You are here: Home / Review

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

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

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

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

ProFlowers

July 19, 2010 By Mom 6 Comments

I love getting flowers delivered.  Not that it happens a lot, but when it does I feel really special.  What can be even more special than flowers is a potted plant that will last a while (if you don’t end up killing it….speaking from experience).  ProFlowers recently sent me a Potted Zebra Plant for my home and I am so very excited with it.  It is a green plant with personality!

I love the striped leaves and the vibrancy of the plant.  I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the plant has some lovely yellow blooms.  The Zebra Potted Plant also came with directions to help keep it alive, so I am feeling hopeful that I can do it!  In addition to green plants, ProFlowers delivers flowers, candy baskets, fruit baskets, and gormet treats. Here are a few of my favorites:

I also love that they have combined products to create multi-day gifts that you can choose from.  Your recipient receives wonderful flowers or candy everyday for as many days as you decide. What a wonderful and special way to celebrate a monumental birthday or anniversary.

Buy It:

You can purchase plants, flowers, and gourmet gift baskets from ProFlowers at Proflowers.com

Filed Under: Gifts, Review Tagged With: Gifts, Review

Outlast Hand Sanitizer

July 18, 2010 By Mom 2 Comments

With school starting up soon I am finding myself cleaning and organizing my kindergarten room for the new school year.  As you may imagine a kindergarten room is full of germs.  One way I keep myself healthy is by having a bottle of hand sanitizer on my desk and use it often during the day.  I recently received a couple of bottles of Outlast Hand Sanitizer to review and really enjoyed using it.  So what makes Outlast Hand Sanitizer special?  Here are a few highlights of Outlast Hand Sanitizer:

  • OutLastTM Long-Lasting Hand Sanitizer is alcohol-based, so it kills 99.99% of germs instantly. While some germs can live on surfaces for more than 2 hours, most alcohol-based hand sanitizers only work for 2 minutes.
  • The neat thing about OutLastTM Long-Lasting Hand Sanitizer is that it works for up to 6 hours.  Leading hand sanitizers only last two minutes.
  • Surgeons and other healthcare professionals have used the OutLastTM Long-Lasting Hand Sanitizer formula in hospitals for years. You might think that a hand sanitizer used in hospitals may be rough on your kids’ hands, but OutLastTMLong-Lasting Hand Sanitizer has moisturizers and leaves hands feeling silky and not sticky.

I can use all the help I can get to stay healthy during the school year.  I love that Outlast Hand Sanitizer last longer than most other hand sanitizers on the market.  I am excited to find a product I don’t have to constantly have to reapply in order to know that it is working.

Another great product that we received to help keep germs away is the Clipa. Clipa is the ingenious purse hanger that keeps your purse off the ground. Simply clip it to your handbag strap and leave it there. No more getting germs and dirt on your handbag.  It is also a very stylish accessory when not in use. Visit http://www.clipa.us/ to learn more!

Buy It:

OutLastTM Long-Lasting Hand Sanitizer is sold online at www.outlastgerms.com and by telephone at 1-800-716-2420.

I recieved these products from MomSelect for purposes of this review.  All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Health, Review Tagged With: Health, Review

Preschool is Cool- ABC’s With Elmo & Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles DVDs

July 14, 2010 By Mom 19 Comments

As mnay of you know my son has developed a love affair with Elmo.  I have seen The Best of Elmo 2 more times than I can count!  I really needed a new video for TJ to watch.  Luckily we received a couple of DVDs a few weeks ago that helped mommy stay sane.  The first DVD still has Elmo in it, but it stars other Sesame Street characters as well.

Preschool is Cool…ABC’s with Elmo features Professor Grover, preschool teacher, and Elmo.  They hunt for things that start with each letter of the alphabet.  Through their adventures kids learn songs about the alphabet helping them learn all the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make along the way.  The DVD is a fun way to engage 1-4 year-olds in learning the alphabet.  TJ loves it (I think he will love it even more in about 6 months).  I love it because it is something different than our previous DVD and it encourages kids to learn their alphabet at a young age.  I wish all kids came into kindergarten will these skills.  It would make kindergarten easier for everyone (including me).

Calling all you Wiggle’s fans. Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles DVD is a collection of 35 of The Wiggles’ songs.  TJ loves music and he loves The Wiggles. We have been jamming out to The Best of the Wiggles for a couple of weeks now and I have to say that it is a nice break from Elmo (I love ya Elmo, but I am hearing you talk in my sleep).  Here are the songs that are featured on Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles DVD:

  1. Hot Potato
  2. Can You (Point Your Fingers And Do The Twist?)
  3. Fruit Salad
  4. Rock-A-Bye Your Bear
  5. Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car
  6. Wake Up Jeff!
  7. Wiggly Party
  8. Captain Feathersword Fell Asleep On His Pirate Ship (Quack Quack)
  9. Wiggle Bay
  10. The Monkey Dance
  11. Get Ready To Wiggle
  12. Go Santa Go
  13. Dorothy (Would You Like To Dance?)
  14. Ooh It’s Captain Feathersword
  15. Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport
  16. Dressing Up
  17. Move Your Arms Like Henry
  18. Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles!
  19. Do The Owl
  20. The Zeezap Song
  21. Play Your Guitar With Murray
  22. Rockin’ Santa!
  23. To Have A Tea Party
  24. Here Come The Chicken
  25. Getting Strong!
  26. Murray Had A Turtle
  27. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
  28. I’m Dorothy The Dinosaur!
  29. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
  30. Dr Knickerbocker
  31. The Shimmie Shake!
  32. Over In The Meadow
  33. Wags The Dog Is Chasing His Tail
  34. Monkey Man
  35. Hot Poppin’ Popcorn

The DVD includes over 2 hours of Wiggles entertainment for your kiddos.

Buy It:

You can purchase Hot Potatoes! The Best of The Wiggles DVD on Amazon for $10.99 and you can purchase Preschool is Cool! ABC’s with Elmo from SesameStreet.org for $14.98.

This product review was made possible by Sesame Street and PR Company. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: DVD, Kids, Music, Review, Uncategorized Tagged With: DVD, Kids, Music, Review
« Older Posts