BabyLegs: so many uses {Review + Giveaway}

by Kate on October 20th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Baby, Baby Shopping Guide, Giveaways, Toddler

My little guy spent (spends) so much time sans pants that a friend joked that he would grow up removing his trousers every time he got home, at least until his wife taught him better. I will admit it; I have a pants aversion when it came to dressing my little guy. What with getting him to hold still long enough to get pants on him in the first place THEN he has the stinkiest diaper ever and needs to be changed. Not to mention the food he drops all over himself. It just is not worth it.

Nevertheless, it is getting cooler here and we have reached the crawling stage. I guess I have to start buckling down and covering little man’s legs. Thank goodness for BabyLegs. These cute leg warmers are easy to put on, protect his knees and will keep him nice and warm. I love the newest Fall Themed BabyLegs (little guy is in Tetrus).

You may have noticed BabyLegs Newborn Leg Warmers on The Shopping Mama Baby Shopping Guide. These adorable, smaller-sized leg warmers are perfect for winter and can still be worn after the newborn stage (Jack is 8.5 months in photo and wearing Jolly Jack, of course).

BabyLegs are also a lot of fun for Halloween. It’s not too late to create a costume or order the perfect accent piece. Take a look at all the fun BabyLegs Costume Options (shown in POW!).

There are a lot of fun ways to wear/use BabyLegs and The Shopping Mama wants to hear from you. Tell us how you use (or would use) BabyLegs Leg Warmers and be entered to win a prize pack. See Details below.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… BabyLegs are so much fun. They are great as gifts, stocking stuffers, or that extra something to your little one’s outfit. I just gave a pair of leg warmers to a friend’s daughter and the little girl likes them so much she refuses to take them off.

Or Not to Buy… Okay, okay BabyLegs are a MUST for girls, but they are cute for boys too. I expect that we won’t be using them quite as long as a little girl would, but I still love using them and little guy looks so cute.

Shop! Leg warmers can be purchased at BabyLegs.com $10 a pair for Newborn or $12 a pair for Original Leg Warmers.

Win! A BabyLegs Prize Pack!

Prize Pack includes: 2 Legwarmers, 1 pair of tights, and 1 pair of socks or 2 pairs of socks for boys.

How to enter: Tell us how you use (or would use) BabyLegs Leg Warmers. Do you have a costume planned? Does your teenager wear them on his elbows when skateboarding? You tell us! (It’s okay if you just use them as leg warmers.)

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

Giveaway ends November 5. Open to US and Canada mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: Thanks to BabyLegs for providing product for this review and giveaway. Opinions are my own. Others may have a different experience.

Wordless Wednesday: Mullet Festival Food

by Kate on October 19th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Weekly Features, Wordless Wednesday

Our little town is home to the one and only (at least I hope it’s the only) MULLET FESTIVAL! Sadly, this gem of a festival is all about mullet-the-fish and not mullet-the-hairstyle. Although, you will certainly see your fair share of mullet hairstyle, but you didn’t hear that from me.

The Mullet Festival features some very interesting food. Anything seem unusual?

And, just so you know it’s not a fluke, here are some more photos:

I look forward to seeing your photos.

Britax Be Creative B-Ready Giveaway

by Kate on October 19th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Blogging

Are you wishing you had won the Britax B-Ready Giveaway? Of course you are, unless you are S Club Mama. I’m wishing I had won it and I wasn’t even eligible! If you missed it, read Kate’s review to learn more about this cool stroller.

Well here’s your second chance! Go to Britaxusa.com and enter to win a B-Ready by showing your creativity. You’ll find full contest rules on Britax’s website, but go quickly, the contest ends October 22nd!

Blurb Bookify Simplifies Online Bookmaking: Giveaway for 10 Winners + Discount Code for All

by Kate on October 19th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Giveaways

This morning, Blurb – an online platform that helps you create and publish your own photo book – announced a new program that streamlines the process of creating a book. Blurb Bookify is simple, creative and allows you to design an entire high-quality photo book in an evening. With the holidays coming up, the launch of this new platform couldn’t have come at a better time – a custom Blurb book makes an awesome gift.

Bookify Key Features

Online Ease and Portability

  • No need to download anything
  • Work on your book from more than one computer
  • Use images stored on Flickr® or on your computer

A Range of the Most Popular Book Styles and Layouts

  • Pre-designed layouts to edit and personalize – or just drag and drop images onto the page and it will design itself
  • Elegant, fun, or classic themes – you choose the look you like
  • Multiple background colors and borders
  • Make books up to 160 pages

Creative Options

  • More than 20 fonts to choose from
  • Autofit, zoom, crop, or rotate images; supports JPEG images up to 10MB
  • Full-bleed and multi-image layouts
  • Five trim sizes available

AutoCreate Your Book

  • By selecting the AutoCreate feature, your book will be created automatically from your selected set of images. You can then order as is, or add, move or delete images as you see fit.

Professional Quality

  • Superb image quality and highest quality printing
  • Three bindery types available: Softcover, Hardcover with dust jacket, or ImageWrap
  • Premium and Standard papers available

I {Heart} Blurb

I am so excited about Blurb Bookify! I’ve created books in the past, but I admit I was hesitant to download the program to get started. Even when I’m working with a very trusted site, like Blurb, I’m hesitant to download and install things on my computer and avoid it when possible. And, as someone who’s received a beautiful Blurb book as a gift in the past, I know the printing is gorgeous and the quality is top-notch.

As part of the Bookify launch celebration I received a code to create my own book. I think I am going to make a Square Hardcover book of photos of my kids to send my husband for Christmas. After checking out a sneak peek of Bookify, I know the hardest part of making my book will be picking which photos to include.

Shop! Custom Blurb books start at $12.95. Blurb has offered The Shopping Mama readers a generous 25% off discount code to use on all Bookify projects. Enter BOOKIFY at checkout to receive 25% off your product total. Discount offer valid through November 2, 2010 (11:59 p.m. PST). The discount is applied toward the product total of one order with minimum amount of US $12.95. Maximum discount is US $200.00 off product total. This offer is good for one-time use and cannot be combined with other promotional codes, offers, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous codes.

Win! Ten (10) Will Win a $25 Bookmaking Code to Make Your Own Photo Book with Blurb Bookify!

How to Enter: Check out the Blurb Bookify book options and tell us what book you’d like to create.

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

  • Like Blurb on Facebook. Leave a second comment if you share this giveaway on their page.
  • Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and tweet this giveaway. You may do this everyday, just leave the link when you do.
    Make high-quality photo books online with the NEW Blurb Bookify – giveaway & discount code @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/b77EEv
  • Fan The Shopping Mama on Facebook. Leave a second comment if you Share or Like this post on your Facebook.
  • Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in email or RSS.
  • Sign up for the new The Shopping Mama Newsletter.
I received a code to create a book using Bookify. Opinions are my own.

Fun with Box Creations Review + Giveaway (Discount Code too!)

by Kate on October 18th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Reviews, Toddler, Toys

Cold winter days are right around the corner, and if you are like me, you are nervous about how to entertain the troops on days when you just can’t motivate to leave the house in the freezing cold.  Box Creations has the perfect answer for you! With so many designs to choose from, I am sure you will find a play structure that your little one will love.

About Box Creations

Box Creations is dedicated to providing unique, sustainable product innovation to the marketplace as well as good old fashioned fun!!  We are founded on the principle that a richer play experience should involve the child’s imagination as well as encouraging the child to be an inherent part of the finished product.

Box Creations believes in safe and affordable product – while acknowledging our Eco-system to insure sustainability in our World. All of our products are made from recycled materials and are safety tested. We pride ourselves on developing sturdy as well as easy to assemble products. Our designers are kids at heart and their love for play shows in the uniqueness of each piece! You’ll get hours of play at a fraction of the cost of the more permanent play structures!

Our Experience

I think we all remember playing in a giant cardboard box at some point growing up. Well, this product takes that idea a few great steps further for you.  When the giant box arrived I was excited to get the Medieval Castle put together, however I wanted to review it with my son on a kind of dreary outside day. Finally we had some not-so-ideal weather, so I decided it was the perfect day to stay inside and play in the castle.  I really had no clue how long it would take to assemble, so I opted to wait until the kids were napping to attempt assembly. I am not the greatest at putting things together, and was a little intimidated to be honest. However, the instructions were super easy to follow, and I had myself a castle in about 15 minutes.   No tools are necessary, there are pre-cut out tabs that simply fit into the next panel.  Very easy and intuitive to put together.  The structure also comes with a set of markers so your little ones can decorate the structure as they see fit. My son decided to keep his markers inside the castle, and would add a little bit more color every time he played. Sorry, I took photos before he got creative!

The play castle was certainly a great change of scenery to our current toy selection. My little one enjoyed playing in it. I kept it up for about three days, then decided to take it apart and store it away for a little bit, so it can be “fresh” again in another month or so. Next time I put it together, since I know that it doesn’t take much to do it, I will let my toddler help, he will love to “build” it.  Of course you can choose to just keep it up and see how long it lasts, however, I could tell that if you have a particularly active bunch of kids playing in it, it is quite possible this wouldn’t last more than one heavily populated play date. One thing that I would change, and I actually think I will do myself , is the door opening. My son wanted to close the door/gate once he was in, and the way it is just punched out, he couldn’t grasp it from the inside and get it closed. I had to close it behind him every time. I think I will simply cut out a little space for his hand to be able to pull the door up after he is inside. I think the cottage playhouse actually has a cut-out for the door for this purpose, so I am not sure why the castle model does not?

My little one was sad when he woke up the other day and his castle was gone. I had to keep reminding him that it will be back one day, and so far that answer wasn’t good enough for him, so I may have to get it back out sooner than I had anticipated!

When you visit Box Creations, check out all the different structures, they really are cute. I really like the cottage model as well. Also, I noticed that you don’t pay any additional shipping, which is nice, because this was a pretty large box that arrived at our house!

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I love simple toys that encourage imaginative play. The play structures can help your child create so many different fun games, and role playing activities. I also love that you don’t have to commit to a huge permanent play structure!

Or Not to Buy… While I thought the castle was pretty sturdy, it won’t last forever. The more “gentle” your kids are with their toys, the longer this will last.

Shop! Visit the Box Creations website at  where you can purchase a play structure of your choice for $39.99. Plus, The Shopping Mama readers can use code SM101310 and get $10 off of your purchase!

Win! A  Play Structure of your choice!

How to enter: Visit Box Creations and tell us which one you would like to win for your little one!

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

Giveaway ends November 5th. Open to US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: Thanks to Box Creations for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review and the giveaway prize. Opinions here are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product.

Ralph Lauren Pink Pony Fund & Amazing Auction

by Kate on October 18th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Shopping

One of the highlights of the BlogHer weekend was an awesome event at the Ralph Lauren headquarters. I was lucky enough to attend because I am a Ralph Lauren Ambassador through Mom Central. The good news for you is that over the next couple months I’ll be bringing you some scoop and fashion news from Ralph Lauren. This month, I’m happy to share with you news about the Ralph Lauren Pink Pony Fund and an extraordinary charity auction to raise money for this worthy charity.

About Pink Pony Fund

With a focus on breast cancer, Pink Pony supports programs for early diagnosis, education, treatment and research and is dedicated to bringing patient navigation and quality cancer care to medically underserved communities. Ten percent of proceeds from Pink Pony products benefits the Pink Pony Fund.

Support the Pink Pony Fund

If you’re looking for an easy and stylish way to support the Ralph Lauren Pink Pony Fund, you can browse and shop the Ralph Lauren Pink Pony collection. I love the classic Slim-Fit Pony Tee, and the fact that a portion of the proceeds go to support breast cancer programs? That’s the icing on the fashion cake.

charitybuzz Pink Pony Auction

Oh. My. Word. That is all I have to say about the over 300 amazing prizes up for auction on charitybuzz to benefit the Pink Pony Fund. I am seriously salivating. And wishing I had some secret bank account laying around with, oh, $40k to spare. If I had some million dollars extra funds, here are some auctions I’d love to bid on – and win.

Front row seats to a Miami Heat game and meet and greet with LBJ.

My child in a Ralph Lauren ad. Wonder if they’d throw in both of my little rugrats?


A once in a lifetime trip to the Olympics in London, including the official Ralph Lauren Olympian duds.

There are over 300 items up for auction – everything from trips to Ralph Lauren’s estate in Jamaica to one of a kind denim to learning to walk the runway with the face of Ralph Lauren to a home makeover from Team Ralph Lauren! It’s definitely worth taking a look at the Pink Pony Charity Auction. Act quick, the auction ends October 21.

Any auction items catch your eye?

I am a participant in a Mom Central Consulting campaign for Ralph Lauren and have received various Ralph Lauren products as part of my participation.

Is your little one getting Vitamin D?

by Kate on October 18th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Parenting

Chilly weather (and snuggly coats and scarves) plus back to school time gives us less time in the sun and that means less vitamin D, the “sunshine” vitamin.

More Vitamin D Supplementation for Kiddos

You’ve probably heard that AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) has been recommending giving more vitamin D to prevent rickets. They recommend 400 units of vitamin D a day from milk (fortified), formula, foods or a supplement. Supplements are especially important for breastfed babies…there’s no vitamin D in Mom’s milk.

Getting more time in the sun isn’t the best way to get more vitamin D according to the AAP. They are concerned about skin cancer and all the other stuff (like burns) that comes with too much sun. Plus, it may be easy for fair skinned people living further south to get plenty of sun, but for those with darker skin or living further north it can be much harder. The AAP recommends oral supplements like vitamin D drops that are available over the counter at most pharmacies.

Vitamin D for the Flu?

What you may not have heard is that vitamin D may help prevent the flu. A small study conducted in Japan found that vitamin D supplements decreased flu in school children by fifty-eight percent. Another study found that respiratory infections were more common when vitamin D levels were low. There are some problems with the studies (for example: one was really small) and more studies need to be done before we can call vitamin D a flu preventer, but it’s enough to get me to start giving baby Jack more vitamin D.

For now your best bet for the flu is to get your kiddo the vaccine (remember 2 shots for first timers like my little guy) AND making sure your little one is getting the recommended 400 units of vitamin D. Don’t forget that you should get the vaccine too, especially if you are pregnant, planning to be pregnant or have a child under the age of 5 years.

{Photo: gap.com}

Debbie Ladd Children’s Books Review + Giveaway

by Kate on October 18th, 2010  |  5 Comments  |  Giveaways, Reviews, Toddler

I really love reading books with my kids. It’s so fun to watch my daughter explore books, and it’s hysterical to watch my son “read” the stories he’s memorized. I feel a bit guilty that we haven’t been reading as much as I’d like lately, and I need to make it a priority again. Having fun new books in our library definitely makes that easier, and we’ve been enjoying two Debbie Ladd children’s books that are a great addition to your child’s collection.

About the Author

Debbie Ladd has worked in the field of education since 1975 and has been writing children’s stories for almost 20 years. … Debbie’s books have received testimonials from Locks of Love, Parent and Child Magazines, Midwest Book Review, and others. …  As an author, Debbie seeks to bring the joy of reading to children. She has presented lessons and read in elementary and preschools as well as in libraries and in other venues. She has also appeared in festivals and fairs throughout Northern California. … Debbie’s stories vary in content, from exploring life’s lessons to embracing imagination and fantasy.

Deb on Air Books

Puddles: After it rains, kids make a mad dash for puddles, an amusing playground of entertainment. Puddles is the light-hearted story of what kids do when they get the chance to frolic in these funny pools of water. Lively and full of enjoyment, the story shows how children partake in a variety of activities that range from splashing with friends to counting tadpoles.

I just LOVE this book with my kids. Recommended for children ages 3 – 8, it’s a real delight to read and both my nearly 2 and nearly 4 year old enjoy the story. Perhaps because they both love to stomp and splash in puddles, and what kid doesn’t? The prose is easy to read and easy to understand and the book is just fun. The book is a good size, softcover and 32 pages long – all for only $8.95 – definitely a good addition to your library.

Don’t Pick Your Nose: Sometimes it’s a bit tricky to talk to kids about bad habits. Don’t Pick Your Nose, a humorous children’s book that will entertain young readers, drives home an important point about good habits. A must-read for all children, this story will reinforce why it’s so important to keep your fingers out of your nose. This book is destined to be a classic.

Oh my, when I saw this title I knew we had to check out this book… not that either of my children pick their noses… of course not. (And my nose just got longer with that fib.) Seriously, no matter how much I tell my son NOT to pick his nose, the message is different when it comes from a book. And, in Don’t Pick Your Nose, the subject is handled in a frank yet thoughtful manner. I wish I could say it instantly cured my children of their bad habits, but I’d be lying. See?

I guess that means we’ll keep this book in our rotation. And that’s a good thing.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Both Puddles and Don’t Pick Your Nose are unique and fun to read additions to a child’s book collection. I like that the books are colorful, with fun and easy to read prose.

Or Not to Buy… I’d love to see some books geared towards toddlers, too.

Shop! Debbie Ladd children’s books range in price from $8.95 for soft cover books to $17.95 for hardcover. They can be purchased online at www.debonairbooks.com.

Win! Puddles and Don’t Pick Your Nose by Debbie Ladd!

How to Enter: Visit Deb On Air Books and leave a comment with the title of a book you’d love to share with a little one.

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

Giveaway ends October 31th. Open to US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: Thanks to Debbie Ladd for providing a sample product for the purpose of this review and the giveaway prize. Opinions here are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product.
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