Rave & Review

Blue Nile Leaf Chandelier Earrings {Giveaway & Discount Code}

Oh, Mother’s Day, how I love you.  Not because I get presents {although I do love the things the kiddos pick out for me each year}, but because the stores I love have discounts for stuff I adore. 

For instance, Seattle's own Blue Nile jewelry.  Or rather, Blue Nile jewelry for 10% off using the coupon code MOMGIFT13.  You’re welcome for that.

It’s no secret that I have an immense love of jewelry.  I’ve been saving jewelry for my daughter since before she was even born and I was absolutely thrilled when I realized that I had passed this love of jewelry down to my daughter via genetics.  I was prepared to do subtle brain washing if need be and was happy to find it simply wasn’t necessary – my baby loves jewels. 

So, now that she’s older and can be trusted with nicer things, I’m dreaming of mother/daughter necklaces, rings and bracelets and I can’t help but get excited for all the fun with jewels in our future.  Maybe this is why I lost a few hours last week to BlueNile.com, searching out matching sets, ring guards {my anniversary is just around the corner}, and by shopping for my daughter’s newest obsession: earrings.

I should note that the kid doesn’t even have her ears pierced, she simply likes to pick out earrings for me to wear so she can admire them {cue the collective “awwww”}.  I knew right when I saw the Blue Nile Chandelier Leaf Earrings that they were going to be a big hit, and I was absolutely correct.

Her eyes lit up and she didn’t hesitate a moment before announcing that I needed them.  And, if you could have seen her face when the earrings arrived in their luxe blue box and I put them on the first time, you would have thought that it was her birthday, not just a random Saturday in May. 

Her excitement aside, the earrings are pretty amazing.  The earrings feature 7 leaf-like shapes out of sterling silver and are dainty and feminine but still fun and funky at the same time.  I personally love how lightweight they are, and the fact that they are designed to be flexible and move with you, which makes them catch light well and really sparkle, but without being blinding or too over-the-top. 

In fact, I wore them to two parties this weekend and both times got numerous compliments on them. The general consensus was that they were amazing and perfect for casual or fancy occasions, and everyone was shocked at the fact that they were not only gorgeous, but they were also reasonably priced, making it a Mother's Day present you could even pick up for yourself.  I mean, hey, you're worth it!

To buy: You can purchase the Blue Nile Sterling Silver Leaf Chandelier Earrings for $30 right now on sale, as well as using the 10% off code MOMGIFT13 for even more savings.

How would you like to win a pair of Blue Nile Leaf Chandelier Earrings for yourself?

To Enter: comment on this post with your favorite Mother's Day memory

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 Blue Nile 10% off coupon and giveaway {http://bit.ly/11dZEtH} 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

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

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

On May 20th 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 all, 18+ 

Mother's Day Gift Idea - LG Optimus G Pro from AT&T {Giveaway}

Just like so one will forget when they first heard the term “smartphone”, no one will ever be able to forget the first time they heard the term “phablet” {you know, a phone and tablet in one}.  My first time was in reference to my NOKIA 920 Windows Phone from AT&T, which I was assured was a “phablet” based on size alone. 

Well, it turns out that my phone is not a phablet, but it is actually a real thing, and I think that’s really awesome.  I really love having a phone on the bigger side as I do a lot of picture viewing and video watching on my phone, so to me, bigger is better and I’d love to get a phablet some day.  I don’t want to carry around a full-size tablet with me each day in addition to my phone, so a phablet is a compromise that offers a bigger screen and all the bells a whistles of a tablet and only one gadget to pay for on your cell phone plan.  


Just in time for Mother’s Day, AT&T is set to release the new LG Optimus G Pro that would be the perfect phablet for mom.  Whether she’s the sentimental type who will swoon over the grandkids picture on the big screen, the adventurous type who will make good use of the dual recording feature, or the snap-happy traveler that needs a phone that takes stellar pictures, the LG Optimus G Pro is the perfect solution.

Seriously, just look at all these features:

- Powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor with 2 GB RAM
- Expansive 5.5" 1080p Full HD IPS Screen (400 ppi resolution)
- Long-Lasting 3,140 mAh Battery
- Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)
- Advanced 13 MP Full HD Camera with Dual Recording
- 2.1 MP Full HD Front-Facing Camera for Dual Recording and Video Conferencing
- Visually and Audibly Collaborate in Real Time with VuTalk
- QSlide 2.0 for Advanced and Convenient Multitasking
- Audio Zoom for amplifying sound while using Live Zooming
- QuickRemote for Universal Remote Control
- Pocketable Ergonomic Design with Narrow Bezel
- Internal Storage: 32 GB total, support for up to 64 GB of expandable memory
- Bluetooth® Version 4.0

About the AT&T network: The LG Optimus G Pro runs on AT&T 4G LTE, currently covers nearly 200 million people; with plans to expand to cover 300 million people by the end of 2014.  In a report by independent testing organization RootMetrics, AT&T's 4G LTE network was called “blazing fast."  The report found AT&T’s 4G LTE network delivered the fastest pure LTE speeds in markets where AT&T provided 4G LTE.


Although the Optimus G Pro from AT&T doesn’t come out until the 10th, you can pre-order the device beginning May 3 at www.att.com/optimusgpro for $199 {or, even cheaper if you have a new-ish phone you can trade in}.  And, to sweeten the deal even more, anyone who pre-orders will receive a free Quick Cover black folio case while supplies last.  How awesome is that? 

Be sure and make your mom a personalized e-card by clicking on the image below.  My daughter adores all the "it's not complicated" commericals with the kids, so I'm going to have her make me a card tonight {with a little help from daddy-o}.

And, want to make Mom extra super-duper happy this Mother’s Day?  Sign the pledge to not text and drive at #itcanwait.  Have you signed it?

How would you like to win a LG Optimus G Pro smartphone from AT&T? 

To Enter: comment on this post with why you {or your mom} would love this phone

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 smartphone giveaway {bit.ly/ZDjB6N } 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 using the #ATTseattle hashtag letting me know why you love the LG Optimus G Pro for yourself - or your mom

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 May 12th 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+ 

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

80 JD Northwest said...Facebook posted and tagged. https://www.facebook.com/john.carroz/posts/10201142672679569

A big thank you to AT&T for providing a giveaway for readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Our Week of Adventure {KIA Sportage Review}

by Tyler, editor and reviewer

After having so much fun trying out the KIA Optima last fall, we jumped at the chance to try out the KIA Sportage CUV {compact utility vehicle} earlier this month through STI - The Drive Experience Company.  Since we don’t have an SUV or CUV in our family, we were all very excited to try out something new and exciting and see what we’ve been missing out on.  And, as it turns out, what we’ve been missing is adventure. 

There’s something about a fancy new car that makes you look for reasons to drive, and we found plenty of places to drive our loaner Sportage.  From short road trips to all-day adventures, the KIA Sportage was the perfect solution for hauling all of us – and our gear – while still having enough pep to make driving fun. 

Since the Sportage is the smaller of the two SUVs that KIA offers {hence the CUV title}, we were originally concerned that space would be an issue with all our gear, carseats, and strollers we need to haul around.  But, we were very surprised of the roomy-ness of the interior, especially the back seat.  While the back storage wasn’t huge, it still fit everything that we normally have in our trunk and more, while still having the option of packing the back seat, if necessary. 

While I’m not anti-SUV by any means, I have been driving compact cars almost exclusively for 8 years now and I was initially worried that driving an SUV – even if it was on the smaller side – would be a tradeoff in terms of power and handling.  But, what I found was that although the Sportage has a raised drive height, it still has a very car-like handling that I love.

Something that really surprised me about the driving experience was how much you can fine tune the feel and performance of the Sportage.  By turning the Eco-Mode on or off and either using the automatic or manual settings on the transmission the Sportage really felt like different cars at different times, making it perfect for whatever terrain we were on.

Here’s what we learned from our week of adventure:

Daddy-O Likes

• Leg room – Being a tall guy, I dread having to sit in back seats, but the Sportage passes my personal “can I sit behind myself?” test with flying colors.  Which means not only am I comfortable in any seat, I don’t have to feel bad for anyone behind me, either.
• Room for both car seats – Not only do our two car seats fit in the back seat, but we could also drop down the center armrest between them which gave the kids access to the two cup holders within {a treat they both agree has become a necessity.}  
• The quick turbo engine – Our Sportage came with the 2.0 liter turbocharged engine which has 260HP and 269 ft. lbs. of torque.  Put the transmission into manual mode and this thing felt like a little race car, able to carve corners and merge onto the freeway with ease.  
• Eco-Mode – Switching to Eco-Mode garnered an indicated 4-5mpg gain during some of our longer freeway jaunts while at the same time making the Sportage feel like a comfy Sunday cruiser as it seemed to take the edge off of the throttle inputs.  This was the perfect attitude for cruising the back roads, enjoying the scenery while sipping fuel.
• Cooling seats – I have a tendency to hop in the car with my jacket still on while everyone else has only a T-shirt.  The option to pump cool air through my seat with the heat on for everyone else may be the single most meaningful advance in family harmony ever.  I can only imagine how great it feels once it really gets hot out.
• Steering wheel controls – The ability to control your phone, radio volume and station, and cruise control is very helpful when you jump into a new car.  And apparently something you get used to quickly, as I found myself searching for those same non-existent buttons in my own car a week later. 
• Super-bright lights – That pretty much sums it up, but for those of you looking for more description, we are talking about curb to curb daylight leading the way ahead of you all night long.  These things are awesome. 
• Back up camera – This is another feature that I could really get used to.  Since I prefer to back into parking spots whenever possible, it was nice knowing I wasn’t going to crash someone else’s car into someone else’s car {AKA the pinnacle of automotive embarrassment}.  This was especially handy when we stuffed the back luggage area to the roof, blocking out the rear window completely, and I still felt confident with just my side mirrors and the backup cam. 
• Smart lane change blinker – No driving like grandpa because your blinker automatically turns off after 3 blinks when changing lanes.  That’s right, simply tap the blinker lever gently, in either direction, and you get three blinks from your lights instead of one. 
• Bluetooth integration – An amazingly simple pairing process gets you phone calls and audio streaming directly from your phone, whether it is in your pocket or on the center console.  On top off that, the audio quality on the other end is so good that when my wife called me from the car I honestly had no idea I was on the car’s speakerphone until the kiddos chimed in from the back seat {which of course they loved as well.}

Mama Likes

• Heated and cooled seats – Heated seats are great for colder weather because they warm you up quick without the stuffy heat you sometimes get from blasting the car’s heater, but they are also good for lower back pain I sometimes get while driving, and for cruising around at night with the sunroof open.  But, since the warmer weather is approaching, I also love that they added cooling seats as well, which would be amazing through the summer months. 
• Dual climate control – He’s hot, I’m cold.  But, we both can ride together without bundling or burning up with dual climate control.
• Keyless entry and ignition – Hands down, the coolest new car feature, ever.  As long as you have the Sportage key on you {in your pocket, purse, jacket, etc} the car interior lights turn on as soon as you get close to the car, and then you can unlock the doors just by pushing the small buttons on the exterior door handles.  Once inside the car, simply put your foot on the brake, push the start button and you’re off, never having to dig for your keywhile wrangling your kids and all the various stuff that comes along with them.  I literally never took it out of my purse while I was test driving, which is pretty awesome. 
• Dashboard control screen – As much as I love having buttons and knobs for certain things, I also really like a good sized touch screen that can add even more functionality to your journey, especially when you’re out exploring and you *may* need a little assistance with directions, finding coffee, or good tunes along the way.   
• Drives small – Coming from a compact sedan, the worry was that it would take an initial adjustment period, for me especially, but what I found was that it didn’t feel like we were driving a huge vehicle at all, just a taller version of what we are used to.  
• Trunk under tray storage – While the main area of the trunk is pretty good sized, it does taper in at the top to allow for the sporty proportions of the Sportage, which means you are a bit limited on space.  A smart way they added storage is a nice divided compartment underneath the floor of the trunk above the spare tire.  For us, this was a great place to store our first aid and roadside emergency supplies, change of clothes or other small items we carry but don’t get at frequently.  Plus, it’s a great place to hide valuables when you’re parking the car for any amount of time.

Kiddos Like

• Panoramic sun roof – Can’t beat a sunroof for the parents AND one for the kiddos.  Whether it was sunny or sprinkling, having almost your entire roof letting in light makes it feel so open and roomy that they don’t even mind that their sunroof doesn’t open.
• Good visibility – What fun is driving around if you can’t see anything?  Both kiddos loved that being up higher afforded them a much better advantage point for sight-seeing along our journeys.
• Cup holders for them  – Whether they were holding sippy cups, toys or treats, the cup holders are always the first thing the kiddos take ownership of when test driving, and the thing they miss the most when we return to the reality of our compact sedan.   
• Folding mirrors – While very practical and useful feature when parking in cramped spots, this also is apparently the coolest feature ever to a 4 year old.

As you can imagine, the whole family was a little upset to hand back the keys to the KIA Sportage and say goodbye to the red CUV we had all grown to love.  It’s now become the standard by which SUVs are evaluated, and has made our car a far less appealing road trip mobile.  While we save up money for our own Sportage someday, we have our week of adventure to remember forever.

Interested in driving experiences?  Check out the STI Facebook page to keep up on all their events near you.

A big thank you to STI The Drive Experience Company for letting us borrow the KIA Sportage for the week to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours.

Healthy meals in minutes with NUK FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend Baby Food Maker

My kids love baby food.  Basically, if it’s pureed, they will eat it.  They may not gobble up spinach and squash on its own, but if it’s in baby food form, they devour it.

But, while jarred, canned, and pouched baby food certainly is convenient, when you’re working within a budget and have two kids eating baby food, or if you want to know every single thing that goes into your baby’s mouth, making your own baby food really is the way to go.  So, for the past 4 years or so I’ve been making nearly all of our baby foods.     

It used to be that making my own baby food was kind of a pain… and really messy.  This was mostly due to the fact that I needed different containers for prepping, cooking, mashing and/or blending, but also it just felt like it was always a learning curve and sometimes the food was too thick, sometimes too thin, and most of the time it was more trouble than it was worth. 

But, that was before we found all-in-one baby food makers that make feeding your children nutritious foods easier than ever.  The NUK Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend is the newest baby food maker to hit the market, and it’s now my go-to tot dinner solution.  So, now instead of fighting the kids to eat their veggies, I just serve them in pureed form and they think it’s a treat.

I’ve been a fan of Annabel Karmel for years now and have numerous of her cookbooks and baby food prep items, so I was thrilled to hear that she had partnered with NUK USA to make the Freshfoods line.  I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Cook-n-Blend Baby Food Maker as part of campaign through Moms Meet to try it out ourselves. 

And, after trying it in my kitchen with my little testers for the past two weeks, I found that using it to make our baby food solves a lot of the problems I was running into in the past.  For one, it’s really simple to use since it’s truly all-in-one.  While it is simple and easy to use, it should be noted that it does have one extra step than other all-in-one units, but this extra step is also what makes it special.  

To get started, all you need is washed and cut up fruits and veggies, and enough water to fill the reservoir on the cooking unit.  When you’re ready to cook, just remove the cooking bowl and lid from the base, add your food to the steam bowl inside the main bowl, and then return the bowl to the base.  One your food is in the steam basket, you simply turn the dial, and press the green button to start. 

When your food is done steaming and the water reservoir is empty, the Cook-n-Blend will beep to let you know it’s done, and then you just let it cool for a few minutes.  Once it’s cool enough, you simply remove the steam basket with the included spatula to separate the food from the cooking liquid, which you can either discard or save for your recipe, and then put the steamed food back in the main bowl to puree and select whether you would like it smooth or chunky and then let it do all the work for you.

But, here’s where the NUK FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend excels at making baby food making simple and easy but still being able to retain control of the cooking and blending process.  Remember how you had cooking liquid left over after the foods steamed?  Well, now’s the time to either add those back in or discard, depending on what stage your child is at. 

You can simply pulse the knob to add extra liquids in, or you can give it extra time blending for a smoother texture, or conversely, you can only do short pulses to blend to give a chunky texture.  Since my kids are older and I like to be able to make their food to order, I love that this gives me the option to make thicker foods for them, but still be able to thin them out for when we’re babysitting or when thinner is better {think sauces and desserts}. 

And, with the large cooking bowl I sometimes make things other than baby food in the Cook-n-Blend, like smoothies, applesauce for the family, and basically anything that requires blending.  Or, if I am only making baby food, I can make up to 4 servings at once and freeze any extras for later.  Since the cooking bowl, steamer and accessories are all dishwasher safe, it’s super easy to use it and clean it without having to handwash everything or having it take over the entire dishwasher.

If you’ve been hesitating about making the switch to doing your own homemade baby food, I would highly suggest trying out the Nuk Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend.  In addition to being completely simple to use, it also gives you the most amount of options to fit your child’s age and stage, as well as being a much bigger bowl that other single-serving baby food makers. 

Trust me when I say that baby food making with the NUK FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend is not nearly as intimidating as you might think – it’s all very intuitive, the instructions are easy to follow, and it comes with a great baby food cookbook from Annabel Karmel to get you started experimenting.  Even though it may sound like more work than buying canned or jarred foods, it’s really quite fast and easy and the NUK Cook-n-Blend really does it all for you!

A big thank you to Moms Meet for sending the NUK Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend baby food maker to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Family & Friends Sale at Sears this Sunday

This is a sponsored post for all of you still shopping for Mother's Day.  Which, judging by the emails and messages I've been getting, includes most of you.

Well, this is one time it pays to wait until the last minute because just in time for Mother’s Day, Sears has the PERFECT deal for all the Moms in your life.  For ONE DAY only, on May 5, Sears is having its Family & Friends sale where you have a choice between receiving 15% off your purchase, or 25% in SHOP YOUR WAY REWARDS Points added to your account.  Awesome, right?

And, with Mother’s Day just a few days away, it’s a perfect opportunity to make sure you get that perfect gift.  Or, if you're a real planner, you can already think ahead to Father's Day.  Here are just a few great options:
 
•         Cannon® Egyptian cotton towels are $7.99 (reg. $15.99)
•         Canon ELPH camera is $129.99 (reg. $169.99)
•         Nordic Track T5.7 treadmill is $599.99 (reg. $899.99)
•         Up to 20% off All Original Pink Box tools and storage
•         1-cttw stud diamond earrings are $329.99 (reg. $989.99)
•         TIMEX, Armitron, Relic, BULOVA and other branded watches are 25% off
•         Sterling silver “family tree” pave pendant is 70% off
•         Diamond mom ring (SS 1/20 cttw) - $99.99 (reg. $349.99)
•         Carter’s® for newborns, infants and toddlers clothing is 50%
 
Can’t make it to shop Sears on Sunday?  Shop these deals online at Sears.com May 4, from 8 p.m. CT – May 7, at 7 a.m. CT!
 
And, I know I've already mentioned the SHOP YOUR WAY rewards program, but if you haven't signed up yet, you should!  I've saved up a huge amount of points since I signed up and it's helped me score some great gifts for the past year+ that I've been a member.  Shop Your Way is a free, members-only program and shopping community that offers rewards, personalized deals, product reviews and services like e-coupons and e-receipts {I love this since I hate all the receipts that collect in my purse, and it makes it easier to return or exchange}.  You can join at ShopYourWay.com.

I am writing this post as a part of a sponsored campaign as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours.

Upgrading my wardrobe with a Simon Malls shopping trip at Northgate Mall Seattle

A few months ago I realized that almost every single pair of jeans I wear was either badly worn or had a gaping hole on the right knee.  The exception to this rule was my two pairs of “good” jeans, which I only wear a few times a month.  But, my pile of holey jeans isn’t because I am really, really hard on my clothes, it’s because I have only gotten two new pairs of jeans in the past five years {AKA my “good” ones}.

Pretty awful, right?  Hence, this post that took place on Facebook {edited for length and with names removed, but with the jeaneology comment left in for humor's sake} :


This wouldn’t be a problem if I was a slacks and jackets kind of gal who only wore jeans on the weekend, but the problem lies in the fact that I wear jeans every day.  Whether I’m working, playing, lounging, digging in the garden, running after kiddos, or biking, I’m definitely wearing jeans.

Obviously, Nichole is correct, some serious shopping is definitely in order, and I knew just the place.  Remember a few months ago when the Northgate Mall saved my #SeattleBaby event I threw for expecting and new mom bloggers?  Well, now was the time to shop the stores for something other than kid stuff and hopefully get mama some new jeans. 

I will admit that I was giddy when I picked up the gift card from guest services at Northgate Mall, as I rarely do shopping for me these days.  I had been mentally planning my route all day long and knew just how I wanted to make my way to my favorite stores, so I was dying to get to the mall and make it happen.  If only I had known about the new Simon Malls shopping app, I would have simply planned my trip right on my phone for an even more detailed itinerary and shopping list.

Since jeans were the top priority and I have really good luck at Nordstrom, I decided I would start there and see what I could find.  One tour through their t.b.d. and Savvy departments and I found some really cute styles, but not exactly what I was looking for.  I ended up heading to Nordstrom Rack to check out their selection {yes, Northgate mall has both Nordstrom and The Rack… awesome, right?}   


At Nordstrom Rack I found not only an awesome pair of jeans, I also found these adorable BRIGHT YELLOW flats.  It’s almost as if they heard me complaining that all I own are boring black flats and they created these babies just for me.  Comfy, easy to run in, and hard-to-ignore, it was apparent as soon as I saw them that these yellow shoes were it. 


Now that I had my jeans and shoes, I was technically done with my jeans mission and then some.  But, after daydreaming about this shopping trip all day, I had my heart set on a few other stores, so I continued on with my shopping plan and headed to Macy’s for accessories. 


While Macy’s didn’t have the turquoise purse I have been dreaming of, they had a huge selection of name brand bags in the sale department and I found 6 that I loved.  After getting help from some ladies in the accessories department, I finally decided on this little number. 


Yes, I know, it’s black and I’m trying to get away from all the lack of color, but I couldn’t pass up the great deal and the fact that it has both a cross-body strap and shoulder straps.  I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I adore it because it can go from handbag to cross-body bag quickly, it fits on the stroller handle nicely, and for the fact that the lining is a light blue so I can see what is inside. 

After my card was spent and I was positively giddy with excitement over my new jeans, shoes, and purse, I could have easily called it a day.  But, I still had extra time and there was a big huge mall in front of me, so how could I refuse browsing for a bit?  Besides, I still was looking for more color, and I knew the perfect place to find it: The Gap, Fuego, and Rue 21.

Once my shopping trip was complete, I almost had an entire new outfit to show for it.  Of course, each of the pieces can be worn alone on a daily basis, but there's just something fun about getting so many new things that look good alone and together. 

After I was all shopped out {which was mostly due to my large number of bags I was sick of carrying}, I decided to call it a night and meet the family to get some food and refuel for the ride home.  Luckily, Northgate Mall has a Red Robin, which just so happens to be the kiddos favorite restaurant, as well as a big Starbucks for hubby and I, because I think we all needed a break after our trip. 
I was so excited with all my purchases that I transferred purses on the way home, just so I could carry my new bag for the weekend when I debuted my new outfit.  And, once my old purse was empty, I happily ditched it once and for all in the donation pile. 

As happy of a feeling as it was to ditch a purse that no longer worked with my lifestyle, wearing my new outfit out to the island the next day was even more fun.  I love looking down and seeing a bright pop of yellow, I love the dark wash of the Kut from Kloth jeans, and I love that my new purse is perfect for my days out - with or without kids.  

So, what do you think of my new look?  Much better than the holey jeans, right?  I'd say it was a good upgrade for sure!

With Mother's Day just over a week away, I know many of you are desperately trying to think of something for the special moms in your life, and I would suggest a Simon Malls gift card.  I know gift cards aren't the most personal gifts you can give to the woman who gave you life, but when paired with a card that says simply, "For all you do for others, here's something just for you.  Spend it on a new purse, a new necklace, a salon day, or spend it on clothing - it's up to you, just spend it on yourself" it certainly doesn't feel like an impersonal gift.  In fact, I know quite a few moms who would love to get that present this year to give them a good excuse to splurge on something that will make them happy.  Because, you know, that's what it's all about, isn't it?

A big thank you to Simon Malls Northgate Mall for offering a gift card for me to get one new item.  I had so much fun and found so many bargains that I was able to get a few other things as well as quite a few that I bought that night.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours. 

The legacy of Götz dolls continues with HABA {Review & Giveaway}

Some girls play with dolls; others make friends that are dolls.  My daughter is definitely in the latter category, and she treats each of her dolls like a beloved playmate.  Her dolls each have personalities of their own, which she will likely tell you all about should you ever ask.

According to her, some of her dolls like adventures, others prefer the peace and quiet of their stacking bunk beds, and other dolls like to do anything and everything she does.  As someone who did the same with the dolls I played with when I was her age, I completely understand this kind of love that exists between girl and doll.

So, when I got the email with the chance to review a doll from the Götz doll collection, I knew immediately how she would react.  Since she has been doing so well in school and surprising everyone with how far she has come in the past few weeks, it was also perfect timing to give her a little present to appreciate her hard work.  And, for our little doll lover, the best present is a new doll friend that she can snuggle with, play games with, and that can go anywhere with her. 

My daughter’s first introduction to Götz dolls was through my own childhood collection, which just came to live at our house when my mother downsized just recently.  Ever since that day, my daughter has been not-so-subtly hinting that she is ready to play with them and keep them as nice as I did all those years ago.  She spends hours dressing them, brushing their hair, and she is determined to someday take ownership of them all, whether I’m ready for it or not.   

Not that I blame her.  My Götz doll collection is the prized possession of my youth, and if you saw them today you would never guess that many of the dolls are over a quarter century old.  They certainly don’t show their age and you would never guess that the dolls were played with, slept with, and adored like they were.   

I’d like to take all the credit for the fact that they remain in perfect condition 25 years later, but the truth is that it probably has more to do with quality construction than it does doll upkeep.  While I did always take good care of them, keep them impeccably dressed, and nicely displayed, I also had a little sister who shared a room with me but who didn’t share my feelings on doll care. 

For instance, the time she stamped some of my doll’s hands, faces, and bodies with Hello Kitty stamps to show they were admitted to “the show” and we had to do an emergency run to the doll hospital nearby {yes, this was a real thing, and yes, they were able to fix most of the dolls for me}.  While it wasn’t funny at the time, nor was it funny the time my sister undid all of their hair ribbons from their original styles I had preserved for years, it’s truly amazing that these dolls withstood even my pest of a sister {I can say that openly now because she grew up to be pretty darn awesome and is only occasionally a pest}.   

As you can imagine, I was beyond thrilled when I got word that Götz, the beloved German doll maker that I grew up with and my mother grew up with, was returning to the U.S. this year so my daughter could continue the tradition.  Their return is courtesy of HABA, one of my absolute favorite toy brands, and it was eagerly awaited by us, as well as the many US Götz collectors and fans.    

So, what makes Götz dolls different than other dolls?  A whole lot, that’s what!  At first sight you just know that these are special dolls.  From their silky hair and sculpted, smooth skin to their detailed clothing and accessories, from head to toe they are amazingly life-like and beautiful.  But, if that wasn’t enough, here’s two more reasons to love Götz dolls. 

First, the doll’s hair is more than just beautiful; it can be washed and styled just like real hair {even with a curling iron or blow dryer on low setting!}, which is one of my daughter’s favorite features.  While other doll’s hair is fragile and would melt with styling tools or get ruined with regular brushes and combs, Götz hair can take the heat, which means you can do girl/doll matching styles depending on your mood or doll salon skills.  Just check out the many Götz doll hair styling techniques on HABA’s YouTube channel that you can try with your doll, including braids, double knot and cornrows!

And, secondly, they are completely kid-friendly!  Woohoo!  Remember my poor dolls that needed airlifted* to the doll hospital back in the 80s?  Had I known back then what I know now, I would have cleaned off what I could and then placed them in the washer in a pillowcase on delicate to deep clean along with their clothing.  After they were washed, I would have simply laid them out to air dry with their belly side down and hung their clothes to dry. 

And, since my daughter is convinced that her special new Muffin 13" doll is an adventurer at heart and should travel with us, explore with us, and play like we do, I have a feeling that we're really going to be happy we know these little tricks someday soon.  Being able to wash her hair, spot clean, and wash in the washing machine when needed is going to help keep Muffin looking as good as my Götz collection does, perhaps even a quarter of a century from now when my daughter will be passing down her beloved collection as well as mine.

If you are looking for a special doll for a special little girl, I would highly recommend checking out the extensive Götz collection.  Over 60 years of experience creating beautiful and detailed dolls for generations of girls has made Götz a favorite of children as well as collectors and it’s bound to become a favorite in your family as well.  With numerous soft fabric and vinyl dolls to choose from with different color eyes, hair, and skintones, you are sure to find the perfect doll for your little one.

How would you like to win an Aquini Girl 13" hard body doll, Muffin 13" doll (no hair), Muffin 13" doll (blonde hair), Maxy Muffin 16.5" doll (brunette), or the Maxy Muffin Aquini 16.5" doll (brunette)?

To Enter: tell me what Götz item you love the most

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 Gotz doll giveaway {bit.ly/10UckWn} with extra credit if you tag HABA USA and 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 - Like HABA USA on Facebook

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

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

1 Extra Entry - Subscribe to the HABA YouTube Channel

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

On May 25th 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+ 

* My dolls were not actually airlifted, we drove in a car and we obeyed all traffic laws on the way to the doll hospital.  A big thank you to HABA USA for sending the Muffin Gotz Doll for review as well as for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

The "Original 8" from Crayola celebrate their 110th birthday

How well do you know your Crayola Crayons?  Would you recognize the Original 8?  Would you be surprised to find out that Crayola Crayons have been around since 1903, bringing joy for 110 years?  It’s true, the Original 8 are turning 110, and they are celebrating in a big way with a Crayola 110th birthday limited edition pack, an interactive adventure, and daily fun online.


This May, the Original 8 will be “coloring the town” in a journey to promote the new Crayola Experience in Easton, PA.  The Crayola Experience will feature four floors of interactive exhibits and attractions for casual and avid art fans of all ages.  And, if 4 floors of fun wasn’t enough, the 110th birthday limited edition packs will also be available FREE with a paid admission to the Crayola Experience from May 24-27.  If you can’t make it to PA, but you want one of these retro packs, you can also buy them exclusively on Crayola’s Facebook page in May.

Interested in hearing about more?  You can follow along online during the month of May to see where the Original 8 are headed and see if you can catch them.    
 
A big thank you to Crayola, who provided the information about the new Crayola Experience as well as the 110th Birthday Set!
 

From toddler to teen: the answer is the Zazoo Kids photo clock

Up until just a few months ago, our kids were a parent’s dream at night.  We would literally pop them in their beds after their bedtime routine and not hear from either one again until I would have to wake them up in the morning.  Yes, true story. 

But, while my son is still firmly in the “parent’s dream” category of sleepers, our daughter has been asserting her own, uh, independence.  Independence from things like “bedtime” and “naptime” and “reasonable wake up times” and because of it, her schedule is all out of sorts.  This means that getting her to sleep is a big huge struggle, often involves bargaining, and most of the time, involves tears {mine}.

While the major problem might be that she’s simply outgrowing her nap and moving towards being a full-time big girl, there are definitely other issues at play.  Things like the fact that she cannot tell time so she has no idea her schedule’s off or how to actually fix it, so she does things like fighting sleep at nap only to finally succumb at 3:00pm when she should already be up and playing.  This, of course, makes bedtime a nightmare, which leads to problems the next day as well. 

So, what do you do with a spirited child that needs a set schedule of sleep and rest periods but is too young to tell time?  Why, you call in Zazoo Kids, that’s what.  We recently got the chance to review one of their amazing Zazoo Kids Photo Clocks and I can honestly say that I don’t know what we would do without it. 

Instead of fighting with a four year old on too little sleep, we simply set up the ground rules ahead of time.  No getting outta yer bed unless the photo clock has a sun.  If it’s got a moon, you better be laying down and resting, or better yet, sleeping.  No exceptions. 

And, since she has a bedtime and a naptime, I really love that I can set TWO alarms – one for morning and one for afternoon – that signal it’s okay to leave her bed.  I really wish there was an option to add even more alarms so I could set times of the day for certain activities and she could see what she should be doing just by looking at the Zazoo or a way to set the wake up time later on the weekends and earlier on school days, but I do appreciate the two that I can program for now.  

Speaking of programming, I love that you can make alarm, picture and clock changes right on the back of the Zazoo, but you can also use the included remote control as well.  Since my daughter is of the young and curious variety, we simply put the clock on a lower shelf for now that’s not too tall, but just a bit out of reach so she can't change the settings inadvertently.      

The easy to understand sun and moon that comes pre-loaded on the Zazoo clock was perfect for our use right now, but I also love that you can choose your own image as well.  You can customize the clock with your child’s name, program special images for holidays and events, and use any of the pre-programmed images, or load your own pictures of your child with the SD, flash drive, and USB slots. 

Since I adore anything personalized, I love that I can customize the clock completely for my daughter and change it any time I would like as the mood strikes me.  Whether it's a new background image, how the clock is displayed, or even how she wakes up in the morning, changing things up is quick and easy. 

As great as the Zazoo clock is for little kids who can’t tell time, I really love that the photo clock grows with your child also.  When my daughter will be waking up for school every day next year, I’m simply going to add in an audio alarm to assist in waking her up, and I’m going to change the “naptime” to “quiet time” when she can do homework, read, color, or do any other activity that will let her brother get his beloved nap.  Then, when she’s even older and wants a photo frame that scrolls through pictures of her friends, plays music, or can even be used for audio books, the Zazoo is going to work well into her tweens and teens.

Instead of buying a kids clock now, an alarm clock when she starts school, and then something that can play her music and showcase her photos later, I love that the Zazoo photo clock can grow with her and become a beloved fixture in her room from childhood on up. 

When you factor in how many electronics I won't have to buy her, the $89.99 price tag for the Zazoo Kids clock seems more than reasonable.  And, really, I would pay that amount to sleep in even a few days a week, so this really is an investment into a happy mom. 

You can buy your own customizable PTPA winning Zazoo Photo Clock at zazookids.com and you can choose between many different designs and color schemes to fit your child's room.  For even more information that shows a great overview of the ZAZOO Kids Clock, check out this video.

A big thank you to Zazoo Kids for sending their photo clock to facilitate this review and give me less stressful mornings and afternoons.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours. 

Make Earth Day everyday with Sustainable Earth office supplies from Staples

Do you remember how awful recycled paper was when it was first introduced in most stores?  I vividly remember picking out a big huge recycled notebook one year in elementary school that I had intended on using all year to show my support for the newly labeled “green” movement.  But, what I soon discovered was that the paper inside that notebook was awful.  It contained exactly 250 pieces of spongy brownish-grey paper that you couldn’t read pencil on and tore with even a little bit of pressure. 

I ended up hiding that notebook in the back of the classroom bookcase and then I begged my mom to take me to the store to get a new one.  One {hopefully} with smooth and clean white paper, one that I could write in pencil on, and one that could withstand an eraser without tearing.  While I love recycling and doing my part for the environment, I vowed then and there to find other ways to be eco-friendly without giving up my precious paper.

Well, as if turns out, eco-friendly has come a long way, baby.

Staples has recently introduced their Sustainable Earth products in all of their stores and online and I was thrilled when a package of samples arrived this week just in time for Earth Day.  Full of pads of paper, various desk supplies, a clipboard and even a sample of printer paper, I recognized immediately that this wasn’t even in the same ballpark as the eco-friendly supplies of my youth.

Instead of being made from recycled paper pulp, their new line is based around a whole different kind of reducing our environmental impact.  From recycled ink and toner cartridges made into staplers and calculators to papers made from up to 95% sugarcane fibers, this isn’t lesser quality items that you “make do” with {or, conversely, hide in your classroom bookcase}, these are office supplies you will actually want to use.

The first thing I loved is that the Sustainable Earth paper isn’t brownish-grey, it actually looks just like regular bright white lined paper and copy paper, only smoother and nicer.  Yeah, that’s right, it’s better than regular paper.  Add in the fact that it's made from sugarcane plant fiber waste and printed with vegetable- and water-based inks, and you can see why I'm raving about it.  

While I’m not normally a pen-and-paper kind of gal because I have a smartphone and laptop with me most often, this paper actually makes me want to go old school as it’s just so nice to write on.  And, man, if I was back in my doodling days, the new sugarcane papers would have been a dream come true with how smooth and nice they are for drawing on.     

But, in addition to awesome paper, the Sustainable Earth line includes all sorts of items to help organize, sort, collate, clean, serve, make portable, and calculate with.  Below is just a small sampling of the line, which also includes case paper, hanging file folders, breakroom items, janitorial supplies, and more.    

They call them "eco-preferable" and they are all made with the environment in mind.  Made with renewable resources or recycled materials that helps your office do its part to lessen its impact on the environment without sacrificing the functionality, usefulness, or even, asthetics {which, admit it, are important} of its office supplies.

Seriously, just look at this gorgeous sugarcane-based paper.

And all the little details that make office work "almost-kinda" fun.

I really just love the whole line and would definitely pick from the Sustainable Earth collection the next time I’m replenishing my office supplies.  With comparable price points and high quality items that reduce our impact on the environment, it really is an easy solution to combat all the waste that offices typically produce.     

Had I known how many great sustainable options there are now, I would have put my bad experience with eco-friendly office supplies behind me and given them another shot a whole lot sooner.  Who knows what kind of impact I could have had in the past few years - at home and during my office supply buying days at my old job - if I had only given the products a try.

In honor of Earth Day {or, make that Earth Week} you should pick up some of the Sustainable Earth line and try it for yourself.  And, then you should check out Staples' guide to making your office green.

A big thank you to Staples for sending some Sustainable Earth office supplies for us to check out and make use of.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.