Rating: 9
Where to buy: http://www.organize.com

I live in a very small apartment.  My closets are small and I have very little storage area.  I’m also a shoe fanatic so I needed to find something to hold all my shoes and still be out of the way.  The Under Bed Shoe Storage was the perfect solution. 

I love the heavy vinyl this shoe holder is made of.  It keeps the moisture and dust out so my shoes stay clean and fresh smelling.  I also like that it is clear.  Like I said I’m a shoe fanatic but when I want a certain pair of shoes I don’t want to have to look forever to find them.  Being clear makes it easy for me to see my shoes when I pull the holder out from under the bed. 

I also like the heavy-duty zippers on these shoe holders.  I was concerned at first that zipping and unzipping the vinyl everyday would cause the zippers to wear out quickly.  Didn’t need to worry they are heavy nylon and are also self correcting.  My shoes stay sealed tight and the zippers open and close with ease.

I also like them for my children.  They can never find their shoes when we get ready to go somewhere.  With the shoe holder they just slide it out, put them in and zip it up.  They know exactly where they are when they need them.  Best of all with the vinyl if they put shoes in the holder that are muddy or dirty it’s easy to clean and take care of. 

My very favorite part though is the fact that each shoe holder can hold up to 16 pairs of shoes.  So far I only have 2 under my bed but I can see many more Under Bed Shoe Storage holders in my future.  lots more!

Rating: 9
Where to buy:  Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care

Becoming environmentally healthy and raising your family that way is starting to become the norm.  With so many choices and so many companies trying to get us to see things their way it can be hard to know what is right for you and your newborn.  This book can help you with those decisions.

One of my biggest concerns with my new baby had to do with what products were safe and healthy for my child.  I hear so many stories about how they have found this product to be unsafe or how this food has caused a certain illness in children.  When I found this book I became a much better parent because I no longer worried if it was good or bad.

This book is very informative.  It gives you references and guides to a much healthier way of thinking and living.  It is written by an expert in the field of making the world safe for our children, which helps add to the trustworthiness.  I feel very comfortable taking the advice that is written in this book. 

It’s easy to read and understand.  The index is wonderful. No having to try to figure out where to find the information you need in a hurry.  The references are great because you know exactly where you need to go to find out more in-depth information if necessary.  It’s not preachy either.  The author gives you the information you need and then you decide if you want to pursue it or not.  Not one word about how you must do this or this is the only way.  I can make the choices I want because I now have all the knowledge I need to make the right choice for myself and my family.

If you are even thinking about raising your child in a natural, organic lifestyle I recommend you get this book.  The knowledge you will walk away with once you read it can only help you in making the right choices for you and your family.  Here’s to a new way of looking at a healthy life and environment! Let’s Raise Our Babies Green!

Rating: 9
Where to buy:  Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo

When I came across this jumper I was looking for a toy for my baby that would help strengthen his legs but give him hours of play and still be safe.  I’ve always trusted Fisher-Price in these areas and started looking there.  When I found this toy I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.

First it’s safe.  The legs are strong and the seat is sturdy.  I never worry that it will collapse when my child is jumping up and down.  I also don’t worry that the seat will tear or give way as he plays.

The toys are great.  They are bright and easy for my child to grab and hold on to.  They are all the way around so he can play in any direction he wants.  With the seat being able to turn he never gets frustrated because he can’t reach the toys.  The drum on the front is really neat.  He loves to make it light up and play the music. 

I also like the leaves over the top.  It’s such fun to watch him bat at the toys and make them swing around.  He giggles every time he gets one.  Plus the toys are soft and easy to grab onto.  I think all of them are really his favorite.

The bouncing up and down is exciting for him too.  He likes the music and bounces almost constantly.  His legs are really beginning to build up strength.  Sometimes he bounces so much he wears himself out and falls asleep.  It’s so adorable to watch him try to stay awake and keep bouncing.  The seat always wins out though. 

It was so easy to assemble.  I wasn’t frustrated nor did I want to just push it in the corner and hope it went away.  Plus I can just fold it down to store or take to Grandma’s house.  Doesn’t take hardly any time and off we go - Jumperoo and all.  It’s easy to clean too.  I also like the three levels of adjustment.  It grows with my child so I don’t have to worry that I will have to store it away before he’s ready to give it up.  Oh yea it’s easy to keep clean too.

If you’re looking for a great toy to keep your baby occupied, giggling and active try this Rainforest Jumperoo.  Your baby will be so very glad you did.  Wish they came in bigger sizes , it looks like so much fun!

Rating: 10
Where to buy:  http://www.toysrus.com

 I spend a lot of time on my computer and my toddler has come to know that it can be fun and entertaining. I would cringe every time I walked into the room and saw him up on the computer chair banging away at the keys or playing with the mouse.  I decided to try and find one that would work for him and possibly help him learn also.  I went to LeapFrog because I know and trust their products. 

Click Start My First Computer was exactly what I was looking for.  It’s a small keyboard that plugs right into the TV.  The keyboard is great.  It’s bright, colorful and easy for my child to use.  It helps keep him interested and happy. 

The mouse is also great.  It converts so it can be used by either a right handed or left handed child.  I was thrilled because my son is left-handed.  It’s so very hard to find things that are so easy for him to use let alone the fact that I struggle trying to teach him how to work things because I’m right handed. He picked right up with mouse and no frustration was involved nor did he leave it because he just couldn’t make it work. 

I also like the idea of the TV screen for his monitor.  He doesn’t have to struggle trying to see what’s there.  He has a TV in his own room so he plays in there and feels like he has his own space and even some little boy freedom.

The pre-installed programs are great.  My son interacts with them and learns something new every time he plays.  He’s always running out to tell us what he has just learned or asking us to come watch him as he plays.  It’s great to see him so intent and engaged, but having fun at the same time. There are also other cartridges you can buy for this system so you never have to worry about your child becoming bored with the same ole same ole. 

I’ve always been able to count on LeapFrog and their products and this is no exception.  My child is learning while having fun.  I have the peace of mind knowing he is happy and much wiser while using a product I can trust.  The games are neat too.

Rating: 8
Where to buy:  The Complete Organic Pregnancy
First off I found this book to be more than just a guide.  It is full of ways to know if a product contains harmful chemicals.  It gives you ways to minimize the toxins that surround you and your family. 

It’s so easy to read and very informative.  It’s also a pleasure to read.  The articles that are included, along with the testimonials of other experts in the organic living field, give you insight into things in our world that you would never imagine to be unsafe. 

I really like the common sense approach this book takes.  It makes it so much easier to deal with some of the things you read in it.  It also makes it easier to figure out what is the right thing to replace these toxins with.  It’s kind of scary to read in some places because it makes you stop to look at what you have been doing to yourself, your family and your home over the years.  With the common sense attitude though you don’t feel as if you have no other choices or horrible about the choices you’ve unknowingly made in the past.  You just want to jump right up, fix it and move on to the next problem.

The references in the book are pretty good too.  Many books will tell you why things are bad for you but won’t go on to tell you how to fix them or what is good for you.  This book gives you all of that.  It’s easy to know that this food is not right but what to replace it with might be left to your imagination.  The references in the book help to guide you to the right thinking and living and the products you need to do that.

I would recommend this book to everyone.  Whether you’re taking care of just you, starting a new family, well into child rearing or even grandparents you will get information from this book you will want to know.  I plan on keeping it on my bookshelf to refer to for years to come and hopefully pass on to my children when they become adults.  After Reading this it makes you really rethinkhow little we no about the environment around us. The companies that  promote products neglect to tell consumers that some of the ingredients they use may be toxic and the happily put it on store shelves. I can go on and on but I won’t , I will save my ramblings for another post.