Product Review: The Little Green Pouch

Food in pouches.

This was a genius invention.

When Baby Girl was just starting baby foods, I remember how excited I was that her food was now available in pouches.  GENIUS!  

Food available in pouches are now staples for our family and thrown into every lunch ever packed, no matter where we were going.

The only downside is that they do create a lot of waste (plastic thrown out all the time!) and do not help those individuals who like to make their own baby food.

That is where the Little Green Pouch comes in.  

These pouches were created by moms who loved the idea of a pouch but hated the idea of spending a lot of money on pouches that were used only once.  My thoughts exactly.  These pouches are also dishwasher and freezer safe, making them easy to clean and store food.  When asked if I would give them a try I was definitely interested.

Our package was delivered to us just in time for school starting and the process of packing lunch becoming a daily ritual again.  To see how well these pouches really worked (Are they easy to clean?  Are they easy to pour into?  Are they easy to eat from?) I decided to make the Carrot, Apple and Strawberry snack from their website.  Right off the bat, the first plus was that I could use all fresh, organic ingredients!

The verdict?  This entire process was beyond easy.  The ingredients took about 10 minutes to prep and then it was a simple mix in the blender.  I initially thought it was going to be a pain to pour them into the pouches but by simply following their instructions, it was very easy with no mess.  Baby Girl wanted one right away but I told her to let the pouches sit in the refrigerator just a bit to get cold. As soon as they were ready I gave her one and she loved it and asked for another one.  When it came to cleaning it out, that was incredibly simple too.  They are dishwasher safe but I simply cleaned it in the sink and let it air dry.

After realizing how easy the recipes are to make and how simple these are to use, I will definitely be keeping these on hand for school or snacks at games over the weekend.  Plus, I will now know EVERYTHING that is going into their snack.  You can order directly from the website and make sure you check out all their recipes here.  

Also, I am over at My Thirty Spot today sharing my "Must Have Boots for Fall".  Come visit by clicking here!

* Juggling in Heels did receive a complimentary product in order to try but the opinions are 100% my own.

Silly Lunch Date

What do you get when you combine one mom, three children, Rubio's, a summer afternoon and a camera?

A crazy lunch date filled with yummy food, laughs and a lot of silly photos.

Their new Chimichurri salmon Tacos....AMAZING.

Superman, the Celtics, Minnie Mouse, Sports Center and USC
We are a branding mess

I don't think Rubio's knew what chaos they were inviting in when they asked us to come try the new Chimichurri Salmon tacos and kids meals but we greatly appreciated the invite!  Everyone enjoyed everything they ordered (like I mentioned before, the tacos were amazing) and I can now add Rubio's to the list of places the entire family can eat something they enjoy, especially when a churro comes at the end.  We paid a visit to the Rancho Snta Margarita location but there are locations throughout California, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Nevada (you can find all locations here.)

Also, the winners of the 3-day Burke Williams spa passes have been chosen!  Click here to see if you won.

* Juggling in Heels received complimentary meals from Rubio's but these opinions are 100% my own.

Product Review: The Car-Go System

The SugarSNAP girls have done it again!

You may remember the product review I did on the SugarSNAP files back in March.  These files have made keeping my handbags, pool bags, park bags and diaper bags (yes, I use a lot of different bags) much more organized.  Who knew they could tops these!

The ladies over at SugarSNAP decided that all our bags are not the only things that need organization.  I am guessing they saw my car and realized I, and every other mother out there, needed some help in keeping their cars organized too.

Say hello to The Car-Go System.

This system takes everything I love about my files, everything I hate about the amount of items crammed throughout my car, and brings together a one-stop, everything I need, woops I forgot it but there it is, organization system that I cannot get enough of.

With school starting only a month ago, I have found that with three children, practices, games, classes, grocery shopping and everything else we are running around trying to manage, I am spending more time sitting in my car than anywhere else.  I have also found that with Baby Girl in tow the majority of the time, there are often things that I forget for her (extra diapers, toys, books, snacks.  You name it, I have forgotten it).  Thanks to the Car-Go System all these items sit in the back of my car, ready to be pulled out whenever I need them.  Plus, the mess that was all over my car is now perfectly organized in one spot.  Take a look.

One of the best parts of this system is that the files can be removed if you need to take something with you and my other files from the diaper bag can be put into the system so I am not doubling up on things.  Mixing and matching.  Just like my clothes.

I have been using my system for little over a week now and it has actually allowed me to carry less in my bag because I know it is already stocked in the car.  It has also saved me a few times thanks to forgetting to grab diapers and wipes.  Plus, my car is a lot more clean, which I did not think was possible.  I love, love, love this system.    

You can order this Car-Go system directly from their website here and, because they are so nice, if you use code JUGGLING, you will receive 20% off your purchase of any sugarSNAP products from now until October 31, 2012!

The next order of business is a new car.  Who would have thought we would outgrow a Yukon?!    

* Juggling in Heels did receive a complimentary Car-Go system to review but all opinions are 100% my own and I love it.

Product Review: The SugarSNAP Files

I will admit it, I am a diaper bag/pool bag/any child bag hoarder.  My house may be perfectly clean (most of the time) but when you take a look into any of the bags I use with my children, they are a terrible resemblance to Mary Poppins carpet bag.  The only problem is, she can simply pull out the next item while I have to dig my head in and figure out where my keys are among the old cheerios, toys, clothes, diapers and everything else I have in there.

Two mothers, both with their own sets of twins, must have felt the same way I did because they took this annoyance and created a way to save our sanity with the The SugarSNAP files.  I had heard about these a while back while they were still in production and was anxiously awaiting the day they "might" send me a set to try out.  I received mine last week and right away was impressed with how they were put together.  A durable clip system allows you to select which files you want to use.  Depending on where you are going, take them all or just a few!  Also, I loved the tabs that were created.  They obviously know what a mom needs because they are broken up perfectly to accommodate to everything I just might need in my bag.  The set comes with a list of what might be put into each file and my favorite part are the quotes stitched into each file, reminding us all that parenting is a joy and challenge that we share together.  

To gives these a proper review, I felt that it was going to take bringing these along in our daily lives to see how much I actually used them.  This past week was a hectic one and they were used EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Park, playdates, baseball games, dinner and birthday parties.  Each time I was able to select the files I needed for the event and head off perfectly organized.  A "Type A" Virgo's dream come true.

Clockwise from left: Hanging out at the gym, on our way to a baseball game, and heading out to dinner with the family.
(Please excuse the camera phone photos)

After a week of use I have to say, I REALLY like these files.  For the first time in a while I felt organized and never at a loss for something I forgot.  It was easy to see when a file needed to be refilled and it even reminded me to bring a second set of clothes for Baby Girl, which I forget quite often.  I also love how easily they transition between each bag, allowing me to stay organized regardless of where I am going and the bag I was carrying.  No more emptying out one bag, to fill another bag, simply to go back to the original bag later.

When I shared them with others, the response was always incredibly positive.  Apparently this is a universal mom problem.  Even a parent with older children said they would love to have something like this for their car (seems to be the second most chaotic place for children's things).  The good news here is that SugarSNAP is ahead of the game and has this car system available in May.

SugarSNAP Car-Go Parker (available May)

To make this entire product review even better, SugarSNAP is offering FREE SHIPPING to all Juggling in Heels readers with CODE: JUGGLING (this offer cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions).  You can order at Heysugarsnap.com (other colors also available).  If you love to be organized and feel that very often you are in fact not, you will love these files just as much as I do.

* Juggling in Heels did receive one set of SugarSNAP files free of charge to product review but the opinion is 100% my own.  Juggling in Heels was not compensated for this review. 

Product Review: Crawlings Kneepads

Crawling is cute but OMG it is a dirty stage!  If my children's knees were not scratched or dirty, they were destroying their pants and leggings in record time.  It would get to the point that I would avoid the park for a while to avoid all the mess that came with crawling around the ground and playground.  That is where these adorable little kneepads come in.  Crawlings were created by two moms that were also tired of all the red, bruising and scratches that came with crawling.  GENIUS idea!  They are made for children 6 months old to 3 years and can provide protection as they learn to crawl, walk and run through this world.  They asked if Baby Girl would like to try out a pair and I thought, what better than a rough and tough 1 year old to put them to the test.

Here is Baby Girl running around the park with her Crawlings on.

So what did this mom think?  I really liked them, for a number of reasons.  First of all, the fit was extremely comfortable for her.  They were not too tight and for a little girl who takes a bow out of her hair in seconds, she kept them on the entire time.  Secondly, I never realized how often she was actually on her knees as she ran around a playground.  Even though she walks (mostly runs), she still climbs on her knees everywhere.  Thirdly, they held up extremely well.  Even though they were getting really dirty, there was no sign of wear.  With the way Baby Girls moves, I was pretty impressed.  Finally, her knees were clean and scratch free when we got home!

Crawlings carry a number of adorable patterns for boys and girls (click here to check them out!) and are machine washable.  For $20, they would make an adorable addition to a baby shower gift or for your own little ones.  Visit Crawlings.com to learn more.

* Juggling in Heels was provided a pair of crawlings free of charge in order to review but the opinion of this product is 100% my own.  Juggling in Heels was not compensated for this review.

Product Review: Hot Tot Hair Products

When I was asked by Hot Tot, the company behind a line of all natural, organic hair products for babies and children,  to do a product review, I quickly accepted.  Mostly because my oldest has the THICKEST, CURLIEST hair ever.  If it gets too long, just think Kramer.  It is incredibly hard to style and keep in place.  REALLY HARD.  Hot Tot told me they think they had just the products to help and sent me a few others to try out as well.  

Hot Tot Styling Gel

This was the product I was the most interested in trying.  I have used it on both my Oldest and Middle Man and tested how much it would take to get my Oldest's hair to listen.  Even though it is a medium hold gel, I thought it did a great job of holding their hair in place all day and did not look like I piled their hair with products.  I have also used this on Baby Girl to help her somewhat existent ponytails.  She has so many baby hairs that simply fly out as soon as I pull it back and this gel did a great job of keeping everything in place.

Hot Tot Structure Whip

This product is more creamy and thicker than the gel.  It was a bit too much for my Middle Man, who's hair is pretty thin, but it worked great on my Oldest.  With how much hair he has, it was extremely easy to work through and style without making it greasy or flat.  It held his hair in place all day, just like the gel.  For thick hair, this is the ideal product to go with but it does work best when hair is wet so I would stick with the gel for dry hair. 

Hot Tot Conditioning Detangler

Since none of my children have long hair yet, I decided to try this product out on myself.  I have used it for a number of days now and I have loved the results.  It sprays on easily, does a great job of detangling and leaves my hair extremely soft once it is dry.  If this product has the ability to make my adult hair feel great, I can only imagine how well it works on hair that has not been colored every 8 weeks for the past 10 years.

Overall, I really liked each product that I used.  The smell was that great baby scent and they each seemed to work really well on my children's hair.  The company prides themselves on using only extremely safe products so that your child can look great without harsh chemicals.  A win-win right?  I will definitely continue using these products on my children (oh yes, and myself).

To order Hot Tot products, visit their website here or find a local retailer near you here.

Disclaimer: I did receive products from Hot Tot for review purposes but all opinions stated are 100% my own.  No compensation was delivered for this review.

Product Review: Three Senses Gourmet

I am sure I have mentioned this in the past but just to be clear, I have a major addiction to chocolate.  Always have, always will.  I also make an effort to buy all natural products for the family when possible.  I am not crazy about it, but if there is a healthier option for my children, why would I not take it?

So imagine my excitement when Three Senses Gourmet, a company that specializes in at home, gluten free desserts,  asked me to do a product review on their products, which are all made out of CHOCOLATE.  Umm, okay (as if there even was a question).  My dessert dream officially came true when the goodies showed up and my countertop was filled with brownie pops, brownie bites, whoopie pies, and, the icing on the cake, CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES (remember this post?).  They either are extremely generous or wanted to see me gain 50 lbs.  (I am guessing the first but you just never know.)

We instantly dove into the brownie pops, brownie bites and whoopie pie.

   They were all incredible!  The pie and brownies were both extremely moist and the chocolate flavor was very rich and decadent.  Some people worry about a "healthy" taste and there was little trace of it in these.  My sister loved them enough that she is thinking about using the pops instead of a cake for her wedding.  And what did the kids think?  Well, does this face answer the question?

For the souffles, I thought best to share with others.  Last night we had two couples over for dinner so I popped in both the 5 oz. souffles and the 3 oz. souffles from the freezer directly to the oven per the instructions.  No mess, no list of ingredients, just 20 minutes of patience.  The consensus?

DELISH!!  Hands down this was my favorite of all the desserts they delivered.  We all over indulged and thoroughly enjoyed it.  The cake cooked perfectly in their own individual ramekins in the time specified and had a perfect lava center.  YUMMY!  

I am a huge fan of all the products I tried and look forward to indulging in Three Senses Gourmet again. I also love that with so many Americans dealing with Celiac disease (approximately 3 million) and sensitivity to gluten, companies are listening and creating products that otherwise, these individuals would have to avoid.

If you are interested in learning more about Three Senses Gourmet, or if you would like to place an order, you can visit their website here.  If you are in Orange County, you can find their products at Promelis in Newport Beach and Irvine Ranch Market in Costa Mesa.

Disclaimer: I received these products free of charge in order to review but the opinions on these products are 100% my own.