Just like Mommies!

My grandmother was a firm believer that every little girl needed two things, nice shoes, and a string of pearls. Mind you when I was a little girl I refused to wear shoes, at least if it involved socks, and forget pearls as you could usually find me chasing some poor toad around the back yard.

I think as an adult Ive been making up for my lack of girlishness as a child and pearls were one of the first pieces of real jewelry I ever owned as an adult. I'm actually quiet jealous of the selection of little girl's pearls over at Moon River Pearls.

The one thing I do not have is a pair of white pearls, and I've always wanted a pair of white "tin cup" pearls. Which is a set of white pearls strung together with silver spacers. They were recently made popular by a movie with the same name, but I never saw it I just like the look. Moon River Pearls actually offers several variations on the "tin cup" look including a really nice set of white ones for only $78.00 which is a steal.

Though if your looking for a great gift for a little girl in your life, they offer the same "tin cup" style in pink for little girls at only $33.60 you can afford to give any little girl on your gift list her own pair of pearls!

I found the perfect necklace for myself over there as well, its simular to a tin cup necklace but instead it uses flat pearls on three strands. The triple strand coin pearl necklace would be just at home around your neck at a casual dinner in a tank top and skirt as it would be at a wedding. If anyone is looking to buy me a birthday present they know exactly where to find one. heh.

Shipping is always free at Moon River Pearls and all of their necklaces and earrings come with a free gift box.

Moon River Pearls was gracious enough to send us a pair of pink children's earrings to give away to one lucky reader.

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Moon River Pearls website and tell me what piece of jewelry is your favorite other than what we listed in our review!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end August 31st at midnight!

Part time crime fighter!

There are just some products that are so much better shared in pictures than in words. This is one of them.


Thats Connor in his brand new Baby Leo Designs cape. We were actually outside on the sidewalk when it arrived and knowing what it was I immediately pulled it out of the box and showed it to Connor. Though he does not yet really understand what a super hero is, I swear it must be ingrained into boy's instinct as he immediately wanted me to put it on him. What happened next I belive my neighboors will remeber at least for the near future. Connor with the addition of his new cape became "Super Diaper Pants" and proceeded to run full blast while squealing at the top of his lungs all around the front yard, just a diaper and the cape. I thought my neighboor across the street who was watching us the entire time was going to have to make a potty break he was laughing so hard. I ended up having to chase him down across three yards it got so out of hand. Needless to say that boy loves his cape.


My very first impression of the Baby Leo Designs cape was just how fabulously it's made. Super soft and thick satin on one side and a great velvet lining which sets this cape apart from any other play clothes you may have purchased. Its much more of a luxury blanket quality than dress up clothes which by the way I am so used to coming in that cheap satin and ties that break the third time you put them on. Actually the cape does function very well as a travel blanket as you can just unhook the cape when your little super hero gets tired and throw it over them for snuggling. I mean what little boy would not love to go to sleep with his cape by his side? You never know when Super Diaper Pants may be needed!

The Baby Leo Designs capes come in two sizes, sidekick and regular, Connor is a very short 15 month old and the sidekick size works perfectly for him. Though its almost floor length on him at the moment and he should be able to easily wear it until he is at least four. Neck wise it actually fits me comfortably so really the only reason he will outgrow it is length.

What really struck me though is the actual emblem on the cape, the black background has glitter which seems silly but it really gives it a little extra something. A boy or a girl would absolutely love to have it. I'm still totally blown away by the quality.

While your over at Baby Leo Designs check out their blanket and baby accessories. I've had my eye on that rocket man baby blanket for Connor's room as we have been working on this rocket/robot theme.

Baby Leo Designs are available directly on their website.

Toys for a whole year?!

Ebeanstalk is one of our favorite online toy retailers as it truely takes the guess work out of buying children's toys, especially for loved ones or grandparents who may not live locally. I routinely recommend them to friends who need a present for a child's birthday party but may not necessarily know whats appropriate or "cool". Its also just a great place to go and shop for your own kids as they really do their research on the toys they sell, not just a random assortment of toys.

I've been looking for great small toys that really capture what Connor and I love most about toys, that are inexpensive enough to give as gifts, and Ebeanstalk offers everything from luxury gifts such as the polar bear rocking horse which I personally would LOVE to get my hands on to great inexpensive but completely environmentally friendly and modern chic, Fagus toddler cars.

I got Connor the, Fagus Wooden Oldie Car, which is small enough for him to easily grasp and I absolutely love its solid hardwood design. There are no bright colors, no batteries, no loud noises, and Connor can spend all day pushing it around the house. Its just one of those toys that looks great sitting in the middle of your living room, so much that you wont even mind if its left on the coffee table when guests come over. I really need to look into buying him some of the larger trucks as he gets older.

The real beauty of Ebeanstalk however, is not just in their selection but in the way you can search and order toys from their site. You can search by age, occassion, toy type (including our favorite wooden toys), by brand name, and by skill. All Ebeanstalk toys are pretested and rated by what they liked about the toy, what it helps the child learn, and what skills can be mastered by playing with it. Honestly thats not something I always think about when I see a really cool toy, but its especially important when your looking for toys for a child who may be lacking in a particular area. Personally, we need toys that will help Connor learn to say Mama.. as we are still not saying it at least not regularly. He did actually say Mama as clear as day a few days ago.. and out of pure shock I said "Connor did you just say Mama?" and you know that little snot said "Noooo". I think I should just go on strike.

If your really looking to make a big impression on your gift giving or you just want to give just an exceptional baby shower gift. Check out Ebeanstalk's gift series. You can actually buy a child a "series" of gifts that will be delivered over the course of a year, or however long you choose to do it for. They are tailored to the child's age and are delivered at appropriate developmental times. You can choose from pre-picked gift series or make your own. Not to be crude but I would have peed myself if someone would have bought Connor a gift series for his birthday. Talk about a gift that truely keeps on giving.

While your shopping for toys, don't forget that baby gear as well. If you really want to blow a new mom's mind make your own gift series and include a great diaper bag, stroller, and some toys for as the child grows. She will certainly never forget it.

A Ebeanstalk gift series would also be a fabulous christmas gift. I know it seems a little early to be thinking about christmas but its never too early to be scouting out your options.

Ebeanstalk was gracious enough to send over a Fagus Wooden Mini Truck to give away to one of my readers!


To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Head on over to Ebeanstalk and browse their gift series. Tell me which gift series you would love to have or would like to buy for someone you love.
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end August 31st at midnight!

A perfect way to make someone feel truly special!

When I worked in the corporate world I was always on the lookout for a place to buy really unique and fabulous gifts that could be delivered to our executive friends. They do not need to be especially expensive but it really becomes more of the art of gift giving.

RedPig Gifts is absolutely one of those places, the combination of fabulous items, amazing wrapping paper, and great shipping makes whatever your giving from their collection from a stuffed animal to an exotic set of fiber optic cuff links, perfect for the geek dad by the way. The founder over at Red Pig has really gone out of her way to put together a collection of gifts that are special and if your having one of those moments where you need a gift fast and you don't have time to look it would most certainly be the first place I would check. The best part is that each collection of gifts from jet set, executive, and babies/kids only have about a dozen to twenty selections per category which you may think isn't that many but if you have ever been in the midst of a gift giving crisis the last thing you want is to be buried in a pile of ideas.. I've been there and its not pretty.

Connor got a beautiful little plush mutt from RedPig Gifts wrapped so carefully in the most gorgeous wrapping paper I have ever seen. I let it sit on my table for almost two days before I had the nerve to actually allow him to open it. I've never actually felt guilty about letting my son half destroy half eat a package but I admit I had a bit of guilt as I watched him annihilate that package. It was bitter sweet as the mutt is stinking cute but the package was awfully pretty.

One really unique feature about Red Pig Gifts, their gift cards are hand written on a similarly designed super heavy note card stock as their wrapping paper. Its a nice touch, I was so moved I actually sat down the moment I opened the gift and sat it in the middle of my kitchen table and just admired the package and note card. It reminded me a bit of the beautiful presents my grandmother used to give me every little detail accounted for no matter what was inside it always made me feel special.

Now I know exactly what to get the person who has everything. Anything from RedPig Gifts.. as its not at all the present but sometimes truly the thought that counts.

Celebrate the fourth of July with Olive Kids!

We are huge fans of Olive Kids over here at Seven Dogs. Their personalized products are so much fun, and the quality is superb! We've been dying to get our hands on one of their personalized place mats as he eats at the table (not in a high chair) and you can only imagine what sort of mess he makes.

How do you plan on spending your Forth of July? Have you even thought about it? I have to be honest.. I haven't! Last Fourth of July is a precious memory for me, Connor was sleeping in his bassinet totally unaware of what was happening outside which left myself and Connor's dad a few minutes of quiet and we climbed out onto our roof and watched the fireworks. It was a moment of total bliss as it was really the first moment I felt as if we were really a family.. and I realized the next Fourth of July I would be sharing fireworks with Connor for the first time. I guess I really need to start scoping out the best place to take him and bring three cameras just so I am sure I wont miss the look on his face when the first one goes off. It does make me a bit sad too as usually we would spend Forth of July at Connor's grandparents house but now that we live so far away that wont be happening this year.

If your unfamiliar with Olive Kids personalized gifts you really must check them out. They are VERY affordable at under $10 each for the place mats and under $9 for the new personalized bookmarks. Our favorite personalized product and on our personal wish list is the personalized floor pillows. Connor actually has a personalized name tag and its accompanied him on several trips so far on his travel luggage. I have a feeling it will be following him to his first day of kindergarten too!

If your looking to get a Fourth of July place mat make sure you put you order in no later than June 25th to make sure it arrives on time! I never even thought about it before now, but how AWESOME would it be to get a set of place mats made for a birthday party and have a mat for each party guest? (It would also take care of the party favors) I will have to remember that for Connor's second birthday.
Olive Kids wants to know how you will be spending your 4th of July! Let us know what your plans are and you will be entered to win a Olive Kids prize package! Included is a fourth of Fourth of July place mat, personalized bookmarks, and a personalized name tag! A $30 value!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Go check out Olive Kids and tell us what your favorite Olive Kids product is! Don't forget to tell Olive Kids how you will be spending your Fourth of July too!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end June 20th at midnight!

I scream.. you scream.. we all scream for Ice Cream!!

Blooming-Babies was sooo excited about this new Ice Cream set from Melissa and Doug they were practically bouncing when they asked me to feature it. I totally see why when the set arrived I was practically foaming at the mouth and I actually did consider licking that mint chocolate chip ice cream just to see if it actually tasted like it.. OMG yum... This set looks so realistic that it will leave you screaming to go to the ice cream parlor. I'm just warning you now!

I honestly never knew a wood toy could look so incredibly yummy.. or lifelike. Did you see that great Sushi set they also offer at Blooming-Babies?? How incredibly cool is that?


Blooming-Babies also offers some of our FAVORITE products including PSA Custom Stamper, by far one of my favorite stationary products known to man... ever piece of mail leaving my house is stamped with my PSA. As well as Your Baby Can Read videos. If you have not experienced this set before now, seriously its a must have for children between the ages of 0- till the time they are fluent readers. I also HIGHLY recommend Your Baby Can Read for children who may be a bit slow on the reading skills. The best part is its actually really enjoyable to watch for both parents and kids. Connor loves his so much he will actually stop playing with his toys to watch it... and don't even get me started on the flash cards. I honestly never knew a set of flash cards (that come with each dvd) could stop a 9 month old in their tracks. I actually use mine to distract him when he is getting crabby either in public or at home.. and not only is he learning something but he really loves them. The slide out feature on flash cards is really unique as well.

If you have ever experienced a wiggly toddler at the dinner table, distractions while your getting their dinner ready (especially at interestedly) are really a lifesaver. Blooming-Babies great selection of place mats are not only awesome as they will protect your table from spills but they are totally interactive. All of them are safe to be written on with Dry Erase markers. My grandmother would love this place mat as you know proper dinner skills are key, at least she says so, to finding a good husband or getting a good job. I'm not so sure thats really the case but it certainly is a nice skill to have so you wont look like a fool at your first big corporate dinner or that first formal dinner with the new boyfriend/girlfriend/mother in laws house. I've been there...

Blooming-Babies is offering 10% off to all of our readers use code : sevendogs10
The coupon expires July 3rd, 2008!

Blooming-Babies is also giving away an Ice Cream set to one lucky reader!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Blooming-Babies and visit their playtime section and check out the great play food they offer. Come back here and tell us which play food is your favorite.
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end May 10th at midnight!

We are in love with BlaBla kids!

I had dreams when I was pregnant with Connor about having a nursery full of wonderful knit and "homemade" type whimsical stuffed animals all over the place. When I got around to buying everything I looked all over in the department stores to find something even remotely close, with no luck. I ended up getting a few regular stuffed animals and the effect was never what I was after.

When I first came across BlaBla Kids I was browsing through one of the online boutiques and I ended up stopping at this beautiful little black knit dog, who wound up being our now beloved Licorice. I knew even though we already had seven dogs in the house (real ones) it was really important we make room for one more!

My only regret is that we can't adopt them all... just look at these monkeys..
I mean who wouldn't want to bring one of these monkeys home!! Personally I am a huge fan of the green monkey in shorts, Verdi!

BlaBla Kids were founded by two best friends who met while attending Georgia Tech (Ladies after my own heart.. as I always dreamed of attending Georgia Tech!! lucky lucky girls!!). On a trip to Peru they found a village who made great had knitted finger puppets, and soon after they convinced them to make the very first items that would eventually make up the BlaBla Kids line!!

From Peru to your living room you certainly can pick out a BlaBlah item out of a crowd, the bright colors, great little details, and their super hug able nature makes them ideal for newborns to adults. Their knit animals leaves you with a bit of a sock monkey feeling without harming the socks!

Head on over to BlaBla Kids, there is something new to discover all the time!! While your there check out the mobiles!! I would have flipped to have gotten one of those at my baby shower!!

BlaBla Kids sent us over an Dalmation Hat to give away to one lucky winner. Its a size medium and is pretty stretchy, so it should fit most children between 18m and 4 yrs old.

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Head on over to BlaBla Kids and check out their online shop. Come back here and tell us which item is your favorite, as well as who'd you give the hat to if you won!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end May 6th at midnight!

Blog Bash - Barebabies is a mother's dream come true!

Barebabies believes it's never to early to pamper. WIth an array of products from the "hottest" names in the juvenile goods industry, Barebabies pampers moms and babies everywhere!

One stop shopping is offered from everything from gear including strollers, high chairs, bouncers and walkers, car seats, carriers, and even bikes, trikes and vehicles. Shop for furniture and bedding and any and every baby essential including breastfeeding needs, bottles, toys, diapers and diaper bags and more!

I've been drooling over their store for months, but when I came across their trike selection I seriously did a major happy dance. I have had almost a life long obsession with Kettler children's products and I have always known when I had kids the first major purchase I had to get for them would be a Kettler Trike. The bright colors, solid build, and great line of accessories has always left me wanting one for myself, but sadly I think I outgrew them about 25 years ago.

Connor finally received his Kettler Air Navigator from Barebabies only a few weeks before his party. I was actually a little hesitant to open the box at first. I've been waiting so long to get this trike that I was a bit worried it might not live up to all the expectations Ive been putting on it all this time. After only a few minutes of assembly I knew right away that it was everything I had hoped for and more!

The Kettler Air Navigator is incredibly well made and fully adjustable from a one year old to a five year old. Connor is still just a bit too young to ride it on his own, but with the help of an add on seatbelt and the push bar, we can ride all over the yard and road and he thinks he is doing it all himself!

Well to make a long story short, I ended up deciding on an Kettler Air Navigator. The super big wheels is perfect for our super bumpy driveway, and it comes complete with a push handle so you can push when your little one gives out (or can't reach yet!). It took me only a few minutes to put it together, which was really surprising as I was sure it would come in a zillion pieces! Once it was all together I sat back and admired my new Trike (ok Connor's new trike!) and you know what.. its worth it.. and a zillion times more. Even our super bumpy driveway and road is no match for the Kettler Air Navigator's large wheels, unless hard plastic wheels the addition of the super large

Since we have pushed it around the yard and up and down the driveway, I am still waiting to get our seatbelt attachment so I can take Connor out on the road without fear of him falling, but I can 100% happily say that my "special" trike lives up to all of the hype! Super solid in construction, I am sure this Trike will outlive me unless I have a herd of boys to abuse it, and the many accessories that are available, including a seatbelt, bell, and front basket gives you a bit more flexibility than other trikes. Though honestly my favorite feature is the tandem ability. If you end up having two children in the right age range for the Kettler you can easily buy an tandem addition which easily expands your Kettler Trike into a two seater (or even a three seater with two tandem additions!!)

Barebabies offers a large range of Kettler Products in their online store.

Barebabies actually sells most all the products I reviewed this week including the Wheely Bug, Mutsy Spider Strollers (still on sale just a few more days!!), the Loft Rocker, the Natural Mat, and those great Kushies toys!!

Seeing as Connor's dad just got his acceptance into the police academy this week (still just pending one last doctors visit), I need to start saving my money to get Connor the Instep Police Petal Car, how cool would that be?


Shipping is free on orders over $99 at Barebabies!

Blog Bash - Deglingos

Deglingos are arguably one of the coolest stuffed friends around. They look a bit like they were invented in the laboratories of a crazed seamstress, the diffrent types of fabrics and materials used to make each one leaves this former seamstress a bit dizzy. Each Deglingos is a virtual playground for the senses, from bright colors, textures, diffrent fabrics, and their unique look they certainly leave a great first impression.

I had a really hard time choosing a favorite from the collection, though in the end I think I've settled on Molos the lobster as our current favorite. I have to admit his name, as simular as it is to Connor's beloved chihuahua Melos, was our first attractant but once he arrived he left me and Connor both squealing for joy! I just love the the contrast between the corridorroys that make up his body and pincers along with those great crazy eyes and rope feelers. Though he may not be classically cute.. you can't help to fall in love with all his quirks.

Though I had planned on including him in Connor's birthday presents I did let Connor sneak a peak a few days ago.. and he sat on the floor for a good half hour talking to and petting his new found friend. They were seen later in the day, Connor dragging him by his pincher around the house. I think thats safe to say that a new friendship has been made. I will reunite them on Saturday at the birthday party.

We don't want to leave all the other Deglingos out as all of them would make great friends, and personally we would welcome them all home with us, and we love Ratos with his great little overalls, mismatched sized ears, and that little tattoo on his left arm you end up seeing something new every time you pick him up! We would love to have a Pikos as well, but for those of you with children under 3 both Pikos and Chikos are only rated for 3 and up. The rest of the Deglingos crew are more than happy to play with the 3 and under crowd! I've heard a rumor it was because Pikos and Chikos are not morning people... but others have said it might be because of some smaller threads. I am still leaning towards the morning theory.

We had a castaway infiltrated or camp with the arrival of Molos. He must be punished and I've decided that the proper punishment for him would be to offer him as a prize! Hehe!

Deglingos has donated a Deglingos of your very own as a giveaway. Our little infiltrator is available to one lucky Birthday Bash participant! Its a surprise as to who he is.. but I promise you will be pleased.

To enter :

1. Make sure you've read the rules and signed up for Connor's First Birthday Bash! If your a blogger, its simple put the banner in your sidebar and make a post about the party on your site, then sign Mr Linky with the posts link. If your not a blogger just go and visit five of the blogs on the Mr Linky list and make a comment on each one, come back here and make sure you enter all the contests!!
   
2. Now here's the fun part! Party! To enter this giveaway go visit Deglingos take a look at all of the Deglingos crew! Come back and tell us which Deglingos that you think is the stowaway that is now being offered as part of this giveaway! The winner will be randomly selected from the valid entries. This giveaway will end on April 30th!
   

Blog Bash - KangarooBoo Review

KangarooBoo offers a virtual smorgus board full of deliciously fun toys and baby care items. I've been spending what seems like hours browsing their toy selections and I just can't find one single thing I do not want..

I LOVE wooden toys, something about the simple nature and soft lines of organically based toys is so comforting. Giving a child a beautiful toy and leaving the rest for their imagination to grow without the use of batteries is a gift all its own. Not that I am knocking plastic battery powered toys at all, but its nice to sometimes have some toys that leave you some of the play up to you! Kangraboo has a huge assortment of wooden toys made all over the world. I especially love the fact that you can search by "where the toy was made".

We got a Plan Toys Twisted Form for Connor's birthday and it make look small and simple but its design is ingenious!! Instead of fixed shapes each of the shapes twists to make a whole new shape. I thought Connor would have difficulty with this idea so early on.. but I took it out of the box and he was working it almost immediately. Its small size makes it really easy to store as well, my only regret is that it doesn't have a place attached to the toy to store the pieces more securely than just the top as I am terrified I will loose them!

Along with toys KangarooBoo offers some beautiful baby accessories and room decorations. I am so fond of the Doggie Mobile I may have to look into getting one to hang from Connor's ceiling!!

KangarooBoo offers a percentage of each sale to children related charities. You can even decide which charity of the ones that they support that your order goes to! To see a list of charities you can visit their charities page.

Visit KangarooBoo and get 5% off your purchase until May 31st! Use code the code : SDB5 All orders over $75 have free shipping as well!!

I highly recommend that you check out KangarooBoo 's sale items as well as the not made in china section!

Blog Bash - Pure and Honest Kids

If I had only know about online store such as Pure and Honest Kids before Connor was born instead of just finding them now. From the beginning of my search for what to register for on Connor's baby shower left me underwhelmed and a bit disappointed in the selection of products available in most retail chains. I never dreamed of the amazing selection and beautiful products that were actually available out there until sadly it was already too late, and my shower was long since over. Ive been trying to fix that ever sense.

Pure and Honest Kids not only sells a great selection of quality age appropriate clothes for children up to size six, they also offer a selection of great children's gear and baby accessories that will leave you drooling on your screen.

They sent us over this beautiful counting creatures floor puzzle to try out from their toys collection, though its rated for children 3+ Connor had the best time watching me put together the puzzle as well as we talked about our numbers and animals as we put it together. Its a great way to combine play with learning and for $15 you can't argue about the price. I love the fact that once your done the storage box the puzzle comes in is easy to carry and store for later.

Connor eats less and less "baby" food was this great food sorter.I could spend hours browsing their selection but one item that really caught my eye especially as The Green Packing Smart is a great way to store everything from formula, to pacifiers, to most importantly those baby snacks and food that you seem to need endless amounts of once you move into the realm of solid foods. I currently use three diffrent food organizers to tote around what little formula we still use, cereals, and cut up fruit and veggies, the fact that with this great little gadget we could not only save a TON of space in our bag but we could also feel confident that the cereal will still be dry and not mushy after all day packed in the same container as peaches.

Head on over to Pure and Honest Kids, you wont be disappointed with their clothing selection and you must really stop by and look at their toys and accessories sections!



From now until April 30th, Pure and Honest Kids is holding a huge diaper bag event. Prices are up to 40% off and shipping is free over $75!!

Birthday Bash - Kushies Toys

I have been a long time admirer of the designs of Kushies Toys. The bright colors, interesting patterns, and unique designs make them appealing to kids of all ages (including myself). I personally love his black and white swirly ear which happens to look like the top of a wooden spoon, its kind of an unexpected surprise!

Connor actually squealed when I opened the box of his Kushies Zippy Ozlo, its no mystery as to why Connor loves dogs so much but this is not only beautiful but it doesn't talk back when Connor pulls it around the house by his tail, unlike his dear friend Melos.

The colors and patterns make it pretty enough to use as a piece of decoration as well as a toy and I certainly do not mind seeing it it randomly scattered about my house. There are actually three other Zippy's we can add to our collection and the rings on the front and the back of Ozlo would allow us to hook them all together to make a Kushies Zippy parade!

Along with the great pull toys Kushies makes some great toys that will truely appeal to everyone in your household. The Kushies Stacrobats are as much fun when your one as when your eighty. Finding new ways to arrange them on their magnetic base is strangely addicting and unfortunately I've found they are also a great way to avoid doing homework... Connor especially loves to put the balls together and pull them apart, something about the magnets fascinates him and he is often found putting his stacrobat friends into his dump truck and taking them for a ride around the house. When your done playing you just put them back inside their base which is great for storage and even better when you want to take them with you to the grandparents house!

Speaking of going to Grandpa's house. Kushies just came out with a new travel bag for babies and kids called the My Bag which I am dying to get my hands on. It looks like they have thought of everything including diffrent bags within the bag to keep everything sorted. I'll have to add the chocolate/blue one to Connor's wish list!

You can buy all of Kushies products including their entire clothing line, toys, and accessories direction from their online store.

Every little girl loves sparkles

I had seen Sher's Wares Bracelets advertised before I agreed to do this review, and honestly though they look adorable I've had some bad luck with bracelet makers in the past using low quality beads and I never really gave her a second thought until now.

WOW, when the bracelet arrived every bad experience I have had in the past is a thing of the past. I got the most beautiful delicate pink bracelet that even my mom tried to steal it when she came to visit last time. The beads are perfect and her craftsmanship is excellent. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am with this bracelet! For an average of about $20 a bracelet (depending on the options) when I say they are worth every penny, that is almost an understatement.

Thought all her bracelets are beautiful I have to say I am particularly fond of the crystal bracelets.

Her bracelets are a great gift, keepsake, and are more than sturdy enough to wear everyday. She even has an online tutorial on how to make your own bracelet as well as kits that not only save you money but you can tell your daughter, granddaughter, or niece, about how you made that gorgeous bracelet they are wearing all by yourself.

Sher has sent over a coupon code as well. Use the word special in the voucher box on your order form and get 10% off on any order at Sher's Wares. Shipping is always free!

These "blankies" are in a whole new level of luxury!

Its no secret that I am obsessed with baby blankets. I still think its incredibly unfair that babies and toddlers have a great selection of amazingly wonderful blankets to choose from and adults are left out! *I'm getting off my soapbox now*

MyUbby brings the baby blanket world into a whole new level of luxury. We ordered ours with blue shaggy on one side, and brown dotty on the other with the chocolate plum border. Its so soft that I actually find myself wanting to steal it and snuggle with it myself. My only regret is that we went with the brown dotty on the back instead of the lavender dotty that I actually wanted, Connor's room is done in blue with some lavender thrown in here and there which my dad likes to remind me is somewhat "girlie" but honestly they look really good together! The brown is pretty too though don't get me wrong.. I'm just having a bit of guilt. To top off the blanket he has his initials embroidered in the corner of the blanket, forever marking that this Ubby is his (blanket thief's beware!)!

The MyUbby is not just for babies.. generously sized at 35x45 it is more than big enough to follow your child from birth well until childhood and even farther. I use Connor's Ubby as throw blanket for at the computer when I'm writing. It's actually a bit cold right now and I'm quite toasty under the Ubby!

Its alot of fun to use the blanket builder, no matter what your style or taste your bound to find a combination that would be perfect for your little munchkin!

If your not looking to personalize your blanket check out the prebuilt Ubby section as there are some great blankets available at quite the discount. We really love that purple and white blanket thats available right now! Its a good deal as all the prebuilt Ubby's come with a 15% discount.

With that all said.. I guess I should go give Connor back his "blankie" instead of hogging it. I did try to get a picture of him with the Ubby earlier today but he thought it would be more fun to take himself and his Ubby back in his bedroom so the only shots I got was of his feet crawling away. Dang that mobility.

Monkey See Monkey Do - Four Peas Backpack + Giveaway

I'm already having nightmares about Connor going to preschool.. its not so much that I think it will be a bad thing but I've come to realize I will be that crazy parent sobbing hysterically at the door when I drop him off. Connor is pretty social and independent so I'm sure he will happily bounce off when the time comes and not even look back.

Well at least if all I see his his back when I leave it will be covered by this adorable backpack from Four Peas. I can already imagine what he will have in it when he goes to preschool, his chihuahua stuffed animal (yes yes he has a chihuahua stuffed animal.. not like he doesn't have plenty of the real thing), a lizard or two (if he is anything like me), and of course snacks.

Four Peas offers a fabulous line of very very affordable backpacks, both in toddler and regular sizes, lunch bags, and really cute messenger bags. I wouldn't mind having one of their Rocker Messenger bags for my own school books as well! The toddler backpacks are just $25 each and come in a really large assortment of colors and prints. They are great for using as a diaper bag, overnight bag, and of course to tote those toys around. I actually have two just this size in my car one with extra diaper/food supplies and one with emergency toys. They take up far less space than my huge diaper bag and are great to grab if we are just needing a few things instead of the huge bag. I always send one overnight to the grandparents house too or when Connor goes to visit his Aunt Betty.

Speaking of toys to go, Four Peas offers a portable activity pack that is great to distract the older kids on car trips or even at friend's houses.

If your looking for a good deal on some cute shirts check out their clothing section as everything is currently on clearance and you can pick up a really cute tshirt or tank for under $5!

Four Peas backpacks are available on their webpage as well as in many great boutiques.

Enter to win a Four Pea Toddler Backpack in your choice of instock colors/patterns.

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