Send your little one to the playground this fall in style with a simple t-shirt that makes a positive statement from verymeri. The t-shirts retail for $24 and are available in fun designs for both girls and boys. My 6-year-old daughter is quite the fashionista and loved her First Grade Rocks t-shirt, which came with a fun temporary tattoo.

Former elementary school teacher and verymeri CEO Meri Zeiff launched the children’s apparel brand as a labor love in her quest to bring a positive message to kids’ t-shirts.

“As a teacher, I was incredibly surprised that I never saw clothing that expressed the joyful, whimsical things I was hearing my kids say every day,” says Zeiff. “I decided to launch a t-shirt line, using kids’ designs that gave voice to their unending creativity with positive messages, beautiful colors, and inspirational ideas.”

All verymeri tees are designed by kids through design contests held in schools, camps, non-rpofit organizations, and online. Three percent of each verimeri t-shirt sold helps support Free Arts For Abused Children a non-profit organization that provides art services to at-risk children and families throughout the United States.

What kid doesn’t love stuffed animals? Some of my favorite toys as a child were plush toys, as opposed to dolls, especially a very realistic looking bunny puppet I mustered up all my imagination to name “Thumper.”

Douglas Toys is a family owned business that has been making high quality stuffed animals for children of all ages for more than 50 years.

Douglas Toys sent me this adorable plush Maltese toy puppy from the floppy dogs collection. This cutie is the perfect princess type pooch for a little girl. My other favorite gift item for girls from Douglas Toys is the collection of plush totes and purses collection. The double bonus for parents is that they don’t require batteries and they don’t make any annoying noises.

From baby plush toys to adventure packs for girls and boys (how cute is this pirate adventure pack?) Douglas Toys has something for children of all ages and is a wonderful site for gift shopping, whether you need a present for a baby shower or a birthday party. And don’t forget, the holidays will be here before you can say “no you cannot eat any more Halloween candy.”

For a chance to win one free product of your choice from Douglas Toys (excluding the oversized products), simply visit their website and then leave a comment back at this post with your favorite product. For two chances, subscribe to the Savvy Housewife RSS feed. A random winner will be chosen from all eligible comments left by midnight Monday, August 24. Use the coupon code savvy2008 for 10% off any order from Douglas Cuddle Toys through August 31, 2008.

The Banana Splits, a popular rock band from the late 1960s, is back to entertain a new generation of groovy groupies.

Starting in September, The Banana Splits will star in new comedy shorts and catchy music videos on the Cartoon Network. The animal Fab Four – Fleegle (a dog), Drooper (a lion), Bingo (a gorilla) and Snorky (an elephant) – is bringing their unique style of humor and catchy music to a whole new generation.

Thanks to Team Mom I got to preview the newly launched Banana Splits website, where kids ages 4-7 can watch comedy shorts and music videos, play games and join the Banana Splits club. My girls loved the mail toss game and as a busy mom I’m always excited to find a new kid friendly website that will keep them entertained. My only criticism of the site, which is still in beta, is that there is no easily navigable button that takes you directly to the games. The music is fun and it’s a great change from the usual repertoire of The Wiggles and Hannah Montana, and that, my friends, is worth its weight in, well, banana splits.

Stay tuned for The Banana Splits on the Cartoon Network beginning September 2 and running between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Jodene, who commented “I bring my own bags to the grocery store and now, this past week actually, I bring them to all the stores including the mall.  It’s a bit hard to remember all the time but I am getting much better at it,” is the winner. Thanks to everyone who entered.

These hip organic totes from SKN with mod fruit and vegetable prints are great for shopping trips, library runs, and any type you want to ditch that oh so yesterday plastic shopping bag habit.

I’ve got the SKN bag in the lemon design and love it. They’ve gotten a lot of media buzz, having been featured, among other places, in Health and Town and Country magazines as well as on trend watching blogs such as She FInds, Mom Finds, Style.com, The Eco Modernist (and of course Savvy Housewife!)

SKN bags are:

• 12″wide x 16″high x 6″deep
• Made of 100% sturdy unbleached cotton
• Are gusseted, fold flat, and hold up to 40 lbs.
• Machine washable on cold (drip dry)

For every order you place, SKN will plant a tree through American Forests. Founded in 1875, American Forests is the United States’ oldest non-profit citizen’s conservation organization. They are a world leader in planting trees for environmental restoration, a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry, and a primary communicator in the benefits of trees and forests.

Here’s your chance to win a great organic designer reusable tote from SKN. Simply leave a comment on this post telling me one step you’ve made to be eco-friendly. For two chances, leave a comment and subcribe to the Savvy Housewife RSS Feed. Savvy Housewife will select a random winner from all eligible comments left by midnight Monday, August 18.

Grandparents Day is September 7. Have you bought a present yet?

If you’re looking for a unique piece of personalized silver jewelry, Tiny Tag Designs carries a wonderful line of silver bracelets and necklaces. The silver discs are hand-stamped. I have a two-disc necklace with the names of my daughters and I can honestly say I’ve worn it nearly every day since it arrived in the mail. It’s a nice, understated piece of casual jewelry that looks great with a t-shirt and jeans or a solid-colored sundress. So much of the personalized jewelry on the market geared toward moms and grandmothers is more formal, so Tiny Tag Designs is a great line for those who want a casual piece of jewelry.

Tiny Tag Designs is advertising on Savvy Housewife this week.

Click on the Tiny Tag Designs ad in the upper right corner of the Savvy Housewife sidebar and check out the special 20% discount code for Savvy Housewife readers! While you’re ordering a present for Grandparents Day, you might just want to order a little something for yourself, you know while you’re at it.

What if you could buy a great looking t-shirt AND help plant a tree?

Tees for Change are comfy, inspirational and hip t-shirts that have been featured in Fit Yoga magazine and The Seattle Times.

Tees for Change has partnered with American Forests’ Global Releaf to plant a tree for every shirt purchased at retail price from their website. By the end of 2006, American Forests had planted 25 million trees in more than 500 projects across the United States and internationally. I especially like the bamboo raglan t-shirts, as seen below, which retail for $32.

With positive, inspiring messages like Seek Balance (hmmmm…I could use that one), Choose Happiness, and Live Mindfully, they are great for yoga class or just any day you feel inspirational and need a little fashion ommmm to kick your karma into gear.

Tees for Change also has a line of wonderfully whimsical organic onesies for babies that would make a wonderful gift for that special baby in your life.

Mompreneur Andreea Ayers founded Tees For Change while pregnant with her first child in 2007. She created a t-shirt for herself with the words “Be Courageous” that she proudly wore during the home delivery of her son. The entire line reflects Andreea’s commitment to living an eco-friendly lifestyle and her belief in positive thinking.

Use the coupon code SAVVY for 15% off any order from Tees for Change now through August 31, 2008.

Summer is primo BLT fixin’ time at our house. There’s nothing better than a BLT made with homegrown tomatoes.

Savvy Dad made BLTs this past weekend and got the fancy Hormel bacon out. You know, the center cut “good stuff.” Savvy Dad noticed that when he took the bacon out of the package, Hormel must have misunderstood center cut and chosen the fatty cut.

Center cut my ass. Or should that be a pig’s ass? Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Below is a photo of what a piece of the center cut bacon cooked down to. The package purports that this more expensive center cut line has 25 percent less fat than their regular bacon. If that’s the case, then their regular bacon is like a can of lard, and I quote Savvy Dad on that bit of commentary.

We are obviously having bad luck with meat this summer.

Heather C., who commented “Thankfully, my daughter goes for cold water. If she needs to replace electrolytes, we’ll get her some Gatorade,” is the winner! Thanks to everyone who entered.

Fall soccer season kicks off soon and my 6-year-old will be starting weekly practice sessions. August in in the South can be brutally hot and humid, so we’ll pack plenty to drink during her practices.

A great alternative to popular sports drinks or sugary juice boxes, Nui Kid Water comes in three flavors: Outrageous Orange, Raging Red, and Purple Power. My 6-year-old tried it and loved it. Nui Kid Water’s mission is to empower kids sto improve personal, social, and environmental health (they also have a great school fundraising program.)

Nui Kid Water is low in sugar because it is sweetened with fruit juice; it has 1/2 the sugar of apple juice and has vitamins, including one serving of calcium, vitamin D, dietary fiber, and antioxidants, and it in low in sodium, unlike many popular sports drinks. Here’s a link to a nutritional fact sheet about Nui Kid Water.

Nui Kid Water is truly a kid friendly product. Not only do they have a cool website, with helpful nutritional information for parents, but they are a for charity company, donating 50 percent of their profits to children’s charities that empower kids with healthy lifestyles, nutrition, and physical fitness.

Here’s your chance to win a Value Pack of Nui Kid Water (one case of each of the three flavors, which is a $40.99 value.) Simply leave a comment on this post telling me what your kids like to drink when they’re at sports practices or just out playing in the heat. For two chances, leave a comment and subcribe to the Savvy Housewife RSS Feed. Savvy Housewife will select a random winner from all eligible comments left by midnight Monday, August 11.

Artemis Woman sent me a Personal Groomer Precision Hair Trimmer to try out. Seeing as I don’t indulge in any type of Brazilian waxes or other adventures in hair removal, I thought it would be great to add to my beauty arsenal to attack stray hairs.

I like it because it’s sleek and compact (it actually looks like an ink pen in a silver case). It helps gently remove and trim unwanted hair from your face, bikini line, and arms, and includes a two-sided shaping comb that is perfect for shaping up your eyebrows.

Fortunately I am blessed with the tame eyebrow gene, and I’ve only had my eyebrows professionally shaped once. I was pregnant and I suppose I figured if I could endure the pain of childbirth, I could endure some stranger ripping my stray eyebrow hairs out of my head with one expert rip of an adhesive strip.

Artemis products are created by women for women. Founders Ann Buivid and Lisa Kable left their corporate careers to found the company when they found they shared a passion for health and wellness products and empowering women. Artemis Woman donated 2% of its profits to suport alternative treatments and screenings for women’s cancers.

Artemis Woman carries an entire line of home spa beauty tools, such as this great Shea Butter Paraffin Spa with lavender aromatherapy for hands and Double Curl Gentle Heat Lash Curler (hey, I’ve been warming up my eyelash curler with my hair dryer for years!)

Attention all you fitness mamas out there. It may be the end of summer and pool days may be coming to a close as Labor Day weekend approaches, but I always find I get a renewed motivation to work out when cooler weather arrives, the kids are in school and I can carve out a little time for myself at the gym, or just to take a walk in my neighborhood.

Finally there is a new protein powder product on the market specifically made for women.

Tight Curves protein powder, along with proper nutrition and exercise, will:

• Support low carb diets
• Facilitate muscle toning
• Accelerate fat loss
• Reduce water retention
• Increase endurance
• Increase bone density
• Elevate mood
• Improve, hair, skin and nails

Tight Curves™ is formulated especially for women. The berry flavored protein powder contains only natural ingredients of the highest quality—soy protein, PeptoPro amino acids, calcium, Black Cohosh, and St. John’s Wort—all scientifically proven to deliver the benefits that women seek. These include enhanced weight control, muscle tone, bone density, mood, endurance, and recovery. Simply add one scoop to 6 to 8 oz. of water or your favorite beverage.

Let’s face it, there is an overwhelming number of supplements, vitamins, minerals and compounds on the market to choose from and unless you’re a celebrity mama like Kelly Ripa or Madonna, you probably don’t have access to personal trainers or chefs or wellness gurus. Tight Curves brought together a team of experts and, based upon research, developed a formula that meets the most common needs active women seek as they develop their workout routine and goals.

Get trim, get toned, lose weight, and improve your mood with Tight Curves.