Review: got2b Smooth Operator

A few weeks ago I was sent a coupon to try got2b's Smooth Operator Smoothing Luster Lotion for free from BzzAgent (incedently if you would like to become a BzzAgent go here). I am not the pickiest person when it comes to my hair, more the wash and wear type, so I was not sure if this was really going to impress me that much, but all I can say is WOW! This is such a great product!

I have been using a little on my damp hair and it makes it so smooth and shiny, also if I don't have time to blow dry it out it looks so much better when I have used this than when I let it air dry with out any products at all!

I have suggested my husband start using it (he has unruly hair), and I passed all the samples I got out to my friends and family and the feedback I got from them was just as positive!

Plus if you are a girly girl you will really appreciate the adorable packaging this product comes in.

I do have one confession to make,I debated about sharing this but I think I have to! I have been shopping the garage sales for my kiddos for Christmas and I found several My Little Pony's for next to nothing in really great shape but they needed a little hair love. Well I spent some time trying to shampoo and brush them and I couldn't get them quite right and then I had the brilliant idea to use some got2b smooth! I am sure it is not what the makers intended but let me tell you it even tamed that wild pony hair! All of you moms of little girls know how hard that is!

Cookbok Review: More-With-Less

I was generously sent copies of More-with-Less by Doris Janzen Longacre and Saving the Seasons by Mary Clemens Meyer and Susanna Meyer. Both books are published by Herald Press which is part of the Mennonite Publishing Network. If you are not familiar (as I was not) the Mennonites have a long standing tradition of trying to use food to its fullest potential while maintaining its natural and wholesomeness. In my efforts to feed my family foods that are whole, natural and budget friendly these two books were at the top of my list of books to read!

More-With-Less Cookbook (World Community Cookbook) is a fascinating book because it is really so much more than a cookbook. It takes a very spiritual approach to food. Asking the the reader to consider the ramifications of wastefulness worldwide and suggesting that we can eat a more healthful diet while consuming less of the worlds resources at the same time. I think the most fascinating thing to me about the book is that this seems like such a modern "green" concept, but the first edition of this book was written in 1976! The cookbook portion of the book is a collection of traditional Mennonite recipes that are based on using whole foods. I found the recipes to be interesting, budget friendly, and tasty!


This may sound silly but when I read through it the first time I came to the section with breads and there was a recipe for English muffins and I said out loud "You can make those!" My husband who was sitting at the table laughed and said of course where do you think they come from the English muffin tree? Well the truth is I have been doing the whole foods things for a few months now but I had never really thought about where English muffins come from. Of course I knew they didn't come from English muffin trees, but I had no idea how to make them either, and I never really thought about it. The book is filed with recipes for things that may be lost art forms in modern culture, like English muffins.


There are also a multitude of yummy variations on classic recipes. On night for dinner we had coconut pancakes (I had never heard of those before) and they were delicious!


Overall I found the book to be a treasure trove of recipes for changing the way to feed your family in a budget conscious way. Many of the recipes use whole grains, rices, lentils, beans oats and other inexpensive whole food products which make feeding your family well affordable (especially if you don't want to use coupons.)


Saving the Seasons: How to Can, Freeze, or Dry Almost Anything is such an exciting book to read for someone who is in love with her freezer! The book claims to tell you how to can, freeze, or dry almost anything and it does just that! I have become pretty comfortable with freezing my meals, but one thing I could get better about it freezing veggies when they go on sale. This book covers how to do it!


For me the thing I was most interesting in was the canning. I am AFRAID of canning! I have only made freezer jam, and freezer sauces because I am AFRAID of canning. But the step by step pictures in this book make me believe I can do it! If I can find a good price on jars I may give it a try this year!

But even if I chicken out, or don't find any jars the book is filled with great freezer jam recipes too! So there is no excuse for not preserving fruits at their peak this summer!

Seventh Generation: Final Review

This will be my last review of the Seventh Generation products I received. For the last review I cleaned my kitchen but for this review I cleaned my bathroom. I tried out the Free & Clear Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner. It did a great job at cleaning my mirrors and windows. No streaks and no odor. It does exactly what it promises to do, plus with natural ingredients!

Here is what the Seventh Generation website has to say about the product:
Cleans without streaks and uses no harsh chemicals. Excellent for effectively cleaning glass, mirrors, chrome, and other hard surfaces around your home. Truly free and clear of fragrances, dyes, and masking agents.

I saved the Disinfecting products for the last review because they were the products I was the most excited to try. Like I have said previously. Some simple soap and water and a clean sponge works for me for many things but when I am cleaning a dirty bathroom, a kitchen counter that has had raw meat on it, or scrubbing the house down during flu season because everyone is sick I want a disinfectant! And now I know that there are natural products that will do the trick. I tried the Disinfecting Bathroom Spray, the Disinfecting Wipes - 35 ct., and the Disinfecting Multi-Surface Spray and I loved all three. My only complaint was the smell. They have a strong (but natural) odor to them, and since I like everything to be odorless that was a little hard to get used to, but it dissipates quickly and they do the job naturally.

According to the Seventh Generation Website they will kill 99.99% of germs including Influenza A. You can read more about the disinfecting line of products here.

If you want to try some Seventh Generation Products for yourself don't forget to enter the 11 Item Seventh Generation Free and Clear Starter Kit Giveaway if you haven't already!

Disclaimer: Seventh Generation provided me with the products for this review and for the giveaway. No other compensation was provided and the opinions expressed are my own

Seventh Generation: More Reviews

I have already reviewed the Seventh Generation liquid laundry Detergent, liquid fabric softener, paper towels I received as part of the 11 Item Seventh Generation Free and Clear Starter Kit Giveaway I am hosting. Today I will concentrate on the products that I used to clean in the kitchen.

I LOVED the Free & Clear Natural Dish Liquid! I don't like overpowering smells and I have found many products that are supposed to be natural just have too much of an odor for me. There truly is no scent in this soap and it cleans dishes very well! In addition is comes in a bottle made with recycled plastic, here is what the Seventh Generation Website says about the product:

Our new improved formula cleans more dishes than ever, and comes in a new 25oz bottle made from 90% post-consumer recycled plastic. Everyone can pitch in on the dishes thanks to our safe, non-toxic formula.

Just like the dish soap I loved the Free and Clear Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Pacs. Again the first big feature for me was the lack of a smell! I am not brand specific on dishwasher detergent, but there is one brand of tabs that I get often for a good price with coupons and while I think it does a good job at cleaning the dishes I don't like that I can smell it while the dishwasher is running. These packs don't have a smell at all so that is not an issue for me! I felt they did an equal job at cleaning my dishes to any other brand I have tried. I love the convenience of using the tab, and I love the environmentally friendly features of this formula like being chlorine and phosphate free! Here is what the Seventh generation website had to say about the detergent pacs:

Gets your dishes sparkling clean and is gentle on the earth. These concentrated automatic dishwasher pacs deliver our phosphate and chlorine free formula in a convenient single-use pac.

Finally today I will review the Free & Clear Natural All Purpose Cleaner. I know many of us use natural homemade cleaners which can be cost effective. Personally in the kitchen I think the CLEAN sponge or cloth, soap and hot water is under rated, but that probably goes back to my strong dislike of strong smells and homemade cleaning products are often using vinegar. But for those of you who prefer store bought cleaning sprays I think this product is excellent. Truthfully, even if you prefer soap and water or a homemade cleaner there may be times when you prefer the convenience of a store bought product or you just need something stronger. At least in my home I never use one method all the time, I find a combination of methods works best for me. This cleaner was a great all purpose cleaner, it was effective at removing grease on my stove top, and dried spaghetti sauce on my counter after dinner. And it had no smell. As with all of the seventh generation products I have reviewed the environmental benefits are a huge plus! Here is what the Seventh Generation Website has to say about this product:

An all-around-the-home cleaner.Effectively cleans and degreases hard surfaces both inside and outside your home. Excellent for wet mopping. Not recommended for use on wood floors. Truly free and clear of fragrances, dyes, and masking agents

I will review the glass cleaner, disinfecting spray, and disinfecting wipes on Saturday. Don't forget to enter the 11 Item Seventh Generation Free and Clear Starter Kit Giveaway if you haven't already!

Disclaimer: Seventh Generation provided me with the products for this review and for the giveaway. No other compensation was provided and the opinions expressed are my own

Seventh Generation: 1st Review

So I have been using my seventh generation products for a while now and I decided its time to tell you what I think about a few of them. If you are dying to know about some of the other products just keep waiting there will be more reviews to come in the next few days!

I decided to start with the 3 products that were going to be the hardest sell for me, the Free and Clear Laundry Detergent, the Free and Clear Liquid Fabric Softener, and the Recycled paper towels.




I am a paper towel SNOB! I won't say which brand I am loyal to, but I will say I am loyal, or at least I always have been. Am I a convert I don't know. I was impressed, I did not think a recycled paper towel could be this soft! And while I did not think they were quite as absorbent as my regular brand it didn't bother me so much because we usually reach for washcloths and towels for larger spills anyway. In our house paper towels are meant to be used sparingly and I would definitely feel good knowing that these were better choice for the environment when I didn't want to use cloth for some reason!


Here is what the Seventh Generation website says about the paper towels:

Buying products made from recycled paper helps reduce the need for virgin wood pulp, which means more trees are left standing. These hard-working paper towels absorb spills quickly, even when wet.






Ok besides being a paper towel SNOB I am also a laundry detergent SNOB! I feel so much better now that I have that off my chest! And again I won't mention my regular brand, but I will say that I was skeptical to see if the Seventh Generation could clean as well with natural ingredients. It passed with flying colors!!! I am a convert for sure! I did still use a stain product on stains I normally would use a stain product on (like blueberry) but the cleaning job was exactly the same, and I love the environmentally friendly concept!



Here is what the Seventh Generation website has to say about the laundry liquid:

A unique combination of plant-derived cleaning agents and enzymes to power out even the toughest stains. Truly free and clear of fragrances, dyes and masking agents




The good news is I am not also a liquid fabric softener snob! This was going to be a tough sell for me because I do not usually use liquid fabric softener. I honestly don't usually use anything, but if for some reason I decide it's necessary I use a dryer sheet. Having said that, I did try it our and it is a very nice product. It does exactly what it says it will do, plus it was really nice to have super soft sheets! So if you are in the market for an environmentally friendly liquid fabric softener I highly recommend this one.



Here is what the seventh Generation website has to say about the liquid fabric softener:

Canola-derived fabric softener makes your laundry naturally fluffy and static-free. Add to your final rinse cycle or use for hand-washing delicates. Truly free and clear of fragrances, dyes, and masking agents.

So if you are interested in trying some Seventh Generation Products out for yourself head over to my 11 Item Seventh Generation Free and Clear Starter Kit Giveaway. And stay tuned for my review of the Kitchen Cleaning Products in the kit!



Disclaimer: Seventh Generation provided me with the products for this review and for the giveaway. No other compensation was provided and the opinions expressed are my own

Update on Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer

I told you last week about Bizz Agent sending me the Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-a-Clean Power Sprayer and two Refills to try out and review (check it out here)And I promised an update on how I thought the product preformed. I have to say I am impressed. I was sceptical, but I really like it! It has been more than 4 days (the time they promise it will clean for) and all the surfaces I sprayed are still clean. I liked the smell, and its easy to use because the sprayer is automatic rather than a pump.

My only complaint is that in a small enclosed shower like the one in our master bathroom (its really only big enough to turn around in) it is hard to spray all the surfaces with out getting inside and closing the door, but the sprayer covers such a large area that doing this makes it feel like you are going to cover yourself with chemicals so I am not really thrilled with that. We have used the Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Sprayer, where you shut the door and then it sprays for you and I think that is a better option for me in that tight space!

It was perfect on our sinks and counters. It works great in my kids tub/shower combo which has no door, and I think I found the perfect use for it... we have one of those big soaking tubs in our bathroom, but it doesn't get used very often. Despite not getting used very often it gets grimy all on its own and I HATE trying to clean it! This product makes cleaning it a breeze because the sprayer means I don't need to reach quite as far and a quick rinse every few days reactivates the cleaning agents! When those wear off I can spray again!

So if you like to clean periodically rather than daily like me this may be a product you want to try. If you do want to try it out there is a coupon here for a Free Refill with the purchase of a Starter Kit.

Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer Review

A while back I signed up for Buzz Agent. A website that specializes in word of mouth marketing campaigns. (You can sign up here if you are interested)

They sent me a Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-a-Clean Power Sprayer and two Refills to try out and review.

Here is what the website has to say:

"Make bathroom cleaning a simpler, more manageable task with NEW Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-A-Clean™ Power Sprayer. It cleans with power in your bathroom and shower. The one-touch continuous sprayer easily provides better coverage for your whole bathroom, with a powerful formula of active cleaners that work continuously for days. "

I tried it out today on our bathroom sinks and in our shower. You have to spray the surface then wipe with a sponge or cloth and rinse. It was fun to use and super easy because it is a continuous spray not a pump! Plus I thought it smelled really great (my husband said it smelled like orange trees were growing in the bathroom)!

Now I have to see if it lives up to the 4 days of continuous cleaning, I will report back in a few days with the results!