My love affair with all things Skip*Hop began with my purchase of the company’s clever Splash bottle drying rack a few years ago, and I continue to be impressed with the company’s large range of useful and gorgeous products (including their new crib bedding collections, TreeTop Friends and Flower Burst).  Charlotte immediately fell in love with the Hare, toddling about with a comb and brush in each hand alternately attempting to comb her own hair, the dog’s, mine, or the carpet.  When I showed her the mirror on the base of the rabbit, I swear she started chanting “Mirror mirror in my hand, who’s the prettiest princess in the land?”  Her breath, saliva, and lips all left marks on the mirror, she was holding it that close to her face (I really should get that on video).  I can personally attest to the durability of the Hare, as the day it arrived was also the day it sailed down the stairs and onto the hardwood floor after it ‘slipped’ from the tiny fingers of a girl who loves to see what happens when things get pushed through the baby gate at the top of the landing.  That mirror is, as promised, shatter proof, and I’m happy to report that the Hare had not a scratch on it as a result of its adventure.

We have successfully worked the Hare into our morning and after-bath routine.  I love how easy the brush, comb, and mirror are for Charlotte’s little hands as well as my own to hold thanks to their excellent rubber grip.  The comb has really smooth teeth without pointy edges, while the brush has nice soft bristles.  This Skip*Hop creation is BPA, Phthalate, and PVC free, and was designed for children aged zero and up.  My favourite part, though, is how the brush and comb each form one of the rabbit’s ears – the Hare is just so cute!

The Hare is available in orange or green, and costs $20 USD through the Skip*Hop website.  Put up your hand if you think the Hare would make an excellent Easter gift!

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hello books are available in robot mission (above right, and the one we were sent to try), princess castle, monkey business, and yum yum bakery (new!) themes.  Each pack contains a 5″ x 30″ accordion book that forms the basis of the ‘story’ (made from FSC-certificed recycled paper) that can be folded back down into a 5″ x 5″ book and is perfectly sized for putting into the mail for that special someone.  Five sheets of removable stickers are also included, and it’s the stickers that make these books different from traditional sticker books.  hello books’ stickers are buildable and abstract, so that your child’s version of a robot will be completely unique – every time.  Luckily for Oliver (aged three and a half) and myself, the packaging of our robot mission hello book gave us some examples of what we could do with all the neat shapes, but we quickly moved on from these to come up with our own cool robots, rockets, planets, and unnamed creatures.  While Oliver is a little young yet to get the actual creation of a story line concept of the hello books, I can see how older children will run with building sticker characters and backgrounds to tell a story.  As for our robot mission book, Oliver has his robot saying ‘hi’ on the cover of his – too cute!

You can purchase any of the four hello books through the hello hanna website for $10.95 USD, or from our favourite Canadian on-line retailer, Raspberry Kids, for $10.99 CAD (use discount code spiltmilk15 at checkout for 15% off of your purchase!).

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hello hanna generously provided us with a monkey business hello book to give away to one lucky Spilt Milk Moms reader!  Thanks hello hanna!To Enter: Go to hello hanna’s website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which hello hanna hello book you think your child would like best and why. Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @annehellohanna and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” Enter to #WIN an @annehellohanna monkey business hello book for your creative child! http://tinyurl.com/3pp9szm @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
• If you ‘Like’ hello hanna on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Friday, April 22nd, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.  Good luck!

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Introducing dringdring hand-painted bicycle bells!  dringdring designs and creates the most beautiful, bright, artistic, colourful and unique bicycle bells I have ever seen.  I don’t know who was more excited when the company agreed to send us one to try out, me or my son (I think it was me, actually).  Each original metal bicycle bell is hand-painted at the company’s Montreal, Quebec-based studio, and I promise that you will have a hard time choosing just one.  The bells are painted using Eco-friendly paints without solvents or toxic fumes, and they are first painted and then baked, making them resistant to all types of weather.  I love that the company uses a local organization that provides employment to young people from a diversity of backgrounds to apply the bells’ base coats.

Oliver was sent the company’s Bike Alarm bicycle bell (pictured above) to try on his new bike, and it is not only very cool but also very shiny with the most pleasant dring dring sound I have heard (neither harsh nor shrill).  My son spent the better part of his first time out with the new bell attached to his bike pushing his bike alarm ‘on’ and ‘off’, pretending to park the bike to go to work.  The bell was really easy to install (Oliver helped), and it is a quality bell that is built to last (both hardware and artwork-wise).

dringdring makes a huge range of beautiful bells with five categories to choose from: flowers (love the Orange Daisy), people, animals, special edition, and all (the LITE-BRITE, Broche, Polka Dots, and ART DECO are all right up my alley, while some fun ones for kids include the Ice Cream, Little Princess, and Soccer Ball versions).  Buy one for each member of your family or as a special gift starting at $24 CAD through the dringdring website, from the following retailers, or if you are in the Montreal area, at the company’s studio (I love the photos on this page).

dringdring’s hand-painted bicycle bells may just inspire you to get on your bike instead of into your car this spring … dring dring into spring!

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I was excited when I was asked if I would test the Rain Poncho and Pants from Baby Polar Gear.  The Rain Poncho and Pants are made in the USA from highly technical, extreme weather guard fabric Polartec Power Shield.  The company claims that you will be amazed at the water shedding properties of the fabric, so of course I was intrigued because I live in the wettest city in Canada, not counting the snow and wind (we can get wind gusts up to 100 km per hour ).  With a one year old son (pictured above) and a rambunctious dog, I am always outside, rain or shine (sadly, more rain than shine).  We own a fabulous Bugaboo Frog, and with its great rain cover we are outside for at least two walks a day, but there are times and places when a stroller just won’t do, so we rely on our back or front carrier, leaving my poor little guy to brave the elements.  This is where the Rain Poncho and Pants by Baby Polar Gear comes in extremely handy!

This Rain Poncho and Pants is perfect for layering. I tested out the 18 month size, and at a year old my son is 22 pounds and 30 inches long, so there is plenty of room to grow.  What I did not expect was that he would be dry and warm crawling around in it.  At almost a year, my son has zero interest in walking, but he is lightening fast at crawling and often does not want to be held.  He gets very frustrated when we are outside and he doesn’t understand why I can’t put him down on the soggy moss that those of living in a rainforest call a lawn.  So today, with him clad in his Poncho and Pants, I decided to put the suit to the ultimate test.  He happily crawled around our yard in the rain checking everything out, and even sat and watched the birds eat out of the feeder for a few minutes.  When I took him inside and removed the suit, he was dry and warm underneath!  Now that was one happy baby (and Mama)!

The Rain Poncho and Pants are easy to clean, too. I used a tad of liquid laundry soap on a cold cycle.  Because of the ability of Polartec to repel water, the suit was practically dry when I removed it from the washer and definitely did not need any time in the dryer.  Lightweight and not bulky, the Poncho and Pants fit nicely into my diaper bag or into the basket of the stroller, just in case.  I even put it in my purse the other day.  I would definitely recommend Baby Polar Gear’s Rain Poncho and Pants to other parents, though at $34.95 USD for each piece (comes in black only – it would be nice to see other, brighter and more visible colours available in the future), the set is a tad pricey but well worth it, especially if you live an area that gets a lot of rain or wind.

Aside from the company’s Rain Poncho and Pants set with its impressive water shedding ability, Baby Polar Gear has a wide range of products available for outdoorsy families, from car seat covers, bunting bags, hats, mittens, and blankets to jackets, pants, booties, and towels!  To find out more about this great Portland, Oregon company, check out their Facebook page or follow Baby Polar Gear on Twitter.

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Enter to WIN a Baby Gear Polartech Powersheild Rain Poncho or get 20% off of your rain gear purchase until April 14, 2011.  To win the Rain Poncho, leave a comment on the company’s Facebook Page providing either feedback about any of their products OR telling them why you would like to win the Rain Poncho.  For 20% off of your rain gear purchase, simply enter code RAIN20 at checkout through Baby Polar Gear.  Please share with others by Tweeting, ” #WIN a @BabyPolarGear Rain Poncho for your child or get 20% off at http://tinyurl.com/6fhzvh4 @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway #contest “, and good luck!

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Welcome Spring is a board book for babies to toddlers aged two (my three year old still loves it, too).  What’s really captivating about this book is its bright and cleanly illustrated pages, each of which contains textures that will help your child experience spring through seeing, touching, and hearing.  The page below, for example, allows your child to feel the red rubber boots!

Little Scholastic’s Welcome series also includes Welcome Winter, Welcome Summer, and Welcome Fall, each with the same bold, beautiful illustrations, fun tactiles, and all follow the same pattern of ending with the child safe in one of his/her parent’s arms.  Purchase your copy from your local Chapters or through Amazon.com from $5.99 USD.  Happy spring!

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Silkberry Baby was founded by Carrie Shan, who started the company because of her daughter’s allergic reaction to synthetic fibers and polyester filled bedding.  What’s unique about Silkberry Baby’s line of products is that they are made using  mulberry silk floss, which is the highest quality of silk available on the market.  Mulberry silk floss is:

• 100% natural, odourless, and hypoallergenic.  Natural materials like silk and cotton result in less allergic reactions, and both my three year old son and 18 month old daughter have incredibly sensitive skin so this is really important to me.
• Soft, light. and durable.  When the Toddler Comforter arrived, I couldn’t believe how light the bedding was given its generous size (117cm x 102cm).  And soft … I can’t even begin to tell you how incredibly soft the comforter is!  It was such a big hit upon arrival that Charlotte and Oliver fought over the blanket all afternoon, alternately laying on the floor snuggling in it and exclaiming, “It’s SO soft, Mama!”
• Breathable and comfortable.  My children sweat like crazy when they sleep, so I was excited to learn that silk filled bedding absorbs moisture and releases it into the air, which regulates body temperature and keeps babies and toddlers from feeling too hot or too cold during the night.  Sure enough, after testing it on my son for a few weeks, I can honestly say that he is no longer ‘sticky’ at night and wakes up having slept much better because of the even body temperature the comforter provides.
• Eco-friendly and sustainable.  Silk floss comes from renewable resources as it is produced by silkworms, the farming of which leaves little ecological footprint compared to the production of petroleum-based bedding products.

I am absolutely thrilled with the quality of the Silkberry Baby Toddler Comforter.  It is incredibly soft and unbelievably well-made (so well made that I had trouble finding the well-hidden zipper to see how the silk filling could be removed).  I love how it keeps my son or daughter (depending on who wins the fight to sleep with it) warm but not overheating at night, and that it is light and portable yet durable and easy to clean.  Also, I cannot say enough about the charming art work adorning the company’s products – how cute is the sheep on the Toddler Comforters or the elephants on the Sleeping Sacks?  Adorable!

Silkberry Baby has a great range of Eco-bedding products for children including Comforters, Sleeping Sacks, Silk Fleece and Bamboo Blankets, and Cuddly Pillows.  The company also has a mulberry silk-filled Candy Pillow and a line of Eco-friendly bathing products coming soon!  Purchase Silkberry Baby Eco-bedding through the company’s website, or from the following retailers.

I am so delighted with the Silkberry Baby Toddler Comforter that I’m heading to my local retailer to pick up one of their amazing Baby Sleeping Sacks with removable silk filling for my daughter this week!

Silkberry Baby has TWO fabulous promotions on right now!  Get a FREE Cuddly Pillow with the purchase of a Toddler Comforter (valid until April 26, 2011) or get FREE SHIPPING with the purchase of a Sleeping Sack (valid until March 31, 2011).  To take advantage of either of these great offers, make your purchase online through www.silkberrybaby.com and then email the company at carrie@silkberrybaby.com (for the free Cuddly Pillow, use subject line ‘Buy One, Get One Free‘).

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Juice is a treat for my kids, and when I do let them indulge I give them Leading Brands’ babyblue line of juices, which are made especially with children in mind.  Charlotte and Oliver love the yummy taste of babyblue juices, and I rest assured knowing that their ‘treat’ is a healthy one.

babyblue juice is made by the same Canadian company that produces TrueBlue juices, which may be familiar to those of you living in Western Canada and in the States.  babyblue juices come in blueberry (our favourite), blackberry, or raspberry flavours, and what I love most about them is the list of (or lack thereof) ingredients.  For example, the babyblue blueberry juice contains: water, concentrated grape juice, concentrated wild blueberry juice, concentrated black current juice, concentrated cranberry juice, natural flavours, and asorbic acid (Vitamin C).  A nice short list of things I can pronounce, but also an obvious lack of added sugar.  I like the subtle taste of babyblue juices because they aren’t sweet, yet they taste refreshing and pure.  Additionally, while most other juices and blends on the market are comprised of ‘filler’ juices like apple or pear (which are high in carbohydrates and sodium), babyblue juices include only Superfruits high in Polyphenols (naturally occurring antioxidants) like blueberries and black currents.

For adults and older kids, Leading Brands has a varied line of Poyphenol rich juices available as well, all of which have truly full-bodied, rich, natural flavours.  The TrueBlue line of blended blueberry juices are available in seven wild blueberry and Superfruit options including Wild Blueberry, Wild Blueberry and Pomegranate, Wild Blueberry and Acai, Wild Blueberry and Cranberry, Wild Blueberry and Blackberry, Wild Blueberry and Raspberry, and Lite Wild Blueberry.  Just out is the new TrueBlue 100% Juice Blend line, in Wild Blueberry, Pomegranate, and Blackberry flavours.  Finally, Leading Brands Pure Blends line, which includes PureBlack, PureBlue, PureRed, and PureWhite, are concocted out of varietal wine grapes mixed with Superfruits for a unique taste and high antioxidant value (without the alcohol content!) – they also contain two servings of fruit per bottle.

All of Leading Brands’ juices are 100% natural, made with premium ingredients, and do not contain added sugar, artificial colours, flavours, or ‘filler’ juices.  High in antioxidants, just one serving of these juices will also fill your daily Vitamin C quota (which has been great during cold and flu season).  Because it isn’t summer yet, I haven’t tried out my theory that any of these juice lines would make great popsicles.  The company’s website provides some creative recipe ideas for all kinds of salad dressings and vinaigrettes, main courses, deserts, and drinks (cocktails, smoothies, shakes, and punches).  I really like adding a little sparkling water to my juice for a refreshing drink.  Summer – here we come!

Leading Brands’ line of juices can be purchased at grocery stores across Western Canada and the States.  Thank you to Leading Brands for providing me with samples in order to write this review.  For Vancouver residents interested in trying out the kid-friendly babyblue juice line, we’d like to thank Leading Brands for the following special coupon offer (see terms and conditions below):

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It only seemed like yesterday that I removed all the safety devices around the house after my oldest learned how to get around them (if I knew then what I knew now, I would have named her Houdini).  I also felt these devices were sometimes more effective on adults than on toddlers.  “Dear, how the heck do you open this drawer!?!”, was one question you would hear me, er … my wife, yell constantly.

Regardless, it needed to be done.  So down to the garage I went to grab the box of safety equipment.  Electrical outlet caps … check.  Baby gates … check.  Corner guards … check.  Cabinet/drawer locks … check.  Door knob covers … check.  Velcro straps … check.  Duct tape … check.  And one of my favorites … Patrull door stops from Ikea … check.  Wait, I meant uncheck.  As if I needed a reason to go to Ikea – where else can you get 50 cent hot dogs, 15 Swedish meatballs with mash potatoes for under $3 Monday to Thursday from 11am to closing (for a limited time), and breakfast for $1 before 11am?  If you time it just right, you can have a three course meal for $4.50 (excluding HST of course).  Now, back to those door stops ….

Patrull door stops may be quite simple design-wise, but they are effective in keeping doors open; hence reducing the possibility of little fingers being caught on either side of the door.  Unlike the old school wooden wedges that were used way back in the day, these door stops will ‘lock’ a door in place with minimal chance of slippage on either carpet, hardwood, or laminate flooring due to the contraption’s rubber feet.  They’re also easy to use.  Just drop it onto the floor where you want the door to be positioned, push the door stop down with your foot, position the door over the door stop, and then release your foot.  No screws, no tape, no mess.  I also really like the fact that this door stop doesn’t look out of place compared to other safety devices out there and that it does not require to be hard mounted (this of course means less holes that my wife will make me patch up down the road).

Just a disclaimer, though, the Patrull may not work on all doors. The distance between floor and door must be between 0.375” to 1.25″ and the maximum door thickness the door stop can accommodate is 1.625″.  Hence, if you want to use them on saloon doors, you’re probably out of luck.

Patrull door stops can be found at your local Ikea in packages of 2 for $4.99 CAD (or $2.99 in the US).

And for those of you who are wondering about the duct tape, I use it for sound insulation.  It’s the only thing strong enough to cover my mouth and muffle my screams as I cradle myself to sleep each night … did I mention I’m the only male in the house?

Our latest Spilt Milk Moms guest writer is a dad! This dad spends much of his time researching ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ when he’s not looking after his two little ones, much to the chagrin of his wife who would rather see him make better use of his time by vacuuming the house, mopping the floors, taking out the garbage, repairing the leaky faucet, and installing new bathroom/kitchen floor/wall tiles.  Unfortunately in his post-kid world, life has little to do with TVs, home theatre systems, digital cameras/camcorders, computers, and Transformers (Autobots and Decepticons).  Instead, his research now centres around car seats, high chairs, potty training seats, strollers, safety equipment, and a plethora of kids toys.  For now, this dad will remain anonymous in fear that his wife might truly find out how much money he has been spending on some of the products he has been reviewing.

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I try to do my part in this world to reduce the amount of waste my family creates.  Over the last few years, this has included asking retail staff not to staple my receipts together (or print one at all).  Staples are great at holding paper together, but what a hassle when it comes to pulling them off paper before recycling.  In the big scheme of things, however, it wasn’t until I received a fabulous EcoStapler from my friend Lara last Christmas that I realized just how wasteful staples really are (and that doing my recycling properly was actually the least of my worries when it comes to these little steel fasteners).  For example, did you know that if every office worker used one less staple per day, we’d conserve more than 120,000 tonnes of steel per year?  The EcoStapler website really puts the environmental impact of staple use into perspective:

When you look at a single staple, it doesn’t look like much. However, when you consider that more than a billion tons of steel are used every year to make staples, then that one staple appears to be more than it is. As well, in order to make all those staples, raw-materials need to be mined and drawn from the Earth, refined, and then shipped to a factory in order to be manufactured into paper staples.

Each step in the manufacturing chain causes damage to the environment. Whether it’s taking natural resources from the Earth, or greenhouse gases caused by transportation, that one little staple becomes an unfriendly and pricy enemy of the environment. And remember, billions of tons of metal are used each year in order to make staples.

So how exactly does the EcoStapler work?  First of all, you should know that it can only staple a maximum of five pages together, so if you’re looking for a Eco-friendly solution for those bigger jobs, this isn’t it.  However, if every retailer in North America alone used this clever little device for receipts and office workers put it to use when they could, imagine the positive impact it would make on our environment!  Logistically, the EcoStapler works by using the paper itself to fasten it together.  How it works is actually really unique – as you push the EcoStapler down, it punches through the paper like a hole punch and then weaves the excess paper back up through the pages (pictured below).  It’s hard to describe, but the way in which it ties and binds the paper together really is ingenious and virtually indestructible!

If you want to be an Eco superhero like me, you can order your own EcoStapler by purchasing the two pack through the company’s website for only $14.99 (CAD or USD).  I think the EcoStapler makes a great gift for Eco-conscious friends and family (thanks Lara!), so keep it in mind for that next special occasion.

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So when I found out that we were expecting our second child, guess what the first thing I pulled out of the closet was?  I had it all figured out.  While the wife was out with our first child for piano, Taekwondo, dancing, cooking, painting, digital photography, skydiving, and Swahili lessons or soccer, softball, ice hockey, roller hockey, skiing, snowboarding, volleyball, synchronized swimming, pole vault and competitive kite flying practices, my second child would be housed in the Ring of Neglect. As for me, I would be in front of my computer, um, doing laundry.  The plan was fool proof.  After all, if my first child loved the Ring of Neglect, why wouldn’t my second?

Unfortunately she didn’t.  In fact, the ExerSaucer quickly became the Ring of Contempt.  She absolutely hated being in it, single-handedly crushing any chance of some much needed quiet time for me to do chores.  Interestingly, what did appear to keep her distracted was my Apple iPhone.  I’m not sure if it was the Apps, photos, music, or videos that kept her entertained, or some deeply ingrained love for technology (that was passed down paternally), but she was hooked … or at least until I had to take it away because she dialed 911 that time.  Who would have thought her fingers were sufficiently dexterous to key in those numbers on such a small keypad?

If only there was a similar multi-touch screen device, without the phone function and with a larger display (as the iPhone isn’t really that great for Internet browsing or watching movies due to its screen size).  Wait a minute, there is or should I say, there are.  Apple, HP, Asus, RIM, Samsung, and Motorola are just a few companies making such devices.  In our case, we chose the Apple iPad for no other reason than its similarities to the iPhone and ease of purchasing/installing a wide range of apps.  I’m sure marketing also played a role.

Sure enough, everything my little one loved about the iPhone, she loved about the iPad.  A quick search in iTunes came up with a number of kid-friendly Apps that were both fun and educational.  Throw in a few productivity Apps and the iPad becomes a very useful tool for parents on-the-go.  In fact, I’ve written the majority of this review on the iPad while I was out and about.  And did I mention that the iPad allows users to backup pictures from their digital camera using an optional accessory?  This was particularly useful during a recent trip to Asia where I was able to back up over 2000 photos that I took using my dSLR.

Now you might be thinking that I must absolutely love the iPad.  Truthfully though, it’s a love hate relationship.  First of all, for those of you considering an iPad as your primary computing device, I would strongly suggest against it.  The iPad does many things well, but it does not replace a computer, whether it be a laptop or PC (i.e. the iPad lacks USB ports to connect multiple peripherals nor does it run more intensive applications).  Secondly, although there are some really great Apps in iTunes, there are also a number of not so good ones out there as well.  If only there was a way to try some of these Apps out before buying them (sure, a bad App may only cost 99 cents, but buy a few of them and you could be out some sizeable coin).  Finally, I also have a love/hate relationship with Apple in general and some of their policies (i.e. Adobe Flash).

In any event, if you’re thinking about buying an iPad, I say go for it – just not right now.  There is talk that the next version of the iPad will be coming out in the next couple of months and that it might include a front and rear camera.  Imagine the possibilities with these added features!  However, even if the next rendition does not include these cameras, next generation products are usually an improvement over their previous generation counterparts.  The iPad, which starts at $549 CDN for a 16 GB Wi-FI model, can be found at an Apple Store near you, online or at any Apple Authorized Dealer.

And in case you’re wondering what happened to our ExerSaucer, it’s now become the Time-Out Saucer.  Now, time for some vacuuming ….

That’s right! Our latest Spilt Milk Moms guest writer is a dad who spends much of his time researching ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ when he’s not looking after his two little ones, much to the chagrin of his wife who would rather see him make better use of his time by vacuuming the house, mopping the floors, taking out the garbage, repairing the leaky faucet, and installing new bathroom/kitchen floor/wall tiles.  Unfortunately in his post-kid world, life has little to do with TVs, home theatre systems, digital cameras/camcorders, computers, and Transformers (Autobots and Decepticons).  Instead, his research now centres around car seats, high chairs, potty training seats, strollers, safety equipment, and a plethora of kids toys.  For now, this dad will remain anonymous in fear that his wife might truly find out how much money he has been spending on some of the products he has been reviewing.

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Looking for a unique way of expressing your love?  Feast your eyes on this beautiful Tree of Love metal sculpture by Anvil Island Design of Nanaimo, Canada.

I almost never write about things which I do not own or receive, but I’m going to admit that I do not have a Tree of Love hanging on the wall in my dining room (that’s the spot I have picked out).  However, I came to know about Tree of Love from my co-worker, who bought one at a local fair a few years ago and showed me pictures of it hanging in his house (thanks Paul!).  We’re in the middle of saving for ours, so I figure it’s safe to share with you, dear readers, despite not having my hands on one at the moment.

Tree of Love metal sculptures are created by artist Jack Willoughby and are modeled after Japanese maple trees.  This is what the Anvil Island Design website says about this tree: “Usually the focal point in a garden, the Japanese Maple is loved for its elegant, delicate foliage and bright vibrant fall colour. In legend and lore the tree is also thought to tie humanity to the soul of earth and create connectivity with man to nature. Often the central tree in a bonsai garden, the pruning and care of a bonsai Japanese Maple was said to inspire harmony and creativity and evoke a sense of tranquility and peace.“  Mr. Willoughby takes his version of the Japanese Maple a step further by adding the custom carving of initials and/or dates to help people celebrate their love or a special occasion (as pictured above and below).

Purchasing your Tree of Love is a completely personalized experience and there are a variety of options available to select from in the creation of this unique piece of art.  This metal sculpture is available in only one size, 16 ¾ inches high x 35 ¼ inches wide (42.5 cm high x 89.5 cm wide), but you select both the style and finish.  There are two styles – wall mounted (so it can be hung on a wall), or table standing (which comes with a base so it can be placed onto a window sill or bookcase).  Finishes include steel, matte black, or bronze.  You can then decide whether or not you want to add up to two sets of initials and a date (which appears as Month/Day/Year, with the month abbreviated to the first three letters).

Each customized Tree of Love costs $195 CDN plus shipping and handling ($28 for Canadian orders, $39 for US orders – international orders will receive quotes prior to processing) and can be ordered through the Anvil Island Design website.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Anvil Island Design is generously offering the readers of Spilt Milk Moms a 15% discount on Tree of Love orders!  To use this promotional code, please contact Anvil Island Design directly (do not use the online order form) by phone or by email referencing Spilt Milk Moms to place your order.  Thanks Jack and Anvil Island Design!

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I adore the company’s value statement: Natural.  Pure.  Simple.  Clean.  I spend a lot of time and effort ensuring that the food I put into my children is natural and good for them, so why wouldn’t I do the same with the potions and lotions I put onto them?  Coco & Tini’s product line includes Body Wash, Bubble Bath, Shampoo, and Conditioning Detangler, and each bottle is adorned the most adorable graphics (check out the owl, below, and for extra fun meet all of the Coco & Tini characters on the company’s fun Our World page).

We have been using the entire Coco & Tini range of hair and bath products for about two months now, and I am in love, love, love.  Aesthetically speaking, my kids get a real kick out of the cute graphics on each of the bottles (and this is how they remember what is in each bottle at bath time).  I can honestly also say that my kids have never been cleaner … I don’t know, but somehow after a Coco & Tini bath they’re especially squeaky clean and lovely smelling.  I think this has everything to do with the natural products the company uses, and there’s just something about the scent of lavender and chamomile that is so pleasantly clean and wholesome smelling.  If I’m in a rush, I use only the Shampoo and Body Wash, but I have to say that the Conditioning Detangler gives the kids’ hair an extra nice sheen and leaves it silky smooth.  When we’re really cutting loose, we add the Bubble Bath to our water as well, and despite the company’s disclaimer that natural bubble baths won’t ‘produce bubbles up to the ceiling’ I actually find the bubbles produced to be just the right amount.

I think that the only thing which may hold some people back from purchasing Coco & Tini hair and bath products would be the price.  The product line is sold in 225ml bottles, and the Shampoo retails for $16.95 CAD, the Conditioning Detangler for $19.50 CAD, the Body Wash for $15.95 CAD, and the Bubble Bath for $19.95 CAD.  However, I’ve been using these products sparingly on my two children for over two months and I’m not even a quarter of the way through any of the bottles – a little goes a really long way to get your little mud monsters clean, which is enough for me to justify purchasing these fabulous products.  Coco & Tini all natural hair and bath products can be purchased through the company’s website or from these fine online and local retailers.

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Coco & Tini is generously giving away full sets of their hair and bath product line (Shampoo, Conditioning Detangler, Body Wash, and Bubble Bath – valued at $72.35 CAD) to TWO lucky Spilt Milk Moms reader!  Thanks Coco & Tini!

To Enter: Go to Coco & Tini’s website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us why you are interested in trying out OR what you like about this line of hair and bath products. Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @CocoandTini and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” Enter to #WIN the full @CocoandTini all-natural hair&bath product line for kids! http://tinyurl.com/4mqcxlb @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries. This entry method will count as TWO ENTRIES for this giveaway (leave two comments, please).
• If you ‘Like’ Coco & Tini on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry. This entry method will count as TWO ENTRIES for this giveaway (leave two comments, please).
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Tuesday,  February 8th, and the winners will be selected using Random.org.  The winners will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before other winners are selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.

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If you’re familiar with Vapur’s original .5L water bottles, then we just know your family will love these new additions to the Vapur family.  Big enough to quench a kid’s thirst, but small enough to pack around even when full of liquid, these are perfect for everything from sporting events to school days, not to mention that you’ll be doing your part to save the environment from unnecessary disposable plastic bottles.  My three year old finds it pretty hilarious to have a mini matching Vapur bottle to the purple one I tote about.

You may remember that we’ve reviewed Vapur bottles before, and if you aren’t familiar with this company’s unique bottles then here’s what you need to know.  Vapur bottles:

• are more environmentally friendly than disposable plastic water bottles;
• are shipped flat, which takes up 90% less space than traditional bottles, AND the packaging is printed using wind power on 100% post-consumer paper (the company also participates in 1% for the Planet);
• are made in the USA using durable, FDA-approved, BPA-free polymer;
• the original .5L bottles hold 16oz (473ml) of liquid and the new .4L bottles hold 14oz;
• have an inner layer is odour, stain, and taste resistant;
• stand up when full and collapse when empty;
• come with built-in carabiners, handy for attaching to your bag or belt or however you roll;
• are dishwasher safe (top rack);
• have sports caps (made out of FDA-approved, BPA-free 100% virgin Polypropylene) rather than the traditional twist caps (replacement spouts are available from $2.95 USD for a set of four);
• can be put into the freezer and used for emergencies or for keeping things cold in the cooler when traveling;
• are available in the following some pretty stylish colours: cyan blue, green, smoke, pink, and purple!

I’d like to thank Sue from Raspberry Kids for providing me with my .4L Vapur water bottle samples in the two-pack orange so that I could write this review.  Raspberry Kids carries the entire line of Vapur bottles and accessories, including their hot new limited edition raspberry coloured Vapur bottle (get it?)!  Purchase your Vapur bottle from Raspberry Kids for $19.99 CAD, and while you’re at it don’t forget to use discount code spiltmilk15 at checkout for 15% off of your purchase (excluding the Vapur 4 Bottle Bundle).

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After only a few days of trying out both versions of eos’ lip balms, I was already a fan of both and for the same reason – their presentation/packaging and the quality and long lasting effects of the lip balms.  The smooth sphere has a twist off lid and contains a cool little round ball of balm that ensures every inch of your lips are covered.  The smooth stick comes in a sleek, modern and stylish applicator that fits neatly into your pocket or purse – and I absolutely love the vanilla bean flavour.

eos’ smooth sphere lip balm (pictured above) is available in five flavours: summer fruit, lemon drop spf 15, honeysuckle honeydew, medicated tangerine, and sweet mint.  I’m definitely going to have to track down the rest of the flavours in this collection with names and diverse flavours like these (one for each purse and pocket!).  As I said, I’m a fan of the type of coverage the spherical shape of this lip balm provides, and my kids are constantly asking for this lip balm because they (a) like to play with it, and (b) think it’s fun to put on their lips.

The smooth stick lip balm (pictured above) comes in three flavours: vanilla bean, pomegranate raspberry, and sweet mint.  I’m a fan of its sleek, sophisticated packaging, and the ergonomic lid.  Smitten with the vanilla bean flavour, I can’t wait to get my hands on the sweet mint (I adore anything and everything mint).

Both of eos’ lip balms are certified USDA Organic and are not tested on animals.  Additionally, they are:

• 95% organic and 100% natural;
• Gluten, Paraben, Petrolatum, and Phthalate-free;
• long-lasting moisturizer is provided by the anti-oxidant rich Vitamin E and soothing Shea butter and jojoba oil ingredients;
• the soft-touch packaging is recyclable and comes in funky, vibrant colours.

I am a huge fan of eos’ unique and diverse line of product (read my review of their excellent shave cream here), and these lip balms have now also become a permanent fixture at my house and in my bag!  Purchase lip balm from either of eos’ two collections starting at $3.29 USD from the company’s online store or US retailers including Rite Aid, Duane Reade, Target and Walmart.  eos lip balms are also available in Canada at Shoppers Drugmart and RW & Co locations across the country.

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Butternut Squash Soup

1 Tbsp red curry paste

2 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash

4 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups of coconut milk

Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the curry paste; cook for one minute.  Add the squash and chicken stock; cook for six minutes or until squash is tender.  Place contents into a blender and puree until smooth, then return to saucepan.  Add the coconut milk and heat for three minute.  Serves four.

Red curry paste and cans of coconut milk can be found in the ethnic/Thai food section of your grocery store.  Costco sells pre-cubed ready-to-serve butternut squash, and it is exactly a two pounds package – get it there if you can or buy one to cut up at your local market.

I’m hoping that you will be inspired to share your favourite soup recipe with us in our comments section!  Soups are incredibly easy to make, and I know I’m always looking for new recipes to add to my collection, so please … add yours here!

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