Monday, June 17, 2013

Fresh Produce has a vibrant selection of clothes

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Hey ladies are you looking for some clothes with fresh vibrant colors for you or your little girl? If  so check out Fresh Produce.  I would like to thank Fresh Produce for sending me a cute and colorful dress for my little one to try out (for free). 

They do not have a huge selection of children's clothes right now, but they have a cute collection.  Check out the colorful sundress Lauren is wearing. 



She wasn't in the modelling mood, but I was actually surprised she didn't mind wearing a dress.  The
"made in the USA" dress is a soft cotton and washes great.  So far the colors have not faded and the dress has not shrunk ( I do wash my darks in cold water, and dry on low heat).  I love the summery aquarium print with all the vibrant colors.  The dress is a size small (which said 2-3T size).  Lauren is skinny, but average length (at 2 1/2 years old) and the dress is a bit big on her.  (I have a onsie on under in the pictures).  I was thinking of putting it up for next year, but she seems comfy in it.


I could even match, picking out a tank of the same pattern in my size.  They have a much larger selection for ladies.  They also have a plus size section which is nice, and accessories to match so many of the styles. 

Check them out for some fun summer selections!  Visit http://freshproduceclothes.com/

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Kidobi has great videos for little kids

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I know all too well that children learn from what they watch.  I have seen positive things from this with my children, and unfortunately the negative also.  I have been searching for online video sites for children that are fun, educational and safe.  I want to thank Kidobi for sending me a code to try out their site for free, as well as a couple gifts for the family (my son loves his piggy bank). 
 
Kidobi is an online video content provider for children ages 2 to 6 years old.  It's a helper to us parents, automatically generating customized video playlists for up to three children on an account.  I like the automatic playlists, but I also like that you can add videos to the playlists (or to their favorites) also.  Plus each child has their own playlist, favorites and history.  If you do not like a video you can even block it from their playlist. You can also find many videos in Spanish also.  You can search for videos using the search bar, or by themes.  One note, I found if you use the search bar then start each word with a capital letter, otherwise they do not come out with any results.   They have fun and educational videos from many different characters.  Some well known to us are Pocoyo, Sesame Street, Shushybye and Daniel Cook. 
 
My son, who is actually older than the recommended age likes the Daniel Cook videos.  I really wish they had more "real life" characters like this so that it was a site that my son would like to go on.  I like that it is for the young ones, but he is still at the age that parents like me need sites for him.  Unfortunately he is the one that I have been searching for better sites, because he loves Youtube, but he finds too many inappropriate videos that way.  So I am still searching for other ways.  If anyone can give me some recommendations I would love it.  He loves watching Lego City videos, Videos of real life things like Trains, elevators and fire alarms.  He also loves cartoons....but these are what ends up getting him into trouble.  I hate that "adult" content has to be animated these days.  I have even tried blocking things, but then he can't get any of the types of videos that I don't mind either.   So any suggestions would be great.  Or I wouldn't mind if Kidobi would have a section for older children or children with autism that like these type of "stim" videos. 
 
I would definitely recommend it for the younger kids.  It seems to be a great site if you want your young children to be able to watch videos on the computer without catching inappropriate ones.  Since all the videos are pre-screened by educator and child development experts, parent are reassured of the age-appropriate, educational value.
 
Kidobi is also available as an iPad and Android app and can be found online at www.kidobi.com. You can also like Kidobi on Facebook and follow on Twitter for the latest updates.

Friday, May 31, 2013

Blue Nile jewelry (giveaway)

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I want to thank Blue Nile for sponsoring my blog.  I recently received a pair of really pretty earrings for free to review.  Blue Nile is a jewelry site with a large selection from simple earrings, like the Leaf Chandelier earrings in sterling silver, to extraordinary jewelry like the Oval Sapphire and Diamond Pendant.

 
 
They have a large selection of engagement and wedding rings and sets.  I like that you can custom design your own diamond jewelry, whether it is an engagement ring or a pair of earrings.  They have a large selection and you could really spend a lot of time picking out some great jewelry.  If you are not sure what to look for when choosing your jewelry they even have an "education" section to help you figure out what everything means when it comes to choosing diamonds, gemstones, pearls and precious metals.  





I received the Leaf Chandelier Earrings in Sterling Silver to try out.  I thought they were really pretty.  I think they look nicer on than they do in the pictures from the website.  They are very flexible and the beaded design really catches the light.  They have a great shine.  Wearing them they are comfortable and light. I think they would be great to dress up any outfit.  I will be wearing them tomorrow to a wedding reception.  They are a nice option instead of wearing expensive gemstones, priced at $40.

(Picture from Blue Nile)
 
Giveaway:
Thanks to Blue Nile one of my lucky readers can win a pair of the Leaf Chandelier Earrings (in a gift box)! 


 
To enter:
Visit Blue Nile and tell me another piece of jewelry you would love. (mandatory entry)
 
Extra entries:
Follow Blue Nile on pinterest, facebook, or twitter.  (one entry for each follow)
Follow me on facebook , pinterest, or twitter (one entry for each follow)
Share this giveaway on facebook or twitter. (one entry for each share- 1 per day)
 
Please leave a seperate comment for each entry, along with the links to those entries and a valid email to contact you if you are the winner.  This giveaway is open to US only.  The giveaway will end on June 15 and the winner will be chosen by random.org.



Thursday, May 30, 2013

Love the virtual "try on view" feature from Firmoo.com eye wear

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I've recently been wearing my new glasses I got for free thanks to Firmoo.  FREE....yep that is right!  You can get a pair free too (just pay shipping).  You can visit Firmoo.com and go to their "First Pair Free" section where you can choose from a selection which all you have to pay is shipping.   Pretty good deal huh....they even have full refund for dissatisfaction.

You haven't ever bought glasses online before?  That is ok.  They have a nice tutorial to help you out in deciding which frames to try.  You will need to know your prescription.  I got my prescription a few years back and have never bought glasses from a regular store since.  Other times I have pretty much gone with styles I knew I would like (ones similar to the types I bought from eyewear stores).  This time thanks to their "try on view" I decided to go with something completely different, and it paid off.  I have gotten a lot of compliments on my new glasses and have many people tell me they like them better or just as well as my other styles. 

I wanted to try a pair of plastic frames.  I have never bought a pair like this before because of my face shape.  I have a hard time getting ones to fit that don't end up hitting my cheeks.  This time I checked out frames that had pictures of others with similar nose/cheeks as me that I thought looked good.  I then simply took my pic with my webcam  and "tried them on".  What is nice is your picture is there again in the future if you create an account and sign in. 

 
I loved that you get nice frames and lenses, and also items to care for these.  I got a nice hard case, a cleaning cloth and screwdriver set also.  My plastic frames are so light and comfortable to wear.  At first I started out swapping back and forth from my old to my new pair.....now I only wear my Firmoo glasses.  They are so comfortable and unlike my metal frames do not lose their shape.  I really like them! 

Now I guess it is just time to check out their sunglasses!  Of course with my face the stylish big frames just don't look good on me.  I prefer to get regular frames and then have my lenses tinted instead.  Firmoo offers a wide selection of tinting, gradiant tint or photochromic lenses.  So guess that is what I am in the market for.  Happy Shopping!

Id On Me is a great way to feel more secure

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I want to thank ID On Me for offering to let us try a couple ID On Me bracelets for free.  Having children with special needs I am always looking for ways to help me feel more secure.  Them wearing an ID or medical alert bracelet is one way that helps. 

The ID On Me bracelets come in two designs.  One for identification and one as a medical alert.  They have adjustable wrist bands.  I tried these out and the wrist bands adjust very well.  The bracelets were able to adjust small enough to fit on my 2 year old and large enough to be big on myself.  The wristbands are latex free also.  They come as a standard black wristband that fits 4.5 to 7.5 inches.  You can also get them in gray, striped, or XL wristbands (purchased in the accessories). The pendants come in several different colors also.


They have a water resistant compartment and include 4 Tyvek, waterproof inserts.  I tested these both out.  The compartment I ran under water and it completely stayed dry.  I then also ran the Tyvek inserts under water after I had written on them with a ultra fine Sharpie.  I was able to completely dry the insert with a paper towel and it looked just as good!  I was really impressed.  I like that the bracelets come with four of these inserts.  My children's conditions have changed over time and I like that I can change the information if needed.  Also I could even switch them from one wearing it to another just by changing the insert.  It is so simple. 


The bracelets were comfortable and really light.  They weight less than 1/4 oz.  They have made this over protective mama very happy!  I completely recommend them for anybody wanting that peace of mind. 

The ID On Me also come as pendants which can be used as a necklace, on a key chain, as a zipper pull, on a backpack, or even as a dog tag!  For more information or to order a bracelet or tag for yourself please visit www.idonme.com .  I think they are very affordably priced.  The medical or ID bracelets are priced at $14.00 and the tags are priced at $10. 


Disney's Planes releases August 9

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Save on all the labels your family needs

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It's that time of year when our kids are off to camp or traveling to friends.  Parents like us are busy looking for their items or cooking something up to send with them.  Otherwise we are busy in the garden or organizing the house. 

Thanks to Kidecals you can label all the things your family needs.  They offer labels for just about anything.  I love their DIY/ Gift labels.  I think they are a great way to label the items you are sharing with friends that you worked so hard on.


I am big on labelling my kids things that they take with them places.  Seeing this is a sponsored post, I will be getting some labels for free to check out thanks to Kidecals.  I have lots of labels for Zach and Kennedy, but need some cute girly ones for Lauren. So these will probably be the type you will be seeing:



I also think these mustache labels are the funniest and think they would be great for a party.


Can't wait to get some for yourself?  Check out Kidecals waterproof labels and save 15% using promo code:  awesomelabels at http://kidecals.com/

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Wummelbox launches in the US

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The European-style arts & crafts subscription service for kids, Wummelbox is now available in the US.  We got to try out the 1 month trial subscription, Wummel, at home for free.  This was a sponsored item which would regularly be priced at $34.95.  You can also choose a "Little Wummel" with is a 3 month subscription priced at $24.95 per month, or the "Big Wummel" which is the 12 month subscription priced at $19.95 per month.

What is a Wummelbox?  It is box full of project materials for your child.  It provides all the materials to create projects based on a particular theme.  Each box contains materials for approximately 3-4 activities.  They are designed to inspire learning, creativity and exploration.

We received a Wummelbox with a theme of time travel.  It came in a box with each project wrapped in tissue paper, with a card describing the theme and stories and instructions.  The only thing we needed to provide was some water (for the water colors) and our imaginations.

Zach had fun checking out all the projects.  While some of them he didn't play with a lot he did like putting the items together and painting.  The materials that came with this project were to make a couple different items to use your imagination about going back in time, and time traveling.  It also came with materials to create a game based on wild life footprints. 

The crafts were easy enough to do for younger children.  They are designed for children aged 3-8 years old.  I even let my 2 year old do some of the stamps with help. 

I think these would be nice during summer break.  If you are like me you may not have tons of craft ideas popping into your head.  It is kind of nice to have something delivered right to you with instructions and ideas as well as not having to shop for all the materials.  That is my biggest issue, finding all the materials needed when I do find a craft idea I would like to do with the kids.  I also think if you are going away this would be a nice "take with you" item.  This would be nice when on a week vacation so you don't have to hear the "I'm bored" comment.  Everything is right there and perfect for that rained out day...or those days you want to do something more imaginative.

For more information or to purchase a subscription you can visit www.wummelbox.com

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Disney’s PLANES releases in theaters everywhere on August 9th!

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Download Coloring & Connect the Dots

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

May the fourth be with you (giveaway)

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Who doesn't love Star Wars.....especially when they are paired with Angry Birds!  My son is just getting to like action figure type characters and thanks to the help of the Angry Birds he has come to love the Star Wars characters, Angry Bird style.
 
Thanks to Hasbro Game Night we got another Angry Birds Star Wars game to add to our collection.  Zach got Angry Birds Star Wars Jenga Death Star game for Christmas and that started his love for the Angry Birds Star Wars edition items.  Now he really loves the Angry Birds Star Wars Millennium Falcon Bounce Game we received for free from Hasbro Game Night.  Approximate retail price: $19.99; Ages: 8 & up; Players: 1-2
 
The game was pretty easy to put together, and a game that most ages can participate in.  To play the game each player bounces the three balls at the Millennium Falcon to knock down as many enemy pigs as possible and land in the cockpit to score big.  Here is Zach in action:
 
 
 
 
While you can play as multiple players her really loves being able to play the game by himself also.  It is good for hand-eye coordination.  We also liked that you actually use the box that it came in.  It comes with stickers so you can decorate the box to look like space, then you use it for the backdrop to catch the balls if you miss.  While some of the Millennium Falcon is made out of cardboard and comes apart occasionally, he really likes this item.  He keeps it right on his desk so when he plays Angry Birds on his computer that is there.  Players can also unlock Angry Birds Star Wars in-app content with a special code found in the game pack. (Charges may apply for app.)
 

 
We also received one of the new Angry Birds Star Wars Foam Flyers.  This item he likes but he actually doesn't really play with it much.  They are nice size (3.5") and make nice collectibles for the kids.  I think if you had multiples they would be more fun to let them fly around the house to actually playing Angry Birds Star Wars with.  Approximate retail price: $9.99; Ages: 5 & up
 
 
 
I guess the next one on his wish list would be the new Angry Birds Star Wars AT-AT Attack Battle Game(Approximate retail price: $39.99; Ages: 5 & up. Available: Now)
Stack, launch, and destroy with the AT-AT ATTACK BATTLE GAME, which includes 21 blocks to create the signature AT-AT, a LIGHTSABER LAUNCHER and 12 ANGRY BIRDS STAR WARS figures — including two that are exclusive to this set! Players can also unlock ANGRY BIRDSSTAR WARS in-app content with a special code in each pack.
Giveaway:
One lucky reader can win a Star Wars Angry Birds toy! (US only)
 
 
To enter:
Leave a comment telling me which Angry Birds Star Wars product you would like the most.
 
Extra entries:
Share this giveaway on facebook, twitter or google plus. (1 entry for each share)
Follow me on facebook, twitter, google plus, sverve or pinterest (1 entry for each follow)
Follow Hasbro Game Night on facebook www.facebook.com/hasbrogamenight or follow on Twitter: @hasbrogamenight.  (1 entry for each follow)
 
 
This will be a quick giveaway as I need the winners information by May 4th.  This giveaway will end at Midnight on May 2nd and will need to respond with in 24 hours to claim their prize.  Please leave a separate comment for each entry and a valid email to contact you if you are the winner.  The winner may not receive the same toy I received.  The prize fulfillment is at the discretion of Hasbro Game Night.