Sustainable Earth by Staples (WIN IT!)

I'm not what one would call a "crunchy mommy" by any means, but that doesn't mean that I don't always try to so my part, when possible, to help preserve our earth for future generations.  That said, I always appreciate companies who go above and beyond to not only provide their customers with products that are earth friendly, but who also care deeply about and have a commitment to, sustainability and that's why I'm such a huge fan of Staples and their new Sustainable Earth line of products.



Recently I had the opportunity to try out the Sustainable Earth collection from Staples and it couldn't have come at a better time.  Around the same time I accepted the Sustainable Earth review, I found out that I was hired as a work-from-home agent for 1800flowers.com and the arrival of the Sustainable Earth products on my very first day of work, couldn't have been better timing!  While my job is only temporary for the Mother’s Day holiday, I’m constantly at my desk working on something having great office supplies and products is a must.

Staples is my go-to place for office supplies and just in time for spring, and to help you get organized and maybe even do a little spring office cleaning, they have a ton of fresh, vibrant, colorful new products that will have you welcoming spring in style.  Staples also recently introduced their Sustainable Earth collection, which is an eco-preferable product line featuring your favorite office supplies in an updated, earth-friendly way.

About Sustainable Earth by Staples…

Sustainable Earth by Staples™ eco-preferable products are made with the  environment in mind. These eco-preferable products are made with renewable resources, recycled materials and/or are third party certified to validate their environmental attributes. From the breakroom to the boardroom, these products help to lessen your impact on the environment.



The Sustainable Earth Line from Staples features several different products that are all eco-friendly including;

• Calculator (made with 100% recycled casing and buttons from the recycled ink and toner cartridges from their Staples Rewards program $3.99)
• Stapler (made from recycled ink and toner cartridges, available in 2 sizes)
• Notebooks (Notebook and paper are made from 80% sugarcane plant fiber waste –after sugarcane is processed and crushed to make sugar, the waste is converted into paper, available in 2 sizes)
• Clipboards and Clipfolios (made from 100% recycled paperboard, $2.99 and $5.99)
• 3 Tab File Folders and 5 Tab Hanging File Folders (Made of 100% recycled post-consumer content)
• Sustainable Earth Copy Paper (Made from 95% sugarcane fibers –reduces the need to harvest trees to make paper, available for $59.99 for a case
• Sustainable Earth by Staples Envelopes (100% post consumer paper, meets or exceeds the Government Printing Office’s and EPA’s standard for recycled paper)

Staples was kind enough to send me all of the products listed above to try out and I couldn’t have been more excited, I’m such a dork when it comes to things like office supplies (and pens)…I just can’t get enough.  As I mentioned earlier, I was recently hired for my very first ,actual work-at-home job, so I definitely took the fact that my office supplies arrived on the exact same day that I started my training for that job, as a sign.  On that first day as I transitioned my desk from that of a “blogger” to that of a “WAHM” I realized that in addition to changing my work station around to better suit a work-at-home job, I was also trading my traditional office supplies for some shiny, new eco-friendly ones…it was a good feeling all the way around!

While I really do thoroughly enjoy all of the products from the Sustainable Earth collection, my absolute favorites are the notebooks and clipboard.  The notebooks are sturdy and perfect for taking notes and the clipboards are just so handy and oh so chic, they just make me smile.  And just in case the Sustainable Earth collection didn’t get you excited enough,  I also want to introduce you to the Avant spring colored pens…who doesn’t get excited about pens?



The Avant colored pens have a modern design and offer a smooth, superior writing experience.  With interchangeable ink  refills available in Silk Scribe and gel inks in blue, black and red and with the introduction of three fun new colors mint green, light pink and light blue) the Avant is an experience in the fine art of putting pen to paper.

Be sure to follow @Staples on Twitter and “Like” Staples on Facebook for the latest on new products and deals!

How would you like to win the entire Sustainable Earth collection by Staples and the Avant pen?  Check out the details and enter the giveaway below…good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
Disclosure:  I received the products above in order to facilitate this review, all thoughts and opinions about the products or company are my own and were not influenced in any way by the brand or representing PR.

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It’s Been Awhile…

Well…it’s been forever since I’ve written a blog post, I wonder if I even remember how? 

Kidding, totally kidding, but it has been a minute.  I’ve had so much going on in my life over the past few months that I’ve barely had time to think, let alone do much else. 

So what, you may ask has been going on?  A LOT!  Between the beginning of baseball and softball seasons, tons of blended family issues and me starting a new job; I’ve just been insanely busy, but I’m devoted to keeping up with y’all… it just might take me a little longer than normal, so please bare with me. 

Though I rarely discuss family issues on my blog, I think that my blended family presents a unique opportunity for me to maybe help someone else out who may be going through what I like to call “blended family drama” or at the very least let someone who is dealing with the same kinds of issues know that they are not alone.  For that reason I’ve decided to start getting a little more personal, I hope y’all don’t mind.  With that said, I promise to still bring y’all the best products for families, recipes and all of the other goodies that I’ve always posted, just mixed with a little more me. 

So what’s in store in the next couple of weeks here at Misadventures in Baby Raising?

• My take on the new Sustainable Earth office supply line by Staples (LOVE it BTW)
• A killer recipe for Gyros and Falafel (and lots more goodies as well)
• My Top 5 Tips for WAHM (work-at-home-moms)
• Blended Family Drama…an ongoing saga
• Top Gifts for Mother’s Day

I hope y’all will check back in over the next few weeks as I’m really excited to be sharing a little  more of me and my life with all of you!  u

Until next time y’all…

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Spring Has Sprung at Gymboree {Gymboree Spring 2013 Collections Review}

I love clothes shopping and if there’s one thing I love more than shopping for clothes for myself, it’s clothes shopping for my kiddos!  One of my all-time favorite places to shop for super cute, super affordable kids clothing is Gymboree.   Recently I had the chance to choose a few items from the Gymboree Spring 2013 collection to review and I couldn’t wait to see what Gymboree had in store. 

WARNING:  Major cuteness ahead!

If you’re familiar with Gymboree then you know how adorable, affordable and addicting their clothes can be and I know that I’m not the only mom who feels that way…right?  For those of you who might not be familiar with Gymboree, here’s a little more about the brand and a little insight into their inspiration.

Gymboree is all about designing children’s clothes that are perfect for exploring, learning, and allowing kids to be kids and that playful, adventurous attitude definitely comes through in their clothing.  From the high-quality mix-and-match outfits and fun patterns, to the ultra coordinating accessories to match those outfits, you’ll definitely find something at Gymboree that matches your child’s personality, without breaking the bank!

As I mentioned before, I recently had the chance to work with Gymboree (and one of my very favorite PR individuals)  to review some items from their Spring 2013 collection and I really couldn’t wait to chose the perfect outfits for Lil Man and Lil Diva.  One of my favorite things about Gymboree is the selection; there is so much to choose from for boys and girls and the collections are so fresh and fun and full of vibrant colors and adorable themes that you’ll find yourself wanting one of everything—at least that’s how I usually feel. 

Lil Diva is a fashionista in every sense of the word so I knew finding just the right outfit to match her personality was key and it didn’t take long for me to find the Bow Dot Stripe Skort (part of the Rainbow Cabana collection)and start building an outfit.  I love the Bow Dot Stripe skort ($20.99) because it’s fun and playful and full of personality, just like Lil Diva and Lil Diva loves it because, well, she happens to adore skorts.  I wanted to choose a shirt that had personality and fun, vibrant colors, but that was a little less busy than the skort and the Sequin Sunshine Ruffle Tank ($14.49) was perfect.  To pull the look together I added the Flower Stripe flip flop in Flamingo Pink ($16.95), (Lil Diva loves the corsage bloom on the top of each flip flop) and the results were definitely Lil Diva approved!

Lil Man is a whole lot less worried about fashion than Lil Diva, but every once in a while I can get him to trade in his basketball shorts and tennis shoes for a nice polo shirt and plaid shorts.  For Lil Man I was torn between two distinctly different collections, I loved the Gone Surfin’ collection, but the Baseball Champ collection was so his style, so I decided to chose my favorite outfit from each collection to review.  The Gone Surfin’ collection from the Gymboree spring 2013 line is surfer chic with a preppy flair (at least that’s what I call it) and I thought it was a perfect fit for Lil Man’s laid back attitude.  The Surf Blue, Surf More Sleep Less tee ($12.99) combined with the Papaya Orange Drawstring Plaid Cargo short ($20.99) is, in my opinion, the perfect spring/summer outfit; it’s super chill, with a little bit of a preppy edge—love it!  While Lil Man doesn’t really know much about the surfer lifestyle in real life, he does know quite a bit about baseball and the Baseball Champ collection is full of looks that are sure to be a hit with your little slugger!  I loved the Baseball Player Pique Polo Shirt in Ballpark Blue ($9.49), paired with the Drawstring Cargo Short in Ballpark Blue Plaid  ($14.49) were a perfect combination and Lil Man agreed, it was his favorite of the two outfits.  He cleans up pretty darn well if I do say so myself!

Of course, these collections are just a few of the many collections in the Gymboree Spring 2013 line, so you’ll find the perfect collection to match your child’s personality at great prices—it’s a win—win!  Don’t forget, it’s Gymbuck$ time—Save $25 on every $50 you spend now through April 21 with Gymbuck$ and get FREE shipping at Gymboree on orders over $75!  Make sure you check out the entire spring 2013 collection at Gymboree, you’ll be so glad you did!

Disclosure:  I received a gift card from Gymboree to facilitate my review…all opinions are my own!

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Get Fresh, Fierce and Flawless Skin with Olay Fresh Effects

Without a doubt one of the best things about being a review blogger is having the opportunity to try new products and when those products just so happen to come from one of your favorite brands, well that’s just the icing on the cake!




I’ve been a fan of Olay for years, ever since I can remember my mom has used Olay as her go-to skincare brand, so naturally when I needed a good brand of skincare products, I reached for Olay.  In addition to being the reason, at least in my opinion, that my mother ages about 5 times slower than most people her age, I love Olay because it’s just great for your skin, I’ve never had issues with breakouts while using Olay products and for someone with skin as prone to breakouts as mine is, that’s a huge deal.  Honestly, I can’t think of a single thing that I dislike about the Olay brand, so I was beyond excited when I was recently asked to try out some of the products from the Olay Fresh Effects line.  I received several products (in addition to some other goodies) from Olay Fresh Effects recently to try out and I couldn’t wait  to get started!  But before I let you know my opinion of the products, let me tell you a little bit about the entire Olay Fresh Effects line. 



The Olay Fresh Effects product line includes:

Va-Va-Vivid!- Powered Contour Cleansing System:  a powerful tool that you’ll definitely want to have in your skincare arsenal, the Va-Va-Vivid! gives you a micro-facial experience that you won’t soon forget! 
Shine, Shine Go Away!- Shine Minimizing Cleanser:  this cleanser takes clean skin to a whole new level and it works fabulous with the Va-Va-Vivid!
Bead Me Up!- Exfoliating Cleanser:  microbeads and bubbles oh my!  This exfoliating cleanser will leave your skin soft, smooth and super clean every time.
S’Wipe Out!- Refreshing Make-up Removal Cloths:  who doesn’t love a good make-up removal cloth?  Dirt, makeup and even waterproof mascara are no match for these super gentle cloths.
Long Live Moisture!- Satin Finish Lotion:  a lotion that keeps your skin soft and satiny smooth for up to 24 hours?  This one delivers in a big way and it feels like heaven on your skin!
BB Cream!- Skin Perfecting Tinted Moisturizer with Sunscreen:  my absolute favorite of the Olay Fresh Effects products in their BB cream, it makes your skin look and feel flawless and fabulous…it’s a definite must try!



“You’re fresh, fearless, and unstoppable.   And we think your skin-care routine should be, too!  That’s why we’re excited to introduce Fresh Effects™—the newest Olay® line that’s designed just for you.  Fresh Effects is formulated to keep your skin sparkling fresh so you look and feel unstoppable.  The entire line is designed to mix and match, which means you can create your own fresh routine.”
I thought that in addition to telling you about these great new products from Olay Fresh Effects in writing, that I’d also make a little video to let y’all know what I really think of these products…check it out!

Can you tell that I really like these products, especially the Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream!- Skin Perfecting Tinted Moisturizer with Sunscreen?  Because I totally do.  Honestly, all of the Olay Fresh Effects products that I tried out are great and some of them have even replaced a few of my old favorite skincare products.  If you haven’t tried the new Olay Fresh Effects line of products, I definitely recommend doing so, they’ll leave your skin fresh and have you ready to face every day looking flawless, fresh and fabulous! 

Olay Fresh Effects products are available at Walmart and Walmart.com so make sure you check them out, you’ll definitely be glad you did!

Disclosure:  I received the products listed above from Olay in order to facilitate my review…all opinions are 100% my own!

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Introducing the Post-it Mobile Collection {Love This!}

I’ve been a loyal fan of the Post-it brand for as long as I can remember.  There’s just something about being able to write myself a note or a reminder and sticking it exactly where I’ll see it, that just makes me happy.  I usually have a pile of Post-it notes on my desk and in various places throughout  the house and I even try to keep a stack  of them in my purse as well, but they usually just end up coming unstuck from each other and sticking to everything inside my purse.  I’ve hoped for products from Post-it that I can take with me (without having the entire contents of my purse stuck to them) forever and it seems like someone at Post-it finally heard my plea…alright maybe the people at Post-it came up with the idea for a mobile line without my help, either way, I’m already addicted to the Post-It Mobile Collection!

YES, you heard that correctly, the geniuses at Post-it have created an entire line of Post-it Mobile products.  Described as, “a line of Attach and Go products that work together to create a customizable on-the-go organization system”, the Post-It Mobile line includes “a variety of compact, functional Post-it Products including Pockets, Full Adhesive Notes, Flags, Tabs, Notes, Dispensers and Writing Tools that work together and help create a seamless and portable organization system”.  Being the Post-It addict that I am, I couldn’t wait to try out some of the products from the Post-it Mobile line and thanks to the awesome people at Post-it, I was able to do just that!

The Post-it Mobile Collection includes the VisorPost-it ® Attach and Go Notes and Tabs Clip Dispenser and the Post-it® Mobile Attach and Go3 in 1 Pen, both of which clip to items that you take with you like a backpack.  The Post-it® Mobile Attach and GoCar Visor Pop-up Note Dispenser which clips to your car visor…the one is one of my favorites from the line.  For items that you carry with you like your laptop there are the CarryPost-it ® Mobile Attach and Go Full Adhesive Note Pad, the Post-it ® Mobile Attach and Go Flags Dispenser, Post-it® Mobile Attach and GoNotes and Tabs Dispenser and the Post-it ® Mobile Attach and Go Tabs Dispenser.  Last but not least the CompanyPost-it® Mobile Attach and GoInsert and the Post-it ® Mobile Attach and Go Pocket insert inside items that you take with you like a binder or planner.

Post-it sent me a variety of products from their new Post-it Mobile line and I couldn’t wait to get started trying them out!  It didn’t take very long for me to put a few of my favorites from the Mobile line to use, the Post-it® Mobile Attach and Go Dispenser is my absolute favorite product from the Mobile line, it conveniently clips onto my car’s sun visor and is always there when  I need it—I love it!  Another of my favorites from the Post-it Mobile collection is the Post-it® Mobile Attach and Go 3 in 1 which features a yellow highlighter, black pen and 50 flags, mine stays in my purse for easy access and definitely comes in handy when I’m studying away from home.  All of the products from the Post-it Mobile line cost less than $7 and are incredible convenient; whether you travel a lot for business or you’re a busy student on the go, you’ll definitely want to check out the entire line of Post-it Mobile products—bet you can’t buy just one!

Disclaimer:  I received the products mentioned above in order to facilitate this review…all opinions are my own!

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Is There a Mess Master Among You? Help Them Clean Up (and Maybe Win) With Dirty Jobs!

My house is messy—a lot!

No matter how often I clean (and trust me, it’s constant) or how many times I ask and then beg and plead before I finally start screaming, the messes only seem to multiply.  Part of the reason my house stays so messy is because of the 5 children who live here, but some of that mess also comes from the two full grown men/boys that live here as well.   And with all of those people to clean up after, I routinely find myself wondering if the people living in my house aren’t in fact, visitors from the planet Messy. 

If any of that sounds familiar to you, then you might want to pay close attention to the rest of this post because My Dirty Jobs (yes, the company behind those lovely cleaning products that are designed to tackle the toughest of messes) is launching a nationwide search for America’s top “Mess Masters”.  Send them a photo of the messiest mess your own Mess Master makes and if your photo is selected you could win a full year's professional maid service from Molly Maid, one of the country's top-rated professional home cleaning service companies.

Available at Walmart, Lowe's, and Albertsons Market stores across the country, Dirty Jobs broad portfolio of cleaning products are among the strongest and most advanced household cleaning products available anywhere.  They are the ideal cleaner-uppers for everyone's own Mess Master.

Qualifying as the biggest Mess Master requires no special training, just the ability to create the messiest mess.  Accepted entries can include kids and/or pets.  They just need to make a dirty mess and you provide the photographic proof of their best mess.

The contest will run for eleven weeks from February 21 through May 9, 2013.  Grand Prize winner will be announced on or about Mother's Day, May 12, 2013.  It's easy and simple to get in on all the fun.  Just visit the Dirty Jobs Facebook Page to enter your own favorite Mess Master.  

Send them your best Mess Master photo and you will be entered and eligible to win one of the following great prizes:

Grand Prize Winner - Molly Maid Cleaning Service for 1 year

First runner Up - $500 Gift Card

Second Runner Up - $250 Gift Card

Eleven Weekly Prize Winners will win a $100 Gift Card

You can’t tell me that doesn’t sound appealing, I mean, maid service, for an entire year?  That’s like my own personal fantasy!  If you have a Mess Master (or a whole slew of Mess Masters like me) then you should definitely submit a photo—who knows, maybe entering one of your kiddos messes in a nationwide search for the messiest of Mess Masters will inspire them to finally clean it up…it could happen. 

Don’t forget to check out the selection of Dirty Jobs cleaning products (available at Walmart, Lowe's, and Albertsons Market stores across the country), I had the chance to check them out recently and I just have to say, that the Dirty Jobs Heavy Duty All Purpose Cleaner (with Bleach) is about the only thing I use on tough kitchen jobs, it gets the job done and deodorizes while it cleans.  Of course, there’s a Dirty Jobs cleaning product available for just about every tough, dirty cleaning job you can imagine so make sure you pick some up next time you’re at the store and try them out on your messiest messes!

Disclosure:   I received a Walmart GC to purchase Dirty Jobs products in exchange for this post…all opinions are 100% my own!

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Weight Watchers Ice Cream…6 New Varieties to Tempt Your Taste Buds, Not Your Waistline!

The older I get the more I realize how much I took for granted when I was younger and no place is it more evident than at my waist line.

When I was younger I pretty much ate what I wanted with no repercussions,  but I swear as I get older I gain weight by simply looking at all of the things that are bad for me.  So in an effort to keep myself from gaining too much weight, I decided at the beginning of this year to cut out some of the junk food that I love, including ice cream.  Now I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always enjoy ice cream, it’s not usually at the top of my list of junk food, but when I want ice cream, I want ice cream and since deciding to stay away from it, keeping my cravings at bay seem to be more and more difficult.  Enter Weight Watchers ice cream and not only can I give in to my cravings, but I can do so without feeling guilty.

This isn’t the first time I’ve reviewed Weight Watchers ice cream, I also had the very difficult task (insert sarcasm here) of reviewing several Weight Watchers ice cream treats last year as well, so I knew in advance that I was in for a treat, quite literally.  If you’ve never indulged in the goodness that is Weight Watchers ice cream, then you my friend, have no clue what you’ve been missing.

Weight Watchers may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of ice cream, but maybe it should be.  I’ll admit, that prior to working with Weight Watchers last year, I probably wouldn’t have believed that “diet” ice cream could actually be good and I would have been very, very wrong.  While I’m not personally following the Weight Watchers diet, I do occasionally buy a few varieties of the Weight Watchers Ice Cream (and then promptly hide it deep in the back of the deep freeze) and I have to admit, I’m a little more impressed with each new frozen treat that I try. 

I have to pause for a moment and tell you that Weight Watchers has quickly become one of my favorite brands to work with; not because of all of the yummy ice cream goodness that they send me (though I can’t deny that helps), but because they get “it”, “it” being this whole PR blogger relationship thing.  Being a blogger isn’t always all free products and paid trips, it’s hard work and working with a company (and PR rep) who understands that, makes my job that much easier, which in turn makes me want to work that much harder for them…it’s a win—win!

Anyway, back to the ice cream.  As I mentioned earlier, Weight Watchers sent me some of their newest ice cream treats to try out and since they’re all either in stores now or on their way, you’ll be able to try then out for yourselves!

In addition to couple of Weight Watchers ice cream treats that got a little bit of a makeover, Weight Watchers is also introducing four new ice cream treats to tempt your taste buds, but not your waistline.

New—Weight Watchers Greek Frozen Yogurt Bars

Greek yogurt has exploded in the past couple of years as a popular snack, so why not offer people a frozen version of the snack they love? The new Blueberry Swirl and Peach Swirl Greek Frozen Yogurt Bars are made with low fat Greek frozen yogurt and real Blueberry and Peach fruit swirls. Each bar offers the nutritional benefits of Greek yogurt including 2 active cultures and 5 grams of protein with just 80 calories and a PointsPlus value of 2. No spoon required!

New—Weight Watchers Snack Size Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwiches

Staying right on trend with the current red velvet craze, the Snack Size Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwich is made with low fat cream cheese frosting flavored ice cream with a red velvet chocolate swirl between red velvet chocolate wafers. It has 100 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and a PointsPlus value of 3 per sandwich.

New—Weight Watchers Chocolate Smoothie Frozen Yogurt Bars

For traditional frozen yogurt fans, the new Chocolate Smoothie Frozen Yogurt Bars are made with low fat frozen yogurt and real chocolate to satisfy cravings with just 60 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and a PointsPlus value of 2 per bar.

NEW—Weight Watchers Cookies & Cream Dessert Bar

This treat offers three levels of cookies & cream goodness in one bar. It’s made with low fat cookies & cream ice cream with a chocolate cookie fudge swirl dipped in a rich chocolaty cookie crunch coating. And as if that wasn’t enough, it has just 120 calories, 5 grams of fat for serious indulgence at a PointsPlus value of 3 per bar.

NEW AND IMPROVED—Weight Watchers GIANT Latte Bars

The classic GIANT Latte bar is better thanks to an even creamier low fat coffee flavored ice cream base. Coffee lovers will swoon for this treat which weighs in at just 90 calories and 1 gram of fat and a PointsPlus value of 2 per bar.

While I really do enjoy all six of the new Weight Watchers ice cream treats, I especially love the Chocolate Smoothie Frozen Yogurt Bar most, it’s soooo good.  And just in case you have any doubt about how good these are, I tried each of the varieties out on my kiddos and all of the kids (and even a few of the kids from the neighborhood) thought they were “super yummy”.  I don’t know about yours, but my kids are super picky, especially when it comes to their ice cream and they couldn’t tell the difference between their regular ice cream and these when it came to flavor…major score! 

You can find out more about these and other Weight Watchers products at the Weight Watchers supermarket foods Facebook page.  And don’t forget, if you can’t find these yummy Weight Watchers ice cream treats in your supermarket, be sure to ask the store manager when they’ll be arriving!   

Disclosure:  I received the products mentioned above in order to facilitate my review…all opinions are 100% my own!

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