Willow Pads Cloth Diapering System & How-to DVD Review

About Willow Pads

"Generations after generations have lived on our Earth, with the understanding that all things will return to the earth, all things are reusable.

Recently in our history, our people have gotten off track, and have forgotten our future. We have created single use materials that cannot be returned to the Earth, that disrupt this natural cycle and change our future. We cannot continue to treat our planet as though it is single use. We must care for our planet, preserving it for our children.  

Now is the time to move forward with this basic principle. Catherine Bolden, founder and mom behind The Willow Store, created this company in 2005 to share her dedication and respect our Earth, for our children and our reusable future.

We will not compromise on our beliefs.  All of our products are ethically manufactured in the US, we strongly support small business, and living wages. We choose only the highest quality materials, and organic whenever possible, sourced in the US whenever possible.

~Catherine Bolden

Founder, TheWillowStore.com and ReusableFuture.com

Vice-Chair, Real Diaper Industry Association (realdiaperindustry.org)"

My Opinion

Willow Pad has generously sent me both the 2 Disc DVD set about "Diapering Today" and also one of their Cloth diapering Systems called Sprout change.

The set consists of two DVDs, each catagory is broken down into smaller chapters which is great if you are just starting out and have no idea what you are doing.You can watch it all, a little at a time, or only watch what interests you. Pertinent information is repeated (such as in types of cloth diapers, and the terminology section) so you won’t miss anything if you don’t watch the whole thing so therefore it was not monotonous and didn’t seem repetitive!

Throughout the DVD, you will hear genuiune, unscripted responses from actual cloth diapering parents on various subjects from the chapters. This is broken up by photo and video demonstrations, information from Catherine herself, and cloth diaper facts from the RDIA’s Heather McNamara.

Here’s what you’ll find on the DVDs and approximately how long each section is:

Disc 1:

Intro (2 min)
Why Cloth (15 min)
How to Use (3 min)
Types (13 min)
Getting Started (10 min)
Washing (10 min)
Cloth on a Budget (4 min)
Community (4 min)

Disc 2:

Tips & Tricks (15 min)
Accessories (5 min)
Resources (3 min)
Potty Training (10 min)
Evolution of Diapers (18 min)
Terms (13 min)
Credits (1.5 min)
Trailer (2 min)

I’m not going to go into great detail as far as what you’ll find in each chapter; I think you can gather that from their titles and it feels like you are at one of those 101 diapering classes that some locals could find in their areas or chatted with other cloth diaper mammas.

The best part of this How-to/Why DVD set is that it 1) was not an ad to sell their brand of cloth diapers. The DVD gave loads of unbiased information on ALL Types of cloth systems and that all of those types were demonstrated on a baby doll. Sure, there is a difference when trying to cloth a baby dol versus a squirmy little one, but you get the gist of it and it's quite simple.

I did feel that the DVD set was a little longer then it should have been and it's not absolutely neccessary to watch the entire thing, you can simply pick the chapter that you would like to veiw to obtain info that you may not already know. The DVD was direct and to the point on many things like not going into great details about each of the various parts of each cloth diapering ststem.

I loved that fact that the real people in this film were genuine and didn't try to "push" cloth diapering on to me. It was like talking to freinds. No one gave that speech about about cloth diapering being the only way to go instead they recommended things like build a stash, start slowly, half the time cloth and half the time use disposables because they know each family is different and unique and what works for one may not wok for another.

They also have a method for cloth washing called K.I.S.S. (keep it simple sweetie) and give a run down of how to care for your cloth diapers and said the best detergents are those with the simplist ingredients.

They did make it clear that cloth diapering is not to be compared with smelling roses and adressed the face that sometimes you do have "smelly" issues with cloth (although it'sa not normal), but that it is an easy fix.

They also adress the "poop factor" issue. You know when you have an explosion and have to change baby's enitre outfit and then your own after a quick bath for baby and a shower for you. It seems that there is less poop to be dealt with seeing as it stays where it is supposed to; in baby's undergarments not blown out. Here is a trailer for the DVD:


The Willow Store is selling the Diapering Today DVD set for $17.95, and 1% of the profits will be donated to providing cloth and education to low-income families. When you buy the DVD bundled with an Organic Super Saver Starter Kit (1 shell & 3 organic inserts), it costs you just $11.20 more than buying the starter kit alone. I think that would make an awesome gift for an expectant mom, but I do wish they had an option to purchase the DVD by itself.

The diapering sytem is intriguing in it's one size, reversable, all in two, adjustment system. I received the "Lemon Ice" edition to try with 'Liam. It's a pale green on one side and a pale yellow on the other. Sprout Change has quite a few options for the absorbent inserts and colors you can choose for the shell.

I recieved two of the organic inserts, but they offer a whole variety including organic hemp prefolds, micor fleece "soft sleeves" so you can use microfiber inserts you already have. The options are just amazing!



The packaging contains helpful information including sizing instructions and guidelines. The diaper itself is a side snap, but all of the sizing adjustments are made through hidden elastic tabs inside the diaper itself. The leg adjustment is adjusted through a small opening at the front of the diaper and the waist is adjusted through a snapped opening at the wind. Once the size has been adjusted your good to go!



The 5 sizes are newborn (5-10 lbs), infant (10-18 lbs), crawler (15-22 lbs), walker (22-34 lbs) & potty (34+ lbs). I think you could also call these XS, S, M, L & XL. The packaging has recommended settings for each size. To keep things simple, I’ve taken photos of each size measured folded and stretched, set on the same setting for waist & legs (4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st and 0.)

When the diaper is "right side out" the front of the diaper snaps into the wings like a traditional side snap diaper. However, when it is reversed it still snaps on the side, but the back of the diaper comes around to snap on the front panel of the diaper. It sounds really complicatedm, but it wasn't that bad.

The diaper looked adorable, but also performed very well. The inserts are super absorbent, fit well with no shifting or leaking, and are very easy to use.It was very easy to remove the wet insert, and reuse the shell, reversed for a change of pace!Now I understand why people like Sprout Change so much! Shells retail for $16.95 separately, Stay Dry inserts are $4.75 and organic inserts are $5.75. You can save more by buying insert 6-packs or diaper packages/bundles!

And if you're not sure what that new Mamma would like they have Gift Certificate options too!

If you would like to learn more about Willow Pads or purchase their products please visit;
Willow Pad's Sprout Change Setion for Information
Willow Pad's Official Online Sore


In the spirit of full-disclosure Willow Pad sent samples for my family and I to try. No monetary compensations was given and as always all opinions are my own.  

Winner for the UgLee Pen!

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Congrats Christine W. ~ Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Green Valley Organics; Lactose Free "Dairy" Products Review

About Green Valley Organics

"Award-Winning Digestive Health Products since 1968

Located among the picturesque redwoods of Western Sonoma County, California, Green Valley Organics® is a different kind of dairy food company. As a small family business, we have been producing delicious, award-winning goat milk dairy products at Redwood Hill Farm since 1968. In 1978, owner Jennifer Lynn Bice assumed ownership of the farm from her parents who started it and expanded the goat milk products and diversified the breeding program.

The strong interest and sales of goat’s milk products gave Jennifer and her Redwood Hill team the insight that there was a high demand for lactose free dairy products, which aid in digestive health. It became their mission to provide the world with more lactose free dairy products, and as a result, Green Valley Organics® was born.

Our milk comes from a small, Certified Humane® family farm, where cows are treated with care and respect, grazing in green pastures in a peaceful valley year round. Just a few miles away, the milk is gently cultured, using traditional methods powered by solar energy.

We use best practices with our dairy yogurt, kefir and sour cream, just like we do with our goat milk products. They are free of artificial coloring, preservatives, and stabilizers. They’re organic, so they’re good for the planet. Lactose free, so they’re good for your tummy. And delicious, so they’re good for your whole family. Our company has been a leader in digestive health for over 40 years, so you can feel confident about our lactose free products. One taste and you’ll know you’ve finally found peace and harmony for your stomach, and your taste buds."

My Opinion

I love food. I don't know if I have expressed that enough, but sometimes the foods I eat don't always agree with me. I am Lactose Intolerant and finding tasty alternatives isn't always something that happens. So believe me when I say I was surprised when I got a phone call at work by my father saying I had a perishable package arrive on my doorstep. I was confused and he thought it was cheese. I wasn't expecting a package from Green Valley Organics, but to my delight there it was in all it's LACTOSE-FREE glory.

I vaguely recall sending them an email about reviewing their products, but had never actually heard anything back from them, so I shrugged it off as an "I know it takes a while to get back to people" situation, especially when there are thousands of Bloggers all asking for review requests. So low and behold some time later they sent me a delightful assortment of yogurts, sour cream, kefir "milks", an awesome t-shirt, and a reusable cooler bag for grocery shopping. 

The reason I am most excited was because there is a lactose free sour cream which means I can occasionally overindulge in my veggies and dip cravings that hit like a ton of bricks. What fun is eating veggies without dip? I love scooping piles of dip up onto my broccoli crowns, cauliflower, carrots, black olives, cucumbers, peppers, and cherry tomatoes and seeing those few excessive drops of dip crash back down onto my dish splashing onto the next veggie I'm going to eat.

I made my favorite creamy garden ranch dip and man, was it delightful. It was just as good if not better (and not just because I could eat as much of it as I wanted) then made with "real" sour cream dips. My friends, whom I failed to inform that I used a lactose free sour cream , thought that my dip was phenomenal and asked what I had differently. When I explained that I had received Green Valley Organics lactose free sour cream they were VERY impressed with the quality and taste of the finished product.

The next thing I had to do was try the yogurt. I eat a lot of yogurt. I've been on a yogurt kick, but too much of a good thing never ends well, especially when you probably shouldn't be eating it in the first place. I received a sample pack of all 6 of their varieties. Their yogurts come in Peach, Vanilla, Honey, Blueberry, Strawberry, and Plain.

This yogurt is has a really creamy and thick consistency. The fruit rests on the bottom of the container and has to be stirred to really mix it all together. 

The Peach flavor contains sun ripened peaches which gives the yogurt a sweet and tangy flavor. The Vanilla contains real vanilla beans from Madagascar  to enhance the natural flavor of the yogurt. The Honey yogurt is sweetened with organic grade A wildflower honey giving this yogurt a sweet and creamy flavor all its' own.  The Blueberries and yogurt compliment each other's tangy flavors and provide lots of antioxidants. 

The Strawberry yogurt's perfect harmony is due to the real organic strawberries that are used in this variety adding a complexity of fruit flavors with tangy yogurt. The Strawberry flavor really "pops" (as well as the other fruit varieties) because Green Valley Organics uses less sugar during their yogurt making process. The plain yogurt is smooth, simple, delicious, and provides the many benefits of cultured yogurts without all the sugar. It is a great addition to soups, smoothies, and deserts that call for yogurt in the recipe.

Now, how about that Lactose Free Kefir? First, let me explain what exactly Kefir is for those of you who are unfamiliar with what it is. Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with shepherds of the North Caucasus region, who discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage. It is prepared by inoculating cow, goat, or sheep's milk with kefir grains. Traditional kefir was made in skin bags that were hung near a doorway; the bag would be knocked by anyone passing through the doorway to help keep the milk and kefir grains well mixed.

 Green Valley Plain Kefir is a cultured organic milk with ten types of live and active probiotic cultures, including L. bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, L. paracasei, L. rahmnosus, L. lactis, S. thermopiles, B. bifidum, etc. Green Valley brand is good for those who are lactose intolerant and would still like to have dairy products. I found  Green Valley Organics' kefir to be slightly more watery and sweeter then other regular dairy Kefir "Milks". All in all though it's not bad seeing as I can enjoy the benefits of dairy products without all of the problems that would typically ensue with consuming them.

I really enjoyed using Green Valley Organics over regular dairy brands for myself as I am lactose intolerant and it is very difficult to find products that aren't gross when they lack dairy. This gives me the chance to enjoy my daily dose of dairy without the sometimes painful side effects of regular dairy. I very much so recommend these products for anyone who is lactose intolerant and has trouble finding products that are suited for their needs. I loved the yogurt, the sour cream was my absolute favorite, and the kefir left me desiring something more. I would love for them to thicken up the kefir a little just to give it that rich creamy texture that I love so much.

If you would like to learn more about Green Valley Organics or to find a grocer near you please visit;

Green Valley Organic's on Facebook

Green Valley Organics on Twitter

Green Valley Organics on YouTube 

Green Valley Organics Official Website

Buy Green Valley Organics (Store Locator)

In the spirit of full-disclosure Green Valley Organics sent samples for my family and I to try. No monetary compensations was given and as always all opinions are my own.  

Child Abuse: Please Don't Hurt Me Anymore

 Please Don't Hurt Me Anymore....

"Please don't hurt me anymore" are the words I remember all to well when I think back into my childhood years. It hurts me to know so many of our precious children in this world are going through so much pain and hurt,the misery they did nothing to deserve taunts them day by day.Wondering if it will ever stop or just go away.Like millions of others I am a survivor of child abuse.What about the millions of others who didn't make it?

This post is for them...

Did you know: The National Center on Child Abuse & Neglect estimates that 2.9 million children are abused or neglected by parents or caretakers each year in the U.S?



 Fewer then 10% of abusers have mental illnesses so I don't believe in any excuses for it!

My heart goes out to the many children all across the world who has to wake up and go to sleep being abused. Not understanding why it's happening to them or knowing where to go or who to turn to,they feel so alone and trapped.

There are various types of child abuse:

Physical - acts of violence that injure or may even kill a child

Sexual - when adults use children for their sexual gratification

Emotional - mostly verbal abuse

Physical Neglect - failure of providing for the child's needs

Educational neglect or Abandonment are abuse as well

Studies has shown that 30% of abused children become abusive themselves & other studies show that most abused do not become abusive adults.



Child abuse is so cruel, it leads to long term effects on children they have to suffer even after the abuse stops. The suffering never goes away for the child. They grow into survivors but still have emotional issues and scars that may never be healed.Abused children grow many fears, thoughts, anxiety in crowds or social settings. Trusting others in life can be very hard for them,recurring flash-backs,nightmares and many more problems that they should never have to go through. 

This is why WE ALL have to play a part in preventing the abuse of children. 

We can't turn the other way,we have to be their voices.We have to protect them.

If you are have any concerns or a suspicion that a child is being abused in any way PLEASE report it.Don't allow it to continue,contact the police or social services,a Dr.or nurse,teacher or any community worker.You don't have to give your name,just give your help by letting it be known. 

Here are a few links for more information about child abuse:

The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD
Help Spread the Word
Recognizing and Preventing Child Abuse
Facts,Laws,Cases and Intervention about child abuse


A little about me:

My name is Shannon Flora,I'm a single mother of 4 and I'm a mommy blogger who loves to blog about anything family related.I love to read,shop and live a frugal life!!
I'm proudly posting as a guest post here at Singlemomdom & the Greener Life. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at shannpf1977@yahoo.com I'd love if you would visit my blog Shannon's Tales of Motherhood I have giveaways,reviews,couponing,freebies and deals!

Thanks for reading,
Shannon Flora

S&S Brand; Sauces & Rubs Review; Breathe new life into your family favorites

About S&S Brand

"It all began when a San Francisco Chef, who had roots in the south decided to bring real BBQ to the city. Spencer O'Meara knows his way around a smoker and when he started cookin' his meats low and slow he needed seasonings and sauces. He created 3 regional BBQ sauces and a BBQ rub that packed a punch to make his BBQ truly original. Customers at his restaurant loved his BBQ so much he decided he wanted to have a piece of it available to everyone. So along with his other half, Sarah Burchard, also a San Francisco Chef they created S&S brand. The couple currently boasts all 3 BBQ sauces and 6 different spice rubs. They have grown the product line to include seasonings not only for BBQ but for all cuisines and are experimenting with new flavors every chance they get. S&S brand sauces and spice rubs provide depth of flavor to your meals BBQ or not. "

This picture is used for demonstrative purposes only and was taken from Taste of Home as an example. I forgot to take photos as I was REALLY hungry

My Opinion


S & S Brands sent me two of their rubs to try. One was a Ranch Rub and the other a Poultry Rub. We don't particularly eat poultry so I had to get creative with the Poultry rub, but we love to experiment with our food and other Greek and foreign delights.

The first one that we tried was the poultry rub, I used it to make chicken gyros. I used to work in an Italian restaurant and the wife of the owner was actually Italian born. She taught me many of her traditional family recipes when they decided to make me the head "chef" so to speak. Some of those recipes included Chicken Alfredo, Gyros, Shrimp Scampi, Chicken Marsala, and more, but my favorite of the bunch was always the gyros. I loved making the Cucumber Sauce the best.

I have never been able to match the taste of the chicken used in gyros since it is cooked and made very different then ordinary chicken, but I love to experiment with flavors and rubs to improve on my recipes. I rubbed down the chicken the night before and put it into the fridge to "inate" I use that term because I don't want to use the term marinate because it was not in a sauce, but I wanted the flavor to infuse the chicken before I cooked it the next day. I helped to aid  this process by "stuffing" the chicken with the spices on top of rubbing the chicken down with the spice rub.

I grilled the chicken because it just doesn't taste as well made when it is baked or broiled in the oven when making gyros. I tried a piece of the chicken when it was done cooking the next day before adding everything together so that I could get a full understanding of the flavors in the spice rub and try it without anything else. S & S Brand Poultry Rub is made with a combination of spices (that part is a secret), various herbs, onion, and garlic. I always love rubs with onion and garlic those two particular spices seem to always enhance the flavor of anything you are cooking and they are universal meaning they can be used on anything.

The Poultry Rub reminds me of Lawry's Seasoned Salt which is good for everything. I would love to try the rub on some things other then poultry. I think this rub would make a great "universal" rub. The Garlic and Onion flavors stick out the most of all the spices blended together in this rub. It gives the chicken a delightful aroma and cascading flavors. If you just taste the rub with your finger at first it is a little overwhelming to the tongue and tastes slightly "spicy", but then the flavors become more subtle with the Garlic and Onion resounding in your mouth leaving your taste buds screaming for more. You can get their Poultry Rub in a 1.7 oz. tin for $7.00.

This picture was borrowed courtesy of beefretail.org

For the Ranch Rub I made an Asian inspired salad with an American twist.  Again, I "inated" the steak in the fridge overnight and grilled it the next day. I served the steak sliced up with the option of placing the meat on a salad or eating them as two separate dishes. I used a "coleslaw" mix of greens, snow peas, toasted almonds, and the Ranch Steak to make the salad. I enjoyed mine with a little bit of oil and red wine vinegar because I didn't want to "mask" the true flavors of the steak. The Ranch Rub is made with Non-Fat dry milk. dry buttermilk, onion, spices, dried herbs, lemon, salt, and garlic.

This combination is far better then any basic "ranch style" seasoning that I could personally whip up at home or get store bought. Usually, I get a ranch seasoning packet made by Hidden Valley and use that to spice up my meals, but I just found a new favorite at a great price. You can get their Ranch Rub in a 2 oz. tin for $7.00. It doesn't take a ton of rub to get the job done. If you "over coat" it then it becomes overbearing, if you "under coat" it then it becomes too bland. The idea is to find a happy median that pleases the pallet and bring something new to the table.

S & S Brand does just that. They offer a variety of Rubs, "Marinades", and Sauces made  just to meet and exceed those needs. Some of their other products include: St. Louis Style BBQ  which is a molasses rich sauce that brings subtle heat with a hint of cumin and coriander,  a Fish Rub which is made from lemon, herbs, and garlic, and when mixed with olive oil makes and outstanding wet rub, and their exclusive Holiday Gift Box   which includes St. Louis, Tennessee, and Carolina style BBQ Sauces, as well as Ranch, 4 Peppercorn, Ranch, and Jerk Rubs to delight any cook fro only $45.00. Money well spent in my opinion. If I received something like this as a gift it would make my grilling season complete.

If you would like to learn more about S & S Brand Rubs and Sauces or to purchase their products please visit:

S & S Brand on Facebook

S & S Brand on Twitter

S & S Brand's Official Website

Disclosure: I received 1x .5 oz packet of S & S Brand Poultry Rub and 1x .5 oz packet of Ranch Rub for my family and I to try. As always all opinions are my own and No other compensation was exchanged.

MegaBloks; A Day @ the Diesel Works Review sponsored by Mommy Parties

About MegaBloks

"Our mission is to nurture creativity in every child and every family. We are big in construction toys and our play sets are popular with preschool children and boys aged 5-12. We offer a broad assortment of craft and activity products mainly for girls of all ages. Our games and puzzles entertain the whole family and our extensive offering of stationery, pens, pencils, markers and crayons addresses every need, whether for school, work or play..

Our global ambition is to make MEGA Brands the choice of every family around the world. We have an outstanding product development team and, every year, we invest 3-4% of our sales to drive innovation. And every year, our products win critical acclaim for their contribution to child development and play value.

We are a global organization based in North America, with a sales and distribution network that reaches over 100 countries. We are profitable and growing rapidly and this is a good thing. This is what shareholders expect and the more successful we are, the more we can invest in bringing creativity to the world."

Visit Mega Bloks on the web today to join the family and see what's new!

My Opinion

I'm a little disappointed in the way my hosting of the party went. I had the event all set up, spent a few hundred dollars on food, had everything set up for guests including going out and purchasing Thomas the Tank engine themed party decor, invitations were sent and and replied to, and then not one person showed up! This is the third time this has happened to me, but a few guests had a legitimate reason this time. A "bug" has been going around and half my guests were at home in bed.

I was livid and cried because i was both hurt and angry that people could do such a thing. So low and behold I rescheduled the event and resent invitations.  This time I had only one guest make an appearance. Which is better then the first time around. I was still upset at the entire situation. I will attempt to re-host is for a third time since supposedly 3 times is a charm, but I was not disappointed by the fun that was had by the children that did attend.

since, I had been busy in the kitchen all day I had enlisted in some assistance from my sister and her boyfriend to set-up the train set for the children to play with not once, but twice now. Here is a few pictures of the set-up process.

Set-up was pretty easy and the directions were simple to follow. the pictures on the box were helpful as well.

Once it was set-up it looked so cool! My boys were ready to tear into it, but I had told them that they had to wait until our guests arrive before that so the train set would stay in tact long enough for me to snap a dozen pictures of everyone playing with it and checking it out. I love the fact that you can purchase other sets to connect with this one to make a whole Thomas "village" for the kiddos to play with. Which is something I have already done for Christmas since they loved the set so much.

The first picture shows my Jon-Jon and my friend's grandson (J) playing with the train set. The second picture is my Bradley getting into it. He had just destroyed the crane. I even got in on playing with the kiddos. I couldn't resist. This particular set (A Day @ the Diesel Works). This set has 72 pieces all together and when set up includes Percy and Diesel Trains, Happy Hook and other smaller cranes, and a Diesel Station where they can fuel up for hours of fun. This set retails for around $42.99 give or take a few cents.

The other sets that is came with were Diesel and Thomas "add on" sets. These sets included buckets that when turned over created ramps for added fun. Diesel slides down through the swinging doors as he leaves Sodor Diesel Works to "shunt" tacks on Thomas' branch line. 

Thomas's version is very similar except his is more of a "racetrack" so to speak so that Thomas can whiz through Sodor and fly down the finish line to beat his personal best.

Each set come with 16 pieces, but no instructions on how to assemble them or where the stickers should go. Which kinda stunk, but based on the pictures on the bucket we got it pretty well figured out. Each of these two set retails for around $12.00 give or take a few cents and can be found at retailers like Toys R Us.

Overall, we really enjoyed the sets as did our guest, we set aside the remainder of the sets for our guest's  who couldn't attend and based on our guest list we had 3 leftover sets that we donated to Toys for Tots in an effort to share the love with others. This is one set I will be adding to in the future and am thrilled that even though the turnout wasn't the best we had a blast and felt very privileged to have been selected to host this event. I highly recommend this product to friends, family, and coworkers, as well as any one who is a fan of Thomas the Tank Engine.  

For more information of the Mega Bloks Sets listed above or to purchase your own please visit:

Mega Bloks on Facebook

Mega Bloks on Twitter

Mega Bloks Official Website

To learn more about Mom Select and Mommy Parties, please visit;

Mom Select Offical Webpage

Disclosure: I received the 72 piece Thomas & Friends MegaBloks set and ten 16 piece Thomas & Friends sets to share with my friends from Mommy parties and MegaBloks for my review. No other compensation was exchanged.