IncrediBundles.com – Extraordinary Baby Gifts (And Get a Free Book!)

by Kate on June 15th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Baby, Reviews, Shopping

I love going to baby showers and all things celebrating the birth of a friend’s baby. It’s so fun and special to share in the excitement of a new baby. But, no matter if it’s your first baby gift or 100th, picking a good present can be stressful. It’s as if there’s so much out there, and so many choices that you don’t know what to get. Add to that the challenge of distance, shopping and packing and shipping a gift and it’s impossible to get a useful and thoughtful gift to a friend. If you feel my pain and relate to the challenges of getting the best baby gift, you will absolutely love IncrediBundles.com. The online boutique sells “bundles,” or gift baskets, of perfectly coordinated items from collections of books to a supply of diapers to baby sleep necessities. It’s seriously genius, the gift giver will be hailed generous and thoughtful and the recipient will be thrilled.

About IncrediBundles

IncrediBundles.com, the home of extraordinary baby gifts, features a fresh modern twist on the baby gift basket.  You won’t find wicker, cellophane or paper shred at this stylish retailer.  In their place, the company designed adorably chic reusable storage containers and filled them with the very best award-winning toys, books and products for babies – selected by experts and approved by parents.

Extraordinary Baby Gifts

IncrediBundles.com has a great selection of baby gifts in a surprising range of prices so there’s something for every budget. There are several options under $50, like the Learn & Grow Bundle and Basic Book Bundle. Really, the best part about the gifts is that they are easy to order and ship. They arrive in a classic and stylish reusable storage box and look perfect. With very little effort on your part!

One of my favorite bundles is the Standard Sleep Bundle that includes not one but three lovies (so the baby is never without one!), set of 2 Australian muslin swaddling blankets and the While You Were Sleeping book.

Without a doubt, a huge and ongoing expenses for many new parents is diapers. IncrediBundles offers A Year of Diapers! This awesome and extremely functional gift arrives with a sweet teddy bear and instructions so the recipient can arrange to have Pampers or Huggies delivered to their door every month for a year. Holy awesome present! IncrediBundles also offers A Year of Toys, which includes four installments of a ginormous box of developmentally appropriate toys, and A Year of Books bundle subscription.

Deluxe Book Bundle

We received the awesome Deluxe Book Bundle for review. The package arrived via UPS and as soon as I opened the box I was excited. The books were packed inside a gift box with a modern design that is reusable and would be very cute in a nursery or play room. The Baby’s 1st Books Deluxe Baby Bundle includes 9 books from a variety of authors, including one of our old favorites Peek-A-Who? and a new favorite My Very First Mother Goose. Like all gift Bundles, the Book Bundle included an informative insert about the value of reading to kids and how to engage even small babies in books.

The Bundle is $89 and includes Free Ground Shipping via UPS. To order and ship all the books separately would cost approximately $82. So, for $7 more, you get the convenience of ordering one product that is delivered in an adorable and functional gift box, gift wrap and a personalized gift card. It’s totally worth it! Honestly, the presentation is adorable and is sure to be a hit.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… IncrediBundles are the ultimate in convenient and generous baby gifts. It’s easy to shop and the gifts are thoughtful and above all useful for the lucky recipient.

Or Not to Buy… You may not save money with the bundle, but it’s convenient and the presentation is top-notch.

Happy Baby Contest & Free Books!

IncrediBundles.com is celebrating happy babies! The Happy Baby Contest is giving one lucky winner a year’s supply of diapers and a year’s supply of Triple Paste medicated ointment for diaper rash! Three runner’s up will get a three-month supply of diapers and Triple Paste. Entering is easy – just upload a video of your baby under the age of 3 giggling, laughing or smiling. As an extra incentive to enter, IncrediBundles is offering the first 50 readers of The Shopping Mama who enter the Happy Baby Contest a free children’s book.

Here’s how it works:

Shop! IncrediBundles.com offers truly extraordinary baby gifts. I definitely recommend checking out the awesome baby gift baskets. Use the code SHOPPING15 for 15% off your purchase! Discount code expires July 15.

Disclosure: Thanks to IncrediBundles.com for providing a sample for the purpose of this review. Opinions are my own. Others may have a different experience.

Go Green at Lunch!

by Amy on June 15th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Ten Dollar Tuesday

Not only are these reusable snack bags by Bebeloosh Mini eco-friendly, they are adorable! Priced at just $6.99, your tot can go green at lunchtime AND do lunch in style! Each bag is made from 55% recycled hemp and 45% organic unbleached cotton. The mix of hemp gives the sack enhanced durability and wearability.

Shop! Check out the Bebeloosh Mini shop to choose from lots of different designs for both boys and girls. Stock up and save money, buy 4 for $25!

Stay tuned… we will hosting a Bebeloosh review and giveaway in a few weeks!

Dreft Baby-Friendly Laundry Detergent Review + Giveaway

by Monica on June 15th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Baby, Giveaways, Reviews

If you are a mom, you know that laundry somehow takes over your life. I was shocked when with the addition of one more family member, our laundry somehow increased exponentially.  I seriously do at least 2 loads of laundry a day, most days more. When I started washing baby girl’s clothes, I was tempted to use the detergent I use for the rest of the family. It is considered a “clear” detergent with no dyes and perfumes, but I was still nervous.  My son does have eczema that tends to come and go, and I was concerned baby girl would have it as well. Therefore, I wanted to use the gentlest products on both her and her clothes.  So I made my first purchase of Dreft in about a year or so.

About Dreft

Specially formulated for the unique needs of baby items, Dreft has been helping mothers clean baby clothes for over 75 years. And with a gentle clean, Dreft is the baby laundry detergent brand most recommended by pediatricians.

Our Experience

I used Dreft for my toddler’s clothes when he was a baby, but hadn’t used it for awhile. When I started using it again with my daughter, I realized I had forgotten how much I like the soft scent of Dreft on baby clothes!  It’s such a sweet smell – perfect for babies. Dreft really does a great job of keeping the baby clothes clean and super soft. Some of my daughter’s clothes are delicate and Dreft is gentle on them and I know it’s gentle against her skin, too.

In the past I have been discouraged by the price of Dreft and have bought a generic alternative, and found that it really didn’t work as well as Dreft on getting out those tough baby poo stains! Speaking of the poo stains, although I didn’t receive the Dreft Laundry Stain Remover to review, I have to mention it for you mamas because it works fantastically! That is one thing that I started using for my son and have never stopped using it. It is my go-to spray stain remover for stains on the whole family’s clothes. I absolutely love it.  So, I will be using Dreft for the remainder of my baby laundry days!

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Dreft is gentle on baby’s skin and was gentle even on my son’s skin when he was suffering from Eczema. I love the scent and that it makes clothes so baby soft. I particularly like the Laundry Stain Remover – it works like a charm!

Or Not to Buy… Dreft is more expensive than some other detergents and I don’t think it handles some stains as well as other detergents.

Shop! Check out the Dreft Shop to purchase Dreft products online. A 32-load bottle of Dreft 2x Ultra Liquid (HE or regular) is $10.99 and Powder Detergent for 40 loads is $12.99. You can also search online for a store near you that sells Dreft products.

Win! A Dreft Gift Basket, including Dreft Products, Soft Baby Blanket, & Cuddly Teddy Bear! An $80 Value.

How to Enter: Leave a comment with your biggest laundry challenge.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

  • Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and tweet this giveaway. You may do this every day, just leave the link when you do.
    Win an $80 Dreft gift basket including Dreft baby laundry detergent @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/c8frfK
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Disclosure: Giveaway ends June 29. Open to US mailing addresses only. Thanks to Dreft for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review and the giveaway prizes. Opinions here are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product.

Ekomini – Interactive Piggy Bank

by Kate on June 14th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Shopping

Over the weekend, for the first time ever my husband offered my son a quarter for doing some “chores.” I didn’t think my son would go for it, but he did. He picked up and cleaned and helped with excitement and no whining. Yesterday when we were at the store and he was asking for everything he laid his eyes on, my husband suggested he use his quarter to buy something. I’ve never seen my son as proud as he was when he handed over his money to help pay for a dinosaur place mat! At 3, he’s obviously too young to fully understand earning and saving money, but I have a great product, called Ekomini, to share with you for older children.

What is Ekomini?

Ekomini – the world’s first and only interactive, web-enabled piggy bank – features an online educational game that helps children learn what they should know about money.

  • Make your kids money savvy
  • Enjoy the saving adventure by playing smart and educational games
  • Kids learn how to save, share, invest and spend their allowances

Web-Enabled Piggy Bank

The Ekomini is a piggy bank that connects to your computer with a USB. When your child adds money to the bank, he can track it online and learn the basics of money along the way.

The online world of Ekomini is called Ekominiville – a mix of entertainment and education – where your child can learn about the basics of money – saving, spending, sharing and investing. I am good at the spending part, we all know that, but through Ekomini your child can set goals for what they want to buy and follow their progress. For example, your child can say they want to buy a $20 game and when they add money to the piggy bank can set aside some of that money to pay for the game. I saw my son’s sense of accomplishment spending his 25 cents. I can only imagine how proud he’ll be one day when he sets a goal, works hard to earn money and saves it to get what he wants.

I also really love that Ekomini includes sharing as part of the fundamentals of money. In addition to saving money for himself, your child can set aside money to give to a worthy charity.

Ekominiville Tour

Uncertain economy or not, it’s important to teach our kids about money and fiscal responsibility. The Ekomini seems like a great way to help teach the fundamentals to set your child up for financial responsibility.

Shop! Ekomini is recommended for children 6 – 12 years old. The interactive money bank is $39.99, and the price includes the piggy bank, access to Ekominiville, and a free wallet. Shipping is free!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the folks at Ekomini.

MonsterHoodies Whale Bite Kids Review + Giveaway

by Kate on June 14th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Clothes, Giveaways, Reviews

My son is at the age where he thinks he can pick his own clothes every day. And, I usually let him. I need to pick my battles, right? So if he wants to wear an orange shirt with plaid shorts and dino socks with his Crocs, we just roll with it. Lately the one piece of clothing he always picks to wear is his MonsterHoodies Whale Bite kids hoodie from BustedTees. Even though it’s the middle of the summer in Florida. But, the hoodie is just that cool.

Whale Bite Hoodie

The MonsterHoodies is handcrafted on an American Apparel hoodie. Teeth line the hood and two big eyes are set on top, transforming the plain bright blue hoodie into a killer whale. The blue is such a vibrant color that the white teeth and eyes pop very clearly and the result is a stand-out piece of clothing perfect for kids.

The hoodie is actually pretty lightweight, making it perfect for a cover up for the beach. (It is not, however, perfect for sleeping despite what my son will try to tell you.) It’s great for layering and I know my son will wear it throughout the fall. The fit is a little on the small side. My son’s wearing a size 4 and it fits, but he normally wears a 3. Definitely order up.

BustedTees Kids

BustedTees started in March of 2004 with the sole purpose of producing funny t-shirts. The collection of tees includes lots of shirts for kids that are unique and goofy. Like MonsterHoodies, most BustedTees are created on high quality American Apparel shirts. My son pretty much needs the Ask Me About Dinosaurs tee for $12.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… The Whale Bite hoodie is awesome. My son loves it and I do, too. I think it would be perfect for a beach vacation because it’s a whale (and they live in the ocean, yo) and is lighter weight than a traditional sweatshirt.

Or Not to Buy… It’s not a reason against the purchase, but just a warning to order up a size.

Shop! The MonsterHoodies Whale Bite hoodie is available at BustedTees for $30 in sizes 2 through 8. Check out the BustedTees Mega Sale with over 80 shirts for only $10. BustedTees always has free returns in case you don’t like what you get. Cash back tip – click through ShopAtHome.com or through the toolbar and get a whopping 10% cash back on your order.

Win! A MosterHoodies Whale Bite Kids Hoodie!

How to Enter: Visit BustedTees and check out the tees for adults and kids. Leave a comment here with another tee you’d love for yourself or your little one.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

Disclosure: Giveaway ends June 28. Open to US mailing addresses only. Thanks to BustedTees for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review and the giveaway prizes. Opinions here are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product.

The Safest Sunscreens for Kids

by Kate on June 13th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Parenting, Shopping

Click to see the updated 2011 results of the Safest Sunscreens for Kids.

***

As you know, we live near the beach and we spend a lot of time outdoors year round. Sunscreen is a part of daily routine like I’m sure it is for many of you. So, it was with some real disgust and concern that I recently checked out the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) 2010 Sunscreen Guide. (Thanks, Lesli, for sharing this news a couple weeks ago.) After testing 500 beach and sport sunscreens, the EWG recommends only 39 – or 8% of the sunscreens!

ewg 2010 sunscreen guide - safe sunscreen for kids

EWG’s fourth annual Sunscreen Guide gives low marks to the current crop of sunscreen products, with a few notable exceptions. EWG researchers recommend only 39 – 8 percent – of 500 beach and sport sunscreens for this season.
The reason? A surge in exaggerated SPF claims above 50 and new disclosures about potentially hazardous ingredients, in particular recently developed government data linking the common sunscreen ingredient vitamin A to accelerated development of skin tumors and lesions.

Key Points in the EWG Report

  • People do not apply enough sunscreen to get the advertised SPF protection and typically only use one quarter of the recommended amount.
  • Products with a high SPF give a false sense of security and people do not reapply sunscreen as often and high SPF does not protect from UVA rays.
  • The FDA is investigating whether a form of vitamin A, called retinyl palmitate, actually accelerates skin damage and increases the risk of skin cancer. This is found in 41% of sunscreens!
  • EWG does not endorse products with oxybenzone, a hormone-disrupting compound in about 60% of sunscreen products because it enters the bloodstream.

EWG’s Best – Recommended Sunscreens

The recommendations are divided into two categories – Mineral and non-Mineral. Here are a few child-specific brands recommended by the EWG, all of which include minerals such as zinc or titanium.

Find Your Sunscreen

The EWG evaluated over 1000 sunscreen products, including lip balms and moisturizers, and gave them a score from 0 (recommended) to 10 (avoid). You can search for your current sunscreen to see how it fared. I was pretty appalled that one brand of children’s sunscreen scored a 7 (avoid) and one of the adult sunscreens we used scored an 8! Not good.

Reliable Protection

The EWG “warn consumers not to depend on any sunscreen for primary protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Hats, clothing and shade are still the most reliable sun protection.” Here are some of our favorite ways to protect wee ones from the sun:

So, how did your current sunscreen score? What products do you use to protect your children from the sun?

Fantasy Jewelry Box Review + Giveaway

by Kate on June 13th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  For Mama, Giveaways, Reviews

A month or so ago I posted about my first experience with Fantasy Jewelry Box and my big and chunky black bead necklace and earring set. I was lucky to get another opportunity to review (and giveaway!) jewelry from Fantasy Jewelry Box. This time I opted for some silver nature inspired jewelry and picked Aimee’s Large Thin Silver Leaf Earrings.

Fashion Jewelry

One thing I like best about Fantasy Jewelry Box is that the affordable price tag makes it easy to take fashion risks and go out on a limb and get something a little more exciting and trendy. If you’re only spending $23 (the price of these earrings), you won’t feel as guilty if you don’t wear them every day – or even every week. A big colorful pair of earrings or bold necklace can change the whole look of an outfit with little effort.

Silver Leaf Earrings

It’s with that attitude that I am psyched to wear the Large Silver Leaf Earrings. At 2 by 2.5 inches, they definitely get attention. But, despite their big size, they are thin and very lightweight. They are perfectly comfortable and easy to wear. In person, the details and spots aren’t quite as defined as they are in the photo, but they’re still beautiful.

Classic Styles

In addition to bold pieces, Fantasy Jewelry Box also has classic sterling silver jewelry that you can wear every day. I really like the Wide Dome Cuff bracelet.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I think Fantasy Jewelry Box is a great source for all kinds of jewelry – from big fashion pieces to classic silver hoops. The prices are very affordable so you won’t break the bank.

Or Not to Buy… The Silver Leaf Earrings certainly aren’t keepsake quality, but they they aren’t keepsake price.

Shop! Aimee’s Large Silver Leaf Earrings are $22.95. Browse jewelry by color, style, and price at FantasyJewelryBox.com.

Win! Your Choice of One Piece of Jewelry! (Up to $35 value.)

How to Enter: Visit FantasyJewelryBox.com and take a look around. Leave a comment here with your favorite piece of jewelry.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

Disclosure: Giveaway ends June 27. Open to US mailing addresses only. Thanks to Fantasy Jewelry Box for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review and the giveaway prizes. Opinions here are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product.

Start Practice for the World Cup Early with the Soccer Trainer

by Kate on June 13th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Reviews

The USA’s first game in the World Cup against England may have ended in a draw, but your little footballer can start practicing to be the next Landon Donovan with the Soccer Trainer from iplay.

iplay Soccer Trainer

Perfect for practicing kicks! Soccer trainer set is fun to use and includes an 8 inch ball that is attached to the base. Ball is easy to inflate with included pump. Base can be weighted with sand or water. Play alone or with a friend.

A Kickin’ Experience

The Soccer Trainer comes with everything you need to start practicing the all important soccer kick. (I’m no soccer pro, but I’m pretty sure that’s an integral part of the game.) The ball arrives flat, but inflates in a flash with the included pump. It is soft and plastic, not the texture or weight of a regulation soccer ball but perfect for kids’ feet.

Now, my son is not the most coordinated of children, but he was on a soccer “team” – I use that term very loosely – last fall so he knows a little about soccer. He really enjoys the Soccer Trainer because sometimes the ball comes back to him! Okay, I know this is part of the point of the Trainer – after all, it consists of a ball on a bungee – but he doesn’t realize that. For the most part, he kind of runs in circles around the base doing his version of “dribbling.” I figure, practice is practice and exercise is exercise. And he’s doing both while having fun so it’s all good. Besides, when he’s playing with the Soccer Trainer I no longer have to chase after mis-kicks that send the ball into the neighbor’s yard. The bungee keeps the ball well within our yard but still has enough length and give to get some air and get my son chasing after the ball.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Whether your child is just beginning or has some soccer experience under the belt (er, shin guard), the Soccer Trainer is a fun and affordable way to practice the fundamentals of soccer. My son has definitely improved some of his foot skills and his percentage of whiffs is also down.

Or Not to Buy… I don’t have to chase after rogue soccer balls, but I have had to untangle my son from the bungee. I honestly don’t know how he does it, but sometimes the ball goes around his leg and he can’t undo it himself. This clearly not a design flaw, and rather lack of user coordination.

Shop! The Soccer Trainer by iplay is $19.99 and can be purchased online. Make sure you check out all the other Sports and Outdoor Toys offered by International Playthings.

Disclosure: Thanks to International Playthings for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review. Opinions are my own.
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