Natural as Possible Mom

Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper, $22.39 at Amazon.com Pros: Easy to use and clean. Stores easily. Makes delicious popcorn. Comes with a 25-year warranty on all mechanical parts. Manufactured (mostly) and assembled in the U.S.A. (Lid assembly pieces are made in China; Pot is manufactured here in the States as per Wabash Valley Farms customer service.) [...]

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Sodastream Soda Maker machines and kids range in cost from $79 to $249. SodaMix flavors cost $4.99, $6.99, or $9.99 depending on the variety and size. Carbonators start at $29.99 and go up to $99.99. Pros: Eliminates the need to purchase plastic bottles and cans of soda; Healthy options such as sugar-sweetened soda syrup, seltzer, [...]

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I was on Twitter last night checking in when I noticed an interesting hashtag: #WhoNu. For those who are uninformed: WhoNu cookies are being billed as “nutrition rich cookies.” They have, according to the manufacturer: as much Vitamin C as cup of blueberries as much iron as a cup of spinach as much calcium and [...]

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NOTE: Tour dates and venue prices vary. Pros: Entertaining show that captivated my 2-year-old and my 7-year-old — and made Mom and Dad smile, too; catchy, fun songs; running time was long enough to make an afternoon of it, but short enough where the kids didn’t lose interest. Cons: Seats toward the back made it [...]

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Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Laundry Detergent (citrus scent); $10.99 at Whole Foods Pros: Clothes were, for the most part, clean after washing. Large bottle means fewer trips to the market. Cons: Some stains required a second washing, but this is often the case with natural detergents. Contains ingredients that the Environmental Working Group (EWG) [...]

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UBI Soft’s Just Dance 2; $34.95 from Amazon; Rated E Pros: Very interactive; lots of great songs; easy to learn. Biggest plus: You can download up to 16 additional songs as of 12/28/2010 via an Internet connection (for a fee). Cons: Some of the songs are not all kid-friendly. Different enough from the original Just [...]

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Takeya USA Reusable Glass Water Bottles; $19.99 and $24.99, depending on the size. Available in mid-August 2010 at TakeyaUSA.com, Amazon.com, The Container Store, and specialty retailers. Pros: Naturally BPA-free; easy to clean; strong, break-resistant glass; comes with silicone cover; dishwasher safe. Cons: No sports cap; although glass is strong, it’s still glass so I would [...]

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Smartipants; www.smartipants.com; $14.95 for a single diaper Pros: Adjustable design so you don’t have to buy multiple sizes; absorbent insert and waterproof outer cover to keep baby (and clothing) dry; washes well. Cons: Insert can be difficult to insert; not thrilled that the snaps are plastic; packaging warns against using diaper creams or lotions. When [...]

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I started my career writing about technology and business. I was on staff at several computer pubs including PC Magazine where I wrote one or two product reviews daily. When I left to finish my master’s and freelance (on October 16, 1999) I was extremely lucky. I continued writing reviews and product-related stories, seeing my [...]

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