crazedparent

I went to BlogHer and got some really cool products...

BlogHer seems a distant memory, mostly because I spent less than 48 hours in Chicago and left before the conference even ended. But somehow, I still managed to bring home some really wonderful product samples thanks to generous swag bags provided by BlogHer, that hawt ladies of Room 704 (How I loved Vdog and her lovely feather boa. Hello, look at her getting her cuddle on with another bit of hotness, Chris Mann.), the cool mamas who hosted The People's Party, and of course, all of their respective sponsors.

Here's the thing--because there always seems to be a thing--I can't remember which products were in which swag bag. Why? Because I had to dump their contents into a big box, purge all non-essential packaging, paper documents and products that I knew I would not use (thank you BlogHer swag recycling room) and ship it all back home. I couldn't check any extra bags on the plane because on my return trip, I needed to land at SFO and quickly get to my ride so we could begin a drive to the wine country in time for a family reunion. There was no time for lengthy waits in baggage claim or Murphy's Law to grant me lost luggage.

Have I lost you yet? Okay, moving on the the products.

My rule for writing about products on crazedparent is pretty simple: If I don't love something enough to buy it on my own, I don't write about it. All of the products I'm going to mention are ones that I've now purchased on my dime since BlogHer. I have not been asked to write about these products, nor am I being compensated for writing about them.

First up, EOS Smooth Sphere organic lip balm. I am an admitted lip-balm addict. I've been hooked on Kauai Kiss since our last trip, but since it's too expensive to buy the lip balm and have it shipped to me, I've been savoring it until the bitter end. But at BlogHer, I was introduced to the EOS Smooth Sphere in honeysuckle honeydew and it's a nice, smooth balm. Very light on your lips and leaves them with a non-waxy, non-glossy texture. Just the perfect amount of moisture; you don't feel like you have to reapply every 10 minutes. Also? I love the weird shape. You can find it at Walgreen's or Safeway for US$3. Or buy it online.

Now, this must have come in the same swag bag as the balm. Totally in love with the EOS Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream. My sample was in "island blue" and it has sweet fragrance that's not overwhelming on the nose. I'm a fan of this shave cream for three reasons--one, it's in a recyclable container; two, both my husband and I can use it because the scents don't linger for all to smell; and three, it's nice on your skin. Your post-shave legs feel smooth and moisturized, versus dry and well, dry. It sells for US$3.50 online. You'll have to check and see if you have any local retailers that sell it.

Finally, the cleaning stuff. Scotch-Brite really outdid itself with the swag it provided in one of the bags I received (I'm so so sorry I can't give credit where it's due...I wish I could remember which bag these came in!) I have been using all the products from the company's Greener Clean line and just love them, from the bamboo-derived wipes to to the soap scrubbers. I dig that they are truly biodegradable and that the packaging is made from recyled materials. I've already seen this line at my local Target and all of the products are reasonably priced.

And the last love of my life right now? The new Bounce Dryer Bar. I frequently forget to put dryer sheets in with the laundry and it drives me nuts. With the dryer bar, you stick a little holder case into your dryer and attach what looks like a dry bar of soap to it. The dryer bar acts like a dryer sheet. And you just need to replace it every two or four months, depending on which bar size you buy (and how many loads of laundry you do). I have found a few articles of clothing with dryer "spots" on them (looks like a spot of oil), but they have been easily removed with another wash cycle.  You can find the 4-month pack online for US$13. I have yet to locate this new product at my local grocery stores or Target.

What products did you end up loving after bringing them home from BlogHer?

365 Day 35: Mr. Moon (aka the Goodnite Lite)...

We're test driving the Goodnite Light and I have to admit that it's quite a cool product. The small night light plugs into an electrical outlet and glows a soft, orange/yellow hue in the morning and this sweet, calming blue at night. The cool part? You set the time the light changes color. And hopefully, your kid will learn to stay in bed at night and wake up when it's truly time to wake up.

The boys get a kick out of seeing the light change its colors. I'm trying to find out if we can chage the wattage of the bulb, though, because it's a little to bright for their bedroom.

Review: Kid K'NEX Undersea Pals and Fun Rides

  As much as we dig LEGO gear in the crazedparent house, Nol has become a big fan of Kid K'NEX construction sets. I jumped at the chance to review two new products: Kid K'NEX Undersea Pals and K'NEX Fun Rides 10 Model Building Set.

K'NEX Undersea Pals is for the 3-5 year-old age range. Nol, 5, quickly assembled new creations. The pieces are bright and large, easy for a preschooler to make the little fish models shown in the product handout. And surprisingly, Q., who is almost 2, loved playing with the final products. Q. also enjoyed taking the pieces out of the carrying case and replacing them. I think the K'NEX Undersea Pals make for a fun gift for the under 5 crowd, particularly those kids that are new to building and are unfamiliar with LEGO gear. The set is easy enough for them to complete sets without much parental assistance. After spending one session with mom or dad, your kid should quickly get the hang of it and be on his or her way to make the various different characters in the handout.

The downside of Undersea Pals? The handout is a double-sided page...easily damaged after a few uses. And if your child has had experience with LEGO kits, he or she could get bored after he completes the first few model ideas.

But the K'NEX Fun Rides 10 Model Building Set rocks. It's for kids ages 5-7 and for Nol, who is pretty advanced on the LEGO front, the K'NEX model set was a complete challenge. In a good way. The kit theme is amusement park rides, so Nol was very excited to make a Ferris Wheel, a Swing and a Merry-Go-Round. The pieces include what they call micro K'NEX, and K'NEX Bricks, which are similar to LEGO bricks. And the pieces are tiny and easy to loose if you're not paying attention to all 172 parts.

The kit comes with an actual handbook, which Nol flipped through and made each and every single model. For a week. Every day after school, he would come home, ask for the kit and be on his building way. Child engrossed in independent play =  happy mama.

What I love about these two kits is that they both come in small carrying cases. Meaning when you're done, you pack it all up and put the kits away. Unlike LEGO kids, which come in cardboard boxes and plastic baggies that get tossed the moment after they are ripped open. That's my biggest peeve with LEGO -- they offer no practical storage for their products. So these K'NEX kids rank high on the mommy clean-up scale with their packaging. I also like that the kits are small, making them easy to pack or take with you on the road.

The other perk? These Kid K'NEX kits are inexpensive. The Underwater Pals set and the Fun Rides set both sell for $US9.99.

Now, if they could only make the handout for the Undersea Pals more durable.