All posts about the Celebrity Solstice preview cruise

What an amazing cruise!  The lawn, entertainment, food, massage..and so much more.  Looking for a collection of all of the posts & reviews from the Celebrity Solstice preview cruise?  Here they are in descending order.

The Celebrity Solstice cruise: Part 1: Relaxing
Nov. 14th christening of Celebrity Solstice in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Celebrity Solstice Preview Cruise, Naming Cruise and Ceremony November 14, 08 - Join me!
Getting ready for the Celebrity Solstice cruise.. tomorrow!

Fill in the Blankie - a completely customizable baby blanket

Taking customization one step further, Fill in the Blankie is the 'pimp my blankie' version of the hit MTV show Pimp my Ride.  You will never buy another 'baby store' blanket again after having a Fill in the Blankie blanket.  
Dallas-based company president, Todd Lilly, offers customers the most personalization you can find on a blanket. He's not kidding around when he says personalized baby blanket. 

Customers can choose:

• The font style and thread color
• Up to 200 characters to be embroidered around the edges of the blanket
• 3 blanket sizes
• Select from many fabric and satin trim color combination's.
• There are what seems like an endless amount of customization choices.

A Fill in the Blankie blanket will make a great new baby or holiday gift!

Available at: Fill in the Blankie

3 steps toward Green(er) parentingStep 1: Green school supplies

Teaching kids how to lessen their footprint on the environment is vital and can be done easily, affordably and with style!  Here are a few online stores, and a sampling of their products, that will get your kids started on their Green school supply collection.

• Forest Choice - Graphite #2 pencils and colored pencils
• Green Apple - Earth Friendly School Pack 2", Recycled Content Markers, Recycled Ballpoint Pen, and Maped Natural Rubber Eraser are a few products offered here.
• Fluerville - Re-Run™ Beta Binder and Re-Run™ Messenger.

A few tips that I particularly like from The Green Parent website article, Green Your School Supplies are:

1. Aim For A Waste-Free Lunch
2. Borrow or Rent Sports Equipment and Instruments.
3. Update and reuse last year’s backpack by adding or removing fabric patches or designs.

Gloria Campos with Daily Green Tips reminds us that if we can't afford to buy all green school supplies, that's okay. Buy what you can green on the supply list. You will still make a difference.

Are your kids using Green school supplies?  If so, what are they and where do you buy them?

Danika's Totally Terrible Toss: The Legend of the Purple Flurp

This book is part of the Secret Keeper Girl book series.  If you have a tween girl or know one, this is the perfect book to add to her collection.  The Legend of the Purple Flurp is a book about a 12 year old girl, Danika who gets in trouble for accidentally tossing 'purple flurp' at the lunch lady.  Consequently Danika gets into trouble which puts a major kink in her plans of winning the title of Miss Teeny Pop at Marion, Ohio’s Annual Popcorn Festival. 
Although the incident is an unfortunate accident Danika is given detention and meets three girls who help her gain new insight into what life is about.  Before accidentally throwing purple flurp (you have to read the book to learn what it is!) at a lunch lady Danika had the mindset that life was about what she had rather than who she is.  You know... fancy clothes, a big house, nice cars, all that stuff.

Danika's Totally Terrible Toss: The Legend of the Purple Flurp is full of humor, real life situations, and activities for moms and daughters to do together.  The book is addictive.  I read it with my nine year old the first day I got it for review and he actually read it in bed that night!  Don't tell!!  We made sure to read the book in such a way that it didn't seem so girly and he wouldn't feel like he was reading a girly book.  I told him not to mind the pink cover. 

The Secret Keeper Girl series of books opens a door for moms and daughters to communicate about situations that tween girls go through.  There are currently three books in the Secret Keeper Girl series and are available individually or in bundles.

You will find Danika's Totally Terrible Toss (Secret Keeper Girl) at Amazon.com for about $10.

Precious Girls Club: Review and Giveaway

Looking for the giveaway? Enter to win a Precious Girls' Club goodie bag here!

Created by Precious Moments, the Precious Girls' A Little Bit of Faith (Precious Girls' Club) book and and club is for girls from about ages 9-12 and are fun stories and learning tools for young girls.

A Little Bit of Faith is a book about a girl who tries to start a club after she moves to a new town and a new school.  She has a hard time because she is the new girl in school and the kids don't know her yet.  Katie discovers that a little bit of faith can help her overcome big challenges.

A few things I really enjoyed about the book are:

• The short chapters make it easy to break into realistic segments whether daily, or before and then again after dinner.
• The many pictures which keep young reader's interest.
• The questions asked in the story are those that reader's want to answer.
• The fact that young girls that relate to the story.

About the Precious Girls' Club:

• The website is a safe, wholesome environment created for young girls.
• Precious Girls Club members create their own characters, decorate their rooms, explore the town, socialize, play games and even shop "virtually" using the points they earn on the site.
• The games reinforce virtues such as helpfulness, kindness, responsibility, loving and caring. In addition to points, many activities award "virtual" virtue charms.

We have two Precious Girls Club goodie bag sacks to give away! Each goodie bag sack includes bracelets, books, stickers and some other stuff, great for girls 6-12 years old.

Leave a comment below having something to do with the book, club website or a girls' club you or your daughter were/are a part of.

SwissGear Luggage - awesome carry on luggage

As you know if you've read my last two posts, we are leaving for our Celebrity Solstice preview cruise Friday a.m.  Because I don't want to check baggage for a three day trip I have resided to stuffing a bagillion things in a carry on bag.  Lucky me, I got to try out my new SwissGear bag.  Well, it's not so new I just haven't tried it yet. 

I realized about 10 hours into packing today that "crap, this bag might be too heavy to carry on!"   Carry on bags can only weigh up to 45lbs.
I ran and got a scale and it showed a weight of about 10 pounds with all of my stuff inside the bag!  I knew that couldn't be right so I got the electronic scale and that scale showed 30 lbs.. which is AMAZING considering the size of the SwissGear bag, and the small village I stuffed inside the bag.  I double checked and sure enough, bag and all, the total weight was right at 30lbs.    Back to the first scale for a second.. I will be weighing myself on that scale from now on!

Little People Learn About Town

We've had Little People in our home since 2001 when Sebastian was about two.  Granted, they've been in the actic for a few years since but Madelyn is 2 1/2 now and loves Little People.  A few months ago we pulled Sebastian's old Little People Zoo and Airport out of the attic and now she has one in her room and the other in her play room.  The Airport just about went with us to Grandmother's house yesterday, but it's not the most convenient size for traveling with.  From what I see of the new Little People playsets, they are more compact now than they were in 2001.  

The Little People Learn About Town playset is compact, unfolds, has a carry handle, and is jam packed full of fun activities and little people.  Madelyn can take Sonya Lee and Eddie to the doctor, the pet shop or the tree house to play.   There are 4 parts to the Little People Learn About Town with each part having two sides.

The Little People Learn About Town playset is available for about $45 at Amazon.com

Nana Star books and poseable doll

Nana Star is a beautifully illustrated book for kids ages 3+. 
Madelyn, 2 years old, loves to read this book at bedtime and must have her Nana Star doll with her when we read the book.  I'm sorry to say that there have been times when I couldn't read the book because Nana Star was enjoying a  'hiding spot' somewhere else in the house and didn't want to come out.  Anyway..

Nana Star comes with a CD containing an enchantin g audio version of the story and the sing-a-long Nana Star Song.   The CD is great for long car rides.  It doesn't seem to get old no matter how many times it loops during a trip.

The poseable Nana Star doll is intricately crafted and comes with her own baby star to take care of.   Nana Star is not too tiny and not to big.  Just right for snuggling with and taking in the car.

Cost: Prices vary depending on book or doll purchased.

You can buy the Nana Star books and poseable doll at NanaStar.com.

Bath Blizzard - a bubble bath toy

I am really glad I was given the opportunity to review the bath blizzard but I can't say that I would spend $19.99 on this product.  The concept of the bath blizzard is great but a I have a few issues with it.  I recommend that you take a look at the (4 page) instruction sheet, which you will find on the Kid Kleen website here before buying a bath blizzard.

 

Aquadoodle Draw N' Doodle Mat

The Aquadoodle Draw N' Doodle Mat is so cool!  The mat is 32" x 32" and comes with1 Magic Water Pen.  The first day we had the Aquadoodle mat, I took it with us to my sister's condo so the kids would have something to do before dinner.  Noisy toys aren't compatible with a small condo with hardwood floors so I opted for a perfectly quiet, convenient toy instead and the kids loved it!  

The mat rolls up so it is easy to carry and take from place to place.  The water pen is great. It doesn't leak, isn't difficult to fill up and holds enough water to last a while.  Madelyn has a blast drawing with the water pen and the drawings last just long enough for her to see what she did.  They don't disapear instantly.  

She thinks it's so cool that she can draw with water and I think it is so cool that there isn't any color, or mess involved!  

Beware.. if your child sneezes on the Aquadoodle Draw N' Doodle mat you will see lots of little specks on the mat.. I'm just saying.  Not that that's happened or anything.  

Price: About $25

You can buy the at Spinmaster Aquadoodle Draw N' Doodle Mat Amazon.com.

Four toddler & elementary age building block sets I love

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Bamboo Collection Contina blocks

Ages 4+

This is one of my favorite block sets. The eco-friendly bamboo blocks measure 1inch wide, 3 3/4 inches long, and 1/4 thick making them perfect for little fingers. The bright colors give me the perfect opportunity to teach Madelyn but there have been a couple of times when she put one in her mouth and ended up with green dye/ink on her lips. I quickly washed her mouth out, but I am pretty sure that the dye/ink is 100% safe.

Sebastian builds tall towers while Madelyn lays the blocks down in patterns, builds little houses with one color, or lines the blocks up flat one behind the other and plays choo choo.

Price: About $20

Bamboo Collection - Contina building blocks are available at Amazon.com

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Gorilla Blocks
For ages 9 -36 months

Gorilla Blocks were featured in our special Educational Toys segment.
These quickly became a favorite of our younger product testers. Gorilla Blocks are huge blocks that work like LEGO's. The different block sizes and themes make for endless building possibilities, all the while being an educational tool. How are Gorilla Blocks educational you ask? I can tell you first hand. Madelyn, 18 months, enjoys sorting the blocks by size and color. I was so excited the first time I saw her sorting them, I tried to catch it on video but of course she quit as soon as the camera was rolling.

The blocks can also be used to teach basic math. Take a block that has two dots on it, add a block with three dots.. what do you get? Yes, your kids can learn from Gorilla Blocks! And, the nifty weatherproof factor means that kids can even play in the bathtub. Just don't let the dogs get hold of these!

Price: About $30

Gorilla Blocks 24-pc. Standard Set are available at Amazon.

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Mega Bloks Wonder Builder block set
Ages 12 months - 3 years

Mega Bloks are a classic. Big blocks that snap together. What's better than that to a toddler? The Wonder Builder block set has developmental elements such as knobs to turn, buttons to press, and beads to rattle. The friendly animals include a tiger, a turtle, a squirrelly squirrel, a rattling snake, and a hiding baby kangaroo. Using the star-shaped key, kids can unlock a secret behind a block with corresponding shape and color. I haven't reviewed these myself yet, but based on what I see this looks like a fun set of building blocks for toddlers.

Price: About $30

The Mega Bloks Wonder Builders Bag is available at Amazon.com.

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My First LEGO DUPLO Set
Ages 18 months - 5 years

• Like MEGA Bloks, LEGO's are a classic building toy for toddlers. This DUPLO set has special elements including a window, cat and flower to help jump start imaginations. I love that some of their DUPLO sets come in a sturdy container so I can just throw the blocks in and store them away when the kids aren't playing with them.

Price: About $30

The My First LEGO DUPLO Set is available at Amazon