Awhile back, I wrote about the Activeion Pro (to read the post go here).  It’s a great cleaning tool that was earth-friendly, money-saving, and safe for children.  Activeion took the same great product and upgraded it to fit the needs of a home cleaner.  The ionator HOM™ does everything the Pro did, but not only does it kill bacteria, it also kills the H1N1 virus (a.k.a. swine flu).

Last year, everyone was going crazy to get the vaccination for the the swine flu because it was a new strand of virus that were making people fatally ill and unfortunately taking the lives of many.  Every day I would read a new story about how another child died from the swine flu, which is every parent’s nightmare.

ionator HOM™ is not a vaccination to the H1N1, but it effectively kills the virus on your table-top without the use of any harsh chemicals (when used as directed).  For me, this was so great because I have a baby and a preschooler that touches everything and I mean EVERYTHING, and this will rule out the potential of them touching an unclean surface and transferring those bacterias + H1N1 virus into their nose or mouth (my preschooler occasionally picks her nose and my baby bites down on her fingers).  The thought of anything being transferred from a surface to the mouth, makes me quite queezy.

My daughter and I have been using the Activeion Pro since last year and we love it.  We don’t need anything but water to clean and sanitize our home.  My daughter is only 4 years old (she just turned 4) and she uses it to clean surfaces after play.  Although the Pro was heavy for her, she managed to place it on the floor and angle it just right, to clean her play area.

3 Step process on how the ionater HOM works:

It’s very simple.  No complicated instructions to look at and no time consuming set-up.  You literally charge the battery and when it’s done charging, you simply fill it with water and start cleaning. With the ionator HOM™, my daughter had an easier time holding on to it and transporting it from room to room because it was smaller in size and lighter.  I love the smell of cleaning our tables with the ionator HOM™ because it smells like a clean doctor’s office, thoroughly sanitized (some of you may not like that, but I do!).  If you are a professional cleaner who needs a more commercial approach to cleaning without the chemicals and toxicity, the ionator EXP™ (the professional version of the ionator HOM™) would be your solution.

Activeion is giving my readers a $20 off with coupon code “MITH” until 06/10/2010 for the ionator HOM™.

(Disclosure: Product was provided free of charge for review purposes and does not affect my views or feedback of the product.  This review is based solely on my personal opinion and experience and results may vary person to person.)

FOR THE GIVEAWAY

If you would like to have a chance at winning your very own ionator HOM™ you must (mandatory) visit http://www.activeion.com and leave a comment here telling me something you learned about the product/technology or why you would like to try the ionator HOM™.

For Extra entries (please make every entry separate even if you comment on multiple posts):

• Follow @Active_ion on Twitter (Tweet about why they would like to try the ionator HOM™)
• Become a Facebook fan of Activeion (Post a comment on the wall that you were sent by Mommas in the House and tell them specifically how you would use the ionator HOM to clean up your messes).
• Subscribe to Mommas in the House
  
• Follow @Mommasinthehous on Twitter.
• Tweet about the giveaway and link back (unlimited entries)

Giveaway ends May 24th, 2010 at 11:59pm PST. Please make sure you leave a valid email address so that we can notify the winner. We will notify the winner, and the winner has 48 hours to respond. If the winner fails to respond within that time period, we will choose a new winner. Open to US residents only.

Happy Mother’s Day to all my mommas!  This year I wrote my mother a poem for her Mother’s Day gift and wanted to share with  you.  I hope everyone has a day full of love, happiness, and thanks.

“Your words ring true”

Every day I want to say,
Happy Mother’s Day!

Through you I have learned the lessons in life
and therefore I always pick up the pieces
and be a good mother and wife.

I am thankful for the courage you instilled in me
you gave me the inspiration to be free.

Growing up it was hard to appreciate,
all the ups and downs that felt like mere fate.

Everything that you said was very true
and every day I stop and thank you!

It has come a time when we both celebrate
that being a good mother is never too late.

So mom and grandma, up above,
Happy Mother’s Day
with all my love.

means taking care of yourself.  I think we are all guilty of putting ourselves last and taking care of everyone and everything before we even consider taking some valuable time out for ourselves.  One of my favorite things to do is lay down on the couch and put some thick cucumber facial mask on and do NOTHING!  With the addition of two children in the last 4 years, I can’t remember the last time I was able to do that.

Day after day, I hear “mommy, I want this” and “mommy, I need help.”  Those words are followed by my 9 month old crying for my boobs or wanting a diaper change.  After putting the baby down and my preschooler focused on her drawing, I get a phone call from my husband asking me to look over his writing.  As I am proofreading my husband’s writing, the baby wakes up to be nursed.  I bring her over to my lap to nurse while I edit, and then my 4 year old comes over and says, “I am hungry.”  Does this sound familiar?  The truth of the matter is I only described 10% of what I go through on a daily basis.  I know any mom could relate to this scenario.

I am living proof that selflessness can lead to a walking tic bomb.  At any moment, I can lose my composure, and become that mom that looks really scary or shall I say, crazy!  We are all human and if we are overwhelmed by a lot of pressure, stress, and responsibility, sometimes we need to be able to release all those tensions.  Massage and acupuncture are not readily available for me or my pocketbook, so who becomes the victim to my emotions?  My family.  My children see an unhappy mom and my husband sees a nagging crazy wife.  So what do I do about this?

Taking time for myself is so important.  Probably one of the most important things I could do for myself and my family is having “me” time.  It’s amazing what a couple minutes or an hour will do for my soul, my mind, and my body.  Time does not cost a thing but you reap the benefits of it in so many ways.  These are some of the things that I do for myself and they do miracles for me:

• Taking a half an hour bath with some lavender scents and reading a nice book or magazine
• Going for a walk by myself and grabbing some sort of dessert on the way
• Driving to the ocean and just reflecting on my life and thinking about my future
• Laying down on the couch and watching some bad reality tv show.
• Making a really nice meal for myself.
• Painting or drawing something.
• Going to Whole Foods by myself and taking time to go through each aisle.
• Laying on the couch and slathering some thick cucumber mask on my face (I will do this on Mother’s Day)

So you’re probably wondering who takes care of the kids while I take some time out for “me.”  I have a team of people (my husband, my mother, my father, my friends) who really love me and want me to be happy.  It’s amazing what a couple minutes set aside wil do for me.  With Mother’s Day approaching this weekend, give yourself the gift of some “me” time.  You will be a happy mom and your children and husband will love you for that!

Don’t get me wrong, I love flowers.  I love the smell of it, the vibrant colors, and what they represent.  However, sometimes it’s nice to get something different.  Something that doesn’t go bad within a week and something that you could cherish forever.  I’m not an accessories type of gal, but I love getting necklaces as presents.

When my husband got me a white gold necklace with a four leaf clover charm on our anniversary,  I was touched because he wanted me to think of him as my lucky charm (of course he is!).  Everytime I open up my jewelry bag and I come across that necklace, I always think of that day and smile.  With any kind of jewelry, there is always some sort of sentimental connection.  Jewelry makes any person feel person special and that is why, for most people, we get it on a special day or occasion in our life.

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, I thought a necklace would be a nice gift to give to any special mother in your life.  Just because it’s jewelry doesn’t mean it has to be very expensive.  Just look at your local newspaper and I’m sure there are tons of Mother’s Day jewelry specials on print.  I thought I would share some of  the Mother’s Day necklace options that I came across.

My daughter will be making her grandmother a simple necklace with the Melissa and Doug Wooden Stringing Beads.  It’s only $16.99 and you can find it online or at Toys R Us and I saw it at Ross for $14.99.  A fun project for you and your daughter, and will definitely bring a smile to a grandmother and any special mother in your life.

I love Etsy.com because you can virtually find anything and everything there.  The prices are just right and the necklaces are either “one and only” or custom made to your preference.  I found a cute one from Bead Creations International for $46.50.  You can personalize it so they have the childrens’ names on it.

If you want to buy a jewelry that supports a good cause, Ebay has a worldofgood.com which supports shopping for a good cause.  I found a beautiful Sterling Silver Filigree Fair Trade necklace for $78.

A necklace that is simplistic but also meaningful for a special mom.  Marie Todd makes these chic Initial Necklaces in 14K Gold ($295) and Sterling Silver ($100).

Want to spend some good money on some bling-bling necklaces?  With a celebrity following, Jennifer Meyer (wife of Tobey Maguire) makes a really pretty Nameplace Necklace for $975 (not cheap, but if you have the money, totally worth it!).

With whatever you decide, I’m sure it will be super-special for that mother in your life.  Life goes by very quickly, so cherish your mother as if Mother’s Day is everyday because it really is!

Do you want something that can be gentle on your skin, your mom’s skin, and the earth’s skin?  Thymes Essentials line of products are just that.  The products are designed to cater to your needs, as not one product fits the needs of every individual. All the formulations are developed right in their lab by women chemists, allowing them to use their own insight to develop products that meet the needs of everyday women.

The packaging says, “paraben free. people tested. please recycle.,” and “Thymes Essentials. Basic in a beautiful way.”  There are so many things that I love about the message that they put on their packaging.  First, it’s free of chemicals, has not been tested on animals, and you can recycle it after use.  Moreover, beauty doesn’t have to be complicated.  I’m a basic kind of gal who likes to make life simple and walk out the door without having to do anything extra.  Being a mother, simplicity is very high on my list because I don’t have time to dilly dally.  Thymes Essentials products keeps it very simple with the basics (ex: Cleanser + Moisturizer).

When Mother’s Day is right around the corner, I always find myself wondering what the ideal present would be because my mom has everything!  For my mom, skincare is the safest choice because she goes through it like she goes through shoes.  Thymes Essentials has gift sets that can meet the daily needs of your mother. 

Thymes Essentials Daily Hard at Work Experience Kit is perfect for any mother because all moms work hard, whether you’re working or a stay-at-home mom.  The kit contains cuticle cream, face mist, hand cream, instant hand cleanser, and lip balm.  They fit perfectly in the purse and can keep your hands and face refreshed throughout the day.  The kit says, “Opportunity rarely knocks, and when it does, it usually arrives unannounced.  You never know when you will be called to action.  To work at peak performance for longer, you need an edge. That’s why we designed the Hard at Work Experience Kit to keep you feeling great, and looking your best.”

Thymes Essentials Clean Slate Experience Kit is ideal for a mom like me who sometimes runs out the door without even cleansing the face.  I know I probably sound dirty and uncleanly, but sometimes getting my daughter ready for preschool and nursing the baby, I don’t have time to clean my face or brush my teeth.  Running out the door and getting my daughter to school on time is very important, so sometimes I slack on my own needs.  The kit contains face polish and body scrub.  It’s very basic and minimal, but as a busy mom, this is ideal.   The kit says, “A busy schedule means you don’t always have time to take care of your skin the way you should.  However, you can’t afford to settle for skin that looks anything but its best.  Never fear, we’ve designed our Clean Slate Experience Kit for exactly this purpose.”

These kits would be a great gift for any special mom in your life.  For more information, please go to their website www.thymes.com.

(Disclosure: Product was provided free of charge for review purposes and does not affect my views or feedback of the product.  This review is based solely on my personal opinion and experience and results may vary person to person.)