tottieBean… Fun classic clothes for children

tottieBean was created by two sisters who are moms as well, that wanted to create an ideal sportswear line for children and moms alike. Their line of clothing is all about classic fit and wearability, made with comfortable and durable fabrics. Their motto is that “kids should dress like kids, look good and always be comfortable.”

tottieBean’s newest Spring 2009 collection will include athletic-inspired swimwear and togs featuring swimsuits, and t-shirts in coordinating colors for girls and ladies, as well as, t-shirts and shorts for boys.

Some clothes today just have too much going on and we seem to lose track of the more simple clothing designs for children.  As a mother I tend to go with the more practical things when picking out my children’s clothes.

I was recently given the opportunity to review tottieBean’s classic pullover ($45). To me clothing should withstand numerous washings and come out looking as good as it went in. Before even putting it on one of my boys, I washed the pullover about 3 times and it washes beautifully. I love tottieBean’s pullover because it is a classic and simple design that can be jazzed up with  bright colors underneath. My boys are so active when they play that this is perfect for those cool Fall days and rolling around in the leaves, and I don’t have to worry about it falling apart. Clothing should stand up to the wear of young children and still look good.

Check out tottieBean today…simple yet classic style for your special bean.

You Can Make This

Experienced mothers have many things to share with future mothers. Whether it’s tips on enduring pregnancy, suggestions about nurturing a “spirited” child, or ways to teach children crafts that will enhance their lives, the information needs to be passed along. The earth’s first mothers passed their lore through the oral tradition of storytelling. The advent of the printing press let mothers pass knowledge in books. But in today’s modern world, mothers pass along their know-how via the internet through “YouCanMakeThis.Com.”

YouCanMakeThis.Com is an iParenting award winning website that provides families and or anyone with instant access to patterns, eBooks, instructions, and tutorials for wide range of favorite craft and sewing projects.  The site has patterns and instructions for all sorts of things such as woodworking, sewing, knitting and quilting.

YouCanMakeThis.Com’s downloadable eBooks provide simple, step-by-step guides.  For those unfamiliar with eBooks, basically, they are files that can easily be downloaded, saved and then printed or read on a computer monitor. The website offers more than 700 projects that help moms make things for their children, for themselves and even teaches tweens how to learn a new skill.

This is my first experience with this site and I must say I love it! I spent close to two hours just looking at all the fun things to do! There is a huge wealth of information all in one spot and it is very well organized into categories. I just recently got the the “Nap Mat” pattern and the instructions are very thorough and pretty easy to understand. We will have to see how these turn out! I have always wanted to learn how to quilt, and there are lots of patterns for that. These projects are perfect for the upcoming colder months when you are stuck inside, and a great way to learn something new. The possibilities are endless!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!

Thank you to all who entered!   Check back often!

DoubleBugs and YouCanMakeThis.com are giving you the chance to learn something new by giving three lucky winners an ebook of their choice!

Here’s what you gotta do:

Leave a comment on what you like about the site and what you would like to try to make.

Please leave me an email or a way to contact you if you win

Contest starts September 24, 2008 and and ends October 4, 2008

Check back and see who the winners are!

Good Luck!

Umi shoes….Like walking on clouds!

I just recently had the chance to review Umi shoes for the boys and I must say that I am very impressed with their shoes.  Over time, I have become a bit of a shoe connoisseur so naturally I took them out of the box and started doing the “Mommy” test.  When looking for shoes for toddlers,  I always check the soles on shoes, to make sure they are flexible.  Umi shoes fit the bill perfectly.   Shoes that are well made for children, need to offer give for quickly developing feet.  This is one of the first things I look for in the stores.  Most of the time, the soles are so hard you could just use them as paper weights!

The insides of the shoes are amazing!  I couldn’t believe just how soft and cushy they were, and I can imagine that they are like walking on clouds.  Comfort is such and important factor, because kids really “wear” their shoes to run, jump, and play.  I know I have those few pairs of “pretty”  looking shoes in my wardrobe, that only serve that purpose.  Children need functional shoes because they are always on the go. Umi shoes offer easy velcro closures so you can get them on and off without the hassle of shoelaces.  Besides all the important factors, their shoes are fun hip and stylish for your little one.   Their latest Fall and Winter collection is absolutely adorable and I found it hard to make up my mind.  You can dress these shoes up or down and  I have already had three people ask me where I got these shoes!

Check out Umi shoes you won’t be disappointed!

Whomi…staying hip while staying organized

I just recently got the chance to review some fun organizers from Whomi.  Their organizers were featured in Oprah magazine announcing that most women today use paper to organize their busy schedules.  I know the calendar in our kitchen always has appointments and reminders on it.

Between my husband, the dog, the cat, two kids, grocery shopping and all the tasks in between, I am constantly jotting things down.  Most of the time I find myself scratching something down on a napkin, a torn off piece of envelope, or whatever else I can find.  Whomi has fun ways to organize your life with simple and colorful organizers.

Clarity Agenda (Compact size $25)
This calender lets mothers view their crazy schedules right along side their kids’ crazy schedules. I love this calendar because it fits right in my purse and allows you to keep track of your own schedule on top and has space for the rest of the family’s schedule on the bottom.  So you know what’s going on with everyone.  It comes in two sizes the original size and a more compact version of the original.

• Weekly Planner tracks multiple family members all in the same view
• Color-coded lines for each family member
• 30% of customers use color-coded lines to track:
• View your entire week in one easy snapshot
• Portability enables scheduling on the spot
• Beautiful and unique shape, layout and graphic design
• Vinyl cover for durability
• Clarity Agendas are January-December 2009, with a Monday through Sunday weekly view
• A separate August 2008-December 2009 Monthly calendar is included in the top booklet

There is even spaces to write down birthdays, contacts name and numbers, and favorite books and movies along with a full calendar with holidays marked of course!  This was a very well thought out weekly planner, I love how its designed!

Every Day Pad ($19.50)

Organize your tasks by days of the week.  I think this is such a neat idea because you have a little mini pad for each day of the week!  Not only is it extremely multifunctional, it is such a fresh idea to boring pads of paper.

The To-Do Collection

Here is another brilliant idea by Whomi.  I have never seen pads like these but they are ideal especially when I am lining up tasks to do.  Men inherently never know what needs to be done around the house (sorry guys!), so now I have a place to put who needs to do what and there are no questions about what needs to get done.

-ME YOU TOO PAD: ($16) This helps to delegate such tasks and nobody is guessing about what they should be doing.  This is great for me because I can hand my husband his sheet of paper and send him on his way  LOL!

-HOME WORK PLAY PAD: ($16)  This pad is handy when you have tasks that need to be done in specific places. Separate tasks by where you’ll be when you need to get things done.

I love all the bright colors these organizers come in, and they are certainly a different spin on the same old boring stuff.  Real thought and consideration went into their design, and they are actually a helping hand for busy moms like me.  Anything that is designed to simplify our lives, is such a blessing and helps devote more time to having fun when you have a handle on all the things that make life busy.  Whomi has done a great job and I highly recommend them if you want to stay organized!

Leap Frog….Jump into learning

It is amazing how fast kids grow in their development especially at the toddler stage. My two year olds are picking up new things every day and I am amazed at how fast they grasp things. They both already know their colors, and are starting to count and say their ABC’s. I know I may be a little biased, but I am impressed with my little guys.

With LeapFrog they make learning easy and fun! The boys could hardly wait to break these toys out of the box and started playing and learning right away! LeapFrog’s Fridge Words™ Magnetic Word Builder is such a neat toy! The boys love trying to fit the letters into the slots and hearing what each one says. They were even repeating some of the letters and dancing to the ABC’s. It has three modes of play which is great, because as the child grows and develops you can advance the skill level.

Fridge Words™ Magnetic Word Builder | Ages 3 & Up | MSRP: $24.99

With LeapFrog’s Fridge Words, kids can create more than 325 three letter words with singing magnetic letters. Three modes of playinclude : Letter Hunt, Word Builder, and Word Hunt. Encourage little ones to learn letter names and sounds, spell three letter words and replace letters to make rhyming words.

LeapFrog’s Learn & Groove Guitar is just as much fun. The boy’s love “rockin” as they call it. I think they picked this up from my husband. They both love to hold it and dance it is so fun to watch. I love toys that incorporate music and learning. Music plays a huge role in infant and toddler development so, kudos to LeapFrog for having these brilliant two in one toys. Another thing I like about their toys are that they offer a lower sound setting so it isn’t loud or annoying and the boys can still play with it. This is probably one of their favorite toys and I can see them using it for a long time.

ikookie Organic Cotton

I love organic cotton, it feels so much softer than any other cotton against the skin.

Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, which makes it ideal for your baby’s skin. Not only is it good for your baby’s delicate skin but it is good for the environment.

At Ikookie, they have your baby’s best interest at heart and only make their products with %100 certified organic cotton. They carry a wide range of organic cotton products for baby (0-24 months including bodysuits, t-shirts, yoga pants, sleep suits, blankets, towels and more.

My boys just recently received the yoga pants($11) and t-shirts ($8). These outfits are the cutest things ever, and after only one washing are so soft. When I put them on the boys, they started romping around and I could just tell they loved how they felt on them. They look incredibly comfortable and the boys can move around freely in them which I like. I wish they made these for me! So adorable, right down to the little tags on back and made for their sensitive skin.

Ikookie has some of the cutest stuff for your little cookie, the prices are reasonable, and I hope that they eventually carry toddler sizes as well!

Oyikes! The perfect bag for Moms on the go.

I have been in search for one of those everything bags. With having two toddlers it is hard enough just trying to manage them, let alone all of the stuff I need to tote with me in a given day. O Yikes bags are the perfect solution. They aren’t necessarily a diaper bag but, they are a bag meant for you to keep all of the things you need on hand.

My husband and I tend to do a bit of traveling ,and I am always in need of a carry on bag that can handle the necessary things for the boys like diapers, wipes, my laptop, keys, wallet, cell phone etc. without bringing on something so monstrous, that it takes up what little seating room and space you have on an airplane.

O Yikes is the perfect solution! Their bags were created with a focus on staying organized. The bags have many features alone, but can be customized further with matching accessories.

They have developed several cool and innovative bags for parents on the go, and most importantly something that is functional. Their bags have ample sized pockets and a place for everything to keep yourself organized. One of my favorite features in the stand alone laptop sleeve, it is nice because I can tuck it in the bag or just take the laptop tote separately….a great feature to have when you need to get through gate security at the airport!

O Yikes offers the Slingback and the Messenger Bag. Both of these bags can be equipped with matching accessories which makes them unique. Packages include the 24.7 and the 9.2.5. The Messenger bag is designed to keep up with your busy lifestyle of being a Mom, going to work, or traveling. The Messenger 9.2.5 includes a nice mesh see through accessory case for all the little things and a laptop sleeve. It also comes with plenty of pockets and an easily accessible front pocket, ideal for holding documents, maps, passports, or magazines. The hidden side pocket is perfect for your cell phone or mp3 player.

Another nice thing that I love about O yikes bags are, that they fit comfortably on my shoulder and the strap doesn’t slide off. I carried the bag with my laptop a good deal of time, and I felt no discomfort. The slingback version is even nicer, because it can be worn to rest on your back. Nice when you need to hang on to it but move it out of your way.

This bag has definitely become a quick favorite of mine, simply because it is so versatile and practical. Definite thought and consideration went into its design and it comes in plenty of cool colors (like Blueberry Keylime), my personal favorite, and also more neutral yet hip colors for Dad as well.

I would definitely recommend this everything bag, if you are a busy Mom like me. I love it! Check out O yikes bags today!

Brilliant Boon

As if the Boon Frog Pod wasn’t cute enough, Boon does it again with an even cuter and just as clever solution to where to put those bath toys.

Please welcome the newest member of the Boon family, the Bug Pod. Joining the Frog Pod in the fight against moldy bath toys, the Bug Pod ($35) has a drainable scoop for collecting and rinsing toys, plus a wall-mounted base to make storage easy. Just like her brother, the Bug Pod has a shelf for bath products and her antennae can be used to hang accessories.

Vincent Shoes…Im in love with these shoes!

About Vincent Shoes

Swedish designers Patrick Österman and Thomas Elbaum are the creative forces behind the Vincent™ shoe brand. The birth of Thomas’ nephew, Vincent, in 1998 and their subsequent disappointment with a lack of high quality, stylish children’s shoes, sparked their desire and initiative to design a fun, fashionable and functional shoe brand. Patrick and Thomas derive their inspiration for Vincent kids shoes from global fashion trends and what’s seen on the runways of Paris, Milan, London and New York, though the result of their efforts is Vincent shoes 100 percent focused on kids.

Good quality shoes for little kids are important for little growing feet. I just recently got the chance to review a pair of Vincent shoes for the boys. I picked out the Joakim style , simply because I like how they look. These laid back kicks are so cool and look to be quite comfortable and lightweight. As with any shoe, my first test was to see if the soles are flexible. The soles offer good support yet offer enough flexibility for little feet. Shoes that don’t move with a child are just a disaster in my opinion.

The shoes have an all leather inside and outside with suede accents and wavy white stripes, as well as, an easy velcro closure ( a feature I love). There is nothing like trying to tie a shoe on a wiggle worm toddler. It’s like wrestling a bull sometimes to get one shoe tied. These shoes are quick and easy to put on. The tips of the shoes are also reinforced by a rubber sole which is really great for little feet. That is the first place that the boys shoes show signs of wear. You can dress them up or down and they look great with jeans. Shoes never excited me before, but I love them on their little feet! They are available in four irresistible colors. The only drawback is, I wish they made these shoes for me!

The Joakim retails for ($60) and are well worth the extra money if you want a shoe that is going to stand the test of a busy and active toddler! I will be keeping these shoes at the top of my favorite list. I love these shoes!!

You can visit Vincent Shoes and pick out something cute and fashionable for your little bean! They also have a closeout cubby where you can find some outstanding deals!

Hoohobbers for your little one.

Hoohobbers has manufactured and designed it’s own line of children’s products since 1981, and they are made right here in the USA.

I just recently received their directors chair ($35) and rocking chair ($49) for the boys. Both of these chairs are great. One of the main features of these two chairs, which I really like, is the fact that they fold away for easy storage or transport. Both the director’s chair and rocking chair are waterproof, so they can go just about anywhere! They are great for camping trips, or for family outings where seating is limited. The rocking chair is extremely stable in that it has front foot pads which keep the chair stable while my little guys climb in and out. The boys favorite place to be is in the living room in their chairs watching Blue’s Clues LOL! Hoohobbers can also personalize for you with your child’s name.

Hoohobbers carries a whole line of other things such as crib bedding, diaper bags, Moses baskets, and more. Check out Hoohobbers, they have some really cute stuff!

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