In Which Amy Ellen Shares Where We've Been and What We've Been Drinking, plus a giveaway!

So, did you have a good Mother's Day? Can you believe it has been that long since I posted last? I can hardly even remember my Mother's Day. I don't want to say that we've been busy... everyone is busy. Really, it's just that life is full. There isn't one big thing claiming all our attention; we are just seven people living very full lives. So, where have we been?

• There was the annual Strawberry Picking.
• There was the day-long Church Picnic.
• There was the trip to the zoo, in incredible Atlanta heat.
• There have been plenty of weeds to pull, and other assorted yard jobs, in the incredible GA heat.
• There have been a few trips to the pool.
• And there have been various social engagements, parties and gatherings... most involving outdoor activities in the incredible heat and humidity.
• (And, of course, there is a great deal to do indoors as well, but that doesn't really fit in with what I'm going to say next.)

Earlier in the Spring, the kind people at Ultima Replenisher contacted me to see if I was interested in some of their Sports Beverages for review and giveaway. My first question was: "What's in them?" After I was satisfied with their natural ingredient list, I said: "Sure, I'll give them a try!" Little did I know how much we would benefit from them...

Because we get really thirsty working and playing under the hot, hot sun!

 

The line of Ultima beverages claims to be "the only 100% natural, non-GMO, gluten free, sugar free, dye free electrolyte beverage on the market." Electrolytes for Health Conscious People. They are sweetened with stevia, which, in my opinion, is a pretty good natural sweetener when used in moderation. 

I was given Kids! Ultima Replenisher, which is a pediatric electrolyte formula, as well as a sampling of the flavors available for adults: Orange, Grape, Lemonade and Wild Raspberry.

The children love their Raspberry flavor. It keeps them going (or maybe anything would since they're kids and all, but at least I don't have to worry about dehydration as they keep going).

My husband also enjoys it while doing his extra sweaty jobs in the yard. It keeps him going (or maybe he is so determined that he would keep going anyway, but at least he doesn't get that infamous after-yard-work-dehydration-headache). Replenishing lost electrolytes is good. Especially when you can do that without sugar or other artificial ingredients.

There is plenty of heat left this summer... Would you like to win some Kids! Ultima Replenisher and a sampling of the regular Ultima flavors as well? Enter to win by leaving a comment on this post telling me about your favorite summertime outdoor activity. I will randomly select a winner on Friday, June 11th at noon EST, right before we take the last of our Ultima on a much-anticipated beach trip.

Since there is little to no routine in my summer-life, I'll be posting sporadically... but more often than in the past few weeks. Happy Summer,

The Winners!

Thanks to all my readers who entered the two giveaways on Health Begins With Mom last week! I really appreciate y'all. According to random.org, the winners are...

Jonesey wins the Glasslock Storage Container Set from CSN stores! And, I might add, she won with her comment to tell me that she posted the giveaway on her blog... so it really paid to go for the second entry.

Renee (reneecordle@...) wins the Safe Home Value Pack from EcoSmart!

I will notify each winner by email. If for some reason you do not receive my email, please email me for prize instructions. (ae @ healthbeginswithmom . com)

Earth Day -- Glass Storage Container Giveaway!!!

How many of you all would like to get rid of your toxic plastic food storage containers and replace them with GLASS? This is going to be a great giveaway...

First, a big thank you to CSN Stores for providing this giveaway! Most of their 200+ web stores have a special "Eco-Friendly" tab. What does that mean for you? Well, you can very easily look through just the children's furniture, bedding, baby cribs, mattresses, cookware, etc that are safe for your health and the environment. I think that is a great shopping feature for health-minded consumers!

Do you remember my post from a year ago about why plastic is a hazard to our health? To be extremely concise, but hopefully not over-simplify the issue, dangerous chemicals leach from plastic storage containers into our food, which can cause endocrine disruption and cancer. The leaching into our food increases when we heat food in plastic containers. (Read my previous post for more info.)

Many of you have mentioned that you would like to make a kitchen overhaul and change completely over to glass storage containers. But that would take a big set of glass containers! Good news... CSN stores is generously giving away a BIG glass food storage container set to one of my readers (and sending me one as well). Here it is:

Kinetic Go Green Glasslock Assorted 8-Piece Food Storage Container Set

"Keep you and your family safe from plastic leaching chemicals; replace your old worn out food storage containers with Glasslock!"

This is a set of 8 tempered glass storage containers with silicone-sealed lids that create air and liquid tight seals... a $65 value!

In order to be entered in this giveaway, please leave a comment on this post. That's all you have to do for your first entry.

For an additional entry, blog about this giveaway and link to this giveaway post. Then come back to leave a second comment telling me you've done so.

For a third entry, tweet the link to this giveaway. Then come back to leave a third comment telling me you've done so.

This giveaway is open to US Residents. The giveaway will close at midnight on April 30th. At that time I will randomly select a winner and notify by email.


Happy Earth Day,

EcoSmart Giveaway, Natural Bug Killer, and What Happened to our Wasps

Last year I had several readers write to ask me what I do for bug spray, bug repellent or home insect treatments. I had a few limited ideas (some I emailed, some I posted here), but I have recently discovered a really great solution -- or should I say, it found me. But let me back up to the first of spring...


With the earliest signs of warm days, my children were ready for picnic lunches. My parents gave us patio furniture for a recent Christmas gift, so we were all very eager for outdoor lunch breaks.


However, the earliest signs of warms days also got the wasps buzzing around our patio. Last year they made homes in our siding and around our back door. (You remember the wasp stings?!?) We tried a few non-toxic methods of killing the wasps, but none eliminated them for good. My husband even tried regular old wasp killer, but they came back.

So, when EcoSmart emailed me to ask if I was interested in a review and giveaway of their Natural Bug Spray, I jumped at the opportunity. Like you all, I really wanted to find a good solution to our insect problems.




The kind folks at EcoSmart sent me their Safe Home Value Bundle, which includes Flying Insect Killer, Ant and Roach Killer, Home Pest Control and Insect Repellent. When the box arrived, the first thing I noticed was the delicious smell! Yep, that's right... these products smell good! Instead of toxic ingredients, these products contain organic plant oils such as cinnamon, peppermint, sesame and rosemary.


The next question was, would these yummy smelling products actually work. I took the can of Flying Insect Killer out to my back patio. Armed and ready. And waited for the wasps. I saw one fly out of the siding, so I aimed and shot. He floundered and died. Great! But, what about the rest of them in the nest?


I waited. No more came out. Then I saw one around the roofing. But the spray wouldn't reach all the way up there (one drawback). After waiting for a while longer, I decided I couldn't just keep waiting. So I sprayed all around where we see them come in and out and just hoped for the best. That was three weeks ago. And we haven't seen a wasp there since. Is that just a coincidence? Or are we holding serious natural powers in our hands?


I know many of you are looking for safe pest control for the home. So would you like to win this same Safe Home Value Bundle? If so, leave a comment here and tell me why you want this bundle of non-toxic, kid- and pet-friendly products. Simply by leaving your comment, you'll be entered in the giveaway.

I usually like to keep an even playing-field so that everyone has an equal chance of winning (i.e. not giving extra entries to new followers... when faithful long-time readers don't have that chance). However, I really want EcoSmart to get a lot of good exposure with this giveaway...

So, I will be giving an extra entry to those who tweet the giveaway link or blog about this giveaway. If you do either of those, please come back to leave a separate comment saying so for each. If you leave a comment, tweet the giveaway link and post about the giveaway on your blog, you will have three entries. Make sense? There are three possible chances this time.


This giveaway is open to all US residents (except Alaska and Hawaii) and will remain open until midnight on Friday, April 30th. Once closed, I will randomly select a winner and notify by email.

For your health,

World Water Day Giveaway

I recently posted about the health importance of "drinking plenty of good, clean water." I am sure you realize that doing so is a luxury that is not readily available worldwide.


Today is World Water Day -- set aside for the purpose of creating awareness of the need for clean water around the world. Please take a moment to visit the World Water Day website to familiarize yourself with this cause.



TrueLemon is also doing their part in creating awareness today by offering a giveaway to my readers.

What is TrueLemon? True Lemon is a healthy crystallized water enhancer sweetened with Truvia (natural stevia). Add TrueLemon to a glass of water to make a refreshing substitute for sugary drinks. True Lemon's ingredients are 100% all-natural and make water a more appealing option without making it unhealthy, or "sugaring" down water's natural goodness. TrueLemon also markets TrueOrange and TrueLime, two more natural flavor options for your good, clean water.

The winner of today's giveaway will be sent 20-count boxes of TrueLemon, TrueOrange and TrueLime... 60 refreshing beverages just in time for outdoor weather! (You can tell what is on my spring-fevered-mind!)

To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment on this post. Tell me what you know about getting clean water into needy hands around the world. What organizations or causes do you know of that are in action, ready for us to take part? (Here one of my family's favorite ministries. Their Jesus Well project is a perfect opportunity.)

This giveaway will close tomorrow (Tuesday, March 23rd) at midnight. I will select and notify a winner (using a random number generator) on Wednesday. This giveaway is open to US residents only.

But this is the best part: EVERYONE is a winner with TrueLemon. Samples are available for everyone! Do you want to try TrueLemon? Click here for your free sample. I haven't tried this product yet myself, but I look forward to my samples!

Observe World Water Day. Grab a glass of water. Practice gratitude. Think about how you can do your part.

Free Samples of Little Ducks Organics Snacks

This is a no strings attached freebie! I just signed up for this one... Go here to request free samples of Little Ducks Organics infant and toddler all-natural snacks.

Thanks, Mojo Savings and Money Saving Mom!

Free Homeopathic Products for Mom Bloggers

Great news for the coming Cold and Flu Season! If you are a mom living in the USA with an active blog, you can sign up here to receive samples of Children's Homeopathic Remedies: Children's Oscillococcinum; Children's Coldcalm Pellets; Children's Chestal.

I have used the Chestal product with success before, but haven't tried the other two. These are great remedies to have on hand and to use at the first sign of Cold or Flu! I also have the ear ache product from the same line and have used that with success as well. If you're a mom blogger, I recommend giving these a try!

Once you enter your email address here, you'll receive an email in your inbox. Just click on the link and fill out the form to receive your free samples in the mail.Thanks, Saving Dollars and Sense and Money Saving Mom!

Hoping we all stay well,

And the Winner Is...

I am so pleased to announce the winner of my Eco-Friendly Toy giveaway today! CSN Stores offered such a valuable prize... and it goes to ChrissyB. (Chrissy, I will email specific information to you, but if you don't receive my email, please send your snail mail address and confirm your toy choice to ae(at)healthbeginswithmom(dot)com.)

This was such a fantastic giveaway! Thanks to all who entered and to CSN Stores for their complete generosity. What a good company to know about!

Have a great weekend!

Just a Reminder

Just a reminder for weekend readers... I have an amazingly valuable Eco-Friendly Toy Giveaway going on right now. Scroll down the page to check it out... or click here.

I will be entertaining company and celebrating Tickle's birthday with "A Very Hungry Caterpillar" cake. I'll post pictures next week.

Until then,

You Don't Want To Miss This Giveaway!!!

I have been given an amazing opportunity by CSN Stores. They have offered me an eco-friendly toy (translate: healthy for your child and free of toxins, dangerous paints, unsafe plastics, etc.) to either review or giveaway. I have chosen to give it away to one of my dear readers! Don't miss this one... you've just gotta participate in this giveaway... and tell your friends and family too!

So, I have been browsing CSN's children's site. It is bursting with amazingly cute wooden baby toys, organic stuffed animals, learning toys and puzzles for toddlers, crafty toys for your middles and even stuff that makes an older child think and learn too! And then they've got eco-friendly bedding, kids chairs, other furniture and decor. Seems like a one-stop-shop for all your children's stuff... and you can buy it with confidence to boot! Peace of mind is priceless, you know.

If I had to pick just one toy (which is quite a challenge since I have four children and one on the way who together would love about fifty of these toys), I would select these Rainbow Sound Blocks by WonderWorld. Each of them makes a different tone when shaken... and I can just see the kids spinning around the living room with one of these blocks in front of their eyes saying: "My world is pink!" or "My world is green!"

So I am realio, trulio excited about this giveaway. To enter, please click here to visit CSN's AllChildren'sFurniture.com and browse through their eco-friendly toys. Leave me a comment with the toy (under $50) that you would like to win. Make sure to leave your email address if it isn't linked to your profile name. Note that this giveaway is open to US residents only.

Leaving a comment with your choice toy (under $50) will enter your name in the giveaway one time. For a second entry, post about my giveaway on your blog, and leave a second comment to tell me that you did. You can post using these words:

"Health Begins With Mom is hosting an eco-friendly toy giveaway sponsored by All Children’s Furniture who carries everything from kid's furniture to toys. Stop by before midnight Aug 27st EST to enter to win! "

The giveaway will close on Thursday, August 27th at 11:59:59 pm EST. (I want to give this giveaway plenty of time to circulate on the web!) On Friday, I will randomly select a winner and post the lucky name!

I hope you win... these are truly great toys!!

Today's Winner!

I am very pleased to announce that the winner of the Stonyfield Farm YoBaby Package is... Marlene W. of Nate & Marlene + 3. Congratulations! I will be emailing you information on receiving your prize package.

I know I say this every time I post a winner, but I am so thankful for each of you who read my blog. Your encouraging words are such a blessing to me! Thanks for participating!

For your health,

Another Stonyfield Giveaway!

Stonyfield Farms has offered my readers another giveaway package. I love this company! You can read why here.

Stonyfield is introducing a brand new product for babies... YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals. Some of you may make your own baby food... some of you may purchase baby food already prepared... but we all need convenience at times. This new Stonyfield product is a great way to feed our babies and toddlers a meal on the go without sacrificing nutrition. It is a unique 3-in-1 combination of protein-packed yogurt + fruit + veggie purée in one cup. Sounds like a great way to sneak in veggies!

YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals come in three delicious flavors -- Pear & Green Bean, Peach & Squash, Apple & Sweet Potato. And the single serve 6-ounce cup offers 50% more than current 4-ounce YoBaby multipacks.


This is a great prize package... it includes a reusable YoBaby bag, an organic YoBaby bib, an Eric Carle growth chart, 5 FREE YoBaby 3-in-1 coupons, and a travel YoBaby bowl with lid and utensils.

To enter, just submit a comment saying that you'd like to win. It's as simple as that! You may enter this giveaway until 11:59:59 on Sunday, July 12th. On the following Monday, I will select a winner at random and post the winner!

For your littles' health,

And the Winner is...

Okay. I may seem really old school, but I have been writing every entry on a piece of paper and letting my kids draw the winner out of a big bowl. This time around I used a "truly random" number generator. Fun, huh? The kids didn't think it was as fun, but it is probably the best use of my time ; )


And now for the important part... The winner of the Stonyfield Farm YoBaby giveaway is... Lady Jen of Joy Ever After! I KNOW you will love this yogurt!

Thank you to everyone who entered this giveaway... hope there's another good one soon!

Calling All Moms Of Littles -- Giveaway Post

I pass up many more giveaways than I publish. Keeping high standards for my blog is of maximum importance to me. You can be sure that I will not promote any product that I wouldn't use myself. I guess that's why I only publish giveaways from time to time. BUT... today I am very pleased to announce this giveaway!

Stonyfield Farm, a company I have long trusted for their organic whole milk yogurt products, is introducing a new YoBaby yogurt for your littles. It is their 10th birthday this year and they are reformulating YoBaby to include vitamin D and zinc, both known to boost immunity and promote the development of strong bones and teeth.

My three favorite things about Stonyfield are that I don't have to worry about any GM foods or GM beet sugar, I don't have to worry about any bovine growth hormones, and Stonyfield supports local dairy farmers. My kids think their yogurt is a real treat too... especially the Banilla Yogurt (it's banana and vanilla -- totally ingenious).


This giveaway includes a lidded YoBaby bowl, an organic YoBaby bib, and a bundle of five coupons for FREE Yobaby Yogurt packs.

To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment. That's all you have to do! You can enter once a day until Sunday, June 7th at 11:59:59 pm. At that point, I will close the giveaway and select a winner at random. The winner will be announced on my blog and notified via email on Monday. Thanks for entering!

Burts Bees Lip Balm Giveaway!

I am really excited about this giveaway. (Thanks, Money Saving Mom and Thrifty Mama!) Burt's Bees makes my all-time favorite lip balm. Enter the giveaway here and try it out for yourself. By the way, Burt's Bees is giving away 1000 a day for 25 days. So, if you miss one day, you can try the next.

And the Winner is...

And the winner of the Happy Family Baby Products Package is... Taradon. Yaaaayyyy!

(I will email you with the details, but if for some reason you don't get the email, please email me: ae at healthbeginswithmom dot com.)

Thanks to everyone who entered this blog giveaway! I appreciate each reader and the support you show for HealthBeginsWithMom.

These are some of the strawberries we picked. Aren't they beautiful! I think I'm going to make a strawberry smoothie for lunch... post again later today!

Happy Family Giveaway

I am pleased to announce that the Happy Family Company has offered a wonderful giveaway for my mom readers! They are makers of great baby and kid food products. Their motto is: "Think outside the jar." Isn't that great! Their products are 100% organic, all-natural and even come in BPA free containers. I'm impressed...

While some of you moms may prefer to make your baby food at home, isn't it nice to have some quick and convenient options for days on the go? Enter to win the prize package below AND spread the word to all other moms-of-littles you know!

The $50 prize package consists of:

• 2 free trial coupons each for HAPPYBABY, HAPPYBELLIES, HAPPYBABYPUFFS and HAPPYBITES
• 2 free trial coupons for YoBaby, our marketing partner
• 1 infant and toddler Nutrition Guide, co-authored by Dr. Sears
• 1 FAQ on Probiotics & DHA
• 1 HAPPYFAMILY Recipe collection

In order to be included in the random drawing,

• Post a comment with your name for one entry.
• Become a follower or subscriber of this blog for a second entry. Tell me you subscribed or followed in your comment. If you are already a follower or subscriber, tell me in your comment.
• Post a blog entry on your blog about my giveaway (and comment to tell me that you posted) for a third entry.

I will close the giveaway on Sunday, May 10th at 11:59:59 pm, and will announce the winner in my Monday post.

And the Winner Is...

And the winner of Green Goes With Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet, by Sloan Barnett is... Shaka. Hoooraaaay!!!


(I will email you with the details, but if for some reason you don't get the email, please email me: ae at healthbeginswithmom dot com.)


Thank you to each of you who entered your name in my blog giveaway! I really appreciate you guys... I mean, where would I be without readers!

Earth Day Giveaway!

Today is Earth Day (and Witzy's birthday)! To celebrate the occasion, I am giving away a copy of Green Goes With Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet, by Sloan Barnett. I have posted a video about this fabulous book before. The subject matter is not Global Warming or Saving the Polar Bears. Instead, in this unique "green book," Sloan takes a very revealing look at how environmental toxins from plastics, pesticides and other sources effect our health. She gives simple, powerful steps for creating a healthy environment for your family.

I am very pleased to give this book away in hopes of helping your family go "healthy green." Here are the simple entry rules:

In order to be included in the random drawing,

• Post a comment with your name for one entry.
• Become a follower or subscriber of this blog for a second entry. Tell me you subscribed or followed in your comment. If you are already a follower or subscriber, tell me in your comment.
• Post a blog entry on your blog about my giveaway (and comment to tell me that you posted) for a third entry.

I will close the giveaway on Sunday, April 26th at 11:59:59 pm, and will announce the winner in my Monday post.

For a few of my previous thoughts about "healthy green" check out these posts:

• Children and Cleaning Chemicals, Three Part Series
• Cleaning Your Shower With Ease
• The Most Frightening Scientific Study

Happy Earth Day, Amy Ellen

The Totals Are In!

Congratulations to Noel of Bloom Where You're Planted! As my most frequent commenter, she has just won a collection of three new flavors of SoBe Life Water Beverages. Noel, thank you for your loyalty!

My thoughts after sampling: These drinks are actually pretty decent. They are sweetened with Stevia and taste pretty good as well. Moderation is the key though... any sweetened beverages should be consumed in moderation.

Note: I posted this right before bed. As soon as I was still enough to think, I remembered one more thing. The two very close runners up in this race, who deserve a big thank you as well, are Martha of Fly Away Birdie and Teresa of Life, Homesteading and Everything. Thank you for your enjoyable additions to this blog!

Another fun note: I have an Earth Day giveaway up my sleeve... so stay tuned!