Because I Said So!!! Mom Knows Best!

Spring is here and no matter how much
I have wanted to stay in bed with the covers
over my head Rowan has demanded to be outside.
I look into those baby blues and know I have to oblige
for you just can't say no to that face. Ironic since
"No" seems to be her favorite gesture right now and
any question you ask her is met with an emphatic shaking
of the head. During the Winter I took her out in her
Stroller and Carriers for I could bundle her and feed her
sense of exploration and still maintain my need to keep
her safe and secure and warm but now that we are 70's
plus bundled up is the last thing she wants to be. For
Christmas she received a couple of little ride on toys that
she likes well enough but last month she received a
Car to review that is her pride and joy! I kid you not,
if this little girl could walk and I gave her a bucket, a
towel and some turtle wax she would be out there buffen
this puppy every day. CSN toys is the company
responsible for Rowans new addiction and I don't know if I
should thank them or ask them for a referral to a 12 step
program for I can not pry this little girl out of this little
buggy!
When I first started speaking to them I was amazed at
how many different companies they owned. I was further
impressed that unlike other large Companies and instead of
just having one super store and lumping everything together
they went the extra mile and kept everything separate. When
you got to their Toy Store you are looking for Toys and
they are not thinning thier inventory with other types of
products. They stock the best play items they can find and
make sure to employ people who live and breath toys to
ensure you are not only getting quality you are getting help
and suggestions from people who are experts in the field.
When you go to Taco Bell you don't want to hear about
Hamburgers and when you go to a Toy Store you are not
interested in hearing about Barbecues! CSN knows that
and keeps each of their stores separate and specialized
so you get what you are looking for and get the best that
market has out there! CSN has stores that offer Furniture,
Mailboxes, Housewares, Shoes and much, much more and
not that long ago I did a review of their store that sells
mailboxes and learned that not only do mailboxes serve a
purpose they can also look great and have some pretty
neat features. While browsing some of their other locations
I found out each one I went to was pretty much the same
thing, tons and tons and tons and did I say tons? of
one of a kind, fantastic quality and super affordable prices.
Impressed and amazed I have them book marked all over
the place but today lets talk toys! The item I was sent for
review was the Step 2 Toddle Tune Coupe. This is a must
have for kids and I remember my sons and knew as soon
as Rowan was born I would be getting another one of these
babies but what I didn't know is in the last 16 years Step2
has made life even sweeter and my little girl is sporting a
Pink one that is just as adorable as she is! I went crazy
and you guys know how I feel about Pink and finding every
thing out there I can that is in that hue for her. Hey, don't
I deserve it? I waited 17 years for this little girl and by
golly she is going to look, dress and live in that classic
girly shade! As soon as the car came I knew I needed
accessories and rushed out and got her a pink hat, coat
and even went so far as to find her a little toy key set and
cell phone in pink to go with it. The Baby Banz Review I
am posting soon was kind enough to offer up the shades!
She is a little Mary Kay and it is the cutest thing you have
ever seen! The first time we got to take her little car out
was hysterical, adorable and a memory I will never forget.
We walked block after block so she could show it off and
every person we passed had to stop and check out her
ride with a big grin on her face. She received just as much
attention as if we had driven off of a car lot with a new
sports car! As for the car itself? Perfect! I just can't sum
it up any better. The wheels turn so smooth that even going
through our bumpy parking lot you felt like you were gliding.
Inside Rowan was super comfy for they also offer a
removable floor board since she is just too little to push it
herself. She is snug as a bug in a fancy new car! I have
to admit I was a little worried when it first came for though
I knew she was still to little to use it the traditional way
where she powers it herself with her own little feetsies, I
also knew I could not wait to her legs grew and would be
out there pushing her myself. What worried me was the
fear it might strain my back with wheels that did not turn
easy or I might be bent over way too much and not be
able to get up and I was over joyed at our first trip for
those concerns flew right out the window. The car is "THE"
perfect height where you can just touch the roof to push
and like I told you it rolls so smooth that I could push it
with my pinkie and did not have any problem at all. Even
my Mother could do this little fellow and I found it so
easy I am even taking the dog out at the same time. If
you are looking for a toy for your tyke that will plaster a
smile on their face, be used every minute of daylight
and they will never grow bored off, this is the one!
If you are looking for the best price for that toy, CSN is
the place to get it. I told you this was already on my
shopping list so I had been pricing them already and
CSN was the cheapest place I found that stocked them
by a full 10 dollars! You can't beat that!


As a matter of fact it does not matter what item
you are looking for CSN and Toys and Games Online
not only has it they have it at the best price out there!
I thought I knew what was out there, really, shouldn't I?
Wouldn't I be considered a professional shopper? Isn't it
my job to know what is on the market? I thought so but
looking through their product selection I was continuously
amazed at the items I never even knew existed! They have
everything for indoors, outdoors, in the car, just for Grandma's,
Boys, Girls, you name it they got it. Have no clue what
to get for a gift and just want to find something to knock
little Billy's or Suzies socks off? Don't even bother diggen,
just stop on by Toys and Games On-line and search in
your desired price range and you are sure to find something
that will be the hit of the party. They carry all the top
brands and even those little hard to find Boutique items you
just can't find anywhere else. They just have it all and
it is on the easiest site I have ever had the joy to
navigate. Shop by sex, price, item, theme, it just doesn't get
any easier. I have not had this much fun shopping for toys
in ages.


 Before I let you guys go and explore yourself
let me tell you about the prices one more time. I was
searching the water toys for we live in Michigan and spend
a lot of time on lakes and in the water in general. We
have a lot of water toys and I am always looking for
something new and exciting. A couple of years ago I came
across a water toy that was awesome. I have never
seen it anywhere else and knew that Andrew would flip
out over it. The toy is called an Aqua Glide Multi Sport
and if you have older children that love the water this
is a must have. It does it all and you can not only
Windsurf but use it as a Tow-able and so much more.
I snapped that up and I can't tell you how much fun it
has been for the whole family. When I saw it on the CSN
Toys and Games On-line Website I was pretty shocked for
like I told you guys I get around and I have only seen it
in a few select places over the years. When I saw the
price that they were selling it for I just about passed out
and wanted to cry. Toys and Games On-line had it
for almost 100 dollars less then I paid for it. They had it
listed for less then the used one I found for a friend last
year. I could not believe it! I so wish I had known about
these guys when I bought it for I would have had more
then enough money left over to buy myself a super comfy
raft to float around on while the kids played and a pool
boy to bring me Daiquiris when I snapped my fingers!
Live and learn, but now that I know I will never make that
mistake again.


If you guys are looking for a child's Toy, no matter what
age, sex or price range you have got to stop and check these
guys out. If you are looking for just about everything or
anything else make sure to check out their parent site where
they list the different stores they have for I have been to
a few now and each one is better then the last. My final
review of CSN and Toys and Games On-line is a huge
two thumbs up and I will be grinning this whole Summer
and laughing almost as loud as Rowan! Awesome!


CSN Stores


Toys and Games On-line

I know I have went over play area number one,
two and three with you guys a few times in the past.
Just so new readers understand I have places in the
house set up for Rowan to play since the Winter is
long and that way she doesn't get bored spending all
her time hanging out in the same area. They are:


Area one-In the middle of the living room. A mat filled
with toys she loves right in front of the TV. This is
where she spends a lot of her day for the whole family
is in and out of this area and she gets to be the first
person to greet guests.


Area two-My room. My computer is set up there and I
spend a lot of time so naturally so does she. This also
has a mat and a lot of her best toys are there are well.
She also have TV access and this is where she watches
her favorite videos.


Area three-My Bed. I have a Queen size bed that John
has been booted out of for Rowan and I and the Pooch
fill it quiet nicely. Or I should say, Rowan, her toys, I
and the Pooch and her toys fill it. Rowan has all her
favorite sleep items there and loves them to death and
this is where we nap and just snuggle.


Area four-Her room. This has turned into the Daddy zone.
Since John has been sleeping on Rowans Twin bed or
Rachel's bed when she is here due to lack of room in
ours, it has also become Rowan and his area where
they do their own stuff. The messiest of the rooms for
I get so tired of picking up after a 44 year old man it
also has a mat and mostly electronic and learning toys
that she is still a little young for but is growing into
fast.

The new area five-Corner of the living room. This is
the latest addition for Rowan is a growing and needed
to branch out. It started with her activity table and off
to the side to keep it out of the way. I used to sit there
with her where she would stand and I would hold her but
as she gets older she wants to spend more time there
and I can't hold her there for hours at a time so I
found a booster seat for her and it worked out well.
When she got her step stool it went off to the side and
started out as a little table for toys and snacks but when
this next review item came it changed into a DJ booth.
She received a Keyboard from Baby Genius and that
along with the activity table has became her own little
DJ booth and as of the last two weeks it is where she
spends most of her time. She loves it and dances and
sings and oh yes, she is a star!

Even John has gotten into the act and is often right
there with her and she plays her Keyboard and he the
Bass and they have a blast! She was born to play
music and it shows. I took lesson for the guitar and
Andrew has ones as well but it is her Dad's side of
the family with all the talent for not only do they have
their own mid-life crisis band ( they are good too) John
and his brother are both very talented. They have been
playing for over 30 years and with that much time in
they have to be good and John is the best. He can
hear something and minutes later have it down pat.
He just has an ear for it and it is looking like Rowan
does too. Already she loves to dance and sing and
all it takes is a little song anywhere to get her all
smiles and happy as a clam. This Keyboard could not
have found a better home for it is a big part of her life
right now and it takes all I have to drag her away for
a nap. Her DJ booth is the bomb and she is on her
way to being a star! Now I have to say Baby Genius
is not only a fantastic company these guys are Adult
Geniuses for they somehow managed to get everything
a big person keyboard has into a baby friendly package.
The Keyboard my son has is so similar I couldn't believe
it. It has the same options, can do the same things
as Rowans and I was in shock when I saw they can
both even record. The difference? Andrews Keyboard is
so complicated you need to be a rocket scientist to
operate and Rowans, though offering the same functions,
is so easy a, well, Baby can do it. The Baby Genius
Keyboard allows you to:
Record and playback songs
Plays 7 Baby Genius sing a long songs
Plays 22 other songs
Volume, tempo and beat control
Has four different instrument sounds
The DJ laughs when keys are pressed.
The large keys and buttons make it perfect for not
so gentle fingers and one touch controls make it perfect
for Mommy's and Daddy's to understand how to work it
and unlike Andrews I can even play it too! The whole
thing that really got me was they took something that
is complected and made it simple and they also managed
to encase it in a durable, adorable design that kids will
get a kick out of. Now Baby Genius has only recently
added toys to their line and if this keyboard is an
example of what that future has in store for us I for
one have never been more happy. Their products alone
are fantastic, educational and a great tool to add to your
child's artistic growth as well as fine motor skills and
basic principals. I was please to be able to review a
product line with such a fantastic reputation to begin
with but once I got my hands on their items I was
over the moon. In the next week or so I will bring
you a few more of their items but I just had to shout
about the keyboard ASAP for it is fantastic. The
whole thing comes shaped like an Alligator but this guys
teeth are sharp in another way. They unleash your child's
unseen talents and help them develop a joy for music
and their own creative talents all in one whirl of activity.
The keyboard is going to have your little Mozart rock-en
for hours and if they are anything like Rowan it wont
be long before they have their own DJ booth set up
and are ready to go!

Baby Genius has a history of bringing us Cd's and
DVDs and Books that focus on teaching your child basic
skills by utilizing songs and dance. Sound is the first thing
a child reacts to and they take advantage of that fact and
turn it into a life long love of the musical arts. When
learning language, memory, coordination and social skills
are just a perk and the fact music has been shown to
enhanced brain development only a small portion of what
they offer, how can you ever go wrong with that. Just
try to show me a child who doesn't love music. I don't
believe you can. Baby Genius takes a pre-disposed love
of song and sings their way into your child's heart.
Hey, I found myself dancing along too. As for their
new toy line? One look at Rowans face and you can
tell what a hit it is at our house and I know it will
be on your child's top ten too! They Rock and so will
your little DJ!


Baby Genius also has a Keyboard for one of my
readers for we all know Rowan is going to need some
help with her new musical career! To enter just head over
to their site and take a look around and them come back
here and post what you have learned in a comment. The
contest will start tonight and run to April 28th at Midnight!
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day, every day, and then posting that you did here
and other ways to enter are posted below.


Baby Genius!




Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.


1. Become a follower of my blog or Twitter page
and post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times. You may only do this
one time! This is not a daily entry.


2. Tweet about my blog and post the link
here. 5 entries, please post five times. You
may do this once per day if you post a new
tweet. For Each Daily entry there must be a
tweet for that day!


3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
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This is not a daily entry.


4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries. Please
post five times. You may do this once per
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there must be a blog post for that day!






Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Radius Toothbrush and isABelt Contests!

Rowan is now really getting into playing
with toys. Her entire day is spent exploring and
and moving things from point A to spot B and
taking things apart and putting them together.
Her own little world and her own fantasy's are
played out in her mind over and over again. She
loves Animals and her dog most of all so anything
that looks like an Animal is Aces in her book!
Pawparazzi is right up her alley right now for it
allows for her to spend all her time with everything
she loves! Pets, Toys and her imagination. Rowan
is still a toddler but she already puts her Pawparazzi
to sleep in its little pet bed and holds him close.
She is still too little to fumble with the little pieces
and parts but enjoys the fact Daisy looks so much
like her Boo that she feels like she has a mini
version. I have a strong feeling this little pup is
going to be as loved and cared for just as long
as the bigger version with more drool.
Pawparazzi makes the perfect toy for a little girl
or boy. As a Mom who has already been the maintenance
crew to a Pet that is supposed to be a child's it is
also the perfect pet. These little critters are darling
little puppies and little kitties and little boys and
little girls. Kids at the any age will stop right there and
be immersed for hours in their own little play world.
I know, I was one. I had horses when I was younger
and that was it. Just the horses and I could fill hours
of every single day in my own little world with them.
One day we would be out in the lawn that was no longer
a lawn but a prairie and the dip in the lawn where I tried
to dig my own in ground swimming pool was now a valley.
Alone or with friends my world would get bigger and more
detailed as days went on. A trip to the beach saw my
horses in the dessert and so on and so forth. That was just
with a couple of plastic horses. Pawparazzi offers much much
more. Daisy has friends to start. She is joined my Indy, Lexi,
Misty, Roxy and Toby on her adventures. Each pet comes
with their own carrying case and leash, collar and blanket.
A celebrity magazine to read when they are bored ( okay,
your little one might have to read it to them but is that
such a bad thing?) a matching mini notepad and a pop
out trading card. So where are we right now? I had
a piece of plastic and my imagination and could would
never run out of things to do. Already the Pawparazzi have
my horses beat by just opening the box they came in.
Then you have to add in their friends. Your child can share
so everyone can play together or play on their own. The
included accessory's will see them busy for eons alone but
Pawparazzi offers them more. You can get more accessory's for
them for they have the pet bed and Spa Day and Dream
Birthday and Flower Fairy and Winter Holiday. If all those
dress up kits don't keep them busy and I am sure they will
but if by the rare chance they still need more you can take
your pets on vacation for they also have the Hotel Pawparazzi
with a pool and guest rooms and it all comes in a handy carrying
case so their little hotel can change destinations. A club med on
wheels. Now why don't Mommies and Daddies have it so good?

Your children are going to love collecting them.
Rowan has the one she is in love with right now but if
I had found them on my own they would make a great
report card reward. Every time you bring home another good
report card you can get either another pet or accessory kit.
You can do the same thing for Holidays and Birthdays and
the pop out trading cards almost scream for them to be
collected. Already know your little one is going to love
them to death and neither you or them has the patience to
wait? Then don't! Pawparazzi has the Luxury set that includes
2 of the pets and 2 dress up sets, 2 beds and also a dinning
room and the hotel. Luxury never looked so good. Now I
might still be playing with my horses 40 years later if I
had a set like that. So of you have a child that likes
dogs or cats, is a Diva who likes to pamper their baby
or is more traditional and wants an old fashioned dog,
they have something for you! Each of them are Celebrities
and each offer your child something a little bit different but
all of them can be found in their Celebrity magazine. Even
the website is fun for your kids for it not only offers a games
but your kids can also send in photos of their pets and they
might even make it to the site. A more true Celebrity there has
never been. Planet Pawparazzi is also on the way and if
the web site now is just a sample we are in for a real treat!
So though I had a blast making up my own world your
children are lucky to have some of the details I was missing.
If I could kill hours with just my imagination with everything
the Pawparazzi comes with they can spend days! My
final thought on these little fellows are they made be made
out to be Hollywood Celebrities but any way you cut it
they are total Stars!

Pawparazzi!

I love to entertain and throw parties. Not
super huge, spill out onto the lawn type ones,
though I used to. Now I like more simple, 20 friends
good food, entertainment and just plain old fun.
I really make a big deal out of the Holidays and
I went more then a little crazy a few times. Andrews
Birthday was really important to me and though he
never cared for parties because he would rather just
go to his favorite restaurants and a movie or something,
I still made sure that I went all out a few times
in his life. I want him to have some memories of
his Wonder Years and a big old party is always a nice
place to start. I never got to have a party because my
Birthday fell in July and school was out and we were
in our summer home so family was out and friends too.
For most of my Birthdays I didn't even see my parents.
My Mother came up a few years for the weekend but I
think my Dad only came once. For Andrews first big blow
out party I threw I think I invited everyone we knew,
might even be some strangers I ran into at the grocery
store too for I swear I went crazy for a little guy who
can't even walk. I had tons of food and Andrews Cake
and the rest of our Cake and goody bags that were out
of this world and decorations. Wow. Decorations! I
spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars alone on the
decorations. Andrews birthday is right before Halloween
and I just couldn't help myself. I had this Mammoth Spider
that hung on the ceiling in the very middle of a large
room and its legs ran out like streamers to the walls.
Pumpkins for everyone and Dry ice and well, lets just
say it took a while to pay for it. I know just the fact
I hired the Magician to stay longer then normal cost a
lot of cash. BUT, it was worth it. TO see his smile, if
only for a second, is worth anything. Even today I baby
him. Once Andrew got about 9 he put his foot down on
the parties for as he explained that though secretly
everyone was having fun they were in J.r High now and
needed to act a little cooler. I hope Rowan loved them
then and I am not too old to throw them. I am super
excited about her upcoming birthday this year for a few
reasons. One, hey, she is going to be a whole year old.
Two, her birthday is a little over a week before mine and
this makes me very happy. No party's when I was younger
hurt, the boys forgetting  90  percent of the time now hurts
a lot and I don't think I have ever got a present on my
birthday, other then when I was little, that I really wanted.
From the boys I have only gotten a Birthday present once
and it was from Andrew and something HE wanted. I always
end up getting all upset and slamming stuff around and
sometimes those daft boys still don't get it. For years it
broke my heart. Now I don't even bother to remind them
and let the day quietly pass. Truth is, I get so depressed
I just don't want to see a soul. I have never forgot theirs
and never would. Now that Rowans birthday is right before
mine increases the odds of them remembering mine though
I doubt that for the dogs is 5 days before mine and Andrew
remembers her Birthday and still misses mine. But what I
am really looking forward to is I can have all those dream
Birthdays I wanted to have as a child through Rowan! Via
proxy! The lavish themes and costumed characters, and I
have already written down a list of party ideas for the future
for I know she is too young this year for much more then
family. I learned the hard way with Andrew and the Magician
I got on his first and the Clown on the second but I plan
on at least one of her parties at the water park, one at
Jeepers and one with a Moonwalk in the back yard. How
I will pay for it all is another story but I have no doubt
I will find a way. I also plan on themes with her. Dress up,
Rock Stars, Hula at the water park and Movie Stars and
Princesses and Queens and Cowboys and Cowgirls. They
have so many great items for Parties now a days I know
I can make them the best ever!

For the Princess theme I am going to go all Renaissance
Festival and play music from Medieval times and have little
Gift bags for the Adults of Sage a Mirth incense and a burner
and serve Turkey legs and crusty bread and fruit and have
a cake that is a Castle. For the Kids, well hey, that is
the only part that will be a total walk in the park for I
am going to use My Princess Party To Go. Never heard of them?
I have, in fact I was going to use them long before I had
a chance to do a review for them because with so many details
for me to attend too these guys take a lot of it and package
it in a nice box ready to go! They have complete kits for your
party, no matter how many guests your child has, that will assure
you that this party goes down as one for the Record Books! All
you have to do is pick a theme and tell them how many guests
there will be and your Party favors for those kids are done
and over with and taken care off and the end result is a
spectacular party filled with Princess and Knights and laughing
girls and boys. They just don't miss a single trick! For themes
they have:
Princess
Fairy
Diva
Glamour
Knight
Prince
Wizard
Pirate
and you can customize your party as you see fit. Buy items piece
by piece or buy the party in a bag that has everything your guests
will need in a take home carry bag. The prices for the bags start at
13.75 and you can order as many as you like. You can use that right
there for your party favor or really go all out and grab a goody
bag for each guest too that they also have pre-made or piece by piece.
They also sell games and crafts to keep the kids busy during the party
so no more pouring over books and Internet sites to try and find party
games that go with your theme. I swear, that was the worst part for me
with Andrew for I had to hit the book stores and Library's for the
Internet was not nearly as filled with helpful sites back then and you
could not just type in something like "Children + Games + Theme +
Castle and have an array of games pop up like wildfire to make
your party complete. You had to dig! For a review item I
received one of the Tutu and Tiaras packs and it was adorable.
In it we found a Tutu, a Tiara and a Wand and also the foam
Tiara with Jewels to decorate for a craft item. As you can see
by the photo Rowan just loves it and offered the foam Tiara to
her brother as a prize and he was none too amused. Not that
she offered it to him, that he thought was sweet, it was the fact
I made him wear it for a while for this was the first time Rowan
has offered to share something and I didn't want it to be a bad
experience for her. Rowan smiled and Andrew pouted ( no pictures
of him or I would have ended up in the gallows!) and I giggled
like mad. He is lucky I didn't have him wear the Tutu! All of
the items were of great Quality too. They were not at all like
I expected for the price. I was assuming they would be like
the dollar store gadgets, you guys know what I mean. Meant
to last the party but not much longer then that. Best of all,
the whole kit and Caboodle came in a Blue bag with a Ribbon
Drawstring that just made the whole thing come together.
I can't think of a better way for them to take home their
goods too for you know they will also have candy and most
likely some other prizes. For Rowans Birthday I would also
assume there will be some fireworks to take home because
I have an annual Forth of July thing every year with a Huge
BBQ and lots of friends and about 4 years ago we started
letting Andrew light fireworks for a Firework show at the end
of the party. He started with small kits and over the years
as he grew so did the show and it just turned into a huge
event and I also put together children friendly Forth or July
bags for them to do while he lights the big ones. I can pretty
much bank on since her Birthday is right there we will combine
the two events so it is a good thing the bag is also really
roomy for they will end up with a lot to take home! I just
love how they have everything on the site mapped out for
you and everything is so affordable. Now I do not know the
prices now but 13 years ago to have a party at Jeepers was
so expensive. I wanted to have like 15 guests, and 10 of
those were adults so they were not getting the ride tokens
just pizza and it was 400 dollars. Now that is insane.
Pretty much 5 kids for the party and then pizza and pop
for 10 adults. I could have hired a clown and a magician
and got pizza and pop and also paid for the cake and goodies
bags and bought each child a gift for coming and still came
in under that number. At Party Princess To Go you not only get
quality products you get a great value for your money. I was
really impressed what a $150.00 dollars could do in comparison
to the Pizza party I had when Andrew was little. Personally,
I am going to have the Princess and Her Knight complete party
for Rowan. I love the whole thing and I am going to get the
extra goody bags. It is just the perfect fit for us because Rowan
has 3 boy cousins and 1 little girl and then her brother will be
here and wouldn't you know the kits come in 6. Couldn't be more
perfect. My Princess Party To Go is the place you need to go if
you want to make your little ones Birthday dreams come true!
Oh, and I promise to post pictures of Andrew in his Knight
Costume for Rowans Birthday Party!


My Princess Party To Go is also hooking up one of my readers.
One lucky guy or gal is going to win a Princess Party Grab Bag.
To enter just head over to the site and take a look around then
come back here and post what theme or outfit you liked best.
The contest will start tonight and run to midnight in April 24th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day every day and then posting that you did here
and other ways to enter are posted below.


My Princess Party To Go!




Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.


1. Become a follower of my blog or Twitter
and post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.


2. Tweet about my blog and post the link
here. 5 entries, please post five times.


3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.


4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.






Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Mommy Tool Box and Port a Pong Contests!

Hey you guys, I have some darling photo's of Rowan wearing
the items from this site but AHEM, little miss thing had my USB
cable when I was not paying attention and drooled in it. I will grab
another one this week and post them for you can't miss these, they
are that adorable!

I just missed the boat with this next review. I am
maybe 5 or 6 years too old but I remember a lot of
my friends little brothers and sisters going absolutely
crazy for the Rainbow Brite Dolls. They had a TV show,
toys and games and then a whole bunch of Branded Items
and everywhere you looked there was Rainbow Brite These
gals made Holly look like she had a pretty lame Hobby!
When my son was born I really didn't see them around any
more and thought it wouldn't have mattered for he is a
boy and wouldn't have played with them anyways unless he
needed something for his G.I Joe's to beat up on. A few years
ago Johns Cousin had a Baby and she showed up here one
day with a Rainbow Brite Doll and I was a little surprised. I
asked her if she got it from her Mommy since Johns cousin
and his Daughters Mommy are a lot younger then we are.
I was thinking it might have been one of her old dolls for
I know I had a lot of my Moms old Doll. The sad part with
my Mom's old dolls is I wrecked them and hers were 1950
something Barbies and I could cry now thinking of how much
they are worth today. Any who, I asked if they were her
Mommies and she told me no, she had just got them for
her Birthday.
Huh?
I thought they sorta disappeared. But here is this little girl with
a brand spanking new one! Hum, what do I know. Well I again
put it out of my mind for if my son would not play with one
when he was a toddler I know he would never touch one now
as a 16 year old. I thought they were pretty darn cute but
all I have is Nephews that are young enough for dolls and
I might look a little, okay, a lot funny walking into Toys R Us
and buying myself a Rainbow Brite doll. Then I found out
I was pregnant and going to have a little girl. The first thing
I thought about was, "How cool, I get to play with dolls and
dress them up and play with them and I can do this and I
can do that!" I didn't think about names or what she is going
to grow up to be or how blessed I was to be having her, I
thought about playing dress up and playing with dolls and little
girl toys. Does that make me shallow? I mean really, I can assure
you guys once I am done playing with the dolls I promise to
give them to her. I just called dibs!  Well shortly after she was
born I got all dressed up to head off to the store and John
stopped me and asked where I was going.
"To the store."
"What store, you just went grocery shopping and when I
asked you yesterday if you needed anything while I was
out you told me no."
"Um, just running to get something for Rowan."
"Like what?"
"A Toy."
"What Toy, she is only 2 months, she doesn't really need
one."
"Nothing special. I just want to have it ready for when she needs
it."
"What Toy?" He repeated.
"Um, " I mumbled down to the ground. " A Barbie."
"Ah What? Did you just say Barbie? She is not
going to be playing with Barbies for many years yet.
You are joking right?"
"AH, well, really," I mean what do you say here?
Should I come clean and say the Barbie is for me
and Rowan is just my scapegoat or do I make
something up. I mean it is pretty hard to explain my
need for a Barbie or a Rainbow Brite doll to an
adult, even more so to a male adult. So I stammered and
made up a silly excuse about a sale and he gave me the
there will be other sales speech and I ended up with
no dolls are all. Now after all that you can imagine my
surprise when last week I went to grab the mail and there
was a box there. In the box was a what? Yes, you guessed
it, a Rainbow Brite Doll! I was delighted and was giggling like
some kind of maniac as I tore into it. Rowan sat in her high
chair just staring at me for I am pretty sure she thought her
Mommy was loosing her mind. Andrew walked in and I was
still giggling and he demanded to know what was wrong with me
and I couldn't tell him about the doll so I told him Rowan had
been making some funny faces. John walked in and took one
look at me then walked over and grabbed the doll, turned around
and gave it to Rowan.
The Horror!

I didn't even get to play with her hair or anything. They have
pretty hair too! I got one of ( Okay, Rowan got) the new ones
and out of the dolls they have today one has pigtails, another
a pony tale but the pony tale is the one I like for she has
little hair ties and you can style their hair in different ways. When
I had my own dolls and didn't have to share with Rowan I didn't
have cool little accessory's like that. The New Rainbow Brite dolls
are celebrating their 25th anniversary and they all have an up-dated
look. Hey, I got a make-over at 25 too! They still have their classic
bright colors but they are just brighter and the 10 inch dolls are
made better and given a brand new wholesome look. They all have
removable fashion accessory's and you can also get their companion
horses and let me rephrase that, you have to get the horsey for
they are just too cute. Rainbow Brite is an Icon for many people
and now with their new look and zest for life they are sure to
be an Icon for many kids today. Rowan loved her baby for she
is at the age where all dolls and stuffed animals are babies and
she has to hug and kiss each one. Now I have to beg that little
girl for a Hug and the plastic dolls get one free of charge. Now
like I said, Rowan loves hers but is still a little young to really play
with it and I can totally see a little girl a couple of years older
going nuts for these 3 little dolls for they are darling. And if the
doll itself isn't enough to keep your little Princess busy for hours
the web site is. Rainbow Brite is a division of Hallmark and via
their site you can get to the Rainbow Brite page where there are
loads of activities and things for your girls to do. The site has
games and activities and animation and tells you all about the
girls and is just a good way to have some fun! The dolls we
have is just too cute and is a great gift for any little girl. Toss
in a Horse to go with her and you have a Birthday gift or Easter
gift your little darling will never put down! Now these ladies
may have hit the scene 25 years ago but they are still stars and
shinning bright!

The folks over at Rainbow Brite also have a doll for one of
my readers. To enter just head over to their home at Hallmark
and take a look around then come back here and post what you
liked best! The contest will start tonight and run to Midnight on
April 20th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.


Rainbow Brite




Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.


1. Become a follower of my blog or Twitter
and post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.


2. Enter any of my other contests. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.


3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.


4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.


5. Tweet about this contest. 5 entries
please post five times.


Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Mommy Tool Box and Port a Pong Contests!

What little girl does not like to be a Princess? I
mean Daddy always treat their little girls like one
but sometimes they need just a little more. Little
boys like to play in the yard and get all down and dirty
and little girls like to play pretend and wear Mommy's
shoes and dress like a star. In fact dress up was
one of my favorite things to do. I still remember to
this day a pair or red, white and blue patten leather
boots my mother had that went up to her knees and
my thighs or higher. The were so 60 with thick soles
and she had a jacket to match or at least pretty close
and I loved to dress in it. Now my mother was not
a dress person but she had the hippy styles down
pat and some pretty neat goodies there to get into.
My Grandmother was Mrs Dress but even then I knew
her taste and mine we not the same. Nothing she had
resembled a Princess or Movie Star in anyway so I
never had the hankering to wear her dresses but I hit
up her Jewelry Drawer as often as I could and she had
no problem passing on old beaded Necklaces to me
to wear. Now these were the good old seventy's so when
we played dress up we made do with hand me downs and
our Moms closet but now a days things have really changed.
Costumes are so affordable and you can get Crowns and
Tiera's at the dollar store and even some little plastic
high heels. Dressing up and Playing pretend has gone
to a whole other level and the Kitchen sets look better
then my real one and you can buy ready made boxes
of outfits and accessory's fit for well, a Queen! Even
Birthday party themes have got into the act. For Andrews
first and Second Birthday I hired a clown and then a
magician and the kids had a blast that way but for
Rowan I can have a Birthday party in a box where all
the little girls dress up as Princesses or Fairy's or
even just pile on the glam. It all comes right to you door
and you just let the people know how many guests will
be there. Too bad I do not know many little girls ( maybe
1!) and I am going to have a hard time convincing Rowans
cousins to dress up as a princesses when they are all
Princes!
One of my things I insist on doing for Rowan and I
am sure it every little girls dream is to buy a Vanity for her
room and a Wardrobe and fill it with Dresses and outfits
for her to wear and play in. When we move it will be the
first thing I work on and I have already started collecting
outfits now. I would also love an old steamer trunk to
put her little dress up shoes in and some old fashioned
hat boxes and can't wait to the summer so I can hit some
garage sales to look for those items and handfuls of costume
Jewelry. If the house we buy has a large enough basement I
am going to add building a stage to John's Honey Do list
and I am going to borrow some of the concert lighting for
the show! Now I know I am going over board with the
basement but you got to remember a couple of things,
yes, she will be spoiled. I have waiting a lifetime for a little
girl and I was a tomboy myself then later in life wished I
did some more girly stuff so this is my chance to fix
that with her. The other is the Stage would get more then
just Rowan for a user for John's band Practices all the time
and they do it at his brothers now but it is an hour drive
so if he had the basement all set up they could do it here
instead. Right now we live in a Condo so the basement is
not very large and Andrew's room takes up most of it. The
new house will have him back in a Bedroom for he will
only be there a year or so before he is off to school and
a dorm so he will no longer crave 700 square feet of roaming
room to call his own. This means I can have the basement
back we used to use as a rec room and I plan on claiming
a little part of it for Rowan and I!

My hunt for dress up clothes has been long but
unlike other long searches this one has been fun. Where
else do you get to check out costume shops and novelty
shops and vintage dress boutiques and browse through all
the spectacular dresses and dream about being a princess
yourself. Then when your Hubby asks what you did all
day you get to play it off like it isn't how you
really want to be spending your time and make the
Hubby feel bad for doubting you and say since you are
working so hard for other people why don't you find a
little something for yourself? See, a twofer! I have went to
a lot of vintage stores looking for dresses and though I have
found some really beautiful items I had a big problem with
finding ones that were anywhere near a child's size. Long
gone are the days where Parents dress their children in
formal clothes and it really isn't any fun for the kids to
go and play dress up with a dress they can find on the
rack at Kohl's right now. They want glamor and style and
long flowing skirts and pink taffeta and Empire waists.
I also checked out the little kits at the store and found
a few that were super sweet and grabbed them. The problem
there isn't that they don't fit or make her feel like a princess
and there are only like 5 styles. I want her to be able to
play dress up and have a selection. To be able to play
with her little friends and not all have to wear the same
outfit. I have done some awesome reviews for a couple
of places that sell Tu Tu's and those are coming up but
I still had the dress issue. Then I thought, why at
Halloween they have tons and I mean tons of costumes
that are not only a Princess but a flapper, a rock star, a
Fairy, a hippy. Why you can find clothes for every single
theme you can imagine and more. If your child even thinks
about becoming an Astronaut for 32 seconds before moving
on to a Cow Girl or Boy you can encourage their dreams by
getting them an outfit to help hold their attention just a
little bit longer.

Long gone are the days when Mom spent her twilight
hours working on that perfect costume for her little
trick or treat-er. Or even kids who made it themselves,
for I remember working for weeks on a cardboard box that
I transformed into a TV when I was like 8 or 9. The bummer
there is when I finally got to wear it the weather did not
agree and it started to pour. By the time I got home I
was covered in poster paint and in tears. Now you
can just hit an Internet site or walk into a store and get
everything you need, the dress, the accessory's and the
thrill of wearing it, all in one little kit that costs less then
a pair of shoes at Pay less. I could not believe my friends,
a lot of whom swear they know everything, did not refer
me to a costume shop when I was asking them over and
over again for ideas on where to get clothing to start building
a dress up collection for Rowan. I went crazy for a week
making a list of themes I wanted to get for her ( we must
remember folks, Rowan is still a baby, this is my quest not
hers right now!) and ended up with over 130 different styles
I wanted to cover. Why that would be a fantasy closet every
little child could dream of! Now I was not going to buy them
all at once for I have about 2 years before she will even
get around to asking but I know a lot of you have kids who
like to do this now. Further more I did check out some retail
stores that sell dress up wear but boy were they pricey and
a costume store not only has a wider selection they
also don't break the bank!

I searched a ton but I got hung up on Costumes for Less!
When you go to their web site right in the corner it says they
have everything and boy, they were not joking. I found
everything on my list plus added a bunch more! I also
cracked up for they have the largest line of Pet costumes
I have ever seen and since Rowan and Boo are so close......
well, let's just say I feel bad for that little pooch sometimes!
There were 2921 outfits in the Children's section alone and
Rowan could have dreams of being anything from a doctor to
Little Miss Muffet and more! I was so impressed I wrote them
and let them know that I planned on sharing this find with
my readers and they sent an outfit for review. I was sent an
Adorable Princess dress that has twinkle lights in the skirt.
I was just about drooling as I opened it and floored with
the quality. I just didn't expect it to be so nice for the
price it was listed at. Plus, it has twinkle lights! Now
it is a little large for Rowan to wear right now, like I said
Baby, not ready for dress up unless it is to humor mom,
but when she is ready that little baby will be the sharpest
princess in the court! The have costumes that range in
price from $7.95 cents all the way up to $195.00 and
your child can be anything from a Jedi to Raggedy Anne,
a Zoo Keeper to Wonder Woman. Kings, Queens, Zorro
and a Bee! The list would go on for ever. I have flat out
decided that this is the way to go and Costumes for Less
has saved me more time then I care to admit for I would
have looked from one side of the Earth to the other before
I found a store half as good as this one. Did I mention
the Twinkle Lights? No longer do we have to wait to
Halloween to encourage our children's dreams and Fantasy's
for at these prices your kids can try on a new dream whenever
they get the urge! Costumes for less can also meet your
Halloween and Party needs too, after all that is what they
were built for and offers literally thousands of choices from
Infants and Pets to Adult. For Halloween you can find daring
and sexy for Mom a Couch Potato to highlight Dad's in
the natural world and Pooch can be part of the fun by
dressing up like the little devil she already is! Already
have the costume but its just missing that certain something,
something? They have you covered there are well with loads
of accessories that can add the frosting to any cake! Now you
don't have to be a nut case like me and go all out to have a
dream dressing room for your child that rivals a Hollywood
movie set but if you are looking for something for your
kids, something for a costumes party's or just ideas for
next Halloween, Costumes for less has a vast selection
of great items all at a reasonable prices and they have it
year round! My review of costumes for less may be coming
to an end but my opinion of them is threw the roof and
I will be shopping there for many years to come! Who knows,
next time I tell you my kids and the pooch are acting like
Monsters it might just be because they are! Grrrrrrrrrr!
Costumes for less for also kind enough to offer a costume
of their choice for your little girl or boy! Did I mention mine
came with twinkle lights? To enter just head over to their
site and take a look around then come back here and post
what costume you like best in a comment. You never know,
that could be the costume you win! The contest starts tonight
and will run to midnight on March 19th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Costumes for Less


Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.

2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.

3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.

Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Lyons Creations and Snow Stoppers Contests!

ZIpppppppppppppppppppppp
Zinggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
Zoommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Zipppppppppppppppppppppppp
Back and forth and round and round. Up and down the
side walk and all the way to school. That was my son the
first time he got a pair of Heely's. He wore his first pair
to death and I must admit, as a Mom, there was nothing
more funny then to sit on porch on a warm summer day
and watch him and his friends zip on by! Kids just love
these things and can't get enough of them. Andrew has
gone through 4 pair now and the last I bought in a size
12 Men's. Yes he is 16 and yes he still wears Heely's
and yes they make them in adult sizes! Why?
Because they are pure fun, that's why!

Even I have had my eye on a pair for I was a skating
Princess in my hey day and have a pair of skates I still
wear every once in a while. Heely's are the perfect thing
for someone like me who likes to take the kids up to
the park and skate on the tennis courts for it is about
a mile away and my little tootsies would be sore if I
wore my plain old skates all that way to the park. With
Heely's I can just pop in the wheels when I get there.

What do you mean you don't know what a Heely is?

Where have you been, they are everywhere and they
are only the coolest shoe ever. Says Mom! If I let
the kids tell you it would be more like RAD! BOMB!
That's Hot! Or is that just Paris Hilton? Heely's have
literally "popped" up everywhere you look! To explain
what a Heely is to you is simple. You take a Roller Skate
or Skate Board and then a Tennis Shoe and add a little
bit of a Jack in the Box twist and you have a Heely. They
are some super stylish fashionable and dang popular
Tennis shoes. Then they have a wheel that you can
"Pop" in or "Pop" out at will that turns your everyday
in-Vogue sneaker into a roller skate. The wheel goes in
the heel and you just lean back a little and roll! When you
are not using them you pop the bottom back and and keep
your wheels in a handy dandy travel back and you are off
and running. Literally! Your kids will clean their room
spotless every day for months with the mear hint that if
they do they will get some Heely's. At least that is how
it works with Andy! A few weeks ago I was once again
browsing their selection for I already discovered they have
them in adult sizes and I was wondering how small they
ran for with Rowan getting ready to walk soon I know it
won't be long before she is also ready to roll. You know she
is going to want some with Big Brother zipping on by around
her. I went to their site and first word out of my mouth is
"Wow' for they have some of their new line posted and
I was delighted to see more feminine styles for I love all
things that scream girl and they have us little ladies covered
in every way this year! I love pink and the Brooklyn rocks
it and the Street Hi is right behind. They have every kind
that your kids could want and some more subtle styles
for us adults who like to put on a smooth front then
go nuts at the park! There is also a Pro-Model for the
serious Heelers! Andrew likes to think he is an all-star
but at the park I have seen some kids that look like they
were born with these things attached to their feet. Things
that they can do defy gravity. While searching I found that
you can get a Heely's in a size one, child's, so Rowan will
be rolling around before long and I learned several other
things about Heely's I will share with you in a minute
for I never took the time to really check them out before
because with Andy he was old enough to tell me what he
wanted to a T and I just followed suit. I was wondering since
I have been doing this review thing for you guys for a while
now, how a Heely would stand up compared to another shoe?
Before I started weeding out the trash out there and posting
all sorts of good things for you guys, so unlike me and the
years I bought trash due to lack of knowledge, you would
not have to suffer the same fate, I never looked at details. Now
when I shop a huge laundry list of things go through my head
and I am pretty much dissecting things in the store for from
this day forward I will always get the best product my money
can buy. So I say: Self, you never really looked at a pair
up close and personal for Andrew is out the door with his
before the box is even out of the bag. Isn't it time!
I wrote to them and told them my saga and Heely's rolled
me away with their kindness and eagerness to let me and
my readers know that there shoe is not only as good as any
other tennis shoe on the market they have perks too!










I was sent a pair for review and unfortunately they are too
small for me and Rowan is too young so I borrowed a
friend of mines daughter to do the test. Before I gave them
to her I had some stuff I wanted to do. I put a mark on the sole
to check for wear and also the wheel. I wanted to see for
Jenna is a hyper little diaper and I know these would be
Rollin around a lot and I wanted to see just how they held
up. Lets see, I got them Saturday and dropped them off and
then back this afternoon, so 4 or 5 days of steady wear,
and a lot of wear for I promised her another pair if she wore
these to death for me, I got them back. They looked new. In fact
I didn't even bother with a before and after for you really
could not tell. Now the Wheels have marks from the pavement
but nothing that I would call wear. You can't take any shoe
outside and then say it was never worn. Outside leaves a
mark. The Heely's looked great though and I thought about
Andy's. I replace his about every year in a half and for every
day shoes I replace them once every three months. Now he
does not wear them much in the winter but come warmer
months he wears them daily and that isn't too shabby.
My final word on durability of wear, they rock! ( It has to
be said, and ROLL!)

I wanted to see how they held up for cleaning next. I
removed the wheel and the cover plate and tossed them
in the Washer, now once again, I will tell you, I do not
check instructions on items I wash. There is no point
for even if something says Dry Clean only, handle with
silk gloves or touch at your own risk, I still wash it for
at my house everything makes it in the laundry sooner
or later.It is just a fact of life and I like to know before
hand if that will be the last time I see it. The Heely's
made it through the wash fine, better then fine, even
the little bit of street wear washed away. Now I won't
promise you a dryer for I have a fear of putting anything
other then clothes in a dryer for pliable things like
sneakers tend to distort with heat and even I won't risk
that. But washer, spin cycle away! I also got them muddy
in the yard and then took a bleach spray bottle ( the pre-
made kind not straight) and they wiped clean like
a champ! No wonder why Andrew doesn't rip through
these like he does his Converse and Van's. Heely's are
made to last!
So what did I learn here?
1. Heely's wear as well if not better then a standard shoe.
2. Heely's clean up perfect!
3. Heely's come in sizes from 12 to 12, children to adult.
4. They are an absolute blast!
5. I bribed a 6 year old and now need to order a pair myself!
6. They Rock ( and ROLL) it just had to be said again.

I also had a chance to check out their web site and
they have some really neat and cool tips for skating and
a guide for learners so soon you can be rolling around with
the best of them. The Learn to skate guide has basics, tricks,
grinds and stalls and verts ( um, not sure what they were but
the boy said yeah, cool! So I am assuming its really good!)
and they also have Team Heely's with info on teams near
you so you can see some of the amazing feats they can do
with these little ditty's and also your own little amazing feat
makers can join a team too! Now I may be bored watching
Andrew at the Skeet Range but this, this, I could really get into!
So if you live here, Russia or Brazil, Heely's are here to
stay, so get with it Mom and Dad and join in the fun! They
are also a great gift for your little Valentine or even Dad to
get his butt off the couch! Final word is what guys?
You got it, they ROCK AND ROLL!

Heely's has truly been great to work with and said
they hope my readers liked learning about them just
as much as I loved doing the review. To make the pot
a little sweeter they have offered to give one of my
readers a pair of their own! One winner will just let me
know what size and they will be Rollin away with the
prize! To enter head over to their site and take a look
around then come back here and post what the coolest
thing was in a comment. The contest will start tonight
and run to March 16th at Midnight!
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Heely's


Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.

2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.

3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.

5. Follow Heely's on twitter. 5 entries, please
post 5 times!

 6. Follow me on twitter on post about
Heely's. 5 entries, please post 5 times!

Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Pepper and Tanky and Bebe Soleil contests!

Don't forget to check out Heely's on my
Valentines Day Gift Guide.