What’s my secret? Each morning I exfoliate with pea-size amount of Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Daily Scrub. This scrub is gentle enough to be used daily but effective enough to penetrate pores to help prevent breakouts. I love massaging the little scrubby beads into my face. They feel good and I know they are working to help get rid of dirt, grime and whatever else might be lurking in my pores.

At night I deep clean with the Neutrogena Wave. This hand held device gently vibrates so the foamy cleanser that’s held within the little pads gets deep into my pores to get out the gunk that has accumulated on my face during the day. Pushing the button to turn on the Wave and then massaging it on my face gets rid of the dirt, oil and makeup that could potentially clog my pores. The Wave starter kit comes with 10 disposable single use pads. Refill packs contain 30 pads. Visit the Neutrogena Wave website to save $2 off the Wave and $3 off a pack of refills. Click here for your coupon.

With the results that I’ve been getting from Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Acne Wash Daily Scrub and Wave, my new skin-care regime for summer is one that I’ll keep using long after the sunscreen is put away for the season!

Written by Leticia, a part time working multitasking mama who loves spending time with her husband and two children, exotic vacations, and cooking great meals. Leticia writes about technology products and technology issues affecting children through her blog, Tech Savvy Mama.

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I had my two children trying out the Long Mountain Designs and both the onesie and t-shirt we reviewed were equally great. The black tiger has enthralled my three year old who doesn’t want to take it off and the peacock onesie with the little jewel is adorable on my daughter.

I like how the t-shirts have a cute little tag on the bottom that reads “OrganicTee.” It’s nice to show that off for people that don’t even realize there is such a thing out there (and I was one of those not that long ago.) I didn’t have any problems with the clothing shrinking in the wash or the colors fading. I hate when you get a cute outfit and it either doesn’t fit after one wash or the color looks bad. Both items fit wonderfully and give my kids a great look without all those chemicals that they don’t need next to their skin all day long.

If you are looking for high quality, 100% organic cotton, made with pve-free and non-phthalate inks with designs from around the world you need to check out Long Mountain Designs. Let your child’s unique personality and style stand out. You can also get 10% off your first order, check out the homepage for details.

Written by Andrea, who is a stay at home Catholic wife and mother. She strives daily to perfect her vocation as wonderfully as possible. Andrea has two young children and hopes someday to have more. Her interests stem from being a mother and living her faith. She blogs for fun about things that interest her at Momma In Flip Flops.

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There was also a death to deal with in the hyena segment, but as we learned, these animals are not necessarily the heinous creatures they are always portrayed as. The baby we followed was playful and loving toward her handler and it was very interesting to watch the slow process of integrating the baby hyena back into the pack.

Growing up Zebra was perhaps the most informative. We learned a host of things, such as the fact that zebra’s stripes are totally different on both sides of them. I had no idea. We all watched in fascination at the way the zebra interacted with refuge owner.

Perhaps the Growing up Rhino was the most surprising. I suppose we all thought of rhinos as tough hearted as their tough exterior, however, it seems rhinos are very sensitive to their surroundings. Watching two abandoned rhinos grow up was quite amusing. They made having a mud bath seem like the place to be!

All in all, this entire video held our attention for the entire 169 minutes! It’s a great value for your family and you won’t be sorry that you bought it.

by Perri

After reviewing Growing Up Wildcats, I was fairly sure we’d enjoy Growing Up Safari from Animal Planet. My son is an avid animal lover who watches very minimal television (like, 10-15 minutes a week, and sometimes less) so he’s always excited when a new DVD arrives in the mail. Too often though, it’s some cheesy cartoon for review that holds his attention for a few minutes before he’s running out the back door to play. Growing Up Safari features baby elephants, zebras, giraffes and hyenas growing up with the help of some professional human caregivers.

Not only did it hold his attention but it held mine, and that’s saying something. Each of the animals has their own unique story and we were both eager to follow them to the end to see if they reached their goal of returning to the wild. Any animal lover, young or old, is sure to love this fabulous addition to the Growing Up Wild series.

by Nicole

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Jane Goodall believes that all animals can talk, as do I. We don’t often understand what they’re saying, but when we do it is truly amazing. In When Animals Talk, Jane shares the amazing stories of animals that have changed the lives of the humans they’ve touched. She shares instances of animals learning our language and shares how we can learn their languages through science. Watching the inspiring human-animal relationships that are shared in this DVD will make you feel good and you’ll learn how communicating with animals brings humankind closer to the world of the gorgeous animals that we can learn so much from.

by Nicole

I have known of the work of Jane Goodall since I was a child and it always fascinated me. I can remember watching her on television and being amazed that she could even get so close to chimpanzees, much less teach them to communicate. When the DVD, “When Animals Talk” arrived at our house to review, I was very excited to share Ms. Goodall’s work with my children.

In this 90 minute video, your family will see not only take a glimpse over how Ms. Goodall learned to interact with chimps, but also the amazing things animals do. By teaching animals cues, instead of spoken words, animals can be trained to do virtually anything. Animals are a great indicator of when natural disasters are about to strike because they instinctly run for cover.

There is a segment showing the amazing rats of Mozambique who are trained to sniff out land mines. Also included is the story of a parrot whose vocabulary and conversational skills can’t hardly be believed. The bond between the parrot and its owner is fascinating. You will get to witness the bird and owner in a controlled environment, where the bird appears to be seeing what the owner does in pictures — from a room 55 feet away. You will experience the secrets of elephant whisperers and many animals who have literally changed lives. Animals are now even being used to sniff out cancer in people.

There’s a lot to be learned from animals and Jane Goodall takes you into many different areas of interest. Any animal lover would find this a fascinating video. I’m not even that much of an animal lover. Heck, truth be told, I don’t even like my husband’s fish. That being said though, after watching this amazing video, I had to fight the urge to go out and buy an animal just to see what I could teach it to do.

by Perri

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The collar is made very well out of sturdy nylon webbing with a fun and colorful “jigsaw puzzle” ribbon around the outside. The side release buckle makes it very easy to put the collar on or take it off when needed. They offer other options as well, like a metal clip on buckle that you can have engraved. Feline Fido also carries a lot of other designs and has something for everyone. They even provide a variety of holiday designs, as well as offering cat collars!

Every purchase of the Autism awareness collars help a 3-year-old boy reach the fundraising requirement to bring home his autism assistance dog. At least 15% of the proceeds from each autism awareness collar, leash and keyfob will be donated to 4 Paws for Ability in honor of Trapper Leeth.

I always love a company that not only has wonderful products that are made well, but that also takes time to give back to the community. Each collar is custom made by hand in the USA. Baby and I are both very happy and satisfied with our entire Feline Fido experience and would happily recommend them to anyone.

Written by Aimee, who is a stay at home wife and caretaker of two adorable parents, an amazing husband, and an ever growing zoo. Someday there may even be human kids in the mix! She loves playing in the garden, working on DIY projects around the house, and blogs about it all at Aimee’s Petite Maison.

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Be forewarned, the following product is addictive. You will look at it every single day, morning and night, and sometimes will even stare at it for extended periods. The “it” in question is the Grobag Egg from Keen Distribution. The Grobag Egg is a digital thermometer for your child’s bedroom which changes color based on the temperature, telling you if the room is too hot or too cold.

Why is it addictive? I find myself adapting behaviors according to the egg. When it turned red (too hot) I added a fan to my daughter’s room. During a cool spell last week the egg turned yellow, so I decided it was time for pajama bottom pants. I’ve even carried it around the house to watch it change color! It’s like my own personal Goldilocks, and I always know the temperature in my children’s rooms are just right. This is a must-have for your home!

by Cecelia

When I first heard about the Fit Flop, I was both curious and skeptical. Could a shoe really help improve my fitness and shape my leg muscles? I was willing to give it a try to find out. The Fit Flop is now my favorite pair of shoes. I literally wear them everyday, everywhere I go. They are very comfortable, and offer quiet a bit of support to the foot. And yes, they do give your leg muscles a work out!

On the website they do recommend that you start out wearing them a little bit at a time, and I have to agree that if you were to start out wearing them 8 hours a day, you would feel it a lot. The first day I wore them, I didn’t notice any leg muscle soreness, but my feet did have a bit of soreness in adjusting to the different angle. It’s not a high heel by any means, but if you are used to completely flat sandals or shoes, you will feel a difference in the angle of your foot.

I am already saving up to buy another pair (or two) because I love them so much. They look great (I have the black pair, which goes with everything), they are very comfortable and easy to keep clean. And the fact that they actually do help tone my legs is an added bonus! I don’t know what I will do in the winter months when snow is on the ground and sandals are no longer an option!

by Aimee

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Jeff is a very personable host who draws you into to his world almost instantly. He has, in fact, won an Emmy for his performance for Outstanding Performance in a Children’s Series. My children enjoy watching Jeff as he gets into and out of situations that most of us only dream about as children and realize we want nothing to do with as adults. His vast knowledge of the creatures he just stumbles upon as he is on his adventures is very impressive and you find yourself learning about many different insects, reptiles and mammals in every episode.

This DVD included adventures with giant manatees, a 14 foot alligator, venomous snakes, great white sharks, humongous coconut crabs and even a real Tasmanian Devil. His travels encompassed Guyana, Costa Rica, Zanzibar, Tanzania, India, Nepal, Morocco, Spain and other exotic places. Your child will be exposed to and learn about these places just from relaxing in the TV room.

Jeff is constantly relaying the message that if everyone does their part our planet will be conserved for future generations. Through education and awareness Jeff Corwin is certainly doing his part and him showing us these beautiful places and creatures makes us want to do ours.

I knew my kids really enjoyed the DVD because they asked for it to be paused for their bathroom breaks. In our family, that’s the highest compliment to a video.

Written by Perri, a homeschooling mom of 6 kids - 2 that are grown and out of the house and 4 younger ones who help wreck and clean the house. Perri also has two precious grandchildren. She spends a lot of time doing ministries with her church, volunteering in the community and baking a mean cheesecake. She blogs about her family’s life at My Life in Bits & Pieces.

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I discovered the most beautiful, floral, entertaining and dramatic hot tea blossoms. These make traditional tea bags seem boring and wrong. Rariteas crafts delicate white tea leaves around a dried floral bouquet that comes to life when hot water is added. After the water is added to your clear glass pot or large glass brewing container the bulb expands and blooms showcasing the inner flower. This makes for a conversation centerpiece to your table or buffet.

The white tea itself brews to a light, pale amber and has a smooth and simple flavor. The varieties of leaves and blooms provide different aromas and colors. They are soothing, gorgeous and oh so girly.

At such a reasonable price point these make a delightful gift for teachers, moms and special ladies in your life. The teas are offered in sets and have more impact than that silly old Mr. Coffee on your kitchen counter.

Written by Helene, who is a “fly by the seat of her pants” mom with 6 kids, well really 7 if you count her husband. She is a die-hard bargain shopper, designer-clad domestic diva who writes reviews to maintain a sense of sanity and unleash her creative side. You can also keep up with their busy family at their blog.

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However, I recently forgot that Care Bears are for girls. Since Bird loves his womb bear so much and I loved Care Bears as a child, I was overeager to review a set of the new Care Bears crib bedding.

It’s incredibly pink. Don’t get me wrong, it’s also incredibly cute. If you are looking for character themed bedding for your nursery, you can get no cuter than the Care Bear set.

It comes with the crib bumper, dust ruffle and standard accessories for your nursery. The plush blankets that are available are my favorite, as they are embossed with subtle hearts that have two little Care Bears in the corner. Or maybe the mobile with the four little Care Bears dangling and dancing is my favorite. It’s hard to say. The entire set is beyond adorable, but maybe not for a boy.

The only thing, beside the incredible pinkness of it all, that would keep me from buying this for my child is the fact that the sheet is not 100% cotton. So props go to the new bedding that I will refrain from using full time with my boy child. My husband is extremely thrilled.

Written by Canape, who is a girl from the deep south who loves her husband, her son, her stepdaughter, and her dogs. She’s a musician by trade, and a baker and writer by hobby. She writes a personal blog at Don’t Take the Repeats.

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So I picked some up and I have to say, it’s not bad.

I think it’s a given that as far as moisture goes, you tend to get what you pay for, so no you’re not getting the moisture of pure shea butter that was prepared by the light of the moon on virgin shores by blind monks or whatever tale they like to tell us about the expensive stuff. But, I have pretty sensitive skin and many soaps make me just miserable as soon as I step out of the shower wanting desperately to slather on the moisturizer. That was not the experience with this soap. It goes on very thick and smells delicious.

And when I step out of the shower, I don’t need to slather up with moisturizer for an hour or two. Suave is getting a surprised prop from me, because I had expected very little from this product. Suave Exhale products work quite well.

Written by Gidge, who is a mother of a 5 year old boy and 3 year old twin boys. A transplanted Hoosier, die-hard Colts fan and professional call center manager, she likes long walks on the beach, penguins and playing ping-pong. Her turn-ons include sleep and silence. Read all about her life here.

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