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Is Comfortable Enough to Get By?

December 3, 2010 by

When I think of comfort shoes I think of Crocs. They have made it well known that while their shoes aren’t the prettiest around they are some of the most comfortable. My kids had Croc Bands over the summer and literally wore them out because they were all they wanted to wear. I have a pair of black flip flops that are my go-to’s in warm weather.

Recently Crocs released Crocs Tone shoes; where comfort meets toning. This toning shoe is an innovative shoe that is meant to stimulate muscles to enhance muscle tone. I started out with the Skylar Flat. At first the shoe was fine, not the most flattering but cushiony. After a few minutes the shoes started rubbing my feet wrong. I tried again the next day and I had the same uncomfortable feeling. The shoe fit lengthwise but the top edge felt too snug. Crocs was gracious enough to send me the Skylar Clog, the un-prettiest member of the Crocs family. I was happy I at least got brown. I wore them and had no discomfort. There was a hollow feeling under my toes but I thought that had something to do with the toning properties.

I’ve been wearing these off and on for about a month and while I don’t notice a difference in my butt or thighs I do know they are comfortable shoes, not as ugly as I once thought and something I would recommend to others. In fact the original Crocs Tones I received were given to my sister’s SIL who is pregnant. She loves them, has no problems with the rubbing either.

Like all Crocs shoes the Tone’s are made with a lightweight croslite™ footbed which provides all-day comfort. The sculpted sole creates a rocking effect which is supposed to make you use those key muscles to create the toning effect. The insole is all bumpy which is supposed to provide a massage like sensation; with socks on you lose some of that bumpy goodness.

Check them out for yourself in a retailer nearby. I think to enhance my Crocs Tones experience I’m going to add Jibbitz. Rob might be totally embarrassed but why not jazz them up a bit.




If I Could Keep You Little

December 2, 2010 by

We’ve all had those moments; looking at our sleeping child and wishing they could stay that tiny, that innocent and that sweet. Then we look at the child 1,2 or 3 years later and think could this kid get any funnier; stay this way forever. As parents we’ve all struggled with the wish of wanting today to last forever and the wondering what the future holds.

If I Could Keep You Little is a book that talks about these challenges and the steps in between.
“If I could keep you little, I’d keep you close to me

But then I’d miss you growing into who you’re meant to be!”

Maybe the words and situations aren’t the same as when your children were growing up but the message is right on point. I remember with each child looking at their tiny newborn faces, wishing time could stand still but it that happened we wouldn’t have the laughs and smiles we have today. I read this book to Shae when I first received it for review. She sat quiet as I read her the story through smiles and tears. I cried because the story is emotional and insightful and reveals a lot about the way many mothers feel each day.

While recovering from brain surgery, author Marianne Richmond created hand-painted cards as individual thank you notes for her well-wishers, and from that small beginning started her own greeting card company, Marianne Richmond Studios, Inc.. Since then she has become a recognized creator of numerous books that celebrate milestones in life, memorable journeys, and relationships. Beginning with her first book in 1997, Gift of An Angel, writer and artist Marianne has touched the lives of millions over the past decade through her line of greeting cards and gift books.

A wonderful addition to any child’s book collection, I recommend purchasing this book.  I’m particularly glad I was offered this book for review, I’ve found so many other titles that would be a wonderful fit for my family and friends.

This is a sponsored post but the opinions and descriptions presented belong solely to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! Your experiences and reactions may differ from ours.




We got our Holiday Cards!!!

November 29, 2010 by

Our holiday cards are ordered and received! Thank you Cardstore.com. Last year I was a complete slacker and never got around to ordering our photo cards. In the past I was on top of it, getting pictures taken of the kids early enough in the season to get them ordered and sent way before Christmas.

our holiday cards 2010

If it weren’t for Cardstore.com and their exceptional variety of designs and layouts plus super quick shipping I wouldn’t already have my cards in hand ready to address and ship. I was especially impressed to the ability to choose specific card layouts to suit my preference such as 3 or 4 picture collage or design style such as vintage or modern. Besides cards and announcements you’ll find a list of appealing gifts and stationery for anyone on your list.

I go with simple collage photo cards  but if you’re the crafty type check out the Embellished Card Kits for a little DIY action. Order the card you love, personalized with your photos and message then order the Holiday Accent Kit that best matches its design. At home assemble the cards with accents such as gems, felt appliqués or rubber stamps. Kits start at $6.49 with enough supplies for 24 cards.

I’m a note taker and a list maker so I was immediately drawn to the personalized photo notebooks. This is such a cute gift for someone long distance; it gives them a glimpse of those special certain someones with each draw of the pen.
With products such as personalized gift tags, mommy cards, wedding thank you cards, business cards and stationery, easily complete shopping for many people on your gift list this year.
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Video Games for Preschoolers from Sesame Street

November 28, 2010 by

You know we love our games. Whether they are board games, video games, imagination games or whatever else there is, we love to play. We especially love our Wii we at least the kids really do, I don’t play anymore. Sadly Shae never gets in indulge though; that is until now.
Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure is the first preschool video game we ever received that was geared right for Shae. A mix of educational and downright fun make this game a perfect fit for preschoolers. In this game Elmo and Zoe head to the zoo where they explore exciting zoo habitats and play games based on a variety of literacy skills. Your kids will learn such skills as letter identification, letter sounds and word families in the Aquarium, Savanna, Jungle, Wetlands and Arctic habitats.

Using the Wii remote is usually half the fun but this game comes with a fuzzy Elmo character that slips over the remote

eliminated the accidental pressing of unnecessary buttons. If we had gotten the game for the Nintendo DS it would have come with a giant click stylus that is perfect for little hands. Step in to help out when needed just by adding the 2nd remote.

There are several other features that I want to point out:

  • Easy to follow audio-visual directions that preschoolers can master on their own.
  • Game difficulty adapts to your child’s level.
  • Customize up to four profiles, set functions including difficulty level and game limits, and review the games and educational content your child has played on the Parent’s Page.
  • Wii and Nintendo DS versions include Gameplay Helpers to simplify gameplay for your preschooler.

I’m excited to watch Shae finally get her hands at real video game playing and know the content of the game is at the perfect learning level for her. These games retail for approx $40, if she really loves Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure we’ll definitely be getting her Cookies’ Counting Carnival.

This is a sponsored post but the opinions and descriptions presented belong solely to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! Your experiences and reactions may differ from ours.
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Disney’s A Christmas Carol Blu-ray/DVD Combo & Coupon

November 24, 2010 by

This is the year of the Blu-ray, at least for us. We are re-building our movie collection starting with holiday classics like Disney’s A Christmas Carol. This movie has been released on a Blu-ray/DVD 3D combo on November 16th and we have a copy to enjoy.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol, is a rendition of the Charles Dickens beloved tale; the high-flying, heartwarming adventure for the whole family. When three ghosts take penny-pinching Scrooge on an eye-opening journey, he discovers the true meaning of Christmas – but he must act on it before it’s too late. Complete with spirited bonus features, this exhilarating and touching Disney classic is destined to be part of a family holiday tradition, adding sparkle and heart to all Christmases yet to come.

This film features the ever talented Jim Carrey who plays Scrooge and all 3 Ghosts.  Like all combo releases there are so many other features to check besides the actual movie.

Bonus Features:
BLU-RAY 3D Disc includes an exclusive 3D bonus feature, plus all the Blu-ray and DVD features:
Mr. Scrooge’s Wild Ride – In this 3D bonus feature, director Zemeckis and the cast explain how 3D made the Dickens novella come to life. The feature explores how 3D technology brought a whole new dimension to the story, from the Ghost of Christmas Past whisking Scrooge through time, to the look and feel of the characters in 19th Century London.

BLU-RAY features include all of the DVD features plus:
Behind The Carol: The Full Motion Capture Experience – A feature length picture-in-picture viewing mode takes the audience behind the scenes of motion capture filmmaking.
Countdown to Christmas Interactive Calendar – 25 days of holiday surprises extend the holiday cheer, as viewers come back to discover what each door holds.
Deleted Scenes – Six deleted scenes on the Blu-ray Disc.

DVD features include:
Capturing A Christmas Carol – Actress Jacquie Barnbrook hosts a journey through the creative process of Disney’s A Christmas Carol.
On Set With Sammi – Follow Sammi Hanratty, one of the film’s young stars, as she shares a kid’s eye view of an “anything but average” day on the set.
Deleted Scenes – Three deleted scenes on the DVD

Start a new tradition in your home with popcorn, family and great Disney movie classics like A Christmas Carol.

a christmas carol coupon

This is a sponsored post but the opinions and descriptions presented belong solely to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! Your experiences and reactions may differ from ours.




Need Gifts For The Tech Savvy?

November 21, 2010 by

We have years of family photos and videos that if we ever lost I am not sure what I would do that is why the Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Ultra Portable Drive is so important to me. It is the ultimate portable hard drive that offers many different storage capacities from 320 GB to 1.5 TB so there is a drive for every one.

The Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Ultra Portable Drive offers drives with plug and play connectivity in USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. It includes pre-loaded easy to use backup software and allows you to access your drive on your TV, network or on the go when combined with other Go Flex devices like the FreeAgent GoFlex TV HD media player.

The Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV HD media player allows you to share and play your movies, music and photos on your TV in 1080p. You can also plug your GoFlex Ultra Portable drive into the drive slot and access everything via your TV. Another cool thing is you can watch stuff on YouTube and movies on Netflix.

I have been using portable Seagate drives for years even before receiving the 1 TB drive but I really like that you can now use it with the media player. Melinda immediately wanted me to transfer home movies that I recently converted from Hi8 to mpegs to the drive so we could watch them on TV with the media player. Transferring the files was simple and hooking up the media player was a snap as well. With both of us blogging we take a TON of pictures and shot a lot of video so the 1 TB drive is already coming in really handy.

For anyone looking for a portable hard drive that is lightweight and dependable and a media player to use with the drive I would suggest you look at the Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex line of products.

This is a sponsored post but the opinions and descriptions presented belong solely to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! Your experiences and reactions may differ from ours.




Clic-it for More Organization

November 18, 2010 by

No I’m not pregnant but I did get a really cool diaper bag recently to review. I don’t use a diaperbag on a daily basis anymore but when I decide to venture out with Shae and my niece Madi out I need to arm myself with something more organized than a purse.

Let me introduce you to the Clic-It™ Smart Diaper Bag System. Smart seems to be an odd word to give to a diaper bag but since it’s used to explain the organizational features it makes total sense. At first glance it looks like a regular messenger style diaper bag. But when you start digging around and “clicking” the accessories on and off it turns into your own custom designed diaper tote.

Not everyone uses pacifiers, not everyone uses bottles so this bag lets you pick and choose the accessories that fit your baby and your lifestyle. Personally I would us the insulated tote, gadget case, key ring and organizer pouch. I’m a pretty good diaper bag packer, having 3 kids will do that to someone, but having the things you need right at your fingertips is essential when you have a runny nose, fussy kid or diaper explosion.

And if your trip today differs from your trip yesterday you can easily switch around the accessories to suit the situation or a different child. No more bottles, no need to even attach that one anymore. Potty training, no changing pad needed; completely customizable.

Aside from all the additional accessories you can buy the bag already comes equipped with enough outside and inside pockets to make anyone happy. A wipe-clean surface lines the inside and best of all it has stroller loops providing a great way to hang it while keeping

I’ve attempted to video tape the easy click on process and the bag itself but I’m clumsy and stuttered most of the time. The below video will clearly show you how Clic-It has given moms and dads a great tool.

This is a sponsored post but the opinions and descriptions presented belong solely to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! Your experiences and reactions may differ from ours.




Dessert Anyone?

November 17, 2010 by

Do you know what you’re getting for the kids and babies in your family for the holidays? Visit Land of Nod not just for toys and games but for furniture, organization idea and nursery décor. In fact I only knew about Land of Nod for their extensive nursery and baby gear selections. I always wanted to register there but their actual stores are in the Chicago area plus one in Seattle.

The Land of Nod is a leading catalog, web and retail company. In addition to specializing in exclusive children’s furniture, bedding, playrooms, and accessories,The Land of Nod also carries popular baby gear brands in strollers, car seats, clothing, toys, and much more.  The Land of Nod: You’ll find everything for your kid’s room from A to ZZZ.

This holiday season The Land of Nod is showing off some of their favorite products to the blog world. I got the chance to review the Two Tier Treat Tray. You all should now our obsession with playfood and the fact that Shae plays in her kitchen each day. The particular set is absolutely adorable and perfect for kids who play kitchen, store or tea party. My best friend’s kids play store every day; they turn their play kitchen into a bakery where they serve pizza and donuts. This dessert collection is going to be the perfect addition to their make believe store front.

two tier treat tray

sweet little cupcake

This set includes three cupcakes, three chocolate cookies, two vanilla cookies, two cake rolls, two slices of cake and three wafers. Best of all it is made with sustainable solid wood. The assembly literally takes 2 minutes; 2 bolts to put the tray together. Each piece is painted and decorated to be cute with realistic touches. I can’t wait to see those kids open this up.
holiday




Ready To Play Some Hockey With Rinksters?

November 16, 2010 by

I am a huge fan of hockey and am pretty excited to talk about Rinksters from Visimonde.

Rinksters is a Hockey-themed Virtual World aimed at children ages 6 to 12.  Rinksters allows players to customize their own avatar, play games, build trading cards, collect coinage, chat with buddies, and skate through an ice-covered world.

For parents who are like myself and worry every time there kids are online playing a game rest assure that Rinksters is safe and secure creating a worry free zone for parents.

Rinksters is going to be presented at Startup Edmonton on November 17th as Visimonde was selected as one of the ten hottest startups in town for Launch Party Edmonton 2.

The public launch of the game will be early next year, but people who sign up at Rinksters.com right now are eligible to receive free stuff and test the beta version of the game, which will launch in December.  To me that is awesome because I am all about playing a game before it is even released to the general public. 

Head over to Rinksters.com and get signed up now so you don’t miss out on any information on this awesome game!

Also, be sure to visit Rinksters on Twitter and Facebook.




Fasten Your Seatbelt!!!!

November 15, 2010 by

I love R/C cars so much that I even had a gas powered R/C car at one point so when we were asked to review a Road Ripper R/C car from Toy State I was all for it.

Shaun was to young when I had my R/C car but now that he is older he is able to enjoy Road Rippers R/C since they are perfect cars for kids ages 7 and up and have a new line of classic 1960’s and 70’s muscle cars that offer full function remote control features. The Motor Muscle line of Road Rippers include the following awesome cars: 1967 Corvette Stingray, 1969 Dodge Daytona, 1971 Dodge Super Bee and 1970 GTO Judge. Some cool features of these cars are flashing lights and a popular classic tune from the car’s original era.

Fans can also check out Season One of “Rippisodes” which is a brand new webisode series based on the popular Road Rippers collection.

This is a must have if you have kids on your list that love R/C cars.  The Road Rippers R/C Motor Muscle collection is available now at Walmart, Target, Tous “R” Us, Kmart and stores nationwide.  They retail for approximatley $35.oo.

This is a sponsored post but the opinions and descriptions presented belong solely to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! Your experiences and reactions may differ from ours.




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