I love great companies!

For Easter, I picked up several items for the kids from Ecomom.com and the kids just loved their baskets.  One of the items I picked up was some non-toxic dry erase markers from a company called Modern Twist.  The kids were thrilled and I was happy to have markers that were safer to use.

Soon after opening the package my daughter brought the green marker to me and told me that it wasn't working.  I tried it out, and sure enough it wouldn't write.  I looked up the company and gave them a call.  The lady I spoke to on the phone apologized for the error and offered to correct it right away.  I was pleased with her polite response and she was even happy to send the replacement in my son's name (he just loves getting mail!).

Fast forward a few days and a little package arrives for E.  When he got home from school he opened it up and much to our surprise there was more than a marker replacement.  The packaged contained two packs of their markers along side a couple of very cool silicone placemats meant for coloring!  My kids were so excited that they immediately went to the table to start coloring.

I have to say that I am so pleased with their service.  I was happy enough to have a replacement marker.  When a company goes above and beyond like this, it really makes an impression, so I just had to share!  Our kids love their mats and use them at all mealtimes now.  E is so proud of his coloring that he won't allow me to wash it off so that he can start again.  L on the other hand keeps adding to hers, and she looks forward to putting it at her place on the table.

If your children love to work their imaginations and express their amazing coloring abilities, these fun, useful mats (and non-toxic, washable dry-erase markers) are for you!

PlasmaCar Giveaway!

As I mentioned a few days ago, I am preparing for the holidays and in doing so I want to share my finds with you.  My first find was the PlasmaCar.  I shared my review of it here.  I know I said it there, but I'll say it again.  I love this toy.  Just yesterday the kids and I were outside racing around our driveway.  Our children love it and from the response I saw here and on our facebook page, so do some of yours!

PlaSmart is offering one of you the chance to win a PlasmaCar for your little one!  What a great way to start your holiday 'shopping'!  Before we get to the details of the giveaway, let's have a bit of a recap about the PlasmaCar.

The PlasmaCar is a great ride on toy for children of all ages.  Both our two and five year old ride it with ease.  As I mentioned, even I get on it to ride around.  It safely supports up to 220 pounds on a flat smooth surface.

The PlasmaCar has no pedals, gears or batteries to make it go.  All it requires is a little one to turn the handle back and forth, propelling the toy.  It's easy to learn and a lot of fun to play with.  Younger children may use their feet to push themselves along until they learn to turn the handle.  Our daughter enjoyed it very much this way until she got the hang of it.

The PlasmaCar comes in six standard colors (all available with free shipping on Amazon.com) and three fun color combinations available at Target.com (and Target via Amazon).

----Update! We have our winner!----

The giveaway portion is over :) Thank you to everyone that participated!

Congratulations to [LJT]! I hope that your little one loves it!

Here's how to win!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!

Visit the PlasmaCar site and tell me something that you just love about the PlasmaCar.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow EFFBlog & PlaSmart and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet, "Win a PlasmaCar for your little one from @EFFBlog & @PlaSmart http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)  (Google Friend Connect or Feed)

*Vote for us on The Bump's 2nd Annual Blog Awards

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like us on Facebook, EFFBlog & PlaSmart

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US & Canada Only. Giveaway ends November 22nd.  I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided product to review for this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

Zoom Zoom

The holidays are rapidly approaching.  I've already started looking for ideas and shopping around.  This holiday season I would like to share my finds with you.

My first share is the PlasmaCar.  It comes in six colors to please any child - blue, red, green, purple, pink, and yellow.  The PlasmaCar, by PlaSmart is a fun and inovative toy.  This little ride will have your kids zooming around the driveway (or other safe even surface) with lots of giggles.  My children adore it. 

What's so great about the PlasmaCar is that it's entirely self propelled, and without pedals!  When my children were first old enough for ride-ons, though I was able to purchase tricycles or bikes targeted for their age, there was trouble reaching the pedals and rotating them properly as a result.  With the PlasmaCar the child rests their feet on the pads and simply turns the handle back and forth to kid-power the car.  It is very easy to learn and takes minimal practice.  Our daughter is just 2 and can easily maneuver it.  She still can't reach the pedals on her tricycle. 

Our 5 year old loves it just as much and can often be spotted sharing his time on the PlasmaCar.  Since the PlasmaCar can support up to 220 pounds safely on a flat surface, it grows with your child - or adult.  Yes, even my husband and I have been seen giving our girls a ride on the PlasmaCar.

I love the design, love the simplicity and the fact that there are no gears, pedals, batteries or other moving parts to go bad.  It was simple to put together and because of these things, I can see this toy lasting and entertaining for years to come.  Now we just need one for each child.  I know they won't share this one forever!

To learn more about the PlasmaCar visit PlaSmart's website and social media pages.

www.plasmarttoys.com

www.plasmartinc.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/plasmart
www.facebook.com/plasmart

You can find great deals (with free shipping) on Amazon.  

PlasmaCar in: Red, Blue, Pink, Purple, Yellow, Green

There are even three special colors available from Target (via Amazon)

Strawberry Shake/Banana Split, Pirate Blue/Cyber Green & Orange Fire

Meet the Greenzys

At the start of Earth Week I told you about a great event going on.  There are several blogs involved and today is my day!  I would like to introduce you The Greenzys!

The Greenzys are a brand new line of plush animals with a story to tell (book!)  Each stuffed animal is green, made from soy fibers, non-toxic dyes and bears the green heart shaped planet logo on it's belly.  My son *loves* that :)

Before I go further, please check out this adorable video.

How cute are they!  And how catchy is that tune?!  I for one think that these characters would make an adorable show.  I don't let me kids watch much TV, but when I do, I would appreciate a show like this.  To be clear, I have not heard anything about it being a show, I just think it would be great.

On to the book!  It's a beautiful story about how the way the planet has been abused and the destruction that it has caused.  Okay, so not in so many words, and not quite that dark, but that's the point.  It is a bout a beautiful old tree that is clinging to the last of her seed in hopes of carrying on.  She has been choked out by pollution and reaches out for a helping hand.

In come the Greenzys.  They don't know each other, but when they are united, they soon realize that they can do something to help and they do!  Meet them!  There (left to right - starting on the top) Holly, Violet, Willow, Peat, Yew Yew, Poppy, Mango & Rooty.  We have Peat and love him.  Actually, my son has Peat.  He has taken to Peat and even takes him to bed with him, which is HUGE.  My son's best friend Motta Motta, has been the only one to keep that place, so to share that with Peat is a big deal :)

As part of the book and plush animals, each one comes with a code to hop on their site and plant a tree in parternship with the Arbor Day Foundation!  You can even print out a certificate, if you do, please use the back of an old piece of paper or recycled paper.  What a great way for kids to see how they can make a difference too.


My children love their Greenzys and they would like to share one with you.  You have the chance to meet and love Willow.  Your children will love how snuggly she is (the soy fibers are FAR different than the typical synthetics!)

Willow is an elephant from India and a born leader. She’s always first in line when the Greenzys head off on a mission and cheers them on by blowing her trunk like a trumpet! It’s a tough job, though, leading seven young, inexperienced animals -- especially when you’re a rookie yourself! But, it’s worth the effort to Willow. She treasures her Earth home and wants to take care of it.   Her favorite green activity is collecting rain to water her plants and using her trunk as a waterspout!

----Update! We have a winner!----
The giveaway portion is over :) Thank you to everyone that participated!
Congratulations to Hippy! Enjoy!

Here's how to win!
Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!
Tell me what you like about The Greenzys or why you think your child would enjoy it.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow us & The Greenzys and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet, "Meet the Greenzys @EFFblog & @TheGreenzys http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #earthday #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Post a picture (or link) showing your family doing something green!

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)

*Join our new email newsletter for notices on special events coming up for the blog.

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like the Eco-Friendly Family blog on Facebook, leave a comment.

*Like The Greenzys on Facebook, leave a comment.

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US Only. Giveaway ends May 3rd. I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided the book and plush to review for this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

Sophie the Giraffe

If you haven't heard of her, she is amazing. :D

I was sceptical until I actually had her. She smells like childhood and my daughter loves her.

Right now Amazon has her for just $14.95 (she's usually 20+)!!!

Sophie is Phthalates and BPA free & made of 100% natural rubber and food paint.

Here's the company's description of Sophie :)

"Sophie the Giraffe, full of discoveries and activities to awaken baby's senses.

Sight: The dark and contrasting spots all over Sophie the Giraffe's body provide visual stimulation and make her easily recognizable to baby. She soon becomes a familiar and reassuring objet.

Hearing: Her squeaker keeps baby amused, stimulates his hearings, and helps him to understand the link between cause and effect.

Taste: Sophie the Giraffe is very flexible and has lots of parts for baby to chew like ears, horns, legs. She is perfect for soothing baby's sore gums when teething and is completely safe. Made of 100% natural rubber and food paint.

Touch: Sophie the Giraffe is perfect for baby's small hands. She is very light and her long legs and neck are easy for baby to grip. She is very soft to touch, just like baby's mummy, stimulating soothing physiological and emotional responses.

Smell: The singular scent of natural rubber from Have tree makes Sophie the Giraffe very special and easy for your child to identify amid all his other toys.

Phthalates and BPA free."

Very Cool Gift Idea!

So, I saw this posted and fell in *love* with the idea! It is a repurposed entertainment center! If only I had seen this before we ditched ours! (so kicking myself for that now)

Is this not the coolest play kitchen ever!?!
Just think of the *endless* possibilities in customizing this for your child to fit their needs, wants and personalities to a T!

Can you believe that it started out as this!

I don't know about most kids, but I know that mine *love* imagination play and especially anything relate to real life (cooking, dishes, vacuuming, etc.)

We have a plastic play kitchen. My mom got it for my son a couple years ago. I love that the kids love it, but it doesn't have room for two kids (so they do a bit of yelling over it) and it's plastic, so that's not my favorite feature :\ I can't wait to do this for our kids. I just need to find a cheap entertainment center. When I do, I'll be sure to update with some pictures!

Thank you to Erin of Sutton Grace for allowing me to use her images and post this for you!

Be sure to check out the full tutorial to do this for yourself!

If you do this, please send me pictures! I would love to see your creativity in action :)

Gift Ideas For Kids & Babies

I've tried to find some sites with cute toys. Everything from spendy to thrifty, commercial to small business :)

Here are just a few and I'll add more as I find them :)

Eenie Beenie Threads

Woman Woodworker

Dimpled Derriere Designs

EcoNest Congo

McCoy Toys

Oompa

Bebeology
Moolka

Nova Natural Toys & Crafts

Toys R Us