Mom Reviews: Glade Sense and Spray Air Freshener

Time for a (long overdue) Mom Review!

As a member of BzzAgent, I was given the opportunity to try out one of Glade's Sense and Spray air freshener systems. Having a house full of kids and pets means that, well, something's always a little stinky - so I was more than happy to give it a go.

The idea of the Sense and Spray is great - a motion detector on the front of the sprayer only releases scent when someone comes into contact within a 5-foot range, and it has an automatic shutoff that keeps it from releasing fragrance any more often than twice an hour. If you need more scent, there's a button on the front you can use to release an extra burst. This keeps waste to a minimum. I've been told that one canister will last approximately a full month - right now I'm on week 2 and still going strong!

The Sense & Spray starter kit I received included a white, hard plastic pod that stores a small aerosol air freshener spray. The whole thing only stands about 6" tall so you can stash it just about anywhere AND it won't clash with your decor. The front pops open to change out the scent canister when it's empty.

The fragrance that was included for me to test was the Clear Springs scent, which has a light, slightly fruity smell. It's not too sweet or too overpowering, and is just enough to handle about one full room with scent.

I tested my Sense & Spray in the toughest of all stinky spots - near the litter box. I placed it on a low shelf just over the litter box doorway - low enough that the cat could set off the motion detector. This way, after kitty does his business, the Sense & Spray lets off a light burst of fragrance that helps to conceal those difficult pet odors, at least until I can take further care of it myself.

The Glade Sense & Spray retails for $11.99 - a reasonable price for the starter kit which includes the pod and one scent canister. Refills are available for $3.49. Refills are available in six pleasant scents - Clear Springs, Powder Fresh, Clean Linen, Apple Cinnamon, Country Garden and Hawaiian Breeze. The Hawaiian Breeze is definitely our next pick!

And of course, with this Mom Review comes a Giveaway! You can win a Glade Sense & Spray starter kit for yourself. Just post here and tell me what scent sounds most appealing to you, and where you'd use your Sense & Spray! You can also get additional entries (once per day) by Tweeting about this giveaway on Twitter, and posting a link back here. A winner will be picked using random.org on Friday, November 6th, 2009.

We love Sketchers shoes for kids! A perfect wardrobe essential for all ages.

Beating the Mid-Summer Blues

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been hearing choruses of "I'm boooorreeeed" and "There's nothing to dooooooo" now that we are halfway through summer (and close to Back To School for some of you!). So, to break up the boredom, we've got some suggestions for inexpensive (or free!) activities to creatively use up some of that free time. (Most of these activities are advised for ages 10 and under - teens will have to fend for themselves or tag along!)

• Go to story time at your local library. Most libraries have a calendar of events that are free. If you've never done this before, it really is a great way to spend an hour or two! And while you're there, sign your child up to get their first Library Card if they don't already have one.
• Plan a slumber party! Whether you invite one child or ten, or make it a family slumber party in the living room, it's a guaranteed hit. Added fun? Try making your own pizza or have a "crazy popcorn" contest - pop some plain popcorn, and see who can make the yummiest toppings using the fridge and pantry. Top it off with homemade Bisquick pancakes in the morning in fun shapes or flavors.
• If you don't already own one, go out and buy a sprinkler to run through. We never had one before, and I finally picked up an inexpensive one about 2 weeks ago - Bug has been consistently entertained every sunny afternoon since. Total cost - about $20.
• Paint birdhouses. Michael's and other craft stores sell pre-assembled plain wood birdhouses for under $5 that can be painted with acrylic craft paint, which is also very inexpensive. Once dry, they can hang their creations outside.

Squeaky Clean Kids Giveaway Winners Announced!

**UPDATE** All winners have been notified by email. Thanks to everyone who participated, and look out for our new giveaway starting VERY soon!

Just wanted to pop by and let everyone know that the winners of the Squeaky Clean Kids Giveaway will be announced later in the week. Between LittleBug's 5th birthday tomorrow, and an emergency tooth extraction for me earlier this week, I've been a little swamped, a little distracted, and a LOT out of it. Oops. :) I can't wait to pick the lucky winners!

We Have A Winner! Mom's Summer Reading Giveaway Winner Is.....

The winner of the Mom's Summer Reading Giveaway is......

Susan K.

A big congratulations to Susan, who we have already been in contact with - your book will be arriving shortly. Please come back and let us know what you think!

Busy Summer Days

Sometimes you just need a break from the normal pace of things, so I took the last week "off" from blogging and working on the website (aside from filling orders) to just enjoy as much of the gorgeous weather as possible. I limited all exposure to "technology" of any kind - including turning off my cell phone when I was off from my other job (if it's an emergency, they have my home number), limited my online time to responding to only critical emails, and actively tried to keep the television off as much as possible.

Sometimes a technology break is very, very good.

Awesome Deal of the Week: Free 2 Year Subscription to PARENTS Magazine

We couldn't resist passing on this awesome deal! Get two full years of Parents Magazine totally free - no bill, ever! Yes, this deal is so great that we signed up ourselves. We originally found this offer at Grocery Price Blog - stop by there too and give them some love for sharing! Parents is America’s leading magazine devoted to serving people who are raising children. This magazine is designed for women ages 18-34 with growing children. Its editorial focus is on family formation and growth including the daily needs and concerns of modern mothers. It also regularly features information about beauty, food, fashion, home, age specific child development, health, pregnancy, marriage, finance, child care, education and discipline.

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