A Web Must!! Check it out

I have to say that sometimes I stumble across a website or product that I am so excited about posting that I get on it right away, http://www.etsy.com/ is just that site. The site is for people who are selling their handmade items from jewelry to furniture to kids clothes and accessories. If you think that means the items are second-rate, think again. The items are gorgeous and awe-inspiring at how creative people can be. Just think, you are supporting the smallest business around, the individual. Anyhow, enjoy the site and the reasonable prices (the hat in the picture is $15.00). I could surf it all day long.

"Quote Me"

Kids say such hillarious things that we don't ever want to forget...but most of the time we do. I recently purchased a book called "My Quotable Kid" and inside are the cutest pages with quote bubbles for each entry as well as lines specific for who said it- where it was said-and when it was said. When my 8 year old niece was 2, she said "I do whatever I can want" and so many other statements I wish had been captured. With this book around, it makes the memories so much easier to capture and share. $14.95 at http://www.chroniclebooks.com/

Capture the Moments...

If you love to scrapbook but don't enjoy the expense or the mess, this software is for you. A friend of mine raves about it because she can create 12 x 12 scrap book pages that are amazing in quality without having to run around collecting all the right ribbon, stickers, and paper. This Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 will download all of your photos, allow you to edit photos and add all the extras like borders, backgrounds, and text. After you design your page you just have them printed at a local retailer. The software runs about $100.00 and can be found at www.bestbuy.com

It's All About Presentation

This is one of my favorite clutter busters ever! This is a Li'l Davinci Art Cabinet, a frame for art work that opens like a cabinet for easy exchange of your hip hooligans masterpieces! There is room for storage of up to 50 pages and you have to admit... it looks so much better than a bunch of pages piled on the fridge! I think one frame cabinet for each child is a must for every household! The frame can be hung vertically or horizontally and comes in

8 1/2 x 11 ($28.95) or 12 x 18 ($36.95) at www.vat19.com

Stroll Smart

Its almost bathing suit season which means it is time to get out and get in shape (sadly). Running with a baby stroller can be difficult given that you have to sacrifice your natural stride to hold on to the stroller. I saw this brilliant stroller attachment that no longer gives me an excuse not to run. It is a hands free stroller attachment that allows you to use your arms when you run while safely connecting your stroller to you. The Stroll-Smart adaptor comes with a reflective belt that has two pockets ideal for MP3 player, mobile phone, change or keys. You can find it at http://www.stroll-smart.com/ for $49.95. They also have a video you can view if you are wondering just how it works.

Hide and Go Seek

So, the philosophical question of the day is "if you don't see the pajamas, do they exist?". I tend to hide my children's worn pajamas behind the pillow for them to use the next night, but what about a cuter option? These animal shaped jammy pillows from http://www.mylittlechild.com/ have a little pouch in the back for ultimate PJ concealment. They go for $24.95 and come in different animal shapes.

Art at your fingertips

Now our little ones can color even before learning how to hold a crayon. These finger crayons are perfect for your hip hooligans little hands...they just grab on to the chunky end of the crayon and let the art work begin. Older kids can enjoy the fun as well because each of these have a hole in the center which makes them finger crayons! I found them at www.highlights.com for only $9.99 per set

We Scream for Ice Cream!

So the weather is getting a bit warmer and if you anything like me, your minds wanders to ice cream. So, if your mind is on the sweet stuff and you want to create something new and fun for your kids then how about home-made farm-shaped ice cream sandwiches? You simply need the molds from http://www.kitchenclique.com/ (they cost $11.00 for three) to begin your flavor creation. You just have to stamp the molds onto a sheet of cookies (homemade or store bought) to make the top and bottom of the sandwich, and then use the press to fill in the ice cream middle.

Teething Troubles

This product is a serious life saver. Two weeks ago my son started getting his 2 year molars and kept waking up several times during the night. One of my husbands co-workers suggested we try Hyland's homeopathic teething tablets. I went to a local health food store and bought them the same day, I gave our son the tablets and we are all back to sleeping through the night! These homeopathic tablets, a combination of natural substances relieves the restlessness, whining and irritability caused by tething. The small 1 grain tablets melt instantly on the tongue.

$7.99 at http://www.drugstore.com/

Germ Warfare

Each night, we go through the ritual of brushing teeth as we go to bed, and each night I look at my kids toothbrushes and wonder what is growing in there? The way to attack those germs without buying a new brush daily is to use the VIOlight Zapi UV toothbrush sanitizer. I like this one for kids because you can choose from several different colors and it bops and moves from side to side. You can purchase them for $30.00 at http://www.drugstore.com/ and hey best of all, it kills up to 99.9% of germs on your toothbrush in style. Germs like like E. coli, staphylococcus and strep- who could ask for anything more?

Label This

I am so excited about the potential of making my life more organized with this next product, I can't even begin to tell you. I ran across "transfer labels" by Wonderful Graffiti at http://www.organize.com/ and the possibilities of how to use them to help organize us and the kids are swimming in my head. You can get transfer labels for each room in your house to help you and your family stay organized. They run about $30.00 and if you click on "more product information" you can see exactly what labels are included in each order.

Kitchen Magic

When I saw this next product, I was green with envy that I didn't have this when my kids were younger. Here is an excerpt from the website www.bloommaternity.net. "The Beaba Babycook is a one-of-a-kind, patented compact countertop appliance that functions as a steamer, blender, warmer and defroster to prepare fresh, healthy meals for baby. It starts by steam cooking vegetables, fruits and meats in less than 15 minutes, while preserving their vitamins and flavors. It then purees and blends them to the desired consistency. Parents can also use the Babycook to quickly reheat or defrost precooked foods.
The bowl is made from unbreakable Polysulfone (PSU) and the cooking basket from transparent polypropylene (PP). It comes with a 2½ - cup capacity bowl, cooking basket, spatula and recipe booklet. The bowl and basket are top-rack dishwasher safe. "Babycook sells for $149.95

BPA Safety-Tested
For babies 6-24 months

Lavender Lovies

For Valentines Day, I bought my girls two stuffed dogs filled with Lavender that you can heat up in the microwave for gentle warmth and a lavender scent. They loved them and ask me to warm up their dogs for them every night before they go to bed. You can find them at http://www.sonomalavendershop.com/ for $30.00 and you can choose from over 10 different animals.

Tell Me a Story

Kids are natural story tellers, so why not expound upon that skill? eeBoo Fairy Tale Mix-You Up cards are a great way to do just that! The theme is that someone has mixed up popular fairy tale stories and it’s up to your child to come up with the story of what happened. These new cards benefit your child three ways. "First, by encouraging your child to make up a story you are stimulating their imagination. Second, by setting up the foundation for elements of good storytelling. Third, we love any games that get kids talking with their parents and the premise for these cards makes for some funny stories. Finally, this is a great kids travel game because Mom or Dad can flash the card from the front seat and then your child can tell you a story for amusement on any road or plane trip." You can get these at http://www.chocoatecakeclub.com/ for $10.95

Music for Babies

Looking for music for your child to soothe them at sleep time or cheer them up at playtime? Check out the series by ABT. "ABT's award winning Music for Babies series is a break-through for early child development; it's built note by note on the latest discoveries related to brain development in very young children. Created in a collaboration among experts across a broad range of scientific and artistic disciplines, each volume helps children achieve their extraordinary, and unique, potential." The CD come in a series for Sleepy Baby, Cheerful Baby, Peaceful Baby, and Playful Baby. You can buy at http://www.biof.com/ under music for babies and can buy them one-by-one for $15.95 or as a set for $59.95.

Swingers

Ok, so this next toy is a bit pricey, but I would have loved having this as a kid, so I felt the need to blog about it and make some other kid's dream come true. Check out this swinging tent from http://www.moolka.com/. Ok, now to the nitty gritty, it runs about $300 which is a little steep but it looks so fun that may be worth saving up to give it for the next holiday. The swinging tent has stars on it that glow in the dark. And, if you don't like the flower design, it also comes in rocket ship!!!!

Brain Quest for your TV and IPOD

Brain Quest is a series of games and flash cards that are designed to teach your child and help them solve problems. The purpose is to engage your child and make learning fun. Although, I was aware that Brain Quest had flash cards, I most recently discovered that they also have a DVD game version, a Ninentdo series (perfect for kids you have to drag away from the TV to learn) and an IPOD version. What a better way to keep them occupied during long car rides? You can find all of these products at www.brainquest.com

You Lift Me Up

Hate the look of booster seats or high chairs in your home? Check out Kaboost, the contraption that raises your chair instead of needing a booster seat. The Kaboost can raise the hight of almost any chair and the great thing is that it folds up for easy travel. You can find this fabulous invention at http://www.zoomda.com/ for $29.99

Crayon Physics

If you are looking for a fabulous computer game that will intrigue and teach your kids at the same time then I have just the thing for you. Crayon Physics is an award winning game that uses your ability to draw to help you move a red ball to collect stars. Everything you draw is subject to the laws of physics. The game was most recently featured on NPR and costs $19.95 at http://www.crayonphysics.com/. Not sure if you would like to buy? Play the demo and then decide.

Their Future's So Bright...

Our hooligans have to wear shades! Frubi Shades are children's sunglasses designed by a leading ophthalmologist. The patented eyewear is molded into one soft piece for comfort and safety for children 6 months to 6 years of age. The shades are made to stay on and are super afordable at $9.99 each. There are 16 differnet colors and prints available at www.frubishades.com

Eat it up!

Learning to use utensils is no easy task for our hip hooligans but these Benders Adaptable Utensils sure make it a bit easier. They are bendable so you can adjust the angle of fork and spoon depending on your child's grip. As he or she gets the hang of it, just straighten them out and ta-da...it's a mastered skill. $6.96 for the set at www.onestepahead.com

Hold On!

I was recently shopping with my mom at a local speciality grocery store where we noticed and fell in love with this toddler training cup! This Dumbo Cup is super cute, dishwasher safe and available in orange, pink and blue for $14.00 at www.hipbabygear.com

Ear-ly Warning

Wondering if your child has an ear infection but not sure if you should call the doctor or just hang tight? Finally, a solution has been invented. Ear Check is a middle ear monitor that can help determine whether or not you need to cart your child off get care. It is so hard to tell when your kids can't talk, so Ear Check can do the talking for them and tell you what is going on. You can find it at http://www.earcheck.com/ and buy it for $54.95

What's Cookin?

Does your child enjoy helping in the kitchen? If so, why not encourage it and make it a bit more fun with these Head Chef cooking gadgets? These tools are made of silicone, are fully functional and have bendable arms and legs! They are available at many kitchen stores including http://www.surlatable.com/ for about $10.00

Bento Baby

Looking for a great way to store lunches for your kids that is unique as well? Try using Japanese Bento Boxes. These boxes are ideal because they separate foods into different areas. You can pack dips and veggies into one section and other parts of the meal into others without fear that they will bleed into each other or explode. You can find a great assortment of Bentos for kids (including Hello Kitty) at www.jbox.com/bento/ They run anywhere from $16.00 to $40.00

Get Organized

If getting organized is your 2009 New Year's res, then check out this Mom Agenda. It's a calendar that allows moms and dads to calender their weekly activities and the activities of up to four children. You also get extra space for notes and a separate area for other important information. You can find it at http://www.momagenda.com/ for $15.96.

Dinner Games

We have blogged about coversation starters at dinner but how about dinner time games? At http://www.familieswithpurpose.com/ you can find a dinner games set which makes your family time fun and inventive and make those all important family dinners fun. Each set runs $15.95 and is laminated to protect from spills. Make this New Year's resolution about reconnecting with your family in this all-too-busy world.

Journal This!

Going on the adventure of a lifetime with your children? Then check out these travel journals by Galison/Mudpuppy. They are amazing ways to have your child catalogue their adventures and remember the great times they had. They allow your child to write about all of the details of their trip in a fun and interactive way. Galison/Mudpuppy has a series of journals for different occasions including Camp and activities such as reading and crafting. These journals are for boys and girls and the best thing is that they are only $10.00 and they can be found at http://www.galison.com/ under Mudpuppy/Journals.

Loving Language

If you are interested in raising a global kid, then you know that language is key. Muzzy is a language program specifically designed for children. MUZZY, the award-winning BBC Language Course for Children is the most respected children's language course in the world. Celebrated in 100 countries, and winner of top educational awards, MUZZY has been called a masterpiece for children. MUZZY has successfully introduced millions of children to a second language. Te languages offered through this program are German, French, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish and ESL. You can find this program at http://www.early-advantage.com/. Select your child's developmental stage and they will send you the appropriate language course.

The Night Before Christmas...

How about getting your kids a new set of pajamas so they can rest in comfort as they wait for Old St. Nick? Garnet Hill (http://www.garnethill.com/) offers adorable PJ prints and they are on sale. These adorable chicken PJs run $26.00 -- usually they are $44.00. These PJs are a little pricetag for a lot of cuteness.

Mini-Emos

For all those little emos in your life who haven't quite figured out how to contain or what to call their feelings, take a look atKimochi emotion dolls at http://www.glammagems.com/ for $25.00 . These dolls can help you child learn to express and label their feelings with stuffed "emotions". Each "emotion" is a small polar fleece disk with the emotion written on one side and a facial expression of it on the other. Comes with a set of nine emotions: Happy, Sad, Mad, Grateful, Scared, Jealous, Shy, Loved and a blank one for writing your own emotion!

FLO

One of the biggest challenge I have faced while bathing little kids, is rinsing hair easily. Flo takes care of that. You put it over your faucet and it allows for a gentle waterfall from your tap that makes hair easy to rinse. There is also a bubble bath reservoir to help makes baths fun. You can purchase these at http://www.shopbabybliss.com/ for $18.00

Foot Candy

Baby, it's cold outside and little kids love to be warm and comfortable. Garnet Hill (http://www.garnethill.com/) offers these adorable boiled wool slippers to warm up those chilly toes. They run $39.00 and you can chose between unicorns, sharks, mermaids and other whimsical shapes and patterns.

Espanol par los Ninos

Ok, so maybe I mispelled the phrase above incorrectly or it's just plain wrong, that would be becuase I never had the opportunity to learn Spanish as a child. Put those regrets behind you with a Spanish immersion CD from Whistlefritz. These CDs are award winning language CDs for children and they promise to keep your child entertained. You can find them at http://www.whistlefritz.com/

Bee Well

It's definately cold and flu season and if you are looking for natural throat drops go no further than Bee MD. These organic drops appeal to kids and parents and there are no artificial flavors or preservatives and the best thing is that a portion of every purchase is donated to support the protection of bees. Read more about the product at http://www.beemd.com/ (and find some delicious honey recipies) or purchase the drops for $3.00 at http://www.drugstore.com/

Clean Crafting

How clever is this? Finger paint in a pump bottle. This washable paint will allow kids to keep the mess to a minimum. There are 4 colors available and they are only $1.99 each!!!! Check it out at www.rightstart.com

Green Santa

Kids love reading and listening to Santa stories this time of the year. Why not teach them a lesson on being Green at the same time? The book "When Santa Turned Green" is an excellent way to teach kids about the environment as Santa struggles with melting of the North Pole. Not only can you buy the book, but there is a toy collection that you can purchase along with the book. The book, which is made out of recycled materials and soy based ink, costs $15.95 and you can find it at http://www.mygreensanta.com/.

Tent Time

I have looked at many kids playtents and found them to be ridiculously expensive. Surprisingly, I found a reasonable and adorable tent at http://www.restorationhardware.com/ under their new kids and baby selection. The Tents are on sale for $99.00 and you can have them personalized for only $6.00 more! Plus you can buy a matching nap-mat for $64.00.

Fly Me To The Moon

So, we all know that we are in a total economic meltdown and everyone is looking for novel ideas that bring great joy to kids and still let you pinch a penny. So, if you wanted to get your kids a treehouse or a cool hide-out, take a look at these cardboard rockets and play houses from http://www.landofnod.com/. They run $89.00 and the great thing is that because they are cardboard, your kids can customize them with paint on their own.

Reindeer Snacks

Kids always leave out cookies and milk for Santa, but what about those poor reindeer who haul those gifts around the world? Now you can give them some reindeer treats courtesy of http://www.crateandbarrel.com/. For $11.95, you can find this adorable reusable bag that after you have fed the reindeer with the treats that are included, you can refill it year after year and add a new family tradition to the mix.

Customize

A great idea for the holidays is to take just about anything and customize it yourself or let you kids customize it. At http://www.zazzle.com/ you can do just that. You can customize shoes, shirts, hats, and just about anything else with your own picutes or art you pull off the site. Its fun for just about anyone and the best thing is that as you create, you can see what your product will look like before you order.

One Laptop Per Child

Looking for a fantastic opportunity to truly make a difference and get your kid something amazing from Santa? One Laptop Per Child is that gift. One Laptop is a global initiative to provide laptops to disadvantaged children all throughout the world and one time a year you can get one of these laptops for your child if you buy one for a needy child. We participated in Give One Get One last year and were thrilled with the product. For $399 you get a laptop and one is donated on your behalf. The laptops are especially cool because they are produced for children and not adults. The key pads are small and they features that were built into the technology are amazing. In order to work in third world environments, the laptops have such things as an extended battery and you can see the screen when you are outside and the screen is in color and it works in all kinds of environments. Believe it or not, it even has a video feature! and yes, it is Internet accessible. I can't say enough about this wonderful opportunity and even if your child doesn't use it as much as you thought, you gave another kid in the far reaches of the globe, the opportunity to learn and connect to those around them. Check it out at http://www.laptop.org/ and click on the Amazon link to purchase.

Banana Bunker

Does your kid love bananas and do you have trouble transporting them when you are out and about without them turning into mush? I found the "Banana Bunker" online which will solve your problems and save your bags from disgusting mush. You can find these at http://www.momashop.org/ and they run $10.00 for set of two. I admit when I saw the picture I did a double take, but think it is a great idea.

Make Your Own Muppet

Ever wanted to create your own muppet? Or have a child who is a big fan? Check out FAO Scwartz (http://www.faoschwartz.com/) and search for Whatnot (the name of "make your own" muppet) and voila begin your creation. You can either make your own on the site for $90.00 or buy a kit for $130. It takes 3-4 weeks for delivery, so if you are considering this as a holiday gift, think fast.

Egg

Looking for clothes and blankets this season for your infant or toddler that are warm and designed with enviromentally friendly products? Your search is over at http://www.egg-baby.com/ These clothes balance chic and sweet. They even has cool astrological blankets made of the best and softest materials. Although the line is a bit expensive, these would make great unique gifts.

Family Portraits

Looking to have a family portrait made that doesn't consist of someone sitting for hours in a stiff chair with a stiff smile? Check out http://www.illustratedportraits.com/ where illustrator Samantha Ferguson displays her fun and original family portraits. What a great why to have an everlasting piece of art that has character. She also does custom artwork for holiday cards, invitations and more.

Take It or Leave It

After having children, our take menus become extremely important to us so why not make life easier and keep all of them organized in one place. This Takeout Menu Organizer is a dream. It's about $20.00 and includes all kinds of dividers, tabs, menu protectors and much more. This menu management system is a must have! Check it out at www.knockknock.biz

My Bag

Check out this bag from Kushies called "My bag" (http://www.kushiesonline.com/). This bag is perfect for trips or overnights and has everything included to keep you organized. You can choose from two great colors. The bags are $80.00 and come with:

• compartments for your stuff
• 1 insulated snack box
• 1 insulated medicine box
• 1 clean clothes bag
• 1 dirty clothes bag
• 1 soiled clothes bag with laundry insert
• A pillow and blanket
• A handy hook for hanging
• 1 spare shoes bag
  

Teething Toy

Sophie the Giraffe has been a favorite teether for decades helping little ones get through those uncomfortable months. Sophie is made in France and is light and easy to grasp and is of course non-toxic with 100% natural rubber from the sap of the Hevea tree. She is famous round the world and feels good in little gums and makes a soft squeek when squeezed. You can find her at http://www.cheekymonkey.com/ for around $20.00

Happy Hatter

As the days get cooler, you want your childs noggin to be warm and stylish. www.lafolieknits.com is a great website where you can order hand knitted hats, scarves and mittens. The run about $40.00 and are as unique and adorable as your child.