More and more natural products are hitting the shelves of local groceries stores, making it easier to incorporate green products in to our lifestyle. We were sent some products from Ecostore USA to try, here are some that are growing on us.

Auto Dish Powder – This stuff cleans! We’ve been pulling our hair out trying to find a dish soap that will clean our dishes without us having to pre-wash them before loading them in to the dishwasher. Love it.

Vanilla Conditioner & Vanilla Shampoo – These products are recommended for dry and chemically treated hair. My dreadlocks are susceptible to dryness, so it is important to keep them moisturized. In addition, I just dyed my hair black for a new look. The Ecostore Vanilla Shampoo and Conditioner leaves my scalp feeling refreshed and my hair feeling soft, it smells good too!

We love Ecostore USA products and are looking forward to using them on a regular. Ecostore USA products are currently available at MEIJER stores. I’m hoping to see Ecostore USA products on the shelves of stores that we shop at on a regular. I’d love to try the Baby Body Wash, Baby Moisturizer, and Laundry Liquid next. I just may pay shipping.

How would you like to try some products from Ecostore USA? In the comments, let me know which products you’re interested in for a chance to win a $25 eGift Certificate! Comments must be received by March 18th, 2009 7PM CST.

In a world where eco-friendly products are all the rage, it’s no wonder that new parents are in the market for greener toys for their children. Eco-friendly furniture can be found almost anywhere now-a-days. From baby cribs, to living room furniture, to interior lighting; many manufacturers are deciding it’s time to give back to Mother Nature. It is no surprise that there are now hosts of eco-friendly toys and games available for your children’s enjoyment.

So what should you look for in an eco-friendly children’s toy? There are many different ways that a product can be considered eco-friendly, ranging from the materials used, to the production process, to company policies. When it comes to children’s toys however, all natural and safe building materials are the way to go.

The most common eco-friendly toy materials are made of wood and all natural fabrics and fibers. Toys like building blocks, sorting cones, toy cars, and many other items can be made from 100% all natural wood. When purchasing toys like these, make sure that any paints or dyes that are used are also non-toxic and contain no harmful chemicals. It doesn’t matter if the wood is organic if it’s covered in hazardous chemicals.

Stuffed animals and toys can be made of all natural organic fabrics and stuffed with contents like sheep’s wool. With no synthetic fibers or dyes, you can line your child’s crib with plush toys without the worry or harmful chemicals. Not only are these toys safe from a material standpoint, but they are also soft which will cut down on scratches and other small abrasions that can be caused by harder toys.

The best part about organic kids toys is the fact that they are easy to find. If a manufacturer is going to go through the effort of making sure that their products are all natural and safe, then you can be sure they will make it well known. By the same token, eco-friendly is quite a selling point in today’s marketplace. Do a little research on a company or product before you rush out and buy a toy that boasts that it is “Eco Friendly”. While most brands can be trusted, it would be wise to determine exactly what they consider to be eco-friendly, before you commit to purchasing their products.

This giveaway is part of our Three Gs For The Holidays event. Visit the announcement post to get involved in other fun giveaways, get shopping ideas from our Gift Guide, and learn how you can help children in need this holiday season!

OBLI Organics is a company run by two sisters committed to offering clothing and products with a positive message about today’s environmental issues. Their products and messages encourage customers to take action in making Ecolectual™ choices that support a more organic or “green” lifestyle. OBLI Organics offer cute and comfy apparel for babies, children, and doggies. Go Fish, Ride Hybid, and Green To The Bone make great gifts for baby, child, and the family pooch!

We have a $20 gift card to OBLI Organics to give away! We also have included a special way for bloggers to enter and donate to a good cause. If you write a blog post about this giveaway, you will receive five entries into this giveaway, instead of the usual one entry! The reason behind this is because OBLI Organics will donate $1 for every blog post written about this giveaway to Second Chance Last Opportunity, an organization which focuses on job training and life skills for young moms and underprivileged families! So we encourage all entrants to blog about this giveaway, because not only will you greatly increase your chances of winning, but you will also be donating towards a good cause!

How To Enter

There are a total of 5 ways you can enter this giveaway, and everyone is eligible! You can enter using as many methods listed below as you’d like. Each method of entry is worth 1 entry, with the exception of blogging about this giveaway, which is worth 5 entries. Here is how you can enter:

1. Visit OBLI Organics, then in the comments below, let me know what you would love to spend your gift card on if you win!

2. Write a post on your blog about this giveaway. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by leaving a direct link to your post.

3. Put our Three Gs For The Holidays button in your blog’s sidebar. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this.

<img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y125/sheeniebabie/mdbholidaygiftguidebutton.gif" border="0" alt="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!">

4. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by including a direct link to your tweet (how to link directly to a tweet).

5. Subscribe to receive e-mail updates so we can keep you updated on future happenings here at Mommy Daddy Blog. All you have to do is enter your e-mail address below and click Subscribe. Be sure to let us know that you’ve done this (or if you are already subscribed to receive e-mail updates from us) in the comments using the same e-mail address you subscribed with.

This giveaway, along with all other Three Gs For The Holidays giveaways, will end on December 14th!

Special thanks to OBLI Organics for making this giveaway possible!

We’d like to help out those who are less fortunate this holiday season, so we’ll be donating some toys to Toys For Tots! But, since there’s only so much we can do, we encourage you to make a donation also. You can donate toys or cash to Toys For Tots, at your nearest Toys For Tots drop-off location. You can also donate a cash gift, online via credit/debit card by visiting the Toys For Tots Online Donation page, or by texting “TOY” to 90999 using your cell phone. With your help, there’s no limit to the amount of smiles we can put on childrens’ faces this year!

This giveaway is part of our Three Gs For The Holidays event. Visit the announcement post to get involved in other fun giveaways, get shopping ideas from our Gift Guide, and learn how you can help children in need this holiday season!

I love how organic cotton feels up against my skin. It’s so much softer and stretchier than inorganic cotton. Shopping for organic cotton can get very costly though. Who would have thought that purchasing something in its natural state would cost more? Just the other day I was on Amazon checking out some organic basics for Boogie and almost fainted at the prices!

That’s why I am so so happy that I stumbled across ikookie! At ikookie, you’ll find organic cotton bodysuits, t-shirts, yoga pants, sleepsuits, blankets, hats, and bath towels at prices you can afford to rack up on! For only $9.99, you can get a sleepsuit or a pair of yoga pants! Diaper covers are only $3.50! Shopping for a baby gift? ikookie is the place to go! Grab 3-4 outfits and you have the perfect baby gift at a fraction of what organic cotton apparel sells for in other stores!

We’re giving away an organic cotton Crew T-Shirt in a color of the winner’s choice!

How To Enter

There are a total of 5 ways you can enter this giveaway, and everyone is eligible! You can enter using as many methods listed below as you’d like. Each method of entry is worth 1 entry. Here is how you can enter:

1. Visit ikookie.com’s Crew T-Shirt section and choose your favorite color. In the comments, tell me that color, along with the size you’d like to receive if chosen as the winner!

2. Write a post on your blog about this giveaway. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by leaving a direct link to your post.

3. Put our Three Gs For The Holidays button in your blog’s sidebar. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this.

<img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y125/sheeniebabie/mdbholidaygiftguidebutton.gif" border="0" alt="Three Gs For The Holidays At Mommy Daddy Blog!">

4. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. You can write whatever you’d like or you can copy and paste the text provided by us below. Be sure to let us know in the comments that you’ve done this by including a direct link to your tweet (how to link directly to a tweet).

5. Subscribe to receive e-mail updates so we can keep you updated on future happenings here at Mommy Daddy Blog. All you have to do is enter your e-mail address below and click Subscribe. Be sure to let us know that you’ve done this (or if you are already subscribed to receive e-mail updates from us) in the comments using the same e-mail address you subscribed with.

This giveaway, along with all other Three Gs For The Holidays giveaways, will end on December 8th 14th!

We’d like to help out those who are less fortunate this holiday season, so we’ll be donating some toys to Toys For Tots! But, since there’s only so much we can do, we encourage you to make a donation also. You can donate toys or cash to Toys For Tots, at your nearest Toys For Tots drop-off location. You can also donate a cash gift, online via credit/debit card by visiting the Toys For Tots Online Donation page, or by texting “TOY” to 90999 using your cell phone. With your help, there’s no limit to the amount of smiles we can put on childrens’ faces this year!

Cheri, Amie, and Renee!

Congratulations to you three! We realize that there’s a slim chance that you guys will receive your prize packs by Halloween due to us running the giveaway so late, but you’re going to enjoy them regardless because I said so! Thanks to every one who entered the Hallogreen Giveaway, and a big thanks to Enjoy Life, Brothers-All-Natural, Envirosax, and Recycline for making this giveaway possible!

Green Works has created 30 Days to Natural, a website devoted to providing practical tips for households at all stages of greenness. For a course of 30 days, 30 Days to Natural will offer green tips via email, mobile text message, and pdf print outs. Ten days ago, I signed up to receive the green tips to my cellphone. I can’t always be in front of the computer to check my email. Yes my cellphone downloads my email, but it’s easier to access the tips from texts since not that many people send me text messages! Whether I’m relaxing, playing with Boogie, or out and about, I’ll be able to receive and have green tips right at my reach.

Today’s tip said to Detox your kids’ toys! Look for eco wood toys that are unfinished or coated with natural colorants and materials such as beeswax. If scented, check to make sure natural essential oils were used.

You may have already known to do some of the tips that Green Works provides, but if you haven’t done them yet, let them be your nudge. Get 30 steps closer to being green or 1 step closer to tranquility (turn up your speakers) by visiting 30daystonatural.com! Be sure to follow what happens when 3 busy moms trade their traditional cleaners for Green Works cleaners on You Tube as well!

Typically when you think of Halloween, what color comes to mind? Orange? Black? Well we’re hoping that this will having you thinking of the color green! We’ve put together some prize packages full of green products to give away for this Halloween!

The Prizes

We have great prizes to give away to make your Halloween more green! There will be THREE winners in this giveaway! EACH winner will receive the following:

ONE box of Enjoy Life Soft Baked Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies! Whew, try to say that five times fast! These cookies are nut-, gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free, and contain no trans fat nor anything artificial!

ONE box of Enjoy Life Very Berry Snack Bars! Just like the cookies, these snack bars are also nut-, gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free!

TWO packs of Brothers-All-Natural Potato Crisps and ONE pack of Brothers-All-Natural Fruit Crisps! These snacks contain no fat, nor any artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors! In other words, they are 100% natural!

ONE Envirosax Kids reusable bag (Baa, Maa & Paa, Wingnut, or Rusty)! These eco-friendly shopping bags are perfect for using as a trick-or-treat bag year after year!

ONE Recycline Preserve Soft Toothbrush! This toothbrush’s handle is made from 100% recycled plastic and has “soft, virgin nylon bristles placed in a tri-level configuration with softer outer rows to protect your gums and tooth enamel”! This is great for encouraging the little ones to brush after snacking on Halloween treats!

How To Enter

To enter this giveaway is simple. All you have to do is answer the question: What are your plans for Halloween this year? Let us know if you’ll be getting the kiddos dressed up in costumes and taking them trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, visiting a haunted house, or whatever! Feel free to share anything you’d like!

For an additional entry, help us spread the word about our Hallogreen Giveaway by placing the button below on your blog! Be sure to let us know in the comments if you have done so so that we can count it as an entry for you!

<img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y125/sheeniebabie/mdbhallogreengiveaway.jpg" border="0" alt="Hallogreen Giveaway at Mommy Daddy Blog!">

This giveaway will end on October 28th at 12AM CST! Winners will chosen shortly thereafter. Let’s make this Halloween a green one!

This giveaway has ended! Winners will be announced shortly!

I was sent a blog tour invite for WD-40′s Non-Toxic Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain & Odor Eliminator courtesy of Mom Central. And since I have this obsession to keep the carpet clean, I gladly accepted. WD-40 considered the best interests of our families and the environment when creating Spot Shot Non-Toxic. The formula is safe for the entire family and the bottle is biodegradable. I love that I can use this product immediately when the staining takes place. I can spray it in Boogie’s presence, pick him up without worrying about washing my hands first, and if he crawls over the treated stain, no chemicals touch his body.

The video below is a demonstration of how Non-Toxic Spot Shot worked on our carpet. In the first clip, I removed A1 Steak Sauce from the carpet, but I didn’t rub it out all the way before I stopped recording. So to be fair I did it again using ketchup in enough time before the batteries died in my Flip! Not to mention it’s been hell getting the video ready for web, but this will all change once our new computer arrives!

Visit www.spotshot.com for more information on Spot Shot products including Spot Shot Pet!

I like to buy things in bulk, but milk is just one item that can’t be bought in bulk. I love the fact that when Jay gets older, I can buy Horizon Organic Single Serve in bulk without worrying about it going bad in a week. Horizon Organic Single Serve has a shelf life of about 2 months! The samples I received expire in November! Shelf life, doesn’t milk have to be refrigerated? Horizon Organic Single Serve can be stored away without having to be refrigerated! So I can just store them on top of our cupboards (we use that extra space up the since we don’t have a pantry) and pull them down as needed!

Quoting horizonorganic.com, here’s why the Horizon Organic milk has such a long shelf life:

Single serve milks are packaged in aseptic tetrapaks and unopened will keep at room temperature up to seven months or until the date code. The milk is pasteurized using UHT or ultra-high temperature process which is similar to UP or ultra-pasteurization, in which the milk is heated to >280° F for 2-3 seconds, but packaged in a sterile environment thus extending its shelf life. The package itself is durable, lightweight, convenient for transport, and uses low energy and few materials. It is recyclable at any local program that accepts aseptic packages.

For more facts about Horizon Organic, visit Horizon Organic Facts.

Hopefully by the time Jay starts drinking cow’s milk, the price of Horizon Organic will go down some. I look forward to being a regular consumer. Of course, every sale and discount helps. For coupons, visit the coupon sign up page .