Rave and Review

Outdoor Toys from Gummy Lump {Review & Giveaway}

Get Out and PLAY Event - Day 29

Is there anything more relaxing than digging in the sand or dirt on a sunny afternoon?  Whether you are sifting, funneling, scooping, digging or building, there is no limit to what you can do and create.  But, to really have fun, you need the right tools, which is where Gummy Lump comes in.

Gummy Lump is one of my favorite retailers for a variety of reasons, but most namely because their selection and their prices are simply amazing.  Recently, we placed an order for a mix of Melissa & Doug toys which included their Sunny Patch gardening tools and Sunny Patch sand toys, and we were absolutely shocked at how far our dollars went as we added items to our cart.

We started with their gardening tools because we were working on our Fairy Garden and we needed some kid sized garden tools that our daughter could manage on her own.  I found the perfect ones for her with the Blossom Bright Rake and the Happy Giddy Shovel.  Not only are they adorable and eye-catching, they are perfect sized for her and such great quality that they can be used for years of outdoor fun.  What’s really great is that even though the Melissa & Doug rake and shovel are kid sized, they are definitely not cheap toys; they still feel and perform like a real tool, which means that she actually wants to use them and is able to do some of the upkeep on her garden. 

And then because there is nothing we like better than visiting one of the many beaches around us, we loaded up on the motherlode of Melissa and Doug Sunny Patch sand toys.  No, we are not talking about those cheap and flimsy sand sets you get at discount stores that everyone has {we like to refer to those as “disposable”, as in they need to be replaced over and over}.  The Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch sand toys are an amazing value as they all come with high quality pieces made of thick, textured plastics that will easily last for years.

But, not only are they high quality toys that can take what kids can dish out, they are also some of the coolest toys we have ever owned.  Everyone we run into when playing with them ends up stopping to join in, which includes tweens, teens, and adults alike, and the general consensus is that they are amazingly fun.  We love them so much that we have actually packed them up and taken them on vacation twice now, and the rest of the time they have a permanent place in the car – just in case. 

We got to try out the Seaside Sidekicks Sand Cupcake Set, Speck Seahorse Ice Cream Sand Play, Cinco Starfish Collapsible Bucket, and the Finney Fish Spray Bottle, all part of the Sunny Patch Melissa & Doug line.  If you notice, there is a theme in our sand toys: fake foods.  I’ve talked before about my daughter’s obsession with “cooking” for me and she’s never run across a fake food set she didn’t love, which is why she owns every single Melissa & Doug wooden food set made to date {Gummy Lump also has a great selection of the wooden foods sets … and they are even on special right now} so I was fairly certain she was going to love the sets, but even I was surprised by the amount of adoration she has for the Sunny Patch line. 

While summer is off to a slow start here in the Pacific Northwest, and we haven’t seen much sun, we find every single opportunity to take these to the beach.  We have  literally spent whole days playing with the Melissa & Doug sand toys, making cupcakes, serving up ice cream, and just having fun at the beach making all sorts of friends.  It’s a very rare thing when a set of toys becomes a plan, but that’s exactly what the Melissa & Doug tools have become to our family.

If you haven’t shopped at Gummy Lump before, you should know that sand and outdoor toys are only a small portion of what they carry.  They have the LARGEST selection of Melissa and Doug toys I have seen anywhere as well as other heirloom quality toys, educational toys, and games for the whole family.  You can shop by age, category, brand, and more that can help you find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.    
 

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win $50 to spend on Melissa & Doug toys!

To Enter: Simply visit the Gummy Lump site and tell me what you would spend your $50 on.

 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) "Like" Gummy Lump on Facebook

3) Follow the Gummy Lump Blog publicly with Google Friend Connect

4) Subscribe to the Gummy Lump Newsletter to keep up to date on all their contests and specials

5) Tweet about this Giveaway after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here)

I love @GummyLump Toys & am dying to win the $50 #giveaway from @raveandreview! Check out their #ravereview & enter! http://bit.ly/mSkJfd

6) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage and to www.gummylump.com (2 extra entries, just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

7) Place my button and/or place the Gummy Lump button (http://www.gummylump.com/images/banner-125x125.gif) in your sidebar on your blog or website  (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R and/or to http://www.gummylump.com/)

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

9) 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)

10) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On August 24th 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.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to: #70

Tracy P said... Entry #3 I "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook!

A big thank you to Gummy Lump Toys for providing the samples for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

P&G GIVE Education brandSAVER this Sunday - Give Back While Couponing

Every nine seconds a young person drops out of high school in the U.S.  Scary, isn’t it?

I remember from personal experience that my graduating class was roughly 2/3 the size it was when we entered as Freshmen, something that I thought was alarming at the time and only seems more so now that I’ve got kids ready to enter the same school system.  Granted, some of those missing faces might be attributed to transfers or some other benign factor, but nothing that would explain the huge decline of students that I remember.  As it turns out, my high school had one of the lowest dropout rates when compared nationwide, and even though 2/3 of my class remaining at graduation by no means would be considered good, it most certainly could be worse.

P&G’s new campaign, GIVE Education, is all about increasing awareness of the student dropout crisis in the U.S. and raising funds to help keep millions of students in school.  By partnering with Communities In Schools (CIS), one of the nation’s leading dropout prevention organizations that has been proven to increase graduation rates, GIVE Education will help CIS bring much-needed resources to students who are at greatest risk of dropping out.

The campaign is headed by spokesperson John Legend who will be featured in the campaign’s national television spot, as well as in the dedicated GIVE Education brandSAVER coupon booklet {this Sunday, 7/31} and on the GIVE Education Facebook page.  Head over there and you will see all the ways you can give back and support the GIVE Education campaign.

How Can I Help?

1.    Join GIVE Education on Facebook.  Watch an exclusive video from John Legend on Facebook where for each view, P&G will donate $.25 to CIS, up to $10,000.

2.    Look for the GIVE Education P&G brandSAVER coupon booklet on July 31st, 2011 in your local newspaper. For each coupon redeemed, P&G will donate two cents to CIS.  The uncapped donation will be based on the number of coupons redeemed beginning July 31 – which means the more you save, the more you give!  Find out where to get the P&G brandSAVER on Facebook.

Yes, you can give back by watching a video on Facebook and then by SAVING MONEY.  Are you as excited as I am?

Connect with GIVE Education on Facebook and on Twitter! 

A big thank you to P&G for providing the GIVE Education campaign information as well as some sample P&G items.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this post.

Great Books for Exploring the Great Outdoors with Kids {Review & Giveaway}

Get Out and PLAY Event - Day 28

With warm weather here we now spend quite a bit of our time outdoors, specifically, digging in the dirt in our garden.  Since this is my daughter’s first year that she can really explore on her own, she is reveling in her independence and likes to spend her time alone in her fairy garden surrounded by her plants and digging up bugs.  Periodically, she will stop to show me something exciting she has found as I tend to our vegetables, asking me hundreds of questions about all the new things she uncovers and sitting mesmerized as I answer her questions.

This is all quite lovely, and I really look forward to spending this time with her, but what I really don’t like is that most of the time, I have no clue at all what the answers are to the questions she asks me.  I may have a vegetable garden, but no one ever has mistaken me for outdoorsy.  I don’t know birds, don’t know trees, and I really, really don’t know bugs.  To be clear, I just barely know my vegetables. 

So, what do I do when I don’t know something?  I look it up, that’s what!  In light of my child's insatiable curiosity, I have two new go-to guide books from Blue Apple Books to help make sense of all things nature.  As great as they are for learning, they are also some of my new favorite books to read with my daughter.

Bugs by the Numbers: Facts and Figures for Multiple Types of Bug Beasties by Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss –  The name alone might have you thinking that this is just an infant’s counting book, but you would be incorrect, because it is way more than that.  This isn’t a simple 1 grasshopper, 2 butterflies, 3 ants type of counting book, instead it actually includes really fascinating facts in an easy to learn format that makes reading about bugs truly fun. 

Bugs by the Numbers has insects from termites to walking sticks and breaks down facts about each bug in various numbers.  Each page focuses on a new bug and then offers a few numeric-related facts about them.  Even cooler is that the bug graphics themselves are made out of numerals and the book has fold out flaps to add interest, all of which makes each page exciting and eye-catching for all ages. 

How Things Work in the Yard by Lisa Campbell Ernst – The perfect easy to understand book for little gardeners and a great way to answer all the “why”s your little one can dream up.  How Things Work in the Yard describes the inner workings of numerous everyday objects and things that a youngster would find in their backyard  -- including acorns, bubbles, wagons, ants, fireflies, clouds, snails, birds and more. 

Each page is brightly colored and contains numerous facts and labels to describe even complex ideas in an easy-to-understand language that is perfect for youngsters.  I should admit that even though the book is designed for young kids, I still thought it was fun to read and the facts were actually quite interesting, which is why I love reading it to my daughter. 

I'm so glad we found Blue Apple Books this summer and found a great way to bring the backyard indoors and learn together.  If you have a little one that is interested in nature and exploring, I would highly recommend both Blue Apple Books titles for some fun reading this summer.  They are a great way to sneak a little learning into fun reading and keep little ones excited about what they might find if they dig a little bit.
 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win How Things Work in the Yard and Bugs by the Numbers from Blue Apple Books!

To Enter: Tell me how you get your children interested in the great outdoors.

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) "Like" Blue Apple Books on Facebook

3) Tweet about this Giveaway after following {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Trying to win two great books from Blue Apple Books and @raveandreview - perfect for exploring with little ones! #giveaway http://bit.ly/rl5zpH!

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage {just post the URL where I can find your writeup}

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website {2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R}

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/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) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On August 26th 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.

A big thank you to Blue Apple Books for sending the sample books to review and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

Things Remembered Photo Contest {enter to win $200!}

If you’ve been reading this site for any length of time, you probably already know how I cannot resist a personalized gift.  So, of course I have spent quite a bit of time shopping at Things Remembered, the mother of all personalization stores.  Whether it’s for birthdays, mother’s/father’s day, or holidays, I have purchased numerous gifts at Things Remembered throughout the years and have always been a very happy customer. 

For those unfamiliar with Things Remembered, you should run over to their site {or store} and get familiar, quick.  They pretty much have everything you could ever want that can be engraved or personalized, and are readily available at many local malls as well as online so you can shop easily in person or remotely.   

Of course, I also love receiving presents from Things Remembered.  When I was pregnant with my daughter I received the sweetest present ever from my mother-in-law for Christmas – an engravable silver baby cup with a gift certificate for the engraving that I could use after the baby was here to put her name, birthdate, stats, etc.  I loved it so much that my daughter was only 4 days old when I took that beautiful baby cup down to my local store and had it all the personalization completed. 

When I went to go pick it up, the clerk had wrapped it nicely in a signature box and it was all polished and ready for me to display.  But, even cooler than that is that the person who engraved it for me picked up on a conversation that my husband and I had while ordering it where we mentioned that we would want a script that was gender neutral so we could get a cup for any addition babies we may have, and the clerk had written down the exact specifications of his engraving so that it could be easily duplicated by any store at any point.  Talk about great customer service!  {side note: ordering the same cup for my son was a BREEZE with his detailed notes, and the finished silver cups displayed together are some of my favorite keepsakes ever}

When I heard that Things Remembered was having a great Holiday Photo contest this summer that has $200 up for grabs, I jumped at the chance to enter it and tell you all about it.  I entered with our family picture from 2010, which was our first self-taken picture as a brand new family of four.  It was sent as our holiday greeting card in 2010 because I love it so much and I have thought about framing it to put up each holiday.  When I look at it, it reminds me of those magical first days as we all adjusted to our new roles and our family was complete.  Just thinking about it makes me nostalgic for the holiday season! 

Do you have a favorite holiday picture?  Just go to the Things Remembered Facebook page to enter the Things Remembered Facebook photo contest for a chance to be in their Holiday campaign and win $200.  It was easy to enter and actually kind of fun looking back through my past Christmas pictures with my beautiful babes.  Have fun and good luck!

A big thank you to Things Remembered for sharing the contest information as well as a gift code as a thank you for spreading the word {maybe I should get a frame for this pic?}  As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Stay in the Loop with Free Moby by Contigo App

Get Out and PLAY Event - Day 27

With busy schedules that have us running all over the Puget Sound area, my husband and I are often working harder than we need to in order to coordinate and finish our errands.  The worst part is finding out we were both in the same exact area during the day and weren’t able to meet up or help each other out.  Imagine how much more efficiently we could get our errands done, transport kiddos, and meet up if we didn’t have to call each other in between each stop or when plans change unexpectedly.

Well, now we can!  Introducing Moby by Contigo, the newest way to keep in touch throughout the day easily and without having to make numerous calls to each person you are coordinating with.  Whether you have an iPhone, BlackBerry, or {coming soon} Android device, as long as you have a smartphone, you can keep in touch and keep track of where everyone is at - privately. 

Using the free Moby app from your smartphone is really easy and it requires no extra hardware since it uses the existing GPS function in your phone.  We tried both the iPhone app and the BlackBerry app these past few weeks and found the latter to be a bit less intuitive, but both were well suited to our needs.  We were able to share locations and short notes {eg: “running late, can you pick up Jamie?”} with each other as well as with others without the Moby software via SMS text or email, a feature I absolutely love.

But, because the app is free, there’s really no reason why you wouldn’t download it for all your smartphone devices.  It is easily accessible through the App Store or BlackBerry App World via your smartphone, so everyone in our group can add it to their phone and then we can quickly add each other to our network on the go.  Since most of our family and friends are smartphone users, this makes it perfect for coordinating large groups of people easily and without using all of our minutes or wasting time texting and emailing.  We also love it for hiking and active sports because as long as we have cell service, we can tell others where we are at, which is a great safety feature in case the worst should happen and could actually save lives.

There are numerous ways to share your location or keep tabs on those in your network so it makes it ideal for groups of people, families who will be coordinating meetings, as well as parents who just want to track where their children are at all times.  As our children grow and eventually borrow our phones to take with them when they are out of the house, this feature will become even more important, but for now it is still useful for us parents to coordinate with each other as well as where the kids are at all times.   

In fact, we love it so much that we are going to be relying on the Moby app heavily over the next few weeks as some of us from Rave Central will be meeting up at BlogHer to divide and conquer.  It’s going to be a whole lot easier to see where each other are and make the most of our time if we aren’t following in each other’s footsteps the whole trip and Moby is going to be essential for our scheduling!

Here’s some screen shots so you can get an idea of how the app works for iPhone:

 

Want to know more about how the Moby app works?  Here’s a descriptive video so you can see it in action {you can see more on the Moby YouTube channel}:

Note: The Android version of the Moby App will be out in late August or early September and you can pre-register for it today.  A new Moby application is also launching in August 2011 with improved battery life.

Download “Moby by Contigo” for free from the app store on your iPhone or iPad or via the Moby website: http://www.mymoby.com/product/iphone, learn more at the Moby site or find out how Moby can work for your family here and download for your smartphone.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Moby and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

American Girl Seattle Grand Opening {Review & Doll Giveaway}

It was a big week for girls of the Pacific Northwest.  On Saturday, July 16th a brand new American Girl Store opened in Alderwood Mall just a bit North of Seattle.  To celebrate the opening, girls came from all around to get a chance to see inside the store and shop, most of them bringing along their beloved dolls from home.

I’ve visited both Chicago and New York American Girl Stores in the past with my daughter so I knew somewhat what to expect, but this time it was different because my daughter was really old enough to appreciate it.  And, this time we were mere moments from our house in the brand new “Seattle” Store so I didn’t have to worry about fitting our purchases into crammed luggage.  Can you say "dangerous"? 

By now I’m sure you know how much my daughter loves {no, make that adores} dolls, girly things, and all things miniature.  That in mind, you will not be surprised at all that she was willing to roll out a sleeping bag and take her nap in the store if I would have let her.  Luckily, we had a few hours free for “girl’s day” that allowed us to take our time wandering through the store without boys rushing us along. 

In the interest of full disclosure, I should admit that I'm secretly very excited that she loves the store so much.  Maybe it’s because I'm filling my lifelong void that comes from having no American Girl Doll of my own, or maybe it's because I may never be too old for life-like miniature replicas, but whatever the reason, I was giddy with excitement as my daughter and I walked hand-in-hand through American Girl Place.

For those of you who have not visited an American Girl Place and don't know about the magic that awaits, let me give you a little background.  American Girl is not just a doll store; in fact, even though the dolls are simply exquisite, they were not the sole reason I grew up flipping through the American Girl catalog and wishing I lived in NYC and Chicago so I could visit their showrooms, it was the fact that American Girl Place has everything a girly girl could wish for. 

The AG Alderwood location may be a bit smaller than the multi-story mega stores that we’ve visited before, but it still has all the charm and allure of the big stores, with a bit more manageable footprint for the medium-sized mall.  Whether dining in the American Girl Bistro, watching dolls get makeovers at the Doll Hair Salon, browsing the bookstore or shop, attending craft days or even making their own matching Creativi-Tees, visiting an American Girl Place in Alderwood can be a quick trip, or you can make it a full-day event. 

My daughter and I spent quite a bit of time in the Bitty Baby area since she had brought her doll from home and she had a blast playing with the accessories on the showroom floor like the Bitty Twins’ Double Jogging Stroller which all the little girls were lined up to play with.  From there we made our way through the historical favorites dolls to the My American Girl® dolls and then to Kanani, the 2011 Girl of the Year, pausing frequently to oooh and aaah over all the adorable accessories, lovable pets, furniture, and miniatures that are the hallmark of the brand.  With so much more to see and do that we didn’t get to in our visit during the Grand Opening weekend, I predict there is going to be a whole lot of time spent at Alderwood Mall in our future. 


Want to experience a little bit of the American Girl magic?  Check out the Seattle Store if you are in the Pacific Northwest or see the full product line of books, dolls, and accessories on the American Girl website.  You can even play games and more in their online AG activity section!
 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will their own Kanani Doll, the 2011 American Girl of the Year!

Here's a bit about the beautiful Kanani from AG: 18" Kanani features long, wavy medium-brown hair and hazel eyes and is available for one year, launching with two books that tell her story and an array of outfits and accessories such as a paddleboard set, a plush Hawaiian monk seal, and a shave ice stand! To share in the Hawaiian spirit of helping others, American Girl is partnering with the National Wildlife Federation^® (NWF) to help raise awareness of endangered animals, like the Hawaiian monk seal featured in Kanani’s stories. With the purchase of every Kanani plush monk seal sold in 2011, American Girl is donating $1 (up to a maximum of $100,000) to NWF’s efforts to help children throughout the United States gain an appreciation and understanding for America’s most vulnerable animals through various educational programs and activities.

To Enter: Tell me what doll or accessory you love from American Girl!

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 after following {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Have you entered the American Girl Doll #giveaway from @raveandreview? Win your own Kanani Doll http://bit.ly/n0PxFj!

3) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage {just post the URL where I can find your writeup}

4) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website {2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R}

5) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/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) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On September 15th 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.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to:

#850 LOLI6287 said... How could you not love Kit? She's adorable spunky and has the best accessories!

A big thank you to American Girl for letting us tour their facilities and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

Prince Lionheart 2 Stage SeatSaver {Review & Giveaway}

Get Out and PLAY Event - Day 26

If you know anything about Prince Lionheart you know that they are not only a really fun company that makes some of the most covetable kids gear anywhere, but they are also a company that understands that necessity is the mother of all invention.  We’re talking “thank goodness I didn’t have to think of this” stuff that is perfect from newborn all the way up to toddler and beyond.  Every single time I see one of their new products I am surprised all over again by how I ever lived without it as they truly have the stuff that makes life with kids cleaner, easier, and just plain more fun. 

Case in point, the Prince Lionheart 2 Stage SeatSaver that was nothing short of amazing this past summer and did exactly as promised for my poor, abused car seats.  Do you have any idea how tiring it can be cleaning the backs and then fronts of your seats all of the time once your child is old enough to wear shoes, eat snacks, and drink in the car?

As someone with velour car seats {bleh, right? mental note: spring for leather next time}, it wasn’t just the dirt that got to me, it was the actual ruining of my car seat with those kicky little shoes that would grind into the back of the seat and cause it to pill up and fall apart that I hated.  I had shopped for seat covers before and found either shapeless one-size-fits-none covers or covers that merely protected the bottom part of the seat, and nothing that would save my car seats from their untimely demise at the hands {and feet} of an infant and toddler. 

When I found Prince Lionheart’s Two Stage SeatSaver, I knew it was perfect for me, my kids, and my car.  It is made from high-density molded foam that contours to your seats and has tacky grip covering the underside of the SeatSaver to keep it firmly in place.  As the name suggests, the SeatSaver has two stages:  Stage 1 – Bottom piece is used alone with rear facing infant seats. Stage 2 – Back attaches to the bottom piece for use with forward facing toddler/booster car seats. 

I was really surprised when I first took the SeatSaver out of the package as I realized that it wasn’t made of heavy rubber as I had assumed.  The Seat Protector is actually quite lightweight and portable, weighing almost nothing, and is easy to manipulate to get the perfect fit for your vehicle.  The fact that it is not grippy rubber makes it so much easier to clean, store, and to use and I was really excited at the way it has held up. 

If you spend any amount of time in the car, have seats that need protecting, or are headed out on vacation this summer, you should definitely check out Prince Lionheart to see their line of SeatSavers.  While this one works perfectly for me and my set-up, you are bound to find your perfect fit whatever your seat configuration.

Buy It: You can purchase the Two Stage Seat Saver on the Prince Lionheart site for $21.99
Find out more at http://www.princelionheart.com/
 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win their own 2 Stage SeatSaver from Prince Lionheart!

To Enter: Sign Up for the Prince Lionheart Newsletter which is sent monthly (Bonus: Just by signing up for their newsletter you are also entered into the Prince Lionheart Monthly Giveaway!)

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) Like Prince Lionheart on Facebook

3) Tweet about this Giveaway after following {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Get Out and PLAY with the Prince Lionheart 2 Stage SeatSaver #giveaway from @raveandreview http://bit.ly/oPBMFW !

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage {just post the URL where I can find your writeup}

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website {2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R}

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/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) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On August 20th 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.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to:

73 Aimee E. said... I commented on the wheelybug review.

A big thank you to Prince Lionheart for providing us with a sample to facilitate this review and a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

Step2 Grand Slam Baseball

Get Out and PLAY Event – Day 25

Playing ball is a rite of passage around here.  As long as I can remember my family has been fans of baseball.  Not the kind that takes place at a stadium {although we do like that, too}, but rather the kind that takes place in the backyard, the park, and sometimes, in our living room.  For us, baseball is about more than playing - It’s a great way to work on hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and teamwork, amongst other things. 

So, now that I've got two little ones myself, I need to get them ready for playing ball with their cousins and friends.  While my daughter might be a girly girl most of the time, she definitely has inherited both her parents' love of ball, and we knew we needed to get her some age appropriate gear to enjoy this summer.  Of course we turned to Step2, the makers of our favorite outdoor play equipment, to help us find a way to assist in teaching the basics of baseball.  Their new Step2 Grand Slam Baseball is like having a kid appropriate batting cage/"catch" partner/and net all in one and it's a great choice for beginner on up.

The design of the Grand Slam Baseball is fairly simple, it's just a medium sized foldable and repositionable net, a heavy duty plastic ball "pitcher", a plastic bat and three squishy balls, but the skills they take away from the game is anything but.  Depending on age and ability, you can tailor your game to fit your little one easily while making the learning process fun. 

For our daughter who recently turned 3, we started with the most basic exercise: throwing the 3 foam balls into the net over and over again.  When she was ready, we turned the Grand Slam Baseball on and she was thrilled with the whoooshing sound it made and even more so when the balls that made it into the net sailed back to her.  When we had been working on that for a while, we introduced the included plastic bat for her to try hitting the balls as they were pitched.

While her aim is not the best yet and doesn't make it into the net all that often, she has a blast playing with the Grand Slam Baseball and looks forward to every opportunity to take it outside.  For now the novelty of having us fill the hopper and set it to pitch to her is enough, but I am excited about all the ways it can grow with both kids throughout the years.  As she develops her aim and then works on her batting, the game will get even more fun for her… and for us. 

I find myself getting excited about bringing it out almost as much as she does.  It’s really fun to try and change things up by choosing between ground balls and arcing pitches and varying where we stand or what games we play alone  and as a family, and it’s not hard to tailor the games to each player’s ability.  I know I would have loved to have it to play "catch" with when I was young and couldn't find someone who wanted to play with me, and it would have been really nice to have as I practiced my swing, which has always been a little ... Let's just say "wild".

The Step2 Grand Slam Baseball is the perfect tool for developing your child's coordination, aim, dexterity, and more, as well as being just a whole lot of fun for the whole family.  It’s a great warm weather toy that is portable enough to fold and throw into your trunk and take to a park or playdate, as well as being a great backyard toy for all ages of children.

Find out more at Step2.com or find the Grand Slam Baseball in retail near you.

A big thank you to Step2 for this review opportunity.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Phil&Teds Traveller Lightweight Portable Crib

Get Out and PLAY Event: Day 24

Heading out this summer?  Have you looked into a travel crib for your little one?  I will admit that at one point I resisted getting a travel crib because I thought we could “make do” without it.  But then as our travels increased, our family grew, and lack of sleep became an issue, travel cribs became less of a luxury and more of a necessity if anyone was going to get any sleep away from home. 

High up on the list of must-haves now that we are packing for our adventures as a family of four is the Phil&Teds Traveller Lightweight Portable Crib, which is the perfect portable crib and/or mini play yard for families on the go.  Our travels often include combinations of planes, trains, and small automobiles, so I have a special spot in my heart {and my luggage} for items that are made with space and efficiency in mind and for that the Traveller does not disappoint. 

The Traveller design is ultra-portable and compact when stored, by far the smallest and lightest design we have seen anywhere.  Weighing in at only 7 pounds {without the mattress} and complete with a storage bag with carry strap, the Traveller was designed for the ultimate in mobility and convenience.  For this reason, it is our top pick for air and train travel as you could easily fit one {or even two} inside a duffel bag, stroller, or even your carry-on luggage without having to pay excess baggage fees or having to struggle to transport everything in a busy terminal. 

As great as the Phil&Teds Traveler is for overnight stays and long trips, what I really love about the Traveller is that it is so easy to toss into the car for days out.  That way, if we end up at a place that is not baby-friendly or are out past naptime, baby can still have room to play, scoot and sleep in a safe and clean place without us having to fully babyproof every place we visit.

One thing that makes the Traveller unique is that the crib sits upon the ground which provides a sturdy {and sway-free} bed for baby.  This is especially important to me as our children simply hated any movement while sleeping and would startle awake at a mere footstep in a traditional portable crib.  The Traveller also has a trapezoid-style design that prevents tipping from both inside and outside of the crib.  When paired with the wide-stance feet of the crib, it makes it safer for older kids, siblings, and hectic, multi-kid environments when used as a play yard. 

Getting your child in and out of the crib also couldn’t be easier as the top and sides both have zippered access for baby.  This is a feature I love as it’s a whole lot easier to set a sleeping baby down gently in the crib when placing them in from the side instead of leaning down over the top if you’re prone to losing your balance as I usually am.  Once your child gets older and is able to stand, you can simply switch to using the top access. 

In addition to efficiency and portability in mind, I also love the quality touches of the Phil&Teds Traveller.  This includes a self-expanding, thermally insulating mattress that slips into its own pocket in the crib and is reminiscent of a high-end camping pad - which is quite possibly my husband’s favorite feature.  As well as giving baby a comfortable and cozy place to rest while in the Traveller, this mattress can also be repurposed as they grow and used for camping well into their tweens since most camp mattresses are not full length. 

Other luxury features include a padded top bar, fully hidden hinges, and a sturdy metal frame that cannot be felt from the inside of the crib, I feel completely comfortable with both small babies and active toddlers alike sleeping and playing in the crib.  The ultra comfortable design is complete with a one-piece waterproof mattress that is both plush and breathable, offering a level of coziness that is unparalleled in traditional travel cribs. 

The only real drawback to the Traveller, if you would call it that is that because it does break down so small for transport, setting it up takes a bit longer than the models which are simply folded for storage.  We found that as long as you allow for a few minutes to assemble before bedtime and disassemble before packing you should be fine and it really isn’t much of an issue.  Plus, the more you use it, the faster you get at setting it up. 

Made with a “superhero strong” aluminum frame and high quality and breathable open weave fabrics, the Traveller is designed to last through all your little ones and then some.  Because it is so well made, I feel completely comfortable with both small babies and active toddlers alike sleeping and playing in the crib.  The lucky part is that both my kids love the crib and prefer to be in there over other playpens or even co-sleeping, during naptime and playtime.

Whether your travels take you overseas, to playdates, or just to the family room, the Phil&Teds Traveller is an ultra-portable and quality option that is ideal for infants all the way to toddlers. 
Size packed: 63x22x22cm or 24x8.6x8.6"  Size unpacked: 130x63x79cm or 51x24.8x31"

Buy it: the Phil & Teds Traveller retails for $179.99 and you can purchase on Amazon.com or directly on the Phil&Teds website

A big thank you to Phil & Teds for making life portable, fun, and safe with the Traveller Lightweight Portable Crib.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

ezShade Portable Sun Protection Curtain {Review & Giveaway}

Get Out and PLAY Event - Day 23

I am extremely fair skinned, so much so that I can get a sunburn walking to the mailbox.  For this reason, I am always diligently wearing sunscreen and I require shade on the brightest sunny days.  This means that I often bring shade with me so I don’t have to be constantly seeking it out, or worse, have to spend the entire summer indoors.  As great as it is to bring your own shade, the problem is that the sun is always moving and I feel like I can never relax outside for fear that I will quickly be sunbathing if I’m not careful.

The solution is ezShade by Solar Eclipz, a brilliant mom inspired product that is essentially a sun curtain that attaches to beach umbrellas, gazebos, and more.  This lightweight curtain gives you UPF 50+ sun protection by blocking over 99% of UVA and UVB rays and makes it so you don’t have to keep rearranging your shade throughout the day.  Anyone that has ever used a pop up gazebo or beach umbrella knows that the shade they provide is actually quite limiting unless the sun is directly overhead, which means that for most of the day you are stuck rearranging and moving spots in order to keep everyone out of the sun for any length of time. 

The ezShade solves this in a small and lightweight solution that is easy to throw into your bag in its included stuff sack and attach once you claim your shade.  Available in 3 different colors and sizes from large beach umbrellas {weighing 9oz} to 10x10 portable canopies {straight leg or angled leg models available, weighing in at 16-20oz}, the ezShade is my new beach must-have.  Because I use a variety of canopies and shades, I opted to review the 10x10 straight leg version so I could easily attach it to our pop-up canopy, our covered front porch play area, our staked gazebo in our backyard, and even at the local pool shelters and enjoy the awesome UPF 50+ benefits wherever we go.

As excited as I was about the ezShade, I did have some concerns about how functional it would be when set up and how easy it would be to use.  The first of which was the fact that I was hoping to attach it to numerous shades and gazebos and would need to customize the fit each time.  Luckily, the design is smart enough that it can easily be modified for different styles and types of structures by simply using Velcro {we bought extra pieces so we could leave it in place on our gazebos without worry and then we made our own Velcro loops to attach to odd sized shades} and find it more than sufficient for our needs.  For most people that will only be attaching it to one canopy or gazebo, you will only need the included Velcro pieces to get a perfect fit each time.
The next design element we really appreciate is the bottom hook and loop pocket that helps you adjust the height of your shade as well as weight the bottom of it so it doesn’t blow in the wind or allow sun underneath.  If you don’t have bean bag weights, you can easily use water bottles, sand, and more that gives you versatility on the go and means you have to carry less with you when you go. 

We really love the ezShade and know it’s going to get a whole lot of use throughout the years at the beach, park, sporting events, and even just for backyard playtime.  Because we love it so much, I was thrilled when I read that a 12x12 canopy version of the ezShade is in the works.  I know we will pick one up for our 12x12 heavy-duty backyard gazebo once they are released as that would be a wonderful way to enjoy outdoor time without worrying about sun exposure.  Here’s hoping that a tan or brown color ezShade is also in the works, and if so, we might just snag two – one for the front of the house and one for the back!      

To Buy: The ezShade costs $24.95 for the umbrella version, $36.95 for the 8' canopy version, and $39.95 for the 10'x10' versions.  Find out how you can make the most of your umbrella, canopy, and gazebo shade at myezshade.com or visit the ezShade YouTube site

The ezShade is available at Babies R Us, Toys R Us superstores, Sport Chalet,
Cabela’s, BuyBuyBaby.com, BedBathandBeyond.com and Amazon.com {with 20% off coupon code available on their Facebook page}

 
Thanks to their generosity, one lucky Rave and Review reader will win their own portable 10x10 straight leg ezShade to bring their own UPF 50+ protection with them this summer!

To Enter: Simply comment on the ezShade Facebook Fan Page with your favorite feature or how you would use your ezShade!  {Bonus: liking them gets you 20% off your Amazon.com order!}

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 after following us both {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Make your own shade with @raveandreview and @ezShade just in time for the hot summer enter to #win this #giveaway http://bit.ly/pBFEfz  

3) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage {3 extra entries - just post the URL where I can find your writeup}

4) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website {2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R}

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

6) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On August 10th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn via Random.org, announced here, and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to

#66 Doris C said... Tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/dewinner/status/99652448423124992

A big thank you to Solar Eclipz for providing the sample for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.