I sincerely hope this does not lower your opinion of me but the only time I’ve ever been ‘green’ is “green with envy.” I realize how horrible that sounds to be a mom who doesn’t make it a top priority to be eco-friendly. I don’t even demand my son and husband eat organic food. Ok, get your gasps out of the way.

So in full disclosure, while I was extremely excited to be invited to the Jessica Alba launch event of The Honest Company, it wasn’t to learn about yet another line of non-toxic, chemical-free baby and household products.

But damed if I was going to miss the opportunity to spend a cocktail hour with Jessica Alba only two days after watching her work the red carpet at The Golden Globes.

But here’s the funny thing. As founders Christopher Gavigan and Jessica Alba talked about The Honest Company, I found myself starting to root for the success of their endeavor. How can you not get behind a brand that offers savvy style, sustainability, and extraordinary service & convenience all wrapped in a passion for social goodness, tied with a bow of integrity and sprinkled with a little cheeky fun. The company is obsessed with product design that’s functional, effective and durable – and also beautiful, fresh and fun.

Hearing that a longer shelf life is more important to many companies than a baby’s life really hit home and impacted me.

Gavigan and Alba have set out to redefine the idea of the “family brand” and that’s exactly what they have me doing now as well.

Learn more at http://www.honest.com/

P.S. I devoured a pint of Ben & Jerry’s when I got home from the event (How’s that for being totally HONEST?!?)

Like most kids Thing 1 and Thing 2 love playhouses.  It doesn’t matter if they are two sizes too small, or even if they are smelly or dirty.  They love them.  We didn’t have one.  I was hoping to snag a used one this summer but it never happened.  This fall I came across My Very Own House Cottage.  A playhouse made out of cardboard.  Better yet it can be folded up and put away when not in use.  I took the leap of faith and decided it would be the “big” gift this Christmas.  It was a huge hit!

The house comes as one piece with instructions on how to unfold and piece together.  It was fairly simple and ready to go in less then 10 minutes.  The house can also fold back up which can be done by following the directions backwards.  The directions are printed right on the house (in a hidden area) so they are always at hand.  The house can easily be stored in a closet when not in use.  I wouldn’t plan on folding and unfolding the house everyday but it is simple enough.

A couple of months ago I described our search for a painless hair brush for Thing 2.  We tried out the tangle teezer and the knot genie.  I promised I would try out the wet brush and I am glad to say we finally have.  For those that missed our first post I will recap by saying that Thing 2 has very fine but super straight hair.  She is frequently referred to as Einstein and its not because of her brilliant math skills.

I have to admit that we do prefer the new wet brush for several reasons.  One of the biggest flaws of the previously tested brushes were the lack of a traditional handle.  The wet brush does have the standard hair brush look, handle and all.  I love the traditional style.  It’s easier to use both on Thing 2 and on myself.

The bristles are different on the wet brush.  Again they are more traditional.  The tangle teezer and the knot genie feature bristles of various lengths.  The wet brush‘s bristles are all the same length.  However they are different from traditional brushes due to how soft and flexible they are.  It really does a great job detangling wet or dry hair without pulling.  Thing 2 doesn’t say OUCH which is remarkable since it is the word I hear more then any other these days.

Lastly the wet brush is inexpensive.  It is less then half the price of the other brushes.  The wet brush is our go to brush these days.  The others still get used when the wet brush goes missing.  The handle and the super soft bristles really make this brush a winner.

SHOP Wet Brush HERE

Are you looking at the gifts you purchased for your children with wide eyes? LEGOs are always a must-have holiday toy — they also come with a lot of little pieces. Even the DUPLO blocks need a place to live (and hurt like heck when you step on them). Here’s our roundup of this year’s must-have LEGO (and other small toy) storage solutions.

Swoop Bag

With Swoop Bags ($45), clean up is as easy as 1-2-3. Play directly on the open bag (or place all toys on it after playing), pull the rope and you’re on your way! The Swoop Bag is the ultimate toy bag and playmat in one.

See our full review on Swoop Bags HERE.

Box 4 Blox

The BOX4BLOX storage system ($39.95) is an award winning toy storage solution for organizing and storing LEGOs. BOX4BLOX keeps LEGO pieces organized with it’s built-in sorting system — each level has a sorting grid, which allows smaller pieces to fall through and end up in the bottom tray. The trays stack on top of each other to form a simple and fun place to store up to 1700 LEGO bricks! Bonus: It’s made in the USA!

Ikea Vessla Bins

It’s not a sorter and it’s not easy to travel with but it is the least expensive option for storing toys. These Vessla bins ($5.99) — with the purchase of the optional lid ($2.00) stack on top of each other to create a functional storage solution. The built-in casters allow each bin to roll on hard floors and the top edge acts as a carry handle.

LEGO City Zip-Bin and Playmat

If you’re looking for an interactive playmat and storage solution, the Zip-Bin ($24.99) is the way to go. With an included playmat, your child’s imagination will run wild while playing with his or her LEGOs. Although it doesn’t sort or travel as easily as the other storage solutions, you can zip the bin closed to help contain messes.

How difficult is it to pack to go anywhere – even just to grandma’s house- with kids in tow?

Melissa & Doug have found the perfect solution to make it fun and easy to travel with little ones! Trunki is seriously the greatest travel innovation since the wheelie bag.  Trunki allows children to scoot along on their luggage through the airport, bus/train station or even on the sidewalk. This lightweight, sturdy, children’s carry-on sized suitcase serves as luggage, riding toy, and transport for kids on the go. It’s perfect for sleepovers, summer camp and vacations. When you’re not on the go, Trunki acts as a convenient kid-friendly storage bin at home.

“Packed” with features, Trunki is designed to stand up to adventures at home and away. It’s perfect for storage, pretend play and travel by plane, train, bus or auto.

The Trunki is currently available in 6 colors- pink (Trixie), blue (Terrance), purple (Iris), green (Jade), red (Ruby) and orange (Sunny). It carries a SRP of $39.99 but can be found on the internet on sale for prices as low as $28. It is recommended for children 3 and up. Features include a tow strap, carry handles, secure catches, integrated wheels and stabilizers to help prevent toppling over. Holds up to 75 lbs. Saddlebags are also available as an add-on accessory.  You can learn more at http://www.melissaanddoug.com/luggage-riding-toy

The Trunki comes with stickers allowing customization, making no 2 Trunkies exactly the same. Although I really like it as is and am hesitant to make it messy. I might hold on to the stickers for scrapbooking.

We are definitely retiring my nephew’s hand-me-down Thomas the Train suitcase.

SHOP Melissa & Doug Trunki HERE

Now I am itching to book a trip! As if I ever need an excuse. Anyone have any recommendations for family-friendly vacations?

Kiwi Crate is a new innovative company that provides inspiration and hands-on projects for your favorite preschoolers.  They offer monthly boxes which can make creative play easy for busy parents.  We do a lot of art and building here but sometimes I feel a bit lost about what to do next.  I have a long list of blogs offering up inspiration but a box shipped to my front door that promises both the ideas and the supplies sounds dreamy.

In Every Crate:

Cyber Monday Deal!  I have been wanting to try out Kiwi Crate for sometime and with their latest Cyber Monday deal I will get a chance soon.  Use HOLIDAY75 to receive 75% off your first month’s crate.  Even after adding an extra sibling’s share to my subscription my first box will only cost $6.97.  That will include two preschool friendly projects that will hopefully entertain Thing 1 and Thing 2 for hours.

Kiwi Crate can make a great gift too!  Use code HOLIDAY15 for $15 off gift subscriptions.  They offer 3, 6, or 12 month subscriptions.  I couldn’t resist sending out a few as gifts.  They provide two ways to deliver your gifts.  You can provide their address and the boxes will ship out mid-month or you can provide the parent’s email and a gift card will arrive in their inbox to be redeemed by them online.

I’ll be back to report on how the kiwi crate performed in this house soon.

Teach your kids to stay in bed with these easy to use, effective clocks made specifically for young children.

Before a child knows how to read time, you can teach them that it’s not okay to jump out of bed at 3 am or to rise and shine with the sun. These clocks not only help you — and your child — get some much-needed Zzz’s, it teaches your child responsibility while giving them a sense of independence. Your child will be proud he did something on his own — not realizing that you set the rule to begin with.

Baby Zoo Alarm Clock ($39.99)

This alarm clock tells a child that it’s okay to rise and shine when the monkey’s eyes are open — and with the optional jungle sounds. As a bonus, help familiarize and teach your child to read the time with both a digital and analogue clock.

OK to Wake! ($26.90)

This light-up clock is fully customizable — allowing parents set the OK to Wake, time and brightness.

Sleep Enhancing Clock ($35.13)

Toddlers know if it’s time to get up by looking at the stoplight: Red means sleep, green means get up!

Teach Me Time Talking Clock ($41.99)

The Teach Me Time alarm clock is a color-changing nightlight that teaches kids to stay in bed until it changes color. After your child reaches age 7, use it as a time-teaching tool.

When I attended a New Parents Expo last month, Dolphin Organics was one of the very few products which I was unaware of.

Dolphin Organics is a family-owned and operated company which is committed to making the best, most honest organic and natural products for your baby. Dolphin Organics offers parents a line of vegan, hypoallergenic baby care products that contain nothing man-made and nothing artificial – not even the preservatives. The label is clear and honest, and shows consumers exactly what has been put in the bottle. The company is also trying to make their carbon footprint as small as your baby’s. That’s why their packaging is made with Post Consumer Recycled material, and products are never tested on animals.

A member of the Natural Products Association, Dolphin Organics goes to great lengths to adhere to the industry’s highest standards. In fact, Dolphin Organics products have been approved by two widely respected organizations: Quality Assurance International certifies that the organic ingredients are truly organic, and the National Safety Foundation confirms that the products meet the strictest safety standards.

Dolphin Organics was generous enough to send me a bottle of their baby shampoo/body wash and the conditioner to try out. My husband who is responsible for bathing our son immediately asked me, “Is this tear-free?”

Yes, I promised. And then waited for his reaction. He appreciated that the products are fragrance free, all-natural/organic, hypoallergenic and tear-free. He was disappointed that the shampoo has a watery consistency and explained that it lathered better in the hair than on the body. He also noted that the conditioner is thicker. His other con was that there were less bubbles for our son to play with than with the product we currently use. Then we read the label for the first time on our 2-in-1 gentle wash and shampoo and cringed because it contains sulfate and sodium benzoate. These ingredients can’t even begin to overcompensate for the fact that it did lather and rinse nicer than Dolphin Organics.

The Dolphin Organics baby shampoo/body wash and the conditioner retail for $11.49 each. Dolphin Organics is committed to donating a portion of every purchase to not-for-profit organizations whose missions are dear to their hearts: Friends of Karen is a local charity dedicated to supporting the families of critically-ill children.

After using the shampoo, my son’s hair had a healthy sheen the next day.  And we all slept well knowing we didn’t put anything on our precious son that isn’t found in nature.

For more information or to shop Dolphin Organics, visit their website HERE.

It’s becoming commonplace for celebrities to become children book authors. First Madonna wrote The English Garden. Julianne Moore’s Freckleface Strawberry has been adapted into a Broadway show. Olympic Figure skating champion and winner of Dancing with the Stars Kristi Yamaguchi is the author of Dream Big Little Pig. Award-winning children’s author Josie Bissett (actress who played Jane Mancini on Fox TV’s Melrose Place) has done it again. Her first book, Tickle Monster, became a national sensation by getting kids and their parents to laugh, laugh, laugh. Now comes Boogie Monster, a loveable character from Planet Boogie whose only mission is to inspire kids to dance, dance, dance.

photo by Heidi Green Photography

Boogie Monster teaches kids that there’s no right or wrong way to dance. In the process, kids build confidence and have fun exercising. The story is upbeat and fun with matching colorful, bright and cheerful illustrations by Kevan J. Atteberry.  There’s a nice pattern with lines that rhyme, but not in a forced, cheesey overdone way.

 “You’re beginning to see what this BOOGIE’s about.
You’re beginning to figure your own movements out.
What if you danced every morning and night,
And invited some friends to share your delight?”

While it’s intended for a reading level of children ages 4-8, I was quite pleased to see it kept my 2 year old son’s interest who is usually partial to hearing only Yo Gabba Gabba and Olivia books read to him. 36 pages.

The book is available by itself or you can purchase the complete Boogie Monster Dance Kit with Boogie Legs™ (also sold individually) and a dance music CD by Recess Monkey.

What are some of yours and your child’s favorite books?

It’s the go everywhere plastic diaper wallet that fits into your lifestyle and your handbag!

I’ve tried many different diaper cases over the past 9+ years and there is nothing that comes close to the b.box.

Easy access to wipes

With my wiggly toddler, changing on the go difficulties have become a thing of the past. Thanks to the simple fact that the wipes can be accessed from both the outside and inside, I have wipes at my disposal very quickly. Refilling the wipes is simple and it holds a little more than a typical travel wipe container.

Storing diapers

Diapers store easily on top of the changing mat, under the flexible plastic arm. I’m able to get three size 4 disposable diapers in the b.box at a time. I was only able to get one thinly stuffed Happy Heinys cloth diaper or one bumGenius cloth diaper in the b.box.

Changing mat

The b.box comes with a large changing mat perfectly sized for newborns and wide enough to cover a large area under a toddler’s back, bottom and legs. The changing mat folds up easily and stores nicely under a flexible plastic arm. It’s a wipe clean mat (not washable) but I’ve had no problems keeping it clean and dry — I spray it down with a vinegar and water solution and wipe it dry when it needs a good cleaning. The changing mat unfolds to 18.9″ by 16.9″.

Uses

The b.box has been great for easy transitions from purse to diaper bag to daddy’s diaper bag to the stroller to leaving it in the car. It travels extremely well and fits nicely in a larger purse or diaper bag. The hard shell means it keeps it shape no matter where you put it or where you go.

More b.box details

The b.box is available in 6 different patterns/colors and can be purchased at amazon for $24.95