Part 3: Kiwi Magazine Review & Giveaway {CLOSED}

Congratulations comment #9- Diana! I love Kiwi Magazine! Kiwi is kind of a quirky magazine because it has a lot of focus on organic foods and nutrition with parenting, family, and health information mixed in. After Avin was born and I realized that literally everything I put into my mouth effected him (I breastfeed) I began trying to find information about organic foods. My search led me to Kiwi and I've been in love ever since. Kiwi is a realistic magazine- not too extreme in any one direction which makes it great for an "average" family.

Kiwi gives great tips for busy moms. They know we are all crazily busy and so they give information on quick meals that use natural and organic products. Kiwi also recognizes that organic products can be costly so they always offer money saving hints. Kiwi supports different parent and family related groups including Mom Ambassadors and Parents Advisory board. The Kiwi website offers coupons, freebies, recipes, eco-crafts, a Kiwi Kids section, and much more. There is truly something for everyone in your family.

Kiwi supports being "green" and offers great tips for being eco-conscious. As part of their effort to be eco-conscious they are donating to World Vision when you subscribe. They also have Kiwi Magazine online and in print. I love their explanation for why they chose "Kiwi" for the name of the magazine:

• It symbolizes what we're doing; looking for powerful ways to help you raise healthy families.
• It's a unique shade of green. And, we are that, too. Our goal is to give you the tools to be as environmentally conscious as possible with realistic advice that fits into your hectic lifestyle. We know it's not easy to be totally green; we want to show you how even the smallest steps can make a difference.
• Kiwis are like our children: invigorating, juicy and sweet all at the same time.

Kiwi has been fun and informative for me and will definately be a magazine I subscribe to for years to come. My mom is clueless about being "green" and actually thought "organic" foods were something to avoid! Needless to say I gave her a subscription to Kiwi a couple of months ago. Now she calls me to talk about things she has learned!

If you act now you can purchase yourself a subscription and give a subscription to someone you love for free! For $11.95 you can get a 1 year subscription for yourself and someone else. Isn't that a great deal?

Kiwi is so terrific that they said I could also give one of my readers a year long subscription (or renewal) for free!!! To enter to win the free 1 year subscription all you have to do is become a blog follower via google friend connect (on the right side of my blog) and visit the Kiwi Magazine website then come back and leave me a comment letting me know why you want to win a Kiwi Magazine subscription.

Contest will close Friday, March 12, 2010 at 11:00 PM CST. Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Please make sure you leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win. Contest open to US addresses only, must be 18 to enter.

Don't forget to connect with Kiwi on facebook, myspace, and twitter for great information!

Part 2: Mothering Magazine Review and Giveaway {CLOSED}

Congratulations to entry # 21! Mothering magazine is unique because they don't just publish a magazine, they support a community. That may sound crazy but it is true. Mothering magazine was created to help the natural family community and they still do today through both the magazine and their online community. Friends in my Mindful Mothers group led me to Mothering Magazine because they had found it to be a non-judgemental source for quality information about natural family choices such as homeschooling and homebirthing. I've found that the magazine covers a wide variety of topics such as circumcision, vaccinations, organic foods, childhood illnesses, home birth, and midwifery.

I've found tons of information, not just opinions, on the things I am curious about. The magazine does have quite a few ads in it but they are all geared towards shops offering items that support natural parenting such as cloth diapers or slings. Normally ads in magazines just tick me off but I actually enjoy these because in Mid-Missouri our sources for those types of things are very limited. I love that they have both a print and online option for subscription. I use the online option to save a few trees and I love it. It comes straight to my email inbox and I can open it and read it as I have time. It looks identical to the print copy, you can adjust the zoom and style of page view.

I also love their website and online community. They offer tons of resources and information on a variety of topics. It is also great place to connect with like minded moms! It is so nice not to constantly worry that someone is going to flip out about my natural parenting choices.

Mothering Magazine has an awesome special going if you want to subscribe right now! Subscribe today and get:

• FREE 1-year Digital Subscription
• FREE coupons worth more than $100 in savings
• FREE membership in MotheringDotCommunity

Subscribe for just $19.95!

As if that deal wasn't awesome enough they are also offering one of my lucky readers the chance to win a one year subscription FREE!

To enter to win you must first sign up to follow my blog via google friend connect (on the right side of my blog) Then go to the Mothering Magazine website and then come back and leave me a comment telling me something you learned about the magazine or a topic related to natural families. Please make sure you leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 11:00 PM CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org. Open to US residents only.

Follow Mothering Magazine on facebook and twitter.

Part 1: Natural Life Magazine Review & Giveaway {CLOSED}

Congratulations to #13 Rebecca!
Natural Life Magazine is not your typical checkout stand "magazine. There are no glossy advertisements with models selling fancy commercial products. It is not a gossip rag or a fluff magazine. It is a magazine dedicated to providing readers with "straightforward, trustworthy facts, analysis, opinions and how-to information about green family living and progressive education".

I will be the first to admit that some of the topics covered in this magazine shocked me. A couple of shocking examples for me were "I Don't Need to Know" Why and how one woman chose secular humanism over religion and "A Week in the Life" An unschooled teen's community-based education. While I found these articles shocking they were also thought-provoking. They challenged me to think about different views from my own. I really liked that they offered honest insight into non-mainstream choices, especially in education.

I think Natural Life sums up their magazine quite well when they say:

We are sometimes controversial, always honest and forever practical. As one of the original North American sources of information about natural family living and its foremost publisher of books about progressive homeschooling (sometimes known as life learning or unschooling), we work hard to provide a fresh perspective on these important topics. As a result, you'll find us always a bit ahead of the pack.

Natural Life Magazine has e-subscriptions available to save resources. Natural Life Magazine also makes it a priority to use environmentally sound processes and paper, including a mix of paper that is post-consumer recycled, tree-free, non-chlorine bleached and preserving of old-growth forests. Currently, Natural Life magazine is printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified paper by a printer that is also FSC-certified, using soy-based inks. How awesome is that?

This magazine is not for you if you are easily offended or not open to different view points. However, if you share similar viewpoints or enjoy being exposed to different viewpoints I believe you will enjoy this magazine. One more great feature of this magazine is that each article includes an email address for the author if you are inclined to seek more information.

You can find Natural Life Magazine on the web at http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/. You can also find them on facebook and twitter.

To enter to WIN a one year subscription to this magazine all you have to do is sign up to follow my blog via google friend connect (in the right hand column) and leave me a comment letting me know that you follow and why you would like to win a subscription to Natural Life Magazine. Giveaway ends March 16, 2010 at Midnight CST. Contest open to US Residents only. Void where prohibited.

3 Part "Natural", "Green", "Organic" Living Magazine Series

I am putting together a series of posts on magazines that have helped me to educate myself about being more natural, organic, and eco-friendly. The magazines that I will feature have helped me to learn more about different non-mainstream view points and helped me to educate myself on the choices available to me. I want to share these resources with you. The viewpoints represented in the magazines are not necessarily my viewpoints. Each of the three magazines has generously agreed to giveaway a subscription to their magazine. If after reading my review you feel like you'd like a subscription (or a renewal!) to that magazine please feel free to enter the giveaway. Please refer your friends who might be interested too! I am always looking for great magazines that share my common interests so if you read another magazine that you think fits with being green, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, or babywearing please comment and let me know what it is!

So Fresh Baby Food Kit Review and Giveaway {CLOSED}

Congratulations #33 Andrea!
I not only breastfeed but I make the majority of Avin's babyfood. The exceptions are his baby rice and oat cereal and his cereal puffs. I've been passionate about making Avin's babyfood since he was 4 months old. Jarred baby food contains a lot of ingredients that babies don't need like sugar and preservatives. They also lose lots of nutrients during processing and storage. Not to mention they are so expensive!!!

When I first started making Avin's babyfood I had no clue where to begin and ended up tossing out my first several attempts. I finally figured out how to cook a few basic items like sweet potatoes and peas. From there I expanded to several more vegetables but I still didn't know how to prepare meats or fruits. When I expressed interest in the Fresh Baby Cookbook, Fresh Baby surprised me with the opportunity to review their So Easy Baby Food Kit. The So Easy Baby Food kit includes 2 freezer trays, a cookbook, a how-to dvd, and a nutritional tip card. When I opened the box the first thing I took out was the cookbook. I was surprised to find that it was a beautiful hard bound book. The cookbook is not your traditional recipe only cookbook. It is a combination baby record book, cookbook, and how-to guide. It has places for photos and notes about baby's first meal, first holiday, and first birthday. It also has a place to record the date each food was introduced and any notes or reactions involving that food. The first half of the book gives great information on the benefits of making your own babyfood and the process of actually making the food. The second half of the book contains the recipes. I was very disappointed to see that meats were not included among the recipes. The recipes explain how to select fresh produce and prepare single fruits or vegetables. Each recipe includes possible seasoning variations and suggestions of foods you could combine to make "medleys". Each fruit or vegetable also has an easy-to-read 1-, 2-, or 3-star chart that shows the nutritional content of that particular food. Recipes are broken down by months so you know when your baby should be starting new foods. The tip card that is included in the kit is a full color laminated 8.5 x 11 sheet that includes information on what to do if your baby is choking, baby food prep tips, first foods by age, common baby ailments and foods, and a list of the best sources of several different nutrients.

Watching the dvd felt a little like watching a late night infomercial but it demonstrated how to actually prepare and store the food. I was surprised to find out you can cook all your babies foods in the microwave and that it is actually recommended over stove top methods. It is only 22 minutes long so you can watch it during your babies nap time or while he breastfeeds. One thing I disagree with is their suggested use of a traditional blender or food processor. I've tried using both and it is very hard to get a smooth creamy consistency using either one. I suggest using an immersion blender (some people refer to it as a stick blender).

The freezer storage containers are great! They come with a lid to keep your food safe from freezer burn and prevent spills. Each cube is one serving. The containers are dishwasher safe and BP-A and phthalate-free. Freezing babyfood is a great way to give you shelf life without losing nutrients or adding preservatives.

Visit Freshbaby.com to purchase a So Easy Baby Food Kit of your own or enter below for your chance to WIN one!!!

Contest open to US Residents 18 and older. Ends Friday, March 12, 2010 at Midnight CST. Winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. Please make sure you leave your email address in your comment. Please post one comment per entry (5 entries=5 comments). Winners will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

Mandatory Entry: To enter leave a comment telling me why you would love to win this kit.

For additional entries:

1) Follow my blog publicly with Google Friend Connect (5 entries)

2) Follow me on Twitter and tweet "RT @diapermom Enter to WIN a So Fresh Baby Food Kit and start making your own baby food! http://bit.ly/aZsqqj" (One entry per tweet up to twice per day!)

3) Subscribe to my feed on the left side of my blog (3 entries)

4) Follow me on Facebook (1 additional entry)

5) Sign up for the Fresh Ideas Newsletter at Fresh Baby (1 additional entry)

6) Grab my button and post it on your blog or blog about this giveaway with a link back to me and leave me the link where I can find it (1 entry)

7) Comment on one of my other posts and then let me know which one (1 entry)

Best Dressed Wool Dryer Ball Review & Giveaway {CLOSED}

Congratulations to Mary Beth for winning the gift certificate!

I've been seeing ads for Wool Dryer Balls all over the place lately. They seem to be the newest laundry related item in the "green" movement. They are designed to help cut your drying time by up to 40%. I cloth diaper and always have to run my fitted diapers at least twice in the dryer for them to be good and dry. I was very interested when Terra & Cam from TerraMade Products got in touch with me about doing a review. I really like it that TerraMade uses lightly used or recycled fibers and new materials to produce one-of-a-kind wool products, arm and leg warmers, cloth diapers and other great products. Terra sent me out two sets (4 balls total) of their "Tweed Jacket" Dryer balls. According to their website; "Wool covers or "jackets" keep your dryer balls looking good and ready to roll. Recommended for use with aplix."


As luck would have it my mom (aka the Laundry Queen) was visiting for the weekend when the dryer balls arrived. We immediately opened the package and got them into the dryer. I will warn you, they are noisy! It sounded like the socks were playing tennis in the dryer but luckily my dryer is off in my basement so the noise level wasn't a problem for me. Diapers and clothing included, the dryer balls saw about 10 loads of laundry over the weekend. About 5 loads in my mom said, "Is there supposed to be 4 balls?" Umm...yeah! One ball completely disappeared during the laundry process! I strongly suspect that it joined the secret colony of socks that escape from the dryer but more likely my mom dropped it and the cats whisked it off like a tiny soccer ball.

According to the TerraMade website:
Wool dryer balls tumble with your clothes creating air pockets allowing for better air and heat movement cutting drying time as much as 40%. Wool Dryer balls will also retain heat for faster drying when used back to back in consecutive cycles. All dryer balls are sold in pairs. Multiple sets will continue to increase the dryers' efficiency with up to 40% decrease in drying time.

Even with only 3 dryer balls I did still notice a difference in my drying time. The difference isn't quite 40%, more like 25%, but still it cuts down on drying time! My lighter clothing did dry much faster but those thick, heavy diapers still take about a cycle and a half. The dryer balls also seemed to eliminate wet spots from clothing getting bunched up together in a wad and the outside drying while the center stays wet and wrinkled. I have a down filled throw blanket and comforter that call for you to put clean tennis balls in the dryer with them and now I don't have to worry about that I can just toss them in with my wool dryer balls.

TerraMade Products also have a variety of other great products including natural cleaning products, custom wool longies, and cloth diapers. Go check out all the great eco-friendly products that TerraMade has to offer at their online store. They have excellent customer service and the shipping time was unbelievable!

TerraMade Products is also offering one of my readers a gift certificate to their store for $14.95! This amount could purchase a pair of naked or jacketed dryer balls, a bag of powdered Charlie’s laundry detergent, a pair of custom wool longies, a pair of Coo-zies Arm and leg warmers or any other of the great items in their store!

Contest open to US Residents 18 and older. Ends Thursday, March 4, 2010 at Midnight CST. Winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. Please make sure you leave your email address in your comment. Please post one comment per entry. Winners will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

Mandatory Entry: To enter you must go to the TerraMade Products website and then come back here and comment letting me know which item you'd love to have. For additional entries:

1) Follow me on Facebook (1 additional entry)

2) Follow me on Twitter and tweet "RT @diapermom I can't wait to win a gift certificate from TerraMade Products!!! http://bit.ly/aTNjug" (One entry per tweet up to twice per day!)

3) Follow TerraMade Products on Facebook (1 additional entry)

4) Follow TerraMade Products on Twitter (1 additional entry)

5) Follow my blog publicly with Google Friend Connect (5 entries)

6) Subscribe to my feed on the left side of my blog (3 entries)

7) Grab my button and post it on your blog or blog about this giveaway with a link back to me and leave me the link where I can find it (1 entry)

8) Comment on one of my other posts and then let me know which one (1 entry)

Wordless Wednesday

If a picture is worth a thousand words I'd love to know what he's thinking! Love those expressions!