News & Stories

Animalz by ReTrak Headphones

They're the cutest headphones ever! My oldest girls (9 and 6 years old) LOVE stuffed animals, so when these Animalz by ReTrak volume-limiting, retractable headphones showed up at the house, they were absolutely smitten.

In our home, in any given week, there're arithmetic games on the iPad, a Guatemalan-based online Spanish tutor via Skype, video-based math lectures on the computer (we homeschool), audio books on the Kindle Fire, and Bruno Mars on my iPhone - often simultaneously. The problem is, these girls would rather not wear headphones. That is, until our new Animalz headphones arrived last Monday. Since these little princesses are stuffed animal fanatics, they were giddy about being able to wear these adorable furry animals on their ears.

Love this!! These are our first pair of retractable headphones, and they're great. Before life with Animalz by ReTrak headphones, our regular non-retractable headphones and ear buds were always a tangled mess! The retraction on our new Animalz headphones works smoothly, so they’re easy to store and very portable.

Volume limits! Sometimes my kiddos have a tendency to slowly (but constantly) increase the volume when they’re listening to a favorite song. We all know what studies show about hearing loss in children who listen to too much loud music with the wrong type of headphones / ear buds. I’m happy to know that the Animalz over-the-ear headphones set 85 decibels as the maximum volume for optimal ear protection.

They're cool! Animalz headphones are head-turning. Within the past several days, my 9-year-old wore them to dance classes, the grocery store, and the library, and we’ve tallied a number of admiring glances! It’s not often that she’s the trendsetter, but this time she is, and she’s thinking it’s pretty cool.

Animalz by ReTrak headphones are currently available in 6 adorable animal designs: Biker Bearz, DJ Pandaz, Jam Bunneez, Scuba Sharkz, Skate Monkeez, and Surf Dawgs. Available at more than 15 U.S. retailers including Amazon.com®, Best Buy® and Toys“R”Us®, they retail at $24.99. For a full list and more details, visit: http://myretrak.com/ANiMALZ/

CONTEST ALERT: We're giving away a pair of these adorable headphones to one of our lucky readers! Contest ends November 21, 2014. CLICK HERE to enter.

Blo Blow Dry Bar

I'd heard fantastic reviews about Blo Blow Dry Bar (25 Waterway Ave., Suite 150), so I had to try it for myself...well, for my girls, really. I called ahead and inquired about whether they can work with "kinky" hair. The lady who answered assured me that they absolutely can. I booked appointments for my 6- and 9-year-olds online (credit card required to reserve your spot; 24 hour cancellation).

We arrived 25 minutes earlier than our scheduled appointment time, and they were able to work us in almost immediately. The facility is bright, modern, and clean, and the staff is well-groomed and professional, as you might expect in most upscale salons. They were surprisingly very friendly and personable too (as you might not always expect). The waiting area is a bit smaller than I'd hope, but since I was the only one waiting, there were no issues with being there with my baby stroller.

The stylists really had their work cut out for them. After a summer of swimming in chlorinated pools, sun-bathing in Texas middays, and enduring skinny braids, my girls' heads were a force to reckon with.

Here's the BEFORE:

They were washed, carefully blow dried, flat ironed, and curled. We were all very pleased with the results. I personally thought the oldest girl's hair could have been gotten a bit straighter, but at a cost of $25 a head (for children 10 and under), I'm still very satisfied.

Here's the AFTER:

Huggies Little Snuggers - Editor's Review

Disclaimer: I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Huggies & Target. I received samples for this review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Do you have a little snuggler at home? Then you might want to try out the NEW Huggies Little Snugglers diapers that are available in grocery stores and mass retailers nationwide. True to its name, these diapers are very snuggly, and my six-month-old daughter seems to be very comfortable wearing them. The unique stretchy SnugFit* Waistband provides a gentle, secure fit, and the diapers are woven with a New GentleAbsorb* that helps draw the mess away from her skin. My Jasmine has super sensitive skin, so this feature is a big plus for me! Another plus is the wetness indicator which makes it easy for my 9-year-old "babysitter-in-training" to let me know when it's time for a diaper change.

I started using Little Snugglers just before my daughter turned six months, and we started feeding her solid (baby) food shortly thereafter. I was extremely fond of the diapers up until this point. As she began eating solids more regularly and making a bit more waste in her diapers, I was not pleased with the diapers’ leak protection despite the pocketed back waistband that’s designed to keep in the runny mess. In fact, we've experienced quite a few changes of clothes due to leakage.

"Boy Craft" Rubber Band Launcher Kit by Horizon

As a mom to 2 boys, I find it a little frustrating walking through the craft aisle at the big box and toy stores. If you're a mom of boys too, you may have noticed how most of the craft projects down these aisles include shiny sequins, heart stickers and rainbows. If you're a mom of girls this might irritate you as well, not all girls are into all the glitter and glam! That's why I was so excited to stumble upon a box titled, "Boy Craft: Rubber Band Launcher Kit" one day back in January while I was perusing the discount aisle at one of our local discount stores!

Omni 3-in-One Travel System

Editor's Disclosure: I participated in a Blog Blast on behalf of Mom Central for Urbini. I received information from Urbini to facilitate my post as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Have you seen the irresistibly cute new Omni 3-in-One Travel System by Urbini? They were on shelves earlier this year and they sold out within a month. The good news is that these stylish travel systems are BACK (sold exclusively at Walmart stores and Walmart.com). The Omni travel system offer a variety of traveling positions for your little one – from nesting in an infant car seat, to relaxing in the cozy bassinet, to riding forward or parent facing in the convertible stroller seat.

We’re glad to see these products back in the stores, because they’re surprisingly priced very well below competing brands. Plus, check out the reviews online – they’re excellent!

In addition to the 3-in-One Travel System, products from Urbini include the Hummingbird, the world’s lightest full-featured stroller with a one handed closing capability, and the Touri, a stroller and Petal Infant Car Seat creating the ultimate on-the-go travel system.

For more information on Urbini, visit the company on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest! #sponsored #MC

Austin Road Trip: Lakeway Resort and Spa - Editor's Review

Summer is the perfect season for a road trip! My family and I took a beautiful drive to Austin last weekend and enjoyed our stay at the Four Diamond award-winning Lakeway Resort & Spa, a newly renovated lodging resort and the only waterfront resort on Lake Travis. (Don’t you love Lake Travis?) Our goal was to simply get out of town for a couple of days and have some fun family time. Mission accomplished!

We were delighted with a very welcoming front staff, modern accommodations, some of the most comfortable beds we’ve ever slept in, spacious bathrooms, and a superb view of the lake from our balcony. The girls enjoyed having an adjoining room, and they were thrilled with their balcony view of deer grazing the lawn.