Monthly Archives: December 2007

Baby Planet Solo Deluxe lightweight stroller

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Baby Planet has officially introduced us to ‘green’ strolling. Designing great looking and functioning strollers isn’t all Baby Planet does. They will recycle your stroller free when you are finished using it.   I don’t know of any other companies that do that.

Madelyn looks so comfortable in her Solo Deluxe stroller.  Everything from the plush seating arrangements to the easy access snack and cup holders make this stroller a comfy and stylish ride for the little ones.   What’s in it for the parents, you ask?  So many things, I can’t name them all.  Firsts of all, I have to tell that my husband who is over 6 feet tall, loves the adjustable handle bars. His feet usually kick the stroller wheels but because he can pull the handle bars up higher, he can stand further away from the stroller making it so that he doesn’t kick the wheels and have to restrict his stride when pushing.  Enough of the serious stuff though.

What I like most about the Solo Deluxe stroller is the fact that it is so feature rich but is light weight and has an ultra compact fold.  A feature I haven’t experienced before is the ‘super canopy’ as Sebastian calls it.  The canopy will lower all the way down to the nap bar to act as a sunshade. When we are walking in the morning I used to have to take a blanket to put over the canopy on our jogging stroller to keep Madelyn out of the sun, but since I’ve been using the solo deluxe stroller, I just pull the canopy down and she is fully covered. On that note, (walking) I have completely replaced my jogging stroller with the solo deluxe. The ride is smooth and the soft handle bars, cup holder and large storage compartment make it perfect for our walks as well as a trip to the mall.

Baby Planet has several designs to choose from and for all stages of your baby’s first few years.

WEBSITE: Baby Planet

Franklin Covey – Totes and Binders for mom

Announcements & Stationary, Diaper Bags, Fun stuff for parents, Organization, Personalized

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Who said Mom’s can’t be organized?   I did.. a long time ago. When I was introduced to Franklin Covey’s planning systems, binders, and totes and my thoughts on organization have changed.

I absolutely fell in love with the Bellissima Business Tote the first time I saw it. This
luxurious calfskin tote featuring full-grain leather is divided into two large
compartments and lined in supple suede. Toting my laptop around has never been easier, or more stylish. Much better than my vinyl laptop bag. 

The Bellissima Business Tote ensures that I am comfortable and stylish while toting all of my necessities. If need be, I can carry my laptop, a few diapers, a travel wipe case, diaper cream, and even a few office accessories in this tote.
The interior pockets are spacious enough to hold my PDA, cell phone, iPod, pens, and other everyday necessities.

Click here to learn more about the Bellissima Business Tote and Binder and then click here to enter to win this matching tote, binder and 2008 planning pages to go in the binder!

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If you desire a more casual handbag and binder solution, Franklin Covey’s got you covered with their Her Point of View totes and binders.

This line of totes features a magnetic closure, an 11" drop strap, and a spacious interior boasting perfectly sized pockets for carrying your much needed pens, cell phone, and personal items.   The Her Point of View tote is available in several classic colors great for every season.

I am very impressed with the silky soft leather and the flexibility of the Her Point of View tote.  I can’t stand lugging around a stiff handbag.  The brass accents add a touch of style and it doesn’t stop there. The style is brought into the interior of the handbag with a beautiful flower print and a coordinating detachable wristlet.

So what do these totes have to do with organization? Their matching binders of course!  These are the binders we dream of. Soft leather, lots of pockets/storage space, sturdy, room for a lot of planning pages and more. For the moms who might not have an obsessively organized tote, there is the zipper closer and for those who aren’t worried about their tote contents snagging on, attaching themselves to, or leaking on their binder, there is the magnetic closure.  The Bellissima binder is available with a magnetic or zipper closure and the Her Point of View collection features a magnetic closure.

Franklin Covey’s totes and binders are items that will last a lifetime and most of their designs won’t go out of style when the trends change.

Click here to learn more about the Her Point of View Tote, Binder, and planning pages and then click here to enter to win this matching tote and binder and 2008 planning pages to go in the binder!

WEBSITE: Franklin Covey

Bright and Beyond Idea Cards

Age 0-1 year, Age 1-3, Age 3-5, Age 5-7, Announcements & Stationary, Fun stuff for parents

BrightandbeyondThese are the best idea since Goldfish.. the snack kids love! 

Like a lot of parents, I sometimes feel like I’m not interacting enough with Madelyn (18 months).   I just don’t know what to do.  I can only sit on the floor and make ‘oink oink’ sounds so long before I get bored.  Bright and Beyond Idea Cards have helped me come up with things to do with Madelyn and I referred to them at least two or three times a day for the last week.
One of my favorite idea cards is the masking tape card. This card explains how we can use masking tape on our floor to make fences and race tracks and even inspired me to make a masking tape computer on our kitchen floor! That was fun. 

These idea cards make learning fun and interactive for kids of all ages. Bright and Beyond Idea Cards are sold in decks for age ranges 0 to 9 with age appropriate activities and challenges in each deck.

WEBSITE: Bright and Beyond

JumpStart World

Age 5-7, ,

JumpstartFive years ago I bought my then 3 year old his first JumpStart computer game. I remember thinking the game was so great because Sebastian didn’t have to know how to use the keyboard buttons or the mouse in order to play the game. He could press any button on the keyboard to play that particular game. From then on, JumpStart was the brand I went to first when shopping for computer games because I knew that JumpStart really cared and thought about what toddlers and older kids want and need in a computer game. 

Now, five years later, Sebastian has gone through several JumpStart games and has enjoyed all of them.  You know how kids have short attention spans right?  Sebastian will sit down and play his JumpStart computer games for about 30 minutes when he usually pays attention to a game for about 10 minutes max.

Sebastian’s (8 years old) comments on JumpStart World 1st Grade:

  • Sebastian ‘really likes that he can use the keyboard arrow keys to move around the town and elsewhere’.
  • ‘Mom, I get to be a real newspaper reporter!’.. That’s what Sebastian said to me the first time he played JumpStart World 1st Grade.  He was so excited about the newspaper ‘game’ and that the interface looked like a real newspaper. He felt so cool!
  • Sebastian earns ‘gems’ for each game or unit that he completes successfully. He likes to check his gem count!

JumpStart World games come with two Adventure Packs and parents can subscribe to updates so as soon as your child completes an Adventure, or at least once each
month, a new Adventure Pack will automatically download to your
computer and your credit card will automatically be charged.

JumpStart World games are available for grades K through 2nd. Parents can buy the CD version or the downloadable version from the website.

WEBSITE: JumpStart

Cookie Magazine

Fun stuff for parents

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All the best for your family.  That is what Cookie is all about. The best tips, articles, shopping resources, and ideas.. for parents.

The cover of the December issue of Cookie dons a photograph of super-model Christy Turlington and her two children. What is really great about the photograph and the magazine in general is that it appeals to ‘real parents’, like you and I.

A couple of examples of how real Cookie are two of this month’s headlines. My favorite headline in this month’s issue is "61 gifts from just $5", then there is the "Get back in the mood" headline which is VERY appealing to most moms as we seem to have a hard time with ‘the mood’.

I know you will find Cookie very entertaining, useful, and fun like I have.  Besides giving parenting advice and tips, Cookie introduces us to the cutest baby clothes, toys, maternity wear and more that we might not have learned about otherwise.

The accompanying website CookieMag.com features great resources
including contests, gear and goodies, food and parties, and many more.

Cookie Subscription – $24/2 years (savings of $60!)

WEBSITE: Cookie Mag website