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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Under the Rainbow - Pickle Peas Giveaway & Review

Welcome to the Under the Rainbow Giveaway Hop, hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network
From March 1st-17th, you'll have the chance to win plenty of prizes from over
50 bloggers to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! 
So after you enter my giveaway, make like a little, green Leprechaun and hop
around to all the other blogs participating in the Event!
What will YOU find Under the Rainbow?!
_________________________________________________________________________

I'm really excited to be able to bring to you again the adorably cute and completely functional "Dribble Duds for Little Hipsters" - Pickle Peas!

This has been one of my most favorite items to review. They are really just so smart and so cute. And it helps that Shannon, the owner and inventor of Pickle Peas is so incredibly nice and easy to work with!

You can read my full review and see additional pictures of my first experience with Pickle Peas, but let me just give you the low down on why these are a fantastic addition to your child's wardrobe or of course the perfect gift idea for any new or expecting mother!

Facts:
• 100% organic cotton
• Comfortable
• Cute
• Safe - (low impact dyes and nickel free snaps)
• Interchangeable
• Modern
• Fun
• Unique
• Quality

Gone are the days of wearing an ugly tight bib over an adorable outfit! Now the bib is the outfit! These bibs are actually an applique with a waterproof layer sewn inside. Each bib can interchange and snap to any of the different Pickle Peas shirts, bodysuits or rompers. The bibs are large enough to catch the dribble and drool but not look silly. Little Brother loves to pick out his own bibs!
We had a chance to review the Nectar (orange) bodysuit and the truck and pirate ship bibs. Little Brother just turned two and the 18-24 months bodysuit still fits him fine. He is average height and weight. The pants we reviewed last time in the 18-24 months are a bit short now though. I love that the colors are modern and fun and pair with jeans so nicely! And the fabric is really so soft and comfortable. Attention to detail is amazing on Pickle Peas!
And great news! Pickle Peas has just recently lowered their prices on ALL of their products!  So now is a great time to check them out and place an order! And even better? Right now with this special code CHAOS13 you can get an additional 20% off any customize a set products! The adorable girls sets and handsome boys sets!

WIN IT: And I know I did mention how nice Shannon the owner is right? Well she is letting me give to one of you a short sleeved onsie set! Your choice of color, bibs and pants of your choice! All you have to do is enter the Rafflecopter below!
According to Jenny, So Easy Being Green, the Blogging Mamas Network, and the Under the Rainbow participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Tommy Hilfiger Kids Douglas Boat Shoes Review

Have I told you how much I love kids shoes? Oh yes...just a few HUNDRED times..ok ok. But really I do. And not just any kids shoes, but high quality, built to last, look good and cute kids shoes!

So imagine my surprise at the adorable and trendy Tommy Hilfiger Kids Douglas Boat Shoes that arrived for Big Brother to review! Tommy Hilfiger isn't a brand I would normally associate with kids, but I have to say they did an excellent job!
The shoes are a faux leather with a moc stitched toe, 360 degree nautical lacing, a soft squishy very comfortable footbed and a rubber traction outsole. Everything you need to make the shoe stylish and comfortable. Big Brother loved the feel of these from the moment he stepped into them, in fact they are so comfortable, Little Brother also didn't want to take them off, not caring that they are WAY too big for him!
What I absolutely love about these shoes is how versatile they are. They can be casual, dress or sporty. You can wear them with shorts or pants and with or without socks. They are just the right style to go with any outfit. These would make the perfect pair of shoes for your little boys at school. Nice enough for school, yet sturdy and sporty enough for running around at recess! 


The Douglas boat shoes are the complete package and seem to run very true to size. You can find them on Shoes.com in either Navy or Brown. Sizes vary depending on color and availability and they retail for $44.99.
Disclosure: I received this product for the purpose of review. I did not receive any compensation for this review. The opinions in my reviews are my own, and others’ opinions may vary. This post was written by me and not edited by anyone.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Hangman Store Anti Tip Furniture & TV Kit Review

I recently read a blog post from a mother who lost her three year old daughter. Her daughter passed away due to her bedroom dresser falling on her. While the family slept the little girl was crushed and unable to scream out.

I bawled my eyes out over the story. Having two little ones myself this hit very close to home. I am a safety freak but knew we also had items that could use securing. After all the dresser that fell on this precious little girl, was a short changing table style dresser. Nothing you might worry too much over. Her mom said all their other tall dressers were anchored and still a horrible horrible tragedy.

If I can do anything to prevent that from happening to my children or yours I will absolutely do it. I started doing research on anti tip kits and what was available. Search after search I would only come up with the same old kits that are PLASTIC! What!?! They had good reviews...until a year later when people move their furniture and they are brittle and break! No way Jose! They whole point of anti tip kits are to give you some security that your children are safe. Not safe for a year and then you have to remember to change them out and buy more!

Finally in my searches I found my hero the Hangman Store! Not only do they carry anti-tip kits, but they are made from steel and galvanized steel aircraft cable and have been tested for weights up to 400 pounds! They are also earthquake and tamper resistant! Now I do like the sound of that!
The kits were very easy to install. I easily installed them on my new cabinets in a matter of minutes. Everything you need is included in the kit. The screws that were included were also a high quality wood screws that went into the stud and the cabinet without pre-drilling. Directions are included on the package but you can also view a video on their web site so you are absolutely clear. It is very important that you find a stud in your wall and that you connect to solid wood on your furniture. If your furniture piece is particle board you may need to check with the furniture manufacturer if it will hold an anti tip kit. You CAN NOT use wall anchors with the tip kits.
The tip kits are super high quality and I also love that an adult can easily remove the pin from the anchor and undo the tip kit. We have a wall heater behind our cabinet and when it gets really cold here we need to use it. This could have been a problem if the tip kit was not easily removable.
The tip kits are also not big and clunky as so your furniture will not be flush to the wall. They have just enough space to fit when the cabinet is butted up against the molding. It was such a good feeling to put these up and know my cabinets are now safe!
We also got a new tv recently and as you might guess the new flat panel tv's are lightweight and could easily tip right over on a child. This is one item in the home that families often overlook on child proofing. Well guess what? The Hangman Store also carries Tv Anti-Tip Kits.
The TV Anti-Tip Kit is nearly as easy to install as the furniture kits. This is also tested up to 400 pounds and is earthquake and tamper resistant.  It comes with hardware for 8mm, 6mm or 5mm VESA mounts and has 13 inch galvanized steel aircraft cables. You screw the cables into the holes available for tv mounting with the provided screws. You then find the closest stud to reach with the cable and attach the steel brackets. Lock the cable into place with the provided pins and you're done!
The only notes about the tv mount for our installation were we wished the cables were just a tad bit longer. We also used different screws than were provided in the kit for securing the cables to the back of the tv. The included screws were a little bit short once the lock washer and cable attachment were included so we opted for a little longer screw.

Now not only does my new wall look amazing but I know it is perfectly safe for my boys! One Anti tip furniture kit costs $12.99 and a two pack is $18.99. You get FREE shipping when you spend $50 or more. A small price to pay for protecting your children.

Now the Hangman Store sells much more than just safety kits. You name it, if you have to hang it, they probably have a strong solution for you. I couldn't begin to list everything so I will just tell you a few and go take a look for yourself while your ordering your anti tip kits! They sell hanging systems, heavy mirror hangers, picture hanging kits, tv and speaker mounts and so much more! All high quality sturdy and safe hanging solutions.

Hangman Store has been wonderful to work with. Excellent customer service and I commend them for their wonderful products, especially in child safety.

Please find the Hangman Store on Facebook, Twitter and to see all about their products and how to use them on YouTube!
Disclosure: I received this product for the purpose of review. I did not receive any compensation for this review. The opinions in my reviews are my own, and others’ opinions may vary. This post was written by me and not edited by anyone.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Old Oak Cabinet = Beautiful Toy Storage

I'm finally getting around to showing you my amazing transformation of these two old oak media cabinets into my new wonderful toy storage!

Our house is small and the living room is where my boys play the most. The toys creep out and end up taking over. Our old toy storage was not handling the mess or toys and it was time for an update. I absolutely am obsessed with Craigslist. If we need something I usually check there first. There are some amazing deals to be had if you are willing to put in a little elbow grease and a little creativity!

Lots of ideas and searching I finally found these two cabinets. Amazingly they were from two separate people but exactly the same style and height. Get this, I paid $25 for the large cabinet and $40 for the small one. Solid oak wood, sturdy and in excellent condition. Outdated yes, but I had a vision!

BEFORE:



DURING: Primed



AFTER: And here are the same old outdated cabinets. Painted up white with the doors in chalkboard paint for the boys.


These cabinets hold an amazing amount of toys and random stuff. And because they are media stands all the shelves are on rollers and can roll out and in like drawers. AMAZING for toys! I can also close it all up and hide the mess. I am in love with how they turned out. (Note: the entertainment center was also a Craigslist steal at $40.)

Total cost for the cabinet makeover was $110. $65 for the cabinets and $45 for the paint.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Oompa.com Rainbow Sound Blocks Review

I'm loving all the new "green" and wooden toys that are on the market today. And I'm also loving that toy stores such as Oompa.com has all of these quality, safe, unique toys all in one place!

About Oompa
Oompa cares about it's customers and your children. You will not find any toys with batteries, commercially commissioned cartoon characters or crazy blinking lights but an amazing selection of heirloom quality, modern toys that will last through your children and beyond! Oompa knows that what your children are exposed to matters and they only provide safe quality toys and are known as a trusted source for parents and caregivers.

Oompa Review
I had the opportunity to work with Oompa and review the Rainbow Sound Blocks. These blocks are so incredibly neat! They are targeted toward ages 2 and up and ended up being great fun for both Big Brother and Little Brother! In the couple weeks we have had these they have been a go to toy EVERY DAY.
The Rainbow Sound Blocks come with a wooden storage case and 6 blocks. The blocks have eco-friendly wooden Rubberwood edges and they have transparent colored plexi glass "windows" into each block. They are each filled with a different noise making object. There are 2 circles, 2 squares and 2 rectangles.


Uses:
• Introduction to shapes
• Introduction to color
• Introduction to sound
• Building/stacking
• Noise (Shaking)
• Sorting
• Puzzle


These blocks can do so much in such a small package. My favorite thing about these is the mixing colors. You can hold the shapes up to the light and when you place the colored plexi glass together they will make the mixed color. Such as yellow and blue together give you green! This is such a simple learning tool for color.

They boys favorite thing about the blocks are stacking, looking through them and trying to fit them back in the storage case correctly. They also make great freight for their trains and trucks. Blocks are a great toy in my opinion, they can be used for so many things and for any age!
The Rainbow Sound Blocks cost $39.99. When you see and feel the quality of these blocks you will realize they are worth every penny. These will be a toy you will put away for future children or grandchildren. Guaranteed they are made to last! The Rainbow Sound Blocks have won numerous awards too giving you even more reassurance they are a fantastic buy!
These are just a few other products I really love that Oompa carries, although they have thousands of choices! And not just toys, but furniture, games, school gear and more! If you are searching for a gift of any kind you will find something in each price range that will for sure be a hit. Can't choose? Buy a gift certificate!

You can find Oompa on all social media! Facebook for updates, contests and other kid inspired/related information. Twitter and Pinterest too! If you haven't heard or checked out Oompa you are seriously missing some fabulous, unique products that your children (and you) will love!
Disclosure: I received this product for the purpose of review. I did not receive any compensation for this review. The opinions in my reviews are my own, and others’ opinions may vary. This post was written by me and not edited by anyone.

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies Recipe

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! If you're looking for a little treat to make check out this super easy chocolaty goodness cookie and no baking required!
We had a little bit of peanut butter left just screaming at me to make a cookie out of it! So browsing Pinterest I found this Peanut Butter Cup no bake recipe. I didn't have all the ingredients and it had way too much sugar for my snacking pleasure. So I modified it these awesome cookies that were so quick to make. Note this is not a healthy treat...but hey it's Valentine's Day and we can splurge! Yummy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookie's

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup cheerios or similar cereal
Big handful of mini marshmallows
Handful of chocolate chips
Handful of butterscotch chips.

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan mix sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk over medium heat until melted and boiling. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in the peanut butter, oatmeal and cereal until combined. Let sit for a couple minutes.
3. Mix in the marshmallows, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
4. Scoop drops onto a parchment paper or wax paper lined baking tray and let cool until hardened. You can put them in the freezer or refrigerator for faster cooling and eating!

Delicious and addicting! Enjoy!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Chobani Champion Yogurt Tubes & Chobani Bite Review

I love surprises! So imagine my surprise when a box full of Chobani goodness arrived at my door! A treat included for me and the boys! We all couldn't wait to dig into the fun heavy box!

So why the surprise? Well Chobani has some new products that just came out, and I'm pretty sure you are going to want to hear about them.

Let me start out by saying...yogurt tubes anyone? If you have kids you for sure know about yogurt tubes. You know the tubes full of sugary yogurt that your kids just HAVE to have! Now you can feel good about giving your kids the Chobani Greek Yogurt you already know and love just in a kid friendly tube!

So what makes them different? Less sugar, more protein, and a really really big difference, Chobani actually uses REAL fruit in their yogurt and all natural ingredients. The "other" yogurt uses artificial flavors and dyes! Yuck! Chobani also contains live and active cultures, not found in the other guys.

The new Chobani tubes come in four great flavors, Strawberry Banana, Strawberry, Blueberry and Cherry. We had the opportunity to taste and review the Strawberry and Blueberry. Both were a hit with the boys...and shhh don't tell but these make a fantastic snack for any adult too! Super tasty and healthy, now that is something I'm happy to feed my boys.

Also included in the box was a special treat for me! Ok and my husband too and technically the boys also loved them. And well what's not to love, they had chocolate in them! Yum! They are the new "Bite" yogurts! Perfect portion 100 calorie size greek yogurt cups. They come in four fabulous unique flavors. Raspberry with Dark Chocolate Chips, Coffee with Dark Chocolate Chips, Fig with Orange Zest and Caramel with Pineapple Chunks.

We had the opportunity to review and taste the Raspberry Chocolate Chip and the Coffee Chocolate Chip. I am a chocolate lover and these are perfect to make you feel like you've had your treat all while being good for you too. The Raspberry Chocolate Chip was so delicious! Just look at all the chocolate chunks swirling around in it! I'm not a big coffee fan so my husband latched onto the Coffee Chocolate Chip and was perfectly happy not sharing them. The only thing I noticed with the bite yogurts were that they are not the same thick greek yogurt as the regular cups. Just a tad bit more runny, which of course does not effect the taste.

Also included in my surprise package was a special Chobani spoon! Now that I'm rockin' the complete Chobani package, you can too! Check out your local stores for all this Chobani goodness!

Maybe I'm biased as I'm already a huge Chobani fan, but I doubt it. The ingredients and taste speak for themselves. If you haven't yet jumped on the Chobani bandwagon, I highly suggest you do! Greek yogurt that tastes amazing and is good for you. Win win!

And speaking of win, make sure to follow Chobani on Facebook and enter their weekly Facebook Giveaway! They are literally giving away boxes and boxes and boxes of yogurt to their fans!
Disclosure: I received this product for the purpose of review. I did not receive any compensation for this review. The opinions in my reviews are my own, and others’ opinions may vary. This post was written by me and not edited by anyone.