Rubbermaid Premier food storage

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Even before my eldest daughter was just a twinkle in my eye, I liked these dorky vegetables with eyes, noses and mouths that can talk and sing.  I find them really quite funny and adorable.  I mean, have you seen Lord of the Beans?!  How about Lessons from the Sock Drawer?!  They’re pretty funny and educational and good, people.  Each episode of VeggieTales contains a great moral message for the littles and that’s cool with me.

Sweetpea Beauty is VeggieTales take on the ever-so-popular princess classics, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White.  Sweetpea is a fair maiden…er…rhubarb…er…maiden that can truly see the beauty in everything and everyone.  Queen Blueberry is quite vain.  Per the mirror’s advice (can’t have talking veggies without talking mirrors!), she banishes Sweetpea from the kingdom because she’s worried about Sweetpea’s “physical” beauty getting in the way of her ruling the land.  Sweetpea knows better and is on a mission to save the insecure queen from the evil mirror!  Here’s a sneak peek:

Sweetpea Beauty: A Girl after God’s Own Heart is really a delightful tale. Hats off to Big Idea for this one. Something every little girl (and boy, eh, why not?) should see.

We have 5 copies of this brand new DVD to give away.

To enter, leave your entry comment on this post.  Tell us your favorite veggie (the kind that don’t talk or the kind that do!)

Second entry chance: Go “Like” VeggieTales and/or ParentSphere on Facebook.  Come back and leave another comment on this post letting us know you like them or us…or both of us. 

Third entry chance: Tweet this giveaway.  Here is the link to this post that you should include in your Tweet: http://bit.ly/amsVSy

Tweet what you want, just make sure it’s nice (because we like nice).  Come back and leave another comment on this post including the direct link to your Tweet.

This giveaway is open to residents of the continental US and chances to enter will end on Thursday, August 5th at midnight PST.  5 winners will be randomly drawn from the comment section of this post and notified via email, Twitter and our Facebook Fan Page.  Good luck and enjoy!

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Jamba All Natural Smoothies

Add 8 0z. of apple juice and blend away.  Each pack contains enough fruit for 2 – 8 oz. smoothies.

No artificial flavors, no artificial colors and no preservatives.  Just a full serving of fruit, non-fat yogurt and Jamba’s antioxidant boost.

I love ‘em.  The kids love ‘em.  You can get them at these places.

By the way, have you heard about the new cheeseburger chill smoothie at Jamba Juice?  Mmm. Mmm. Mmm!

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Before leaving for our trip, I signed into my account on the SecuraTrac website and created “fences” for the areas my family and I would be visiting while in Florida.  SecuraFences are safety zones that you configure within your account.  You can create an unlimited number of fences; for instance, I created a separate fence for each of the Disney World parks we visited.  When you activate a fence, your SecuraPal will send you text and/or email alerts when the person carrying it goes outside of the area you created.

The SecuraPal (GPS tracking device) is small and comes with a case.  It was easy to attach the device to my preschooler either by stringing her belt through it, hanging it from a belt loop with a hook or sticking it in one of her pockets.  There were many occasions where I lost sight of her in the parks.  Have you been to Disney World?  It’s quite easy to lose sight of people.  She wanted to be right next to her cousin the entire time, not her parents.

(From your account dashboard, you can see the SecuraPal’s exact location in 5, 15, 30 or 60 minute increments)

Honestly, it eased my mind a little knowing that if something should happen to separate us, she could press a button to alert us (triggering an alert via text message and/or email to one or multiple assigned contacts).  We would also be alerted if she was “outside of the fence” we previously created and activated online.  We could check our SecuraTrac account from the iPhone and pinpoint her location.  Knowing that we were being proactive in finding her, helped me to not worry so much.  We were fortunate that no one in our group got lost, though, the peace of mind that this little device gave me was priceless.

There are many ways you can put this kind of technology to use.  Chris Holbert, SecuraTrac’s founder, suggested giving it to your teenager before he or she leaves the house.  Who’s the cool kid that doesn’t have to check in with mom and dad?  Attach it to your dog’s collar before he goes out to “do business”.  Does he bolt, like our family dog?  You can find him easy enough now.

Stick it in the stroller when Grandma or the nanny takes the kids for a walk to the park.  I know right where they are and when they’re coming back.  Have a tween that likes to go to the movies with friends?  Stick it in her purse before she leaves the house.

If it’s not already obvious, I think this is an awesome product and service and completely endorse it.

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My daughter is very active, so I generally dress her (actually, she dresses herself) in comfortable clothes that she can move around freely in.  I’m planning on getting her involved in some activities, something like gymnastics or soccer in the coming months.  Something where she can burn off some of that crazy amount of energy she has.

With this in mind, when I was contacted about a company out of Vancouver, B.C. called LiLiKiKs, a company specializing in sportswear for active girls, I was immediately interested in learning more.  They sent us the Courtney Tank and Borealis Capri for review.  The outfit arrived before our first two trips this summer, so it was a no-brainer for me that Hailey would wear the outfit on our four flights, two of which were five hours long.  I needed something comfortable and durable.

The tank and capri’s have become a favorite of hers (and mine).  The tank is made of Shea fabric and has UVF 50 protection (which makes me happy) and the capri’s are made with KiK Dri fabric (which makes her comfortable and happy).  LiLiKiKs line of active wear for girls and tweens range in size 6 to 14 (XS to XL).  I like it that you can shop by sport on their website.  Makes narrowing down your choices much easier.

As soon as a decision is made as to which sport(s) we’ll try first, I know I can confidently shop at LiLiKiKs for quality and comfort.

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We were recently sent one of the softest hooded towels by Bebe au Lait for our baby.  Honestly, this is the softest towel I have  felt.  I love wrapping our soon-t0-be one year old in it after she’s played in the pool or when she’s fresh out of the bath.  It’s not scratchy on her delicate skin like other towels I’ve had.  Have I mentioned it’s the softest baby towel ever?

We have the Bebe au Lait hooded towel in Capri, a modern Asian-inspired pattern (it’s beautiful).  The towels are made of 100% plush terrycloth and the trim is 100% cotton and they are the perfect size for babies up to 24 months.

Do not hesitate to purchase one of these hooded towels as a gift for a new mom.  Bebe au Lait also has coordinating nursing covers, bibs and burp cloths in many appealing patterns.  Their gift sets and towels are packaged beautifully.

If you’re going to be at the pool for any amount of time over the summer, you should definitely have one of these hooded towels on hand to snuggle around your precious summer baby. 

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Here is a run-down of some fantastic products that are perfect for traveling with kids.  Whether we were gifted with some of the items or if we purchased them, the following are our own, honest opinions.  We hope you’ll find these products just as useful as we have.

Plum Tots

On my mission to find travel-friendly food items for the baby, I discovered Plum Organics.  I purchased about a dozen packs of Plum Tots fruit “mish mash” blends for our 11 month old.  Little did I know how handy these travel-friendly packs would be.  I threw these into the diaper bag, along with a disposable spoon and whenever we were at the pool for the afternoon or a not-so-kid-friendly restaurant, I squeezed some of the organic fruit puree onto the spoon and voila, the baby was a happy camper.

MD Moms Baby Silk Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes – 30 SPF

These soft, sweat-proof sunscreen towelettes are a must-have.  There were so many instances on our two sunny vacations when we didn’t have one of our bottles or sticks of sunscreen readily available and we wanted to re-apply sunscreen.  These baby silk babysafe sunscreen towelettes were a godsend.  There is enough sunscreen in one wipe to completely cover a baby or kid from head-to-toe.  A big pat on the back for the MD Moms for these indispensable sunscreen wipes.

FruitziO

We love, love, love the new FruitziO freeze-dried fruit snacks from Crispy Green.  We brought several packs of these 100-calorie healthy snacks with us on our vacations and both the kids and adults enjoyed them immensely.  It was nice to have a handy, healthy snack along where it was quite easy to indulge in treats that are not-so-good for you (like those all-you-can-eat 24 hour buffets).

ColourCollection from Goody (new!)

If you have girls, then you already know that Goody products are a staple.  We were sent Goody’s new ColourCollection hair accessories and have been making extremely good use of them.  When we were in the Dominican Republic, the ouchless hair ties, Ribbon Weave Gentle Elastics and snap clips helped tame our humidity-struck locks.  In Florida, the above Goody products helped keep our hair up and out of the way as we braved the 100+ degree heat.

Trunki

I can’t tell you how many glances, giggles and compliments we have gotten about Trunki (and how many adults wish they could have ride-on luggage, too!).  That’s not the only reason we like her, she’s been an incredible  travel companion for our preschooler.  Inside of this kid-friendly luggage, we tucked everything she needed to feel safe and entertained away from home and we were able to pull her while she rode on Trunki through the airport.  We couldn’t have made a better decision in a carry-on for our little one.

Bendaroos

We were gifted with a box of “Fun Food” Bendaroos and admittedly, when I opened the box, I was unimpressed with this product.  I had different expectations on the quality of these bendable, wax-covered pieces of yarn BUT my 4-1/2 yr old LOVES THEM.  That, to me, is more important than my initial disappointment.  I like activities that the kids can do with their hands and minds.  They provide hours of entertainment for the kids and make a great travel activity.

Pipila

The Pipila, a portable pacifier (and nipple) sanitizer was a product that I used religiously on our trip to The Dominican Republic.  There were signs right on the faucet in our suite that read, “don’t drink the water”.  So, the last thing I wanted to do was wash the baby’s pacifiers or nipples with it.  I rinsed them a bit with bottled water and then 6 minutes in the Pipila and they were 99.9% sterilized.  This product worked like a charm.

butt-ums up baby Diaper Changing Pad

Now that I’ve been there, done that (ie: traveling via flights with kids), I can attest to the use one gets out of this product.  I would have been lost without the butt-ums up baby diaper changing pad.  I used it on the plane (in the bathroom and while in my seat!), at the pool, in the stroller and in many baby changing stations around Walt Disney World.

Baby Banz

This company knows all about warm weather.   Baby Banz is an Australian based company that specializes in UV protection for babies and kids.  We were gifted with the items pictured above.  The one piece, UV Banz swimwear is for babies 0-24 months, UPF 50+.  There is a front zipper and zipper closure on the leg inseam for easy diaper changes.  Baby Banz is known for their baby and kid’s sunglasses (and accessories).  Do not pass up this company when you’re shopping for sun protection for your kids.  We highly recommend Baby Banz.

SecuraTrac

We took the SecuraPAL (Personal Automated Locator) along with us on our trip to Disney World.  I will soon post my detailed review of how we used this GPS tracking device with our preschooler as we braved the crowds at the parks.  SecuraTrac offers a very smart, tech-savvy way to keep those you love from getting lost.  We also very highly recommend this product (SecuraPal) and service (SecuraTrac).  Check out a demonstration of this service.

Little Honey Bug Repellent Bands

These things are freaking awesome. We were surrounded by flying, blood-sucking insects while we were out of the country and then when we came back into the country.  When they started to attack, we just set out one of these 100% Natural Bug Repellent Bands near us and suddenly, our blood was of no interest.  We have many more summer nights where we’ll be prime targets for those nasty mosquitoes, therefore, we will have plenty more bug bands on hand.  It’s a no brainer.

Vincent Shoes

We’re long time fans of Vincent Shoes.  I have trusted the quality and durability of their kid’s shoes and they have not let me down.  Tor (pictured above) proved to be worthy of keeping my preschooler on her feet on wet, stamped concrete walkways and while running to and fro around Walt Disney World.  Did I mention they have ridiculously awesome sales all of the time?  Well, they do.  So check out Vincent Shoes.

Britax Blink Stroller

I can’t say enough good things about this lightweight stroller.  We take our Britax Blink everywhere with us.  This stroller has been through airports, checked at gates, folded and unfolded to transport on and off trams, through security, on bumpy, stamped-cement walkways, in and out of elevators, all over Disney World, etc.  No complaints from the 11 month old.  No complaints from the parents.  This stroller is a must-have.

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What you see pictured above is MobiGo, the brand new hand held touch learning system from VTech.  I was sent a MobiGo to check out and talk about here at ParentSphere.  What you read below is completely my opinion.

There is a July 2010 release date for MobiGo (MSRP $60) and it’s going to be a load of interactive fun for your 3 to 8 year old.  My daughter is 4-1/2 and when I introduced MobiGo to her the other day, she was hooked.  She’s at that age where she can follow instructions and has a basic understanding of electronics; in this case, fun, learning activities.  I’m predicting it’s going to be a big hit this holiday season.

MobiGo has a touch screen, much like mom and pop’s smart phone.  The screen slides back (with a smooth transition) to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard to get your son or daughter familiar with using a computer.  I am so digging this.  Here is Hailey playing some games from the Touch and Learn game cartridge:

Using the QWERTY keyboard:

Using the touch screen:

As you can see from the videos, this new hand held learning system is right on par with today’s high-tech gadgets.  A feature included is connecting online to share scores and track progress.  A+ in my book.  That’s what I’m talkin’ about.  I am highly anticipating the other titles (11 to start) soon available for MobiGo.  You can order your MobiGo online at ToysRus, where you can also view a list of the current software titles.

View more images of MobiGo:

We are fortunate enough to be able to offer a brand new VTech MobiGo to one of our readers.

Enter our VTech MobiGo giveaway!

I will choose a winner from the comment section of this post (using Random.org’s number generator) on Friday, June 18th.  Giveaway open until midnight PST (you must be located in the continental US) to enter.

You can do any or all of these things to enter.  That means, you have four chances to enter.

Entry chance option 1:

Leave a comment on this post letting us know if  you own any other VTech products.

Entry chance option 2:

Tweet about this giveaway. Then, come back to this post and leave a comment with the link to your Tweet and your Twitter “handle”. I’ll make this part easy, you can copy and paste the following text for your Tweet (it fits, I checked):

I just entered to win a MobiGo touch learning system from @vtechtoys and @ParentSphere http://bit.ly/cnygMF

(Just make sure you mention @vtechtoys and @ParentSphere in your Tweet!)

Entry chance option 3:

Follow VTechToys on Twitter. Come back to this post and leave a comment letting us know you and VTechToys are Twitter buddies.

Entry chance option 4:

Become a fan of VTech on Facebook. Come back to this post and leave a comment letting us know you’re a fan.

*Make sure each of your entry comments on this post are separate or they will only count as one.  Good luck!

By the way, there are a TON of MobiGo giveaways happening right now.  Just check out the list of sites hosting them on VTech’s Facebook page.   (If you enter any of the other giveaways that request leaving a comment on VTech’s Facebook wall, please note they have a special giveaway discussion board, instead of flooding their wall with giveaway feedback.)

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Merrell Huron (Men’s) in Green Tea

Merrell Siren Tansy (Women’s) in Sweet Pea

We just returned from our trip to the Dominican Republic and I have so many things to talk about!  First, I’ll start with what kept mom and dad’s feet happy on our 6 day international adventure.

We were each sent a pair of Merrell shoes from the Summer 2010 collection (pictured above) to give a test run (or stride, in our case).

We did a lot of walking through the airport and then around the Iberostar Bavaro resort property in Punta Cana and can testify to the durability of the above pictured sandals.  We didn’t have much of a doubt that Merrell shoes would provide support and comfort but finding out first-hand was the icing on the cake.

The sandals kept us safe on the wet, stamped cement walkways of the resort.  I was able to remove the heel strap from my Siren Tansy’s and wear them in more of a “flip-flop” fashion.

What is attractive about these sandals?  Several things, actually.  Mine have an antimicrobial solution added to the footbed (non-slip, anti-odor), Q-Form® (women’s stride alignment technology), Vibram® Siren sole (stability and traction) and they’re girly, to boot.

The men’s Huron have cement construction for durability, a microfiber footbed, Merrell® air cushion in the heel and, they look pretty darn good on him.  They were perfect for our al a carte dinners at the resort where the men had to wear pants and a more “dressy” sandal.

Both of these sandals are lightweight and c-o-m-f-o-r-t-a-b-l-e.  It’s a no-brainer that we’ll be wearing these around the Walt Disney World parks this coming week and at the cabin on the lake later in the summer.

You can purchase Merrell shoes online or find a Merrell retailer near you.

PS: If you purchase from Merrell online, shipping is FREE all summer.

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Speaking of diapers, I know I’m going to want to have something for the baby to lay on for diaper changes, considering we will only be in our suite first thing in the morning and at night to sleep, so I’m bringing our butt-ums up baby Changing Pad.

There is a convenient clip for attaching the changing pad to your stroller or diaper bag when you’re on the go.  I have a feeling I will end up changing my little one on our four hour flight, so mine will be clipped to my carry-on luggage.  This changing pad holds 2-4 diapers and a travel wipes container.  One side is made of vinyl (easy to clean…) and the other side is ultra soft chenille (…and machine washable).

Stacy Sager is the mompreneur behind butt-ums up baby.  Aside from creating products that come in handy for the on-the-go mom, she’s also somewhat of a travel expert and I had the chance to chat with her when she was on The Mommy Mentor show back in February.  She offered some valuable tips to me, as this will be my first time traveling abroad with my children.

Some of her family travel tips include:

Try to be relaxed and calm because babies pick up on your emotions.  Preparation is key when you’re traveling with kids and you have to expect the unexpected.  Kids learn and grow by sensory, so don’t leave them behind!  Planning ahead will ensure you and your family have a fantastic time when you arrive at your destination.

Regarding international travel, allow for delays and enough time to check bags and get through security with your little ones.  Airlines suggest two hours before boarding.  We’re giving ourselves a little more time than that since we have to take a tram into the airport from parking.

Airlines allow you to bring formula or breast milk onto the plane for the baby, as well as snacks and medicine.  It’s important to have something for the baby or child to drink, eat, suck on during take-off and landing.  Most importantly, landing.

Bring disposable bibs, utensils, placemats, so you don’t have to carry around the messy stuff.  Bring some ziplock bags and hand sanitizer/sanitizing wipes on your flight, so you can dispose of dirty diapers.  I may even stick a dryer sheet in the bags for extra “scent control”.  Pack a change of clothes for the kids in your carry-on, in case of accidents.

Stacy has so many more useful tips in her article in Expectant Mother’s Magazine.  You can read and print-out her informative checklist here.

Be sure to check out butt-ums up baby for fabulous, made in the USA baby items.  Excellent place to shop for brand new mamas where you can find matching blankies, burp clothes and changing pads among other fabulous things.

*A special thanks to Stacy for the gorgeous changing pad and all of the useful tips she has provided me.  I am feeling quite confident about traveling with my kids and she has a lot to do with that!

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