Sylvania PalPODzzz LED nightlight - Keeping kids in their beds and monsters in the closet

As any parent of a three year old knows, nightlights are essential to keeping not only kids that age happy but also their parents. Something tells me if we didn't have the appropriate light to darkness ratio in my daughter's room we'd be seeing her a lot more in the middle of the night, and we don't want that to happen. No, that would be bad. Very bad.

Chicky has been thrilled with her Sylvania PalPODzzz ladybug nightlight. The PalPODzzz is this sweet detachable/rechargeable nightlight/flashlight LED doohickey (Okay, so no one will ever hire me to come up with professional descriptions for new products. I think I'll live.) either shaped like a ladybug or a spaceship. The thing she likes the most about it is that the ladybug itself can come off of its "leaf" charger (which also lights up) and she can keep the flashlight portion either in her bed or on the floor next to it and she knows she can use it whenever she needs to. I like it because it's rechargeable, so after I dig it out of the blankets every morning I pop it back on the charger and it's ready to go for that night.

Another plus is she now has her own flashlight to play with during the day when she wants to go exploring. No more stealing Mommy and Daddy's emergency flashlights. It's not fun to find out during a major ice-related blackout that your preschooler has been playing with the flashlights too much and now none of them work. Trust me on this. The flashlight itself is not super powerful - which is good since it always seems to be pointed in the direction of the baby's eyes - but it's the perfect strength for, say, couch cushion spelunking.

Also, not too bright to shine in one's own eyes. If you're into that sort of thing. Bonus.

She's playing with it right now, as a matter of fact. There is a missing toy and she's playing "detective" to find it. Carry on, Sherlock.

As a nightlight, I do wish the PalPODzzz was a bit more powerful. The light up leaf is a little dim for my daughter's liking (she likes her nightlights pretty bright) but as an emergency keep-the-boogie-man-away device the PalPODzzz seems to be working out just fine.

All in all the PalPODzzz is a pretty nigty product at a good price (just $19.99). So may we recommend the Sylvania PalPPODzzz portable LED nightlight for keeping those pesky monsters under the bed where they belong?

-------------

This is a review for the Parent Bloggers Network.

VTech V-Motion - V-ery Interesting

I'm convinced that all children are one part spastic animal beast, bouncing off of walls and climbing furniture every chance they get, and one part couch potato, zoned out and drooling in front of the television if allowed.

How the two co-exist in the same body, I'll never know.

What I do know is I'd like to harness the energy of one and rouse the other from its stupor. If only I could get the two to work together in harmony I might have a happy child. Maybe there would be less whining. Maybe there would be less manic meltdowns. Maybe Republicans and Democrats will start playing nice. Maybe my cat and dogs will start peacefully coexisting. Maybe...

Anyway. PBN asked me and my daughter to review the VTech V-Motion video game system - sorry - Active Learning System...

Can I just take a moment to shake my head at video games for a moment? They're either labeled "learning" or "educational" or they're Grand Theft Auto. Whatever happened to just having fun without a pop quiz or bloodshed?

But I digress.

... I was pretty excited to get my kid all learned and stuff while burning off some of that unrelenting preschooler energy. The V-Motion system is described as

"a brilliant breakthrough gaming console that combines wireless, motion-activated play, web connectivity and educational gaming into a system that plugs directly into your television!"

Great idea right? A sort of Wii for kids?

Sort of.

There is actual learning involved in VTech's V-Motion learning system (geared toward children ages 3-7): Counting, colors, shapes, and in more advanced games spelling, math and science. Once Chicky understood what was expected from her she really started getting into sorting colors and counting numbers. And as for the motion part, children are expected to think on their feet. Literally. The wireless controller is motion activated. The child playing is supposed to be an active participant in the game, encouraging kids to get off the couch and move around while using the motion-activated joystick.

However, before you rush out thinking this is something akin to Wii Fit, it's not. The movement needed to activate the controller was minimal in the games we played (the included game Action Mania), barely amounting to more than gently moving the controller from side to side. And if the kid really wants to veg out, he can just set the controller to joystick mode.

With all that said, the VTech V-Motion was a lot of fun even if the included game was not the sweat-inducing activity I was hoping for. Action Mania was a little challenging at first for my three year old but after playing it a few times she started to catch on to the more simplistic games (it does have a beginner and an intermediate level) and she really got into it. And my husband and I did see some actual learning happening; Chicky got much better at rattling off her numbers in correct order where before she would have to stop and think what came after the number 11.

(Of course, if she were older I would tell her that there is nothing after 11. That's as far as it goes. Because it's 11. But she's too young for This is Spinal Tap references.)

I'm curious to see if she would fare better with one of the other video games VTech offers with characters she would recognize - like the Wonder Pets, for example - but at $24.99 a pop per game cartridge (sorry, Smartridge) she'll have to wait for a special occasion, like Christmas. I liked that the VMotion has a cool web connect feature that allows the user to download bonus games. I also like that the controller is wireless and the system is very easy for a young child to maneuver through on her own.

I think with the V-Motion active learning system we'll have to wait and see how our daughter does with it in the future as right now she seems just a bit too young to get everything out of it. I have a hard time recommending this for a three year old but if you're looking for a gift idea for your favorite nephew or neice (the V-Motion system is $69.99, a little on the pricey side so make sure you really like the kid you're buying this for) who is older than, say, four years old the VMotion might be something you'll want to consider.

"Ready for.." books. Positivity at its best.

"Are these books for her or for us?"

That was my husband's question upon reading "Ready for the Day" and "Ready for Bed" to our three year old daughter. And he was right; the books are just as much of a reminder to parents to be positive while dealing with the more challenging aspects of their toddler's or pre-schooler's personality as it is life lessons for children.

The two stories are interesting for kids, tackling topics that any boy or girl in that age group could easily understand - brushing teeth, deciding what breakfast food they would like, etc. - and speaking from our experience with the books, they were very engaging. The illustrations are colorful and the story held our daughter's attention and she often asks for them.

Okay, let's be honest. I've read each of these books 15 times in a row on some occasions. Easily.

But the underlying theme of positivity is what really stuck with me. Bedtime and first thing in the morning are probably the two most difficult times of the day in our house, with constant battles over mundane details (to me anyway) like what book to read and what clothes to wear. "Ready for the Day" and "Ready for Bed" reminds both me and my husband as well as our daughter about compromise and making correct decisions to cut down on the amount of drama in our lives.

After just one reading of "Ready for Bed", for instance, Chicky was much more willing to "take turns" brushing her teeth. Which really amounts to her asserting her independence enough to make her happy and me being able to brush dinner from between her tiny teeth. A win/win situation, if you ask me.

The situations in both books will be very familiar to any parent of a preschooler. Sometimes a gentle reminder to keep things positive is all both parties involved need to be successful and these books help with that. I'd say that "Ready for Bed" and "Ready for the Day" are books I'd have no trouble recommending to friends.


--------------

This was a review for the Parent Bloggers Network.

Meet the Sight Words Review - Repetition Repetition

It's no exaggeration when I say that my daughter would rather sit on the couch and have book after book read to her than play with a room full of toys. Which is great for her but a little tiring for the person reading the books - Me. It will be a happy day when she learns to read a book all by herself because maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to read my own books again.

To further along the process I agreed to review the DVD "Meet the Sight Words" with Chicky. This DVD features sight words like "of", "in", "you", "he" and more. Each word is repeated about eleventy billion times as it turns into a recognizable cartoony-like shape things. Yeah, I'm no expert and I'm not sure how it works. All I know is Chicky was into it and she was repeating right along with the DVD. After watching it a couple of times she was recognizing words like "and" and "play". Kinda cool if you ask me.

If you're one of those stickler types and really want to know what sort of science is behind this teaching, you can go to their website to learn more.

Would I recommend "Meet the Sight Words" to a friend? Probably. From an adult's point of view, I was ready to stick a fork in my ear if I had to hear the word "for" repeated again. The repetition was driving me up a tree. But Chicky seemed to like it and like I said, she was starting to recognize words after just two or three times watching. That's got to count for something, even if I wanted to claw my own ears off.

The things we'll do for our kids. Sheesh.

---------------------

This was a review for the Parent Bloggers Network.

These Tiny*Prints pack a big punch

This is going to be an easy and quick review. Ready?

I love Tiny*Prints cards.

It really is as simple as that. I love them. These contemporary and stylish personalized cards are simple to make, simple to order, and Tiny*Prints has a wide range of choices in different price points for every occasion from birth announcements, like the one I created to let everyone know about the arrival of my daughter,

Cute, huh? The card AND the baby. Heh.

... to thank you cards. They have every type of invitation you could possibly need and you can even make matching return address labels if you like that matchy-matchy kind of thing. Which I do.

I had a ridiculous amount of fun trying to find just the right card style for our birth announcement and in the end decided on one of the cheaper ones. I really like the design and was thrilled to see that the less expensive ones were comparable to the pricier options. Because I'm cheap but I don't want to everyone else to know it.

If you don't feel like customizing your cards with a picture you took you can use one of their designs and add your own flair by choosing between different fonts and colors. And it's all so simple it's almost fool-proof. When you're a new mom and the quote-unquote mommy brain has kicked in hard believe me, you need something fool-proof.

Do you really have to ask if I would recommend Tiny*Prints photo cards, announcements and invitations to my friends? Really? Did you not read the last few paragraphs? May I recommend that you read them again or just go to the Tiny*Prints website and see for yourself.

Really. Go now. Okay, gaze upon the beauty that is my newborn daughter and then go check out the cards for yourself.

--------------------------

This was a review for the Parent Bloggers Network.

Maiden America barrettes - made in America but are they made to last?

My daughter inherited my husband's blue eyes and his dimple. From me she got her skinny legs and long torso. And from the both of us, our impossibly thin, straight hair.

Sorry kid.

Barrettes are a must for her, however. I'm letting her bangs grow out so her hair will be all one length and that makes at least one barrette a necessity. She's pretty good about letting me put them in and leaving them alone, but because her hair is so silky and fine most barrettes tend to slip out. I can't even count how many we've lost to date.

We seemed like the perfect candidate to test out the Maiden America barrettes who claim that their barrettes "Stay where you put them. Even in the finest hair." I'll get to that claim in a moment.

All of their clips are handmade by (to quote their website) "by moms, military wives and the like, in the beautiful Pacific Northwest" with luxe touches like Swarovski crystals and Cabochon pearls. Most of the styles are a bit too precious for a recovering tomboy like myself but with a little searching I found a few different styles that were pretty without being too cutesy or over the top for every day use. Like the "Daisy May" with it's gingham ribbon, small flower and Swarovski crystal. That one has quickly become my daughter's favorite. And I did order a couple that will be reserved for special occasions, like the Velvet Crystals in ruby red, that will be set aside to be worn with things like Christmas outfits. Even the daughter of a woman like myself needs a little bling sometimes.

The clips are pretty and my daughter regularly requests them - I think because most of the ones we have have flowers on them - and I'm happy to oblige because the Maiden America barrettes are easy enough to put in and go with most of her outfits. And, for the most part, they live up to their claim of staying put. However, even though the prices of their products are fairly reasonable, I will think twice before sending my daughter out to rough house with her friends while wearing pretty ribbons and crystals in her hair. Just this morning while she was running around like the crazy monkey she is with a couple of friends I had to put her Maiden America barrette back in her hair at least five times. The clips stay put during normal activity but during an extreme game of "Chase the imaginary monster" the barrettes just couldn't keep up.

I wasn't expecting miracles. I have yet to find a barrette that could contain my kid's hair. The nice thing is that my daughter is so fond of them that she notices when the barrette is slipping and immediately asks me to fix it because she's afraid of losing it.

Would I recommend Maiden America barrettes to my friends? Well, I have one friend whose daughter has curly hair, so Maiden America's clips in their different sizes (xs, small, medium and large) would be perfect for her. Another girlfriend has a daughter with fine hair like my daughter's so she might find the same problems with the grip, but for a nice occasion she might like a fancier alternative to the cheap barrettes you can find at the local Target. The quality is good and the add-ons are very pretty. It's also nice to know that they're hand made with non-toxic glue, especially with a little girl who will occasionally chew on a barrette when she's bored.

All in all, the Maiden America barrettes are a good product and in the future when we're in need of more hair clips I will definitely keep them in mind. Especially when we're in need of something fancy. A girl does need to feel pretty every now and then, even a tomboy.

------------

This was a review for the Parent Bloggers Network.

Kinzin - It will help keep you in the will

"Lazy" is one word I would have no problem using to describe me. "Procrastinator" is another one. Put the two together and throw in the fact that I only use digital cameras to take pictures of my daughter and my poor family and friends never get copies of all the adorable shots I take.
They beg. They cajole. They threaten sometimes, if I'm being frank. We'd really like some pictures of our (granddaughter, niece, etc.) at some point, they tell me. Maybe some nice pictures of her third birthday, before she turns 18. Uh yeah, I'll make sure to get some printed for you. And then I forget. I'm definitely not winning any points for mother of the year and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be disowned by the family.

Enter Kinzin, the FREE website that's perfect for the sometimes lazy and oftentimes stressed mother I am. At Kinzin you can upload your family's pictures and share them with your extended family and friends - for free (did I mention free?). You can customize your own page with your kids' photos and a little bit of information about them (they're wishes, for instance, if a birthday is coming up). From there, you can make photo books with the pictures you've uploaded or even connect with other parents online, if that's your thing. I prefer just keeping my pictures private for my close relatives and good friends to view whenever they so desire.

The best part about Kinzin is for a low fee of $2.99 per home address you can have up to 10 pictures of your choice sent to the people in your Kinzin address book each month! Automatically! Kinzin does the sending for you! Notice the exclamation points!! I'm very excited about this service and think that $2.99 is totally worth having someone do my dirty work for me!! And if you're sending them within the United States shipping and handling is free!!!

I think I just passed out from sheer happiness there for a second.

A word of caution about the prints - make sure the quality of your digital photos are exactly what you want. Kinzin is not going to touch up or make your dodgy pictures look nicer for you. What you upload is what you get. Just keep that in mind when you're manipulating your pictures into something unrecognizable and they're all cropped strangely.

I'll be recommending Kinzin to my friends, especially those who, like me, would rather do just about anything than worry about printing digital pictures of their adorable cherubs to send to grandma and grandpa. And the bonus? I'm sure my dad will still keep me in his will.

---------------

This was a review for the Parent Bloggers Network.

Good for the Rookie Mom and the old pros too

Okay, so I'm not exactly what one could call a "Rookie" mom. I have one daughter who by the grace of God, Allah, or Snuggle the Fabric Softener Bear (pick your deity, I'm flexible) has made it to three years old without once being sold to the gypsies.

Though we did threaten on occasion to give her to Goodwill or leave her by the side of the road in a box that said "Free! To a good home."

But we didn't do that. My husband and I rolled through four months of colic and the rest of infancy and then onto walking, talking and all through the not-so-terrible-twos - which really weren't so bad.

However, if I had had the "Rookie Moms Handbook - 250 activities to do with (and without) your baby" the first year might have been a bit easier and all that trial and error might have been shaved down a bit, freeing me up for more important things. Like showering.

The "Rookie Moms Handbook" is a small, easy to read guide chock full of tips on how to survive those first months of motherhood. It's perfectly sized to fit in your diaper bag and would make a great addition to any baby shower gift. Because who doesn't need a little more advice, right?

Written by moms who have been there so you know these are tried and true ideas, it's a book you'll want to pull out and peruse when you're sitting at the playground with your four month old, wondering what the hell you're doing there in the first place with a baby who can't even sit up on his own yet. (Hint, try bringing the baby to the museum instead. Tip #66. The baby is still portable and you can fill your mind with something stimulating instead of another round of Baby Einstein DVDs. Does the baby care where he is right now? In a word, no.)

I do wish I had this book before my daughter was born but I am glad that I have it now. I'm not a rookie but I'm not an expert either and there are still some ideas in the "Rookie Moms Handbook" that I'll put to use when baby #2 arrives in the next week or so. Wow, that's coming fast. I better call my Nana (Tip #6 - Grandmothers are extremely useful!).


-------------

This was a review for the Parent Bloggers Network. Make sure you enter their Blog Blast this Friday for a chance to win one of two fantastic gift bags filled with stuff every new mom covets.

And make sure you check out the Rookie Moms blog for even more tips on entertaining your baby and yourself!

Can I get a High Five?

There are certain magazines I need to have in my home at any given time - People, Real Simple, and Martha Stewart Living (not that I'll ever be Martha-ish but I dare to dream) are a few examples. I'll bring in the occasional gossip rag like US magazine too, but none of these are the types of reading materials I want my impressionable almost three year old to pick up and thumb through. Though she has, on more than one occasion.

"Who is that funny looking girl, Mama?"

"That's Paris Hilton, honey. Never, ever end up like her, okay?"

Now my little Chicky has a magazine of her own to read and I never have to worry about her seeing pictures of nearly naked 20-somethings passed out after a night of binge drinking. Unless we go visit my cousins.

Highlights magazine, in cooperation with the Parent Bloggers Network, sent us three copies of their newly launched magazine specifically designed for kids age 2-6 years old - High Five - and it was a HUGE hit.

When we received them my daughter and I sat down with the three issues and I don't think we read them less than four times each in that sitting. The "Find the hidden pictures" page was instantly Chicky's favorite. I was thrilled because it was more interactive and more of a learning experience than just sitting and listening to the same board book over and over again.

The stories in High Five are accompanied with brightly colored artwork that really catches my daughter's attention and prompts her to ask questions or draw her own conclusions about the story. And some of them are written in English and Spanish so we're both learning a new language!

There are also suggestions for activities to accompany some of the stories in each edition. Which is great for a mom like me (read: In desperate need of suggestions to keep my kid interested in keeping busy and away from the television).

I loved Highlights magazine when I was a kid so I'm thrilled with how quickly my daughter took to High Five. And I'm really looking forward to seeing her face when she realizes something came in the mail just for her. What a treat!...

(...Wrapped up in something educational. Shhh, don't tell the kids. They just think they're having fun.)

I will without a doubt be recommending High Five to my girlfriends with kids my daughters age. At just under $30 for a one year subscription it's well worth the price.

Want to win your own subscription to High Five or Highlights? PBN is having a blog blast this Friday, March 7. Check out their website for more details.

Prestone Windshield De-Icer and Fluid Booster review

There once was a time when my handy ice scraper was a cassette tape holder.

Yes siree, I cleared a lot of windows with that clear plastic box that once held my copy of Def Leppard Hysteria.

You would think I would have gotten myself a real, honest to goodness ice scraper with the harsh bristle brush on the other end, but you would be wrong. I was 18. I had far more important things to think about than the condition of my 1981 Chevy Monte Carlo's windows. I'm sure my parents bought me one, or five, but they never managed to stay in my car. Funny how that happens. Maybe it was my subconscious reinforcing my hatred for scraping icy windows.

But that was a long time ago. I don't drive a 1981 Chevy Monte Carlo anymore - thank the Lawd - and I am much more concerned with the condition of my car windows. Especially when I'm carrying precious cargo. Like my two year old daughter.

However, I still hate scraping. I hate it with a passion and will avoid it at all costs.

Living in New England makes clearing a windshield of ice and snow a necessity, so what is a woman like myself, a woman who has only parted with her cassette tape covers very recently, to do?

Prestone to the rescue!

I received the Prestone Windshield De-Icer and the Prestone Windshield Fluid Booster to try out through the Parent Bloggers Network. Once I got my hands on the De-Icer with its handy, built-in scraper I knew it would be true love. A spray-on, (from their website) "concentrated high performance ice-melting formula that melts ice fast and helps reduce dangerous refreeze"? Sounds right up my alley.

Then the weather wouldn't cooperate. No ice to be seen. Lots of snow and slush, but no need to physically scrape. My husband had a chance to use it once and was very happy with the results, but it's still sitting in my car just begging for an icy windshield to clear. And it will. Oh yes, it will. That will never leave my car, unlike the amazing disappearing 99 cent plastic ice scrapers my parents kept putting in my Christmas stockings.

I have had the opportunity to use the Windshield Fluid Booster and I'm pleased to say my windshield has stayed amazingly clear even with all the nasty, dirty slush that gets kicked up into my field of vision. Come to think of it, the Fluid Booster is supposed to help keep ice from refreezing on car windshields while you're driving. Maybe that's why I haven't had to clear as many windows as usual? Hmm...



It takes a bit of chemistry to make these products work so I don't think you could ever call the Windshield Fluid Booster or the Windshield De-Icer "green" or eco-friendly. If you're trying to help the environment but you still want to be able to see through car's windshield even in bad weather, these Prestone products should be used sparingly. But they work so well, why would you need to over use them?

Would I recommend Prestone Windshield Fluid Booster and/or De-Icer to my friends? Maybe not to my extreme, tree-hugging friends but to the people in my life who just want a safe drive on a tough New England winter day, absolutely.

You'll still need an ice scraper in your car, though. It's hard to clear a windshield with an iPod.

Beauty Confidential

I will admit I'm sort of high maintenance when it comes to makeup. However, I'm the kind of woman who is high maintenance (in that I refuse to leave the house without makeup) but I usually look very low maintenance (in that I have no idea what I'm doing with it and end up putting on the bare minimum so I still look like death warmed over but at least I feel like I have my battle paint on).

I'm thirty-coughfivecough and I still am a makeup novice. I've been to those department store makeup counters but almost always end up walking away with the wrong shade because the saleswoman is more intent on making a sale than finding what works with my skin tone and lifestyle. And places like Sephora, though I love them from afar, usually make me break out in hives. The selection! The prices! It's enough to make me run away in horror.

Beauty Confidential by Nadine Haobsh (or as quite a few people know her, Jolie in NYC) seemed like it would be right up my alley. All the beauty secrets of a beauty "expert" in one, easy to read book. I have to say, for the most part it did not disappoint.

The book is touted as "The no preaching, no lies, advice-you'll-actually-use guide to looking your best" and it does seem to be that. Haobsh was an assistant beauty editor for a major woman's magazine before she was essentially "Dooced" for writing her own blog and exposing the secrets of the beauty industry. She wanted to bring beauty secrets to the masses in her own, unedited way. I can respect a woman like that. In this book she is taking all the tricks and secrets she learned while working in the beauty industry and lays them out simply for the reader. In other words, in a way that even a moron like I can understand.

Instead of cutting beauty tips from magazines I'm too cheap to buy, and what might be driven by the free sample of the month, Beauty Confidential has it all within its paperback cover. Now I know I can flip to chapter four to create the perfect smoky eye - something I've never dared try before, but what the hell, I'll give it a shot. I also learned that I'm not using enough moisturizer. Not nearly enough.

A shot glass portion for just my face? Seriously? Damn.

There are lots of tricks and tips in this book. I'm pretty happy that I have it as my very own. In other words, step off ladies. Get your own copy.

Not that many of my girlfriends wear much makeup, but they should - so, yes, I would recommend Beauty Confidential to my friends... and to my sister. Even though the bitch can leave the house without a bit of makeup and still look great. Damn her. There is a tip in Beauty Confidential that says if I try it I, too, might be able to leave the house without foundation. Hmm...

--------------

This is a review for the Parent Bloggers Network.

Be prepared - the Sequoia Car Surival Kit

I will admit, we don't get many natural disasters up here in ol' New England. We may get the occasional hurricane or ground rumbler, which technically qualifies as a earthquake, but that's usually the worst of it. Okay, in my early teens we had a nasty tornado come through a neighboring town that almost completely leveled a residential street, but that was the worst catastrophe of the kind I can think of.

No, up here we get snow, lots of snow. There was this little, teensy storm back in '78 that closed down the entire region for a week and though that was a strange fluke of nature anything is possible in New England. Anything.

So, yes, it's good to be prepared. Maybe not to the point where you make your husband go out to buy bottled water and canned goods - ahem - but it's never a bad thing to have cans of baked beans in your pantry. You know, just in case.

The Car Survival kit by Sequoia has exceeded my expectations in the preparedness department. It's packed tighter than Scarlet O'hara in her corset, which is to say a little too tightly for me (a little room for extras would be nice), but overall it's chock full of useful things.

I squealed like a little girl when I saw crank light/radio with cell phone charger (I loves me my gadgets) and the 151 piece first aid kit. There were also ready to eat meals (MREs) and packaged water that will last for a few years. There's even a multi-function hardware tool and leather work gloves in there. The more things my husband and I pulled out the more thrilled we were with this small, easy to stow kit.

The Sequoia Car Survival kit is very well thought out and it had just about everything I would need if, heaven forbid, I were trapped in my car during a snow storm - which, let's face it, is entirely possible in Massachusetts - like thermal emergency blankets and hand warmers, rain ponchos and waterproof and windproof matches.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I was most thrilled by the playing cards included in the kit. In times of hardship you have to have something to alleviate the boredom and tediousness and keep your mind off of what's going on around you. They really thought of everything!

I did mention that the kit is packed very tightly. With help from my husband, the master packer, we managed to get everything back into the bag, but barely. I would have liked a bit more room to pack a few things like a couple of diapers and wipes, a small package of dog food, and maybe some extra socks. But all in all, it was hard to find fault with the Sequoia Car Survival kit.

Would I recommend it to my friends? Absolutely! Well done, Sequoia. You've taken some of the pressure to prepare off of my shoulders and helped ease this mama's mind.

---------------------

This was a review for the Parent Bloggers Network.

Deceptively Delicious

I am a cookbook junkie. A good portion of one of my kitchen counters is dedicated to holding the various food specific tomes my husband and I have collected throughout the years. Believe it or not, we actually use almost all of them. When I was asked by the Parent Bloggers Network to review the new cookbook Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld I asked myself, for about .6 seconds, if I really needed another one.

Uh, yeah. Of course I did. This junkie needs her fix.

A majority of my cookbooks are geared toward the more adult palate. I knew Deceptively Delicious was going to be about hiding nutritious elements in some foods that kids typically enjoy, so I jumped on the opportunity because I have a toddler. I will admit, however, I had no idea the level to which it would go.

Deceptively Delicious, a pretty, easy to read cookbook, with a spiral binding (big points for that, I don't know why more cookbooks don't come that way) and cute quotes by the author and her family, is all about pureeing vegetables and adding them to kid-friendly foods to make sure children get all the nutrition they need but don't always want.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that my daughter will eat vegetables. Not every vegetable, but quite a few and she'll often ask for seconds. So I don't need to hide that many vegetables in her food. With that in mind, the pureeing part did not thrill me. It's a good concept but it requires more prep than I'm used to. It adds an extra step (or two) to my already last minute scramble to produce a healthy, tasty meal for my family.

To disclose more, I've been flat on my back for more than a week and before that I wasn't doing much cooking due to weird schedules. My bad.

I did try the meatloaf - mainly because it didn't require pureeing food - and my family liked it (I did add garlic and onions to it, for my husband and because Chicky doesn't mind the combination in meatloaf). It was easy and tasty and my family liked it so I'll make it again. I'm very much looking forward to making the some of the the recipes that call for spinach puree (Chicky does not eat spinach) and especially the sweets. I'm not a mom who gives her child much sugar, so when I can stand the smell of food again I will be baking those desserts. Blueberry lemon muffins? Yummy. And the pancakes with sweet potato or pumpkin? I'm all over that... When the thought of it doesn't make me gag (Damn you, morning sickness!).

I do not think, however, I will become a regular puree-er. Occasionally, yes. Every week, like Seinfeld recommends in her book? I don't think that's going to happen. I'm not that organized.

So, would I recommend Deceptively Delicious to my girlfriends? Yes, I would. I would definitely recommend it to moms who don't have kids who eat vegetables regularly and who are at the end of their ropes trying to get something nutritious into their precious offspring. I would recommend it to the moms who have no problem with organization and can set aside a couple of hours every week, not to mention a reserved spot in their freezer, to cook and puree vegetables and then store them for later use. Would I recommend it to another scatterbrained mother like myself? Eh. I'm still on the fence about that. The book is pretty inspirational. It might even turn a dinner-time procrastinator like me into a organized family chef. I wouldn't hold my breath, but it could happen.

(If you would like to take a look at some of the recipes in Deceptively Delicious before deciding to buy the book for yourself, you can find some here.)

Help for my skinny, kangaroo feet

This is a review for the Parent Bloggers Network and Ryka. Ryka is giving away 50 pairs of sneakers a day until Oct. 25. Fifty pairs of shoes a day! Why wouldn't you enter a contest like that??

------------------

I have a hard time finding shoes that fit me. A really hard time. With the width of my feet a staggeringly narrow quadruple A it's difficult to find a shoe, especially a sneaker, that will fit the narrowness of my foot to my liking. Most sneakers are so wide I need a couple pairs of socks to keep my feet from slipping around. Not very comfortable to exercise that way, let me tell you.

So I was cautiously optimistic when I received a pair of MC2 running shoes from Ryka. I'm not a hardcore runner, more of a fast walker when I'm not on my elliptical trainer, but due to my freakishly skinny feet I've found running shoes fit me better. And I am very pleased to say the MC2s fit me really well.

The heel is narrow so my skinny, kangaroo feet don't slip. That is extremely important to me as my feet are always slipping in shoes (remember the two pairs of socks?).

One (small) problem I had with the MC2s was the arch support. In addition to having long, bony feet they're also flat. As in flat as a board. No arches. Nada. And due to my flat feet I have chronic back problems, so I need serious arch support or I have to add inserts. The MC2s did offer some pretty good arch support but not enough for me. But outside of an orthotic shoe I have yet to find a sneaker I don't need to put inserts into.

The arch support must not be too bad, however, because I've worn them to run errands for the past two days and I haven't had any back pain. That's pretty good for a non-custom, non-orthotic shoe. Any day that doesn't end with me in pain is a good day.

So I guess that wasn't a problem after all? Huh. Go figure.

Did I mention the MC2 is a good looking sneaker? It really is very attractive, but not in that loud, obnoxious way that some other sneakers have to be. Let's face it, if the shoe is ugly I'm not going to wear it no matter how well it fits me (and believe me I've worn some ugly shoes and sneakers in my day because of my wonky feet). It's nice to see a maker of footwear, athletic or not, who realizes you don't have to sacrifice style for fit and comfort.

Ryka sneakers do run on the small side so as a size 8 1/2-9 I requested a 9, and even then I probably could have gone up to a 9 1/2. The first few times I wore them I felt like my pinky toe was cramped but that feeling went away quickly. I guess they just needed to be broken in a bit. So just remember when you order a pair of sneakers from Ryka order a size up.

Hint, hint - when you order a pair - hint, hint.

Nina Garcia's Little Black Book of Style

Nina Garcia (yes, that Nina Garcia) has branched out from magazines and television and lent her expertise to the book world in the form of The Little Black Book of Style and I'd like to get down and kiss her Manolo Blahniks for doing so.

I received this book at just the right time in my life. My daughter is no longer a clingy baby and I no longer feel the need to wear to wear my mommy uniform - khakis and a dark t-shirt (to hide stains) - any longer. I want to look good again. I want to feel attractive and put together. I want to be a hot mama.

But less about me and more about the book.

Between the size of the book (portable, small enough to fit in your tote), the heavy weight of the pages and the timeless illustrations by Ruben Toledo, I know this is a book I'll want to keep for a long time. It feels like a potential heirloom, something I'd want to pass down to my daughter one day.

And speaking of mothers and daughters, Garcia starts the book by sharing her very first fashion inspirations: her mother and her father. Her stories about her mother and father really made me open my eyes and recognize that the me I show to the public is also the me my daughter sees. I don't want her growing up believing the epitome of style is crew neck tees, jeans from the Gap and flip flops. With Garcia's ten rules that every fashion icon knows, I'm already on my way to making my daughter proud to be seen with me.

I'm on a budget and you probably are too, so lest you think the Fashion Editor at Elle is only pimping names like Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, and Prada, think again. Okay, she does mention those, but she also mentions Hanes (As in t-shirts! Purchased two already and she was so spot on! They are must haves.) and Target. It's not always about the designers but working with what you can afford and making it fabulous. Garcia even writes favorably about the L.L. Bean tote bag, and being a woman from New England that thrilled me to no end. I've been fashionable all these years and didn't even know it! But, Nina, lay off the duck boots, OK? You can't wear three inch heels when there's a snow storm.

In case you're concerned that this review is favorable just because I received a free copy of the book through the Parent Bloggers Network to review, don't be. I have reread this book three times and it sits on a place of honor near my bed, where I can grab it when I some courage while skimming my closet for something suitable to wear. And I've already put some of her advice to work. I've already mentioned the Hanes t-shirts, but thanks to The Black Book I'm also more discriminating when I go shopping. No more throwing my money away on that fifth pair of khakis.

One tip I took away from Nina Garcia's Little Black Book of Style - fashion is not all about the essential trend according to the latest fashion magazine but what's essential to your own personal style. Buying the "it" bag this season is ridiculous, but finding that perfect piece to compliment my entire wardrobe for a few years to come while creating my own style? That's priceless.

Garage Sale America - where have you been all my life?

When life was simpler (read: before having a child) I used to love to dig through piles of castoff items at yard sales, state fairs, "antique" stores and the like. I spent my summer vacations in Maine, going from one small store to the next, searching for that something special to add to my already growing collection of antique cameras, candlesticks and Fiestaware. I was on a mission. I was focused. I was obsessed. I was broke (hence the tag sale-ing).

I miss those days.

Once I found an antique Heywood-Wakefield child's rocking chair in one of these stores, not what I was looking for but a good find nonetheless. I balked at the price tag and decided to pass and I've been kicking myself in the tuckus ever since. Having grown up around furniture makers in the shadow of the furniture capital of the world I have a special place in my heart for Heywood-Wakefield and Nichols & Stone furniture and I should have snatched up that rare find when I had the chance. Even if it would have cost me most of my paycheck.

Okay, all of my paycheck. And then some. Remember, I was broke.

That's the beauty of those types of expeditions, though - you never know what you're going to find. But you can be guaranteed that it won't be there when you get back.

Up until now I've never had my own yard sale (garage sale, tag sale, what have you) since I've never had enough of my own things to warrant trying to get rid of the overflow. But now it's time. Through years of consumerism, the joining of my things with my husband's, and then from an inheritance I have enough of my own stuff that I don't want and I'm going to try to sell it to others. It's time for me to hold my own yard sale.

I'm terrified. Where to begin? How do I price a box full of fairly recent hardcover books? Or, for that matter, my husband's old bedroom set? How do I prepare? What do I need to make this sale successful? How do I act when complete strangers show up on my yard at 8am to pick through my things??

When the Parent Bloggers Network said they had copies of Yard Sale America by designer Bruce Littlefield to review I knew this was the push I needed.

I was very excited to receive this book, but I have to admit if I was in the bookstore and had no plans to have a yard sale I might have passed this one by (kinda like that chair, but for different reasons).

It's a soft cover book with a kitschy design. A book to be taken seriously? It's hard to tell at first glance. But within its orange covers the reader will find not just a wealth of information on Garage Sales - such as the location of the World's Longest Yardsale or a list of Do's and Don'ts for Sellers - but a piece of Americana.

Littlefield, through his travels, has amassed a wealth of stories about the characters he has met on the road - The Yardsale Queen, the world's oldest and youngest yard sellers, Andy of Andee's Anteeks (Anteeks - Kolectibels - Old Stuf - Sum Junk. He byes and selles - Ask for a kard) - and it makes for a charming read.

It gets better. Do you know how to spot a fake or a reproduction? I didn't. Do you know the history of Bakelite? Lalique? Tiffany? Barbie? (Oh how I wish I still had those old Barbies my Nana kept for me when I was a kid) It's all in this book, in easy-to-read bite-size pieces, like so much of the garage sale munchies one might find at the World's Longest Yardsale. Easy to swallow, all served up with powdered sugar and more than a touch of Littlefield's enthusiasm for bargains.

Here's the best part: Wondering what to do with all your treasures after you've spent a weekend at tag and rummage sales? Littlefield is, after all, a designer, and the book has a section on interior design with these cheap treasures. As a matter of fact, Littlefield has furnished his own house almost completely with items he's purchased at yard sales. It's a helluva lot more interesting than Pottery Barn.

I'm glad I have my own copy of Garage Sale America. Not only do I feel more confident about holding my own yard sale now but I feel a lot more familiar with a piece of this wonderful country that I may never have known. Don't pass this book by... like I did with that chair. That damn chair that will haunt my dreams.

I'll know better now.