Guess How Much I Love You (new line of toys)

May 1, 2014 by 6 Comments

My little boy loves his stuffed animals.  He also loves the book, “Guess How Much I Love You”, which we have been reading to him since he was a baby.  The modern classic, which was written in 1994 by British author Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram has sold more then 28 million copies- so if you have read it to your little love, you are not alone.

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My son has prints of the storybook on his wall in his bedroom, he loves the story so.  He and I often tell each other we love each other to the moon and back, and he likes to stretch his arms to see if they will go wider then mine.  When Kids Preferred came out with the new line of toys from the beloved book, he was thrilled.
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A Soft, Cuddly Bunny To Love

May 1, 2014 by 3 Comments

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What child doesn’t love a soft toy?  My son loves stuffed animals, they are one of his favorite toys.  One of the latest stuffed toys he has gotten is Baby Bo, the stuffed bunny from Ragtales.  The perfect size for little hands, he is soft and snuggly, with no buttons or eyes that will come loose and choke a child.  His eyes are sewn on, and he is adorable in every way.  Delivered in his own box, he is presented like a gift and will delight the child that gets to open him.

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“Just like the larger version of Bo our new Baby Bo Rabbit is just as lovable and will delight any child for many years to come. Baby Bo is made in the same gorgeous fur, has a weighted torso and comes with an embroidered identification patch on the sole of the paw. Baby Bo comes in a beautiful presentation box.” (Via Ragtales)
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Why You Should Travel With a PaddlePak

May 1, 2014 by 9 Comments

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We travel a lot.  My son loves to take his own backpack with him, although it usually ends up being carried by mommy. The first good thing about this backpack is that he likes to carry it- the Paddlepak Backpacks are adorable and lightweight.  The next most awesome thing about them is that they are water resistant- so when junior or the little miss spills all over it in the car or plane, the inside contents are safe.

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We have recently taken several trips with the PaddlePak backpacks, and will be using them as often as possible.  My son used his backpack at the pool, the beach, and island hopping on a Caribbean cruise.  The packs weathered the use with no problems, and did well on the plane and boat rides as well to carry snacks and toys.

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While I think these bags are perfect for beach and pool use, they are great for everyday travel as well.  Going to grandma’s?  Taking a road trip?  Maybe just going to the mall and need something to play with with someone has a try on party.  Pack up a few things into the Paddlepak, and move along.  There is room in the tails of the packs to store “treasures” like rocks and shells, or even your room card.  Kids love to put “stuff in stuff'” as we all well know, and it’s easy to find in the tail.  If your child still uses a pacifier, there is a spot on the padded shoulder straps to connect it to as well so you won’t lose it (how gross, finding it on an airport or restaurant floor!)
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Quick Fixes for Your Garden

May 1, 2014 by Leave a Comment

For many green-fingered people, their garden is a source of joy and pleasure and a place to spend hours of time perfecting and creating a little haven.

But what if you fancy a quick change? What if you want to do something different for visitors, or a party? What if you’re selling your house? What if you have a spare day or two but want immediate results?

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For plant growth and care, the likes of agrarianorganics.com is worth a visit. For further tips on quick fixes, here are a few, just to get you going:

1. Sometimes a simple rearrangement of furniture can add comfort to a garden. For example, moving chairs into a more central position and adding an outdoor table for drinks or food, potted plants in adjacent positions, or placing a fire pit near the centre, become talking points. The furniture doesn’t have to be the same theme either – a quirky chair or outdoor shelf sometimes grabs the eye. RealSimple.com provides inspiration for outdoor furniture, and advises:  “Make over a porch with a few items such as a day bed, potted plants, Chinese lanterns that will make the space comfortable and stylish. Thinking creatively can also help you stick to a budget. There’s no reason why a trunk from inside can’t step in as your outdoor coffee table.”

2. Paving slabs become worn with age or use, so a quick blast with a pressure washer can bring back the colors underneath. If that doesn’t work a big brush and some tile paint can add a whole new dimension, perhaps matching or contrasting with existing furniture. If a slab is cracked or badly worn why not cover it with a piece of furniture, or an outdoor mat?

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Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition

April 30, 2014 by 8 Comments

There are a ton of great tablets out there and to help you differentiate the good, the bad and the meh.  We at Have Sippy are taking a look at the Samsung Galaxy Not 10.1 2014 Edition.    This tablet has a huge screen, is responsive, easy to use, and fun.  It’s great even in the sun, has little to no glare, and has a great battery life as well.

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The Galaxy starts off with the familiar Galaxy Note 10.1.   The Galaxy Note starts with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.  With an impressive 2560×1600 WQXGA 4 million pixels display pictures and video look incredible and the size of the screen is almost.  Images are sharp, videos clear.  With a 1.9GHz Samsung Exynos 5420 Quad-Core Processor games and applications scream with speed.  Each app opens quickly and easily.  The tablet also has a 8M camera with flash and 2M full HD capabilities.  The camera does a good job and pictures are sharp video it can record at 30 fps in 1080p resolution.

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One of the most interesting aspects of the Galaxy Note is the S Pen.  The S Pen is like a super smart stylus.  Not only is it for dragging and clicking and writing but also navigation via the Air Command Menu.  With this menu users can get additional information about a  highlighted object with Air View.  Also available are: Scrap Booker which lets you copy and paste anything for later use.   Action Memo lets you write down a note at any time.  s Finder, helps organize and keep your data in order.  Screen Write is a lot like the print screen on a desktop.  But instead also opens up an graphics program to play with to your heart’s content.  Last but not least there is the Pen Window, that acts like a Picture in Picture for the Note.  You can open an App in an App.  IS open a calculator while working on a  word document, watch a silly cat video between worksheets in Youtube or simply check your calendar before making an appointment.
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New Skylanders SWAP Force

April 8, 2014 by 9 Comments

We are now on the third Skylanders game and with each new game it seems they get better and better.  The most recent addition is SWAP Force, which not only let you swap out figures but also characteristics of each figure, or in easier terms the tops and bottoms.

3 21 14 058Each Swap Force figure has the ability to trade its top or bottom with other Swap Force figures.  This makes for some very interesting combinations of figures upon game release.  But as the line expands, as it recently has, things get even more interesting and more possibilities arise.  Very recently Skylanders has dropped some new figures on the general public.  These figures include Freeze Blade, Fryno, Scratch, and Trap Shadow.  Freeze Blade and Trap Shadow are Swapable while Fryno and Scratch are regular Skylanders figures, who ONLY bring their digital counterparts to life when put on the portal while the game is on.  Of these new figures I like Trap Shadow best.  Something about Traps and Shadows just sends shivers down my spine.  Little Man loves Fire Bone Hot Dog.  Its a dog and it has a bone?  Instant classic.
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PaddlePack by Trunki

March 26, 2014 by 7 Comments

The first day of spring has tempted me into day dreaming about days at the beach with the family. If I close my eyes I can feel the sun on my face, the scent of surf and sunscreen tickle my nostrils and the delighted sound of my son laughing as he plays in the sand greets my ears like beautiful music.

When we have a day of fun in the sun planned I have a go to bag for my son that is super cute and designed to keep water from leaking in or seeping out. If you spend any amount of time near the water with your children you will want to keep reading. Let me tell more about the PaddlePak line of bags by Trunki.

PaddlePak is a fun backpack with a fun and friendly design sure to make your kids the envy of the beach. They are made with lightweight material making them easy for kids to carry. They are waterproof, which is fantastic because there are no more leaky swimsuits to contend with when it is time to call it a day. They are spacious with a 7.5 liter capacity, so you can pack water toys, towels and extra clothes without worrying about space.
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Are Chlorine Pools Safe For Babies?

March 7, 2013 by 5 Comments

How early can a baby be introduced to the water? Parents often ask this question, because they would like to take steps to allow their baby to enjoy being in the water. How safe is a chlorine maintained pool for a baby? Particularly if the parent is taking a baby swim class at a community pool, are there risks involved for the baby?

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As described by CNN.com, the use of chlorine in the water of a swimming pool inactivates most of the disease-causing germs in water. That’s why drinking water contains chlorine, as well as 95% of the swimming pools in the United States. Chlorine prevents the risk of contracting waterborne illnesses. But every time a person gets into the water at a swimming pool, they add contaminants. Sweat, hair, urine, makeup, sunscreen, all of these combine with chlorine to form chloramines, which is what swimmers smell when they enter a pool area. A strong smell indicates too many byproducts of the disinfectants.

An indoor pool creates an additional danger because of the enclosed environment. With a lot of vigorous activity taking place in the pool – swimming, kicking, playing – it transfers the chemicals to the air and be inhaled. One study by a professor of toxicology, a leading researcher on aquatic environments, substantiated earlier studies claiming a link between swimming in indoor chlorinated pools and asthma and bronchitis in children. His study showed airway and lung permeability changes in children who had participated in an infant swimming group.

With these substantiated risk possibilities, it is important for parents to decide wisely in introducing their infant to a chlorinated pool. Ensure that chlorine levels are properly maintained. If the parent can smell chlorine immediately upon entering the pool area – assume it’s too strong for the baby.

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