Pasta is the perfect comfort food but if you are watching your calorie and or carb intake, it can be a challenge fitting it into your food plan. The Al Dente Pasta Company saves the day with their delicious line of pastas. This small company was founded in 1981 and continues to make pasta the old-fashioned, labor intensive way, which has made a significant difference in the quality of the product.

Monique Deschaine, founder of the Al Dente Pasta Company:

“We start with the best ingredients—100% durum semolina flour. There is only 3/4 of an egg per bag of pasta. Anyone who has ever made pasta knows that it is impossible to make perfect pasta without any egg at all. Then we hand-feed our dough through heavy steel rollers, sheeting it again and again to ensure a light, smooth texture. A slow-drying process dries the pasta uniformly so the AL DENTE pasta is tender but firm pasta that cooks to al dente perfection in just three minutes.”

Today we are highlighting the Whole Wheat Blends and the Carba Nada Reduced Carb line. The Whole Wheat pasta is delicious and nutritious pasta boasts 6 grams of fiber and 390mg of ALA omega 3 yet still has the same amazing home-made, “tender, but firm” texture that has made Al Dente® pasta famous since 1981. It is available in 3 blends. The Carba-Nada pasta has just 140 calories, 1g of fat, 24 g of carbs and 6 g of fiber and 14% iron per 2 ounce serving (dry) and is well suited for diabetics and those who need to reduce the amount of carbs that they eat. This line is available in 4 different flavors. Full nutritional information for all their pasta is available here.

We received samples of the Whole Wheat Blend and the Carb-Nada line to test. Each package of pasta arrives beautifully packaged in a 10 ounce, clear bag with eye catching graphics. The pasta cooks super fast and pairs beautifully with any sauce that you have on hand. We paired the fettuccine with vegetarian meat balls and veggies which made for a delicious and very satisfying meal. We were very impressed with the portion size which was very generous, and filling.

If you are in need of some culinary inspiration, check out the recipe section on the Al Dente website. Readers can shop the online store here.

For more information, please visit: www.AlDentePasta.com

After the struggles that I faced the previous 2 weeks, I decided to make a conscious effort to keep a food diary where I record every bite that goes into my mouth. It really helped me to keep track of my food intake. My routine is back to normal now that the family have left! I am back to a regular exercise routine and amazed at how much my body ached when I wasn’t able to get in my regular daily walk.

Now for my stats!

Current Weight 137 lbs

Lost: 3 lbs (over the past 2 weeks).

I am thrilled with these numbers and I am very proud of myself for now weighing in the 130’s. I haven’t seen the 130’s for quite some time and there is nothing as exciting as seeing this number on the scale. I had lots of fun trying on clothes that I had packed away because they were too small for me. It is a great feeling! I would like to thank everyone for supporting me thus far, including my family, friends, my WW friends, and the Success Through Play Readers. I continue to use the Weight Watchers website regularly. I credit the WW online tools and message boards for helping to keep me focused and informed. I will check in again in 2 weeks time, during which I will be exploring additional features of the WW website and will report back. One last thing, don’t forget about the Weight Watchers Lose for Good Campaign that is going on right now!

Posted by Mandy, Parent Panel Member.

On September 7, Weight Watchers launched Lose for Good, a campaign created to empower people to get healthier while also giving back to others in need. The program addresses two global epidemics – obesity and chronic hunger and malnutrition.

For every pound lost with Weight Watchers during a six-week period, beginning September 7 and ending October 18, Weight Watchers will donate the cost of one pound of food — up to one million dollars. The funds will go to two hunger-fighting organizations: Share Our Strength, which works to make sure no child in America grows up hungry, and Action Against Hunger, which provides immediate and long-term solutions for hunger to people around the world.

As part of the campaign, Lose for Good widgets will be available on Facebook and MySpace for Weight Watchers Members to add to their personal profiles. The widget demonstrates how pounds of weight lost can translate into a benefit to feed those in need. People can currently obtain the MySpace widget, while the Facebook widget will launch on September 10th.

To learn more about the Lose for Good campaign, view exclusive content including a video by the visionary iO Tillett Wright and Overspray, and to get involved, visit the following sites:

*Twitter
*Lose for Good
*My Space Weight Watchers
*My Space Lose for Good
*You Tube
*Blip TV
*KYTE TV
*US Stream TV

We applaud Weight Watchers International for taking a stand against world hunger and for empowering and motivating its members at the same time.

*Giveaway*

Weight Watchers Online is giving away an online subscription to 2 lucky readers! To enter, please send an email to “info[AT]SuccessThroughPlay.com with “Weight Watchers” in the subject line. Please include your full name and email address. Please let us why you would like to win a subscription to Weight Watchers Online. Enter by midnight PST on October 18, 2008. Good Luck.

The contest is now closed. Congratulations to Jacqui C and Stephanie B. All the best with your Weight Loss Journey.

Click here to read our review of the Grande Diaper Bag.

Click to enlarge.

October is National Beast Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of this, Boob Maternity & Nursing Wear is proud to present the Think Pink! Nursing T-shirt. This beautiful nursing T-shirt features a motif by the Swedish Artist Jesper Waldersten. The T-shirt will be available throughout the month of October and retails for $65 (Canadian). A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Pink Ribbon Campaign.

Each year, Boob will commission artwork from well-known artists to design a nursing T-shirt to support breast cancer research. We applaud this initiative!

To purchase yours, please click here.

Tiny Love is founded on the belief that “newborns possess the ability to communicate with and be stimulated by their environment.” Their mission is to provide safe, innovative and top quality soft developmental toys that enhance a baby’s developing senses. Tiny Love toys are designed by a team of experts including physicians, developmental specialists, birth educators and parents. Their success lies in their ability to match skill level with the various physical stages of baby’s development. Through reaching, grasping, watching and listening, your baby learns more about his world by interacting with Tiny Love Toys. Consult the Baby Development Booklet from Tiny Love Toys, to learn more about your baby’s development.

Tiny Love produces many award winning toys. In celebration of Gymini’s 15th year Anniversary, we will be reviewing the Gymini Activity Gym today. The Gymini is a top quality soft mat with arches for playtime which allows baby to build gross motor skills and develop eye-hand coordination. The first Gymini to be developed is the Gymini 3-D Activity Gym Black, White, & Red. This Gymini is designed in high contrast to attract newborns and young infants. The soft padded mat features interesting black and white designs which are framed with a bright red border. Two arches attach to the mat and have holes which allow rings to suspend toys. It comes with a mirror, a classic bead rattle and a soft musical flower. Parents can purchase additional toys from Tiny Love as baby grows, to add variety. This is the simplest of all the Gymini models and is perfectly suited for young babies who can so easily become overwhelmed and overloaded by sensory stimuli. This play gym folds flat for easy storage and comes with a carrying case which is perfect for travel.

By month 3 or 4, baby is ready to tackle more advanced and colorful toys, and you may want to introduce one of the colorful Gymini Models. Consider the ActiviTot Developmental Gym Tropic Isle which features 17 fun developmental activities and includes a specially designed tummy-time pillow. The NEW Gymini Monkey Island boasts 18 developmental activities and a take-along monkey. NEW for 2008, Tiny Love will launch their newest Gymini, the Gymini Musical Kick and Discover (pictured to the left) which features a portable kick pad that can be taken anywhere. Experts all agree that babies are spending far too long in “containers” where they sit passively, which rob baby of the opportunity to exercise his muscles actively. For optimal physical development, remove baby from his container (bouncer, swing, etc) and place him on his Gymini mat regularly for some good old fashioned floor time. In the supine (on his back) position, baby will first swipe and then reach for the toys. Add some additional rings (purchased separately) to lower the toys to a level where baby can reach them. Place your baby on his tummy for supervised tummy time sessions which will allow baby to strengthen his neck, back and shoulders and reduce the risk of developing plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome). As baby learns to sit independently, remove the arches and allow baby to continue using the mat during play time.

The Tiny Love website is very well designed and offers a wealth of information about your baby’s development. You will find a detailed explanation of each product for sale, as well as the developmental benefits in terms of the senses, gross and fine motor skills, cognition and emotional intelligence. Parents will now be able to see at a glance what each toy offers before purchasing. Tiny Love produces wonderful tips for using a toy at various age ranges, to maximize baby’s development.

Purchase a Gymini at a store near you or directly from the Tiny Love Online Store.

Magellan’s was founded by two travel professionals to provide a single source of unique and useful travel products, supported by well trained travel gear specialists, and backed by a complete 100% guarantee of satisfaction. While working for Pan Am Airways, John and Gloria McManus traveled extensively around the world and were frustrated by the inadequate supply of travel products available to consumers. In 1989 they created Magellan’s catalog, starting with a 32 page black and white catalog of hard-to-find travel products. John’s no-nonsense, detailed descriptions of each item made it clear how each addressed a travel problem, from overseas electrical adapters to third world health and hygiene. Their mission is to make your travel more comfortable, safe, and rewarding.

Traveling for business can be stressful enough. You have new people to meet and appointments to keep. Making a great first impression is your top priority and you don’t have the time to iron your clothing prior to every business meeting. People form their first and lasting impression of you in under 3 minutes and how you look is imperative. In the business world, this can mean the difference between closing the deal or not. Enter the Magellan’s line of travel clothing for men and women. Their travel clothing line is designed for the frequent traveler with hidden pockets and compartments to store your airline tickets and other important travel documents. You will save time, energy and frustration not having to dig in your purse to find what you are looking for.

The Wrinkle-free shirt is made from 100% cotton and is a versatile piece that looks terrific paired with a knee length skirt or pants and is a must have staple in your wardrobe. The Travel Lite Pants have a built in tummy panel which creates a slimming silhouette. The pants are lightweight, wrinkle free and super comfy; making traveling a pleasure! They are available in beautiful colors for fall and in addition, are available in petite sizing. The Women’s Travel Blazer is available in black or cocoa and is beautifully tailored and the perfect length to flatter the wearer. This remarkable and stylish blazer will dress up any outfit. Folds for travel and unfolds ready to wear and doesn’t require any ironing. A timeless piece that you will reach for over and over again.

One of the members of our panel had the opportunity to test the Wrinkle-Free Shirt, Travel Lite Knit Pants and the Women’s Travel Blazer courtesy of Magellans, while on a recent business trip:

“As a buyer, I travel frequently and I am always on a very tight schedule. As soon as the plane touches gone, I have to be on my best game. I need to look neat and pulled together from the moment that the plane touches down, often needing to dash directly to meetings straight from the airport. There is no time to iron or change as time is of the essence. I have tried so many apparel items that claim that they are “iron free” however by the end of even a short flight, they are no longer iron free, leaving me in a bind. I was eager to try the Wrinkle-free shirt, women’s travel blazer and Jet Set pants. My first impression was the high quality and cut of the garments. Ideal for business travel and perfect for making that first impression. The real test would be if they survived my rigor schedule. I put on the shirt and pants just prior to heading to the airport, folding the jacket up several times to fit into my carry on. I wore the white shirt and jacket throughout my 2 long flights with a connection in between, finding them very comfortable. After I touched down, I headed straight to the restroom to retrieve the folded jacket and was really shocked that the jacket unfolded beautifully, without one sign of a wrinkle. When I looked in the mirror to inspect the white short and pants I was truly impressed that they looked as fresh and crisp as they had when I had first put them on. I felt confident to be met by a client and have a business dinner with them. I look forward to adding to my collection of no-iron apparel and continuing to make great first impressions.”

Wrinkle free stylish apparel are ideal for any women who wants to put her best foot forward while traveling. Whether you are traveling locally and abroad, these timeless classic pieces will take you from day to night with ease. New for fall, check out the Jet Set Shirt, Jet Set Tank and the Travel Lite Knit Pants. The Anywear Scarf is great way to get lots of different looks from a minimum of wardrobe pieces, and add a bit of color. It can be worn as a shawl.

Browse the full line of travel clothing for women here.

Aimee E. Ketchum, OTR/L CNMI, founder of Loves Notes Developmental Products LLC:

“I am a pediatric occupational therapist. My role as an occupational therapist in a school setting as well as a new mom, has allowed me a unique perspective on development. Constantly comparing what I saw in the classroom to what I saw my babies doing at home shed a lot of light on the developmental delays that left teachers, parents, and sometimes other therapists banging their heads against a wall. I realized that a lot of developmental delays during preschool and school-age years were the result of missed milestones in the first year of life. After a lot of research and unorthodox treatment methods of taking eight-year-old children back to crawling stages, I realized that this was invaluable information.”

“I was already in the process of making a baby massage instructional DVD for families I had been working with in the NICU. My motivation for that DVD was simply to give overwhelmed families some instruction for when they took their sick babies home and support wasn’t necessarily available. I decided to add all kinds of developmental information to the DVD so that parents would understand the importance of development through the first year and progression of milestones.”

“I made my CD for similar reasons. To give parents a structured activity to do with preschoolers that would not only be fun, but assist with motor skills, cognitive skills, coordination, balance, and body awareness.”

Product Descriptions:

The Aimee’s Babies Developmental DVD is approximately one hour long and it is geared toward babies who are 12 months or younger. Babies learn about the world from their senses. This sensory-based 60-minute DVD is divided into seven segments: one segment for each of the senses, plus an additional segment with detailed baby massage instruction. The sensory segments, including vision, hearing, taste, smell, movement, balance, and position in space explain what the baby is currently able to do in each of these areas. It then it provides tips and techniques to help with the developmental milestones in each of these sensory areas.

Love Notes©, Music and Exercise for Young Children is a program of music, movement, exercise, strengthening, and sensory integration for infants and children. The CD of 11 children’s songs engages children in healthy exercise while building on important developmental milestones. Sold along with a curriculum manual, it is easy for parents to teach children the movements and learn the rationale behind each song.

The music and movements of Love Notes© encourage:

*sensory integration
*gross motor skills
*fine motor skills
*body awareness
*stretching
*strengthening
*social skills (when done in a group setting)
*creativity

Love Notes is ideal for children with special needs or developmental delay. The Love Notes curriculum is also used by several toddler play groups,nursery schools, and summer camps.

Recommendations for use:

Aimee:

“The DVD is appropriate from birth through about 12-18 months. I actually give it out to expectant moms when I teach developmental classes at the maternity hospital I currently work at. I encourage parents to watch it before they even have the baby because the developmental information starts right away, for example, the importance of tummy time, the use of baby massage to help baby heal from the trauma of birth). It makes a great shower gift! The can begin to massage their infant immediately. I am certified in Baby’s First Massage which is geared toward newborns and even perfectly fine for pre-term infants. It helps them to gain weight and regulate their body temperature. The only time you don’t want to massage a baby is if they aren’t medically stable, if they have a fever, a malignancy or a fracture. Otherwise massage is fine any time, at any age!”

“The CD is best used for babies as soon as they can hold their head up through preschool. The booklet that accompanies the CD is full of suggested movements to do with children and babies and even has adaptations for children with special needs. It is great for one on one or a group setting and can help to establish social interaction in a group.”

PURCHASING:

*www.aimeesbabies.com

*amazon.com

Success Through Play™ comments:

An experienced pediatric occupational therapist such as Aimee Ketchum, OTR/L, CNMI is uniquely qualified to present a sensory motor program which will teach caregivers how to stimulate their baby during the first year of life. Aimee consulted with Pediatricians, Occupational and Physical Therapist to produce Aimee’s Babies, a one-of-a-kind comprehensive, developmental and baby massage DVD. The goal of this DVD is to “provide structured stimulation to enrich your baby’s development and exercises for your baby to encourage your baby to develop and reach important milestones during the first year of life.” Aimee explains the importance of stimulating your baby during the critical period of birth to 1 year which serves as the perfect introduction to the DVD.

The DVD is divided in 7 segments: Touch, Stretching, Vision, Hearing, Balance and Movement, Taste and Smell and ends with a Massage Routine. In the touch segment, Aimee explains how beneficial infant massage is and presents a quick and easy to follow massage routine that you can follow. Aimee’s experience in teaching infant massage is quickly evident as her skillful hands demonstrate the beautiful art of this ancient tradition. Other segments that impressed us were the vision segment, where Aimee provides simple exercises to enhance your baby’s visual skills and the balance and movement section where parents will learn how to use an exercise ball to help their baby to improve his balance and develop protective reactions.

Aimee explains how carrying your baby upright in a soft carrier can help to develop your baby’s balance skills, among other things! Tips are provided for helping your baby to lift his head during tummy time and how to prepare your baby for rolling. The importance of the crawling stage is emphasized and parents will learn about the sensory and motor aspect of crawling which make crawling such an important and often overlooked milestone. The DVD concludes with an instructional infant massage routine, but this time, the massage routine is presented without the verbal instructions (provided in the touch segment) but instead, visual prompts are provided on the screen, to guide you. Background music is provided to enhance the routine.

In true occupational therapy style, Aimee shows how everyday objects found around the house including laundry baskets, pegs, playing cards, feathers etc can be used in activities to stimulate your baby. There is no need to run out and by the most expensive battery operated “developmental toys”, because in fact, everyday objects around the house and toys that you make are often more effective and more engaging for your baby.

Aimee presents the information in the DVD very clearly and her experience, enthusiasm and passion is infectious! Aimee takes the time to explain the relevance and importance of each of the techniques and activities and how they help to prepare your baby for future milestones and skills later on, which will help parents to develop insight into why they are doing the exercises. This 1 hour long DVD contains a wealth of practical information and will make an ideal Baby Shower Gift which will equip the parents-to-be with information and techniques that they can implement simply to help their baby to thrive. We recommend watching the DVD before your baby arrives, so that you can be ready once baby arrives.

Love Notes© CD
In addition to being a mom and a pediatric occupational therapist, Aimee is also a talented musician and she combines her skills to produce Love Notes© CD: Music and Exercise for Young Children. This CD comes complete with a 37 page booklet which contains lyrics to the songs as well as a fantastic curriculum manual. In the introduction, Aimee explains how she observed the positive effects of music on children with cerebral palsy and children with speech impediments when she was working as a pediatric occupational therapist in the school system and how her love of music and spending time with children inspired her to create this CD.

For each song, Aimee includes an introductory paragraph which explains the aim of the song and the skills that the song helps to promote. Instructions for performing the song with your child are explained and the suggested movements are outlined with the goal of “whole body movements”. Of particular note are the adaptations for children in wheelchairs or those with special needs, which we were really pleased to see. These insights are what set this CD apart from other CDs on the market and which make this CD so special. Performing the songs according the suggestions provided will help your child to develop oral-motor skills, fine and gross motor skills, tactile stimulation, body awareness, proprioceptive and vestibular stimulation, bilateral integration, rhythm and coordination plus much more, all while having heaps of fun! At the end of this booklet, there is a glossary to explain the meaning of each of these terms. The CD includes 11 songs which are fun and catchy and the the entire family will enjoy moving to! The Love Notes© CD will be a favorite in the house well beyond the toddler years!

We would like to thank Love Notes Developmental Products, LLC for sending us evaluation samples for this review as well as sponsoring the giveaway.

For more information about either of these products and to view classes that Aimee offers, please visit:

www.AimeesBabies.com

Got Green Printing.com was founded to provide consumers the highest quality printed
materials at a low cost while limiting waste and harm to the environment. Their commitment to their customers is indelibly linked to their responsibility to the environment. Got Green Printing.com is helping to make environmentally-friendly printing accessible to all businesses, large and small, by offering the lowest prices available. Got Green Printing.com prides themselves on their quick turnaround times (3-5 business days plus shipping) and even offer FREE ground shipping on almost every item! They offer free local delivery for large quantity orders.

Their environmental printing commitment is commendable. All of their printing is done with soy and vegetable based inks. They offer customers a choice of recycled paper, FSC Certified paper, 100% recycled seeded blooming paper, and paper produced from trees grown specifically for paper making, instead of those harvested illegally. Their UV and Aqueous coatings are also unique in that they contain very low to zero VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) which are known to harm surrounding environments. They offset their electric and carbon emissions with 100% Wind-Powered Renewable Energy Credits (REC’s) and Verified Emissions Reductions (VER) projects, and donate a portion of their profits to several environmental conservation organizations including The Nature Conservancy, The Ocean Conservancy and the National Wildlife Federation.

To get a feel for their work, Got Green Printing.com is happy to provide paper samples, just fill out their sample request form on-line. The Got Green Printing.com website is well designed and easy to navigate. Visit the FAQ section to get started.

We sent Got Green Printing.com a color jpeg file of our business card design. We found their staff to be most helpful and efficient. We were really impressed with their super fast turnaround time. The business cards were printed on sturdy card stock and coated with a matte finish. The printing quality was very professional, and the colors were vivid and bright, as they appeared in the jpeg file that we sent. The cards didn’t stink of toxic VOCS and we felt really proud knowing that eco-friendly materials were used in the production of the cards. The real test came when we visited the ABC Kids Trade Show last week, to debut the cards. We received many compliments about our business cards and people remarked at the quality and printing. They were equally impressed to hear that these are eco-friendly business cards.

Got Green Printing.com offers affordable priced, high quality printing which will help you make a very good first impression. Select to design online or submit your own file, using their templates. What could be simpler? Not in the market for a traditional business card? Consider a mommy/daddy play date card. You meet another mommy in the park or library and your kids get along nicely and you want to exchange contact details for a future play date. Just whip out on one of these cards with your contact details on it and save yourself time and the hassle of finding pen and a paper.

Although we are very much living in a virtual age, there is still something to be said for a high quality, printed product which is tangible enough for you to hold in your hand or display. With the holiday season just around the corner, consider ordering some Greeting Cards or Postcards. Also on offer are eco-friendly stickers, letterheads, envelopes, magnets and more. For more information, please visit: www.GotGreenPrinting.com

Week 4 and 5 were super busy for me. We hosted family at our house which was enjoyable yet partially stressful at times. It was my job to make sure that their needs were met and this involved showing them around town, and cooking meals for them, while balancing being a busy mom. It was really fantastic to see my family again and catch up with them. My regular routine was however interrupted and instead of doing daily walks with the kids, I played tour guide and tried to get in some exercise that way.

Now for my stats!

Current weight: 140 lbs

Lost: 1 lbs

The past 2 weeks have been the most difficult period for me. I put a lot of pressure on myself to cook and entertain and ended up having lots of “bites” to taste test the food and in the end, all the bites really added up. I honestly thought that I would have a gain during this 2 week period, so although I only lost 1 lbs over the past 2 weeks, I will gladly take it! Now that the family have left, I am back on track and expect things to be back to normal. Now that fall is upon us and the weather is cooling down, I am looking for low cal comfort foods. If anyone has some suggestions, please feel free to list them here.

Posted by Mandy, Parent Panel Member