DisneyStore.com new couponcode for 20% off tees

DisneyStore.com has a new sale for an EXTRA 20% off Fall Sale Graphic Tees.
Use the coupon code GRAPHIC20 in the Special Offers and Discounts field of your cart, then click Submit.
I just bought several cute shirts on sale at the site earlier this week for $4!

Energizing vitamins

Just started taking One A Day Energy daily vitamins. I was doubtful but hopeful to feel some energy boost taking these. The good news - they work. I have felt more energy all day long. Chasing around 3 kids under 4 years old is still tiring but I'm no longer spent at the end of the day, which encourages working out more.

5 new DVDs for Halloween 2009

 

Halloween may be over a month away, but already new DVDs are making their way onto store shelves to get you ready. If you love Halloween like my children and I do - this is a great thing! Here's a look at five new Halloween-themed DVDs that we got a sneak peak at that you and your children will enjoy leading up to the big day - October 31st!
Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie
This is a re-release DVD of this endearing movie that comes with all the original bonus features plus has the added bonus of coming packaged with a super cute Pooh Bear dressed as Tigger for Halloween. It's really soft and may be the source of arguments in your house over which kid gets it.
Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie features Pooh and his friends
as they weave unconditional friendship with spooky adventures and warm-hearted moments. Set in the Hundred Acre Woods, Roo is ready to accompany his new friend, Lumpy the Heffalump on his first trick-or-treat adventure until they quickly discover Pooh has eaten all the candy. The adorable duo decide to be “brave together, brave forever” and embark on an adventure to catch the mythical, wish-granting Goboloon that Tigger has told them about so they can wish for more candy and save Halloween.
I enjoy watching this one as much as my girls - ages 3.5 and 2 years old. I missed it on the first release in 2005 (when I had no children). If you didn't know, this Halloween movie is the sequel to the theatrical movie, Pooh’s Heffalump Movie.
The DVD bonus features include Halloween party activities and games, printable party invitations and Halloween-themed recipes.
A Very Brave Witch and More Great Halloween Stories for Kids

This is the perfect DVD for little book lovers- or little ones you want to magically turn into book lovers. The DVD features a not so scary collection of Scholastic Storybook Treasures books turned into animated shorts. I found with my girls that the books they know they love seeing turned into a TV show and it has the same effect when we go into the library and see a book from the DVD. Nice added bonus on top of the enjoyment.

The lead story is adapted from the New York Times best-selling book by Alison McGee, illustrated by Harry Bliss. In this lively story, narrated by Elle Fanning, a little witch decides she'd finally like to see what Halloween is all about, even though she is deathly afraid of humans. As soon as she makes a new friend, she discovers how much fun trick-or-treating with humans can be.

The DVD includes seven other spooky tales. Among them:

• By the Light of the Halloween Moon  --  A brave girl would rather play a trick than be gobbled up as a treat.
• A Dark, Dark Tale --Take a spooky journey up dark stairs and through hidden passages. 
• Georgie -- A friendly ghost looks for a new house to haunt when he feels unwanted by the Whittaker family.
• The Witch in the Cherry Tree -- David and his mother must find a way to protect their freshly baked cakes from the tricky witch in the cherry tree.
• The Three-Legged Cat --  Tom, the pegged-legged cat is mistaken for a hat in this hilarious tale of mistaken identity.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks: Enchanted Musical Edition
I was so excited for this favorite from my childhood to make it to DVD to share with my girls! Bedknobs and Broomsticks has been fully restored and remastered and comes with several bonus features.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks was quite revolutionary for its time and won the 1971 Academy Award for special effects, though by today's standards they seem kind of cheesy. Still that didn't stop my girls from enjoying the musical numbers and story.
More than just a Halloween movie, Bedknobs and Broomsticks is about an apprentice witch (Angela Lansbury) who ends up on a magical journey with three children. It is fun for anytime of the year. Bonus features include:

• "The Wizards of Special Effects" feature hosted By Jennifer Stone From Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place
• Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers - Take a look behind the scenes from a musical point of view of Bedknobs and Broomsticks with The Sherman Brothers, Angela Lansbury and Scott MacQueen.  This featurettes explores the origins of the songs, including what was deleted and what made it into the final version of the film.
• Deleted Song: “A Step in the Right Direction”
• “Portobello Road” Recording Session - A rare clip of David Tomlinson’s recording of the song “Portobello Road”

Shaun the Sheep: Little Sheep of Horrors
I absolutely adore Shaun the Sheep, so it is no surprise that I've been enjoying watching this Halloween-themed collection of Shaun the Sheep episodes with my girls.
The episodes on this DVD are far from scary so they're perfect for the littlest Halloween fans. Plus, as with all Shaun the Sheep episodes, there's no dialog so its easy for little ones to follow and brings lots of laughs.
Shaun as he leads his fearless flock through six adventures that mix the spooky, the kooky, and the just plain funny. A troublesome tractor, freaky farm noises and sleepwalking sheep are only a few of the weird and wonderful surprises waiting for Shaun and his barnyard pals as they creep, sneak and make mayhem in this laugh-filled collection.
By the way - Shaun the Sheep recently won an International Emmy Award for Children & Young People.
HIT Favorites: Trick or Treat Tales
Boys and ghouls - gather ‘round for not-so-spooky tales of adventure, learning and friendship with your favorite preschool pals Thomas & Friends, Barney, Bob the Builder, Angelina Ballerina, Fifi and the Flowertots and Fireman Sam. If your tots like these shows, then they'll love this DVD where each episode has a Halloween theme. It is very much like last year's release of HIT Favorites: Halloween Spooktacular with other Halloween episodes of these same shows.

Best Fall jackets for babies and toddlers

 

Today is the first day of Fall! With the cool, crispy, delightful weather moving in, your tot is going to need something to keep the chill off. Here's a look at some of the coolest fall jackets for babies and toddlers...

Ambajam Yummy Latte Hoodie Jacket - The name really says it all about this jacket. It's deliciously snuggly. Perfect for hugging your little bear. The color makes it versatile so it goes with everything, which is good cause your tot's gonna wanna wear it all of the time and you'll want one in mommy-size! I do! It comes in sizes 6 months up to 2T.

Hand Picked Pumpkin'sreversible cotton hoodie jackets are customizable down to the buttons. The process itself is really fun. You pick colors, patterns, even button colors for the inside and outside of the little jacket. I did a blue and brown combo with cowboy and horses retro accent print. It is so cute and a fun item in my baby's wardrobe. Best yet, it is reversible so it's like having two cute jackets in one and you get to design both sides. Comes in sizes 3 months up to 4T.

Kushies snap front baby jacket - Snap front for easy ons and offs, this quilted jacket has a corduroy trim and comes in several gender neutral color options so you can use it for all your future kiddos too. It is lightweight yet keeps the cool air and wind out. Perfect for all your outdoor Autumn needs! Available in size 3 months up to 24 months.

Zutano makes several tot jackets that are perfect for fall for different occasions and/or style attitudes. Their classic baby peacoat (aka Zutano's Primary Terry Jacket) moves with your tot and made from soft terry. It comes in sizes 0-24 months and fits roomily. It can be used as both a dress coat and for everyday.
For a more casual look with extra warmth, check out Zutano's Cozie Reverse Barn Jacket with coordinating Fleece Jester Hat. The 18-24 month size in this one is way over-sized and easily fits my 3T daughter. The reversible nature adds to its practicality. Sizes are from 0-24 months.

Hatley's rain jackets are a fun choice for keeping the cool, wet Autumn weather at bay. They're lined with a soft cotton terry towel like material that gives them extra warmth. Several styles, like the new stars rain jacket, glow in the dark, making them extra fun to wear. Hatley's jackets all coordinate with boots and umbrellas too. They come in lots of boys, girls and gender neutral designs in size 2 to 7.

OrganicallyHatched.com's I Play raincoat is PVC-free, waterproof and lightweight. Added bonus, it fits over a backpack so make going to preschool on Fall's rainy days a breeze. If the weather clears up, it smooshes up to keep in the bottom of her little backpack. Or just keep it in the car for those sudden showers. They come in sizes for kids 18 months through 4 years old.

Delicious and healthy snack for kids (and adults too)

Looking for an easy way to get your kids to eat more fruit or a healthy treat to replace candy this Halloween? Check out Crispy Green's line of freeze dried snacks. These are so incredibly delicious it is not to be believed.
They come in individual serving packets with roughly the equivalent of one piece of fruit per bag. The perfect size for a Halloween tick-or-treat goodie. Good thing the bags aren't bigger or my girls (and myself) would eat a whole week's worth of fruit at one sitting. Best yet, there's nothing added at all. It is just freeze dried fruit and is mmm mmm good.

Crispy Fruit snacks come in Crispy Apples, Crispy Bananas, Crispy Pears and Crispy Pineapples. We tried the apples and pears. They taste like candy but are light and fluffy with a great crunch that makes them a fulfilling treat.
Crispy Green also makes mouth-watering Strawberry FruitziO snacks. These are made with freeze-dried strawberries plus a touch of cane sugar. One bag has 100 calories and provides 110% of the daily-recommended amount of vitamin C.

There's no preservatives, fat, cholesterol or sodium in any of these treats. Plus they're peanut/tree nut free, gluten-free, dairy free and certified kosher.
The only downside: they're a bit pricey. I'd eat them all day everyday otherwise. But they are portable, mess-free and last a lot longer than fruit so at least you won't waste any. You can find them at grocers, amazon.com and at crispygreen.com.

The Strawberry Shortcake Movie: Sky's the Limit DVD hit stores this week. It was a movie both my 2 and 3.5 year old girls were excited to see. They enjoy watching other Strawberry DVDs, as do I. She's always a sweet girl that teaches little ones good lessons. This new movie is the same, but it brings a whole new look to the series.
This new take on Strawberry and her friends updates their looks to be more trendy and cool. She goes from the old Raggedy Anne-ish style of dress to a more modern Bratz-ish look. She's still berry sweet but she's much less unique. My girls, however, didn't even notice. They recognized her as Strawberry right away.
The plot reminds me (alot) of one of the sequels to Land Before Time (another series we've watched a ton of) - rain causes their water supply to be dammed up and the characters go on an adventure to save their homes. This one of course takes place in the colorful and cheery Berry Bitty City as opposed to the dark and dreary 'land before time' of the dinosaurs. But it is a plot that works for kids and they learn important lessons like the value of friendship and teamwork.
Missing from the movie, sadly, is the old Strawberry Shortcake song. My 3.5 year old was disappointed by that. But the new theme song is catchy, though we don't get much of it. For my girls who both like music, it would have been nice to have a more musical intro like the other DVDs have.
Bonus extras on the disk include a brand new music video “Café Cabaret Sing-A-Long” and printable coloring pages. In the box you'll also find a coupon for a free photo book from American Greetings. That's a nice bonus for moms!

New Strawberry Shortcake dolls are 'berry' cute

Strawberry Shortcake is back with a new look and new toys for her new movie -'The Strawberry Shortcake Movie: Sky's the Limit'- that came out today on DVD. 
Strawberry's look has changed through the years. In the photos here you can see the old school Strawberry (right) that you may remember from your childhood and (left) her new look from the new movie. She went from a Raggedy Anne type character to more of a Bratz look, but her disposition remains as sweet as ever.
Parents who remember the original Strawberry Shortcake toys will be glad the new toys smell as sweet as ever. My favorite (and the favorite of my daughters - 3.5 and 2 years old) - the Sweet Surprise Strawberry Shortcake Doll. That girl's so sweet, just like her name! This doll is so cute and literally smells so berry sweet. She's just the right size for toddlers to lug around from their rooms to the car for lots of fun adventures.

She's got really pretty hair that your little ladies will enjoy styling. Plus she comes with a "magic" marker that reveals a strawberry beauty mark and turns her lips red. My two year old likes this because she's really into coloring everything with markers right now and this little feature lets her do so without ruining the toy (which I like too).
This Strawberry doll comes with lots of little accessories, so if you are looking to give it to a child under three or one who still likes to munch on toys, be sure to confiscate those small parts until a later date when she's old enough.

Top 10 stuffed toys of the year

If your little ones got some Christmas cash to spend on something they'll love, consider one of these top 10 stuffed toys of the year.

Curly Q Cuties makes THE cutest, coolest made-to-order monsters. They can be boy monsters, girly monsters, even silly monsters. They're all cute and custom to your child's liking. Part of the fun is sitting down with your little one and picking out the design, from body type, eyes, mouth, colors and more. It's so cool. Plus it's made in the USA and really soft.

Say bye-bye to regular old teddy bears and meet the line of cool Teddes. Tedde's Tiki bear is so cool, as are their other unique bears. He's handmade in New York City too.

The Smart-e-Cat by Intellitoys is not your average stuffed toy. It plays songs, tells stories and plays games. Just connect it to the computer and pick out the programs you want the toy to play in English or Spanish and have fun. It works with both Macs and PCs. Also available the Smart-e-Bear and Smart-e-Dog. All versions upgrade as your child grows up. Recommended for kids two and up. This one just won the NAPPA Gold award and was listed as part of Dr. Toy's Best 10 Technology Toys too.

Foundlings by Peace Toys are made with USA grown pesticide free unbleached cotton inside and out. The eyes are embroidered so there’s no danger of chocking hazards either. These are very friendly looking and especially great for young babies. They come in bunnies, bears, whales, elephants, puppies and turtles. My one year old particularly enjoys snuggling with her Foundling elephant.

Bring the classic children's book Peter Rabbit to life in an earth-friendly way with the Peter Rabbit Naturally Better. This line of bunnies are all made from certified organic cotton, eco-friendly materials and are Phthalate free. They come in recyclable, reusable, PVC free packaging and are produced in socially responsible factories. Plus they're really huggable!

When you're getting ready to welcome baby number two or three or more into the world, parents often stress over making the adjustment easier for their other child(ren). One thing you want toddlers and older children to understand is why mommy needs to breastfeed the new little baby and why it is happening. An easy way to do that is with the help of a toy, like the nursing animal toys by Manhattan Toy. They make Nursing Nina the cat, Nursing Nana the dog and Nursing Nuna the pig.

Dolly's Cupcakes Tea & Me is perfect for girly girls of all ages (though recommended for kids three and up). The soft, stuffed toy tea pot, cups, saucers and foods are handmade in the USA. These are very nice quality toys and much better than the plastic and metal sets on the market.

This hand knitted cat & monkey set from Elegant Roots is sure to delight and you can feel good about buying it. They're handmade by women artisans in Kenya, employed under fair trade principles and made from sustainable earth-friendly materials. Like all of the products at Elegant Roots, you can find out very specific details about their construction on the website before you buy them. They also come very nicely wrapped. My girls split a set of these and they've been carting them around the house since I gave it to them. The long floppy arms and legs make them extra fun.

Soothing Sounds Lullaby Puppy by Russ is sound activated. When baby cries he turns on and plays soothing lullabies as it twinkles soft multi-colored lights. It comes with a Velcro strip to attach it to a crib rail too. Plus he’s really soft and friendly.

WALL-E and EVE plush toys are a must have for the little ones who love the Disney-Pixar movie WALL-E, which has been named movie of the year by Time magazine, is up for a Golden Globe and is also #1 on my top 10 movies for kids of 2008. My daughters (15 months old and almost 3 years old) got these for Christmas and they are favorites for sure. They like to hold them while they watch the movie as well as play with them throughout the day.

For more info: Check out more cool stuff for babies, toddlers, young children, moms, dads, and grandparents in my gift guide. Lots of ideas for presents for any occasion.

Poingo Reader Review

Looking for a fun way to get your kids more into books and give them some independence while you're at it? Then you'll want to check out the Poingo Story Reader. It looks kind of like a big fat highlighter. Instead of marking on the pages, it "reads" to kids.

All you do is touch the start spot with the "pen" and then touch the title. Then kids can touch photos to get extra info about the story and hear cool sound effects. Best of all as they drag it across the words, the pen reads them the story. (Watch a demo HERE.)

My almost three year old loves her Poingo. I gave it to her for Christmas and she has really enjoyed using it. The starter pack comes with a "reader pen" and two books. You can buy lots more books to add to the collection as your child gets the hang of it.

The only downside is the pages can rip if your little one's not careful, though they are thicker that regular book pages. But chances are you'll be close by to keep an eye out for gentle reading. But I wouldn't suggest this one for independent nighttime reading until your child has a track record of not ripping pages in books.

The Poingo is recommended for kids three and up. I think you can start them at 2.5 years old with a little extra parental help.

Here's a YouTube video demonstration that a mom and daughter have put together:

For more info: More about the Poingo at MyPoingo.com.

Bummis & Bamboozle diaper reviews

Bummis
The Bummis Whisper Wrap comes in several cute prints and plain white (if you'd prefer). This wrap is "a state of the art Aplix-closing cover made from a super resistant waterproof laminate sandwiched between two layers of a soft polyester knit," according to Bummis.com.The Super Whisper Wrap is very sturdy and does a great job of holding in liquid. It fits nicely with the Bamboozle or with just a prefold if you prefer. I personally like to use this one as a potty trainer with just an insert for my older daughter.
Bummis is very particular about washing instructions for their diaps and covers. You can find those HERE as well as specific recommendations on detergents to use HERE. Even if you don't use Bummis, their info on detergent residue is really helpful in understanding how to get the most out of your cloth diapers so they perform the best!


I also would recommend Bummi's regular Whisper Pant. I bought several of these on sale at my local cloth diaper retailer and I really love how easy they are to use. They're also great to use in potty training because you can just add in a liner and they can be pulled up and down. They run quite large, so order a size smaller than you might normally opt for. More info on those HERE.



The Bamboozle diaper is made from four layers of super soft 90% bamboo fiber. That and its super absorbency are big sellers for this luxurious feeling diap. It has an insert attached at one end so you can fold it for extra absorbency in the area boys or girls need the most. Poop also falls off of the Bamboozle easily and it has yet to get stained, despite several attempts by my daughters to give it their all.

Bamboozle diapers need to be washed at least twice before initial wear and up to ten times before maximum absorbency is reached. You can find out more about the special care instructions HERE. Though honestly, I follow the same washing rules for all of my diapers. This one is not any harder or easier.

More info on Bummis Whisper Wrap and Bamboozle diapers at bummis.com

*This review is from my original article in my parenting column at Examiner.com