holiday gift guide 2013 Archives - Page 3 of 5

Holiday Outfits Made Easy with Kohl’s

December 2, 2013 by Samantha 8 Comments

I have very little in the way of fashion sense. For this reason, I try to keep it simple, all the time. This time of year, I take more photos then usual, which is quite a lot. I like to do our holiday cards with less posed, cornball “look what a perfect and happy family we are” photos and more real ones (because we are far from perfect- and I readily admit to that!) I also like to take one nice family photo every year, where we are all looking at the camera at the same time, hopefully with our eyes open. For this photo, I like us to look decent- and we loved our new shirts ordered just for the occasion from Kohl’s Holiday Collection.

This year, it was easy to look decent in our photos. I shopped at Kohl’s, where the prices are affordable and the clothing will last as well- even on my husband. My son wanted us all to wear blue for the photo (which worked out- I loved this Apt 9 crepe shirt), and he wanted us to all sit with Santa. Why not, right? We dressed in our new holiday clothes and headed over to Macy’s on Herald Square to check out the holiday window displays and visit Santa Claus.

Turns out, it would be a little harder then you would think to take photos with Santa. He took the day off, which was sort of uncool since the employee we spoke to gave us his hours for the day, LOL. But, we had a great time looking at the windows, visiting Santaland, and then took a walk over to FAO Schwarz as well. Why not? It’s Christmas time in the city, after all 🙂
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Filed Under: clothes and shoes, fashion, holidays, review Tagged With: clothing, fashion, holiday, holiday gift guide, holiday gift guide 2013, kids clothes, Kohl's

Portable North Pole

December 2, 2013 by Samantha 12 Comments

Disclosure: I am a Portable North Pole Christmas Magic Ambassador. I received compensation and complementary Portable North Pole products in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Christmas time is upon us, and this time of year is not only stressful for parents but also for kids. The all seeing big guy in a red and white suit is especially watchful right now, so best behavior is mandatory! But what if this best behavior isn’t working out? Instead of an upswing, is there a quick down swing in attitude and attentiveness?

Why not reaffirm the good behavior with a Santa phone call and video? It’s cute and fun.

Check out Portable North Pole for some quality personalized items for Christmas, including their wonderful Premium Video. The video features Santa and his elves as they go through your child’s year and gives them a naughty or nice recommendation as well as some personal details about what they have tried hard on this year and their achievements of the last 12 months. Little Man really loved the recap of the year and the personalized pictures included in the video. His favorite part was when Santa saw his artwork and complemented him on it. The Little Guy had a smile bigger then the sun. The video is downloadable or stream-able, so even when the internet goes down the video can still be seen. I would definitely suggest saving it, no one likes a choppy Santa. I personally love how they ask for a proper pronunciation of your child’s name. With the number of unique names around currently, it is nice to see this special touch.
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Filed Under: holidays, home, review Tagged With: holiday gift guide, holiday gift guide 2013, holidays, Portable North Pole, santa

WIN Angelcare Digital Video, Movement and Sound Monitor

December 2, 2013 by Samantha 24 Comments

Disclosure: The below was provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

Parenthood is a rewarding experience, but the adventure of raising children comes with plenty of opportunities to worry. New parents face an increased sense of anxiety when it comes to the safety and security of their baby. When my son was an infant, I would feel an urge to go into his nursery to check on him through out the night, and sometimes that would wake him. My son isn’t a baby anymore, but that doesn’t mean the urge to check on him while he sleeps has diminished.

There are a ton of video monitors available to ease the worried mind of a parent, but none of them can compare to The Angelcare® Digital Video, Movement and Sound Monitor. This monitor offers parents a monitor with a digital LCD screen and 2 way talk capability so that Mom can soothe her baby from a distance while the infrared camera makes viewing baby in the dark possible.

Mike the Knight Glendragon Castle Play Set

November 29, 2013 by Samantha 1 Comment

Disclosure- I received this item in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own and honest. For more info, see the “I Disclose” tab.

Knight and dragons are some of the most fun themes to play with. But dragons and knights aren’t the best of friends, are they? Dragons can be a bit on the scary side, and knights generally want to poke and prod dragons in some not so nice ways. But in the case of Mike the knight, this is far from the truth. Not only is Mike a nice knight, but his two best friends are dragons.

Mike the Knight follows the tales of Mike as he learns to ‘be a knight – and do it right!’ Every story teaching a lesson on how to solve problems the right way, with courage and smarts. Mike has some helpers too: his sister Evie, horse Galahad, and two dragon friends Squirt and Sparkie to help him on his journey to knighthood. One of the most interesting play sets for Mike the Knight is the new Glendragon Castle Play set. This play set features Glendragon castle, Mike the knight himself, as well as Galahad and of extras to round out a fun. The castle itself has three floors of excitement and has both an interior play area as well s an exterior. From Evie’s potion room which flips out to the outer wall of the castle to a working drawbridge, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. There is a shield on the interior of the castle which activates over 20 sounds and phrases directly from Mike the Knight. This button also activates the drawbridge so every quest begins with a nifty phrase. There are over 10 additional play pieces including a working catapult, zip line, ladder, treasure chest, a fun day of knight training is only an imagination away.
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Filed Under: toys Tagged With: holiday gift guide, holiday gift guide 2013, kids toys, Mike the Knight toys

Tabeo e2 Tablet

November 28, 2013 by Samantha 2 Comments

Tablets are a revolutionary way to interface with technology, and kids need a way to get used to using them in a way where it is both safe and educational. Parents need to keep their phones and tablets safe from rugrats. Toys R Us has just the tablet to fit in new niche the Tabeo e2. The e2 has all the specs needed to run the newest apps, 8GB of Flash memory, Jelly Bean 4.2, Dual core 1.0 Ghz CPU, Quad-core GPU and 1GB of RAM. All this makes for a zippy tablet which is a breeze to use.

One of the little oddities we ran into upon initial setup is, a wireless internet connection is needed to set up the parental settings. Without this connection none of the apps can be run. But once the connection is made setup is simple. With a few steps and an email address. What I really like about the tablet is its sleek slim design.
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Filed Under: technology Tagged With: holiday gift guide, holiday gift guide 2013, kids tablet, Tabeo e2 Tablet, tablet for kids, tech, Technology for Kids

Hot Holiday Toys

November 27, 2013 by Samantha 4 Comments

With Christmas right around the corner, most of us are looking for the most fun toys to get for that special child in our life. Here are a few of our current favorites, and what your child would love to find under the tree this year.

Big Hugs Elmo- this guy might be “The” hot toy of the year. If you have a little one, Big Hugs Elmo is sure to please. He is large (about the size of a one year old) and a whole lot of playful fun. Elmo loves getting and giving hugs, and will often ask for a bigger or tighter squeeze from your little cuddle bug. Elmo also asks to play ponies, jump like froggies, (and will comment along with appropriate noises) and dance, sing, nap, and more. He raises his arms up and down, hugs back, and sings bedtime songs and snores when laid on his back. You can find Big Hugs Elmo at http://www.toysrus.com or in physical stores near you for about $50- and if you want this toy, I think it will go fast, so get yours early.

If you are in the mood for Elmo, also take a look at Playskool Sesame Street Lullaby & Good Night Elmo by Hasbro. This little guy is ready for bed, in his Dorothy the goldfish pajamas, and all set to comfort your peanut as he or she drifts off into dreamland. Kids can snuggle up with Elmo and press Elmo’s tummy to hear a lullaby or one of a few bedtime phrases. Take note that there is no “off” button, so the button may be pressed accidentally if your child is a restless sleeper. Available at stores like Koh’ls or at http://www.hasbro.com for roughly $15.
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Filed Under: kids, review, toys Tagged With: big hugs elmo, elmo toy, Furby, furby boom, holiday gift guide, holiday gift guide 2013, hot holiday toys, kids apps, kids tablet, new elmo

Nintendo 2DS

November 26, 2013 by Samantha 4 Comments

With every new console innovation, a bright shiny new technology is expected, but what if instead of adding something new, some components are improved. This improvement has long been the norm for Nintendo. First release a new innovative system, then tweak it, make it better, different and more accessible. This is the idea behind the new Nintendo 2DS handheld system. The handheld is based on the 3DS handheld but has tweaked a bit to have a lower price point, and more accessibility to children of all ages. This in addition to a big design change gives players a new way to play their 3DS and DS games.

The 2DS in comparison to the 3DS is now one solid unit, no hinge in the middle. Also it has a more tablet-feel, with a slight tilt when put down, to rest easier on a hard surface and play in this manner. The most remarkable characteristic of the unit is the removal of the 3D feature. The 3DS has a slider which can increase the 3D experience or remove it completely to a 2D gaming experience. This 2D experience is the way in which gameplay is featured on the 2DS. You may be thinking so then why not just get a DS? The reason is this unit could be called a DS2. The 2DS can play most DS games as well as all 3DS games,with crisp sharp graphics and some incredibly fun games like Pokemon X and Y and Legend of Zelda A Link Between Worlds, the entertainment value is quite high. With the reduction of 3D the price of the 2DS was also reduced, leading to a more wallet friendly way to get the newest system and games in the hands of you and your kids.
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Filed Under: holidays, technology Tagged With: gaming, holiday gift guide, holiday gift guide 2013, Nintendo, nintendo 2ds, video games, video games for kids

Pinypon Snow Ski Lodge and Car

November 25, 2013 by Danielle 1 Comment

Disclosure: The Snow Ski Lodge and the Snow Adventure Car & Tow were provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

With Christmas just around the corner, I am always on the lookout for new great products for my kids. Pinypon definitely did not disappoint this year.

About Pinypon Products:

Pinypon products stand out for all the other products out there like them because they have many mix and match possibilites. With these toys, you can swap their heads, mid-sections, or feet. You can go from a mermaid to an ice skater and even more.

Pinypon Snow Ski Lodge:We all know that this time of year is all about the snow. You can ice skate, ski, ride a snow mobile, and build a snowman and get warm in the Lodge. There are many accessories available with this product, as well as the other Pinypon products. Just inside the Ski Lodge alone are 50 accessories for great imaginative play. You get to decorate the snowman, dress your kids. This imaginative playset includes 3 Pinypon friends that are dressed up in their winter gear, 1 pet, and winter sporting equipement from skis, skates, and snow mobile to sled and snowboard. There is even a real skating rink included.