CSN Stores

I mentioned a while back that I would be reviewing some fun summer items in April. Here is the first one - a Step 2 WaterWheel Play Table from CSN Stores. CSN Stores has over 200 websites with a large range of items available. We chose to review the water table from Toys and Games Online. CSN Stores shipped the water table to me quickly and as soon as nap time was over we put it together.

It was easy to assemble, just a few parts to snap together -

Yes, those are our snow boots in the background! It was just starting to warm up when we got the water table. The girls had to wear coats, but I let them play because they were so excited to try it out.

By the end of the afternoon they were pretty wet and cold but had a blast! Here you can see the table is just the right height for them.

It comes with two boats, a cup, and a water wheel tower. Most of the pieces say that they are #5 plastic, which is a "safe" plastic. There is also a note in the instructions that the table is recyclable when you are done with it.

The girls love the water table and have played with it almost every day since we received it. The WaterWheel Play Table is also a big hit with any of our little friends that come to visit. I like that we can play with water and not get soaked! This will be a great summer toy, and we're already getting lots of use from it. Thanks CSN Stores and two thumbs up for the Step 2 WaterWheel Play Table.

Muffin Tin Monday - Dairy Party!

This week we were learning about cows, so we had a dairy Muffin Tin Monday! Butter (that we made by shaking cream in a jar), bread for the butter, lunchmeat, ice cream, crackers, cheese, and yogurt. The girls were pretty excited to have ice cream for lunch! We talked about foods that are made from milk and we even went to visit a dairy farm.

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be closing the Dippy Cups giveaway tonight so be sure to enter if you haven't yet. I've got a few fun summer reviews and giveaways coming soon so be sure to check back often.

Happy Easter!

We're enjoying Spring! Warm weather, flowers blooming, sunshine, and new life.

Happy Easter from our house to yours.

Seventh Generation Giveaway

Just in time for Spring Cleaning, we have a giveaway from Seventh Generation! They have a new line of botanical disinfectants including a bathroom cleaner, multi-surface cleaner, and disinfecting wipes. The disinfectants contain thymol, a component of the herb thyme, and can be used on hard surfaces including counter tops, plastic cutting boards, highchair trays as well as children’s toys. They kill over 99.99 percent of germs* naturally and are effective against the Influenza A Virus, including H1N1. *Refer to product label for full details.

I received a kit of Seventh Generation products to review and have another to giveaway! (The Seventh Generation Products, information, and additional prize pack were all given to me from Seventh Generation through My Blog Spark.)

Seventh Generation has partnered with eco-lifestyle consultant and author, Alexandra Zissu, whose new book, The Conscious Kitchen, discusses what’s good for your health, what’s good for the planet and what tastes great. I've enjoyed reading through this book. Here are some of her great tips on maintaining a green and healthy kitchen, including:

• Change is Good
  Choosing cleaning products without indoor air pollutants like volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, is a simple and effective way to reduce your indoor air pollution. If you’re not prepared to switch everything overnight, start by swapping out the one product you use the most, and moving forward from there.



• Think before you spray
  Residues from cleaning products can last on a surface for longer than we we’d like to know and travel to areas that we sometimes don’t intend them to. Don’t contaminate your food by prepping it on a surface that may contain harsh chemical residues - rinse cleaning products from food preparation surfaces carefully or use botanical disinfecting cleaners that do not require a rinse step.


• Home is Where the Clean Is
  Your standard cleaners are good for removing soils and dirt from kitchen surfaces, but to tackle germs you need a cleaner that is effective against microbes like bacteria and viruses. Many cleaners contain ingredients that have antimicrobial properties such as vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, but the germ killing power of these is not necessarily guaranteed. To be sure you are killing germs, use an EPA registered disinfectant. Seventh Generation tapped into the disinfecting power of the common garden herb thyme, to provide a disinfecting cleaner that kills germs* naturally.
  
  
• Make the Old New Again
  Think twice about the items that you’re using to clean and dry your kitchen equipment and dishes. Use rags (like old t-shirts and washcloths) instead of paper towels. If you aren’t prepared to kick your paper towel addiction just yet, use only recycled versions that are unbleached or haven’t been whitened with chemicals containing chlorine and see how long you can make a roll last.
  
  
• The Writing is on the … Sponge
  Be sure to read the fine print on sponges and only purchase those that do not contain antimicrobial pesticides. Remember to store sponges in a dry place and frequently clean them by popping plastic sponges wet in a microwave for two minutes or boiling sponges for three minutes in water.


• Mom Was Right, Wash Your Hands
  Wash your hands with soap and water before and after prepping food, and always before eating. So much of what can be potentially harmful in a kitchen can be reduced by this simple act that doesn’t require any harsh chemicals whatsoever.

What did I think of the Seventh Generation products? We've been making our own cleaners for some time now, and I think this is a very important step you can take towards having a safer home. I had never tried anything from Seventh Generation before and it all seemed to work well. I really don't like the thyme smell, but its much better than a chemical smell and dissipates fairly quickly. I do wish that they disclosed the ingredients right on the bottle; you can go to their website to see a full list. I think this is a great "safe" option and I'm happy that its available. I'll probably keep a bottle of this on hand for times when we are all sick and I need to disinfect everything.

The paper towels are, well, paper towels. Not the greenest thing to use, but I have to admit I do still use paper towels from time to time for art project clean up or cleaning the toilet. These are a nice option to have.

Would you like to try these out? One winner will receive a kit as shown in the photo above. Leave a comment being sure to include your email address. You can leave extra comments for following my blog, and for being an email subscriber to my blog. This will close April 16th at midnight.

*Giveaway closed. Congrats Tina!*