Rave and Review

Dakota's Gifts for Personalized Products Delivered Fast {Review and Giveaway}

Growing up, I never had anything personalized.  I wasn’t named Dinesh or anything, but I did have a slightly uncommon name that never made it on the personalized necklaces and accessories that all my friends had.  And, being one of 5 children, I always wished that I had one, or maybe even two, items that were unquestionably mine.  Because of that, I have always had a love for things that you can personalize with any name you want or even pictures of your loved ones.

Dakota’s Gifts offers a huge selection of personalized items I would have certainly adored as a child, and even more that I covet as an adult.  When I was shopping the site, I found numerous pieces that I would absolutely love to own, like their engraved jewelry and photo gifts, as well as dozens of items that would be perfect to give this Christmas.  But, because I can’t wait that long to surprise someone I love, I had to get my grandma a summertime tote for all her farmer’s market shopping and swim classes now.

When I saw the Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Canvas Tote Bag, I knew it was the perfect thing to wrap up for my grandma.  I asked to have it embroidered with her full name in the middle of the pink ribbon so no one would ever walk away with it, and sent off the order to the company.  Literally a few days later, I got a knock at my door from the USPS carrier with the package containing the tote.

The website does say “Dakota’s Personalized Gifts: Fast Personalization” but I really never expected it to be that fast.  It shipped so fast that I couldn’t believe that it could possibly be my tote at the front door.  But, the best part is that even with super fast processing, personalizing, and postage, the tote and embroidery was still of extremely high quality and looks like someone took great care with it, which both me and my grandma will certainly appreciate. 

Personalization aside, I was really impressed with the quality of the Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Canvas Tote and how heavy duty the bag is.  I must have 100+ of those cheap tote bags they hand out free at just about every event - the ones that start coming apart after just a few uses, so I was really excited to see that this was a high quality tote bag.  Made of natural canvas and complete with sturdy pink straps, this personalized tote will surely last through anything my grandma could throw at it.

There are some really great special touches on this tote that I’m raving about, including a sewn-in key strap so you can always keep your locker key or house key handy, an expandable bottom so you can flatten the bottom of the bag to keep it upright, and a Velcro closure at the top of the bag to keep items from falling out.  I also love the front pocket on the tote that is perfect for storing small and quick-grab items on the go and helps add to the functionality of the tote.  The tote itself is a good practical size for shopping, working out, or even for using as a beach bag, which is why I know it’s going to be my grandma’s new favorite bag. 

Now that I have seen the quality of the personalized products at Dakota’s Gifts, I am really excited to start my holiday shopping and create something memorable for everyone on my list.  I love that they offer such an expansive collection of engraved gifts, photo gifts, embroidered items and more, but I also love that they ship quickly and package your items using recycled wrapping to ship via USPS – not only does it save costs in most instances, it also utilizes our great mail carriers who visit us every day, even if it’s just to give us bills and invoices! 

Price: $34.95 for the Breast Cancer Awareness Tote with free personalization with a short name or monogram of your choice.  Measures 21 1/2 x 16 x 7

One Rave and Review reader will win a $50 Gift Certificate with free US Shipping! 

To Enter:  Just tell me what you would spend your $50 on at Dakota's Gifts! 

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Tweet about this Giveaway using @raveandreview and the link http://bit.ly/bEeWik after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

3) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage 

4) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (must have an active link)

5) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways or comment on any non-giveaway post!

6) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

7) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry)

On September 6th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to Jessica C.

 

Jessica C. said...

I would get the Personalized Rosewood DecoGrip Hunting Knife for my boyfriend for his birthday!

luckysluna(at)yahoo(dot)com

A huge thank you to Dakota's Gifts for creating a such a great keepsake for my dear, dear grandma for us to review and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no type of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

My Newest Kitchen Must-Have: WellnessMats

Very rarely do I run across a product that makes chopping vegetables, washing dishes, and cooking enjoyable, but that was of course before I found WellnessMats.  When the WellnessMats package arrived, I was so excited I couldn't even contain myself.  Because it is a rare treat when something arrives that isn’t taken from me as soon as it comes out of the package, I immediately declared this delivery for Mama.  And why not?  There's a lot on this site dedicated to children and general family stuff, but it's a rare day when Mama gets a present in the mail.

So, what are WellnessMats?  WellnessMats have a soft inner core that helps cushion your feet as you stand, which reduces fatigue and stiffness associated with standing on hard surfaces for long periods of time.  As much as I was originally just excited to have a more comfortable place to stand during my baking, dishwashing and crafting sessions, I really didn’t expect the mat to work as well as it did, or for it to work as quickly. 

Immediately I noticed that my back and shoulders didn’t ache and I found that I didn’t hunch my back as I stood on the WellnessMat, which I think is what was causing all the aches and pains as I stood for long periods of time.  The further along in the pregnancy I get, the more I appreciate WellnessMats and how they make the hours and hours I spend in the kitchen each week remarkably more comfortable. 

Whether I’m cooking, cleaning, crafting, making lunches, or taking care of babies, I try to do the bulk of it on the WellnessMat whenever I can to take some of the stress off my joints.  And, even at 7 ½ months pregnant, I am able to stand comfortably and without all the aches and pains I felt before while cooking and cleaning.  In fact, since the WellnessMats package arrived at my front door, I have felt much better overall and actually look forward to spending time in my kitchen.

But, I hadn’t anticipated that this WellnessMat would turn out to be a present for the whole family.  Whether we are cooking together, crafting on our kitchen island, or even sitting down for an afternoon snack, it's nearly all done on the WellnessMat now.  This little 3’ x 2’ mat is quite possibly the most popular place in our entire house, and something we all look forward to using. 

There’s a really good reason why we race to the kitchen so we can claim the WellnessMat: it is exceptionally comfortable to stand on, sit on, lay on, and to kneel on, even for extended periods of time.  Maybe this is why my two year old daughter has fallen asleep on the mat before in the middle of the kitchen, and why some customers even use the larger WellnessMats for working out.  While my daughter certainly doesn’t need the anti-fatigue properties of the WellnessMat just yet, she is 100% certain she needs the WellnessMat for her dance and gymnastics routines and you will find her sitting on, bouncing on, and even laying on "Mama's mat" for a good deal of her play time.  

There’s a handful of companies that make anti-fatigue mats, but there’s a couple of reasons that WellnessMats stands out and why I’m raving about their mats for anyone that spends any amount of time on their feet.  The WellnessMats are all designed and manufactured right here in the U.S. and have a unique one-piece construction that makes it so their mats won’t warp, curl, or compress over time, which ensures that your initial investment will last for years and still stay looking like new.  They even offer an unheard of comprehensive 7 year warranty on each WellnessMats purchase to make sure their customers are happy!

One great thing about the WellnessMats that I hadn’t anticipated was how easy it is to move them around the kitchen.  When I first saw the mats online, I mistakenly thought they would have a heft that was proportional to their presence in the kitchen, but found that they are surprisingly light and easy to move, yet stay stationary when set down.  This makes them great for moving from in front of the oven while stovetop cooking and then over to the sink when it’s time to do the dishes. 

My ultimate dream would be to have a long 6’x3’ one along the island in my kitchen and then move the 2’x3’ WellnessMat in front of the sink, two areas where I spend obscene amounts of time and am constantly moving the mat to and from.  Either that or I would like WellnessMats to design sandals and shoes just for me so I could walk on WellnessMats all day long no matter where I went. 

Although WellnessMats are an awesome addition to your kitchen, it should be noted that they aren’t just for kitchen use - you can virtually use them anywhere you stand for long periods of time.  Whether that is at your workbench, in your laundry room, or even at work, if you must stand, I would recommend a WellnessMat.   

WellnessMats come in two different styles depending on where you are placing them, with the Maxum Mats providing a textured surface for heavy duty applications or the traditional WellnessMat for kitchens, bathrooms, and more.  We really like the plain smooth surface for kitchen and household use since it is easier to match to any décor and comes in 5 different colors, is better on bare feet, and won’t collect dirt and grime in the crevices like a designed mat might.  However, if you’re looking for a mat for a workshop or garage, the Maxum Mat might be perfect. 

If you have a serious cook, crafter, or Mr. Fix-it you are looking to buy for, I would absolutely recommend WellnessMats as a great gift they will remember every time they stand on its cushiness.  I would even take it one step further and say that anyone who spends any length of time cooking and cleaning for a family would likely benefit from an anti-fatigue mat like WellnessMats and would put it up there on the list of new parent must-haves.  

Specs from the WellnessMats website - Under normal conditions, our APT and revolutionary design guarantees the following:
• Exceptional comfort - standing is believing
• Always lies flat - gradually tapered edges reducing trip hazards
• Anti-microbial by design
• Permanent shock absorption and recovery (consistent "bounce-back" every time)
• Abrasion, slip and wear resistance (mat travel is reduced and will not show wear and tear)
• Stain and chemical resistance
• Enhanced material stability in wet areas
• Contain no plasticizers, and thus will not leach over time (no noxious smells or bad chemicals)
• UV stability for brighter areas of your home
• Flame resistant up to 400(f) degrees
• Puncture and tear resistance
• "Extended lifecycle" guarantee - keeping the material out of the landfills...
• Our APT allows us to offer the industry's longest and most comprehensive warranty (7 years...)

Price: A 3’x2’ WellnessMat has an MSRP of $119.95
www.wellnessmats.com

A big thank you to WellnessMats for sending their traditional WellnessMat for review and convincing this tired and achy pregnant woman that cooking could be fun again!  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Wordless Wednesday: 30 Weeks and Counting

Pop On Pals Open a Whole World of “Popabilities”

Oh, to be a kid again!  Today’s toys are not only so much cooler than the toys of my youth, they also come complete with lights, sounds, music, action, and more.  Case in point, Spin Master’s newest toy release, Pop On Pals that are debuting this summer.  These brightly colored interactive sets and their mix and match pals are just the thing to get your children creative in ways other toys can’t.

The Pop On Pals line is designed for ages 2 and up and encourages kids to use their imagination to mix and match characters.  Each one of the Pop On Pals can be customized by switching out the included “outfit” rings to create your own characters.  Just a quick switch and the princess becomes a musician or the puppy becomes a baker, which is sure to leave your kiddos giggling.

We got to take the Pop On Pals Amusement Park for a spin and my daughter couldn’t have been more excited.  The combination of the brightly colored packaging and the fact that the whole front of the Amusement Park was visible as soon as the Pop On Pals arrived was too much for my littlest reviewer and she carried it around for over an hour playing with the toy in the packaging before we had a chance to open it.  Then, when the package was opened, she proceeded to play with the Amusement Park until bedtime rolled around. 

My two year old is not quite coordinated enough to get the car in the track and send the Pop On Pal down the roller coaster on her own, but she does love “driving” the car down the tracks over and over.  Her favorite thing is the music that accompanies the swinging dragon boat and the spinning ferris wheel, and she spends a good deal of time playing with those each day – with and without the included Pop On Pal. 

A note to parents and gift givers: The image above shows two Pop On Pals with the Amusement Park set, but it does only come with one Pal when you buy it in retail.  I would highly recommend buying an extra set of Pals to add to the set, especially if you’ve got more than one kid or you’re planning on playing with the Pop On Pals with your little one.  Adding additional Pals also adds to the fun of mixing and matching and makes the Pop On Pals that much more creative and interactive.  

You can check out the first releases in the Pop On Pals line at their brand new website that has all sorts of interactive features for both parents and kiddos.    

www.poponpals.com

Pop on Pals are available at Toys “R” Us, Target, Kmart, Sears, and online at Amazon.com.  The Amusement Park set reviewed here retails for $34.99

A big thank you to Spin Master and Team Mom for providing the Pop On Pals for this review opportunity.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.  

Please Pardon Our Dust… We're Nesting

With so many people with reverse equity in their homes, many are finding that they will be staying in houses longer than they had planned.  Now finding that they can’t afford to move until the housing market begins to rise again, people are looking at either renovating or expanding their current house to fit their needs instead. 

While we aren’t building any new additions to our house anytime soon, we are always looking for ways that we can maximize the space we have and get it ready to house a family of four.  This means that I have spent the last few weeks organizing closets, our garage, and our laundry room, and am now moving onto the office to try to organize the piles of paperwork that have accumulated in only a few short years living at this house.  While I have been hard at work clearing out the clutter, my darling husband has been hammering, drilling, and crawling around under our house to get ready for our most exciting and biggest renovation to date (more to come on that!).

Once the organization and the construction are finished, the fun part really starts and I get to start redecorating and putting the finishing touches on.  While I am most excited about finally getting some more pictures of our now two-year-old up on the wall, I’m also looking forward to finally being able to make some drastic changes to the house as well. 

One of the first things on the “drastic” list is finally organizing a craft room/play room for us to create and play in during the winter months.  After that project is complete, I would love to get a new light for the master bedroom, hopefully one with a remote control fan to make summers without A/C a bit more bearable.  Once we get new lighting for the bedroom, I am hoping to replace the molded plastic wall sconces that light the stairs.  While the wall sconces that were installed when the house was built are nice enough, they have open tops that are really blinding if you happen to be in the upstairs landing or hallway and don’t really fit with the rest of the home decor.

Just thinking about decorating has me looking forward to cleaning up the construction debris and getting to all those fun parts.  But, mostly I’m going to be thrilled to finally be done organizing for at least a little while.  I figure that with two little ones it’s going to be twice as hard, if not more so, to get things done around the house, so I’m excited to start with a clean slate and organized house to bring baby home to. 

For now, though, pardon our dust while we finish the “nesting” phases.  In the next few weeks I will tell you all about our mini construction project and the big changes that are happening here at Rave Central as we get ready for our next great adventure – our new family addition.  

RoSK UPF 30+ Sun Cover Review and Giveaway!

Typically, most people don't think blankets when summer rolls around, but that was before Rain or Shine Kids introduced their new lightweight and breathable UPF 30+ Sun Cover just in time for vacation season.  Made by the same people that brought you the Woobee and the B Blanket we adore, the Organic UPF 30+ cover is the perfect summertime sun protection for your little one without adding warmth.   

At a mere 4 oz, the SPF 30+ Sun Cover is lighter than most candy bars but still protects against harmful UV rays effectively.  By utilizing a lightweight single 22” x 33” layer of organic cotton with colored edging and their signature ties, RoSK has made an extremely packable and practical addition to the Woobee family that will keep your little one cool from spring to fall.   

For anyone who has ever had a spring or summer baby, I'm sure you were just as dismayed as I was to find out there is no real good way to protect baby's skin when staying indoors just isn't an option.  Since baby sunscreen isn't actually recommended for new babies, there's really no option except for creating shade by using umbrellas, blankets, and hats.  That first summer with baby, I had to miss a good deal of summertime fun sitting indoors while everyone else was out having a great time, and I was so thrilled when the SPF Sun Cover arrived to get us both back in the action.  

The RoSK Organic UPF 30+ Sun Cover gives you the best way to make your own much-needed shade by creating a lightweight, light colored, breathable, tie-on blanket that was designed for this purpose.  Because it is unbelievably lightweight, it doesn't add extra heft to the diaper bag, beach tote or backpack, yet still provides superior UV protection that is essential for little ones.  The fact that it weighs less than sunscreen makes it easy to fold up and throw into your bag or pack almost unnoticeably, but something you will absolutely be glad you brought along during the heat of the day.   

Simply tie the organic cotton UPF 30+ to your stroller, baby carrier, car seat, play yard, etc., and give baby the utmost in sun protection without having to slather on goop all over baby's skin.  Whether you have a brand new baby that needs sun protection during all daylight hours or you have toddler who looks forward to long walks in a baby carrier or stroller, the RoSK Sun Cover is the perfect solution.

Random Raves: The RoSK SPF Sun Cover has a whole bunch of bonus uses for infant all the way to adult, and is practical to keep in your diaper bag year round.  Something that I absolutely love is that you can also use the RoSK Sun Cover as a makeshift nursing cover by tying it around your shoulders, providing you aren’t in direct light that could make the Sun Cover show more than you’d like.  You can also use the Sun Cover to place over an unoccupied car seat or bouncy seat to keep it cool when you can’t move it to the shade.  I’m sure you’re like me and will find a dozen or more uses for a practical, tie-on, sun shade that weighs almost nothing!  

Price : $38 for the UPF 30+ Sun Cover.  For a limited time you can enter 'sun25' at check out and get 25% off any RoSK product on www.rainorshinekids.com.  
 
Specs:
22 in x 33 in
weighs 4 ounces
100% organic cotton
OEKO-Tex dyes
machine wash cold, line dry

http://www.rainorshinekids.com/

One Rave and Review reader will win an awesome UPF 30+ Sun Covers for their very own! 

To Enter:  Just visit Rain or Shine Kids and tell me another product you love and then tell me what color SPF Blanket you would like if you win! 

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Tweet about this Giveaway using @raveandreview and @RainorShineKids and the link http://bit.ly/bI28Em after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

3) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage 

4) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (must have an active link)

5) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways or comment on any non-giveaway post!

6) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

7) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry)

On August 25th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to Erica E!

#67 Erica E said...

tweet
http://twitter.com/mommyericae/status/21759739307

A huge thank you to Rain or Shine Kids for making summer sun safe and fun for everyone and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no type of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Britax Blink Stroller Review

I used to think that lightweight umbrella strollers were a necessary evil; All parents eventually need them but no one looks forward to using them.  Not anymore, I don’t.  With the release of the new Blink Stroller, Britax absolutely nailed the lightweight and portable stroller market and shows yet again that they can do more than make quality stafety seats.

With an active toddler and a baby on the way, it’s just not feasible to carry a two year old for any distance, which means we are still heavily reliant on strollers when we are on the go, and will be for quite some time.  But, never again will I be forced to use one of those awful umbrella strollers that are so flimsy and poorly made that they are essentially a single-use product, and instead can completely avoid the dreaded “umbrella stroller” altogether.  Now, with the Britax Blink lightweight stroller, I find that we are far more portable as a family and haven’t sacrificed our comfort and features in the process.

In fact, the Britax Blink has done the unthinkable and actually replaced our workhorse of a travel system, something we swore would never happen.  With so many features crammed into such a small package, it just didn’t make sense to cart around extra weight and lose so much of our compact sedan’s trunk space, so the Blink just made good, practical sense for daily use. 

Raves:

I don’t know how Britax did it, but the Blink managed to combine all the features I expect in a full-size stroller, but still ends up compact, portable, and about half the weight of our other system.  This makes it the perfect stroller for ages 6 months and up to 55lbs, and something that has become absolutely essential when we are on the go. 

With so many reasons why we’re raving about the Blink, it’s going to be hard to keep this section to a reasonable size, but I will try to keep it concise.

*All-wheel suspension means that baby has a smooth ride even over the roughest pavement and packed dirt and gravel, and if they should fall asleep with the smooth ride, you will absolutely love that the Blink has a great full recline complete with an adjustable leg rest which is my daughter’s favorite feature.   

* Super quick fold and unfold makes getting on your way easier than ever

* The Blink has a tall seat-to-canopy height and a 55lb weight limit, which means that even older toddlers and children can ride comfortably

* Sturdy frame is a much higher quality than the traditional lightweight stroller and feels solid even with children onboard

* Clever fold release mechanism allows you to step down on the lever to fold stroller, instead of having to use your toes to flip a lever up (hello, sandal season)

* Larger canopy and visor with a great peek-a-boo window to check on baby, which is something all other umbrella type strollers seem to be lacking

* Decent basket and cool little pocket on back of stroller help carry a good amount of gear, sippies, purses and more that is easily accessible when the stroller is in its upright position (just remember not to overload the stroller handles, especially when the stroller is empty)

* Nice padded handles are easy to steer and comfortable to grip, even for long periods of time

* Ever push a stroller and find yourself kicking the back with each step?  Really, nothing is worse than having to do half strides or walk hunched over to avoid kicking your baby.  With the Blink from Britax we all had plenty of foot clearance as we walked and were able to actually walk like normal – and even power walk without stubbing our toes

* And, the number one reason I’m raving about the Blink: The handle height.  At only 5’10” I have never, ever found a lightweight stroller other than the Blink that I didn’t have to stoop to push (hubby at 6’3” has an even worse time, which makes him extra grateful for the extra height on the Blink handles).  The great part is that my much shorter sisters also agree the handle height is comfortable for them, which means everyone is happy to help push. 

I absolutely love the way the Blink handles, especially in tight spaces like crowded markets and trips around town.  While you won’t find air filled tires or other luxury features that the other full-size Britax strollers have, it is perfect for the parents who need a sturdy and well thought out stroller for zipping about town.  And, no matter what you might think, you will need a lightweight, portable stroller at some point – the trick is finding one that has all the necessary features like the Blink does.  

Blink Stroller Features from the Britax Website:
*Tangle Free, Five-Point Harness with three harness heights for a snug and secure fit
*All-Wheel Suspension provides for a smooth ride
*Clever Fold Release Mechanism allows you to fold the stroller without scuffing the tops of your shoes or feet
*Compact Fold is handy for quick trips and packs well for long excursions
*Heavy Duty Construction with 55 lbs child weight capacity
*Large Canopy with Visor blocks wind, rain and harmful UV rays from child's sensitive skin
*Layback Recline with Adjustable Leg Rest offers customized sleeping positions for all children
*Lightweight Stroller is easy to maneuver in stores and in-and-out of the trunk.
*One-Foot, Linked Rear Brake locks both rear wheels with one step
*Portable Carry Strap enables you to carry the stroller while keeping two hands free – perfect for airport travel with children and carry-on luggage!
*Practical Storage Pouch is the perfect place to keep your most frequently used items like keys, wallet, phone, etc…
* Price: $149.99

If you are in the market for a lightweight stroller, I would highly recommend the Britax Blink stroller as the perfect mix between a luxury ride and the traditional umbrella stroller.  However, if you are looking for a complete travel system, Britax also has you covered with full size strollers that can accommodate the Britax car seats.  My only wish?  That the Blink came in a double stroller option as I have a feeling my daughter is going to enjoy riding in the Blink for quite some time and won't want to give it up when we have another little one.  I have heard rumors that Britax has recently introduced the B-Ready, which sounds like the coolest single-to-double stroller ever and I’m hoping to see one in action soon to report back.  If it's anything like the Blink, I'm sure we'll be raving about it, too. 

http://www.britax.com/ 

A big thank you to Britax for sending their Blink lightweight stroller to be reviewed along with all the trunk space and portability it has offered us.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes Review and Giveaway

There are so many things that new parents have to worry about, and so many resources and information that bombards parents of little ones, but one thing that seems to be lacking is information on how to protect our babies’ teeth and gums.  We all know that we should take care of those little pearly whites, but sometimes it’s easier to forget than I would like.

Unfortunately, taking care of baby teeth can be a pain, especially when you’ve got a fussy infant or a toddler with a mind of their own that would prefer not to sit still for a minute.  Add that to the fact that most of us don’t have excess time lying about, and sometimes baby tooth and gum care slips through the cracks no matter how good your intentions are.  We all know the importance of dental health for children and adults, but most don’t realize that dental health begins before the teeth even begin to emerge and the health of infant teeth and gums affects the permanent ones that will eventually arrive. 

Pediatrician-invented Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes are a great way to introduce proper dental care to infants and young children as well as making taking care of baby’s teeth incredibly convenient.  Instead of having to carry around a infant toothbrush and get special toothpaste that most surely will be swallowed, Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes are individually wrapped moist wipes that can be used anywhere at any time. 

Each Spiffies wipe is fruit flavored and contains Xylitol solution, a natural ingredient that is found in many cavity preventing mouthwashes and anti-cavity gums.  Spiffies’ grape, apple and mango flavors are actually quite tasty and make an otherwise daunting task of cleaning baby teeth much easier parents and kiddos.  Of course, I had to try the wipes myself to see just how the tasted and was pleasantly surprised.  Naturally, watching me use them made my daughter quite curious about them, which I think helped make her excited to use them as well. 

At only 24 months, my daughter has yet to see a dentist to check out her teeth (mental note, make first dentist appointment!), but has been seen numerous times throughout the last two years by her pediatrician, who does a cursory glance at her teeth each time we visit.  While this is nice to get feedback and advice for my daughter’s growing teeth, I am looking forward to introducing her to a dentist for the first time and getting her excited about brushing and flossing. 

In the meantime, I am really happy to have Spiffies Wipes which I pair with her beginning toddler tooth brush whenever possible so she can practice taking care of her teeth by herself.  Yes, it does take a bit longer to get ready in the morning and at night allowing her to brush her own teeth, but at least with the Spiffies Wipes I know that each tooth and mouth surface has already been cleaned by me thoroughly ahead of time, which I think is a small price to pay to get her interested in protecting her teeth.  And then when we don’t have her toothbrush handy, the Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes are an even more important part of the morning and bedtime routine and make me feel better if we’re not able to brush.

Only once did my daughter accidentally bite me as I wiped her teeth, which came about because she got so excited that she started telling me about what our plans were that day without thinking about the fact that I had fingers in her mouth.  I imagine that if I had started using the Spiffies Baby Tooth Wipes when she was an infant and before she had her little chompers, the process would be even more natural for her and we probably wouldn’t have had any problems.  For baby #2 we plan to start using Spiffies as soon as he’s 3 months old to get him in the habit even sooner and to help him through the teething process.   


You can find out more information at www.spiffies.com where you can buy boxes and gift sets ready for gift giving.  

Price: Box of 20 Spiffies Wipes Approx. $5.50 • Ages 3 months+ 

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a 45-day (90-wipe) supply of Spiffies in a cute gift bag to try out with your children. 

To Enter:  Just visit www.spiffies.com and comment below with something you learned about the company or a benefit of using Spiffies!

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Leave a comment or message on Spiffies Facebook page (2 extra entries!)

3) Tweet about this Giveaway using @raveandreview and http://tinyurl.com/2csf45g
after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage 

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (must have an active link)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry)

On September 2nd at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Winner, Winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to Ria!

 

Ria said...

I voted for you in Top Baby Blogs
rmartinclarke at gmail dot com

A huge thank you to Spiffies for making our morning and bedtime routines so much more fun and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no type of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Wordless Wednesday: Rocks...Water...Beach

Summer Infant BestView Handheld Color Video Monitor Review

I would like to introduce you to one of the most essential items for all new parents – the Summer Infant BestView™ Handheld Color Video Monitor.  After over a year and a half of video baby surveillance using different models, we feel this little video baby monitor is the mother of all monitoring systems, and has every single feature I would recommend in a monitor.  Besides being a video monitor, which is the new era of baby monitors that all parents covet, the Summer Infant BestView™ Monitor has a whole list of features that I don’t know how we lived without.

I will admit that we were hesitant at first to make the leap from audio baby monitors to video monitors, but I truly feel that we shouldn’t have resisted nearly as long as we did.  Yes, you can argue that they are unnecessary or superfluous, but as someone who has used both types of monitors, I can honestly tell you they have become essential to me.  Knowing that I can see baby at any time has almost had the opposite effect that I thought it would on my predisposition for nervousness.  Whereas before we had a video baby monitor, I would continually tiptoe to the nursery at naptime and try and see her through the crack in the door and sometimes wake my sleeping baby, now I can check on her quickly and quietly without disturbing her at all, which I think makes us all a whole lot more relaxed.

With a list of features that make this seem more like a video camera than a baby monitor, I was really excited to check it the Summer Infant BestView™ Handheld Color Video Monitor in person and see if it performed any better than other video models.  The short answer is yes, the BestView Baby Monitor has exceeded all of my expectations of video monitors and even added some extra features that I don’t know how we did without.   

And the long answer:  With a large 2.5” screen that offers a clear digital image of your child sleeping, you can literally keep a close watch on your child 24 hours a day from every room in your house.  Because the Summer Infant Best View Video Monitor has audio and visual capability in both daylight and in the dark, there is absolutely no doubt about how baby is doing at any given time.   Even better than a clear video image of your sleeping angel, is that you can also pan the camera around the nursery either up-and-down or side-to-side to check on things remotely.  This feature allows you to check and make sure all is well and that the beloved monkey hasn’t inadvertently fallen to the floor, or even checking on two children in one bedroom using the same camera. 

As well as being able to give you a detailed view of the entire nursery remotely, the Summer Infant BestView Baby Monitor also gives you the option to zoom at the press of a button.  This is the first video monitor I have ever seen with a zoom function, and I really didn’t know what I was missing until now.  I absolutely love being able to zoom in to watch my baby’s chest rise and fall or be able to see subtle baby movements easily.  This function is also particularly useful if you are checking on two children in one room or want to see more detail on the far side of the crib or nursery.   

I love that the monitor is dual purpose;  You can crank the volume up and bask in the sound of baby’s every breath or, you can lower the volume and just keep a watchful eye on your little one.  We actually use our BestView Monitor more often this way as the color image on the monitor is so detailed we find we can easily discern baby’s cuteness and breathing with just a glance and therefore can savor the silence with full peace of mind.  As an added bonus, even with the sound off you can see how loud baby is by the visual light scale that shows you how loud sounds are in the baby's room.  

One great feature we love in the BestView Infant Monitor is that you can also turn off the screen and only use the audio functions to save battery life.  This is the first video monitor we found with this feature, which we feel is absolutely essential if you will be using the monitor away from outlets for a good deal of time.  And best of all, this feature has its own specific button located on top of the monitor, allowing you to quickly turn the video back on if you hear a strange noise, or if you just need to sneak a peek. 

Being able to conserve power and extend our mobility really made a huge difference in how much we would actually use the monitor in this way.  Adding to that is the fact that the Summer Infant Monitor uses rechargeable batteries so there is no cost penalty from batteries with our newfound freedom.

Some other features that really make this monitor portable and have us raving are the belt clip and monitor stand design.  The sturdy belt clip allows for hands free roaming in and out of the house and even next door when paired with the large range of coverage (350 feet!).  While you run around, you can rest assured that the 100% digital signal will remain secure from prying eyes, and free of static.  Once you get tired of roaming, the monitor’s kickstand has so many notches that you can prop it at just the right angle for almost any position you can come up with, ensuring your comfiest chair will also have the best view.

If you’re like me and appreciate items that can truly grow with you and your family, you will also love that this system is completely expandable and has the capability of controlling up to 4 cameras.  This means you could potentially watch all your children in 4 separate rooms on one monitor.  I have dreams of eventually having three cameras on this system that would enable me to watch the nursery on one, the playroom on another and then another that I could take with me into the living spaces.  Then I would only need to bring the handheld monitor with me and I would have a super sophisticated video setup wherever I go. 

Features of the Summer InfantBestView™ Handheld Color Video Monitor:
100% digital for a secure and private connection
350’ range
2.5”color LCD screen with B&W night vision
Remotely pan/scan/zoom
Belt clip & flip stand
LED sound light to see and hear baby's every sound
One touch video on/off for night time convenience
Price: $199.99 

Now, in the interest on saving on some emails I will answer some questions that seemed to come up a lot when I mentioned to friends and readers that we were trying a new video monitor.

HOW IS THE VIDEO QUALITY?  The video quality is good when using both the night vision and in daylight, with the daylight video having superior color to other monitors we have tried.  Whereas other video monitors tend to experience static and frequent video skips, we found the BestView to offer much better and more consistent images.   
 
HOW IS THE AUDIO QUALITY? The BestView audio quality is good, and doesn't seem to be subject to a time delay.  Because we can actually hear baby when we are in bed, we really don’t use the audio features of the monitor that often, but it is nice that the sound quality is better than other monitors we have tried and doesn’t seem to be susceptible to static as other monitors are.  In fact, you can even hear baby breathing on the BestView monitor, which just might be the most relaxing sound on Earth.

IS THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAMERA LOUD? The BestView camera has a motorized mount, which allows you to turn it almost completely around a room.  Using the joystick-esque controls on the parent monitor, you can remotely control where the camera is pointing at any time.  While this function is not entirely silent, and does get baby’s attention when she’s awake, it’s not a loud function, either and definitely won’t wake her. 

Any potential issues with the Summer Infant BestView™ Handheld Color Video Monitor?

2.4 GHZ TRANSMISSION:  The BestView Video Monitor has the potential to interfere with wireless networks or other devices that use 2.4 GHZ.  We have a wireless network in our house but haven’t noticed any problems with interference at all, even though the wireless router and the BestView Monitor are located mere feet apart.  If you're experiencing problems, try moving the monitor or the other devices so they aren't too close to one another.

VOLUME CONTROL: The volume is a little inconvenient to use, you have to go into the menu and use the joystick.  I actually don’t mind this since I barely touch the volume control, but I can see how sleep deprived parents might appreciate a more accessible volume control.
 
Random Rave:  I have no plans to retire this little baby once I no longer have babies.  Unlike most baby monitors that are basically useless after your little one is able to move freely, the Summer Infant BestView Monitor will be perfect for keeping an eye on the kids in the yard or in the playroom because I can pan and tilt the camera to see large areas of ground.  Obviously, I wouldn’t be going far away from the kiddos and wouldn’t use the video camera as a babysitter (baby’s future playmate’s parents all breathe a sigh of relief) but it would be nice to put dinner into the oven and then return without worrying they were climbing trees or walls unassisted.

http://www.summerinfant.com/

 
A big thank you to Summer Infant for sending their BestView Handheld Color Video Monitor for review and to put through extensive toddler testing.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.