Shooshoos Baby Shoe Review

by Kate on November 30th, 2009  |  5 Comments  |  Baby, Reviews

shooshoos-logoNow that my little one is officially walking (everywhere) it’s important that her little feet are covered with the best. Shooshoos leather baby shoes are perfect. They’re made of soft, breathable leather, non-toxic dyes, have suede non-slip soles and elasticized ankles. And did I mention they are adorable?

About Shooshoos

Started in 1996 in Cape Town to uplift disadvantaged communities, shooshoos has grown into a worldwide brand with sales in over 20 countries.

We are committed to providing our customers with the best baby shoes for your children, and all our products are 100% guaranteed. We use the highest quality materials available and have a wide range of beautiful designs for boys and girls up to the age of 2 1/2 years. All our leathers are 100% safe and non toxic.

Our Experience

shooshoos leather baby shoesBaby Girl has been sporting the Black Bow Soft Soled Leather Baby Shoes. They are seriously the cutest thing ever and I can’t tell you how many compliments we have received when she’s out and about in the ballet flat Mary Jane hybrid style shoe. The style is great for dressing up a pretty church dress and for looking cool in jeans.

The shoes are great! As you know, Baby Girl is a very new walker, which means she wobbles like a drunk sailor and takes many spills. We have laminate and tile flooring and I was worried that the suede bottom shoe combined with a new walker would mean disaster, but the bottom truly is no-slip and has been really secure on our slick floors. The shoes have also held up really well to tumbles and occasional crawling. I’d expect to find lots of scratches or wearing in the toe of the shoe, but they look great and have no signs of wear.

baby shoes

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… There are a lot of great baby shoe companies out there, so I think the best endorsement I can give ShooShoos is to tell you that I just ordered another pair. (I mean, a girl needs a pair of brown shoes to coordinate with certain outfits. You know how it is.) The shoes are cute, great quality and at only $20 a pair, they’re a steal.

Or Not to Buy… It’s hard to find fault with our ShooShoos. They’re pretty great!

Shop! ShooShoos baby shoes are available in size Small (0 – 6 months) through X-Large (18 – 24 months) and cost $19.95. Smiley Soft Leather Shoes with Flexi Light Rubber Soles – great shoes for toddlers – are available in size 5 – 8 for $29.95. Right now, if you buy one pair of Smiley shoes you can purchase up to 4 pairs of Clearance shoes for only $8.95 each!

Thanks to the Double Duty Divas for this review and ShooShoos for providing a sample product. The opinions expressed here are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.

Playskool More Than Play: Blocksters Review

by Kate on November 30th, 2009  |  5 Comments  |  Baby, Reviews, Toys

Playskool_logo_w_Tagline_FINAL_OLAs you know babies and toddlers are busy, busy little bees. They are always moving, exploring, touching, and playing. And, of course, their little brains are working and making connections at warp speed as babies play and explore. Playskool – a toy brand familiar to most mamas – has launched the More Than Play campaign to emphasize the importance of play and how different toys and activities help little ones learn.

More Than Play

Play is nature’s preschool. PLAYSKOOL was founded on that simple idea more than 80 years ago, and today, experts in the field of child development agree. …

Play lays down important foundational skills needed for advanced learning like reading, writing, mathematics, critical problem solving, and conceptual thinking, to name just a handful.

Playskool Blocksters Block Spot

I love this video from Playskool about the Blocksters Block Spot toy. Watching it and some of the other More Than Play videos is actually what convinced me I really wanted to do this review and how I decided what toy would be a great fit for my little one.

Our Experience

playskool blocksters

The Blocksters Block Spot is a carrying case of nine circle, square and triangle blocks featuring animal designs. Some of the blocks rattle or have other forms of interaction. The case is also part of the game because it has shape cut out areas that act like a shape sorter. Baby Girl has really enjoyed the blocks. She stacks them, shakes them, bangs them, walks them and really all the things you’d expect from a 12 month old. She seems genuinely proud of herself every time she makes one of the blocks make noise or when she fits one into the correct shape in the Block Spot. Toddler Boy has also gotten in on the action, making tall towers out of all the shapes. He likes that the blocks look like his favorite animals.

playskool blocksters block spot

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I really like that this set of Blocksters Block Spot is self-contained. It’s nice to have a place for all the pieces and it makes it easy to keep everything together. (And, if you happen to be prone to losing things like we are, the animal Blocksters are also sold separately so you can restock.) I also really like that the toy is relatively quiet. There are no batteries or flashing lights – it’s all kid-powered noise that won’t have you wishing for ear plugs.

Or Not to Buy… This is one of those rare toys where it’s hard to find something to complain about. From a selfish standpoint, I’d love if the blocks were a tad smaller, but I know the size is deliberate so they are easy for little hands to manipulate.

Shop! You can find this and other Playskool products at HasbroToyShop.com. You can also purchase Playskool Blocksters on Amazon.com for $20.

Disclosure: Thank you to Playskool for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review. The opinions are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience. If you make a purchase through the Amazon link I receive a (very) small referral fee. Buying through my links is a great way to support The Shopping Mama.

Cyber Monday Deals

by Kate on November 30th, 2009  |  5 Comments  |  Deal & News Roundup, Shopping, Weekly Features

The best part about Black Friday? Definitely Cyber Monday. Many online retailers recognize a trend of an upswing in sales on the Monday following Thanksgiving and now reward online shoppers with special deals. Here’s a rundown of some great deals that are valid TODAY ONLY.

Cyber Monday Resources

Sales

  • Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic & Piper Lime: 20% off and FREE SHIPPING with code MONDAY.
  • Gymboree: 20% off everything (including new lines) and FREE SHIPPING. Plus, earn $25 Gymbucks for every $50 you spend.
  • Crazy 8: Save 20% off everything plus FREE SHIPPING.
  • Magic Beans: $10 off a toy purchase of $100-$199.99. Use coupon code S8EHUP. $25 off a toy purchase of $200-$299.99. Use coupon code CUFR6Q. $50 off a toy purchase of $300 or more. Use coupon code 2EREZA.
  • Dittany Baby: Check out the website – everything is marked down! Find Skid Pants for $4, Pouch Slings $25, Nursing Covers $18 and more.
  • BabyLegs: The first 50 people to use the code BL50 will save 50% on their entire order. If you miss that, use BL25 for 25% off your order. While you’re shopping, check out the page of Buy One, Get One Free leg warmers.
  • Baby Dipper: Purchase bowl and spoon set from Amazon and use code EXTEND25 for 25% off your order at Amazon.com.
  • Moby Wrap, Rumparooz, ChicoBag, Kate Quinn Organics, and Rain or Shine Kids: Use the code Cyber6 for 25% off your purchase.
  • The Body Shop: 20% off all purchases, plus you get a free gift with online purchase.
  • SnapTotes: 24for24 to get $24 off order of $100 or more and code 12for24 for $12 off order under $100.
  • The Simple Stencil: Use code HOLIDAY for $10 off, plus FREE SHIPPING.

Scandinavian Child has a special schedule with HUGE discounts on their awesome baby products throughout the day:

  • Noon to 9 p.m.:  lillebaby EuroTotes – 60% off, lillebaby EveryWear 2009  model - 40% off (+ free Infant Cradle- $20 value!), Earth Bassinet – 40% off, Svan Bouncer – 30% off
  • 1 p.m to 2 p.m.:  Anka High Chair 30% of
  • f2 p.m. to 3 p.m.:  Assortment of Cariboo Bassinets and Changing Tables – 40% off Cariboo Kiwi Cot and accessories 50% off Cariboo Activity Gym 40% off
  • 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.:  Svan Scooter 40% off
  • 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Micralite Toro 35% off
  • 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Anka Mini Furniture (espresso and honey) 40% off

Green Baby Bliss has lots of great discounts on familiar brands you know and love. All codes valid through December 1.

  • Save 15% off all Boon Products with code BOON15.
  • 15% off all FuzziBunz Diapers and Accessories with code FUZZI15.
  • 15% off all Green Toys use code GREEN15.
  • 15% off Think Baby with code THINK15.
  • 15% off all Bamboo Baby with code BAMBOOSA15.
  • 15% off all Earth Mama Angel Baby use Code ANGEL15.

Many Etsy sellers have sales, too. Search CYBER MONDAY in the search box on the homepage to find marked down listings.

Adventure Ocean: Youth Programs on Oasis of the Seas

by Kate on November 29th, 2009  |  5 Comments  |  Blogging, Reviews

As part of the Oasis of the Seas preview cruise, I attended an informational session about and tour of the Youth Programs. The programs and facilities are extremely impressive. Hearing about the activities and seeing the toys, games and beautiful setting for little ones made me want to book a cruise on the spot.

Interesting Facts

  • 37 Youth Staff. Bachelor’s Degree in a related field is required as well as 3 to 5 years experience working with kids.
  • 12 % of passengers on Royal Carribean are under 17.
  • Youth programs curriculum is based on age and there are enough programs so that your child will never do the same thing twice in a week-long cruise.

Youth Facilities

  • Adventure Ocean – Huge Youth Zone occupying the front of the ship. Includes, Play (an area for parents to play with kids independent of formal programs), Nursery, Science Lab, Art Studio, Theater, Arcade with rated G games, and age specific classrooms.
  • Teen Facilities – Located separately from Adventure Ocean so 12 – 17 year olds have some independence and includes Living Room Lounge, Back Deck Lounge, Fuel Nightclub. Situated near the FlowRiders, Zip Line, Putt Putt Golf Course, arcade, basketball and table tennis courts. Many activities are divided into 12 – 14 year olds and 15 – 17 year olds.

Adventure Ocean Program Highlights

  • Adventure Ocean Theater: the first-ever children’s theater at sea – complete with a stage and curtains, audience seating and state-of-the-art production equipment – where children of all ages can learn about theatrical productions, take part in talent shows, or sign up for hip hop dance classes. Features original program Imagine Ocean created by John Tartaglia and Little People Live.
  • Imagination Studio: Arts and crafts connected to ports of call, features Crayola products.
  • Adventure Science Lab: Fully stocked lab for educational and fun science projects.

For more information, and to book your cruise, check out OasisoftheSeas.com and RoyalCaribbean.com.

Our Honda is a Lemon

by Kate on November 29th, 2009  |  5 Comments  |  Life

2007_Honda_Accord_LemonRemember how I posted about how our Honda Accord engine overheated and basically our had to be rebuilt? Well, surprise, surprise, the car is back in the shop. Lovely. Not.

This time, we noticed the heater not working (ironic since the engine overheating is what caused all this nonsense) and when we took it to the shop they noticed residue throughout the engine compartment. So, they’ve had our car all weekend and don’t know how long it will take to fix it. Sigh.  We knew we were in for trouble when rather than telling us what is wrong with our car they said they were getting us a rental. (And, the funny part about that is our Honda-provided rental car is a Toyota Camry. Ha.)

So, clearly our car is a LEMON. As I suspected and feared, the initial MAJOR manufacturing defect has wreaked havoc on the entire engine and I’m no car expert but I”m pretty sure that’s an important part of any automobile.

Here we are, two years and 18,000 miles after we bought a brand new car and we need to get another new car. We are not so much in a position to buy a car. We’re hoping Honda will do the right thing and help resolve this situation, but I’m not really keen on rewarding this crappy experience by buying another Honda.

We’re thinking about a Chevy Traverse. Does anyone have any experience with a Traverse? If we decide to get another sedan, do you have any recommendations?

Hooded Towels for Kids: BunnySlippers.com Review

by Kate on November 29th, 2009  |  5 Comments  |  Reviews

Believe it or not, BunnySlippers.com is more than just bunny slippers! In addition to a wide assortment of adorable and totally comfy looking slippers, BunnySlippers.com also carries fun animal Hooded Towels for kids.

Hooded Towels

Hooded Towels

Hooded towel lionMade of 100% cotton, these Hooded Towels are soft to the touch and very generously sized. The towel (without the hood) measures 54 by 28 inches – a great size for kids 2 to 8.  The Towels are available in 14 super cute designs – seriously, what’s not to love about the Bunny, Alligator, and Panda.

Our Experience

We received the Lion Hooded Towel for Toddler Boy. The towel is very soft, much softer than many of our other towels, actually. It’s also quite large, and honestly it would probably fit me. So now to the fun stuff, the towel is so cute! I love that the lion’s mane is fluffy and adds some dimension to the towel. We have a hooded towel from a popular and well known kid’s store and I now prefer our Lion towel. The towel from BunnySlippers.com is larger, softer, more colorful and has more detail.

lion hoooded towel

Bunny Slippers!

bunnyslippersNot surpringly, BunnySlippers.com has a huge selection of bunny slippers! How comfy do those slippers look for the whole family? A lot of families do the tradition of giving pajamas on Christmas Eve (we do!) and adding some fun slippers would be a great extension of that tradition. There’s a whole section of Kids Slippers – from poodles, to monkeys to monsters – that would make a fun and functional gift.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I am really impressed with the quality and feel of the Hooded Towel. It’s large, soft and adds a little fun to bath time. All of the designs are really cute and have more details and dimension than similar products I’ve seen elsewhere.

Or Not Buy… The only area where this towel falls short of the Hooded Towel from the well-known kid’s store is lack of design on the body of the towel itself.

Shop! Visit BunnySlippers.com to find slippers of all sorts for the family and Hooded Towels for kids. The Hooded Towels are $36.95.

Thank you to BunnySlippers.com for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review. The opinions in this review are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.

More Winners

by Kate on November 28th, 2009  |  5 Comments  |  Giveaway Winners

giveaway winnersAnother big round of awesome giveaway winners! Thanks to all who entered. It is really fun to be able to offer such great prizes and I am only able to do so because you all continue to read The Shopping Mama and enter the giveaways.  As usual, all winners have been emailed. Make sure you’ve entered all the Current Giveaways for your chance to win big!

Jeep Stroller: kristi blackstone

Beaba Babycook: Sarah Marturano

aden + anais: Susan

Bebe au Lait: Marci

Elfing Around: Tamara B

$100 Target GC from ShopatHome.com: Donna

Gerber DHA Prize Package: Sarah Muarturano & Joanna Price

Boon Flair Highchair: Jessica (My Silly Monkeys)

Graco Pack n Play: Charlotte

Blurb Books for the Holidays

by Kate on November 28th, 2009  |  5 Comments  |  Reviews

blurb logoIt’s approaching last minute holiday shopping time. If you’re like me and save the hardest for last (in laws and parents, for example) but I have a great idea for you: publish a personalized book using Blurb.It’s totally customizable and affordable and you can even make a book of your family blog!

About Blurb

Blurb is a company and a community that believes passionately in the joy of books – reading them, making them, sharing them, and selling them. … So we put our minds together, and developed a creative publishing service simple and smart enough to make anyone an author – every blogger, cook, photographer, parent, traveler, poet, pet owner, marketer, everyone. (This means you.)

How Blurb Works

Making a Blurb book is pretty easy, and there are three basic steps to making your own book.

  1. Download the Blurb Book Smart program. It’s pretty self explanatory and quick to download.
  2. Add photos and artwork. Arrange your book and add text, captions and titles. I found the editing to be a little more difficult than other programs I’ve used, but it did work very well when I got the hang of it.
  3. Order your book! I received my book very quickly – a matter of only a few days – but make sure you check holiday ordering deadlines.

Before you make a book, you have to decide what kind of book and Blurb has many options at varying price points and sizes in square, landscape and portrait layouts. You can make a softback, hardback with jacket cover or hardback with image wrap book.

My Blurb Book

First, I should mention that this review is not my first experience with Blurb. We received a softback book – of full page photos of Toddler Boy when he was young – as a gift and it is awesome. It’s held up very well and the print quality is top notch. It’s such a great keepsake and I think any new mama would love a quality book or great photos like it.

Blurb book

For this review, I had the opportunity to personalize a book and I opted for a 7 inch square hardback with image wrap. I actually personalized the book for my mom about our trip to Disney World. It turned out better than I imagined. It’s mostly photos, but I also added some text to describe and caption some of the photos. The book includes a title on the front cover and on the binding so you can identify it even when it’s on a bookshelf. I love that I had complete control over the content as you can pick from tons of layouts ranging from no photos to several photos on each page. It took a while to customize and get it the way I wanted, but the end result was worth the time.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… The finished product is awesome. I can speak for both the softback and the hardback books and the quality is fantastic. The process isn’t the easiest, but you do have total creative control once you figure it out. A book is the perfect gift for grandparents, or new parents – really anyone who loves photos.

Or Not to Buy… I don’t like that you have to download the program to make a book and the interface isn’t the easiest for editing the book.

Shop! Check out Blurb Gift Center for ideas. 7 inch square softback books are only $12.95. The hardcover image wrap book I personalized only $24.95 for up to 40 pages. Shop now and use the code BLURBJOY for 20% off any book you make until December 1.

The Fine Print: Thanks to Blurb for providing a sample product for the purposes of this review. The opinions expressed are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.