Rave & Review

Fitness goals made easy with AT&T {Fitbit Zip Giveaway}

It’s that time of year again when you shed your sweaters and jackets and get all ready for warmer weather and summer clothes… and then you realize that the dreaded swimsuit season is on the horizon again.  But, this year I’m going to be ready for it, thanks to a very welcome present from AT&T.

What does AT&T have to do with my fitness, you ask?  A whole lot, now that AT&T carries a range of smart fitness products that can communicate with your smartphone and help you track your fitness goals.

Why do you need a fitness product, you ask, isn’t that what diet and exercise are for?  It’s true that we all know that to lose weight you merely need to expend more energy than you consume, but the problem with that is that we habitually over-estimate our activity levels and underestimate our food intake.  It certainly makes it hard to figure out how many calories need to be cut to lose weight in a safe and effective way if you have no idea what fuel your body actually needs. 

New activity trackers from Fitbit help you figure out how many calories you’ve really burnt during the course of your day {and night} by tracking steps, miles traveled, flights of stairs conquered, and overall activity levels.  The data the Fitbit device collects automatically communicates with your computer when you have the USB pairing device plugged into your USB {I keep mine plugged in 99% of the time} so you can literally see your progress in real time on your computer.

Paired with the Fitbit dashboard where you can enter the foods you’ve consumed and activities you’ve done, you can get a better idea of if you have a calorie deficit or surplus right there in black and white {okay, it’s actually COLOR, but you get the point}.  

Ate too much lunch?  Better plan a long walk before dinner, or alternatively, go easy on the dinner to compensate.   Had a long morning running a marathon?  Maybe you need extra calories the rest of the day to refuel your body.

This is all great, but what if you’re not by a computer all day long to track your foods and fitness levels?  Well, that’s where AT&T comes in.  The Fitbit is intelligent enough to connect with your smartphone via app so you can see your dashboard and food diary with you wherever you go.  Just like with the dashboard on your computer, you can track your fitness goals, weight loss or gain, and see hour by hour how you are looking for the day and how you can best stay on track.

We’ve been using our Fitbit trackers {I have the Fitbit One, hubby has the Fitbit Ultra} for a few months now and we absolutely love them.  Straight out of the package you can use it like a smart pedometer, but once you connect it to your computer or smartphone you can add what you’ve eaten and add any physical activities {it can tell when you’ve been walking, going upstairs, or your general fitness level, but it’s not going to be able to detect if you’re carrying heavy items or pushing or pulling something} to help get an even better picture of your activity levels. 

We love our Fitbit wireless activity trackers so much that we were thrilled to find out that AT&T carries other fitness accessories that pair with our devices and smartphones, like the new Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale. 

We’ve been trying out the scale for the last two weeks using both of our trackers and would definitely recommend adding it if you are already using the Fitbit.  Just like the Fitbit itself, it pairs directly with your smartphone or desktop to track your weight automatically, which is one less step you need to remember.

Really, the hardest part is remembering to weigh myself a few times a week, which I'm habitually bad at.  But, now that I've got the Aria Smart Scale to keep me motivated and on track, even that is getting to be less and less of a problem these days.  There's just something fun about seeing pounds disappear from a scale while watching your fitness levels rise. 

For me, one of the best parts about the system is that I've learned a lot about how I gain weight and how to lose it.  And, as it turns out, healthy competition is the way to go.  Since hubby and I are connected to each other on the Fitbit dashboard we are literally competing every day for the highest activity levels.  I love that we're not going pound-to-pound in a weight loss competition but rather the goal is to just beat the other person's step total to win. 

Unfortunately for me and my {mostly} sedentary job, I have to work extra hard to keep up, but had I not been tracking it, I would never have known the difference in activity levels.  Just knowing that I've been sitting while he is standing and walking makes me get up more and keep moving, which is a great thing for both my health and my bragging rights.  You decide which is the most important. 

The Fitbit Aria WiFi Smart Scale is available at AT&T stores as well as online for $129.99

Want to see the full range of fitness products from AT&T?  Check out their Health and Fitness accessories today or pop into a store near you!

How would you like to win a Fitbit Zip from AT&T? 

To Enter: comment on this post with why you think it's cool that AT&T carries fitness products like the Fitbit

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome #ATTseattle Fitbit giveaway {bit.ly/12G6aVU} with extra credit if you tag Rave & Review

1 Extra Entry {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, follow on Pinterest, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet making sure you are using the #ATTseattle hashtag

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @ATT on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On June 9th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US only, 18+ 

A big thank you to AT&T for providing the ARIA scale as well as a Fitbit giveaway for readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

 

Spy Tec Inventio HD 720P video recording sunglasses {Review}

by Tyler, editor and reviewer

Even from a young age, I was obsessed with spy technology.  I used to stay up at night thinking of how cool it would be if cameras could fit in the palm of your hand, if fingerprint scanners could lock your valuables or if Hollywood’s technology would ever be a reality.  Unfortunately, I was clearly born a few decades too soon, because it’s only now that technology is catching up with my imagination.

For instance these, which are the ultimate in spy high-tech gear.  Forget cameras that fit in your palm, the Spy Tec Inventio HD is a camera you wear on the bridge of your nose.  You can bet we were thrilled when we heard we would get to test these babies out this spring to see if my childhood dreams really had come true.

While I’m past the age of dreaming of espionage and covert operations, I still think these are pretty darn awesome for all sorts of applications.  From recording fast moving sports and action shots hands-free, to capturing your perspective on the world, the Spy Tec glasses offer an unobtrusive way to record just about anything.

While I could go on and on about how fun it would be to pop these on and go for a bike ride or hike, my favorite thing about the glasses has nothing to do with sports or spying – it has to do with kids.  We all know kids freeze up as soon as you pull out your camera and start filming, so I love that the Spy Tec glasses are so discreet that they have no idea when you’re filming and when you’re not.  This means you’re more likely to catch that amazing trick they do, the funny pronunciation, or simply them just being them. 

We also like to let our kids wear the glasses to film and let them record the world as they see it.  Instead of worrying about what buttons they will press or whether they will drop the video camera on its lens, we can put the Spy Tec glasses right on the kids {use the included sunglasses neck strap if you are worried they might fall off} and let them make art all by themselves. 

Sure, they are tiny and great for kids, but I bet you’re wondering what kind of quality a “spy camera” could possibly be.  The answer is that it’s better than what you might think.  While some fast-moving  shots may produce videos that shake the entire time or be completely unwatchable, normal movements like walking or turning your head produce nice clear shots just like a regular video camera.  

And, at 720P, the videos are a nice clear HD quality image, which makes it perfect for YouTube, watching on your TV, or making high quality videos.  While it’s not IMAX quality, or DSLR quality, it does better than most point-and-shoot video cams we’ve tried, and is far more portable and unobtrusive. 

This was a big issue for me as I’m constantly feeling very removed from the action when I’m behind my camera, and then am stuck holding it all day long, even when I’m done filming.  With the Spy Tec glasses I can simply wear them like normal sunglasses {which I always have with me} and hit record when something exciting happens.  Then, when the sun goes down and I don’t need sunglasses, I merely pop them into their included case.

The sound quality is also decent and does a good job of picking up voices and environment sounds.  Naturally, your voice will be the loudest sound if you speak at all, due to the proximity to the microphone, so you really don’t need to speak loud at all to be heard.

Of course, every technology has its drawbacks, and the fact that this video cam fits on your face means it doesn’t have many bells and whistles built into the camera itself.  No LCD screen, no menu, and no special effects, but none of these things would be worth sacrificing how small the glasses are, so I say it’s well worth it. 

Some things did take a little getting used to, like the fact that you have to take them off your face to see if they are recording, the way that the angle of the lens is a bit above where your eye is looking so you need to compensate a bit while filming up close, that you can’t really “compose” your image the way you can with a traditional video camera and the fact that you can’t see what you recorded until you connect it to your computer. 

You also need to take into account that some fast-moving  shots may produce videos that shake the entire time or be completely unwatchable, depending on camera movement.  Even walking or turning your head too fast can produce dizzying videos if you're not fully aware of your movements, so I have to remind myself to move more slowly while wearing them.

But, the biggest issue we found with not having an LCD screen or menu option is that you don’t know when you are out of memory or out of battery.  We had a whole day of thinking we were recording only to find that my daughter had used all the memory taking videos of what we can only imagine is the inside of her purse.  As for the battery, we found that thankfully it lasts about 2 hours of recording before needing to be charged, so we just charge it up when we’ve been filming a lot and we actually haven’t had it run down on us yet. 

Speaking of recording all day long, I love that the Inventio-HD automagically separates long videos into 1.2GB {which is approximately 15 minutes} increments for you.  Having smaller chunks of footage makes it much easier to find specific moments you've shot later as well as for editing purposes if you're making compilations.  While making our video I was very grateful to have smaller clips to work with instead of 1-2 hours videos to wade through. 

The Spy Tec Inventio HD sunglasses come with nice polarized lenses straight out of the package, but I love that you can also buy replacement lenses, mirrored lenses or even clear lenses for $12 apiece.  Depending on what you are filming or what activities you have in store, having different lens options is a big plus to me, especially since changing out the lenses makes it possible to film indoors as well. 

Here's the rundown on the Spy Tec Inventio HD video recording sunglasses:

• 720P HD video and audio recording 
• 16-bit digital audio recording 
• Cables included to connect to computer or TV
• Battery life of 2 hours
• 8GB of Class 10 internal memory
• Compatible with PC and Mac computers
• Includes 1 year warranty
• Bonus carrying case, cleaning cloth, and neck strap included

If you’re looking for an easy way to record everything from a helicopter ride to a walk through your favorite spot, from action shots to catching your grandma sweetly singing a lullaby while rocking your baby, the Spy Tec glasses are a great purchase.  They retail for $129.95 and can be purchased at SpyTecInc.com

Want to see the Spy Tec Inventio HD sunglasses in action?  Check out our video showing our favorite uses. 

A big thank you to Spy Tec for providing the Inventio HD sunglasses to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours.

Enjoying the sun and making smart Steps with Walgreens #BalanceRewards

This is a sponsored post.

One thing we are adamant about with our kids is that they grow up in an active family.  We try and go biking, hiking, and exploring whenever possible, but when we’re not able to do that, we simply walk everywhere.  With spring weather slowly arriving in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve been loving all the sun and taking every opportunity to get outside and be active. 

With weather predicted to be in the 70s over Easter weekend, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to head out of the city and explore Chuckanut Drive and Bellingham as a family… and maybe even sneak in a quick hike.  Of course, that means snacks for the trail and for the trip up north so while my daughter was in school, little man and I decided to enjoy some sunshine and walk over to our local Walgreens to do a little shopping for the weekend.

In addition to snacks for the trail/road, I was also interested in learning more about the new Steps campaign at Walgreens through their Balance Rewards program that encourages their members to record their fitness achievement and awards points for each task.  Since hubby and I already wear smart pedometers daily, I was excited to see how we could use the data we’re already collecting and earn points for stuff we’re already buying.  But, in addition to earning points, I saw it as a great way to teach the kiddos about the importance of daily activity and was hoping to get a pedometer for our daughter as well.

We had planned on asking about the Steps program as soon as we got to Walgreens, but we got distracted as soon as we walked in the door and started our shopping instead.  We headed around the store and picked up nuts and seeds, granola bites, bars, dried fruits, beef jerky, and more, and then we headed over to check out their selection of pedometers, activity trackers, heart monitors and fitness gadgets to see if there was something we could use.

I was really surprised by the selection of fitness and wellness gadgets and spent quite a bit of time perusing the shelves.  I was seeing everything from basic fitness tools to electronics you can wear on your wrist, as well as some things I had never seen before that I was curious about, like the LifeStrength ionic bracelet touted as “the vitamin you wear”. 

Curiosity got the best of me and I took one up to the register to check the price while I purchased all our other treats.  Up at the register, a quick chat with the manager gave us everything we were looking for about the Steps program as well as an awesome Walgreens branded pedometer and bag that they had for promotional use that would be perfect for our hike.  And, then in the end, I surprised myself by adding the LifeStrength band to my order as well so we could check it out on our busy weekend ahead and see if we noticed a difference.

When we got home, I packed our bag for our journey, filled up some water bottles to chill in the fridge, and hopped on the computer to start earning Balance Rewards points for all the upcoming activities. It was mere minutes and I had successfully joined the Steps program and then I explored the site a little bit to see all that it offered.  I was really happy when I realized that you can actually sync smart activity trackers like the FitBits that hubby and I both wear right to your Steps account so you don’t have to remember to log each mile manually. 

You can also earn rewards for making fitness goals for yourself, weighing yourself, buying fitness related items at Walgreens, participating in local walk/runs/triathalons and more.  If you haven’t already, I urge you to start a Steps account through the Balance Rewards program.  It’s free to join, simple to sign up for, and it’s a great way to motivate yourself and your family. 

While the jury is still out on whether the LifeStrength I bought makes a noticeable difference in how I feel, getting outside in the sunshine with my favorite people certainly makes a difference in my outlook. Even though I woke up to a rather gloomy Monday, I still feel better knowing how active we were over the weekend and am excited to get out again as a family.

And, although my daughter is young and our focus isn’t on weight loss, I found that giving her the pedometer for the weekend was a great move on our part.  The energy and excitement she had about tracking her steps was contagious and we all pushed ourselves a bit more than we would have otherwise.  And, the best part is that instead of asking to be carried or saying she was tired only part of the way through our day, she was really excited to get as many steps as she could and was running circles around us the whole time.  

The bonus was getting home and logging on to the Steps Balance Rewards site to see that I earned 540 points just having fun with the family.  If you haven't signed up for Walgreens Balance Rewards program you will need to do that before you can sign up for the Steps program, but both programs are free and completely painless to sign up for.  Why not get rewarded to shop, stay fit, and meet your wellness goals?

Read more about our shopping trip, Steps program signup process and our day hiking as a family in our Google+ album.  You can also see more about Aisle Share FUN page.

Find out more at Walgreens.com and follow Walgreens on Twitter and Facebook.

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Walgreens #cbias #SocialFabric.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Must Have Gear for Kiddos: First Ascent MicroTherm Down Jacket from Eddie Bauer

I’m a big believer in getting kids good, quality outdoor gear.  Whether it’s for hiking and biking or quick jaunts around town, quality outdoor gear just makes sense on many different levels.   

For one, I want kids that enjoy being outdoors, and I know that being comfortable is a big part of what will foster their love of nature.  This may mean that my kiddos miss out on having character themed jackets and backpacks, but in the end I feel they gain a lot more by having something weatherproof and lightweight that allows them to be… kids. 

For another, good quality gear just lasts.  Even if you buy big and your child wears it for two years straight, it’s still able to passed down to the next kid in line.  If you do the math, it actually makes good gear seem frugal in comparison to $35 a pop every year and then a new coat for each kid.

Knowing that we love pint sized outdoor gear, you can bet we were thrilled when we heard that Eddie Bauer had recently expanded their clothing and gear for kids, baby and toddler as well.  We had been hunting the kid’s line down locally and found that it was in select stores right now {for all of you Seattlites, you can currently find them consistently at U-Village and Redmond, and popping up in other stores occasionally} as well as online. 

And, once we saw the First Ascent MicroTherm down jacket for kids, we knew we had found the perfect grow-with-us coat.  Besides being absolutely adorable in that they look just like the grownup jackets but miniature, they also didn’t scrimp on features when they shrunk them down to kid’s sizes.  Packable, lightweight, and layer-able, these are the epitome of great gear for kids. 

With features such as StormRepel durable water-repellent (DWR) finish that sheds moisture, interior pockets for storing essentials, and cuffed sleeves to keep the elements out, this coat really does have it all.  I'm not sure if it's the fact that they match daddy, or if it's the fact that they really are gear connoisseurs at 2 and 4 years old, but my kiddos straight up adore these coats.

Instead of the on-off on-off routine, the MicroTherm coats are the first coats that our kids actually keep on and don’t complain of being too hot in as soon as we step inside.  But, not only do they keep them on indoors, they are still perfect temperature for the cold, wind, and rain of the Pacific Northwest year-round. 

One of the details that make this such an amazing all around jacket is that it isn’t the giant puffy coat you are picturing from your childhood.  Made with row after row of tiny baffles stuffed with 600 fill power premium European goose down, it is amazingly thin for how warm it is. 

Another part of what makes the MicroTherm jacket so thin is that it is made with a slim fitted design to keep you warm as well as for layering, but with stretch panels built into the sides to aid in flexibility, breathability and movement.  These details also make it perfect to buy large since it is more of a fitted coat it doesn’t look out of place a size too big. 

In fact, you might even be able to go two sizes bigger and really extend the life of the jacket.  Our kiddos are in sizes 5-6 and 3-4 for tops and they are currently both modeling a size 8 MicroTherm down jacket.  Admittedly, the coat looks like a dress on my son since the 21.25” length isn’t meant for toddlers, but I don’t want to be the one to break his heart. 

Speaking of heart breaking, when we do force the kiddos to take them off, I really love that the compressible down makes it easy to stuff away in the bottom of a stroller or an overnight bag, or even its own pocket.  But, this compressibility also means you can easily fold up the sleeves inside the cuffs if they happen to be too long, as was obviously the case for my son.

While I wouldn’t recommend buying 6 sizes too big for everyone, he certainly doesn’t look like he’s complaining now, does he?

Whether you are looking for an under layer for skiing and snowshoeing or you want a lightweight and compressible all-weather coat for your little one, I would highly recommend the MicroTherm Down Jacket from First Ascent as the perfect year-round coat.  It may not make a mountain climber out of your kiddo just by putting it on, but you will have better luck convincing them to try as well as keeping them comfortable no matter where their day takes them. 

The MicroTherm jackets for boys and girls are currently on clearance at EddieBauer.com and can be picked up for 50% off, which makes them a crazy good deal at $39.99 each.

A big thank you to Eddie Bauer for sending the MicroTherm jackets for the kiddos to adore... and never want to take off.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Help Saving Tiny Hearts Society with Step2 {Easy Turn Coupe Giveaway}

My son loves anything that vrooms, so it’s really no surprise that he would love a ride-on car from Step2.  But, what is surprising is how much he adores the Easy Turn Coupe that arrived at our house last week.  If you know my son, you know his obsession with Volvos, so the fact that he dubbed his Easy Turn Coupe a “Volvo” should be some indication. 

He literally wakes up in the morning, his eyes still fuzzy from sleep, yelling into the baby monitor “mama! play Volvo!”  And thus the days of zooming around the house, cruising down the street, and pushing every single toy he owns in it, begins.

Really, it’s not hard to see why the kid loves the Step2 Easy Turn Coupe.  For one, it’s a car.  A foot-powered car that he can ride in.  And, he doesn’t treat this baby as if it’s a toy; he treats it as if it’s a real car and it’s his job to take care of it.  When he’s not riding inside or being pushed around in it, he’s busy handling all the car maintenance: polishing the “chrome”, gassing it up, and even tinkering {loudly} under the hood.  And, no, he doesn’t get this taking-care-of-cars thing from me, it’s safe to say that’s all hubby.

But, beyond the fact that it’s a car just for him, there’s some really cool features about the Step2 Easy Turn Coupe that make it amazingly Rave-tastic.  The first thing I love is how easy it is for kids to maneuver.  As the name would imply, the thing can turn on a dime {okay, not really, but comparatively speaking} thanks to a front castor wheel that spins easily and allows the car to make sharper and smoother turns than other ride-ons and push toys.  And, because the steering wheel is just for looks {albeit cute, and arguably necessary, looks}, the steering is very intuitive since it’s foot-controlled, which means little ones don’t get frustrated.    

The second feature I really love is that the Easy Turn Coupe is part kid-powered ride-on and part rest-for-the-weary push car that’s much cooler than a stroller to roll around town in.  Simply slide in the removable floorboards {which can also be screwed down} and you can push your little one to the park to play, down to get the mail, or simply to enjoy a fun nature walk in the comfort of their coupe. 

I personally love that the translucent sunroof is also an integrated handle that allows parents to push their little ones, and I especially love how comfortable it is to push, even for long distances.  Because the coupe moves very fluidly and because of the angle of the handle, it’s not at all awkward as I had feared, and I can easily do it one handed, while carrying another child and my purse and all our mail.  Boo-yah.  The extra bonus is that the awesome sunroof is easy to see your child through as well as allowing them a greater field of vision while still staying better protected against the elements.

Can you believe it?  All this raving and I haven’t even mentioned the cupholders.  We all know this is an essential thing to consider when buying yourself, or your kiddo, a car, and you will be happy to note that this baby has three.  Yes, three!  One for the driver, and two in the back, presumably for mom and pop.  Brilliant, right?  And, if anyone is keeping score, that means this “Volvo” has 3 more cupholders than our real Volvo.  True story. 

Okay, enough about turn radius, sunroofs, and cupholders, you probably want to get to the crazy exciting part where I give one away, right?  Well, before we get to that, there’s one more important thing to discuss: giving back in a big way to the Saving Tiny Hearts Society.  I love when great brands support such worthy causes, which is why I can get behind this promo in a big way by sharing it with you and giving a Coupe away to raise awareness.

"On February 10, 2013, at the New York City Toy Fair, Step2 will be launching a campaign entitled the, “I ♥ Easy Turn Coupe”.  The Step2 Company, LLC focuses its charitable efforts on programs designed to enhance the health and education of children while enriching their lives and their family experience.  It is that mission that has made The Saving tiny hearts Society (StHS), an organization that funds life-saving grass roots research of congenital heart defects (CHD’s), a non-profit that Step2 has supported for many years.

Several years ago, Step2 learned that CHD's are America’s #1 birth defect affecting over 40,000 babies every year.  With that type of statistic, it should have come as no surprise when one of Step2’s own, Tena Crock, was impacted by a CHD.

Step2 would like to continue its support of the StHS with our “I ♥ Easy Turn Coupe” campaign. We will be donating Coupes to various children’s hospitals and will be inviting folks to watch a quick video on the Easy Turn Coupe and tell us what feature they ♥ most about it.  For every comment received on the Easy Turn Coupe Facebook tab, Step2 will make a $1 donation to StHS."

One lucky Rave & Review reader is going to win an awesome Easy Turn Coupe for themselves!

To enter, simply comment with a caption for the picture below using these simple rules 1) keep it kid friendly – no profanity and 2) one caption per person per day

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Step2 for sending the Easy Turn Coupe to facilitate this review as well as offering one to our fabulous readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

We're cruising with the Prince Lionheart chop balance BIKE

My kids love our family bike rides in their trailers and front toddler seats and are dying for the day they can take off down the trail on their own.  Unfortunately, they don’t have the balance or coordination necessary to send them off without training wheels, which is why we love Prince Lionheart’s line of balance bikes that are just like kid’s bikes but without the pedals.

If you haven’t seen a balance bike before, the concept might seem a little foreign, but if you’ve ever been to a park and watched a little kid who can barely walk tearing it up on a little wooden bike, it suddenly makes sense.  Once you take the pedals out of the equation, it allows kiddos to focus on the balance portion of learning to ride without the fear because their feet are always ready to catch them or slow them down if they should get scared.

My daughter was lucky to get a chance to use the Prince Lionheart whirl balance SCOOTER last year as she’s been very interested in learning to bike on her own.  She’s loved cruising around the yard and neighborhood on her adorable little Vespa-inspired wooden scooter like she’s in Paris, on the way to an art museum or corner café.

The neighbors all love seeing her cruise down the street and she gets lots of smiles with her helmet and pink scooter.  The only issue was that now we have two bike-loving kiddos and only one Prince Lionheart balance bike, so we’ve been on the hunt for a second bike so the two could ride together. 

But, last month we got to see how ridiculously cute two kiddos on balance bikes are and it is heart melting. Don't say I didn't warn you.

The Prince Lionheart chop balance BIKE arrived just a few days before Christmas when it was raining almost every day, so we were thrilled that there has been a break in the weather so we’ve been able to get out with the two of them and enjoy some {cold} fresh air and get back to biking. 

Like the whirl balance SCOOTER, the Prince Lionheart chop balance BIKE is adorable and durable, with high quality rubber tires, padded seat, rubberized gripping pads, and smooth steering.  But instead of a Vespa-inspired design, it looks more like a chopper, which is perfect for my son.  Just look at this happy little guy on his motorcycle, I mean bicycle.   

I should note that the seats of the Prince Lionheart balance BIKES are adjustable for height, but because of the way the chop balance BIKE is designed, it cannot adjust as low as the Prince Lionheart balance SCOOTER.  Even on the lowest setting it’s a tiny bit tall for my little guy, but he has mastered balancing on his toes and doesn’t mind a bit as long as we go slow.  However, if he’s looking for serious speed, he always reaches for my daughter’s balance SCOOTER so he can get some flat-foot launching speed. 

When we’re not able to make it to the trails, the Prince Lionheart balance BIKES are fun to use on the porch and driveway, making our own Balance City with roadways, gas station and more.  And, for those days we just have to get out but only have a small break in the weather, it’s a great way to run down and pick up the mail and say hello to all of our neighbors. 

As the weather gets nicer in spring, I know we’re going to have a ton of fun cruising the trails and parks near us watching their balance and coordination improve until they can really go zooming off.  I know that even after they have mastered the balance portion, the Prince Lionheart balance BIKES will still be fun for trying new tricks and then up until they eventually graduate to their own 2-wheeler without training wheels.  

If you have a little one who is getting ready to ride and wants to try heading out on their own, I would highly recommend the Prince Lionheart Balance Bikes as the perfect way to familiarize them with biking without all the worry.  Whether you go for the classic balance BIKE, the chop balance BIKE or the whirl balance SCOOTER, you and your little one will be thrilled that they will be one step closer to riding on their own, without the use of training wheels. 

Take a minute to watch this short video Prince Lionheart put together to show how they put safety first... starting with the littlest Prince Lionheart fans.

 A big thank you to Prince Lionheart for sending their chop balance BIKE to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Choose Your Own Adventure with Cloud 9 Living {9 Days of Christmas Giveaway}

Here at Rave and Review we clearly like our stuff.  It’s really great to find that item that just blows you away with how well it works, or with some simple but brilliant design feature.  But truth be told, we really only consider all the gear around us as items that make our days easier so that we can get out and enjoy life. 

The whole reason we rave about certain strollers or baby carriers and so on is that they allow us to continue with our adventurous side, even as a family.  They help us to have real experiences.  Imagine my excitement then, when I first heard about Cloud9Living.com, a company that is all about experiences.

We all know that one person who is impossible to buy for, the one that seems to always have the newest of everything.  Imagine if you could nix the mall and all the specialty stores desperately trying to find them something and give them an experience instead.  That is exactly what Cloud 9 Living offers.

Cloud 9 Living offers up over 1,800 experiences across the nation that you can gift to anyone you choose.  The experiences range from relaxing and laid back spa days to extreme adrenaline fueled adventures, which means there truly is something for everyone. 

Finding the perfect experience is a simple process as you can search by region to see what’s close by you, by types of activities if you are looking for something specific, or even by who the gift is for if you aren’t quite sure what to get. 

And, if you still can’t decide, you can even purchase a gift card and let them decide the level of excitement they can handle.  I don’t know about you, but I think that just might be the best definition of “choose your own adventure” I can imagine.

My wife and I had a good discussion going about the different tours we could take, or perhaps a glass blowing class we could do as a couple when I saw something that made my heart skip a beat.  My wife saw it soon after and immediately stated that it was clearly the choice for us.

Unfortunately, the experience was only for one person.  But in the spirit of gift giving, she insisted I go and it was settled.  I was going to learn how to fly a helicopter.

Luckily for me, my wife knows how I’ve dreamed of flying a helicopter ever since I knew what they were.  I always thought it would be too expensive or too much of a commitment as it would require years of schooling before someone would let me get behind the controls.  But in the back of my mind, I had always hoped I would some day land in the cockpit and be given the controls, and Cloud 9 Living gave me that opportunity.

The purchasing process is like any other online purchase with simple boxes to fill out and that’s it.  Then, a few days later, a gorgeous folder shows up in the mail telling the recipient of the adventure they have been gifted and instructions on how to redeem. 

The recipient of the adventure pack then enters their code online and redeems it for their specific adventure.  Even if the adventure has already been chosen by the gift-giver, I love that the recipient can also upgrade or change as they would like at this point.  And, since not everyone is tech savvy, I appreciated that the process really couldn’t have been simpler.  It really was as easy as checking a box and then choosing the date and time for my lesson, and then waiting for the confirmation email letting me know I was all set.

The day of my experience, I was incredibly nervous, but not about learning to fly a helicopter.  With crazy winds and rain, I was worried the lesson would be cancelled and was sitting by my phone waiting for the dreaded call.  The call finally came, but it was just to postpone the lesson by an hour – it was still on, just slightly delayed.

Luckily, as I arrived at the airport and the Seattle Helitours location, the weather had calmed down enough to where I knew we were going to be ok.  I met with my instructor, Take, and he started right away with teaching me the various controls of the helicopter.  I was surprised when he described how little movement of the stick was required, but also a little nervous since that means you need to be pretty precise.

We then made our way out to the helicopter, strapped in and took off.  He hovered over the airstrip for a minute or so while I waved to my family below and then we were off.  We started off heading south then did a hard 180 to turn back north.  At this point, I’m already grinning from ear to ear and too excited for words when he tells me to take the controls. 

As I take over, the helicopter starts to shimmy and sway in decidedly unsmooth ways as I get a feel for how sensitive the controls really are, but within a few seconds I have it settled down and that’s it, I’m flying.  I don’t think I could have been any happier than in that moment. 

From there he guided me across the lake towards Bellevue and then back over to a tour of Seattle landmarks.  Seeing my city from the air like that would have been cool, but being the one flying the whole time was truly amazing, and something I will never forget. 

Having now been on the receiving end of a Cloud 9 Living experience, I can only say that I’m now more than ever a believer in experiences over standard gifts.  Now don’t get me wrong, I love a good neck tie as much as the next guy, but I think piloting a helicopter might be a tad more memorable. 

If you would like to get a loved one an experience they will never forget, head over to Cloud9Living.com and check out the broad range of adventures they offer nationwide.  Whether they would like a guided food tour or to drive a real racecar, there’s truly an experience for everyone.  Or, in my case, many experiences I would love to try {*cough* birthday coming up *cough*}.

How would you like to win an amazing experience from Cloud 9 Living?  You can in the “9 Days of Christmas" contest that just launched November 1st.  Enter today to win one of the 9 experience giveaways to gift or to keep for yourself. 

The winners will be drawn December 16th - 24th and you could be one of the lucky ones that ends up speeding around a racetrack, dining on food and wine, or even booking my fighter pilot dream experience. 

Be sure you like/follow Cloud 9 Living on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus
A big thank you to Cloud 9 Living who provided the experience as well as the giveaway information.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Nutcase Helmets and Little Nutty Helmets {Review}

By Tyler, Editor and Author

Those of you who know us well know that we love riding bikes as a family.  Not only is it a great way to spend time together and explore your surroundings, it’s a great way to really get to know one another.  Of course, a big consideration for bike riding is safety, which is where Nutcase Helmets come in. 

Nutcase Helmets {and their child-size Little Nutty Helmets} have always been one of our favorite bike accessories, which is why they made the list of our favorite products in 2009.  Their blending of style, multisport functionality, and outstanding safety ratings make them an easy win for all of us, especially as the kids get older and get into more sports.


Speaking of growing children, I love how Nutcase helmets grow with your child.  Whether you choose a Nutcase Helmet or a Little Nutty Helmet, you will find adjustable straps and an easy-adjust dial for getting the perfect fit, but they also come with a whole bunch of different sized foam pieces that allow you to fine tune them specifically to your head.  Since comfortable helmets are more likely to be left on, this is one of my favorite features to ensure my kids are safe.

And, since safety is such a big concern for us, I am adamant that their protective gear is always accessible, worn properly, and kept in good shape.  Most people watch to make sure their child’s helmet fits properly but most don’t understand that helmets also expire, and that helmets that have been dropped or in an accident can be damaged internally and may even need to be replaced.  In my opinion, it is much better to play it safe when we are talking about children and not risk having cracked or compressed foam that isn’t up to the task. 

And, since it had been over 3 years since our last replacement, we used our growing children as an excuse to check in and see what kind of new designs Nutcase has to offer and were really impressed by how big the line has gotten.  Imagine my surprise when I found that not only do they have a whole bunch of new helmet designs since the last time I looked, but they also have a couple new lines of activity-specific helmets and even some cool new accessories, too, like these adorable bike bells that match their helmets.


Since the original helmet was rated for biking, skateboarding, street hockey, skating and more, I had thought they had covered everything.  That was until I saw their new water and snow sport helmets that are specially designed for the specific sports.  With specially designed padding, removable ear flaps, and even temperature regulating fleece for the cold winters, they are perfect for any weather. 

But, the coolest of the new products is the DOT approved line of motorcycle helmets with super wide view flip up visors.  I’m now working hard to convince my wife how economical a nice motorcycle or scooter would be for me so I can have an excuse to get one of these.  Come on, the helmet practically pays for itself with my gas savings!


As part of their plan for helmet domination, Nutcase also has a new removable visor that slips in between the hard plastic shell and foam liner of their regular helmet line and adds just a little bit of flair and a lot of functionality.  At first glance I thought there was no way that what looked like a fairly little visor would make that much difference in terms of coverage, but I sure was wrong.  I didn’t take into account that you are building on the thickness of the helmet that is already there, so adding a couple more inches of shade really does block out quite a bit of light, while also making your helmet that much cooler looking. 

Another improvement to their line is the new magnetic buckle design.  No more worrying about lining the buckle up perfectly, squeezing at just the right place to release it, or accidentally pinching skin in between the buckle with this new magnetic closure.  Now you simply need to get the two sides close to where they attach and the magnets inside pull them together and lock in place securely.  To release them, you simply slide them sideways away from each other to unlock them and then pull them apart.  It is way easier now to buckle and unbuckle with only one hand free as well as when you’re wearing gloves, but I love that it is still hard for tots to take them off themselves and even with rigorous testing we couldn’t get them to unbuckle accidentally.


Since the holidays are approaching and many kids will be opening bikes on Christmas morning, I would suggest you also check out Nutcase helmets ahead of time and have one waiting under the tree, too.  Whereas many helmets wouldn’t make a kid excited, Nutcase helmets have an uncanny ability to make kids excited about safety, which just might be the best present under the tree this year. 

A big thank you to Nutcase Helmets for sending a helmet and a Little Nutty helmet for review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Targus Demolition 17.3” Backpack {Review & Giveaway}

In my home, there is absolutely no such thing as “just a bag”.  Having grown up with a mom who was a luggage and handbag aficionado and then having married a man who knows more about heavy-duty multipurpose bags than most people selling them, we don’t own a cheap bag in all of our collection.  Unless, of course, you count the shiny black patent leather number my daughter carries with her, which I beg you not to consider.  

But, the thing is, a cheap or ineffective bag can make or break an outing faster than missing naptime can.  Not being able to carry what you need, access it when you need it, or be comfortable carrying it makes for some pretty grumpy parents, so it’s just not worth it to mess with bags that don’t instinctively work. 

Targus, a brand known for its innovative tech-friendly bags is the newest addition to our bag collection and has proven to be a great asset for all of our summer travel.  The Targus Demolition 17.3” Backpack is like a work and play hybrid that can handle just about anything and looks good while doing it.   

An organizer at heart but someone who detests “organizer bags”, I love that its rugged good looks don’t give away how functional it is on the inside.  While it does have external pockets and side packs, it also could pass as a really nice commuter bag since it still looks professional and tech-savvy and even has a nice faux leather handle for carrying into meetings. 

But, not only is it great for all of our various tech gear {including phones, laptops, cameras, and video cameras}, it’s also roomy enough for a change of clothes for both kids, diapers, water bottles and more.  For our recent weekend in Portland it made a great day pack for everything we needed from the morning all the way until we returned to our room in the evening, but didn’t feel like we were carrying luggage with us around town. 

As nice and sleek as it looks on the outside, once you open up the huge top flap you can really feel the organizer love.  With a specific place for everything and pockets galore – both inside and out – you can literally pack a whole “office” in there and keep it all neat and tidy. 

In addition to the expected laptop sleeve, it also has a separate space for tablet/eReaders or documents, which is something I absolutely love.  With side pockets, water bottle holders, front pocket organizers, internal pockets for cables and small items, a zippered mesh pocket, and more, it really makes organization easy, even for the most tech-heavy family {*ahem*}.   It also has a great fully-lined front pocket that is perfect for storing cell phones, glasses, iPods and other small electronics for easy access on the go.  

But, not only does the Targus Demolition backpack give you a great way to store your valuables, it also protects them in numerous ways, including padded sleeves as well as an anti-shock pad along the bottom that protects against drops.  With a durable, water-resistant bottom panel to protect the contents from moisture and the fact that it can stand upright while full, it ensures your bag and your stuff will stay in pristine condition, no matter where you travel.

Of course, all of this organization and protection for your stuff wouldn’t matter if it wasn’t comfortable to carry.  Luckily, the adjustable thick, padded straps ensure that it is definitely all-day comfortable.   We especially love the ergonomic padded back panel that allows for air to circulate behind you and the only real complaint that either of us had is that the back panel can kind of cling to certain fabrics.        

Check out Thanks, Mail Carrier to see their awesome review of the Targus Demolition 17.3" Backpack. The Targus Demolition 17.3” Backpack would be a perfect bag for college, for work, or even just for use as a day pack to hold electronics and gear for the whole family.  It retails for $99, but if you take this quick Targus survey you will get 20% off your purchase at Targus.com, which makes this bag a steal!

One lucky Rave and Review reader will win the Targus Demolition 17.3” Backpack!

To Enter: Check out Targus.com and comment below with what else you love in their line

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this amazing giveaway {Targus Demolition 17.3" backpack  http://t.co/akfANAB7} and tag Targus and Rave & Review

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar {code in sidebar}.

1 Extra Entry - Take the Targus survey {bonus - you get 20% off just by taking it!}

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet after following @Targus_Inc and @RaveAndReview

3 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love. Enter any of my other giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post! 

1 Extra Entry - Comment on any Thanks, Mail Carrier post, including their Targus Demolition Backpack review!

1 Extra Entry - Pin or Like this post {use the buttons at the bottom of post to make it super easy! Can be done once per article}

On August 18th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn by Random.org, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #316 Jacque said... I love their screen protectors

A big thank you to Targus for sending the Demolition backpack to facilitate this review and to giveaway to our fabulous readers. All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Terminix ALLCLEAR Mosquito Mister Lantern with Naturals {Review}

Get Out and PLAY Event - Father's Day Outside

Recently our backyard has gotten pretty awesome.  With the addition of the 12’ JumpSport Trampoline and our awesome new Kenmore gas grill from Sears, you can bet we’re going to be spending a good deal of our time outdoors all summer long. 

While we are lucky and don’t have to worry about direct sun during playtime and grill time, the one thing we do have to worry about is bugs.  Since we tend to spend a good deal of our evenings out there as the guys light up the grill and we all take turns jumping, I find myself worrying a lot about bugs and trying to find kid-safe solutions to keep us all safe. 

Just in time for Father’s Day, I found the perfect solution that can keep us outdoors even after the daylight fades away.  The Terminix ALLCLEAR Mosquito Mister Lantern with Naturals is the solution to spraying smelly chemicals all over us and allows me to protect a good portion of the deck/patio with just one press of a button.

The Terminix ALLCLEAR Mosquito Lantern covers about 300 square feet and repels 95% of biting mosquitoes, allowing you to have fun in outdoor spaces of all kinds without worry.  Using a 100% all-natural lemongrass formula that is safe around kids, food and pets, you don’t have to worry about harming your family while you protect them.

Not only that, but it’s also incredibly attractive, too.  With all these features, I bet you didn’t expect the lantern to look like this, did you?

With a faux antique bronze finish that blends with any decor, it certainly doesn’t look anything like what I expected of a mosquito lantern.  I love that not only does it repel mosquitoes, it also has an optional soft glow light that can add a great ambiance to outdoor gatherings.  While we haven't used the light yet, I do love that it's an option as it makes the lantern more adaptable down the road for dinner parties and more.

The Terminix AllClear lantern comes preassembled but you do have to insert the batteries and the included spray in order to start it working.  There's also an optional hanger you can screw in as well as a wall mount that you can use to hang your lantern.  As far as set up goes it was intuitive and easy to do in a matter of minutes if you had a last minute party, and right away I could see how awesome this was going to be in our backyard. 

We’ve had our Terminix lantern hanging over our grill patio/play area for a few days now and it really doesn’t detract from the appearance of our yard at all, in fact, I think it looks quite nice.  I was really happy to see that the Terminix Lantern actually matches our solar fence post caps, which was a nice surprise considering I hadn’t even thought about looks when I read all the benefits of the lantern.

It’s so nice to be able to protect everyone with just the touch of a button without having to chase the little ones down, make sure they are covered without getting any in their face, and keep them from accidentally rubbing their eyes or getting it in their mouths.  But, even better than that is that you can turn it off when you don’t need it and you aren’t left smelling like bug spray until you shower again. 

Not only is it so much better than having to spray ourselves every single day all summer long, it’s also so much more convenient with the included pocket-sized remote.  The remote allows you to control the lantern from a distance based on how active the mosquitoes are, which is perfect for if you have the lantern hanging or if you don't want it right next to you covering you in spray but you still want to be able to turn it off and on, mute it, or up the spray as the mosquitoes come out. 

Being that my husband has never met a gadget he didn’t love, I knew the Terminix ALLCLEAR Mosquito Lantern with remote was the perfect new grill accessory this Father’s Day.  Although I’m really excited about using it all summer long in our backyard, I’m also excited about how easy the lantern is to transport and take with us when we take our show on the road. 

At 11.5h x 7.75w x 7.75d, it's a bit larger than a normal lantern, but still very packable and portable for when we're going to be out and about.  Whether we are on a family camping trip, at a beach firepit, enjoying an outdoor pool on vacation, or trying to catch ourselves some dinner, the Terminix ALLCLEAR Mosquito Mister Lantern will definitely be coming with us.

Want one in time for Father's Day?  You're in luck because the Terminix ALLCLEAR Mosquito Mister Lantern can be found at ACE and True Value Hardware stores as well as online at Target, Amazon, Home Depot and more.  It retails for $79.99 and additional Naturals Refills are sold for $7.99. 

You can follow AllclearMister on Twitter and on Facebook.

A big thank you to Terminix for sending their ALLCLEAR Mosquito Lantern for review purposes.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.