Get Creative With Clementine Art!

I've always got my eye out for the safest products for kids. As promised, here is another great option for the kiddos on your Christmas list. Today we received a highly-anticipated package of products to review from Clementine Art. I first noticed Clementine Art products in Whole Foods. I checked out the website and was so impressed with the company's products and the story behind them. What a fabulous company!

Clementine Art is a natural children's art company. The products are all natural, truly non-toxic, free of synthetic preservatives, animal by-products, and petroleum. They are the first art product company to list all ingredients on its packages. The company uses renewable resources, even down to the beautiful packaging, which is made from mostly recycled materials and is printed with soy-based inks in a wind-powered facility. AND the products are made in the USA.

We received a pack of natural soy crayons and natural modeling dough to review. Of course, my little one wanted to dive right in, ripping the package open and getting down to some serious art business. It is always amazing to see a child's creativity and imagination at work-it's magical. And that is what Clementine Art is all about.

Clementine Art was started by Diana Mercer, a former teacher with over 20 years experience in education, arts education, and child development. She wanted to "create products that not only engaged children in an open-ended creative process, but that could also become an everyday part of healthy and creative lifestyle."

So what did we think of the products? Well, I had a hard time getting my little one to put them away and wash up for dinner. First, we opened the modeling dough, which comes in three colors-yellow, green, and red. This all natural dough is soft and pliable, tons of fun, and smells delicious.

When I opened the box of crayons, I wasn't sure what my daughter would think, but she really liked them. These soy crayons have a totally unique shape, that I absolutely love. My daughter tends to push hard when writing or drawing and she often breaks her crayons, even the larger triangular-shaped ones. These crayons are thick and durable, and are just the right shape to encourage writing. They don't have that "crayon" smell, and they don't come with paper wrapping, so you need not fuss about your kids peeling it away and leaving little pieces all over the house! Also, my daughter accidentally wrote on the carpet, so I got the opportunity to test and see that they wash fairly easily as well.

I would definitely recommend Clementine Art products. What I really love about Clementine Art is that the products are high quality and absolutely safe. We can't wait to try the other items in their line. I only wish that they had been available sooner.

I would love to see Clementine Art expands their product line to include a larger variety of colors. That would be the only slight downside for me right now. Still, we are looking forward to lots of safe playtime with Clementine Art. Kids love to explore, and often that means their little hands AND mouths coming into contact with paint, glue, crayons, whatever they are creating with. Why not choose the safest products available?

Be sure to check out www.clementineart.com to read more about all of their naturally fabulous products!

Here's to happy, healthy, budding little artists!

Btw Cleliac friends, these products are not all gluten-free, but I plan to blog about wheat-free products soon :)

Pretty Little Piggy!

It's that time of year. Christmas decorations are popping up everywhere, stores are stocking up their toy supplies, and parents will soon begin to scramble! So I thought I would post a few more of my favorite safe picks for kids. I'll start with this great stocking stuffer for girls!

Since we have a little princess in our midst, we have lots of fun with all the girly stuff. Like most little girls, our daughter loves to paint her nails, just like her mommy. Oh what fun! We have been using the more natural polishes for years now, but our newest find is the Best. We love Piggy Paint!

I first discovered Piggy Paint in a magazine, and have since read review after review from fellow mommy bloggers. So I decided to order some a while back to see if it was truly as wonderful as I had heard...AND it is!

So what is so great about Piggy Paint? Well, for starters, my little one loves anything "piggy". But in addition to that, this awesome nail polish is made from a water-based formula, and is totally free of all the harsh chemicals found in most other brands. The Piggy Paint site boasts that "Piggy Paint is specially formulated from God’s natural ingredients and dries to a hard, durable finish. There are no toxic chemicals; it’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, biphenyl A, ethyl acetate and acetone."

Piggy Paint truly is as natural as mud. It doesn't even have a hint of harsh odor...it actually smells a little like dirt. I was also surprised at how well the special polish remover works. And I am quite impressed with the beautiful colors Piggy Paint comes in. I liked them so much that I decided to give myself a piggy pedicure. I have been searching for the perfect red for some time, and now I've finally found it in "Sometimes Sweet"!

Now Piggy Paint is offering To Your Health readers 15% off! Just use the coupon code at checkout and you'll receive 15% off anything at www.piggypaint.com , including sales items. They ship worldwide.

COUPON CODE: HEALTH15L
EXPIRATION DATE: Feb 28, 2010
Spend over $25 and domestic shipping is FREE!

Here's to being a girl!

Tweak the Treats!

Today seems to mark the official beginning of our season of special treats. Whether you participate in this holiday or not, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and more are right around the corner, and there will be goodies o' plenty at every turn. So, what does this healthy livin' mommy think about all of the sugary treats?

Well, tonight we will be attending an event at our church, and there will be plenty of candy involved. I cannot hope for my little one to say "no thank you" to all of those yummy sweets. Of course I want to limit her sugar intake, but I want her to enjoy herself. When it comes to special days like this, birthday parties, etc, I don't fret too much. It is only one day, and since I am doing my best all throughout the year to keep nutritious, healthy food in our diets, I can shrug my shoulders and let my kiddo have a good time.

But do I want my three-year-old consuming all of her giant candy loot? No way. So here are a few ideas to help parents put a lid on the candy intake!

• Buy their candy! Let your kids choose a handful of their favorites and "buy" the rest from them. Set a price of 5 to 25 cents per piece of candy, depending on the size of their collection (and their age). Then let them put that toward a special toy or other item they've had their eye on. OR instead of using cash, buy them out with stickers or other fun stuff!
  

• I read about one mom showing her kids "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and then allowing them to keep a portion of their candy, and offering the rest to "the Great Pumpkin" (in reality, it's daddy, who hauls the loot off to work on Monday morning!)

• Make a trade! Let your kids keep a few pieces in their bag, and trade the others for some healthier options. Here are a few ideas for replacements that are not necessarily "healthy", but are a better alternative to the more common treats filled with hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavors and colors.
  

1. Fill a small bag with trailmix, carob chips, raisins, pretzels, or one of their other favorite snack foods.

2. Yummy Earth organic lollypops (my daughter's favorite)

3. SunSpire's natural candy bars and Sundrops- colorful "m & m"-like chocolate treats

4. Cliff Kid Organic Twisted Fruit

5. Annie's Organic BunnyFruit Snacks

(can all be found at Whole Foods and other health food stores, and Amazon)

These are just a few ideas to make your holiday a little bit healthier, but just as SWEET!

Here's to your health!

A Warm Cup of Healthy Brew

It is so nice to enjoy a hot cup of tea in the morning, or just before heading off to bed at night. I drink tea a bit less frequently since moving here to Hawaii, but with the weather cooling off in the next few months, my husband and I will be enjoying an evening ritual that we always look forward to this time of year. A warm mug in my hand, the smell of it brewing, the way it sooths as it goes down. Aaaah.

When it comes to tea, I prefer vanilla, chocolate...or mint. Yum. Though I enjoy tea as a treat, I also know the many benefits herbal teas offer. Recently I shared my top immune boosters. Even when we do our best to prevent it, we all get sick from time to time. When I feel the twinge of a sore throat coming on, I know I can reach for Traditional Medicinals. I may take lots of Vitamin C and other things to help fight a cold, but nothing soothes my throat like Throat Coat, by Traditional Medicinals.

Herbal remedies have been used for thousands of years. Medicinal use of herbal tinctures exists all over the world, in various cultures. Traditional Medicinals offers a variety of herbal blends, specially formulated for specific needs. In addition to Throat Coat, they make several blends of teas to help promote health in areas like digestion, sleep, and mood. A great one for new mommies is Mother's Milk, which is highly recommended by midwives and lactation consultants, for promoting healthy breast milk production.

Traditional Medicinals is the leader in fair trade certified herbal teas. For over 34 years, they have been making herbal teas, blending the ancient art of traditional formulating with the most modern methods to ensure a consistently reliable product. Visit their official site to explore the variety of tea blends and other products offered. You can also find Traditional Medicinal teas at health food stores, Target, and Amazon.

Here's to healthy sipping!

Refund From Disney

Many of you have likely heard about this. I have received several emails about it, so I am posting it to be sure you are all informed. Disney is offering a refund on all Baby Einstein videos. According to Brandweek, "The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood alleged the offer is a result of a complaint that was filed with the Federal Trade Commission regarding Baby Einstein’s marketing claims. The CCFC filed the complaint in 2006, citing the fact that there is no credible evidence that screen media can educate infants. Soon after, Disney removed the educational claims from Baby Einstein products."

For more information on how to receive a refund, click here.

15% OFF New Clean Well Spray

Recently I told you all how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Clean Well products. I am especially fond of the all-natural hand sanitizer, which is free of harsh chemicals and won't dry out your hands. When it comes to busting germs, Clean Well is the absolute BEST choice for you and your family!

Clean Well now makes this awesome hand sanitizer in their dreamy scent, Orange Vanilla. I just ordered mine. I am so excited because I use this spray "umteen" times a day, and now it comes in my favorite fragrance. Yum!

Right now you can receive 15% off this fabulous new product. The offer lasts through October 30th. Click here for details.

Here's to your health!

BioPro Cell Chip Winner!!

Congratulations Jen, you have won a BioPro protective chip for your phone. Enjoy!

Thanks to all who entered. Be sure to check out:

"EnviroBlox Giveaway"-ends 11/20

Enviro BLOX Giveaway!!

Remember those great pics I posted of my husband's creations with Magic Nuudles? We have had so much fun with these...especially my other child, the hubby! He is quite talented when it comes to this kind of stuff. I might stick few together and call it a bracelet, while he is putting the finishing touches on an intricate design that just puts mine to shame.

Magic Nuudles are now called EnviroBLOX to better reflect the product. These natural building blocks are lots of fun and best of all, safe for kids and the environment. EnviroBLOX are proudly made in the USA, from a patented, high-cellulose cornstarch formulation. They are 100% bio-degradable (disappear under running water), free of petrochemicals, and are colored with safe, food-grade dyes. They are even harmless if chewed or sucked on! They simply dissolve. Now that is kid-friendly!

Want to test your skills with these eco-friendly blox? The folks over at Candaco are generously giving a Super-Tub Building Set of EnviroBLOX filled with more than 880 Enviro BLOX to one of my readers!

GIVEAWAY

This giveaway is only available to To Your Health followers, so if you haven't signed up to follow, please do so first. New followers will automatically receive one extra entry for joining!!!

Initial entry: Visit the Cadaco site, then leave me a comment saying which other products interest you (in addition to the EnviroBLOX). This is mandatory for other entries to count :)

Extra entry: Follow me on twitter

Extra entry: Become a fan on facebook

Extra entry: Blog about this giveaway

Extra entry: Refer a friend to To Your Health!

~Please leave a separate comment for each entry. If you do not have a blog, please leave an email address so you can be notified if you have won!

**Contest ends Friday, November 20, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. Hawaii time. Open to USA and Canada residents. Winner will be randomly selected by third party and will have 72 hours to respond.

Here's to happy, healthy playtime!

Weekend Wisdom

If you're looking for Weekend Wisdom, I'm hosting it here on my family blog.

Cheers!

What's In Your Bottled Water?

My husband took some much-needed time off from work this week, so we'll be spending lots of time hangin' out as a family. We're off to the beach! So for now I will leave you with some information on another interesting documentary-click below to read more about it and be sure to watch the trailer.

Don't Drink the (Bottled) Water

Carob Pudding With Sprinkles!

I adapted this recipe for raw pudding from one I found on Ani Phyo's site. My daughter said it wasn't sweet enough, so after a little tweaking, I created a pudding to suit her little pallet. This pudding can be made with carob chips, carob powder, or raw cocoa powder. The cashews are a great source of fiber, protein, and other nutritents, such as copper and magnesium.

My little one likes it topped with colorful sprinkles. We choose Let's Do... Sprinkelz. They are gluten free, contain no artificial ingredients, and are colored naturally with extracts of seeds, vegetables, or fruits. They are delicious. Who doesn't love sprinkles?!

I top mine with finely shredded organic coconut and carob chips. The consistency of this pudding reminds me of frosting. This would be a great and healthy alternative for those with lactose intolerance, dairy allergy, or a vegan lifestyle. I bet it would be great on vanilla cupcakes. I'll have to try it out and let you know!

Carob Pudding

1 cup raw organic cashews

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup pitted semi soft dates

1 tbs agave nectar

1/2 tbs coconut oil

2 tbs carob chips, carob powder, or raw cocoa powder

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

That's it. Easy, yummy, healthy. The trickiest part is getting every last bit out of your blender. For this part,use a rubber spatula or spoon. Serve chilled with your favorite toppings.

~Turn this recipe into a carob-coconut pudding by simply adding a little more coconut oil to enhance the coconut flavor~

*High speed blender recommended. For best results, try the Vita Mix.

Here's to sweet...and healthy treats!

Weekend Wisdom

It's Friday night. I am posting a bit late...the week goes by so quickly! When it comes to wisdom, there is no better source than the infallible Word of God. So I look to the Bible daily, for wisdom, for hope, for truth.

This week I quote a passage from the book of John, chapter 6, verse 31 (also found in Matthew 7:12). We have all heard this quoted many times. The "Golden Rule" existed before Christ, in the rabbinic writings and also in other religions. All other versions cast the rule as a negative command, like Rabbi Hiilel's version, "What is hateful to yourself do not to someone else." But Jesus made it a positive command, saying,

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Now the meaning of the saying comes to life, and we see this one command sum up the whole gist of the ethical principles provided in the Commandments. We see that we ought not to just avoid hating or hurting one another, but instead be actively loving one another.

Have some wisdom to share? Post your link below. Be sure to post the permalink to your post and not the general link to your blog. Have a great a healthy weekend!

Cell Chip GIVEAWAY!!!

The BioPro GIVEAWAY ends soon! If you haven't already entered, click here. Be sure to leave a comment after entering!

Sneaky Spinach & Olive Pizza

We are pretty lucky to have a kid that actually likes vegetables. But like any toddler, she is selective about which ones she will eat and how often she'll partake. Green veggies are tricky. I often hide them in her food and I like to sneak them in when she's really hungry. If she is gobbling up her meal, she doesn't usually take time to dissect what I've put in front of her!

One of my little one's favorites is pizza. She loves to help me assemble mini pizzas, just the right size for little hands. I like to keep things simple most of the time. For a quick lunch or dinner, I can easily throw these together with whatever ingredients I have handy. Here is a recipe for quick and easy, healthy kid pizza.

Sneaky Spinach and Olive Pizza

Ezekiel Sprouted whole grain hamburger buns or English muffins

Organic ketchup (or marinara sauce)

Organic shredded cheese or cheese substitute

Organic baby spinach leaves

Sliced olives (We like Santa Barbara Olive Co.-no chemical preservatives)

1. Chop the baby spinach into very tiny pieces.

2. Spread about 1 tsp chopped spinach on half a bun or muffin.

3. Top with desired amount of ketcup or marinara.

4. Sprinkle plenty of cheese to fully cover any trace of green.

5. Add sliced olives

6. Bake or broil until cheese melts and bread browns.

7. Slice in half or quarters.

Voila'! Super easy. Quite a healthy little pizza. Use whatever ingredients you've got. Sometimes we add sliced turkey meat from the deli. The key is to use something your kid(s) really enjoys to distract from the spinach. You may have guessed that my Phoebe loves olives. She would eat a whole can if I let her.

Here's to healthy kids!

Weekend Wisdom

It's Friday! Time for Weekend Wisdom. Several years ago, my husband and I received a gift subscription to Guideposts magazine. Our dear friends continue to renew our subscription every year for Christmas.

Guideposts magazine is an interfaith magazine, started by Norman Vincent Peale, author of the best seller, The Power of Positive Thinking. I really enjoy having a copy of Guideposts arrive every month. I can take it along to the beach, or read it while waiting for appointment at the dentist. I love reading so many inspirational stories from people of all walks of life. The stories are short, so it is easy to squeeze in a little inspiration just about anywhere. I used to keep one handy in the car, to read in various parking lots. Ah, those desperate days of early mommyhood, when my little one really needed a nap, but would only sleep if we hit the road!

One of my favorite bits in Guideposts is a section called, "The Up Side". It is a collection of quotes-some sent in by readers, others taken from famous authors, doctors, reverends, etc. These quotes are great for getting a quick dose of inspiration or perspective for the day.

Here is a simple little quote I liked from August's issue:

"Worry often gives a small thing a great shadow."

-Swedish proverb submitted by Guideposts Intern Andrea Craig of New York, New York.


Now it's your turn! Post a little Weekend Wisdom on your blog and link back here.

*To participate:
1. Write your post-be sure to link back to this post so your readers can join in!
2. Stop by To Your Health and add your link-add the permalink to the specific blog post, not the general link to your blog.

*If you don't have a blog, feel free to participate by posting a comment.

Here's to your health!