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Comfort in the Kitchen with GelPro Ergo Series

May 27, 2013 by

Washing Dishes, chopping veggies or stirring a hot pot are not top in my list of favorite things to do. In fact these very specific things are literally a pain in my back, my lower back especially. We have ceramic tiles in our kitchen and they aren’t very comfortable to stand on for very long times. There is no give in them as there are with some hardwood and cork floors.

Mats made for the kitchen are helpful, they offer some cushion. But Gelpro mats offer a whole new kind of cushiony comfort. The even better Ergo Comfort Rug™ is a brand new product starts with an incredibly soft designer accent rug that sits on top of a therapeutic comfort mat with a built-in non-slip rug pad. The ¾” high-density comfort mat will not bottom out like memory foam mats and prevents pain and fatigue caused by standing.

GelPro Mat for Kitchen

The Ergo Comfort Rug™ is easy to care for, just vacuum, spot clean or machine wash as needed. These rugs add warmth and comfort to any kitchen, bath or laundry room.

As you can see the dogs love it too. It’s just big enough for them to take up the space next to me if I’m on it. Shae and Shaun call it the foot cush.
Dog sleeping on kitchen mat

Each night it get beaten, swept and vacuumed and it still looks great. My parents have had Gelpro mats in their kitchen forever and now I know why. I’d love another one for my prep space at the island but for now I just scoot it over if I know I’m going to be there for a while. Rob actually doesn’t like it. Since he’s so tall it makes it uncomfortable for his to wash dishes for an extended time as he has to lean to reach into the sink. #TallManProblem I say.

These rugs are 22” x 34” and retail at $69.95 online or at stores like Bed Bath and Beyond other Kitchen and home retailers and the best thing is they are proudly Made in the USA!




Everyday Smokey Eye with Smashbox

April 30, 2013 by

We all can’t pull off red carpet inspired makeup. In my regular day I’m lucky if I wear makeup twice a week. The other days moisturizer and lip balm are my staples. BUT when the time comes I really indulge and sit in front of mirror and play with color and shape.

The smoky eye is one of those things that I’m not perfect at applying but using Smashbox Photo Op Eye Enhancing Palette in Soft Box gives me all the right shapes in one beautifully put together palette.

This is how I played with it. A soft smoky eye that could get me through a day of errands or dinner with Rob. This is with NO eyeliner, no mascara or lashes.

Everyday Smoky Eye with Smashbox

Everyday Smoky Eye Smashbox
Smashbox is known for its saturated colors and long lasting wear. The neutral colors complemented each other and went well with my skin tone and can easily be combined with other colors from other brands. When I first started the browns were too dark but instead of washing away the base I already had I just buffed until it was muted enough for my liking.  The gold shimmer was something new for me. I never realized metallics could offer such brightness without gaudiness.

The palette comes with a LARGE mirror and double ended application brush. I typically throw away included brushes but this brush actually was large enough that is was usable.

Smashbox Photo Op Eye Enhancing Palette in Soft Box is available online for $39. Don’t forget about its sister palette in Smoke Box.




Stella Cove Swimwear for Kids

April 10, 2013 by

Summer is almost here. This week we have sunshine and temps in the 70’s. That means I went through the kids drawers and sorted and weeded out the outgrown clothes and bathing suits. Shae is starting off on the right foot though because she got a swimsuit from Stella Cove.

Stella Cove is a collection of ultra trendy high end swimwear for kids and women. Shop maillots, bikinis, fitted and board shorts, surf guards, dresses and cover ups, and the new line of sunglasses French Terry robes and towels.

No obnoxious cartoon characters here. You’ll find classic florals mixed with funky graphics and geometric shapes in both one-piece swimsuits and bikinis. Shae is 5, in my opinion too young for a triangle bikini but there were some adorable sports top styles to choose from.

Stella cove Swimsuits for Kids

We were able to take the kids to a local waterpark last weekend. That was the perfect time to break in her new designer swimsuit. It looked great on her. Coverage was appropriate for her age and the design was unique. A word of warning though, sizing runs small. The suit she is wearing is a 10, she normally wears a 7-8. I was advised to go up a size so I wasn’t surprised by this.
Stella Cove SwimSuit
Beach season is right around the corner. Are you ready for it?
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Hooligan Bear Book Series for Kids plus Giveaway

April 9, 2013 by

Shae has recently started to show a love of reading. She reads labels, food boxes, homework papers and of course her books. She has a few favorites, some of which I’m tired of reading. Hooligan Bear is a new favorite, specifically New Friends.

Hooligan Bear and his nephew Little Louie live on a shelf in an abandoned warehouse, just the two of them. Their lives change when a box is found on the street down below and out come 3 New Friends. They instantly become best friends and live in the warehouse together.

Author Ian Toynton isn’t new to the creative process. His career is spotted with producing and directing gigs on Bones, Providence, The O.C. and many more television shows since the 80’s. Writing Hooligan Bear came about from his love of animation.

Shae and I thought the story was really sweet and endearing. These group of bears bonded over the fact that they all had been left behind. The then built a life for themselves in the old factory and take care of each other since they are now each other’s family. Shae was able to easily read the story and follow along the vibrant illustrations. Little Louie is our favorite bear.

Hooligan Bear Book pages

There are currently 3 books available, Hooligan Bear: Home, Hooligan Bear: New Friends and Hooligan Bear: A Special Day.

Hooligan Bear Books

The stories don’t end on the last page though. Hooligan Bear and the rest of the gang continue their adventures on Twitter and Storify. Choose your story.

LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! readers are getting the chance to win all 3 Hooligan Bear books. Visit Hooligan Bear and tell me who is your favorite bear.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above. Please note the changes to the entries and frequency, entries that don’t follow rules may be disregarded/ignored/deleted.

Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Tuesday April 30 2013. The winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Contiguous US residents, age 18 or over. For complete rules please read our blog contest rules page.

I Disclose




Storybook Maker App

March 21, 2013 by

In this world of technology there are literally millions of apps in the different markets all trying to grab our attention and get themselves seen.  I have three kids so finding just the right app especially when it isn’t free is very important to me because I am not a fan of wasting money on an app that will never get touched. Recently I was told about an awesome app called Storybook Maker.  At first I was a little hesitant like I am with every new app but after playing with it for a few hours with Shae this app is a huge hit and we love it.

Storybook Maker by Merge Mobile is an app that will allow you and your kids to unleash your creativity and make things like short stories, picture books, photo collages, scrap books and vacation albums.  Shae and I spent a few hours last night making her master piece.  I am not sure if I would call it a short story but it’s very family oriented and includes pictures of our family.  The app is very and I mean very easy to use and self explanatory.  I added the different pictures that Shae wanted but she typed what she wanted to say about each picture.  I did need to help her with spelling but she is only 5 so that is to be expected but other than that she did most of the work with very little help from me.

Shae and I used the photo option (photos I already had on my iPad) in Storybook Maker but each page can be fully customized to include: custom recorded audio, backgrounds and borders, paintings from our intuitive paint tools, text including many fonts and type options, sticker objects from a massive built in library (NO IN APP PURCHASES NECESSARY!) and photos from your photo album.  What I learned last night while playing with this app is that the possibilities are endless because there are so many different features and options that you can create just about anything you want.

photo

Once you are done creating your masterpiece you have three different ways to share it with the world: publish your book as a PDF and email it to everyone you know, publish your book as a Multi-Media book and share it with the world and publish your book to their public library to share with all users of Storybook maker around the world.

I think these would make for really special gifts for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and end of year of a teacher’s gift.  Send this post along to your room mom and get started on pictures of the class and gathering quotes from all the kids.

If you are looking for an iPad app that will keep your kids busy but also allow you to spend quality time with them making awesome books you need to get Storybook Maker from the Apple App store for $4.99. Trust me when I say this app is worth every bit of $4.99.

I Disclose




Spring Collection @UMIShoes #Giveaway

March 18, 2013 by

I’ve been doing tons of clothes shopping (and reviewing) for Shae for the Spring weather that is peeking around the corner. Next up is SHOES.  UMI is our old faithful.  Each season she receives a new pair to review and each season she wears them till they don’t fit or they’re worn out.

This season’s shoes at UMI are bright and fun and perfect for days at the playground or in your own backyard. They remind me of sherbet, a big trend in kids clothing this season.

I’ve said numerous times how much I love not just the colors and designs of UMI Shoes but the construction. Each shoe is made specifically to comfort and grow with your child’s foot. UMI uses quality child safe materials and techniques to ensure only the safest of shoes leave their hands and end up in your home.

umi shoes giveaway

Each month check out their Deal of the Month for 40% off a specific shoe and always get free shipping and returns (expect clearance items) .

Enter to win a $60 UMI Shoes GC just by telling me what shoe you’d love to win for a kid in your life.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above. Please note the changes to the entries and frequency, entries that don’t follow rules may be disregarded/ignored/deleted.

  • SUBSCRIBE to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! via NEW Email Subscription (you must confirm subscription)
  • SHARE this giveaway on a social network such as Facebook , Google +, Pinterest, Stumble Upon or Other (leave your update link for each)
  • FOLLOW @UMIShoes,  Mom & Dad on Twitter and TWEET this giveaway (1 time per day), please leave your twitter link each time: I’m entering to win $60 @UMIShoes GC from @lkwhtmomfound @anddadtoo http://bit.ly/Ycdvw6   
  • LIKE UMI Shoes on Facebook
  • ENTER another Giveaway – let us know which one in the comment
  • COMMENT on any other Review/Our Life/Our Travels/Our Thoughts post, let us know where to find it

Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Monday, April 8, 2013. The winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Contiguous US residents, age 18 or over. For complete rules please read our blog contest rules page.

I Disclose




Shopping @Gymboree Again plus #Giveaway

March 5, 2013 by

This spring I was given the so hard and arduous task of shopping Gymboree 🙂 I have to honestly say that I haven’t stepped foot in a Gymboree store since Sabreena was a baby. The store is in the same spot in our mall as it’s always been for the last 18 years but there is something that doesn’t steer me through the doors. I said yes because I know Gymboree is very popular but wanted to know why it wasn’t catching my attention.

I started looking online and found prices that ranged from “high” to “expected” for name brands.  Their sale section was really good, like stocking up prices. There was a variety of colors and sizes and designs  but I wasn’t looking for winter clothes at this time so off to the mall I went.

Rob and I spent a good time looking at all of their collections and settled on Blooming Nautical and Tea Time Afternoon as our favorites because of the bold colors and cute designs. We walked out with 2 complete outfits, 1 basic tee and 2 leggings.  I was excited to show Shae her new duds.

gymboree clothes for spring

She loved Corsage Poppy tee. I was excited because it’s something I saw online and fell in love with.  I did notice after it came out of the wash the blue was faded but I’m not sure if it was always like that.  I wish it was a more vibrant saturated hue like the brink pink poppy flower in the girl’s hair.  The skirt maintained the bright pink that I was originally drawn to.  The pastels of the Tea Time Afternoon separates didn’t loose any color after washing. The material maintained it’s structure and shape, something that doesn’t always happen with kid’s clothes.

gymboree tee Corsage Poppy

Corsage Poppy Tee

I think I had an image of Gymboree in my head of having very preppy stiff designs; clothing with no character. I was wrong, dead wrong.  I also need to realize that Shae can give life to a burlap sack. Will I go back to Gymboree? Probably. I do like the more trendy vibrant collections so will definitely keep my eyes open for key items that Shae can rock with style.

Do you want to check out Gymboree for  yourself and win a $75 GC?  Tell me what pieces you’d like to shop for.

Gymboree Gift Card Giveaway

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above. Please note the changes to the entries and frequency, entries that don’t follow rules may be disregarded/ignored/deleted.

  • SUBSCRIBE to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! via email or RSS feed
  • LIKE us on Facebook and SHARE this giveaway on your wall (leave a link)
  • ADD us to your Circles on Google+ and SHARE this giveaway (leave a link)
  • FOLLOW Melinda on Pinterest and PIN this Giveaway (leave a link)
  • FOLLOW Mom & Dad & Gymboree on Twitter and TWEET this giveaway (1 time per day), please leave your twitter link each time: I’m entering to win a $75 @Gymboree GC from @lkwhtmomfound @anddadtoo http://bit.ly/XGL4oW 
  • LIKE or SHARE this photo on Facebook
  • LIKE Gymboree on Facebook
  • ENTER another Giveaway – let us know which one in the comment
  • COMMENT on any other Review/Our Life/Our Travels/Our Thoughts post, let us know where to find it

Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Tuesday, March 26, 2013. The winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. This contest is open to Contiguous US residents, age 18 or over. For complete rules please read our blog contest rules page.

I Disclose




Tea Collection, South Africa Designs on Shae

February 28, 2013 by

Can you imagine the amount of clothing we have to buy each season? This means I’m keeping track of brands that are classic and durable while still be being fashionable.  Tea Collection is always at the top of my list.  Their most current collection, South Africa is my favorite so far.  The bright hues of pink, orange and blue are perfect for the upcoming spring season.

Tea Collection is smart with their brand. They stick to basic silhouettes but integrate fun details and new fabrics for each season.  This allows me to know what looks good and fits well year after year which means less guessing and less unworn clothing.

The wardrobe sets are the best thing for moms like me, indecisive. I’m that person that loads up a shopping cart with individual pieces than struggles to complete outfits at the end of the day.  The wardrobe sets are put together to complement each other and pieces from other collections.  Stripes and flowers go together so well!.

tea collection South Africa Collection

If you ever have a question about fit, proportion or styling visit their Facebook page or the product page on TeaCollection.com.  They respond to all questions with expert advice.

Take a trip to South Africa and see what inspired their newest color scheme and designs.
I Disclose




Newair AI-215SS Stainless Steel Portable Ice Maker

February 22, 2013 by

The running joke in our house is someone yelling “ICE” and that is because recently I received the Newair AI-215SS Stainless Steel Portable Ice Maker for analysis.

The Newair AI-215SS makes ice every 13 minutes which is good because in our house we go through a ton of it in a day plus the ice maker in our freezer hasn’t been working for a few months. You can imagine how many times in a day someone yells “ICE” because every 13 minutes or less new ice is made.  It has become a game that has gone as far as Sabreena texting me “ICE” when I am not home just so that I am in the ice loop.

So far I really like having the Newair AI-215SS in the house because of its simple setup and because of how easy it is to use.  From box to ice cubes was about 15-20 minutes and remember I said it takes 13 minutes to make ice so set up is really that fast.  All you have to do it take it out of the box, plug it in, fill the water tank (located under the ice bin) with about a half gallon of water, select your ice size and walk away. Come back in 10-15 minutes and you will have ice!

The Newair AI-215SS allows you to select one of three ice sizes; small, medium and large which is cool so you can select what size you want based on your individual needs.  I used the large ice setting and to me they are the perfect little bullets.  The machine will make 12 bullet shaped ice cubes at a time and will fill the basket in about two hours (approx).

Here are a few more features and details:

  • 18 hour timer for on-time ice production
  • Removable ice bin for easy distribution
  • Quick cycle time makes ice in 13 minutes
  • Side mounted drain for easy cleanup
  • LCD display makes operating this machine easy
  • Makes up to 50 lbs. of ice per day

WP_20130206_008

Now that I have this new toy I am looking forward to hosting parties this summer because we love to use our margarita machine but it runs through a lot of ice.  Now that I have the Newair AI-215SS Stainless Steel Portable Ice Maker that will no longer be a problem and I will be able to make tasty beverages all day long and not have to worry about running out of ice.

Do you use a lot of ice at your house? Would the Newair AI-215SS Stainless Steel Portable Ice Maker come in handy?

I Disclose




American Girl of the Year 2013, Saige

February 21, 2013 by

Every girl needs someone or something to look up to. These can be family members, friends or even book characters. American Girl has been providing quality influence and inspiration for girls since 1986. American Girl encourages girls to dream, love, create and grow using the experiences of their life and the stories available through their Girl of the Year books.

American Girl’s 2013 Girl of the Year, Saige is exactly what who every young girl should aspire to be. Saige is a young girl who lives in the Southwest, loves art and horses. When school budget cuts threaten to take away art classes Saige springs into action to raise money for an after-school arts program.

Saige, the doll has long auburn hair that is twisted to the side, a turquoise and silver ring, brown boots and a pierced ears. Just like all American Girl dolls she is made of a soft cloth, allowing her to be a companion not just a shelf toy. her engaging story is one that Shae is able to relate to. The dramatic imagery and passionate story tell a tale that Shae can picture in her own mind.
American Girl Saige
Accessories for Saige include a Hot Air Balloon and velvety soft horse, Picasso. Additional outfits and pajamas are of course available as well as matching sets for your little girl.
American Girl of the Year Saige
American Girl is a company that I stand behind because they stand behind and for girls with dreams, passion and integrity. Visit American Girl online or a store if one is local to you.




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