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
5 times. You may only do this one time!
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
day per new blog post! For each Daily entry
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!

Rowan is now a bath nut! Love, love, loves
them! It is all I can do not to drag her little butt out
every night kicking and screaming. She has a blast sitting
in there playing with her little toys and the dog is right
there with her. But the dog is not the only animal watching
my little angel take her bath, she also has a ducky and
a couple of Squirting Whatzits and now her Narwhal that
floats around on his own little Iceberg. She Adores it
and I love the fact it doubles as a sponge and not only
keeps her company it gets her all shiny and clean.
Her Narwhal was part of a gift set we had the chance
to review from Perennial Toys.
Perennial Toys is this awesome little store that is
dedicated to the education of our children and their main
desire to educate them on the Habitats of animals that
are not going to be around much longer if we do not take
action now. The best way to save an endangered species
is to teach our children why they are important and what
we can do as a civilization to help preserve and protect
their informants now. Perennial's main focus is on aquatic
habitats and to help save them they have created a whole
line of Eco-friendly toys and gifts where a portion of
Perennial's proceeds goes into supporting wildlife conservation
efforts. I can't think of a better way to accomplish a bunch
of tasks in one swoop. Teach your child and entertain them
and keep them happy and clean and feel good about helping
a just cause in the process. Talk about a sweeping gesture!
Perennial has books and gift sets to help the cause
and not only are they really reasonably priced they have
some fantastic products. The starter set Rowan received for
review came with the Narwhal that doubles as a sponge
and works like a charm and the floating Iceberg, a flexible
magnet and also a mini Coloring book. Everything I just listed
for under ten bucks and I can't express enough how good
of a deal that is. The starter set comes in the Narwhal
and a Polar Bear and also a King Eider. Other products
they have are the Full Gift sets and Pails that are more
then adorable and there is also the make your own set,
where you can pick and choose and create a set for any
situation. The web site itself is not only informative but
fun and has some coloring pages and links to loads of
resources and events and some pretty great contests that
are going on. If you are looking for a way to help save
some Animals that are in dire need or just save yourself
some headaches at bath time with a Sponge that JR won't
mind using to get clean, go on over and check out
Perennial Toys for a great solution to both of those
situations! Rowan has been swimming with a smile and
a whale ever since we did!

Perennial Toys!

There are certain things going on in your
child's life you have no control over no matter how
tight your grip may be. The things in your children's
life we can't charge we need to accept as apart
of their life for there is no point stressing over
something that is out of your hands. Even the most
well intentioned parents have to go through this rationalization
for no matter how much you read or research a subject
of how many safety items you buy or early education
programs or toys that have bells and whistles and
do pretty much everything but pat your child on the
back and go, "Nice little Baby there, you are the best."
No matter how much advice you receive you still will
never be able to plan out your child's life, choose
who or what they Love or stop them from growing
up.

Let's talk about things they Love real fast. It
is easy to see Rowan Loves her Mommy and
Daddy and worships her Brother and the Dog has
went from being my sons Dog to my Baby to
now being completely devoted to Rowan. This same
Dog I worried so desperately over the fact that she
was totally attached to me that once Rowan got
here she would be jealous and not want anything
to do with her. I was even worried she would be
mean to the baby and though in my heart I knew
Boo would never hurt Rowan I thought she might
take out her frustration by destroying Rowan
belongings or trashing her room. Well that is a
concern I worried about for nothing. This same
Dog that only last year I had to chase around
the house and drag all 12 pounds of kicking,
squirming and sometimes growling fluff into the
bathroom for a bath and is now so devoted to
Rowan that she has to crawl into not only bed
with Rowan but the bathroom as well. For five years
she has only went as far as the doorway by
herself for me. Never once has she crossed
the threshold into the room of the bath but now that
Rowan is here she not only goes into the bathroom
she climbs up onto the rail of the tub and lays
there so she can make sure Rowan is okay while
she is in there. Feet and paws have even went
in the water and I am positive that come Summer
time Boo will be in the tub with that little girl and
my new problems will no longer be getting her in
the tub but getting them both out. Just as Rowan
and Boo have chosen their loyalty and Love for
each other Rowan has been busy developing her
taste and Love of other things as well. She has
chosen foods she eats while ignoring other ones
completely and has also picked toys she loves and
tossed others to the curb. Those expensive ones
I bought with all the educational value and lights
and bells and gadgets and Gizmo's has been abandoned
for simple items such as a couple of dolls and a
stuffed animal or two and a box filled with little
plastic boxes. Nothing I have given her that I
was 100 percent sure she would love to have
for the multitude of commercials and books and
magazines I have read told me she would go
crazy for has made the final cut. The toy I am
going to tell you about now I received as a review
item and if you were to look at it you would
never imagine how much a little girl can Love it.
It doesn't look like any doll you have ever
seen before. It barely looks like a doll at all. When
I saw it I thought it was cute but like Novelty cute.
I never imagined in a million years this would be Rowans
all time favorite Doll. That she would carry this Doll
everywhere she went and not be able to sleep without
it. I never thought she would go so far as to rip it
out of my hands if I touched it without her knowing
or even handing it to me. Why? Why is this doll so
special? Honestly I still don't get it. It has no pretty
hair to braid or play with. In fact it has no hair at
all. There are no girly clothes to change and you can
not dress her in one item or another for just like the hair
she is lacking clothes altogether. So if it isn't really a Doll
is it a stuffed Animal? Nae, I wouldn't go there either
for it lacks fur and isn't really a soft cuddly type deal
either. The item I am referring to is called an Aminal
Doll. To me, looking at it, I am reminded of my
7th grade Home Ec product where you had to sew a
pillow and it never turned out like it was supposed to.
The other thing it reminds me of is early art work of
mine. Take the two and put them together and that would
be what I am reminded of the most. Aminal Dolls are a
completely organic doll that comes in either a human form
or that of an Animal. Neither are an exact copy of either
for they look like a kindergartner made them. There in lays
the charm. I also believe that is why Rowan loves hers
so.

Now I am not implying for a second that just because
they look like a 4 year old invented them that they are
constructed in the same fashion for I assure you that
these are put together extremely well. This little girl drags
it everywhere and I do not use the word drag as a metaphor,
I mean she drags it everywhere. Since her main mode of
transportation is crawling her Baby is drug behind her almost
everywhere she goes. It has also been drug around by the
dog, tossed in the wash repeatedly and drooled on, spilled
on, sticky baby I have no idea what the goo is and
tugged, pulled and shook-en and holds up like it is made
of a super alloy. It is the toughest baby in the world. The
whole thing is completely Organic as well and the material
itself is rugged and tough. Like I said, not really very dollish.
But boy does Rowan love her baby who ironically enough
is referred to as the Momey Doll and not a baby at all.
I believe that a genius created this doll. A true genius who
was able to sink to the level of a small child and see the
world through their eyes. That is exactly what this doll
looks like. What a child would make had they they ability
to create their own. The creator of the aminals line must
have taken a look at their own child's artwork and rendering
of their family and brought them into a 3 dimensional world.
Memories of a trip to the Zoo or an old nature channel
show are now stuffed and portable and ready to go. If
you want to see your child's face light up as bright as
the Sun in the sky hand one of these guys to them
and sit back and watch. Apply some sunscreen, you are
going to need it. I don't think I have seen a child under
5 not break out into an all out grin yet. Now this was
a review I was happy to do and Rowan hasn't been the same
since. Every night when we go to bed she now needs three
things, her Music player, her Violate from Leapster and her
momey doll from Aminals!

Aminals!

A lot of people would flip out if the saw Andrews
room. Not all for the same reasons for most Moms would
flip out at how dirty it is, I know I do! Ask Andrew and
he will tell you just how "Dramatic" I can be when it
comes to stressing the point on how dirty his room is and
how much I can't tolerate it. But that isn't really what
I am talking about. What I mean was Children and pretty much
any kind of person who gets into build sets such as Lego's
and Duplo and Mega Blocks and K'nex would ball like a baby
if they saw what he had. For about 6 years straight Andrew
had passion for 2 things, Building sets and die cast cars.
Now the cars he liked but wouldn't dream about or get all
crazy over. By the time he was a teenager that fad was also
just about over. What he is left with is about 300-400 Hot wheels
and Match Box cars. The things there is the cars always were
good for bribe items, you know like be good while Mommy is
in her meeting and you can have a Hot wheel on the way home.
Also Stocking stuffers and Easter basket fillers. He also had
a knack for finding them at every garage sale we ever went to
and for about a year there they had them in McDonald Happy meals
and his school, believe it or not, rewarded the kids who got
stars every day with McDonald's for lunch every Friday and
then of coarse we stopped there at times as well. So that
collection grew without him even trying. Now other boys liked
more then one thing, most have a whole list of items they
are into. Action figures, sports stuff, videos, big old trucks
and so many other things. Not Andrew. Now he liked videos but
from the time he was young he was into older movies and music
and instead of having a wish list of Movies he wanted for Holidays
he was always into ours asking if he could watch this or that.
The same with Music. Real little time was spent, a bit with Barney
and that passed on his second Birthday for he got his first
set of Duplo Blocks. After that. Look out, because he never
looked back. Andrew was also the only child for about 15
years and not only was he the only child he was the only
Grandchild and only Great Grandchild. Spoiled does not define
that. Spoiled is what he starts his week with, he ends it on
a much higher note. I also have to admit I was a big part
of that as well. I bought him a Toy every single week and
on Holidays I went insane. I was a single, working mother
and had a chip of guilt on her shoulder large enough to
sink a small steam ship. Working 50-60 hours a week and another
10-15 drive time left little for us and on my day off we spent
it totally together on what we called "Date night" and how
that went was while he was a school I ran errands and always
stopped to pick him up a toy then I would grab him from
school and we would go to a nice dinner and do it up pretty
big there and while we waited for our food we would put
together his toy and then a Movie. After that we went home and
curled up on the couch together and snacked on left overs.
It was the same every week so that adds up to 52 toys a year
from me not including Christmas, Easter and his Birthday.
Translation, 52 plus Lego, Mega Block and K'nex sets a year
and that was only from me. No Grandmothers or Dads hat in
the ring yet. For Holidays he could have 20 plus sets alone
as gifts. Why would people flip out when they entered Andrews
room? Simple. Do you know those plastic Storage containers?
You used them for stashing your Christmas decorations or
off season clothing or a million other reasons. Well he has
about 20 of the large large ones (100 Quart up to 132 quarts)
filled with nothing but those building sets. He has the
entire line of Lego's, Mega Block and K'nex that were on the
market from 1995 to around 2004. Every single product they
made. Not only does he have that it got to be smilier to
when you read a certain author and you are waiting for a
new release. He was jumping at the bit when a new one came
out and toward the last couple of years he would wait for
months during the year and have all his money saved so when
they release new items he would snap them up. That was great,
he was really on top of it for a elementary child and JR
High school kid but that made it super tough for the rest of
us at Holiday time and we were forced to get creative and
had to get him collectors sets from Hobby shops that have
been out of production for years and his Father even went
so far as to buy some items over seas that were not available
in the United States. In total Andrew has around 800 sets of
these items.
800!
Do you know how many pieces that is?
We did try to get him interested in other toys. In fact just
to break the mold one Christmas, when we could not find a single
set he didn't have we knew he liked Star Wars so we bought him
an R2D2 Robot. This thing was cool and it really was a robot. It
costs a small fortune but we really wanted him to have another
interest. He was getting into video games by then but still all
he asked for was this building sets. So we got the Robot. We
really thought he would love it. This thing patrolled the perimeter
of your room, would dance and was interactive and what I thought
was adorable was if you said the name Darth Vader it would do R2's
little "Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" scream and shake all over.
There couldn't have been a cooler toy out there and Christmas
come and he opens it, says thank you and then asks if he got
any K'nex.
WOW!
Now I wish I could say he has grown out of it. He has and he hasn't.
The has part means he no longer only wants them. He is now really
into computers too but if he has extra cash he will still buy one.
At almost 17 if you give him one as a gift he will still get a lot
more excited then if you give him concert tickets or a CD or a video
game. I honestly don't think he will ever "get over" them and for
years I have asked him if he would like to sell his to make room
for other things and he always says sure, I will find some I don't
want and then never do it. I have even told him how much money he
could get and it is A LOT and still no interest in parting with them.
When I got this next review letter I just about keeled over. Andrew
would go nuts. Now I expected a set or two, maybe even one of the
mid-sized ones. I don't know if you guys are familiar with building
sets but they pretty much come in 3 sizes, give or take. A small one,
a mid-sized and then a large. They also have the WOAH MAMMA ones but
but not every collection has that. That is the other way they are broken
down, collections. So I am thinking a couple of smalls or a mid-sized
one. Now, I could not think of a better person, or one more qualified
to judge a building kit from K'nex then Andrew so when he got home
I told him. Half way through letting him know though I did stop and
say what they send might be one of the sets made for the younger kids
so don't get too excited and he didn't care. It has been over a year
since he has gotten any and he was jones'n for a fix. As of last year
Andrew has only wanted cash as a gift since he was saving for his
Gaming computer and budgeting is a tough thing to do and Andrew has
learned you can no longer buy everything when you want something
big and expensive. He just finished his computer around Christmas
but he hasn't been able to work with his Dad and earn some money
yet since so a K'nex set in the mail was a big deal for him. I told him
it would be a while and that took some of the air out of his sails but
he was still geeked. Well, I thought it would take a while and was I
wrong. K'nex is lightening fast. I spoke with them on a Thursday and
the start of the next week it was here. I almost keeled over. AND
not from the delivery time. My UPS man and I are pals. He is the
nicest guy in the world. He has brought stuff in my house clear down
stairs before and anything heavy he will wait to I answer the door for
if I don't he brings it back later so he can carry it in. He also does
the same if it is raining. Light stuff he is really careful with and
he always rings the bell and knocks to let me know he is here and
waits, even when he is in a rush. So I hear the truck pull up and
I am in the middle of giving Rowan a bath so I rush to the window
and throw it open and when he hops out of the truck I yell down
to him to just leave it on the porch today. He stops for a minute
and tells me he isn't sure he should its pretty heavy and I holler
back not to worry John should be back any minute. I get the hat
tip and back to the bath. About 20 minutes later I went to check
in case there were some light boxes I could grab.
OH, My, ( Pause and breath)
This is, ( breath again)
THE BIGGEST( some more breathing)
BOXXXXXXXXXXX I have ever seen!
Now I have seen some boxes, aside from reviews I do all my shopping
on-line for the most part. I just don't get around well. Walking the dog

is one thing, I know my limits but they frown when you sit down in
the middle of a mall. I get as many as 5 to 20 packages a day but
this is hugeeeeeeeeee. I am thinking to myself what in the world could
be coming that is that big. I have not a clue. At least not that big.
I carried the other boxes in and I knew I could not wait for John to
come home I would die of curiosity. I drag it in and rip into it.
K'nex!

she did not send me a few items, she sent me a few of every item they
had that year. All of them. 13 different items. Talk about shock. And Now
I had to sit down and catch my breath for a minute I was so
overwhelmed I had no idea what Andrew was going to do. This was
Christmas. Heck, better then Christmas for a boy as in love with
them as much as he was. Inside this box were:

 Kick it Elmo

Swim Time Ernie,

Cookies Monsters, Basketball

 And for loose sets there were
Fire Rescue 10 Model Set
350 piece K'nex Value set


Construction crew: Backhoe
Excavator
Steam Roller
Front Loader




The Microbots Speedy
Scooter
Crawler
Hopper
When Andrew came home and saw the pile on the floor I thought he
was going to keel over. I had to block him at the door to the kitchen
to explain the ground rules too him. All he had on his mind was getting
to the K'nex. I explained he had to make at least one from each series
in front of me so I could see how it was made and how difficult it was
and all sorts of info about the items I needed to know. I told him that this
was not going to happen all in one day for if Andrew had his way he
would have sat in the middle of the living room and tore open every
box and went to town. He would not have ate or slept to every single
one was done. If my son's love of these is not a spectacular endorsement
in itself I don't know what could be better. Here he is, almost 17 years
old and is still as infatuated with K'nex today as he was 15 years ago.
A better spokesman they will never find
For the review we are going to start with the Sesame Street
items we received. Andrew actually sat down with Rowan to build these.
Now she is too young right now to take part in the construction of the
K'nex but after watching and speaking to him, it will not be too
long before she will be able to. Now a lot of children don't understand
the concept of what piece goes where and Andrew was a rare exception
for he was putting together much larger kits by 3 and has some sort
of gift for you can give him a picture and the most complected set there
is and he will have it done in less then an hour. Andrew is determined
Rowan will like them just as much. Hey, it will be their middle ground.
For building it says ages 2 to 5 and they are right on the money. Rowan
being under that loves the pieces and tries to mimic her brother but
just does not understand how to make them stay together yet. Give her
a year and she will be building right along side of them. Now Andrew
had these together super fast so I don't think it would be a challenge
for the high end of that age range but it was still fun. Hey, a 16 year
old enjoyed himself. Now when they are built, look out. Rowan knew
right away that she knew these guys and demanded Andrew give them
to her. The fact they are Sesame Street is huge to that age range and
this would not only make a perfect gift, I feel as it is a spectacular
item for you to do with your children. Think of it as a craft. This
is something you can get down on the ground with the younger guys
and help them build. Not only will you be there to help them along
a build their own confidence it gives you a chance to connect with
them. I honestly think this would be one of the best things for Dad
and his little tyke to do for Dads are just uncomfortable with a lot
of craft projects and other things that create that team feeling between
you and your children. I loved this and Andrew and Rowan had a blast
building it together and it was like they had their own little secrete.
Once it is together, hey, this is a toy. The series goes from building
kit to cart around toy and Rowan loves her Elmo K'nex set as much as
she loves her Baby Doll. Value for your dollar? Priceless, you have
the entertainment value of building it and they fact that at their
age it is not the highlight, the complete product is and you also
get to spend time with your children doing something you will both
love. For the price they charge for these you are just not going to
get a better product that is as versatile and entertaining.
Next we did the Fire Rescue. Now that says ages 5 and up but Andrew
says, and I agree with him you can go a little younger for the pieces
are a decent size and since it is interchangeable they are going to
try and make their own creations as well and it is a great way to
encourage imagination. The fact that it is able to create 10 different
items and this truck a huge shelf life and Andrew tried all 10 and
then the fun really started for anyone a little older then 5 is going
to want to see if they can come up with a better design then K'nex did
and combine this from that design and that from another. If I had let
him he would have played with that one in general for the rest of the
night. Rowan was a little bummed though for she wanted in on the fun
and though the age range for that will have a blast playing with these
when they are fully built younger kids don't have the coordination
to handle them without them coming apart. This would make a perfect
gift for a budget for they will feel like they are getting something
super cool and you can afford it.
Value for your dollar? I loved the fact you are pretty much getting
10 toys for the price of one and as far as the kids go, a boy the most,
is going to be used a long long time. I don't see this one hitting
the toy box for a long time. My only complaint isn't really a complaint at all
but more of a suggestion, I would love it if they made something just like
this but with larger pieces for it is such a catchy toy and bright and i
nteresting and something kids identify with early and younger kids
would love it. Rowan lost interest in some of the other ones but this
had her undivided attention the whole time and
she wanted to play with it desperately.
After that we did the Collect and play Construction series and who can
say boy town? If you have a little boy this is the set to get. Snakes
and snails nothing, move that dirt and dig a hole this is where it is at.
Andrew loved it for boys love toys no matter what age and what I mean
by that is the older kids are going to love it for they have those
dreams of driving one themselves and they reach the younger side of
the 5 and up age. They are going to just plain love it. Watch out though for once
built it will be taken out to the dirt. They can't help themselves.
The really cool part is this has accessory's and when they collect them
all they can make their own construction site. Mom, buy all four and
then you might not have them tracking dirt across your floor! This
is one all ages and types of kids will love for it has mass appeal
and not only will it be a great gift it will be something great to
keep them busy in the Summer when they can take it outside.
Value for your dollar? Great deal here, affordable as all get out
and fun to collect. I would get them a little box to throw their
accessory's in for they will bum out if they loose them.
Next we did the Moto Bot series. For ages 7 and up and I would
stick with those guidelines. They need patience here though it
is not difficult it does take a little longer. This was one of
Andrews favorite though I have to warn you that it takes batteries.
It is worth it though, but the patience comes in when you collect
them all for it is a little more difficult to turn it into the
mega guy Battle Bot. The really cool part there is it is a 4
part set so when you are done you will have dueling Bots and
they will have a blast with their friends. Unlike a lot of the
sets this one is a set you can share or should I say it works
better when you do for how can you duel by yourself. It is also
a set that is great for a gift for that age when you are unsure
what to buy them. Got a Nephew who is 12 or 13 and you know they
are over kids items but not sure if they are ready for the teen
fads, this is a safe bet and they will love it. It is also
another fun thing for kids to do with their Dads, even more so if
they are on the younger age of that range for they might need Dad.
With all four they can also kick Dads butt!
Value for your Dollar? Real good, even with the batteries tossed in.
They can play with it without batteries but they do make it more
fun. Just don't feel pressured to rush out and keep replacing them
and tell the kids when they are practicing their skills leave it off
and when they are combating their Dads or friends then turn it on.
It is an all around cool toy though!


Last of all was the Value tub and what can I say. Andrew is still knee
deep in it and will be for a while. The tub is great for many reasons.
One, it promotes creativity for there are so many pieces they can make
just about anything they dream up. Two, it is nice to have around for
though the colors don't match Andrew has often lost a piece to a set he
loves and think of the tub as your own personal part store. Three,
it makes an awesome storage container for those kits that have too many
lost pieces to make but you don't want to throw away. No matter
what age the kids are they will have a blast with this, heck I sat
there and made stuff with this guy for it is just so tempting you
can't help yourself. Value for your Dollar? Um, it doesn't say value
tub for nothing. This truly is a must have item too for any child
that likes to create. Even girls will love it!


How did the review go? Fantastic. As a parent I am a huge fan of
K'nex in general. Not only because my son is the worlds largest K'nex
fan and believe it or not for many years that was his dream job, to
work for them, but because I think we owe it to our children to help
them develop their creativity and expand their minds. This is a toy
that is made to be used over and over and even when the instructions
are long gone it will still be played with and seldom will you see
K'nex in a toy box and what I mean by that is I consider the toy box
to be the kiss of death. When Andrews toys went in the box it was
because he was done with them. He may not be ready to give them
away but for all intensive purposes he is done playing with them. The toys
he loves he keeps on his shelf for easy access and his K'nex started
out there to he got so many he needed bins. For the money where else
are you going to buy a toy that grows with your child and they will
never tire of. Hey, you have two picks in that category, sporting
equipment and K'nex or building toys. It is just the perfect toy!


As a professional Product reviewer I was also impressed. Not only
with the product but with the company in general. They are going on
my top ten list for not only were they pleasant to deal with they
offer excellent support and customer service and were available
whenever I needed them. I enjoyed being a part of the review and
felt comfortable asking whatever I needed to for they made you feel
at ease. They stand behind their product and truly care that it is
the best possible item they can make and are always looking for ways
to improve themselves. Great company and great product. Not only do
they produce something that is reasonably priced and excellent quality
it is the perfect toy for all types of children and they do not dig
themselves into a niche. K'nex are also great for developmentally
challenged children and Attention Deficit for they are a great
tactile item and helps them develop coordination and patience.
I would love to get my hands on the Lincoln Logs and Brio for I have
never tried either but would imagine since K'nex themselves are so
spectacular they would be as well. K'nex and what they stand for
are tops on my list!


K'nex will be tops on one of your children's list too. One of
my lucky readers is going to win a K'nex gift pack that will make
your child scream. A box packed with sets! Yes, I said PACKED and
SETS! Who wouldn't scream. To enter just head over to the K'nex web
site and take a look around then come back here and post what item
you think your child would like best or hey, don't stop there, what do
you want to get your hands on! The contest will start tonight and
run to Midnight on April 30st.
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.


K'nex




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


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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!

BOX FOR BLOX
Got Kids?
Kids come with parts. Not just their own parts but parts
of everything they own. Annoying, numerous, tedious and all sized
parts. Want to know what a pain in the butt those parts can be?
Talk to any set of parents at 3 in the morning on Christmas
Eve after they spent the last 5 hours trying to put those parts
together. Better yet, walk in first thing Christmas morning and
hold out another toy that reads "some assembly" and tell them
you would have done it for them but it looks easy enough.
First duck, then run for that toy just might make its way
back to you. OR, buy them a huge Lego or mega block
kit and call them the morning after Christmas early so they
have to get out of bed and walk across the floor to answer
the phone. By the time they answer you will have had great
odds they will have stepped on one of those Lego pieces,
or ten on the way, then ask them how the toy went over.
I do have to warn you that if you try option number two you
should make sure that your life insurance policy is up to date
and you have been paying your premiums for you don't want to
stick someone with that bill, I heard funeral are expensive now
a days! The point I am getting at is any child's toy with parts
ends up being all over your floor and house and you are bound
to step on it long after they have lost interest in it.
Beads for necklaces and bracelets and Lego's are the
worst. Both of them hurt like all get out if you step on them
without shoes on. I have stepped on a few before and
it hurt so bad it brought me to my knees. Even worse, the
bottom of your foot is so sore and it hurts to walk on it for
weeks afterwords. Ouch and GRRRRRRR, all I want to
do is toss everyone in the trash when that happens. I have
bought more plastic bins that I can count for Andrew to pick
up his for he is a fanatic for Lego's and Mega Blocks and
K'nex and beg him to put them in there. He never does and
then I end up screaming at him and he still doesn't. Then
I beg, still no dice. I get to the point where I try to reason
with him and straight out ask him why and his answer is
always,
"Mom, if I put them all in that plastic bucket I will never be
able to find all the pieces. There are just too many and
I would have to dig forever to find the little ones!"
My reply is always,
" Then separate them and make one bin for each sized
piece."
His reply to that,
"Come on Mom, that will take forever!"
SO I end up doing it and it does take forever but the
pride of finishing it is enough to make my heart swell. Now
he has all his blocks organized and perfect and he can find
them when ever he needs them. Andrew walks in and sees
all of his pieces organized and the first words out of his
mouth are "cool, now I can remake ( insert whatever the
last building toy you child got) because I can find everything.
Then he proceeds to dump the boxes out. A day or two
later we are back to square one. Ugh! If only there was
a better way to sort them he might pitch in and help me
once in a while.
My next review IS such a way and a rocken way at
that! Box for Blox. This is another one of those Duh! I
could have thought of that products for hey, we could have.
Anyone with a boy or even a girl, Lego, Mega Block or
K'nex enthusiast knows what a pain in the hiney it is to
get your kids to pick them up. To keep them neat is even
harder yet and when you suggest to your kids that they do
the job they look at you like you are a leper.
Sort what?

Surely you are out of your mind to suggest such a thing.
Box for Blox makes it a painless task so simple your child
can't even come up with an excuse as fast as it take to
sort them. Box for Blox not only works to store your child's
Lego's and Mega Blocks it sorts them for them too. I swear
to all that is Holy!Are the pieces can hang out with all the
other sized pieces just like them!
What do they have to do?( or if you are at my house,
what do I have to do?)
Simple, just pick them up. Stack the Box for Blox the
correct way and the pieces will simply fall through layer
after layer to they get to the layer they belong on. There
are four trays that divide the pieces and
 the Box works like a charm. Once you
 put your pieces inside they naturally fall
 to the layer they belong on and you can
pick up the whole thing and store it for
the next time your kids play with it.
 The box holds loads of Lego's
and Mega Blocks and you can fit
anywhere from 1,500 to 1,800
Lego pieces and an exact number
would depend on what sized
pieces you have the most off.
Now Andrew has about ten times
that amount or more for he
collected them since he was
around 3 years of age and
still keeps an eye out for new
 ones now 13 years later!
Realistically they can't make
 a box any bigger then the size
it is now for the weight alone
 would be staggering. If
you have more blocks then that just order more then one
or do what we did. You know those plastic tubs I told
you about? We used the Box for Blox to sort them and
then just dumped the trays into the bins. It was so simple
to use that even Andrew has kept up with it and he has
even used the Lego's a few times since he had the box so
there have been real pieces to practice on. In all this time
not once did I have to fight with him to the point of wanting
to pull my hair out to get him to pick them up. In fact I
didn't have to ask him at all because it was so cool watching
all the Lego's fall to the right level he did it all on his own.
The Box also has him playing with his Lego's again and
hasn't really touched them in the last year for at his age
he is only into things that don't require clean up and they
have been sitting for quiet some time. Now they are back
out and he has never been happier.
The Box for Blox works for Lego's and Mega Blocks
and other similar sized block kits. It is 10 and a quarter
inches tall so it makes storing it a snap and I got a kick
out of the fact it even looks like a bunch
of giant Lego's stacked on top of each
other. Now I found that amusing
but what I didn't find amusing
was when Andrews Lego's
would get stuck in my Vacuum,
 now, HA HA, not so much
for they are in his box! The
price is right and the product
is perfect and I so wish they
had these when Andrew was
in his Lego Hey Day for I
wouldn't even want to think
about how many Lego's he
 lost over the years for the simple
fact is he never picked them
 up due to the hassle of putting
them away. Now they are stored
neatly on a shelf in his room
or stacked in the plastic tubs
 and Box for Blox has made
for one happy Mom and one
Happy boy and a whole lot
more peace in the house. They make a perfect gift for the
kids or better yet a gift for Mom and Dads everywhere for
we are the ones who get the best benefits from the box
with no more sore feet, no more ruined vacuums, no
more messy house and no more tears when little Johnny
can't find the last couple of pieces to his favorite Lego
set. These puppies are made in the USA and have been
featured in Woman's Day and right now you can order 2 and
save 10 bucks. Now that's a perk for me for I know I need
like 20 and I can rack up some savings! The Box for Blox
has also won the Best New Home Organizing Product and
rightly so for its my opinion the Box for Blox Rocks!
You guys have a mess like I did? Box for Blox would love
to help. They are going to let one of my readers win one.
To enter just head over to their web site and take a look
around then come back here and post what you have learned.
The contest will start tonight and run to midnight on April 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 every day and then posting that you did here
and other ways to enter are posted below.


Box For Blox




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.


Box For Blox also has a monthly contest
going on via their site too so don't for
get to enter there as well!


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