How many times have we, as mamas, encountered situations where we thought,”this is just not working”?  Countless times wishing for solutions, or just something better to make those hectic crazy days a little bit easier.  Bella Tunno addresses such problems and offers solutions with style.

Their products range from diapers bags and Little Linkers for your stroller to a Oopsie Ditty, a parent survival kit full of “in a pinch” products.  All of these products are fabulous solutions that feature absolutely adorable and fun fabrics, and at an affordable price.  Upon looking through their catalog, you will find yourself  “ooooo”-ing and “ahhhh”-ing at all the products and thinking,”why didn’t I think of that?!”

Test Tot:

My personal favorite of their products is their Designer Diners. They are portable place mats, wipe-able oil-cloth  on one side and a chalk mat on the other, non-toxic chalk included. They come in a variety of  fabulous prints, perfect for little boys and girls. Kade will barely sit still at restaurants while we wait for our food. (Yes, we are that family with the children who are so wiggly and fussy at dinner that you wonder if their parents ever feed them.) Just in case you’re wondering, they are well fed:).  But the little paper and crayons handed out at your typical restaurant, tend to be more advanced than Kade can understand. He is very coordinated when it comes to his large muscles but fine motor skills are proving to be difficult for my left handed little man. Getting him to sit down and wait for dinner, let alone attempt to do something he’s not interested in, is a recipe for disaster. This is why I love the Designer Diner. He makes sure I have it when we leave the house for lunch with friends or dinner with family. He even insists that he uses it for meals at home. I am so glad that he can be creative and entertained at the same time, all while looking stylish. I have gotten so many compliments on our Diner from waitresses and several moms just passing by. I am so in love with Bella Tunno and you will be too!

BUY IT!

It pays to be an In The Know Mom! Get 20% off your purchase by entering ITKM20 at checkout now through September 13th! Browse the Bella Tunno website and fall in love.

WIN IT!

Giveaway: To win your own Designer Diner, leave us a comment telling us which pattern you would love for you little one. Two Winners will be chosen!

Extra Entries: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete.

1. Blog about this Giveaway
2. Subscribe to our Site (right sidebar)
3. Join us on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
4. Follow us on Twitter
5. Tweet this Giveaway
6. Join our Facebook Fan group
7. Link this Giveaway in Facebook
8. Post a link to this Giveaway in Cafemom
9. Vote for our blog in Top Baby Blogs  (right sidebar)
10. Become a fan of Bella Tunno on Facebook
11. Follow Bella Tunno on Twitter

Contest ends September 5, 2010  at Midnight PST.  Winners will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.  If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Special thanks to Bella Tunno for samples for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.

My sweet boys have super sensitive skin. As newborns, both of them had eczema and will still get bumpy and rough sometimes. I first tried all of the most popular soaps and lotions out there and settled with a really heavy creamy thick lotion that just seemed like the only option. Then as my babies’ skin got tougher, I gravitated toward a lavender wash which we love. As they are now a little bit older, I wanted something fresh, light and fun. I stumbled across Epiencials and immediately fell in love. 

Episencial was created because the founder, Kim Walls– a skin care expert from the Epicuren family – couldn’t find products for her young sons that met her standards. So, she created the products she – and other green parents – wanted: 

• high quality skin care that is affordable
• for the most sensitive skin of young children ages 0 to five
• made exclusively with all natural ingredients; the majority of which are organic
• no unhealthy chemicals, ever
• manufactured under solar power
• beautifully packaged in recycled and sustainable materials featuring art that inspires
• smell terrific using juice extracts – not fragrances

The first thing that attracted me to this line of products was that the recycled packaging was adorned in Eric Carle artwork. Kade’s had a lifelong love affair with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Kellan seems to be following suit. The bright colors and friendly familiar images were such a plus when opening our package. The next thing that I loved as I began to read more about Episencials was that when using natural ingredients, it enhances immunity with doctor recommended, clinically effective formulas. With that research and how sensitive it promised to be, I just knew I had to try it.

Playful Foaming Wash/Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath: We popped open the body wash bottle and I loved the fresh, clean, light citrusy scent. I was so happy to realize that this was exactly the product I had been looking for. It foamed up and didn’t take FOREVER to wash out! Then as I used the bubble bath, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a half hour later when emptying the tub, the bubbles were still intact!  It had the calming lavander scent that I’ve always loved with a fruity twist, making my sweet boys smell sweet and fresh(I might have secretly day-dreamed into yester-year when Kade was a baby and I would just take in the sweet post-baby bath smells during our naptime routine:), but it wasn’t an overwhelming scent, which I loved!

Still bubbles! Even with my splashy splash boys:)

Fun Summer Skincare Value Kit: The Enviromental Working Group just released the 2010 Best Beach and Sport Sunscreen Guide and to my surprise, the sunscreens I was using for my boys were on the worst list! I was so happy to see that Episencial was one of the 39 best sunscreens! I received this in perfect timing right before the Fourth of July, as we spent the majority of the day outdoors. As we sat in the hot 100 degree sun for the parade, I slathered the boys up with the sunscreen and was excited to see that it was not greasy like EVERY other sunscreen I had used. Also, it didn’t have a gross sunscreen smell. Again, light and fresh. I figured, “Hey, it says ‘Ages 0-150′ on the bottle, I might as well use it on myself!” I am so bad about remembering to put sunscreen on myself and when I put this on, I was again, STOKED that is was so light, not greasy, not smelly, mositurizing, and protected my UBER fair and sensitive skin against the harsh sun. I also applied the Protective Face Balm to all of our faces to protect from the harsh sun and wind that seems to plague our region. When I think “balm” I think heavy and greasy and this was the opposite!

Giveaway: To enter to win the Foaming Wash, Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath, Nurturing Balm, Soothing Lotion, and Fun Summer Sun Care kit, leave us a comment telling us your little one’s favorite book!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete

1. Blog about this Giveaway
2. Subscribe to our Site (right sidebar)
3. Join us on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
4. Follow us on Twitter
5. Tweet this Giveaway
6. Join our Facebook Fan group
7. Link this Giveaway in Facebook
8. Post a link to this Giveaway in Cafemom
9. Vote for our blog in Top Baby Blogs  (right sidebar)
10. Follow Episencial on Twitter
11. Become a fan of Episencial on Facebook

Contest ends July 21 , 2010  at Midnight PST.  Winners will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.  If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Special thanks to Episencial for providing samples for reviewing purposes.

I have had a few different baby carriers and all of them left my back aching after the 2 block walk from my house to the park. On those occasions where I didn’t want to pull out the stroller or put the baby in the shopping cart, I would be miserable by the end of the outing. My search went to slings and wraps where I was near the purchase. That was until the recent sling recall. My search went back to carriers and I discovered ERGObaby.

ERGObaby is a family owned and operated company located on Maui, Hawaii. Since 2003, they have been providing parents with the most thoughtful, highest quality, and most innovative baby-wearing products and accessories found on the market.

My Experience:

The moment I buckled up my organic carrier and slipped my sweet boy in, I was relieved to feel no pressure or weight on my back at all.  I wore it for about an hour walking through my local quilt shop, took it for a walk around the park, to several doctors appointments, preschool activities, Easter egg hunts and grocery stores and I have never felt anything in my back anywhere close the back labor-like pain I was experiencing before. Cue angels singing! AHHHHHHH.

We also recently took our ERGO on a camping trip over Memorial Day Weekend and newly mobile and getting more and more brave by the minute Kellan just wanted to walk around. We were camping without my husband, so trying to make meals and contribute to the camping duties was getting near impossible with a baby to run after every 5 seconds. I put him in the Ergo and he was a happy camper (pun completely intended). He got to laugh and talk and participate in what I was doing. When it came time to cook dinner, I turned it around and used it as the backpack and he was happy as a clam and I got things done! It was really a lifesaver! I can’t wait for the next camping trip to take it with us on a hike!

My favorite things about the ERGO though, are the zip pockets and sun cover flap. I had to stand in line for 2 hours one day and zipped in a sippy cup, some paperwork, and a car. You would’ve never even guessed the pocket was there or that it was full! Also, when Kellan fell asleep, I just put the sun flap over his head and he slept in undisturbed shady peace. I just kept thinking how great this would’ve been when the kids were newborns and I had to tuck a receiving blanket into the carrier to cover their heads and it kept falling off onto the ground. Seriously, genius!

I usually have Kellan facing out, which with the ERGO that is not an option. I thought it would be a downside to it until I looked down in my baby love’s eyes, received lots of kisses, giggles and full on conversations (you know the ones I mean, babbling, experimenting with words, etc. The best kind:) I love having that closeness and warmth with my little love. He sits comfortably with his arms free to do what he wants and watches me as the day goes. I must admit though, I am a little excited for my next baby (this is in NO WAY an announcement, don’t get too excited) when I can use their infant inserts. Look at that baby all bundled up and snuggly warm!

I slipped my fussy, sick boy in and he was happy and content:)

Giveaway: Enter to win an ERGObaby Organic Carrier, a $120 value, by leaving us a comment telling us which color carrier is your favorite! Click here to browse the carriers.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete

1. Blog about this Giveaway
2. Subscribe to our Site (right sidebar)
3. Join us on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
4. Follow us on Twitter
5. Tweet this Giveaway
6. Join our Facebook Fan group
7. Link this Giveaway in Facebook
8. Post a link to this Giveaway in Cafemom
9. Vote for our blog in Top Baby Blogs  (right sidebar)
10. Become a fan of ERGObaby on Facebook

Contest ends July 3, 2010  at Midnight PST.  Winners will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.  If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Special Thanks to ERGObaby for providing sample carrier for reviewing purposes.

Ever since my daughter received her yoga book, poster and coloring book, she’s been obsessed with yoga. Only problem was that she didn’t really have the tools she needed. I found Lazy Lizards Yoga, who creates the most adorable eco-friendly kid sized yoga mats and DVDs. The adorable mats come with twelve different yoga poses right on the mat, so that your little one can practice their yoga all by themselves once they’re familiar with each pose. The DVD from Lazy Lizard walks you through each of the twelve poses and then you can either stop, if your little one is too tired, or keep going for more advanced moves.

My daughter absolutely loves this! She carries her mat with her everywhere and asked to take it to school to show her friends. I’ve found her rolling it out and doing the tree all by herself, which was so stinkin cute. The DVD was easy to follow and not only showed other kids doing the poses, but described what they should be doing to ensure they have the proper technique. I was so proud of her and with how well she did. Lazy Lizard Yoga makes yoga fun for kids and helps boost confidence as they do poses. Hearing “Mom, I DID IT!!” is such a heartwarming thing for a parent.

Sarah: Being a yoga person myself, I understand the benefits that yoga can bring.  Starting my daughter out early seemed like a really great idea.  I wasn’t sure how she would respond although I already knew she’d be excited about the mat.  It matches mommy’s!   I popped in the DVD and she just went wild.  She actually paid attention and followed directions.  My daughter has the attention span of a gnat so I was quite surprised by her dedication.  I was even more amazed when she busted out the difficult Flamingo pose.  She had a great time, got in some quality stretching, and practiced following directions.  We’re adding this to her morning routine.

Buy it! Head over to Lazy Lizard Yoga to purchase a DVD and mat for your little one. Or if you’re one of the lucky readers in Colorado, sign up for one of Karen’s yoga classes for your child. Click here to learn more about her classes and where they’re offered.

Giveaway: Lazy Lizard Yoga is offering a a Grape Lazy Lizard Yoga Mat & DVD for one lucky reader! Comment on this blog post to enter.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete

1. Blog about this Giveaway
2. Subscribe to our Site (right sidebar)
3. Join us on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
4. Follow us on Twitter
5. Tweet this Giveaway
6. Join our Facebook Fan group
7. Link this Giveaway in Facebook
8. Post a link to this Giveaway in Cafemom
9. Vote for our blog in Top Baby Blogs  (right sidebar)

Contest ends June 17, 2010  at Midnight PDT.  Winners will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.  If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen

Special thank you to Lazy Lizard Yoga for providing samples for review purposes.

Phil & Teds is a brand I love.  I own their fabulously innovative inline stroller, and once I discovered they had a portable high chair that folds down small enough to fit into a diaper bag, I was super excited.  The Metoo is made with an aluminum frame, nylon fabric and weighs only 2.2 lbs.  Start using the Metoo as soon as your little one can sit up on their own and keep using it until they are three years old or 40 lbs!

Tiny Tester happily eating at the table in the Metoo

The Metoo clamps onto any table top with a width of up to 2 inches. The clamps are as easy to use as turning a door knob, all you do is turn the knobs that are located underneath each clamp until the Metoo is secure.  Once you put your little one in the seat they are kept safe with a 4 point harness that buckles on with minimum fuss.  In between mealtimes on the go I have been able to carry the Metoo in my diaper bag which is amazing!  I use the Metoo in restaurants, avoiding the high chairs they provide, which seem to rarely be cleaned properly.  It is also great for playdates,  visits to friends houses where there’s no extra high chair, or visits to babyless friends’ houses, which most certainly won’t have a high chair handy.

My personal diaper bag, with outer flap open to show that the Metoo fits!  It even zips closed.

I can honestly say that I have tried another brand of hook on high chair and it does not compare to the Phil & Teds Metoo.  The one I had before had complicated clamps that were too long to fit on many tables we encountered.  This other brand of chair also did not even come close to fitting in my bag, so it was often forgotten in the trunk of the car or at left at home.  The Metoo is so unbelievably easy to use and compact you will for sure carry it with you everywhere.  To find a retailer near you that sell the Phil & Teds brand of products click here.  Follow Phil & Teds on Facebook and Twitter.

Giveaway: Phil & Teds is offering a Metoo for one of you lucky readers!  This is a $50 value, comment on this blog post to enter.

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete

1. Blog about this Giveaway
2. Subscribe to our Site (right sidebar)
3. Join us on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
4. Follow us on Twitter
5. Tweet this Giveaway
6. Join our Facebook Fan group
7. Link this Giveaway in Facebook
8. Post a link to this Giveaway in Cafemom
9. Vote for our blog in Top Baby Blogs  (right sidebar)
10. Follow Phil & Teds on Facebook

Contest ends May 20, 2010  at Midnight PST.  Winners will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.  If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Congratulations Erin W. you were randomly chosen to win the $100 Reset Skincare certificate!! Thank you so much to Reset Skincare for the great giveaway!

Don’t forget that if you want to buy or even try Reset for yourself, you can receive a free 7 day trial of products from Reset Skincare. Go to the site www.resetskincare.com and in the “Free Goodies” section enter your information along with the code ITKM in the comment box.

Thank you Wee Gallery for a great giveaway and thank you to everyone who entered! To purchase your own Art Cards go to Wee Gallery’s site.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS:

• Lori T
• Ian H

Congratulations!

Have you ever woken up, gone to the mirror, and saw someone you didn’t recognize? I did about a month ago; not a good feeling.  After years of sun abuse, my skin has been left with the appearance of premature aging, and dare I say (without jumping into oncoming traffic) a lackluster existence that contradicts me as a human being.  I thought the more glow I had the better I would look, and my elixir of choice for this oblivious masochism was a blend of pure baby oil and iodine.  Yes, I get it.  It’s all my fault.  Smack my hand twice and scold me with shame. But it shouldn’t matter when you have your “EUREKA!” moment as long as you get it. So I enlisted my good friend Alison Duran, President and creator of Reset Skincare, to help me regain back the years I have lost due to my disregard for the future. This is war, and it’s on!

The modus operandi behind Reset Skincare is to re-build the skin cells you already have, not starting from scratch by removing them. The ingredients in Reset are designed to replenish every skin cell and heal them on a molecular and cellular level. When you start removing the skin cells, they have no other choice but to make more through a division process called mitosis.  They duplicate themselves by splitting into two identical cells, those cells then split and form two more, and so on and so forth. Even though they are identical when they divide, these cells begin to lose properties as they descend towards the bottom of the chain. I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the market for bobo flea-market-half-breed cells making up the skin on my face.  I only want the best!

I was excited to get started with my new Reset Skincare regiment and begin re-building the existing cells I have, so I began with the products below.  These are some of the basic necessities and treatments in Reset’s line—and a couple bonus products for fun!

1. Clarify- A mild cleanser, suitable for all skin types, is derived from rose hips, olive and kumquat oils, and seaweed extracts. Rose hips contain vitamins C, D, and E, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Combined they make a lovely cocktail to cleanse the skin. I am happy to report that not only did Clarify melt away all my makeup, but it did not strip my skin of all its natural oils in the process.

2. Restore- A toner, made from vitamin C, calendula, cucumber, and CoQ10. Restore cools and moisturizes while balancing out the PH levels in the skin. My favorite ingredient in this particular toner is the CoQ10. As we get into our thirties, levels of CoQ10 are below optimum, causing a reduction in the skin’s ability to produce elastin, collagen, and other important skin molecules. Also, skin lacking in CoQ10 can be more susceptible to damage by free radicals. So not only can CoQ10 boost skin repair and regeneration, it helps to reduce free radical damage.

3. Replenish- A red tea (Rooibos) serum. Talk about instant gratification with long-term results! This may be one of my favorite skin treatments in the line. You mean I can have my cake and eat it too?!? Red tea contains the antioxidant Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), which helps reduce free radical damage to the skin. SODs are an important antioxidant defense in almost all cells exposed to oxygen. My skin was left smooth, supple, and visibly tighter after just one use.

4. Vivid- An eye serum containing an almighty combination of soy and rice peptides, yeast protein, hyaluronic acid and seaweed extract, Vivid encourages healthy circulation and collagen renewal. Because hyaluronic acid is crucial to the structural integrity of the dermal collagen grid, it is a very effective topical treatment. Those pesky puffs in the morning (or after a long night with my flu-ridden toddler) are no match for Vivid. Amazingly, it only takes one drop of this highly concentrated serum to do both upper and lower eye areas.

5. Brilliance- A daily moisturizer suitable for all skin types, Brilliance has a unique blend of jojoba, apricot kernel, and squalene compound derived from olives. Squalene compound can play a few roles in our skincare regimen. First and foremost, it absorbs into the skin to smooth and soften without a greasy feeling. But here’s a little something I stumbled upon during my 30 day trial with Reset when I ran out of my makeup primer (OH NO!)  I decided to mix Brilliance with my foundation and noticed impressive results, far better than any primer I have used underneath my makeup. While doing some research on squalene compound, I found that not only is it a beneficial ingredient in moisturizer, it also smoothes the skin for flawless make-up applications! She shoots, she scores, and now she cannot live without…. C’est la vie, non?

6. Essential- A lipid replacement therapy and another one of my favorite treatments from Reset’s line. It replenishes lipids lost to aging and environmental stress.  I was lucky enough -insert dripping sarcasm here- to be born with genetically dry skin and Essential is an excellent skin treatment for me.  I use Essential as part of my nightly routine after applying Replenish. I’ll be Frank here for a moment instead of Sas and tell you that I just want to bathe in Essential, wrap myself in Saran Wrap and cocoon in an electric blanket for a week. Someone will have to bring me my glass of vino with a straw every evening. Don’t judge…

7. Reclaim- A curative mask, Reclaim is the newest and not yet launched product in Reset’s incredible arsenal.  All I can say is WOW! This is one impressive weekly mask!  Only a quarter sized amount of Reclaim is needed for your face and neck. Reclaim contains a special blend of ingredients that pull moisture to your skin and seal it in. The word ‘curative’ just does not even begin to describe what you look and feel like after using this product. It is just what the doctor ordered and I dare you to try it.

So how do I feel about my skin after one full month with Reset Skincare? After one week of treatment my skin started to look smoother, younger, tighter, and more radiant. My pores started to disappear and the little bit of congestion that plagued my chin area diminished significantly. Every week after that my skin became clearer, fresher, and overall more even. Not only do I take my skin’s true wants and needs into better consideration, but now I look at my daily defense procedures with a better scientific approach. Oh, and if I didn’t mention earlier may I add that Reset Skincare products contain no fillers, no preservatives, and no catchy false promises. In my opinion, the product should speak for itself. So far, Reset Skincare does…

Want to try Reset for yourself? You can receive a free 7 day trial of products from Reset Skincare. Go to the site www.resetskincare.com and in the “Free Goodies” section enter your information along with the code ITKM in the comment box.

Reset is offering one lucky In The Know Mom a gift certificate in the amount of $100 for use towards Reset products of your choice! All you have to do is leave us a comment below telling us which product you’d love to try the most!

EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete

1. Blog about this Giveaway
2. Subscribe to our Site (right sidebar)
3. Digg this Giveaway
4. Follow us on Twitter and Tweet this Giveaway
5. Follow Reset on Twitter
6. Link this Giveaway in Facebook
7. Join our Facebook Fan group
8. Join Reset’s Fan group on Facebook
9. Post a link to this Giveaway in Cafemom
10. Join our Message Board Forum here

Contest ends December 23, 2009 at Midnight PST

Putumayo is my new favorite music for my daughter.  It is so pleasing to have on in the background and my daughter goes wild when it comes on.  We received “Picnic Playground” free to try out and we were so into it, I didn’t mind when it looped back around a couple times.  The songs are upbeat and fun, but most importantly they expose your child to other culture’s music.  The music comes from France, Cuba, Trinidad, Denmark, South Africa, Australia, Germany, and different regions of the US. To sample the music go here.

We also received the newest release, “European Playground” to enjoy and enjoy we did!!  The music is fantastic and comes from all over Europe: Finland/Sweden, Belgium, England, Denmark, Hungary, France, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Scotland, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, and Ireland.  Not only will your child love and benefit from the CD, you will as well.  Like Picnic Playground, I didn’t mind it at all broadcasted throughout my house.  Fun foreign lyrics and beats will encourage your child to dance and sing.  It also provokes a curiosity in other countries and their cultures.  My daughter loves certain songs and shouts their countries along with the songs… and she’s not 3 yet!  The inner booklet also teaches interesting facts about the countries. To sample this cd go here.

Keeping with the same theme, try out others such as: New Orleans, Hawaiian, Celtic, Reggae, Brazilian, African, and Asian playground… there’s even more!

Two lucky winners will receive a Putumayo CD (either Picnic Playground or European Playground). To enter, comment below stating which CD you’d be most interested in. To see the whole collection, go here. 

For extra entries comment here again for each promotion that you do WITH LINKS!

*Promote on social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, Cafemom, Myspace

*Promote on your personal or business blog

*Digg it, Reddit

United States residents only please!  Contest ends November 7, 2009 at Midnight PST.

A single toothbrush can harbor millions of microorganisms, which can translate into harmful bacteria (Influenza virus, herpes simplex I, streptococci, staphylococci, staphlococci, yeasts, bacteria that can cause gum disease, cavities and even diarrheal illness). Violight eliminates these microorganisms and several others within minutes and is one of the hottest items on the market right now! Violight has a line of toothbrush sanitizers that are clinically proven to eliminate 99.9% of bacteria on your toothbrush with germicidal UV light. This even includes the H1N1 Swine Flu Virus!!!

It’s so important to ensure our little ones brush their teeth every day. But, what do you clean their toothbrushes with? I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen my daughter go from gnawing on her toothbrush, to scrubbing the bathroom counter with it within a matter of seconds. Sometimes she’ll drop it on the floor or I find it randomly laying somewhere in the house. The nasty list goes on and on. The germicidal UV light that VIOlight uses destroys the DNA of microorganisms. Not only will it kill all the bacteria they pick up from playing around with their toothbrushes, but it will also entice them to want to brush their teeth because of the cool blue light that illuminates from the toothbrush sanitizer once you press the button to start cleaning.

We have the Original Violight Toothbrush Sanitizer that can sanitize up to four toothbrushes at a time. All you do is brush your teeth with your toothbrush, rinse it off with water, drop it into the sanitizer and press the button on the front. BAM, the light comes on for a few minutes and your toothbrushes are germ free!

It’s our job to ensure our families are safe and healthy. Go here and pick out the Violight that is the best fit for your household. This is a definite ITKM Must Have and an item that should be found in every home.

Violight has an exciting opportunity for our ITKM readers. We have a VIOlight Zapi to GIVE AWAY! To enter: leave a comment below telling us which Violight which color you’d like. Click here to see the color options. For extra entries link this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Cafemom, Digg or blog. Leave additional comments with links to your promotions in order to receive your extra entry. Contest ends Tuesday, November 3 at Midnight Pacific.

A few months ago, one of our In The Know Moms, Jennifer, had responded to one of our S.O.S. postings in our forum ideas for getting our picky eaters to eat. She mentioned that when she cut her daughter’s sandwich into shapes, her daughter ate it all up! I think several of us ran to the kitchen after reading that to try her tip out. The only item I had to use was some flower petal fondant cutouts, but beggars can’t be choosers. My daughter definitely loved the concept and ate more than she usually did, but WOW that was a pain to cut out every little item! That’s when I found Lunch Punch. Lunch Punch is a food cutter specifically designed to use as much of the bread as possible while cutting off the crust of the bread.

I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was to find this company, but also to be able to put them to use! They currently have two sets of Lunch Punches to choose from. The Critter Cutters have a Butterfly, Two Fish, a Dog in a dog house and an Elephant with it’s baby to choose from. The second set is an assortment of four different puzzle pieces combinations. In 2010 they have two new sets joining the Lunch Punch family, a set of Continental Shapes and a Vehicle set!

My daughter loves to be a part of the process. She helps to pick out which lunch punch she would like to use; this is usually a very difficult predicament for her as she ponders deeply on which to choose. She hops onto the counter to watch me make her sandwich, then she helps me press down on the bread to make her Lunch Punch! All kidding aside, when I cut a sandwich out with these cutters, it’s the ONLY time she will ever eat her entire sandwich. I’m not quite sure why she would only eat a few bites when I would cut the bread into triangles. It’s exciting for her to be a part of the process and it also makes eating fun!

Sarah: My daughter also loved being part of the process.  She doesn’t even LIKE peanut butter and jelly but she ate this one! She started out nice, but then really put her back (and everything else) into it.  She was so proud afterward and ate the whole thing.  Did I mention she doesn’t even LIKE peanut butter and jelly sandwiches???

Lunch Punch has an exciting opportunity for our ITKM readers. We have FOUR different Lunch Punch sets to GIVE AWAY! To enter: leave a comment below telling us which Lunch Punch is your favorite by clicking here. For extra entries post this review on Facebook, Twitter, Cafemom, Digg or blog. Leave additional comments with links to your promotions in order to receive your extra entry. Contest ends Sunday, November 1 at Midnight Pacific.

Two things that my daughter outgrows the quickest: shoes and jammies.  Needless to say, I’m always searching for pajamas for my daughter.  I look for organic, quality jams that BREATHE.  I’ve tried jams on her made of synthetic materials and she ends up a sweaty mess.  Organic cotton, I have found breathes the best, aiding in a peaceful sleep.  And a peaceful sleep leads to a peaceful baby.  Say no more!

New Jammies has a line of adorable fruits and veggies pajamas that will hopefully encourage the consumptions of fresh foods. For the first time ever, because of childhood obesity, children may have shorter life expectancies than their parents!  This is an epidemic and we should do everything we can to get kids interested in fruits and vegetables.  To shop go here.

*New Jammies has extended a coupon code to ITKMs for 20% off any long john style snuggly PJs.  Enter KNOWJAMMIES20 at checkout.

Another great quality I found about New Jammies, is that they are long enough for my long daughter, meaning she won’t outgrow them as quickly.  With adequate leg, arm, and belly length, these jams should last her awhile. My daughter tried hers out for movie night.  Even though she is watching the movie with Wall-E, she isn’t watching Wall-E.  She’s actually watching her favorite movie, Funny Face.  Yes the same with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. She has great taste for a 2 year old.  Then again for a naptime.  She loves her “tangermeen” jammies.

Erin: Because best friends must do everything exactly the same, my little one had to have the same Jammies as her BFF pictured above. You all know my love for organic cotton, these do not disappoint. Organic cotton is so comfy cozy, such a great idea to create adorable jams with this material. My daughter loved the tangerines on her Jammies. She kept pretending to eat them; she’s so cute! Something has to be said about the adorable packaging New Jammies does as well. They come with their own New Jammies Gift Bag and an adorable little book about the New Jammies fruits and vegetables. She LOVES the book. Such an adorable gift for any young child.

Want a chance to WIN a FREE set of New Jammies? Enter now by commenting on this post telling us what jammies you like best. To see the collection, go here.  For extra entries, promote this giveaway on you Twitter, Facebook, Cafemom Group, Blog, DIGG it, any social networking. Post a comment for EACH promotion you do to get your extra entries. Contest ends November 1st at Midnight PST.

Giveaway Prize: New Jammies Snuggly PJ set in apple