Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

Green 4 Your Soul, a one-stop-shop for all your green essentials,  recently debuted a fabulous new line for mom and baby called Noli N Nali Organics.  I have slowly started to make the green transition for products for my kids, and Green 4 Your Soul is my favorite website because it is so easy to use.

Coupon code alert!  Use Green 4 Your Soul coupon code “ORANGES” upon checkout and receive 15% off your order (offer good now through 1/1/2010 – time to stock up on holiday gifts!)

You can  read and write reviews on the site which is such a great feature for me as I love reading reviews when buying products.   However, last Friday I wrote a review for a lotion of theirs I am crazy about, the Shea Terra Moroccan Mint Vanilla (LOOOOVVVVEEE the scent!), and since I was 2 days away from turning 35, I had to select the 35 – 44 age range.  It hit me that within one weekend I was entering a whole new age bracket!  Oh well, if this weekend was a sign of the year to come, 35 is going to shape up to be a good one.

I digress, on to the baby products!  The Noli n Nali Willow Baby Shampoo and Ella Bella Body Wash are fabulous –  I like that the scent is very subtle and clean (in more ways than one!)  And since I am convinced that little birds fly into my 3 year old’s room at night and build a nest in the back of her hair, the Willow Detangler is absolutely AWESOME.  It is a leave-in conditioner that makes her hair easier to comb and keeps it soft (therefore less nest-friendly – so stay away birdies!)

As a breastfeeding mom, I also use their Bosom Blossom Nipple Salve, which is fantastic.  It always weirded me out to think about my baby ingesting the nipple cream since I had to use so much during those painful early days.  It just brings me peace of mind to know it is completely chemical and paraben free.   Thankfully those painful early days are over, but I actually use it now when I pump.   I learned through my consultations with lactation consultants that you should never pump without lubricating the poor nipples.  They go through enough with that udder machine as it is!

So if you are in the market for anything green, definitely check out Green 4 Your Soul, because in this case, it IS easy being green!

Have you been wanting to live more “green” but find some things to be confusing?  Meet Green 4 Your Soul, a company dedicated to taking the guesswork out of going green! 

All the products on green4yoursoul.com have been researched and tested so you know that every product meets their high standards and are safe, high quality organic and natural products.  Even better, many of the companies represented on their website are woman owned businesses and many give a percentage of their profits to charitable organizations.  

I love websites that are easy to navigate,  especially since I haven’t slept in almost 7 weeks!   Their website is extremely user-friendly.  The products are easy to find and and all your questions are answered.  For every item, you can find the features, green 411, ingredients and reviews at the bottom of the page.    

Green 4 Your Soul really is your one-stop shop for all your green needs.  Like their motto says…go green and watch your life bloom! 

Hooray! It’s a Tiny Giveaway!

Green 4 Your Soul is giving away a super yummy Shea Terra Miombo Mango Body Butter to one lucky winner! To enter, email me at giveaways@tinyoranges.com.

Include your first and last name, mailing address and the answer to this question: What African rainforest are you helping to protect by purchasing Shea Terra?  Hint: Click here…the answer can be found in the second to last paragraph of the product description!

You can enter all week, just have your emails in before 5PM PST on Friday, August 21st.

The Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach is having a Butterfly House Opening and Eco Faire this Saturday, May 2nd from 10am – 3pm when your family can… 

* Explore OC’s only buttterfly house
* Buy native butterfly host and nectar plants to start your own butterfly garden!
* Buy eco-friendly, locally produced, organic, recycled products from “Natures Gifts”
* Get a  butterfly or caterpillar face painting
* Go on a scavenger hunt in the Center
* Create butterfly themed crafts out of recycled materials and brew up some “green” cleaner

If you haven’t been to the ENC before, it is a great place to take your kids for an outing. Admission is free for the ENC and this event (but donations are appreciated!)   Once you are back exploring the walking trails and hearing the rush of the stream, you will feel like you are in another world!  

Environmental Nature Center 
1601 Sixteenth Street
Newport Beach, CA 92663
Phone: (949) 645-8489

This awesome idea was sent to be one of our readers Sabrina. I thought it was brilliant!

She writes…

“We’ve started our “birthday season” today, it seems like every weekend for the next couple of months we have a party to go to. So I’ve been doing the usual and buying the reusable bags from Toys R Us to wrap my gifts.  But as I was watching the little birthday girl open her presents today I noticed that so many people had brought their gifts in the traditional gift bags. The majority of them we’re thrown into the trash along with the tissue paper and wrapping paper. Although these bags are great when reused, they rarely are.  I know personally that when I give them as gift bags the parents are more grateful than the children. They love using them as grocery bags or reusing them as gift bags. They are only $1.49 at Toys R Us and come in different designs. There are many places that sell reusable bags but I’ve found that Toys R Us has the cutest designs.”

Thanks so much Sabrina for the great idea!

Have a tip to share?  Email me at info@tinyoranges.com and if I use your guest blog, I will send you a Starbucks card for a coffee on me! 

  
I am going to make a confession.  My consumption of plastic water bottles was RIDICULOUS. We do recycle, but I looked at the bottles in the recycle bin one day and thought, this has to stop.  I went out the next day and bought a reusable Thermos Intak water bottle and I LOVE it!     

Let me highlight the things I love:

- No bad plastic or aluminum taste (it is BPA Free.)  I even use water filtered from our fridge and it tastes really good.  Plus, so much cheaper than buying bottled water. 
- Easy to clean.   There is a removable top with a wide mouth so you can clean it easily.  It is also dishwasher safe. 
- No spills.  The top closes and seals, and then there is a metal piece to lock it so if you throw it into your purse, it won’t leak.
- Measured markers on the side, so you can track your water consumption.

I bought mine for $9.99 at Target in the aisle where there are Thermos’ and coolers, kind of by the camping section.  Click here to buy online at Target or through the Thermos website.    

See you back Monday with another fabulous giveaway!  If you haven’t entered the Dream Dinners’ giveaway, you have until 5PM today PST to email me!   Check Monday’s post on entry instructions! Have a great weekend everyone!