Rain X Review

I sheepishly admit to ignoring a lot of things about my car. I am usually almost too busy to even think about the little things like keeping the windows clean and changing my wiper blades.
What I didn’t know was that you should be changing them at least twice a year! I don’t think that mine have been changed on my car in over two years.

As you can imagine having a good set of wiper blades is extremely important in the winter months and especially in the rainy season. I know without a good set of wipers on my car I can barely see in the rain and especially when its raining at night.

Clear visibility while driving is extremely important and can improve reaction times in poor weather conditions. In fact, according to a report released in June 2008 by sciencedaily.com, nearly a quarter of all automobile accidents occur in rainy and wet weather so making sure you have properly working wiper blades is important to help avoid accidents in poor weather conditions. By routinely checking your wiper blades and performing safety checks on your car you can help increase your safety while driving during inclement weather.

Since winter is not quite over yet here are some tips to stay safe while driving in the rain, snow, slush and ice:
• Conduct a regular walk around checking your lights, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid and wiper blades regularly
• Ensure your tires are properly inflated and have sufficient tread
• As the temperature drops keep your gas tank at least half full; the extra gas reduces condensation that can plug your fuel line with ice and stall your engine in cooler weather
• Create an emergency pack; items like a blanket, first aid kit, snacks (I have snacks on hand anyway!), bottled water, an ice scraper, flashlight and a bag of kitty litter .

I just recently tried out the new RainX Latitude wipers , a bottle of Rain-X X-treme Clean glass and plastic renew-er, and a bottle of Rain-X Weatherbeater 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner + Rain Repellent and I must say that I love them. The RainX Latitude wiper blades have a contoured design that fits more snugly to your windshield to help remove snow, ice, and rain more effectively. They were a snap to put on which is a plus for car challenged people like me.

The 2-in-1 glass cleaner and rain repellent is excellent. I am amazed at what a difference it makes when it is raining outside. In stead of the rain completely coating my windshield it sort of just beads up and rolls off which helps a great deal for visibility when you are in a downpour.

RainX Latitude Wiper Blades

Easy Installation

• For use on either originally installed standard or curved style wiper blades
• Pre-installed with small j-hook adapter and contains multi-adapter for side pin, large j-hook and bayonet wiper blade arms
• Rain-X Latitude® Version -2 wiper blades fit I&L (Insert & Lock) and PTB (Pinch Tab Button) wiper blade arms

High Performance Wipe

• Contoured design applies even pressure along the entire blade length
• Specially blended graphite coated rubber blade delivers the ultimate smooth, clean, chatter-free wipe
• Built-in aerodynamic spoiler significantly reduces drag, noise and wind lift

Ice Resistant Frame

• Prevents ice and snow build-up through the elimination of exposed metal components
• Durable, rubber-encased substructure increases wiper flexibility and adherence to the windshield in harsh conditions

I will now be a little more vigilant in changing my wiper blades, because it makes such a difference!  I didn’t think that just changing your wiper blades would make such a difference.  It’s nice to be able to see out the window without feeling like the outside is a hall of mirrors.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!  THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED

On behalf of My Blog Spark and DoubleBugs we would like to give you the chance to win  1 Rain-X Car Care Kit . The kit contains: 1 set of Rain-X Latitude (for your make and model of car), a bottle of Rain-X X-treme Clean glass and plastic renew-er, and a bottle of Rain-X Weatherbeater 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner + Rain Repellent.

Here’s What You Gotta Do!

• All you have to do is visit  RainX and find a useful tip and come back here and comment on what you learned along with how often you change your wiper blades.

• Leave me an email so I have a way to contact you if you win
• Winners are chosen at random via Random.org.

For Additional Entries (please leave as an additional comment):

• Tweet about this post
• Follow me on Twitter
• Blog about my contest and give me the link!
• Put my badge on your sidebar

That’s all you gotta do!
Contest starts February 23, 2009 and Ends March  9, 2009
Good Luck to You!

Johnson’s 50th Anniversary

Johnson’s has been around for 50 years! My mom used it on me when I was a baby, and now I use it all the time for my boys. Some of my favorites our their Head -to- Toe Wash and the Toddler Bedtime Wash. I love to sit and read to the boys and smell their hair after their baths. At any given time we have a bottle of Johnson’s shampoo, and wash on the tub.

Mom Central and Johnson’s offered me a terrific opportunity to try out two new products from Johnson’s. To help celebrate its 50th Anniversary and continue the tradition of fun in the tub, Johnson’s has introduced two new additions to their already wonderful line of bath products, HEAD-TO-TOE Foaming Wash and Johnson’s Baby Bubble Bath & Wash. I have always loved their bubble bath and head- to- toe wash and it is gentle on their skin. The new foaming wash is really nice to get a good lather, and the boys love taking the suds from the bubble bath and putting it on each others heads. They just giggle and laugh the entire time.

Johnson’s also offers a great resource for parents called the Johnson’s Baby Channel where moms like us can submit videos and share advice with other moms. This is a terrific way to get helpful hints and tips from moms like you and me and hopefully offer a different perspective.
Grounded in extensive scientific research, the NO MORE TEARS® formula found in JOHNSON’S® Baby Bubble Bath & Wash is ultra mild, resulting in a gentle cleansing product specially designed for baby’s unique skin, hair and eye needs. JOHNSON’S® Baby Bubble Bath & Wash is soap-free, dye-free, hypoallergenic, dermatologist and pediatrician tested, and is gentle enough for the newest babies.
JOHNSON’S® BABY BUBBLE BATH & WASH
• JOHNSON’S® is the #1 choice of hospitals
• NO MORE TEARS® formula is as gentle to the eyes as pure water
• Soap-free, dye-free, hypoallergenic and allergy tested Dermatologist and pediatrician tested

• Rinses easily

• Gentle enough to use everyday for bothgirls and boys
• Suggested Retail Price: $3.99 for 15oz

Cleansing with JOHNSON’S® HEAD-TO-TOE® Foaming Wash is proven to be as mild as cleansing with water alone. Over time, baby soaps can cause dry skin or irritation. JOHNSON’S® HEAD-TO-TOE® Foaming Wash is designed to help avoid these common skin problems before they start by gently gliding across the skin’s surface, effectively cleansing without causing irritation. Grounded in extensive scientific research, JOHNSON’S® HEAD-TO-TOE Foaming Wash is soap-free, dye-free, hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested, and is specially designed for newborns. JOHNSON’S® HEAD-TO-TOE® Foaming Wash is a mild and well-tolerated skin cleanser.
JOHNSON’S® HEAD-TO-TOE® FOAMING WASH
• JOHNSON’S® is the #1 choice of hospitals
• Designed to help avoid common skin problems caused by cleansing before they start
• NO MORE TEARS® formula is as gentle as water alone to the skin
• Designed to be gentle enough for newborns
• Soap-free, dye-free, hypoallergenic and allergy- and dermatologist-tested
• Rinses easily
• Suggested Retail Price: $4.89 for 9oz

I am going to miss when my little ones are no longer babies, but all I have to do is wash their hair with Johnson’s Head-To-Toe wash and be able to hang onto these memories for a little longer. Thank you Johnson’s For 50 years of wonderful products and here is to 50 more.

Dole Fruit Parfaits Review

My two just love fresh fruit of just about any kind.   They are huge fans of anything that they can hold in their little hands, and sort of have their own personal snack because sharing with your twin brother is a difficult thing to do.

We received a few packages of Dole’s Fruit Parfaits to try, and let me just tell you, that there aren’t any left in the house! Dole Fruit Parfaits are a perfect combination of fresh fruit with a layer of light creme.  They are just the right size for a snack or to put in your child’s lunches, and offer a healthier alternative to sugary snacks.  If I am craving something sweet, this has just enough to satisfy that craving without overdoing it.  Dole Fruit Parfaits are also excellent in the winter months when some of the seasonal fruits are a little more scarce.   Both of my boys ate these with great relish and the Peaches and Creme Parfait was their absolute favorite flavor.

For me, I like the fact that they are convenient, and an easy snack when things are hectic.   It is always nice to just have something relatively quick and healthy on hand.  They are just the right size for little hands to hold on to, and a perfect treat for kids, because they think they are getting something special.  We will definitely be keeping a stash of these in the fridge.

You can find Dole Fruit Parfaits in your grocery store usually with all the canned fruits and jarred applesauce.  They don’t need to be refrigerated so you can store them in the pantry until you are ready to eat them.  We like ours really cold but you don’t have to refrigerate them.

Dole is also running a really great contest Called The Dole Fruit Parfait Sweet Retreat Contest!

Here is how the “DOLE Fruit Parfait Sweet Retreat Contest” works:

From now until March 14, 2009, take a picture of your DOLE Parfait Moment at home, at work, at play, with your friends or on-the-go.  Upload your photo and caption to www.DoleSweetRetreat.com.  A panel of judges will choose the best picture in each category.
The Grand Prize is a three day/ two night luxury Spa Retreat Getaway for two at the 27-acre Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ., set amidst flowering cactus and framed against the majestic McDowell Mountains.  Here, breathtaking desert vistas blend with intriguing Native American culture and pampering amenities. The prize includes airfare, accommodations, $500 gift certificate to the Avania Spa, a one-of-a-kind, holistic, total-immersion experience that is synchronized with the body’s changing rhythms and requirements. Also included in the prize is a $750 VISA gift card to cover your meals and other hotel amenities you feel like taking advantage of including, championship golf, water playground or tennis.

Five First Prize winners will receive a Homedics Personal Massage Lounger valued at $100 to have a relaxing moment anytime in their home.
It is just that simple, and best of all you get to enjoy a fruit parfait while dreaming of a luxury resort getaway.  Just picture yourself after a long stressful week relaxing to a massage with beautiful scenery, this every mom’s dream.

Snapily Fun 3D For All Occasions

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I always find myself looking for something different to give my husband. The traditional cards are fun but not unique and I am always wondering if I gave the same card to him the year before!

I just recently got to try out Snapily, an online photo service that uses special effects like animation and 3D to bring printed photos to life. They just recently came out with a great selection of Valentine’s for your special someone. How fun would it be to bring out a little vixen in you, and take a few sexy pics to create a Valentine’s Day Card he will want to hang on to? Grab your camera, set the self-timer, and take beautiful, and glamorous photos to add to any Snapily card. Choose the 3D effect to add depth to that pin-up pose, the morph effect to blend two romantic images together, or the flip effect to create your own strip-o-gram.

Besides Valentine’s Day you can also create fun announcements, birthday cards, business cards, and you will surely get noticed. My favorite feature is the flip effect because it allowed me to put a picture of both the boys on a card. This is such a cute idea to send out  cards for any occasion. You have so many options that you can let your imagination run wild. If you hurry you will be just in time for Valentine’s Day! You have until February 7th, for regular standard delivery and until February 11th for 2 day shipping.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED

The folks over at Snapily want you to be able to design your own fun greetings or special gift for someone so they are offering DoubleBugs readers $25 to use on your Snapily order!

So here’s what you gotta do!

* Visit Snapily and have a look around and come back and leave a comment and let me know what you would choose and what idea you have for your project.

* Leave me an email so I have a way to contact you if you win

* Winners are chosen at random via Random.org.

For Additional Entries (please leave as an additional comment):

* Tweet about this post
* Follow me on Twitter
* Blog about my contest and give me the link!
* Put my badge on your sidebar

That’s all you gotta do!

Contest starts Feb 6th, 2009, and Ends Feb. 23, 2009

Good Luck!!!!

FLOR Fun Functional Flooring

I am almost always looking for ways in which I can change things in our house to help update the look.  It isn’t easy to change furniture because these are the big ticket items in your home.   I always love to shop for small things like rugs, or pillows, or a new place mats to help change things in the house.   Let’s face it, if I am spending all my days at home, a change is always nice.
I recently was introduced to carpet tiles from FLOR.  I had watched the show Trading Spaces many times and I remember seeing an episode where they carpeted a room with FLOR carpet tiles.   This is such a cool way to change the look of an area in your home!   Not only that, they are so versatile, in that, you can mix and match colors, cut the tiles to make a cool floor pattern, and it is so incredibly easy to do!

I was extremely excited to get this opportunity because I was dying to give them a try, and so sick of the boring rug choices that you find in the stores.  Since this was my first experience using the tiles, I was primarily interested in how these things work and how they stay stuck once you had your design laid out.  Each tile is held together by a little circle of genius called a Flordot.  The Flordots are so easy to apply and hold the tiles together perfectly making it easy to move your masterpiece around if you need to.  When you want a change the tiles  come apart easily and you can store them, so if get bored you can change it up.  If you run out of Flordots you can just order more!

I was putting together FLOR’s Seagrass Rug which looks absolutely stunning in my entry way.  It is made from their plush collection of tiles and it is so soft and feels great beneath your feet! I cannot tell you how much fun I had putting this rug together, and it makes you want to do even more.  It’s a bit addicting and I was somewhat bummed when I ran out of tiles to stick together, because I was on a roll.  I am already looking for more reasons to go buy  more FLOR tiles to do various areas in the house.  We are looking to move the boys play area to the basement, one of these days, and this would be an ideal place to use them. Another thing I would definitely recommend when getting your FLOR rug is their cleaning kit, so you always have something on hand for the occasional spill or mishap to keep your FLOR tiles looking nice.

Thank you FLOR for such a ingenius product and we love our new FLOR rug! It is now a favorite playing spot for the boys and they love to hang out there where the sun pours through in the morning.  If you are looking for new flooring for your home or just something to spruce things up, this is definitely a really cool option.   There are tons of choices so you can let your creativity run wild and their prices are easy on budget too!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!!! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

I have a really awesome announcement for my readers here at DoubleBugs!!! FLOR was kind enough to allow me to give one lucky winner the chance to win a FLOR Seagrass Rug of their very own!

So here’s what you gotta do!

• Visit FLOR and have a look around and come back and leave a comment and let me know what other cool rug you might like and what room in your house you would like to use it in.
• Leave me an email so I have a way to contact you if you win
• Winners are chosen at random via Random.org.

For Additional Entries (please leave as an additional comment):

• Tweet about this post
• Follow me on Twitter
• Blog about my contest and give me the link!
• Put my badge on your sidebar

That’s all you gotta do!
Contest starts February 5, 2009 and Ends February 23rd, 2009
Good Luck to You!

Brownies, Are You An Edge Lover?

Brownies have to be one of my all time favorite treats, especially when I am craving something chocolate.  It is no secret in my house that I am an edge lover.   I will sheepishly admit to making a whole pan of brownies, and eating only the edges.   By the time I get done it looks like some one tunneled a path around them.   After that the brownies are fair game because I won’t normally eat anymore.  Anyone who wants to call out the corners, well you got to beat me to them first!

Then it happened….   A true love affair.   There just so happens to be a pan especially for smitten edge lovers like me!  I couldn’t believe my eyes when I ran across the Baker’s Edge “Edge Brownie Pan.”   It was love at first site, and I don’t think I will ever use anything else.  At first, I thought, this is too good to be true, but when I took it out of the box and made my first batch of brownies, my heart went pitter pat.   Not only does the pan work well, it makes the best double edged brownies ever!  Each brownie has the perfect combination of slight crust on the very edge and that wonderful chewiness  with substance.   And as if two edges weren’t enough, there are the two double cornered brownies at the end reserved only for mommy.

Features

• Two delicious, chewy edges on every brownie or bar cookie (individual serving)
• 70% more edge (side) surface area than a conventional 9”x13” pan
• Sized to fit most box mixes with no adjustments necessary
• Perfect for moist and chewy brownies, bar cookies, and breads

Better Baking from Edge to Edge

• Patented interior sidewalls circulate heat evenly throughout the pan
• Better performance – fewer undercooked middles and burned edges
• Premium nonstick coating and round, easy-to-clean corners
• Heavy-gauge cast aluminum construction for superior durability
• Recessed handles allow pan to be easily gripped when turned upside-down
• Lip on underside helps to prevent fingers from slipping
• Custom mini-spatula and recipes/instructions insert included

This pan would also make a perfect gift for any cook in the family or definitely brownie lovers. It is extremely easy to use, and the spatula that comes with the pan is perfect for getting the brownies out. There are even some recipes that came along that you can try. The pan itself will fit most standard boxed brownies our favorite is Ultimate Fudge Brownies from Betty Crocker yummy! I love this pan….thank you Baker’s Edge for an awesome product!

Green Works Natural Biodegradable Cleaning Wipes

I am a huge fan of some of the recent introductions of natural cleaning products on the market.  When you walk the cleaning isle of the supermarket you are overwhelmed by the magnitude of choices.  It wasn’t until I had the boys that I became more aware of the products that I use in my home.   So, when I had the opportunity  to try Green Works Biodegradable Cleaning wipes, I was more than thrilled.

I must tell you that I love these wipes, because not only are they natural and minus all the harsh chemicals that come in cleaning supplies today, but they are easy and convenient.   If you are a mom, you know that you are almost always wiping something down.  I am a huge fan of the pop up wipes because I can just sort of grab and go.  Green Works Cleaning Wipes, also smell so fresh and clean, and I will sheepishly admit I used the whole container the first day I used them.

Green Works Natural Cleaning Wipes

• 99% Natural and Biodegradable which is healthy for the environment
• You can use them on most non wood surfaces including acrylic, fiberglass and vinyl. Let air dry. Rinse if surface comes in contact with food.
• They are made from essential oils, no phosphorous or bleach, silicon anti-foaming agent, coconut based cleaning agent, filtered water, corn based ethanol, biodegradable preservative, glycerine, and %100 wood based fibers (wipes)

New Green Works Natural Biodegradable Cleaning Wipes feature the Sierra Club logo on their package, marking the brand’s financial commitment to support the organization’s conservation efforts, and are recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for using environmentally preferred chemistry.

Also, as if  their fabulous eco-friendly products weren’t enough, the Green Works team  through its new “Green Heroes Grant Program,” the brand team will award five grants of $10,000 each to eco-friendly community projects across the country.

Between January 15 and February 28, 2009, individuals can nominate eco-friendly community projects for a Green Heroes grant by submitting a photo and short essay about the project for consideration online at www.greenworkscleaners.com/greenhero. Each winner – or “Green Hero” – will receive a $10,000 grant to help their eco-friendly community projects grow and flourish!

Then, beginning on March 16 through April 10, 2009, you will have the opportunity to vote online for your favorite eco-friendly community project. The final five Green Heroes will be announced on April 22 – just in time for Earth Day.

For more information about the Green Heroes Grant Program, including official contest rules and entry guidelines, log on to www.greenworkscleaners.com/greenhero.

Thank you to Mom Central for this wonderful opportunity to do this review!

Morals Life’s Building Blocks

Teaching morals to our children is one of the most critical life lessons that they can learn.  It is up to us as parents to help guide them in the direction and hope that carry this with them throughout.  I guess as a first time parent, you are always asking yourself if you are doing things right with your children.

Life’s Building Blocks, Inc., is a company that designs, creates, markets and sells an extensive line of unique products and programs dedicated to helping parents develop morals and character in children in a fun and interactive environment. Their products include books, board games, toys and DVD’s.

At Life’s Building Blocks, their products have several objectives

Moral Development:

Encourage children to think about everyday moral decisions and decide the right course of action.

Character Development

The initial focus will be on teaching children to understand the concepts (virtues) of Honesty, Persistence (tenaciousness), Fairness, Courage, Kindness and Self-Control.

At Life’s Building Blocks, they make this learning process fun and non intimidating.  Thus, leaving valuable insight for you as a parent and giving your child the tools to make good decisions and deal with the consequences.  I think this is a really positive and good idea and it is worth taking a look at.   They offer a free e-newsletter with tons of information and resources for parents today.    Just go to www.lifesbuildingblocks.com and sign up.  It is a simple and easy way to get some really valuable tools and information.

Skin Care Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

During the winter months my skin seems to be more affected by dryness and irritation.   With the heat blowing constantly, and little or no humidity, my skin seems to suffer.  Combine that with the fact that, I am a mother, and that means my hands are always washing or cleaning something a trillion times in a day.  There is nothing worse than itchy, dried out, chemically exposed skin.  That is why skin care is so important.

I have slathered many bottles of lotion on myself in efforts to kill the flaky alligator skin I have.  So I guess you can say I have tried enough to know what does and doesn’t work well.   When trying out lotion, I really pay attention to how the stuff goes on.  If there is anything I hate, it is lotion that goes on and doesn’t ever go away!  There isn’t anything worse than a greasy/oily lotion that if you stood in the shower you’d be a commercial for Rain-X.

It wasn’t till recently that I got to try Skin MD Natural with SPF 15, and I must say I really like this stuff.   It is such a great product for us moms because it provides the hydration that your skin needs, while providing a protective barrier to all the moisture robbing elements that we are exposed to on a daily basis.  I never had the issue with it being greasy and it sort of just disappears into my skin and leaves my hands feeling really good.   I love the fact that I can reapply whenever I need to without feeling like I was dipped in Crisco.

What is a shielding lotion?

Shielding lotions are basically lotions that bond with the dead skin cells of the epidermis, forming a protective layer with the outer-most layer. This protective layer is virtually the same as what was naturally formed with the outer-most layer of skin cells and the skin’s own natural oils and lipids, up until about 100 years ago – before modern life and frequent hand washing stripped it away. This protective layer helps prevents irritating substances from penetrating the skin and getting into its deeper layers. Additionally, it helps to retain the natural moisture and oils, which are responsible for the skin’s elasticity and integrity, thus helping the skin to rejuvenate itself.

Skin MD Natural utilizes the latest developments in skin care technology as well as the most effective natural ingredients to restore your outer layer of skin’s natural ability to protect against dangerous toxins and irritants as well as to reduce the loss of natural oils and moisture. A shielding lotion replaces the barrier that’s stripped away with the daily use of most soaps and cleansers. Plus, Skin MD, is not tested on animals, is fragrance free and hypoallergenic.   This is perfect if you have sensitive skin like I do.

Give Skin MD a try it is definitely worth it, especially now during the winter months.  It is the good stuff!

T-fal Family Pro Fryer

As a family, we really don’t do a whole lot of deep frying, but there is one special thing that my husband and boys absolutely love, and that is cut up potatoes that are fried and served with a sauce that I make for them.  I currently own a deep fryer that has proven to be more of a hassle to use, so I tend not to use it.

The deep fryer that I have, has what I think is a standard safety feature on most fryers now, and that is the magnetic cord attachment.   I was getting so frustrated with the one that we own because the hold on the magnetic cord was so poor, that it would just detach in the middle of cooking and I would come back to uncooked potatoes swimming in oil.  The other feature that my deep fryer has, that is beyond frustrating, is the fact that the lid is not removable and neither is the bowl that holds the oil.   This doesn’t make for easy clean ups, when you are trying to change the oil, and wash it with soap and water.   Its like doing acrobats just to avoid getting water where you shouldn’t.

I had pretty much given up on frying anything, when I was given the opportunity  to review the Family Pro Fryer from T-fal.  I absolutely love this fryer for it’s ease of use, and the fact that it is easy to clean!  The bowl that holds the oil can be put directly into the dishwasher, the filter is washable, and the lid can be washed.  The magnetic safety cord actually stays put, so I know that my food is actually cooking.  Everything about this fryer makes using it a breeze.  You can see here for yourself!

• External basket lift basket with integrated folding handle.
• Removable scratch resistant enamel not stick pot.
• 60 minute timer.
• 100% Dishwasher safe.

Other Features

• Family size: 2.2 lbs. of fresh food capacity/3 liters of oil.
• Brushed stainless steel exterior with black accents.
• External basket control for splatter free frying.
• Integrated folding handle for easy storage.
• Automatic shut-off with signal bell for peace of mind.
• Cool touch handles and safe to touch lid for added safety.
• Extra large viewing window to check on food while it’s cooking.
• Temperature ready light tells you when your oil reaches the selected temperature
• Adjustable thermostat. Select the perfect cooking temperature for all your cooking needs.
• Removal and washable filter.
• On/off switch.
• Magnetic safety plug for additional safety.

I would definitely give the T-fal Family Pro Fryer consideration if you are in the market for a good deep fryer. It is simple to use, has safety measures in place if you have young kids running around, and it is reasonably priced, so it won’t break the bank.

PS:  Apparently the box is just as entertaining for toddlers

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