I love Burt’s Bees. I even love the name. If you’ve never tried them, you’re missing out on some of the purest skincare around. Their goal is to be “The greenest personal care company on earth”. I’ve used their products for years.

By using sustainable packaging methods and responsible natural ingredients, Burst Bees’ is one of the most popular health and beauty lines available. (Did I say affordable, too?) And their products work!

One thing I particularly like is the Burt’s Bees School Survival Kit.  This little set is packed full of full size products that are soothing and beneficial to the skin. Perfect for a young teen girl on her first day of junior high, or her college bound sister.

These little beauties fit nicely into a gym bag or an overnight bag. Just add an amazing and tasty (Peppermint) sheer and shiny Lip Shimmer (Which I personally use and love!) and they have a great little kit that’s appropriate for a young girl’s introduction to skincare and the many friends that will want to try them.

Of course one of their most popular sellers’ is their “Mom and Baby” line that boasts too many items for me to suggest, but I encourage you take a look at the many exceptional product’s Burt’s Bees has to offer and decide for yourself. I’ll bet you’ll become a “Bee” lover too!

As I was cleaning out my freezer the other day, I had to literally pry an ice cube tray off of one of the frozen “whatever they are called” (coils maybe?) This tray was filled with some sort of lumpy solid orange cubes that resembled squash. I know that sounds awful as my kid has not been a baby for quite some time now but the important thing is that I found them, remember?

There has to be a better way to store whatever fresh foods I plan on freezing for later use (As occasionally I do) I thought, so I searched for a better alternative than my old method.

Kid Co makes these fantastic Food Storage Trays, and you’ll find so many uses for them you’ll start collecting them.  What I love about them is they come with a pop-on lid to keep foods safe from freezer burn, and a writing surface so you can easily identify what you put in them. Naturally they are BPA/PHTHALATE Free Plastic so they are safe to freeze and reheat in. If you have a garden, this is a great time to start maybe cooking down some of those veggies you’ve labored over all summer and pop-them in the freezer.

These little cubes can be used later for soups or stews as well as homemade baby food.  I know someone who freezes pumpkin cubes and gives them to her dog every day to help prevent  “scooting” (I am not a vet, so consult your veterinarian before trying this at home.)

Pick up a Kid Co Baby Steps Electric Food Mill for quick and easy preparation.

With all the warnings about the various Flu viruses’ heading our way, it’s time to get serious about ways we can help our children stay illness-free this year. 

The Centers For Disease Control emphasizes that the best way to achieve this is simply through hand washing.  It is an effective way to keep colds and Flu from infecting your kids and you! The best way to do this is to pack waterless hand sanitizer in their lunchbox and instruct them to use it before eating their lunch or whenever needed.

Now you might think I am going to go organic here, but the facts are that unless a hand sanitizer is at least fifty percent alcohol it won’t work effectively.  That’s why I would suggest picking up the number one selling brand in America. Purell Instant Hand-Wrapped Wipes are individually wrapped towellettes that will do the job nicely.  Drop a few into their lunchbox or book bag and pack a few for a friend. (If you’ve ever been in the cafeteria at lunchtime like I have, you’ll know why!)

The interesting and really great thing about hand sanitizer’s is that kids never seem to turn it down if it’s offered to them. (Even teens, and for them I recommend the handy two oz. bottle of Purell Portable-Size Hand Sanitizer Liquid with a backpack clip. Little kids will use this up in one day!)

This is one habit you’ll want your kids to pick up so that they can have a healthy and happy school year.  

   When my son was born I thought I was prepared.  I devoured every book I could about childcare, developed a child-rearing plan that I felt would help me bond with my beautiful baby, and on his first day home from the hospital I promptly cut his finger with the baby nail clippers.

The reason I performed this mani-pedi was partly to practice my parenting skills (Oops!) and the other reason was I did not particularly care for the ugly cotton mitts the hospital thrust on his tiny fingers. (Which I promptly put back on those fingers so his father would not see what I accidentally did.)

Well he survived that, luckily. In fact he didn’t even cry (but I did, hormones you know.) These cute little mitts I saw reminded me of that story and I started thinking that if these were available in hospitals, that whole scene never would have happened.

iPlay Green Sprouts Organic Cotton Mitts are a safe way to keep your newborn from scratching themselves.  They slip easily over an infant’s hand and stay put with gentle elasticized tops.  Made from Organic Cotton, they are hypoallergenic and chemical free.  This is important since babies tend to wave their arms around for some reason (hailing a cab or something!) and you don’t want anything near their face that could be harmful to them. I love the bright color, too!

For less than three dollars, you can protect you baby’s delicate skin and leave the manicures to the experts.  (If you are still feeling brave after reading this, I suggest The First Year American Red Cross Sure Grip Nail Clippers.)

I was never much of a cook.  Never gave much thought to my diet, of what I put in my body. (Potato Chips are goooood!)

This all changed as I got older and the birth of my son reinforced my belief that my habits had to change. I had a specific plan of what I would allow him to eat and not allow.  Of course like most good intentions, this sometimes falls by the wayside, particularly if we are running late or on our way to soccer practice. (Nobody’s perfect!)

For the most part though, I try to feed him healthy organic foods as much as possible. With school starting next week, I would like to introduce some new foods into his diet.  Although he is not a picky eater and is exposed to many different ethnic foods he, like most kids, gets bored with eating the same thing.

I decided to invest in a couple of new cookbooks, and this one looked good to me. The Family Organic Cookbook promises exciting recipes that will entice the whole family. What I like about this particular book is that it has a specific section on ideas for lunchboxes and snacks that are quick, easy and of course, healthy.

There are even recipes for making you own condiments such as ketchup (a staple in our house!) It would be fun for a younger child, not yet in school to help whip up a healthy after school snack for his sibling with Mom’s help.

Let’s face it, we all try to do our best for our children, but sometimes we need a little help and inspiration.  I hope this cookbook does both for you!

I promised some more amazing baby items from this smart and savvy mom, and you won’t be disappointed. Keep in mind the price point for organic cotton is high, except in this case.

Under The Nile uses only the finest Egyptian Cotton, yet their prices are competitive with what you would find in your local department store and in some cases, better.  Plus, you won’t find this brand just anywhere. I was so pleased to come across them and I know you will be too.

Organic Cotton Trouser: Incredibly soft against baby’ skin.  The vibrant color made from all natural vegetable dye adds to the incredible look of these inexpensive little pants.

Organic Cotton Long Sleeve Lap Shoulder Tee: Pair these with the softest trousers ever and you have a simple little outfit that looks great and washes well.  With a roomy shoulder opening, this no fuss top matches everything in baby’s wardrobe. Best to pick up a few.

Organic Cotton Terry Romper: Get them dressed quickly and effortlessly with this one-piece romper from Under The Nile.  Also available in blue, this outfit dries quickly (on a hot summer day!) thanks to its cool and comfy terry lining.

Organic Cotton Loungewear: How cute is this?  We were lucky they even made bathrobes when I was a kid!  This is perfect for those fall evening walks in a stroller or last minute summer dips in the pool.  They’ll be warm and cozy with the attached hood.  Perfect after-bath attire, too

This is just a sampling of some of my favorites that Under The Nile has to offer, but check out the complete collection on Pricegrabber.

It’s not easy being “Green” Kermit The Frog once crooned. As I wrote in a recent Not Quite Crunchy Parent Post, I am always searching for new ways or products to help me in this endeavor.

Happily, I’ve solved my problem regarding using a “zillion” little lunch bags when packing my son’s lunch for school. My initial plan was to perhaps wrap his sandwich and fruit in some sort of cloth napkin from my mother’s extensive collection but I decided that was a little too girly, and quite possibly he would be the last one picked at recess.

I found these Wrap-N-Mat washable, reusable lunch “bags” and I plan on using these not only for my son, but for my own lunches as well. This reusable sandwich wrap comes complete with a Velcro closure to keep food secure and also doubles as a tiny placemat. Your kids can toss them right back in to their lunch boxes when they have finished eating and use them again for tomorrow’s lunch.

These cotton-poly wraps are easily washed with a little soap and water, and then air-dried. Important to note, you cannot heat these in the microwave so no grilled cheese in them, please.

This is an easy and fun way for your kids to be eco-friendly and who knows, maybe the first one picked for tag!

I like to go to yard sales.  One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, right?

One thing I look for at these sales is toys.  You can often find Legos (like at my sister’s yard sale, thanks for saving them for me sis!) or favorite play figures.

Of course, you’ll want to clean these new treasures before passing them on. I used to fill the sink with some hot water and soap and let them soak for a while, Unfortunately, if your kid is with you they’ll want to get their hands on them right away.

Dapple Toy Cleaner Wipes is a friendly way to solve this little problem.  Packaged in a convenient travel pack, these all-natural wipes are perfect solution for the serious yard sale junkie. Using green technology, these wipes contain baking soda, purified water and essential oils.  The fabric is biodegradable, too.

These wipes are not anti-bacterial they just work like a good old-fashioned hand washing, which is better for a child’s immune system (let’s them build up resistance to some germs now and then) Of course, you’ll want to use these on everything your child comes in contact with from shopping carts to that “gotta have” used toy.

Winner of the iParenting award and the Yahoo Seeds For Success, this is one item you won’t want to leave home without. Look for it in the generous thirty –five-wipe canister or the handy spray.

OK- yes, you could make your own- but sometimes, well, we all need a convenient ready-made solution

Here’s a product that surprisingly I’ve never seen before, but I definitely recommend. I know, I know it’s another of my “favorite things to give as a gift.” But if you think about it, it’s really hard to find useful and adorable gifts for someone at the mall.

This is a Butterflies Sleeping Bag By Aden & Anais. Its purpose is to mimic the same soothing security your newborn receives when it is swaddled. As your baby gets older and starts to move around the crib, this super soft Muslim gown replaces that tightly bound blanket. Slip this on over their pajamas and it does the same thing. It has a nice inverted zipper, too so it’s easy to get off and on. (No pulling over baby’s head.)

The open weave design of the fabric allows a sleeping baby’s body temperature to adjust naturally, minimizing the risk of overheating, which has been linked to SIDS. This is especially nice for those new parents who live in a warm climate and don’t always need a blanket in the crib but want a little something soft to wrap their baby in, or for those new parents who are concerned about a blanket in the crib at all.

This fabulous product just won the iParenting media award for 2009 and is available in three sizes and other adorable prints like Pink Stars.

I am the mother of a fair haired, fair skinned boy.

The merest hint of a freckle on his face instills a tiny bit of panic in me.  In retrospect…I cannot comprehend why my friends and I felt the need to slather on baby oil every summer in a race to see which one of us could get the “Hawaiian Tan” first.

Of course we know better now and it’s a good thing, as most of the sun damage we will inherit comes from being exposed to it as children. (I wouldn’t dream of venturing outside without my SPF 40 anymore)

Typically, most kids don’t appreciate this concern and shy away from having their skin greased up every time they venture outside. The aroma of sunscreen is unattractive for some kids, particularly those with allergies or sensitivities to fragrance.

If this situation sounds familiar to you, try California Baby No Fragrance Sunscreen SPF +30. This is a chemical-free sunscreen that needs to be reapplied every time your child wipes it off either by sweating or toweling off after swimming or approx. every 3 hours.

The plus side of this is that it is that because it is a physical sunscreen, it is appropriate for babies over six months of age and can be used as often as needed.

This year round lotion also comes in a bug repellant formula, which contains ingredients such as citronella and pure lemongrass to ward off pesky summer friends.  (California Baby Natural Bug Blend SPF+30)