the next, but I was wrong.  Tj is still enjoying playing with his amusement park.

Pop On Pals, by Spin Master, are little people who can pop in and out of different clothing and accessories as they play.  The Pop On Pals also interact with your toddler in different play sets to help encourage creative play.  The little “chubby” play figure are perfect for toddler hands.  TJ, at 15 months, loved popping his little boy and had very little difficulty with most of the amusement parks features.  I had to help him with the roller-coaster, but other than that he is able to put his Pop on Pal on the Ferris wheel and the other fun areas of the park.  Best of all, after several weeks of having our new play set in the house TJ is still having a blast playing with it.  There seems to be a lot of different activities that he can do with the Amusement Park that it keeps him interested.  I am going to add some more Pop Up Pals pretty soon so he will have more friends to play with!

The Pop On Pals Amusement Park (ARV $34.99) comes with one boy or girl pal and 3 pop on rings.  The only thing that I would change is that I wish the park came with more pals, to really play with the park you need more than one pal.   You can purchase more pals (including pet pals) and play sets at major retailers nationwide including Target, Toys R Us, Sears, and more.

Welcome to a new world of endless “Popabilities!”

This product review was made possible by Spin Master. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Kids, Review, Toys Tagged With: Kids, Review, Toys

Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas

July 24, 2010 By Mom 2 Comments

TJ and I have a very boring breakfast routine.  We both have some cereal, glass of milk for him, and coffee for me.  It is pretty predictable and we desperately needed a change up.  Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas just came out in the freezer section our local grocery store.  We recently were sent both flavors, Mixed Berry Granola and Strawberry Granola, to jazz up our morning routine.  It was a nice and welcomed change.  Who would have thought pizza for breakfast was such a good idea?

Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas begin with a cinnamon and maple baked crust.  Then the crust is topped with yogurt and a granola and fruit combination.  Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas can be baked in your oven (makes a crisper crust) or if you need it quick you can pop it in the microwave. TJ is just starting to experiment with eating unfamiliar foods and he liked the granola and yogurt part of the pizza.  I am sure older kids would like the fruit and crust a little more than he did.  I loved it.  It was a great alternative to cereal in the morning and it was super quick when put in the microwave (even I have that kind of time for breakfast in the morning).  With school starting up soon, I think I am going to pack some of these away in the freezer for those mornings that get away from me (I can even make it at work in the microwave).

Buy It:

You can purchase Eggo Real Fruit Pizzas in the frozen food section of your local grocery store.  They come in two flavors: Strawberry Granola and Mixed Berry Granola. You can find out more information on Eggo’s website.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Eggo Real Fruit Pizza and received a sample of the product and a $20 Amazon gift certificate to facilitate my review.
Filed Under: Food/Snacks, Review Tagged With: Food/Snacks, Review

On The Road With A Mom’s Impression – Meet The Buick Enclave

July 23, 2010 By Mom 7 Comments

It’s here.  The Buick Enclave arrived yesterday and we just finished packing it up for our trip to Michigan tomorrow.  We will be leaving very early in the morning and hopefully arriving in Onekama, Michigan around 3 in the afternoon.  I drove the Enclave around town today when I was running last minute errands.  I have to say that so far, I am in love with this vehicle.  Here is a little introduction to the Buick Enclave before we packed it all up!

Stay tuned next week for several more videos about our experiences driving the Buick Enclave.  Thanks for coming along on the road with us!

This vehicle review was made possible by GM Motors. I was not compensated for this review other than use of the vehicle for 11 days. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Buick, Review, Travel Tagged With: Buick, Review, Travel

Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches Review and Giveaway

July 23, 2010 By Mom 94 Comments

There isn’t many things as perfect as ice cream for a summer treat.  I have been trying to be a good girl and stay away from too many treats so that I can fit in my swimsuit next week.  Breyers has made it possible not to feel guilty about eating an ice cream sandwich.  I am happy to introduce Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches.

Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches only have 160 calories or less in each sandwich or bar!  I can now have ice cream and not have to worry about the calories or fat grams (4-6g of fat in each snack).  What is even better is that we tried the Vanilla Fudge Brownie Sandwiches and they are delicious.  You won’t miss the fat or calories that are in typical ice cream sandwiches and bars.

Breyers is currently offering an instant win and sweepstakes promotion on their Smooth & Dreamy website.  You can instantly win several prizes including free Smooth & Dreamy products, movie tickets, maid for a day, spa day, and bookstore gift cards. You can also enter to win the sweepstakes grand prize, $10,000 cash and a day with trainer Kathy Kaehler!

Buy It:

You can purchase Bryers Smooth & Dreamy Bars in all 6 flavors at grocery stores nationwide.

Win It:

Two (2) lucky winners will each receive 2 coupons for free Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches.

How to Enter:

Visit Breyers Smooth & Dreamy and tell me what flavor you would most like to try from the 6 varieties.

(You must complete this entry before completing any of the bonus entries)

Bonus Entries:

  • Follow me on Twitter and Tweet: Win Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches @AMomsImpression http://wyn.cc/rhh3v (You may enter daily, just leave a comment with each Tweet’s link)
  • Like A Mom’s Impression on Facebook
  • Blog about this giveaway (Please leave a link to your post)
  • Grab my Button and post it on your blog.
  • Subscribe to A Mom’s Impression by Email (2 Entries, please leave 2 comments: Please remember to confirm your subscription)
  • Comment on any non-giveaway post on A Mom’s Impression. (just tell me what post you commented on)

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
Open to US residents only. This giveaway will end at midnight on August 15. Winners will be picked from Random.org. 
Good Luck!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Breyers and received products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.
Filed Under: Food/Snacks, Giveaways, Recipe Tagged With: Food/Snacks, Giveaway, Review

Oreck Platinum Pilot Vacuum Review and Giveaway

July 21, 2010 By Mom 650 Comments

I hate cleaning!  There, I have confessed, it is now out there for the world to know. I do it, but I definitely don’t look forward to it. I never really understood Monica on “Friends”.  She was a clean fanatic (maybe that is why I liked Rachel  better).  I never understood people like my old roommate who would vacuum twice a day, that is until I got my hands on the Oreck Platinum Pilot Vacuum.  Apparently all I needed was a little motivation (and an amazing appliance to help out).

Oreck Corporation has been a big player in the vacuum industry for quite a while.  Here is a little bit more about the company from their website:

The Oreck Corporation is a family-owned American business founded in 1963 by David Oreck. It began by manufacturing upright vacuum cleaners for the U.S. hotel industry and now sells vacuums used in hotels and homes throughout North and South America, as well as Europe and Asia.

David Oreck started the company with the idea to design a lightweight yet powerful vacuum that hotel housekeepers would prefer over the heavy models available to them. The idea proved so successful that now over 50,000 hotels throughout the world use Oreck vacuums. After a short time, hotel staff wanted to buy the vacuum cleaners for their own use at home, which gave the Oreck Corporation the idea to sell its unique products to consumers.

Oreck has a reputation for making the finest vacuums available. Its continued goal is to provide lightweight and easy-to-use cleaning products for every room in the house, each with exceptional durability.

The Oreck Platinum Pilot has changed the way that we clean our house.  We have been needing a vacuum for quite a while.  The one we have was from way back when I lived alone before I even met my husband, and it cost about $50.  It didn’t work so good.  As most of you who are readers of my blog know, we have a very large 120 pound dog and a toddler. This can be a very lethal combination when it comes to keeping dog hair off of the child.  We have hard wood floors and have mostly used a floor-mate  to keep it clean, but keeping the dog hair at bay has been a real challenge.

My husband put the Oreck together with relative ease.  It didn’t take that long and we were off vacuuming away.  My husband did the honors of the first vacuum with the Oreck.  The results were immediate.  After one pass of the living room we were in shock and awe in a great way.  The Oreck Platinum Pilot as a unique ball-joint and pivot connection that allows you maneuver the vacuum around furniture with a light touch.  The Oreck also has a small brush on the edge of the head of the vacuum that doesn’t allow any dirt to escape.  It is extremely light and easy to maneuver around the house.  It is so light that you can actually get it under a bed with ease.  The first time we did that we accidentally sucked up a hair headband  and had to take the vacuum apart to take it out (unbelievably easy to do).  Beware, the vacuum is extremely powerful.  We accidentally got a rope that was attached to one of TJ’s pull toys sucked up by it and it snapped the rope in half.

My family has a lot of allergies.  Even our dog Eli suffers from allergies.  Since receiving the Oreck I know that I have seen a lot less allergic reactions within the family.  In fact, my son’s rashes have gotten remarkably better and we were able to take him to get his pictures done.  I don’t know if that is because of the Oreck, but I do know that my house is cleaner and therefore healthier for my family.

You might have noticed that I haven’t mentioned any attachments with the vacuum.  That is because there isn’t any.  Along with the Oreck Platinum Pilot you will receive the 5-lb. Ultimate Handheld Vacuum with hypo-allergenic filtration and eight attachments for cleaning stairs, furniture, ceiling fans, molding, bookshelves, curtains, drapes and other hard-to-reach spots. It is also a perfect vacuum to use to clean out your car.

Oreck stands behind their products. To ensure maximum performance, the Oreck Platinum Pilot comes with 10 free annual tune-ups if ever needed at Oreck Clean Home Centers and has a 10-year warranty.

Buy It:

Oreck Platinum Pilot Vacuum available at $599 at 450 Oreck Clean Home Center across the country or at oreck.com.

Win It:

Oreck has graciously offered one (1) reader an Oreck Platinum Pilot Vacuum of their own!

How to Enter:

Visit Oreck and tell me something you learned about the Platinum Pilot or another Oreck product.

(You must complete this entry before completing any of the bonus entries)

Bonus Entries:

  • Follow me on Twitter and Tweet: Win a Platinum Pilot Vacuum from Oreck (ARV $599.95) @AMomsImpression http://wyn.cc/djehu (You may enter daily, just leave a comment with each Tweet’s link)
  • Follow Oreck on Twitter
  • Like A Mom’s Impression on Facebook
  • Like Oreck on Facebook Please just tell them A Mom’s Impression sent you!
  • Blog about this giveaway (Please leave a link to your post)
  • Grab my Button and post it on your blog.
  • Subscribe to A Mom’s Impression by Email (2 Entries, please leave 2 comments: Please remember to confirm your subscription)
  • Comment on any non-giveaway post on A Mom’s Impression. (just tell me what post you commented on)

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
Open to US residents only. This giveaway will end at midnight on August 25. Winner will be picked from Random.org. 
Good Luck!

This product review was made possible by Oreck. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Cleaning, Giveaways, Household Items, Review Tagged With: Cleaning, Giveaway, Household Items, Review

Step2 Play Up Toddler Swing and Slide Review

July 21, 2010 By Mom 19 Comments

I have been looking for a while for a swing-set appropriate for TJ. The closest park is a little far for all of us to walk to and then have enough energy to swing and slide.  I visited Step2 to look at all the wonderful new products for the summer and found the Play Up Toddler Swing and Slide.

I contacted Step2 and was extremely excited when they said that they would send us one to review.  Step2 is a wonderful company who is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys. The Step2 family also includes Thinkativity and Infantino (you can read some of my Infantino reviews here and here).  I love Step2′s mission:

To be the leading innovator of children’s products that build imaginations and enrich the family’s celebration of childhood.

What a fantastic mission for a company.  Building children’s  imaginations is extremely difficult to do these days with video games and television playing such a large role in entertainment for our young ones.  I can fully support a company that strives to enrich childhood by creating products that build imagination.

I was very excited when the box arrived at our house.  My husband was a little worried about how hard the set would be to put together, but it was relatively easy!  We pre drilled some of the screw holes and that made it a lot easier to put together.

TJ was so excited to start sliding that he couldn’t wait for the entire set to be put together first.  He started as soon as the slide portion of the set was made.  The slide is very short and perfect for a 15 month old.  He had a lot of fun sliding and running back to the small steps to climb up and do it again.  I was pretty nervous letting him do it on his own for the first few times, but now that we moved the set off of the deck and onto grass I feel like he his more protected if he stumbles a little.

Step2 takes safety very seriously.  The swing includes a seat belt to secure TJ into the swing.  I felt comfortable swinging him knowing it was impossible for him to fall out.  The age range of this product is ages 1-4, but I know a lot of 4 year olds and this set is going to be too young for them.  It is perfect for ages 1-2 year olds and some 3 year olds. For older children you would want to check out the Play Up™ Hybrid Gym Set for ages 3-6.

TJ loves his Step2 Play Up Toddler Swing and Slide.  It has been a welcomed addition to our backyard allowing TJ and I to play in an age appropriate “park”.  I love that this swing set encourages imagination and allows TJ to get outside and exercise.  A must have for parents of toddlers!

Here are the higlights of the Step2 Play Up Toddler Swing and Slide:

Toddler-sized climber for ages 1 – 4 allows your children to slide, swing & play! Made in USA.

  • Wide transition area for slide
  • Gently sloped steps with hand grips
  • Unique, sophisticated, fun styling
  • Steering wheel for added fun
  • Swing includes a seat belt for added security
  • Slide length 28″
  • Slide & platform weight limit 70 lbs (31.7 kg)
  • Swing weight limit 33 lbs (15 kg)
  • Minimal adult assembly required

Buy It:

You can purchase the Step2 Play Up Toddler Swing and Slide from Step2 for $139.99.

Filed Under: Kids, Review, Toys Tagged With: Kids, Review, Toys

Wordless Wednesday – Dance Your Pants Off

July 20, 2010 By Mom 22 Comments

We went to my husband’s cousins wedding this past weekend.  Here are a couple of pictures of our little family.  Notice TJ is wearing plaid shorts (incident with his suit pants, they are now in the trash) at the end of the evening, but he didn’t let that stop him from dancing.

Link up your Wordless Wednesdays!

Filed Under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged With: Wordless Wednesday

SleepJoy Memory Foam Mattress Topper Review & Pillow Giveaway

July 20, 2010 By Mom 359 Comments

When I was pregnant I got off pretty easy, no heartburn, no stretchmarks, not a whole lot of morning sickness.  What I did suffer from was backaches.  I was miserable at night trying to get comfortable enough to get a couple of hours of sleep.  For the first time I understood what people with back problems go through on a daily basis.  My husband has suffered from a bad back in the past and I never gave him much sympathy until I suffered a little from it myself.  Back problems are no joke!  But how do you help relieve back pain?  Your mattress can be a large factor in helping reduce back aches.

For review, SleepJoy  sent us a 2″ VitaTop ViscoFresh enhanced Memory Foam Mattress Topper.  The SleepJoy memory foam mattress is not like other memory foam mattresses on the market. SleepJoy uses ViscoFresh memory foam.  Here is a little bit more about the technology behind the SleepJoy memory foam:

ViscoFresh memory foam was created by our technicians to eliminate the overheating and odor so common with original visco elastic memory foam. Our technicians took over where the NASA scientists left off and have created the next generation of sleeping comfort.

ViscoFresh is a high density enhanced memory foam. It is more open cell than any other memory foam on the market and it has ventilating air channels to ensure comfortable sleeping temperatures. It’s made with a green tea additive and renewable, plant based ingredients so our memory foam mattresses, mattress toppers and pillows are less harmful to the environment and have none of the chemical odor associated with other memory foam products.

Benefits:
• ViscoFresh has 5x the air circulation of ordinary memory foam
• ViscoFresh memory foam conforms instantly to every curve of your body, there’s no need to ‘warm up’
• There’s no chemical odor associated with our memory foam mattresses, instead there’s the pleasant, fresh aroma of green tea.
• The addition of plant based ingredients make our products less harmful to the environment.
Add up all these benefits and you are truly looking at the best memory foam mattress on the market!

We received our mattress topper about a month ago.  It arrived packaged very tightly wrapped.  I was a little skeptical until we unwrapped it and put it on top of our mattress.  It was soft and smelled amazingly like mint ice cream.  We placed the cover over the mattress topper and immediately jumped on top to try it out.  I can honestly say I love my bed!  It feels incredible to sleep on top of the memory foam mattress topper.  I feel like I sink into the bed and the perfect depth.  My husband, who suffers from occasional back problems, has loved the new mattress topper as well.  He hasn’t complained about his back since receiving the mattress topper. I love that you can keep your current mattress and add the SleepJoy memory foam mattress topper.  It is an economical way of improving your current mattress without having to replace it.  We have been on a couple of trips since getting the SleepJoy mattress topper and I have really missed it when we were sleeping in other beds.  It really has been an amazing product.

Buy It:

You can purchase memory foam mattresses, toppers, pillows and more from SleepJoy.com.  The SleepJoy 2″ VitaTop ViscoFresh enhanced Memory Foam Mattress Topper starts at $99.99.

Win It:

The generous people at SleepJoy are offering one (1) lucky reader an Advanced Contour Infinity Pillow! (ARV $79.99)

How to Enter:

Visit SleepJoy and tell me another product you would like to try.

(You must complete this entry before completing any of the bonus entries)

Bonus Entries:

  • Follow me on Twitter and Tweet: Win an Advanced Contour Infinity Pillow from SleepJoy (ARV $79.99) @AMomsImpression http://wyn.cc/exkiv (You may enter daily, just leave a comment with each Tweet’s link)
  • Follow SleepJoy on Twitter
  • Like A Mom’s Impression on Facebook
  • Like SleepJoy on Facebook Please just tell them A Mom’s Impression sent you!
  • Blog about this giveaway (Please leave a link to your post)
  • Grab my Button and post it on your blog.
  • Subscribe to A Mom’s Impression by Email (2 Entries, please leave 2 comments: Please remember to confirm your subscription)
  • Comment on any non-giveaway post on A Mom’s Impression. (just tell me what post you commented on)

Please leave a comment about each entry, include a valid email address or you may contact me directly with your contact information.
Open to US and Canadian residents only. This giveaway will end at midnight on August 5. Winner will be picked from Random.org. 
Good Luck!

This product review was made possible by SleepJoy. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways, Review Tagged With: Giveaway, Review
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