MumsTheWurdUnique finds for hip parents and cool kids

We have a long standing love affair with Boon.  It started with the Potty Bench and the Frog Pod, but they’ve expanded their line quite extensively since then!  Now they’ve got a sweet little Layette line for the wee ones.  Lennon has this DNA Bodysuit, which was perfect for Summer.  Now that we’re into the colder months, how about a Coverall & Hat set in Pacifier?

You might have noticed on Boon’s website, that they now offer a complete line of ergonomic cups, cutlery, and dishware, ALL of which are BpA, Phthalate, and PVC free.  Does your baby need a place to sit while dining, while using all of this state-of-the-art dishware?  Very soon, you will see my guest post on one of  ZRecommends awesome network of blogs, Polliwogged, discussing our newest love, and excellent addition to the Boon family of products, the Flair Highchair.  I’ll let you know as soon as it’s posted…and until then, help yourself to ALL of Boon’s products!

P.S. This would look pretty great next to the Frog Pod.  Do I need a little girl to go with it though?

I think my husband has heard me sing the praises of the Medela Freestyle probably more than any husband should have to, but seriously, this breast pump is pretty unbelievable. First of all, it literally fits in the palm of your hand. No more manual pump, which is almost TOO strong. Before the Freestyle, I would have to pump for 30 minutes, and I still wasn’t fully “drained”. Now it takes me 12 minutes. TWELVE! You know how I know? The digital display tells me!

How many great things can I say about this pump?!? It has nine different levels of suction, two phases of expression, which more closely mimics a baby’s latch than a traditional pump does, and it even a MEMORY! Here’s the best part though…it comes with hands free accessories! They hook right to almost any nursing bra. Ok, so you look a little ridiculous, but you’re pumping, so who cares? It’s not like you’re doing it in front of anybody (or at least anybody that hasn’t seen them before!). This is where the pump goes above and beyond. It’s completely possible now for you to multitask while pumping! Remember the days when you could maybe thumb through a magazine while pumping if you could maneuver your hands just right so that everything stayed in place? Well, those days are over. Now you can hold your baby, do dishes, blog…whatever!

The world is your oyster!

If you’re a nursing mum in need of a breast pump, this is it.  Promise.

Since we’re on the topic of organic consumption, we have coupons good for ONE FREE package of Boca Meatless Products (each coupon good up to a $3.99 value) for FOUR winners (three coupons per winner). They expire on March 31st, so this contest will end tomorrow, Wednesday, 3/19/08 at 10PM CST.

TO ENTER:

Send an email to mumsthewurd[at]gmail[dot]com with your name and mailing address. We’ll send out the coupons on Thursday morning so you should have plenty of time to redeem them.

Good luck!

The word “organic” seems to be on the tip of everyone’s tongues these days but what does organic really mean?

A well-known dairy company called “Horizon Organic” will explain to you first hand how important consuming organic products is. Their products are free of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics, which means they are healthier for you and your family.

Horizon’s products are certified organic and I can tell you from my own experience, they taste great. I don’t know if it’s the fact that they are produced with care and concern for the consumer’s health but there is something about the taste that makes me come back for more. I’m confident with giving my toddler Horizon products
because I know they care more about quality than quantity, therefore better products are produced.

We have three coupons for a FREE Horizon Organic product (up to a $4.99 value) for three winners. The coupons expire 7/31/08. To enter, leave a comment on this post with your contact information. Feel free to let us know if you’ve ever tried Horizon products before. Winner will chosen at random (not based on feedback) tomorrow, Wednesday, 3/19/08 at 10PM CST. Click HERE for a list of retailers that carry Horizon products. That is how you will know if you are near one to be able to use the coupon if you win. Unfortunately, these coupons can not be used online.

Good luck!

PS: If you have a chance, check out Horizon’s website for recipes and health tips, as well as games and coloring pages for the little ones!

A safe choice for parents in baby products can be found at Baby Star. All of the products from this company are *formaldehyde-free. What exactly does that mean? It means you, your baby and the environment are safe.

Baby Star has a wonderful selection of bibs, blankets, burps and many other comforting baby items to choose from. They also carry the new Caribou bassinet and accessories, which I happen to be very fond of. Baby Star has been offering safe, cuddly and unique products since 2006 and these products are available for purchase at select children’s boutiques around the world. You can also find Baby Star products online at select eBoutiques.

We’ve been putting the four square pink bib to use around our house lately and in my opinion, I think it’s a great quality bib.

*While I was searching formaldehyde information for my review, I came across THIS article from National Geographic’s Green Guide. I thought it would be of some interest, so I included it.

This is your chance to enter to win a Kaboost! Kaboost is awesome, we’ve been using ours for close to a year now. It’s for the independent kids who want to sit at the “grown-up” table but are just a little to small yet. Kaboost fits snuggly under your dining room or kitchen chair.

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post INCLUDING your first name and email address.

As all of our other anniversary contests, a winner will be drawn and announced on March 7th.

Good luck!

***ALSO: Don’t forget to enter to win both our MYSTERY GIVEAWAYS (click HERE and HERE)! We’re pretty sure you’ll like the prizes, they’re sweet.

Laura and I have much love for Boon products and the individuals who bring them to us. You’ve heard us talk about the Frog Pod and the Potty Bench already. Now it’s time to focus on Boon’s new feeding line, made available to the world in November 2007. Seriously, this stuff makes me want to have another baby just so I have an excuse to use these products!

One item in particular that I would have loved to have had the opportunity to use is Squirt (retail $7.99). Squirt is an all-in-one feeding spoon. You fill the “handle” of the spoon with baby food (up to 3 oz.) and just squeeze to dispense just the right amount of food onto the spoon. I may just use it with my toddler anyway because it’s so freaking awesome. Another new feeding tool that I think is the cat’s meow is the Benders spoon and fork set (retail $5.99). You can “bend” the utensils in a way that is comfortable for your eater-in-training. They assist in making the transition to regular utensils. Here’s another new favorite, the no-spill toddler cup called Fluid (retail $5.99). Fluid is BPA FREE. You know that the discussion about BPA in our bottles and sippy cups has been all over the news recently. Well, ease your mind and pick up Fluid from Boon. The toddler cup holds up to 9 oz. of liquid and is easy to grip because of it’s ergonomic, two-handed design.

The rest of the new feeding line can be viewed by clicking HERE. If you have a baby shower to attend, be the one with the most unique and affordable gift there, give items from Boon’s new feeding line!

BRAND NEW in 2008, Boon will introduce their Layette line. There is some seriously cute apparel in this line! We can’t wait until it’s released this spring so we can talk it up even more. Also, check out Boon’s new line of handcrafted, solid sterling silver bracelets for newborns and toddlers. Attention Grandparents and Godparents: Gift alert! Gift alert! =)

Boon products can be purchased at select boutiques and online. The Frog Pod can generally be purchased at a Target store near you.

I love a good pancake, but I always found them to be somewhat of a pain to make. I only had a regular sized nonstick pan, and I could make maybe 2 pancakes at a time. Inevitably, they were cold by the time I was finished with all of the cakes. Being a mom now, and one who strives to be as 50s as possible, I just had to master my pancake technique. I asked for a double burner griddle for Christmas, and my husband, who swears that I’m the best cook ever (even better than his grandmother!!!), indulged me.

There are all kinds of griddles out there, but I don’t think you need to go expensive or cast iron (just my non-chef opinion) in order to achieve the perfect pancake. What you DEFINITELY need though, is the double burner style so you can get the max amount of pancakes possible. The one I got is here-nothing fancy or expensive, but it certainly does the trick! I can get approximately 4 4-5″ pancakes and 2 “dollar” sized pancakes done at one time. It’s totally amazing what a difference it makes when you can make ALL the batter in two “cycles” instead of about 7!

Now, what really makes a pancake great is a good recipe, so give this one a try (it’s my very own!):

1 c. bisquick
1 c. cream of wheat (any cook time works)
1 1/3 c. milk
1 egg (2 if you like the pancakes more flat)
3 tbs. melted butter
1 tbs. vanilla

put it all in a bowl, and mix…simple!

Cook over medium heat-flip when bubbles appear (about 2 minutes for side 1, 1 minute for side two). You can add bananas, chocolate chips, etc. to this recipe. I promise, they are divine!

Cookie baking season is upon us. If you’re short on time like I am or expecting last minute holiday guests (or you just ran out of eggs), it may not be feasible to make your cookies from scratch. An excellent, natural alternative is Wholly Wholesome.

Their Bake-at-Home line of cookies are delectable. My family and I had the opportunity to try the different variations of the ready-to-bake cookies and I was highly impressed with the chewy texture and how homemade-like they tasted. I also love the option of only baking a few cookies at a time, otherwise the chances of having any left over for hubby when he gets home from work are slim to none. Baking a few at a time is very simple with the pre-cut feature. Take out what you need and put the rest back in the freezer.

The base ingredients in a Wholly Wholesome Bake-at-Home cookie are: natural unsalted butter, organic evaporated cane juice, whole eggs, pure vanilla extract, unbleached/unbromated wheat flour and real molasses. Wholly Wholesome also makes consumers aware that their cookie doughs are made in a facility that uses peanuts and tree nuts, which may affect consumers with allergies.

Perfect for this time of year are their Holiday Cut Out Cookies. They come in pre-cut shapes of bells, stars and trees. Ready-to-bake and decorate. A fun little project for some snowy afternoon.

You will not only find incredible cookies at Wholly Wholesome but pies, cheesecakes, tea breads, pocket breads and so on.

Wholly Wholesome products are available at select Whole Foods Markets, as well as various other natural food markets around the U.S. and Canada.

We have a GREAT holiday giveaway for you from Wholly Wholesome!

We are giving away FIVE “Gift Packs” to FIVE MTW readers. The Gift Packs include:
Wholly Wholesome utensils - a spatula, pie server, basting brush, wire whisk and a coupon to Wholly Wholesome! The free coupon will be good for ANY of their products.

To enter, send an email to mumsthewurd[at]gmail[dot]com with “Natural” in the subject line and feel free to let us know what your favorite holiday cookie is (and the recipe too, if you’d like!) ***Also, please indicate in your email if you’d like to receive product updates from Wholly Wholesome, as they’d love to share the info with you! This is optional, of course.

We will choose five winners on Friday, November 23rd at 10 pm CST. Good luck!

At Chocolate Cake Club, you will find an assortment of gifts for babies to big kids. Unfortunately, they don’t have the chocolate cake but they can provide you with a lot of “chocolate cake moments”. Just ask Sue, the mom/wife/entrepreneur behind Chocolate Cake Club. Their online store provides a fun shopping experience. Gifts are sorted by need, age and type. From keeping mom organized to fun activities to bring on the road, you’re sure to find something at Chocolate Cake Club for that special little someone.

If you’re starting your holiday shopping, I highly recommend clicking over to CCC’s online store. One of my favorite features of the site is when you click on an item to view the details, you will see a “Why we love it” section below the description. “Why we love it” is a first hand review by the boutique’s owners. They also give suggestions for great gift idea themes.

A definite consideration for “mommy’s little helper” would be the Playful Chefs Kids Cooking Kit. An ideal gift for this cookie-baking season. The miniature cooking tools come neatly packaged in this handy clear backpack, ready to ship right along with the future chef to the grandparent’s house. In the kit, you’ll find an apron with pockets for all ten of her new cooking tools and five fun recipes to try out with an adult.

My toddler is getting more into the “helping” stage and this cooking kit couldn’t have arrived at a better time. I’m really looking forward to using it with her and letting her experience the joy of cooking. Something that I never really became too accustomed to. : )

Did you know that Chocolate Cake Club is a part of our Holiday Scavenger Blog Hunt Party? They are giving away a $25 gift certificate to their online store! Go enter for your chance to win this prize or one of the many other fantastic prizes that we’re giving away!

Chocolate Cake Club is a client of BelleRinger PR