Achooz!

Cold season is upon us, that's for sure. And let's just say it hit our house hard this past month. I blame it on one little pre-school-going red-headed toddler.  She graciously passed the germs along to her baby sister, both her aunts, her uncle, her uncle's finance, and of course, me!

So while I battled the little kids' colds with lots of cuddles and Boogie Wipes (grape is still the favored scent in our house), I was excited to try out the new adult version - Achooz! - on my own poor nose.

We all know that when colds and allergies set in, all the blowing and wiping with regular tissues can leave your nose feeling sore, red and raw. Nothing more attractive than a peeling nose, right?  Achooz are the next generation in tissue.  They include the same gentle, patent-pending magic of saline, vitamin E and aloe as the Boogie Wipe products and are available in Fragrance Free for everyday use and Cool Menthol for extra stuffy noses.

So how'd Achooz work out with my recent cold?  I have to admit, I think I love them as much as I love Boogie Wipes for my girls!  (I no longer have to sneak around taking the kiddos' wipes either).  I also love the convience of the little package of 15 soft wipes - they fit perfectly in my purse.  And the cool menthol scent just made me feel better - like I was home sitting in front of a humidifier filled with Vicks.  They are surely what I will reach for first whenever I have the urge to blow my nose.  I even gave me sister a few to try, and she immediately got online and figured out where she could buy some of her own

GOODBYE TO DRY! Toss the tissue and prepare for a better way to blow. Achooz Saline Nose Wipes moisturize, clean and refresh your nose as you use them!

Where can you find Achooz?
They are available at retail locations like Walgreens and Duane Reade.  The are also available online at Amazon or drugstore.com.  Make sure to visit Achooz online for a coupon too.

Want to win some Achooz?
I've got two 15 count package of Achooz Saline Nose Wipes (fragrance free and cool menthol scent) up for grabs for one lucky winner. It's simple to enter, just leave a comment with who in your life could use to soothe a sore nose!

Want some extra entries?
Follow Achooz on Twitter and tweet this giveaway.
Link to this giveaway on your blog.
Follow or subscribe to DinkypopsNoMore - Raves &Reviews Galore

This giveaway is open until Monday, February 28th at noon. Please make sure to leave your email address in the comment if it is not accessible from your blogger profile. I will choose a winner using random.org.

Brush Your Melvin!

Melvin is a molar. You know, one of the big teeth, way in the back. Sometimes he may be hard to reach, but we should never neglect him.  As parents we know that getting kids to brush properly can be quite a challenge (and that might even be an understatement for some).  Enter the story about Melvin, the lovable tooth.

Through Twitter Moms, I recently had the opportunity to review Melvin the Magnificent Molar! by Julia Cook and Laura Jana. What a fantastic little story! The book is perfect for encouraging children to brush, floss, and visit the dentist regularly. 

What was great for my daughter and I while reading this book was that after all her recent dentist visits, she could really relate.  She could relate to the different dentist tools (mirror, squirt gun, Mister Thirsty, Scaler, etc.).  She could also relate to having x-rays taken.  (And if your child has yet to go to the dentist, this is a perfect way to prep them for what to expect!)  The book also touched on the importance of not just brushing your teeth in the evening (need to get rid of those sleeping scummies) through the "Happy Tooth" song.  Oh, and let's not forget the introduction to the Tooth Fairy too.

After we read the book through the first time, my daughter exclaimed "Let's do it again!".  I think she really enjoyed the songs and pictures in the book.  I really enjoyed that the book was fun and at the same time conveyed the importance of keeping your teeth healthy.

The easiest way to purchase Melvin the Magnificent Molar! is directly through the author's website.  The book retails for $9.95 +Tax/Shipping.  Next up for the authors is a potty training themed children's book called It's You and Me Against the Pee, so stay tuned!

DVD Review: It’s Hip Hop, Baby!

It's Hip Hop, Baby! is a new children's DVD series for ages 2 to 6. These videos educate toddlers and preschoolers with fun child-friendly hip hop music. Yes, that's correct - hip hop for pre-schoolers!

The hip beats and catchy tunes of "It's Hip Hop, Baby! Get Healthy Get Fit!” make learning about food and exercise fun. It teaches kids to follow simple instructions, encourages dance and movement, and helps kids with key concepts like repetition and rhyme. And it even teaches them a bit about hip hop dance from the lessons given by Miss Dre.

The first time TemTem and I watched "Get Healthy, Get Fit!", she honestly was not all that interested. I passed it off as the simple fact that she is a two year old with a short attention span. We watched it a few more times, and she showed a little more interest each time.I decided to set the DVD up on the shelf and try again in a few weeks (I, of course, already formed my own opinion of the DVD, but really wanted to get the toddler's perspective). So we tried again today, and during this viewing, she was entranced with the DVD! I'm not kidding, she was singing right along with Hip Hip Simon, Miss Drew, and the Hip Hop Kids. It was rather charming to hear her sing "Exercise, it’s what we do” and “fruit, fruit, fruit” with that cute little smirk on her face.

Pros: It's the perfect video for those days you are stuck inside and need the kids to burn off some energy. It really gets them moving and singing. What I really loved about the DVD is knowing that it's an iParenting Media Award Winner.

Cons: I mentioned the word "catchy" with regards to the tunes. That's great for the kids, but if you watch this with them, you will still have those "catchy" tunes running through your head hours later!

Funny Observation: TemTem was immediately drawn to Miss Dre - she thought she was her gymnastics teacher. But at first glance, I thought she looked more like a character out of SNL.

Overall Review: It's a cute video. If you have children ages 2-6, I think it's a fun video to add to your collection.

The series contains four DVDs: All Your Child's Favorites, Get Healthy Get Fit, Things We Do Everyday, and Rockin' Dance Party! You can preview songs and videos of the various DVDs in the series on the It's Hip Hop, Baby website. The entire collection is now available for purchase on Amazon.com or directly through the It's Hip Hop, Baby website.

P.S. Justin Chambers (Grey's Anatomy), Nancy O'Dell (Access Hollywood), and Holly Robinson Peete (actress) also really like these DVDs. You can check out their reviews here.

Favorite Products: Born Free

I first learned of Born Free when TemTem was graduating from boob/bottle to sippy cup. I was determined to find a safe, BPA-free sippy cup for her to use. I came upon Born Free, and was eager to try out their training cups. Even though it took me a while to land some (online stores were sold out, Whole Foods next shipment was on back order, and Babies 'R Us had not yet started carrying the line in stores), I finally got some Born Free training cups in TemTem's hands, and she really liked them.

This past weekend at an Earth Day festival, I had the pleasure of meeting a representative from Born Free, Carole. I wasn't initially going to stop by the booth, as now we are past the training cup stage, but I decided to pop in and just let her know how much I liked the training cups.

Let me just say "Wow!" Over the course of the past 18 months, their line has expanded and their products are available at places like Babies 'R Us, CVS, and Target. (Where have I been?)

Carole had displays of bottles, nipples, training cups, teethers, pacifiers, and my new favorites - stainless steel water bottles and Thermal stainless steel food jars. (These are on my "want" list for sure.) And of course, all the products are BPA free and totally safe for the kiddos.

Have you had a chance to try out the Born Free products? What are your likes/dislikes?

Boogie Wipes Winner!

I love a giveaway when all the comments are from blogging friends and not some random person! That's how it went down with the Boogie Wipes giveaway......I truly wish all of you could have been winners. But alas, only one could win.

And that lucky winner has been dealing with a runny-nose, not-feeling-the-best little Pod lately. Congrats Heather! This little win couldn't have come at a better time. (I even commented on her blog how it would be great if Random.org picked her to win. And it did just that! Funny how things have a way of working out like that).

Got Snot? Get Boogie Wipes

If you've been around for a while, you may know that one of my favorite baby & kid products are Boogie Wipes. My love affair with Boogie Wipes began here. Once I was hooked, I talked about them here. Oh, and I talked about them some more here to the point that some people may have thought I owned stock in the company. And now I'm raving about them once again! This time around though, I have some Boogie Wipes to give away to one lucky reader.

I'm such a fan of this product! No more struggling with the crying and head turning every which way to avoid a wipe. No more dealing with red, chapped noses. Boogie Wipes are like magical magnets that just pull the snot out of your little booger's nose. The official description goes like this: Boogie Wipes are the latest innovation in a moist wipe product for busy moms, dads & kids. They offer quick, gentle, effective relief of stuck on Boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold & allergies.

TemTem now calls for them by name. She is at the stage where she whines and cries at least once a day in hopes of getting her own way. It's usually a "fake" cry, but she almost always will say things like "Wipe tears" or "Snot coming, boogie wipe". A regular tissue is no longer acceptable for my child. It has to be a Boogie Wipe. We've tried the fresh scented and grape scented wipes. She prefers the grape scented and will keep the wipe pressed up against her nose and inhale deeply just to keep smelling it. I have to make sure to keep the them well out of her reach, or she will pull Boogie Wipe after Boogie Wipe out of the package and carry them around the house. Even when she doesn't need one but thinks that she does, she will hold up a finger and say "One wipee!".

So how excited was I to learn that Boogie Wipes came out with a new scent - magic menthol! When I received a package in the mail from the great moms at Boogie Wipes, I couldn't wait to give them a sniff test. And the new scent did not disappoint. The scent totally reminds me of the smell of the Vicks that we add to TemTem's warm air humidifier whenever she is stuffy or has a cold. There is something about this scent that lets you inhale and go "Ahh, I can breathe".

Even though I am not looking forward to the next cold in our household, I will be saving this package of magic menthol scented Boogie Wipes for that occasion. I know these will help us get through her next cold.

Where can you get you very own Boogie Wipes?

They are available at more and more big name retailers like Wal-Mart, Babies R Us, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and even at Sam's Club this month. You can search by state on their site, or you can purchase directly online.

Want to win some Boogie Wipes for your little booger?

I've got two 30 count packages of Boogie Wipes (fresh and grape scented) up for grabs for one lucky winner. It's simple to enter, just leave a comment with who in your life needs a Boogie Wipe!

Want some extra entries?

Follow or subscribe to DinkypopsNoMore.

Link to this giveaway on your blog.

Follow DinkypopsNoMore on Twitter and tweet this giveaway.

This giveaway is open until Saturday, April 25th at noon. Please make sure to leave your email address in the comment if it is not accessible from your blogger profile. I will choose a winner using random.org.

Free Spray 'N Wash Coupon - No Clipping Necessary

Remember my "What's in Your Laundry?" post a few weeks ago? If you missed it, two lucky winners received a free 44oz bottle of Spray 'N Wash Bright & White with Resolve Power. The nice people at Spray 'N Wash sent me twenty (20) coupons to pass out to some lucky readers. The coupon is for a FREE bottle of Spray 'n Wash (up to a $5.19 value).

The first twenty people to leave me a comment will receive a coupon. I will email you to get your postal address, so please make sure your email address is available in your comment. Coupon giveaway will remain open until I reach 20 valid comments.