Nordstrom Rack is THE Place for Fashion & Deals

Posted by Jill

I am a person who loves to shop.  I enjoy the whole process, except the havoc a good shopping haul wreaks on my bank account.  But a recent visit to Nordstrom Rack proved that I, and my whole family, can look great without breaking the bank.

I only learned about Nordstrom’s amazing discount stores recently, when I saw one pop up in Natick, Ma.  Just last week, another store opened in Burlington, Ma., and not only was the store immaculate and easy to maneuver, but the pickin’s were FAB!

Shopping at The Rack, you would never know that you were in a discount store.  The copious amount of designer racks will throw off even the most supercilious shopper.  What they will notice are the unbelievable prices!

The Rack has everything from jeans to dresses to shoes and accessories and outer wear.  You’ll also be able to dress your man and your children from head to toe (literally – including underwear, socks, and shoes).  Their designer shoe area was not lost on me – and somehow a pair even ended up in my bag.  Oops!

Haul from Nordstrom Rack in Burlington, Ma.

Ok, so I did pretty well on my mini shopping spree.  Here’s what I got:

  • Franco Sarto booties for $59.90 (originally $139)
  • Lucky Brand top for $19.97 (originally $49.50)
  • Joe’s Jeans for $79.97 (originally $158)
  • Love on a Hanger tank top for $7.97

Needless to say, I left the store feeling VERY satisfied.  I could have bought EVERYTHING but alas, my budget was done for the night.  No doubt that I’ll hit Nordstrom Rack again. Soon.

“I attended a pre-opening day event at Nordstrom Rack and received a gift card to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own.”

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Posted in Back To School, Family Clothes, Gifts, Infant Products, Mom Clothing/Fashion, Money Saving Ideas, Shoes, Toys | Leave a comment

Gotcha! Party Game Review

Posted by Keri

I love party games. Problem is, being a working mom with a toddler, there isn’t often a whole lot of time for finding time to play them because arranging for a “girls night out” can be a big challenge. However, if you do get the chance to have a get together, the party game, Gotcha! by Buffalo Games is definitely one to bring along.

©Buffalo Games

This summer my family stayed together at a beach house for a few nights and we were immediately plagued by some rain. I had brought along a whole bunch of games to play, just in case we had some takers. Honest to god, alcoholic beverages were not involved while playing this game one afternoon, but it was the kind of party game where I literally had tears in my eyes, while I sat with my legs crossed, praying I wouldn’t pee my pants. My husband and I played along with my 23 year-old sister and her friend. I think this is a great game that is not age specific and is fun for both genders.

Gotcha! is all about the ability to follow multiple, silly rules that change with each hand. This party game is recommended for adults ages 14 and up, and requires 3-8 players. It takes about 30 minutes to finish the game, perfect for those of us with time crunches or who turn into pumpkins after 9 p.m.

After placing 2 “AA” batteries (not included) in the buzzer, each player gets a pawn and places it on start.  There are three different types of rule cards: top rule cards, bottom rule cards and individual rule cards.  6 rule cards are dealt to each player at the start of the game. On your turn, each player first picks up a new rule card, then a rule card is subsequently played.

On the game board there are two spaces for “top rule” and “bottom rule” cards, which are rules that are created to be played by everyone participating. For example, Everyone “with a pocket” (top rule card) must “speak with teeth clenched during your entire turn” (bottom rule card). Then on the next turn, a person might change the top rule card to be Everyone “playing this game” must “speak with teeth clenched during your entire turn.”

There are also rules that each individual must follow in addition to the group rules. Examples of individual rules might be, “Fist pump before playing a card” or “Plug nose during player at left’s entire turn.” If some is caught not following the rules, be the first to hit the buzzer and state the broken rule. The rule breaker moves backwards 1 space, the buzzing player advances 2 spaces until someone reaches finish and is the champion.

Pure silliness with good, clean fun, Gotcha! is easy to play with a variety of age groups, any time of the day. Initially, by just reading the cards I wasn’t sure what to expect, but as we played the game and there became more rules, which become harder to remember and follow, we literally couldn’t stop laughing. Even hours later after the game was finished, one of us was bound to have some memory spark that caused continued laughter completely out of the blue. This game will challenge you to make an effort to reschedule a game night or girls night out because it is so much fun.

Gotcha! by Buffalo Games was provided free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

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Ease the Kindergarten Transition with Books

Posted by Jill

Kindergarten has been a huge topic of conversation in our house of late.  My oldest daughter just started this week and as with any big transition, it wasn’t without a little anxiety, a bit of excitement, and a lot of reading.  As a Mom, whenever I noticed my kindergartner-to-be getting a bit nervous, I brought out a few books, and immediately she relaxed.  Some of the stories we’ve been reading include:

The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing.  Really cute story about a nervous

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

kindergartner written in the form of a poem.

“‘Twas the night before kindergarten, and as they prepared, kids were excited, and a little bit scared.”

“It’s the first day of school! Join the kids as they prepare for kindergarten, packing school supplies, posing for pictures, and the hardest part of all-saying goodbye to Mom and Dad. But maybe it won’t be so hard once they discover just how much fun kindergarten really is! Colorful illustrations illuminate this uplifting takeoff on the classic Clement C. Moore Christmas poem.”

The Berenstain Bears Go to School by Stan & Jan Berenstain. Who doesn’t love the Berenstain Bears?  And when Sister Bear starts kindergarten, she has all the normal fears which are quickly allayed by the nice teacher, the fun classroom, and many friends.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! by Nancy Carlson.  Henry is a mouse who is starting kindergarten.  He’s actually very excited for his first day, so much so that his mom has to keep reminding him of all the things he needs to do before the start of school (eat breakfast, pack his bag, lace his shoes).

“The first day of kindergarten is finally here, and Henry can’t wait to paint pictures, sing songs, and practice counting. When he gets to school, though, he’s not so sure he’s ready for kindergarten. But before long Henry discovers that the only thing he’s not ready for is how much fun he’s going to have at school! This gently humorous, encouraging story will give children about to enter kindergarten an extra boost of confidence.”

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Posted in Back To School, Books, Family Activities | Leave a comment

What is an Orthotic?

Posted by Keri

©Dr. Scholls

Ever since I can remember, I have been plagued by wide, flat feet. This simply means arches do not exist in my feet, so when I’m standing barefoot my ankles roll over a little bit, and my feet are as flat as pancakes on the floor. So why would this be a problem? I’m often plagued by sore feet at the end of the day and frequently get painful shin splints when I exercise.

Even as a child I remember my parents bringing all of my shoes to the local cobbler for these beige wedges to be glued inside every sneaker, dress shoe, soccer cleat and ski boot.  Though it seems my parents were on the right track, as an adult, I never made the time or effort to get custom orthotics made because they were always just way to expensive. I decided I’d pay a little more money for my shoes and have become very  loyal to companies like Dansko and Brooks. Thank god I’m not much of a fashionista, because as you can tell heels just cause way to much pain to purchase.

Dr. Scholls brought one of their new foot mapping kiosks to the BlogHer conference in San Diego, then provided everyone who used the kiosk with their own free pair of customized orthotics. Orthotics are cushions that when placed directly inside shoes give support that certain feet just do not provide naturally on their own.  Wearing these Dr. Scholls orthotics in my sneakers has provided my feet with enough support to stand longer on my feet and exercise longer without pain or shin splints.

The kiosks and foot mapping systems, which reside in many stores such as CVS and Walmart, were created in conjuction with podiatrists. The whole process to finding a new pair of orthotics lasts literally 2 minutes. After you remove your shoes and step onto the kiosk, you may have stand with two feet in one spot, shift your weight, or lift one foot up off the ground. The program is geared to provide information on foot length, arches, and pressure points. Overall, it’s really easy, and I will say, the orthotics I was provided have been great. I hear a lot of friends and family members these days complain about hips, knees, ankle and joint issues. What I do know is that if, as a society, we continue to stuff our little piggies into the wrong kinds of shoes day in and day out, this does not do good things for our bodies allignment. If you are considering custom orthotics, with a retail price of about $50 this is a great place to start.

Dr. Scholls provided a free set of custom orthotics for review. The opinions are my own.

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Back to School with… Crocs?

Posted by Jill

Yep!  You read correctly!  Crocs, formerly a shoe synonymous with summer, have launched a line of sneakers.  And not only are they functional and adorably cute, they are super comfortable.

I admit it – I was a reluctant adopter of Crocs.  It wasn’t until my children’s grandmother bought them the uber-popular shoes that I became aware of how useful they were.  And while I still only endorse Crocs for kids, I can’t deny that they are awesome.  They slip-on in seconds, dry on the spot, and are crazy comfortable (yes, I’ve wedged my feet into tiny Crocs to see what the brouhaha is about).  So when offered the chance to try Crocs sneakers for my daughter, we were more than up for it.

The Crocs sneakers basically break down like this – attractive, fun sneaker on the outside, comfortable Crocs on the inside.  Can’t imagine what that looks like?

Crocs Kids Hover Metallic Sneakers

We had a choice of purple, fuchsia, or gold (which appeared white on-screen), and while my five year old wanted the gold/white, the practical mom in me talked her into the fuchsia.  Flecked with gold, they have just enough shimmer to make them appealing to kids, but not enough to make them too much for school or the playground.

The feature that surprised me most was the weightlessness of the shoe.  When we took them out of the box, they were like lifting, well… Crocs!  So while they may not be suitable for snowy days in Boston, they will definitely give her an edge on the field, since they are truly feather-light.

There are more than a dozen “School Approved” Crocs to choose from, including high-tops, slip-ons, and snow boots (which I am considering purchasing for an upcoming New England winter).   Check them out.

Back-to-School with Crocs“I received a complimentary pair of Crocs to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own.”

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Wikki Stix Are Great for Arts and Crafts

Posted by Keri

©Wikki Stix

Wikki Stix are wax coated strings of yarn that can be squished, pressed, molded and shaped into all sorts of pictures or letters. They involve no mess or glue, are completely re-usable and are a great arts and crafts activity. Though, what many parents don’t often see, are the educational skills that Wikki Stix provide when it comes to children learning about letters and numbers in different ways that do not always include pencil and paper.

Wikki Stix are made from food grade wax and a strand of knitting yarn. They do not contain any latex, gluten, peanuts, peanut oils or by-products. They are non-toxic.

The Wikki Stix Alphabet Cards are a great educational toy to have on hand at home if you have a child who is in preschool (4-5 year olds), as well as into the early elementary years (grades Kindergarten and first grade) when children are learning to write the upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Included in this package are alphabet cards, one for each letter of the alphabet, and 36 different colored Wikki Stix. Each letter card has the uppercase letter, corresponding lowercase letter and a picture. For those of you who are unsure of the proper letter formation, the cards also include directional arrows so that you can help teach your child the way to form the letter the proper way. All the children do is simply press the Wikki Stix onto the card in the direction of the arrows to form the letter. The picture on the card also serves as a guide for kids to begin to figure out how to use the Wikki Stix to make that exact picture.

If you are looking for something to help your children learn about letters and numbers, that is far more exciting than using just pencil and paper, than Wikki Stix may be a great option for you. Aside from the cards, I’ve also been finding local restaurants who provide small packages of Wikki Stix for kids to play with to pass the time, so consider bringing them along for some portable fun.

Wikki Stix provided a sample of these cards for a review. The opinions are my own.

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My Little Pink Princess Purse

Posted by Jill
My Little Pink Princess Purse

Front of Book (Photo Credit: Amazon.com)

My kids want for nothing.  So when Grandma visits and takes them to the toy store, it’s almost impossible to find something new and fun for them.  But a recent visit to the store proved otherwise.  We were able to pick up a few new toys and books that we didn’t already have, and I’m going to share with you over the next weeks.

First up is an adorable book, My Little Pink Princess Purse, by Stephen T. Johnson (a man curating a princess book?).  A sophisticated pink purse made out of very heavy cardboard, this book offers little princesses an interactive story including different activities on each page.  Lift-up tabs, an erasable writing slab (complete with “quill!), and many other wearable accouterments, all are meant to play with and transfer to the purse for the “Springtime ball”.

Sixteen brightly colored pages hold different imaginative actions for the reader, kids aged 4-8, to take.  All the while, s(he) can wear the rose colored glasses, sport the tiara, and place her jewels carefully into the purse.  Instructions, provided by the Fairy Godmother herself, include empowering messages of confidence and positivity.  It’s not your run-of-the-mill book that will fall apart after several reads.  My Little Pink Princess Purse will get tons of use in our house.

Official description:

From bestselling author Stephen T. Johnson, MY LITTLE PINK PRINCESS PURSE is a gift novelty book that includes an empowering and beautiful message from the fairy godmother: “My dearest Princess, with this key, you may open this vanity box. Inside you will find a magic mirror. Only a true princess who is filled with grace,

Inside of Purse

Inside of Purse (Photo Credit: Amazon.com)

humility, intelligence, self-confidence, and imagination will be able to see her reflection. Use it wisely! With love, your Fairy Godmother.”

Included are 6 lift-up tabs, an erasable writing slab, a removable quill pen, an elegant fan, rose-colored glasses, 4 scratch-and-sniff perfumes, 5 rings, a bracelet, a sapphire tiara, a key and handheld mirror. This multi-concept book brings to life a world of imaginative, educational, and dress-up fun for princesses everywhere!

You can buy My Little Pink Princess Purse online or in stores.

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A Visual Timer for Kids From Learning Resources

Posted by Keri

Learning Resources Time Tracker Mini

Understanding the concept of time in minutes and seconds is often very difficult for kids to understand. As parents and educators, we often provide warnings like, “In 5 minutes, it’s time to start your homework,” or, “In 20 minutes you’ll need to clean up your toys so we can eat dinner.” Many parents become easily frustrated with their children because they just don’t seem to follow the directions or adhere to the timeframe. Learning Resources sells the Time Tracker Mini, a visual timer for kids. As children head back to school, this visual timer could be a very helpful homework strategy. Instead of relying on the concept of a clock, kids can quickly glance at the timer and gain a sense of how much time is left before they need to stop the activity, just by looking at which color the light displays.

There are two dials on the Time Tracker Mini. Each dial can be turned in 5 minute increments. The top green rotary dial is the amount of time the entire activity will occur (5 minutes to 120 minutes). Once the timer is set and the start button is pushed, the top light will turn green. The bottom yellow dial, which is also in 5 minute increments, can also be set to provide children with a warning time. The timer beeps three times before turning the light from green to a constant blinking yellow. When time is up, after 3 beeps, the light turns flashing red, indicating that time’s up!

The Time Tracker Mini retails for $19.99. If you are looking for a strategy to help your children be more independent with following through on activities, without nagging reminders from you, the Time Tracker Mini is easy enough for a school age child to set themselves and could just make homework and chore time at the end of the day a little more bearable for everyone. This timer requires 3 “AAA” batteries that are not included.

Learning Resources provided this item free to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.

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Keurig Craziness

Posted by Jill

My gorgeous Keurig

I LUV coffee.  I bask in the delight of my peppermint mocha (fat-free, 2 pumps of each) during the appropriate season.  I enjoy a cappuccino made just so more than most.  And I adore a skinny vanilla latte like some people crave candy.  But I digress.  You get the point.

What I didn’t love my expensive espresso machine, first acquired when I got married nine years ago, and replaced about two years ago when it became apparent that the original had run its course.  While the first machine was wonderful, the new one was more needy than my children (and that’s saying a lot), what with its constant need for cleaning, de-scaling (what is that anyway?) and it’s insatiable appetite for more and more beans.  It was making me reconsider my coffee addiction altogether and we just couldn’t have that.

Then something fabulous happened – I found a solution.  I discovered Keurig last year at my daughter’s cooking class, where they offered coffee to impatient parents who undoubtedly needed a pick-me-up by the time the 3pm class rolled around.  And I found myself looking forward to that class every week, not just for the yummy treats we chopped, kneaded, and baked, but also the cup of Keurig that I knew awaited me.

But alas, I was trapped in a psycho Saeco situation.  I’ve since come to my senses and indulged in the not-so-luxurious purchase of the Special Edition (AKA, B60) and very quickly,  become drunk on coffee.  I’ve pretty much gone through the K-Cups that came with the machine (that I got for 10% off at Bloomingdale’s BTW) and I have the energy to prove it.  I may be up all night but who cares?  If I get restless I can go stare lovingly at my gorgeous coffee maker and arrange my coffee in alphabetical order.  Just kidding, I’m not that insane.

So here’s the best part.  Today, I went to Bed Bath & Beyond because, you know, they have this awesome selection of K-Cups there AND they offer 20% off that one item (as everybody who’s anybody knows) and I got this cool K-Cup drawer holder that you put your machine on top of and store your coffee in!!  Ok, really!

That’s it.  I’m done.  I had to write this post because my family is so over hearing about my new coffee maker and I’m sort of getting tired of hearing myself talk about it.

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Posted in Cooking/Baking, Food/Snacks | Leave a comment

Baby-Proofing The Home

Posted by Keri

@Rhoost

No matter how many people warn you ahead of time to buy safety latches for the kitchen cabinets, install electrical outlet covers, and batten down the hatches, baby-proofing the home is definitely a challenge, especially for first time parents. Just when you think you’ve child-proofed every nook and cranny, I’ve got news. These little kiddies grow taller, their reach gets longer and keeping kids safe, is definitely an ongoing, live and learn process.

In my family, we’ve tried all sorts of kitchen cabinet baby-proofing locks. Honestly, right now we have 4 different brands in my kitchen. We have two large but slightly different external plastic locking devices, a small push-down latch that is screwed into a single door cabinet, and a Rhoost Sling.

The Rhoost Sling is a BPA-free, PVC-free, lead-free, pthalate-free cabinet locking device. Mine is currently placed on the cabinet where we keep many of our household cleaning products, definitely a place that must be off-limits to kids. This cabinet lock, like most, requires the use of two hands to attach it. However, it only requires one hand to release it, which is great for when I need to get in that cabinet, quick!

Considering the material that the Rhoost Sling is made out of, when my son tries to open and close the cabinet with it locked, it does have a lot of give. The larger plastic devices, don’t have as much give at all and over time have honestly begun to stratch up both the cabinet and the hardware. There are no adhesives or screws required for installation for these locks either! My toddler has not yet figured out the art of this cabinet lock, and to that I am eternally grateful… for now!

Over time I have noticed the Rhoost Sling is definitely not indestructable and does need to be replaced due to wear after periods of use. I installed this device in the beginning of June, and it’s now the middle of August, I have utilized it multiple times per day because it is securing a high traffic cabinet. The hole has gotten larger with use and it is much easier to pull apart than in it was initially. Definitely inspect these devices carefully for wear and tear over time.  I like the size of these locks.  Because they are smaller, I think that my son doesn’t honestly pay that much attention to them. The larger white plastic ones, kind of scream “play with me” if you ask me! The Rhoost Slings are sold in two color choices (brown or black), they retail for $9.99 for a package of 4. What ever brand you decide, baby-proofing the home is a must for the safety of your kids.

Rhoost provided a free sample of this product to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.

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