Reviews — Page 3

Busy Mom Solution: Tricycoo is Stylish, Affordable, and Fun!

This is what happiness looks like…

As moms, we always want to find the best and brightest products for our children – from healthy snacks, to the coolest toys – we want them to have the best. But sometimes we settle for lower quality in toys and gear due to tight budgets. Well, I have found a new “Busy Mom Solution” product to solve this problem – The Tricycoo from Joovy is made by a family owned company, with factories right here in the US. Like all Joovy gear, it’s made from only the best quality components – plus they offer the greatest customer care and support you’ll find. And best of all – this is one of those rare toys that can really grow with your child. Not only does it have awesome features that adjust to your growing child’s needs, but it’s such great quality that it will actually LAST long enough to make it through several stages! It’s hard to find well-built quality kids toys these days at affordable prices – but you’ll find some amazing choices on Joovy.com!

“Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn’t music.” – William Stafford

Every detail has been thought of on the Tricycoo – and they are so much fun! This little bell on the handlebars delights Abby so much – she laughs and claps every time she gets it to ring! And it has a great retro type of sound – it reminds me of riding my bike around the neighborhood when I was a little girl.

“PLAY GIVES CHILDREN A CHANCE TO PRACTICE WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING.”- FRED ROGERS

Another super great feature of the Tricycoo is the fun basket in the back – perfect to carry a mid-size diaper bag when we go on walks or on a trip to the park. And when we use the Joovy inside, Abby loves to fill the basket up with her “babies” – a random assortment of stuffed cats, dogs, or maybe even reindeer! It’s not big enough to be bulky or in the way – but definitely big enough to store all of your stuff. Super helpful.

“THAT’S THE REAL TROUBLE WITH THE WORLD, TOO MANY PEOPLE GROW UP.” – WALT DISNEY

Kids never stay the same size for more than a few minutes – Everyone said that it would go by so quickly, and you know that it’s true. But you don’t really know it until you watch it happen to your own little one! It can be hard on a momma to realize they’re not a baby anymore – and sometimes it’s hard on the wallet to keep up with buying new toys and new gear for those fast-growing kiddo’s! That is what I love most about the Tricycoo – it’s meant as a beginner tricycle for kids as young as 18 months, {although Abby got hers last month at 16 months, and she fits perfectly!} – and it totally adjusts through each stage to fit your child as they grow. In the beginning, there are While your child is a beginner, there are “baby surround arms” to keep them safe while they learn balance. There is a little footrest that works perfectly while they get used to riding on it. As they grow, they can first use the pedals “unlocked”, so that they spin freely – then “lock” them and they can use their own push-power and ride like a big kid! While they’re learning, you get to control the bike by pushing and steering with the Parent Push Handle – It is SO cool that I can steer her around while we go on walks – Love this feature.

Learn More

As you can see – the Tricycoo comes in four super cheerful colors, and adjust from a beginner tricycle to a big kid bike! {Suggested for 18 months to 44 pounds}. To learn more about the Tricycoo, and all of the other totally amazing Joovy products – check them out online at www.Joovy.com.

Follow them on Facebook and Twitter, to stay updated on new products and fun promotions!

And check out my album on Google+ to see more pic’s of this great kids tricycle – We had an incredible time trying it out and taking pictures, and it is definitely one of my very favorite kids products that I’ve seen this year!

{Disclaimer: We were provided with a complimentary Tricycoo from Joovy to review and share with you – but all photos, opinions, and overuse of exclamation points are my own – I love the Tricycoo!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 30, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Reviews | 2 Comments

Hot Pants 2 Week Challenge – #hotinhotpants

“I really don’t think I need buns of steel. I’d be happy with buns of cinnamon.” – Ellen DeGeneres

Have you heard of Hot Pants yet? These are a super cool new design from the UK – they’re a pair of fitted black cropped pants that you wear while exercising, and even around the house, and they help you lose pounds, inches, and cellulite. Um, sign me up!! Lol. I was super excited when I heard that I was getting a pair of these to try out – It’s now been over a year since I had the baby, but my body has NOT bounced back to what it used to look like. You’d think that by the time toddlerhood hits, we’d all be skinny as a stick – hours of chasing a high-speed toddler is a lot of cardio! – but nope, I went from an hourglass to a big momma pear. I miss my old jeans….

“Exercise is a dirty word. Every time I hear it, I wash my mouth out with chocolate.” – Author Unknown

“Take the Hot Pants 2 Week Challenge!” – That’s the message that called out to me when I opened up my eagerly-awaited package from the UK. The 2 Week Challenge goal is to lose 2 jean sizes in 2 weeks, with no crazy diet or exercise programs. Here’s how it works – Hot Pants are made of a revolutionary material containing something called Celu-Lite technology. It reflects the heat you naturally generate back into the the body, to promote warming of your deeper tissues, higher level of perspiration, and the break down of fat and toxins. These fat cells and toxins under the skin are what contribute to the appearance of cellulite. The technology works the same way that cellulite spa treatments work – it just helps promote better circulation and lymphatic drainage. Wearing these during your workout totally maximizes your weight loss – but you can also wear them all day while you run errands or do house work, or even while you sleep!

Skeptical?

I was too. I mean, there are a million new products, programs, diets, and exercise ideas that guarantee to help you lose weight – but most of them don’t live up to their claims. So I wanted to hear from some “real” people, before getting too excited about this awesome-sounding idea. I headed to their Facebook page to see what types of comments they’ve been getting…. Ohmyheck. That made me SUPER excited to get my Hot Pants on! You will find SO many testimonials about what an easy way to lose weight this is – I guarantee you’ll be wanting to try them too by the time you’re done reading!

Stay Tuned for My 2 Week Challenge Results!

I got these Hot Pants a few weeks ago – but with the rush and craziness of the holidays, I kind of slacked off on checking them out. But after reading the Facebook comments – I’m ready to rock this! I took measurements yesterday, and started wearing my Hot Pants today. {The fabric feels kinda like wet suit material, but is surprisingly comfy when you get it on.} In two weeks I’ll measure again – and share the measurements pics as proof, so we can all see if I really lose the inches or not!! Stay tuned….

Order your own Hot Pants today – see results in 2 weeks!

Check them out on Facebook to read real results stories.

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary pair of Hot Pants from Mom Bloggers Club to review for this post – all opinions and research are 100% my own – and I can’t wait to share some honest results with you soon!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 17, 2011 Filed Under: Reviews | 1 Comment

Busy Mom Solution: Surface Shine Spray!

Surface Bassu Shine Spray

I was sent a bottle of this Surface Shine Spray a few weeks ago to review. It’s a brand that I’m not familiar with, but I figured it’d probably be a nice product, work about the same as other shine sprays – I’m kind of addicted to shine spray, but most of them are pretty much the same.

All SURFACE hair products contain Vitamins A, C & E, organic and 100% vegan protein. The ingredients are gluten, sulfate and paraben-free.

Um – This little bottle knocked my socks off! I love that it’s a more natural product, since I’m trying to cut some of the yucky-junky chemicals out of my life. And I LOVE the shine it adds to my hair – it’s really light so it doesn’t make my hair flat. It’s not greasy or weird feeling on my hair. And here is my FA-VO-RITE part – It smells amazing! It smells almost exactly like the Sun Ripened Raspberry Body Spray from Bath & Body works – which has been one of my favorites since I was in high school. And the scent lasts all day – I get SO many compliments!

Busy Mom Solution: One great product the whole family can use!

Well, dad may or may not want to smell like raspberries, lol. But this spray is a great detangler for kids hair, since it’s filled with natural ingredients. And it’s so versatile – use it on the kids or your own damp hair as a detangler. Use it before heat styling for a deep shine treatment. Or spray it on your finished look to detail it and add a gorgeous gloss! You will love this – I’m so serious. If you’re a busy momma like me, it’s such a great product to quickly polish and freshen up messy-crazy-mom hair!

Find a local salon to purchase SURFACE hair care, or find Surface Bassu Shine Spray on Amazon.

We don’t have any salons within 50 darn miles that carry this spray – so I’ll have to order it online. But you can betcha that I’ll be recommending it to my stylist at my next appointment – this stuff rocks!

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary bottle of SURFACE Bassu Shine Spray to review, made possible by Mom Spark Media – but all opinions and over-use of exclamation points is totally and 100% my own!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 13, 2011 Filed Under: Reviews | 1 Comment

Don’t Let Your Digital Memories Become Distant Memories

“A good snapshot stops a moment from running away.” Eudora Welty

Photographs are important to me. I had a few concussions when I was in my early 20’s {long stories, for another day…} and my memory just isn’t as strong as it used to be, or should be. But photographs help me really hang on to those special moments in life – silly faces, baby toes and fingers, fancy occasions when we’re all actually cleaned up and dressed up – I love looking back at the photos that capture our lives.

“You don’t take a photograph. You ask, quietly, to borrow it.” – Author Unknown

If you love photographs like I do, you’ve probably got a TON of them saved on your computer too. I worry sometimes – what if something happens to my computer? What would I do if I lost all of my photos? That would be devastating, seriously. I’ve got thousands of photos saved in this thing. That’s where Sandisk comes to the rescue – “The SanDisk Memory Vault is a photo album for the digital age that allows consumers to preserve images in one reliable location.” What is it? Well, it’s a little gadget that hooks up to your computer with a USB cable, and safely stores every single one of those precious photos for up to 100 years!

Most Consumers Would Not Destroy Their Family Photos for One Million Dollars

SanDisk also issued results from an online survey conducted on its behalf by Harris Interactive from July 28-August 1, 2011 among 2,294 U.S. adults aged 18 and older2. The survey found that 79 percent of U.S. adults with digital photos plan on passing them down to future generations. Photos are so precious that 64 percent of U.S. adults would not consider destroying their family photo collection for any amount of money, not even for one million dollars.

“If you see something that moves you, and then snap it, you keep a moment.” – Linda McCartney

Sandisk makes a ton of my favorite products – you can see a few more of them in this great Holiday Gift Guide video. And like they mention in the video – the Sandisk Memory Vault is super easy to use, and you can store your photos AND videos! So someday you can hand down videos of your wedding day, adorable baby photos of the kids, videos of first steps, family reunions, and more – all safely preserved in one durable device. What more could you ask for, right?

Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow. – Imogen Cunningham

To preserve all of your yesterdays and tomorrows – Head to the Sandisk site to learn more about how the Memory Vault safely preserves your family photos for up to 100 years, for the next generation of your family to enjoy.

Buy the Memory Vault today on Amazon – Get the SanDisk Memory Vault 8 GB
for $49.99, or if you have loads of photos like me, upgrade to the SanDisk Memory Vault 16 GB for $89.99 – both with FREE shipping.

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of SanDisk and received a product sample to facilitate my review, and coupons to giveaway.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 13, 2011 Filed Under: Reviews | No Comments

Busy Mom Solution: Silk Soy and Horizon!

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” – La Rochefoucauld

The Challenge – The kids only want to drink soda, eat cookies and chips, and avoid their veggie’s like their life depends on it. You want to encourage them to prefer better snacks, and you want to make sure they’re getting loads of good vitamins, minerals, and healthy stuff in their little systems. You try to set a good example – but as a busy mom, you sometimes skip meals too. Or you grab a soda as a quick pick me up. Clearly – you need a new, easy to find, simple to grab, snack option. Well – you’re in luck! Keep reading to learn more about this Busy Mom Solution….

“Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” – Edward Stanley

Horizon Organic and Silk Soy both make super portable, super healthy, and super YUMMY single-serve drinks – and they are the perfect snack solution! Here are a few things that I love:

No artificial junk.
8 whole grams of protein in each serving – total wow!
Lots of great Calcium and Vitamin D in each box.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn

After I learned more about these single-serve shelf-stable boxes – I realized what a great addition they would be to our current snacks and drinks. I assumed they’d be in the dairy section, which is where I usually buy our other Horizon and Silk Soy products – so that was the first place that I headed.

“High-tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Supersquash. Are we supposed to eat this stuff? Or is it going to eat us?” – Annita Manning

Nope – these super convenient little boxes are not in the cooler section with the other dairy products – in both Walmart and Safeway {I checked both} they were located next to the other shelved beverages. I found them near the juice boxes and chocolate milk packs – they were BY FAR the healthiest option in the whole aisle! The fact that they’re shelf-stable means that they’re easier to stock up on, since you don’t have to find room in the fridge. And they’re perfect for lunch boxes, in the car, or on the go!

“Life is not merely being alive, but being well.” – Marcus Valerius Martialis

These easy to grab boxes are perfect for snacks – since they’re so packed full of good stuff, you feel great about serving them. And because they come in fun flavors like chocolate and strawberry, the kids feel great drinking them!

Learn More –

Now that you know how amazing these products are – {organically good for you and filled with vitamins and good stuff, convenient, and super yummy!} – I’m sure you want to learn more, right?

Check out my full shopping experience, and learn more about these great products – including more serving ideas, a fun giveaway, and a great opportunity to give back – in my Google+ Albums – Safeway and Walmart.

Connect with them on social media – Silk Soy Facebook, Horizon Facebook, and on Twitter, @WhiteWaveFoods.

{Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All thoughts, photos, and overuse of exclamation points is totally my own!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 12, 2011 Filed Under: Reviews, Busy Mom Solution | 3 Comments

Party Time with Thomas & Friends! #Megabloksparty

‘Play is the highest form of research.’ – Albert Einstein

Thomas & Friends + Mega Bloks = Another super fun event from MommyParties! We received a ton of awesome stuff to host a great party for the kiddo’s, their friends, and my mommy friends too. We’ve actually never played with any of the Mega Bloks sets before, so I was super excited to check ’em out – And I’m definitely impressed! I had pictures Mega Bloks as more of a “Little Kid” type toy – but these were fun for ALL of the kids, from 16 months to 9 years old. I love how easy it was for the kids to follow the directions, and they loved that they could create the set on their own. Keep reading to learn more about these super cool toys, plus some ideas you can use for your own party.

‘Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.’ – Kay Redfield Jamison

Each of the kids got to pick a new toy – They could choose from Mega Bloks Diesel Works Set, or the Mega Bloks Thomas Set – both are super cool. The box that they blocks are in opens up, and flips over, to become a little ramp for the train to cruise down… And Abby thought this was the COOLEST thing ever! She says, “Chooo Chooo!” and runs to chase it after it rolls away. The bigger kids set theirs all up in a row, and had races to see who’s train could go the farthest. The moms all loved that this was a great travel set.

“The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.” – Plato

We also got one “Big” set for the kids to check out – Megabloks “Day at the Dieselworks” – and it was definitely a hit with both the kids and the moms. While lego sets can be a challenge even for some of the bigger kiddo’s, this Mega Bloks set was perfect – the older boys helped to guide the little one’s, and while they could put the whole thing together without any help from the grown up’s, it was just challenging enough to make them feel really accomplished when they finished it!

“Make each day your masterpiece.” – John Wooden

Another thing I thought was pretty cool about these toy sets is that they all fit together. So, if you’re little one is going to a playdate, they can bring along one of the smaller toy sets, and it’ll hook right up to the bigger toy sets, as you see in the picture. This would be a great way to set up a Mommy Group playdate, or birthday party… Have each of the kids bring their own Thomas toys in a smaller travel case set, and they can all hook ’em up to play together! Here are a few other ideas you can use to host your own party:

Thomas-Inspired Snack ideas:

Chugga, Chugga, Choo-Choo Chocolate Cups: We made these Dirt & Worm style, which you’ve probably made before. Very simple, but always entertaining – especially if you’ve got little boys at the party!
Railway Trail Mix: Any type of Chex Mix would work great for this – find a ton of different varieties here: Chex Mix Recipes.
Steamin’ Engine Fuel Punch: Pour 2 64-oz. bottles of fruit punch into a big bowl. Add a 16-oz. can of frozen OJ, and stir until it’s mostly melted. Then add half of a 64-oz bottle of pineapple juice. Right before the party, add in 2 bottles of ginger ale, add ice and some sliced oranges on top – stir and enjoy!

“It is in playing, and only in playing, that the child is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.” – D.W. Winnicott

Check out my Google+ Album for the rest of the party pictures, or check them out on Facebook.
Sign up for the Mega Bloks Newsletter for fun product updates, and promotions.
Check out the other amazing parties on the MommyParties Facebook page.

{Disclaimer: Thank you to MommyParties and Mega Bloks for providing us with some super cool new toys, ideas, and party materials for this event! All photo’s and opinions are 100% my own!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on December 5, 2011 Filed Under: Reviews | 1 Comment

Use ‘Family Movie Night’ to Get Your Kids Talking

Family Movie Night

Family Movie Night from Walmart and P&G is such a great idea – It’s exactly what I hear so many moms wishing for, yet so many people haven’t heard of this yet. The idea is to make amazing movies that teach valuable lessons, share important values, and inspire children to reach for great things. P&G partnered with Walmart to get these great movies broadcast on network TV, for free, to make sure that every family gets a chance to enjoy them. One of my favorite parts of the Family Movie Night programming is that they ensure even the commercials are family-friendly. I find it so irresponsible when there are beer commercials, or other adult themed stuff, during programming that is meant for families.

Game of Your Life

Game of Your Life is the newest Family Movie Night program, and is on this Friday night, December 2 on NBC at 8pm ET/7pm CT. As a partner at Mom Central, I got the opportunity to check out this new movie early, so I could share a review with you guys. Well…. I don’t want to spoil any surprises, but I can tell you that you will NOT be disappointed in this one. The kiddo’s all piled onto my bed with me to watch this, and it actually kept everyone’s attention. {Well, except for the one time when little guy hit bigger guy with his toy truck, and then baby girl fell off the bed. Thank goodness for the pause button. But no one was hurt in the viewing of this movie, and the little bump was cured with more popcorn, so all was well….} Here’s the “official” movie description…

“When gamer Zach Taylor lands a scholarship to an exclusive video game design program, his future looks promising…as long as he can survive the freshmen project that will eliminate half the class. But when Zach learns that his father is in financial trouble, he has to make a choice that will affect his future and the lives of everyone around him.”

Did someone say, “Video Games??”

My oldest nephew was completely excited to learn that you can go to school and learn about video games. He now tells everyone he is going to start reading more, because he has to get ready for college {he just turned 8} – His seriousness is pretty funny, but I am delighted to see his excitement about school – he’s never mentioned college before. So THANK YOU Family Movie Night, for helping that little idea grow in his brain!

Great Message & Great Entertainment

Just like the other Family Movie Nights we’ve tuned in to, this movie gave us a lot of great things to talk about when it was over. We started out talking about school, and why it’s so important to study and pay attention in class. We talked about family, and the different ways that we all help each other out. We live in a really blended house right now, with my brother and his two boys joining my boyfriend, me, and Abby – plus my mother, and her 4 little dogs. And my dog. And the fish. {I know, right? It’s very tough on my organizing OCD, but I manage, lol.} So we talked about how lucky we are to get to spend time together, and help each other – and brainstormed new ways that we could show everyone how much we appreciate them. We talked about how the choices each of us make every day affect the rest of us – good and bad. The kids shared so many great thoughts, it was wonderful to listen to their ideas. Loved it.

All of that from a movie?

Yes sir – which is why I recommend you check it out this Friday night, and enjoy a fun movie with your family! You can learn more about Family Movie Night on their website, or follow them on Facebook, so you never miss a great show!

Remember, “Game of Your Life” – Catch it this Friday night, December 2 on NBC at 8pm ET/7pm CT.

{Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of P&G and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate. But as always, all thoughts, ideas, and opinions here are 100% mine!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on November 30, 2011 Filed Under: Reviews | No Comments