You make up just over 50% of our daily readership, and we hope you ALL have an amazing long weekend and enjoy your 4th of July celebrations.

I’m having a bbq at my house tomorrow in your honour!

(No fireworks though. Boo.)

Looking for a distraction? (ed: Aren’t we all?)

Be careful, because if you try out one of Pop Cap’s many seek and solve games, you may find yourself distracted for hours. Pop Cap games created Bejeweled – one my all time favourite puzzle games – so I was excited to experience these new ones. Pop Cap is the leading developer & publisher of G-rated, family-friendly word, puzzle and action games.

The first two that I tried were the Mystery P.I. games, Vegas Heist and The Lottery Ticket. Both are hidden object games in which you’re tasked with finding particular objects in an extremely cluttered scene. Once inside the game it is hard not to want to find all the clues and solve the game. Although a little repetitive at times, still allows the players hours of challenging fun.

Then I tried The Wizard’s Pen and Amazing Adventure: The Lost Tomb, which are very similar to the above games but with new challenges and more levels. Because they are so involved they are perfect to sit down for a couple of minutes, seek and solve then return to your housework.

Being that I get a little obsessive with puzzle games, these seek and solve games have been awesome to play, simple fun yet challenging! The games sell for just $20 each and a free trial is available for all of them at the Pop Cap site.

Pop Cap offers a large selection of both downloadable and online games, as well as games for your phone/iPod/iPhone and a shop full of goodies under $15. – by Chelle

Win it! We’ve got TWO copies of EACH of these games to give away. Each of two randomly selected winners will receive boxed copies of Vegas Heist, The Lottery Ticket, The Wizard’s Pen and Amazing Adventure: The Lost Tomb,. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on July 10, 2009.

No Starch is one of our favourite publishing companies – I think of them as publishers for geeks. (And that’s totally a compliment. I married one.)

Many of their books aren’t of the parenting variety and don’t really “fit” here, but are applicable to enough of our readers that we like to share them anyway. Two titles that we’d love to share with you today apply to anyone who shoots with a D-SLR camera and wants to learn to shoot in RAW, and for anyone who becomes an “accidental administrator” of a network, whether at home or at work.

The Art of RAW Conversion: How to Produce Art-Quality Photos with Adobe Photoshop CS2 and Leading RAW Converters by Uwe Steinmueller and Jürgen Gulbins is a practical and beautifully illustrated guide that explains the advantages of working with RAW files (the digital equivalent of film negatives) and then how to use RAW converters to create the best digital image from each shot. It covers all of today’s most popular and innovative RAW converters, such as Photoshop Camera RAW, RawShooter, Lightroom, and Aperture) and how to get the best results from each one. As an amateur photographer (aren’t we all?) who shoots in RAW aboult half the time, I am really enjoying this book. Rather than reading it cover to cover, I leave it by my computer and each time I work on a session I’ve shot in RAW I use it to gather new ideas and streamline my workflow. With D-SLR cameras being affordable for the average parent now, almost everyone has the ability to shoot in RAW but almost nobody knows what to do with the files once they’ve been created. Thanks to this great & easy to follow book, anyone who wants to work with RAW now can do so without too much effort.

Network Know-How: An Essential Guide for the Accidental Admin by John Ross is just awesome for parents whose family members have two or more computers, because it will show you step by step how to connect them together and to the internet. No matter which OS you use (Windows, Mac or Linux), you’ll learn how to implement network addressing, configure adapters, hubs, switches, and your router, share music, photos, and documents, automate household appliances and stream digital audio and video to your home entertainment center and troubleshoot network slowdowns and failures. Sound like Greek? It did to me too, until I read John’s book. If I can do it, so can you!

Win it! We’ve got copies of each of these books to give away. To enter, leave a comment on this post (a SEPARATE comment for each book, please, noting either NETWORK or RAW in your comment) before noon mst on July 9, 2009.

It really is the best country on earth.

We just don’t brag about it loudly because we don’t want everyone to move here.

And also? We make the best beer. And hockey players.

(Source: “The best country in the world to live in,” according to the United Nations Human Development Index)

What is Bothering Carl? from Story Fort is a super neat dully digital video game/online interactive story book for kids. In fact, it is the perfect “video game” for beginners to begin to develop their computer skills. Carl is a cyclops which unnerved my toddler a little. He kept asking “Other eye? Other eye?” but my preschooler was totally cool with Carl being who he was. It gave us an opportunity to discuss diversity and acceptance of others. The story is the tale Carl, whose laid back life is disrupted by a single nuisance. The book includes 19 illustrated scenes that come to life with the simple click of a mouse, with optional full audio narration by the author.

In the game there are three options. You can Read the Book, where the words are highlighted as they are spoken. This is great for beginning to introduce sight words. Then there is Play the Game and Listen to the Songs. My book worm preschooler really enjoyed listening to the story and picking out words that she recognized throughout the story. The three original songs are played throughout the story as well.

The game is a matching game, which is great for building memory skills. It has three levels so the kids can build up to the hardest level. My daughter is used to the old fashion memory game that is more hands on, however it was great for her to use her mouse skills to flip over the cards on the screen.

What is Bothering Carl? is both entertaining and educational and is now requested regularly during our computer time. It regularly sells for only $15 and is on for the recession-friendly price of $9.99 for the summer. It’s available for purchase or free trial from their website. – by Chelle

Win it! We’ve got a full copy of What Is Bothering Carl? for one T.O.P. reader. To enter, comment on this post before noon mst on July 8, 2009.

I admit to feeling a lot of envy toward people who live in the same location as their parents. I’d love for my kids to see their grandparents more often, but I count my blessings that the times they do have are fun and filled with tons of love. Being only a few hours away, we never have to go more than a month or two even during the busiest times of year – thank goodness. Whether children see their grandparents once a day or once a year, everyone wants those times to be memorable and positive.

The new book Super Granny: Great Stuff To Do With Your Grandkids (Sterling, March 2009), author and grandmother Sally Wendkos Olds presents a treasure trove of activities and ideas that help grandmothers connect and communicate with any grandchild. (Sorry Gramps, maybe your book is coming?) The book is a compilation of stories from real-life grandparents about what they do with their grandchildren to create memories on ordinary and extraordinary days. While there is the requisite chapter on knitting, it’s overshadowed by chapters on skiing, email and so many more ways to create those special connections with the generation once removed.

If you’re a grandmother, whether you’re babysitting to give parents a break, texting the grandkids from hundreds of miles away, or keeping them for a week at a time, this book has an idea or two for you. From infancy to adolescence, with something for the most computer-savvy granny and kid and also some more traditional projects, Super Granny has it all, and many of the ideas are free or practically free. It’s perfect for this economy!

I love the way the book compares grandmothering to mothering. According to Sally, grandmothers can concentrate on a child on child in an almost Zen way that mothers cannot. I’m pretty sure that’s because they know they’re giving them back before the witching hour hits.

Win it! We’ve got a copy to give away to one reader who comments before noon mst on July 6, 2009.

Nozin is a new all-natural, cold and flu prevention product. It’s a homeopathic “nasal sanitizer” (ugh, right?) that’s been clinically proven to fight germs for up to eight hours and can help reduce the risk of infection by cold and flu germs at the site where it is most prevalent – the nose.

It’s used by swabbing a few drops of the Nozin antiseptic on the inside of your or your child’s nostrils before you go somewhere germ ridden or to a playdate with some snot nosed kids. It’s like a bubble that keeps the germs out of your nose, but without the actual bubble. The solution is made of pharmaceutical grade ethyl alcohol and natural, plant based compounds rich in antioxidants and with antimicrobial properties. Despite the alcohol, it smells more like citrus than vodka (but I still recommend you be very cautious with use on or around children since so much of what goes on our skin is absorbed into the bloodstream).

My daughter happens to have a nasty cold right now and she never fails to share her colds with me, so I decided to try using Nozin for a couple of weeks. So far, no cold! My son hasn’t caught it either, and he hasn’t been using Nozin because I’m not comfortable putting alcohol in the nose of a three year old, but she does share a lot more snot with me than she does with him. Either way, I don’t have a cold and I’m very happy about that. I think Nozin would be wonderful for people who travel via airplane or other congested forms of public transportation, and I’m looking forward to using it to fight off the colds & flus that my students always give me when we head back to the classrooms this fall.

A box of Nozin containing 60+ doses and 30 swabs sells for $14.95 at the Nozin site. Q-tips work fine to finish off the bottle.

Win it! We’re giving away a box of Nozin to one reader who leaves a comment on this post before noon mst on July 3, 2009.

When I’m sent CD’s to review, I always feel horrible because they take me forever. No matter how much my kids and/or I love the music, I just don’t feel like writing about music very often and I don’t feel that it’s exactly my forte. However, I just couldn’t wait to tell you about The Boogers. When their front man, Crusty Booger, emailed me about their debut CD Road to Rock, there was no way I was turning him down. I mean, Crusty Booger and his buddies Greenie Booger and Sticky Booger? Wouldn’t you want to invite them into your home?

Crusty Booger is actually developmental psychologist and musician Paul Crowe, who was a “real” punk musician for more than a decade before becoming a husband and father and adapting his style to mesh the two.

The Boogers have been described as “The Ramones meet Mother Goose” and after reading that, I couldn’t come up with anything better. That’s absolutely & totally what they sound like, and I LOVE the Ramones. Check out their version of The Wheels On The Bus (and a few more tunes) on their music page. There’s nothing like it. It’s freaking awesome.

Win it! To enter to win one of the FIVE copies of this CD we’re giving away, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on July 1, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

I’m not much into celebrity worship. I have no idea what they’re wearing, with whom they’re fornicating or, in many cases, what their names are. They’re just people, after all, and are no more special than you or I. They just have different jobs. I just read a new book, though, that reminded me that they really, really are just like us – including their struggles with confidence & self esteem. All that money to pay for surgery and maids doesn’t change that.

Exactly As I Am: Celebrated Women Share Candid Advice with Today’s Girls on What It Takes to Believe in Yourself was written by Emmy Award winning journalist and weekend co-host for “Access Hollywood” Shaun Robinson. She includes such women as Celine Dion, Janet Jackson, Queen Latifah, Martina Navratilova, Diane Sawyer, Oprah Winfrey and more, who share their own struggles with self-esteem and body image. Through short & readable interviews with these women and many average young girls too, Exactly as I Am shows young women how to achieve a balance between accepting how they look and appreciating who they are on the inside. Shaun talks about her own journey of self-esteem, the pressures women everywhere face every day—even women at the height of their professions and fame, how to seize every opportunity to build confidence and learn to be comfortable in your own skin and how, no matter what happens, every female (and yes, male, but they can get their own book) can and should reach for their goals, no matter what they are.

It was a great read for me, but I think I’m pretty confident and don’t struggle much with self esteem – mostly thanks to having great parents, a great childhood and now a great husband. Almost everyone Shaun talked to for her book mentions the impact of their families on their confidence and self-esteem. The responsibility we bear as we raise children is huge. Magnificent, even. Larger than most of us even know. This book was great for me, yes, but I think it would be even better for a young girl. Any young girl. Perhaps EVERY young girl. My own copy will be set aside for my toddler daughter to read as she approaches those dreaded tween years. For a young girl to read the words of these people she sees airbrushed in magazines and to know that they feel or have felt exactly they way that she does on her worst day is an awesome gift. To be cherished exactly as you are by the people who are entrusted raising you is even more awesome. Go hug your daughters and tell them they’re stunningly beautiful inside and out, and that you love them exactly as they are.

Win it! To enter to win a copy of Shaun’s book, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on July 1, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

A birthing book is an appropriate next step following Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein’s groundbreaking movie, “The Business of Being Born”. The movie was an eye opener, it left you with your jaw wide open and I think it had a tendency to attract “birth junkies”. That is a phrase that Ricki Lake used to describe herself in “Your Best Birth”. As soon as I read “birth junkie” I knew I found a fabulous book that was written by someone who shared my passion.

Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein’s book, “Your Best Birth” is a must have for all expectant mothers. Its pages are full of heartwarming and empowering stories about real life “Birth Goddesses” including Cindy Crawford and Melissa Joan Hart just to name a couple. They present information from a variety of highly regarded experts in the field of birthing, including Dr. Michel Odent, Penny Simkin and my personal idol, Ina May Gaskin. You’ll find everything you need to know about the decisions that you may have to make, including birth location, labor support, interventions and postpartum support.

The book includes a wealth of information that many of the more mainstream books neglect to address. Included is a great section on fear surrounding childbirth, a section on routine newborn procedures, and even a portion dedicated to c-sections and vbac (vaginal birth after cesarean). I was thrilled to read about midwifery, homebirths, and doulas right alongside the information on hospital procedures. It’s great to see a book that has it all!

Lake and Epstein are not afraid to tell it like it is about birth and how you can make your experience an empowering one. It took me three births to finally get that empowered feeling that I read about in “Your Best Birth”, I can only imagine how things may have been if this book was available 9 ½ years ago. It was a pleasurable read and I will recommend the book to everyone I know! – by Andrea

Being pregnant with my third child, I was very eager to read “Your Best Birth” written by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein. I haven’t had the opportunity to see their film “The Business of Being Born” yet, but totally want to view it soon.

As a Canadian, with access to universal health care, a lot of the book’s focus does not pertain to me. Our options for child birth are not as vast, due to smaller populations and our system. We are tax payers rather than a pure consumer, so we cannot shop around to the same extent.

That being said I learned so much from this book. Many misconceptions and things that we take for granted as women truly jeopardize our ideal birth situations. The book is definitely slanted, favouring home births, however the authors do present hospitals in good light under the right conditions.

I absolutely love reading other women’s experiences and birth stories. I feel we have so much to learn from each other. The birth stories in “Your Best Birth” were awesome and inspiring. In fact the entire book is written to be empowering, so as women we can take back control of our birth experiences.

The book allowed for extreme cases in which medical intervention was necessary and I respected that. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of judgment that is passed on women when it comes to birth choices. Ultimately knowledge is power and “Your Best Birth” is full of traditional, midwife and medical knowledge to help you and your partner make the best decisions for you and your baby.

There was one part in the book that discussed the baby entry into the world form the baby’s perspective. I really enjoyed that, all too often we think in terms of the mother’s condition and fail to think of the baby. For 40 odd weeks that little bean has been all tucked inside you, perfectly maintained in the perfect womb. The transition from that to the world has to be a rough one!

“Your Best Birth” by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein is a must read for pregnant women and their partners! – by Chelle

Win it! We’re giving away FIVE copies of this book! To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on June 30, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS (NOT YET) EMAILED – GIVE ME A FEW MORE DAYS!

I recently received a CD by a 13 year old artist named Casey Jame. Having been told that Casey’s music is very positive and very safe for kids, I figured it would be the usual kids’ CD.

Let me tell you, it’s not. It’s wonderful, and really is positive and safe, but it’s also really, really good. I put it on while I was working & the kids were playing, and I actually forgot it was playing because it sounds like, well, real music! There are only five tracks, but that’s five more than 99.9% of thirteen year old have got.

Show your support for a teenager living out her dream. Check out Casey’s MySpace page and buy her stuff from CD Baby

Win it! We’ve got 5 copies of Casey’s CD to give away. To enter, just leave a comment on this post before noon mst on June 29, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

How’s that for a title?

Robin Sax is a parent and a prosecutor of people who commit sex crimes against children. Read that again. Sex crimes against children. If that doesn’t make you throw up in your mouth a little bit, you’re probably dead.

Robin’s newest book, Predators and Child Molesters: What Every Parent Needs to Know to Keep Kids Safe takes the form of a Q&A session. Robin answers 100 of the most asked questions about child molesters and the processes involved in what they do and in what we do to get them off the streets from the perspective of a Los Angeles sex crimes D.A. who is a mother herself. While I wouldn’t call it an enjoyable read, that’s not a reflection of the quality of the book. It’s well written, succinct and a very easy read. It’s just a very unpleasant topic. However unpleasant, it needs to be added to the required reading list for all parents and everyone who works with/cares for/loves children.

The book is organized into six sections: Recognizing predators: molesters, pedophiles, and opportunists; Talking to kids about risks and identifying potential problems; Recognizing abuse; Reporting sexual abuse; Going to court; and Healing and moving on. She teaches that the job of protecting our children begins with parents in the home. “Parents must view protecting children from the potential of sexual assault as a priority. Teaching children preventive measures should be viewed as important as teaching kids how to dial 9-1-1.” It makes you think, that’s for sure.

One of Robin’s tips that we’ve implemented in our home (before I read this book, but I was glad to see I was right) was to teach them that they, and only they, own their bodies and they can say ‘no’ to anyone. If they say no tickling, there’s no tickling. If they don’t want a hug, there’s no hug. Of course, usually they want all of the above from us, but it’s important thaw we empower them and stop if they test those waters by asking us to stop.

In short: Read this book as soon as you can get your hands on a copy. Twelve bucks could help you save the innocence of a child.

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of Robin’s book to one reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on June 26, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Sick and tired of playing “find the soother” when your baby is screaming? Or maybe you’re not so fond of the “I throw it, you pick up eleventy gajillion times” game? Sure, it’s cute at first, but it gets old fast. Especially when you’re outside and the surfaces onto which things are thrown are absolutely repulsive.

Momtrepreneurs Michal Prevor and Irit Maor have developed a stylish & affordable solution to this problem. Through their company, Tutim NYC, Michal and Irit developed their Paci Sitter and Toy sitter in an astounding array of colours & patterns that have been stylistically influenced by the inventors’ international upbringing.

The Tutim NYC sitters prevent children’s pacifiers & toys from getting dirty, lost or swapped with the local booger-factory. They can attach to any outfit, stroller, car seat, carrier or high
chair. The clip on the Paci sitter is plastic covered which greatly reduces any marking of clothing, and the loops on the Toy sitter are adjustable in size – perfect even for the clunkiest of strollers.

At only $10-$12, one of each makes a great small gift and a super add on to a nice shower gift. With their huge selection of trendy matching fabrics, there’s something every parent will love.

Win it! We’re giving away a set of the Paci & Toy sitter to TEN winners! To enter, simply choose your fave fabric patterns from Tutim NYC & comment with one or two of them before noon mst on June 25, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

“Too old for toys, but too young for boys.” That’s what newly launched company Mia My has to say about tweens today. They need support as they deal with physical and emotional changes, and they need their voices to be heard. They also need to express themselves in ways that those of use who aren’t in their headspace find difficult to understand. Mia MY’s mission is to positively influence the lives of girls by creating stylish products that reinforce positive messages:education, creativity, empowerment, friendship, cooperation, and self-confidence.

The first product launched by Mia MY is their signature Mia MY jacket – a white jacket that comes with a package of write-on-wash-off markers so that your daughter can express themselves in their own way. As girls are wont to do, if they change their minds just toss it in the wash and start all over again! The jacket is made in the USA and is 97% cotton with just enough spandex for easy care and comfort. It comes in sizes 4-14 and sells for $49.99 at Mia MY dot com.

We gave a Mia MY jacket to a local grade one student to check out for us and here’s what she had to say (with her newly literate spelling left intact – I love it!):

Thank you very very very very very very mush for my awsum new jacket from Mia MY. It was a reelly nice jacket before I dezined it and it’s comfy but after I drew on it it was the nicest jacket in my hole scool. I did flowers and butterflies and my name ALL over it. Then my Mom washed it and now I’m going to write a message for my teacher on my back to surprise her on the last day of school. My friends can write on it too. I loooooooooove it!

So, there you go. Nicest jacket in the school, and certainly the most unique! She’s not even a tween and loved being able to express herself on her clothing, so imagine what that would do for an eleven year old? Wicked cool.

Win it! We’re giving away a Mia MY jacket to one of you! Comment with who you’d give it to (and what size you need) before noon mst on June 24, 2009 to be entered.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Due to a family funeral (my amazingly awesome 98 year old grandmother), I’ll be without technology for a week or so. I’m going to do my best to pre-schedule as many reviews as possible, but there may be an interruption in posting. Though we’ve got a team of 20+ writers, I’m a one woman editing show so life occasionally gets in the way.

On that same note, I’ll be working full time in the fall after three and a half years at home so if posting is a little lighter at times, you’ll know why. I’ll always do my best, but blogging comes last on a LONG list of priorities. Family first and all that.

Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

Have a great weekend, and love each other!

Well, maybe not swaddle. That might be a little too straight-jacket-ish for me, but I’d certainly like to be draped in the stuff. Unfortunately, Aden + Anais doesn’t make muslin wraps or sleep sacks in my size so I’m stuck with regular old sheets & blankets, but your baby is in luck!

I happen to love and use my muslins all year long, even in the great white north, but it’s in the summer that I am particularly thankful for them. They’re perfect for keeping the children covered and protected without making them sweat. We totally dig our sleep sack ($30). As soon as the thermometer hits about +20, it’s time to pack away the thick winter Grobag and pull out the muslin. It’s one of the great signs of summer, and the sizes range from newborn through the toddler years which is absolutely awesome for those kids who move so much they wake up crying because they’re uncovered & cold. Cursed air conditioning.

For those of you who perhaps don’t want to invest in a package of Aden + Anais’ fab (truly! fab!) wraps, Aden + Anais has just introduced a new single wrap that’s available in both conventional ($20) and organic ($35) muslin.

Celebrate those summer babies with some awesome muslin baby gifts – you’ll be the star of the baby shower, I promise.

Win it! Aden + Anais is giving away one winner’s choice of both a sleep sack ($30) and organic or regular single wrap valued at $50-$65. To enter, choose your sack & blanket from the links in this block and let us know what to send if you win! (Yes, you actually have to choose. No, “anything will do” will not do, actually. But nice try.) Comment before noon mst on June 23, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Over two years ago (stone age in the blog world) we reviewed the Your Baby Can Read early literacy system.

We enjoyed it then, and my children are still enjoying it now. (Disclosure: Me? I find it highly annoying after over two years, but I have very little input into what the daily dvd is.)

We probably get more emails about this program than any other review we’ve done in well over three years.

Wanna try it?

Win it! Your Baby Can Read is giving one of our fab readers a complete YBCR system valued at $200! To enter, just leave a comment on this post before noon mst on June 22, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Having never used a frame carrier before but having seen a ton of them, I was utterly shocked to find out they don’t all come from MEC and that I don’t have to look like I’m headed out for a full day hike with a kid on my back when wearing one. The classic carrier from Kokopax ($179.99) is a super hip & fresh take on the frame carrier. It’s made with 100% cotton canvas over an anodized aluminum frame. The shoulder straps are way more comfortable than I imagined they’d be, and the frame is adjustable in order to easily fit any user. It features a padded waist support, a handy storage pocket and a kickstand for easy loading. Your child is very secure in a 5 point harness, and being next to you will make them happier than any stroller ever would. It weights under three pounds and fits in the overhead bins of airplanes for easy travel. It’s intended for kids 6 months to to 2 years or up to 35 pounds, and each carrier comes with a carry bag that’s great for storage or travel. It comes in the same great six colours as the Blakely ring tote.

Not that the people we love aren’t worth several hours of folding, drawing and colouring, but sometimes that’s why they get an impersonal dollar store card instead of a handmade one – it either takes too long or the kid can’t draw much more than a stick figure independently. With the ingenious KidCards, any child can quickly & easily create a card for any occasion that’s perfect for their own skill level.

Volume 1 is perfect for my kids who are 1 and 3. There are 20 cards with envelopes for a variety of occasions (birthday, thank you, get well, congrats & friendship) and they’re ready to colour & decorate. Even if you have a kid who just does a little scribble, the recipient is sure to appreciate the gesture, and the child learns the concept of card giving and kindness from a young age. Volume two also contains 20 cards with envelopes in the same variety, but only features a themed frame on the front, leaving much more room for creativity for the older child. Also available are a special edition Christmas set and three sets just for teachers (Mother’s Day, Father’s Day & thank you) with a card & envelope for each child in the class. I just happen to be an early childhood educator in “real life” and these cards are just perfect for a class of K-2ish kids to quickly create an occasion card that doesn’t tie up an entire double art period. If you have an extra large class, the cards are easily double-side copied (they’re just black line masters, really). They remind me a lot of the cards we teachers create all the time in MS Publisher, but now we no longer have to spend the time doing that. They even come pre-scored for easy & straight folding – a huge bonus if you want the card from your three year old to fit in the envelope.

At just $15/book, they beat even the dollar store prices and mean a heck of a lot more to the person receiving them.

Win it! Your choice of volume 1 or volume 2 is up for grabs. To enter, let us know which one you’d like via comment before noon mst on June 17, 2009. Canada & US only please.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Mother Talk sent me a copy (PDF – now that’s a pain the butt to read…) of Stephanie Snowe’s first book, Meeting Mr. Wrong: The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle. Like Stephanie’s blog, which I love, her book is hilarious. It’s like a trainwreck you can’t look away from – vicariously living through some of the worst, and therefore funniest, dating adventures to ever befall a young woman. Ever. She shares in witty detail her experiences with internet dating after a surprise divorce as an mother of twins in her early twenties. She writes about the crap – and I do mean CRAP – she endured with an amazing air of grace.

She’s without a doubt one of the next great humour novelists and if her first book is any indication of what’s to come, I’ll be reading everything she writes.

Check out Stephanie Snowe’s blog for a snippet of her writing style – she’ll quickly be in your feed reader, I guarantee it.

About this time last year, we reviewed the first three games from the awesome Around the Table Games. They’ve since developed two new games, Buddy Talk and Teen Talk, which are designed for school aged children to use with their friends.

Buddy Talk is intended for kids aged 7+ and is perfect right through the tween years. It would be an awesome gift for a group of girls for a sleepover night, and I can just imagine giggle little girls making a tradition of pulling out their cards each sleepover night as the parents head off to bed and the kids are just beginning. Teen Talk is, obviously, for teens, and is a great way for them to really get to know the people they talk to all the time. With “deeper” questions, these cards actually make kids think while they’re hanging out – a much better alternative than the latest version of Grand Theft Auto.

Both of these games were created BY kids FOR kids, and would make awesome, unique and very affordable (only $8!) birthday gifts for your children’s friends.

Win it! We’re giving away one of each of these games to one randomly selected reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on June 15, 2009.

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

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CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Remember Lullaby Island?

“…a wonderful mix of lullabies that transports children to far away magical places…”

To celebrate the 2nd birthday of her album, Julia Norton is offering it for just $10 on her website http://www.lullabyisland.com until the end of June.

Does your child love animals? Maybe they aspire to become a veterinarian when they grow up or maybe you always wanted to be a vet? My daughter adores animals and would gladly bring strays home whenever she can. However, she is just beginning to understand some of the responsibilities of caring for pets.

Pet Pals: A New Leash on Life from Legacy Games is a challenging, educational and fun way to learn all about all sorts of animals as the new vet at the Pet Pals Animal Shelter. The graphics are amazing and the game play was perfect for her to follow along. My daughter adored nursing the sick animals back to health. We started with the tutorial, so we helped Sunshine, a stray kitten.

The game is packed full of information about not only animals but also many career options for those who want to work with animals. We spent a lot time in the tutorial, as my daughter is new to the computer and she really wanted to spend time with the kitten. With 35 unique cases to diagnose and treat, the game has lasting power. The cases were written by real-life veterinarians and introduce children to 15 different animals.

Our favourite part was once our kitten was healthy, and we were able to put the little guy up for adoption at the shelter. We adopted both our family cats, so my daughter was really into the process. All in all, a really fun game to play with your children (or once they have gone to bed!) Pet Pals: A New Leash on Life is available for both PC and Mac, and is rated E for everyone. Get it here for under $20. My five year old needed assistance & some explanation but enjoyed playing the game a lot. - by Chelle

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of this game to one lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post by noon mst on June 11, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Our children are so fortunate to be exposed to many cultures and languages. Mister Felipe is a fun, bilingual children’s musician who sings songs in both English and Spanish. His new album, Cruzando El Border is so fun to listen to. My kids started dancing as soon as I put the CD on. Being a teacher, Philip Handmaker, aka Mister Felipe places the perfect combination of Spanish and English so the kids understand and soak it all in.

We are constantly listening to the CD in the car now, displacing other favourites. My youngest taps his toes to the music and my five year old recognizes some of the Spanish words. Each song focuses on a specific topic, ranging from counting to colours. Including children in the songs, singing along is always an added bonus. Our favourites (so far) are “I Like Animals (Me Gustan Los Animales) and “Let’s Go Outside (Vamos Afuera)”.

The CD is so cool that each song is a different style of music, like rock, reggae and Mambo, to mention a  few. The variety really fits together well, leaving even parents grooving to the music.

You can find Mister Felipe’s Cruzando El Border online at CD Baby and iTunes. Be sure to check out Mister Felipe’s website at www.MisterFelipe.com where you will find. colouring pages and tons of educational resources. – by Chelle

Win it! We’re giving a copy of this CD to one lucky T.O.P. reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon mst on June 10, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

My kids love music of all kinds, from jump and dance music to mellow and sweet music. When we popped in our new CD Music Box from Maine based artist, educator & mom Mary Kaye, we were instantly grooving and chilling out. Mary Kaye’s voice is hypnotic and the lyrics are fun and fresh. Every time we hear “Hot Chocolate Fairy” the kid’s eyes light up with imagination.

When the kids get wild and crazy in the car, I put in our Music Box CD and they instantly stop to listen. I like that the music instantly captures them and that the songs are easy to learn and sing a long with.

The Music Box CD has now found a permanent home in my son’s CD player. He loves to listen to Mary Kaye’s sweet voice as he relaxes before supper and before he goes to sleep. With songs like “Sleepy Land” and “Under the Moon” soothing him, he quickly releases his tension and sings along to the music.

This is Mary Kaye’s fourth album and it will be officially released July 2, 2009. Be sure to check out her website at marykayemusic.com. - by Chelle

Win it! We’re giving away 5 copies of Music Box (to be shipped after the July 2 release date). To enter, simply comment on this post before noon mst on June 9, 2009. Extra karma points if you share your favourite quick & easy healthy recipe for busy families. It’s just karma though, so don’t stress about it.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

Being children of a chemist, my kids are bound to have more exposure to science than most. They already hang out with their Dad at his lab and office when they get a chance.

You can imagine my excitement when we received our Careertoon Store T-Shirts! Not only are the Careertoon Store t-shirts high quality, they are also totally cute! I really like that the Careertoon Store t-shirts are gender specific. Women tend to be under-represented in the sciences, however we want our daughters to know that they can have any career they desire. There are plenty of t-shirts on the market with negative messages. Having a positive message that encourages education and self-esteem in all children is awesome.

When my daughter wears her Future Scientist shirt, almost everyone stops to read it. My husband’s co-workers especially got a kick of it. I love that she can proudly wear a unique, fun and positive shirt.

When the Careertoon Store package arrived, I was thoroughly impressed. All the items were packaged well and with great care. Careertoon Store was a concept created by a mother and daughter team; talk about inspiring! I was so enchanted by the illustrations created by the daughter when she was eight years old! When I started writing this review, I was impressed with the product in itself. Then I read the forces behind Careertoon Store. The whole reason for the company is the love and belief of a mother in her daughter. Supporting a company that so strongly believes in the children of the future leaves me with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Not only does the Careertoon Store carry some fun, inspiring, quality t-shirts, the same messages and great quality can be found on greeting cards, magnets and key chains. I look forward to sending Grandparents a Future Scientist greeting card and I admire our Future Scientist magnet every time I head to the fridge.

What does your child aspire to be when they grow up?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to show your support of their dreams with a t-shirt? – by Chelle

Win it! To win your choice of Careertoon Store tee, comment before noon mst on June 8, 2009 with your choice of logo and size.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

LITTLE JET SET IS CLOSING IT’S DOORS – bad for them, great for you!

Save 50% Off Everything Including Clearance Items; No Exclusions Through June 4, 2009

Savings will automatically applied at checkout.

All sales are final. No returns, refunds or exchanges.

[This is a guest post from Travis Peterson of the fab No Starch Press. I haven't read the book so I couldn't honestly review it, but knew you'd want in on it anyway!]

You finally did it—you bought the gizmo that everyone’s talking about. Maybe you’ve already figured out how to play music or make phone calls, but then what?

How does the voicemail work? And that keyboard? What about all of those cool apps—which ones do you need, and how do you get them? You need a book like My New iPhone to make everything easy.

San Francisco’s No Starch Press has posted a big chunk of its My New iPhone book on Scribd for free, plus is selling it cheap-like-borscht as a PDF.

No Starch has a new version of Wang’s iPhone book coming out with the release of iPhone OS 3.0 this summer. In the meantime, the publisher is making about 50% of the current version of the book available for free. As a special deal, they are offering this PDF for free when you preorder a copy of My New iPhone through the No Starch Site—you’ll get the free PDF emailed to you right away and get the book—covering all of the latest and greatest 3.0 features—when it comes out this summer. You can preorder the book and get your free PDF here. Or you can view a chunk of the book on Scribd here.

Win it! No Starch is giving away a No Starch Press prize package to one randomly selected commenter that includes copies of the books My new iPhone and My New Mac, a No Starch Press t-shirt, shot glass, and mug, as well as stickers! The prize package will be mailed when My New iPhone is published this summer. Leave your comment before noon mst on June 4, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Generations of children have frustrated their parents by playing with the box more than the costly toy that came inside it. Color Me House, founded by April McCray, offers a genius solution that makes kids happy, saves parents money, and encourages unlimited creativity.

The Color Me line of products is made of strong, sturdy, 100% recyclable 2 ply cardboard that’s safe for kids of all ages with no staples or sharp corners. (Provided they won’t eat it – it won’t necessarily hurt them but it’s not vitamin-packed either.)

There are currently two products available – The house sells for $40 and the rocket will set you back a mere $50. A small price to pay for hours and hours of creative entertainment. If you grew up making forts from cardboard boxes, you’ll love sharing Color Me House with your kids. Simply open & assemble (a few minutes, tops) and set the kids free with their choice of creative paraphernalia – crayons, paints, markers, glitter glue, wallpaper, stickers or anything else that makes a mark.

We’ve had a bit of a strange spring here in the great white north, and we’ve been loving the Color Me House & Color Me Rocket for those snowy (wth?) May days. We leave them inside on the sunny days (though they can be taken outside if you have a dry location) so they’re a great novelty for the times when we trade in the swimsuits for the snowboots. The next one I order will be an awesome addition to our mid-January forced-to-stay-inside birthday party.

Order yours from Color Me House or find a location near you.

Win it! We’re giving away a Color Me House or Color Me Rocket – your choice – to one lucky USA-based (sorry ’bout that!) reader. To enter, leave a comment letting us know which one you want and your state on this post before noon mst on June 3, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

A a now-verified natural kid-product collector, I often wonder what my peeps will think – particularly my girls – when their friends are buying cool looking & chemical filled drugstore crap and I make them use the brown & boring safe stuff. After discovering Sparklehearts, I’m no longer worried.

The line currently consists of five yuck-free ’skinemy’-free products, each of which sell for $12.49. (It’s a flash site. Grrr. Sorry, but I can’t link to individual products. Great products – poor site design.)

My children are using the Shine Shampoo which “repairs and protects hair, leaving it remarkably radiant. Pansy extract protects hair from sun damage, violet extract and aloe soothes and softens hair, rosemary rejuvenates dull hair and natural coconut and sugar make fabulous foam for super shiny, clean results” and the Rainbow Soft Conditioner which “repairs damage and restores shine, bounce and beauty” and contains “vitamin b5, Shea butter, jojoba and wheat protein combine to give hair a healthy, shiny bounce.” We love them both. The smell is deliciously (and not at all grossly) sweet, and the shampoo bubbles last forever in the tub. (We use it as bubble bath on the non-shampooing days.)

Also available are Peace Out No Knots Hair Detangler, Bubbling Blooms Body Wash, and Sweet Hearts Sparkly Body Lotion.

You can also visit Sparklehearts on Facebook.

Win it! We’ve got a shampoo & conditioner to give away, a $25 value. To enter to win, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on June 2, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Chelsea Gossett, creator of the Count Me Healthy bracelet line, is one smart cookie. Functional jewelry is so often clunky & hideous, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from my new bracelet. Colour me impressed. The newest addition to the line, Mommy and Me, was created with the active, modern mom in mind. Mommy and Me is the first and only bracelet used to monitor health goals for baby, mom or the expecting mother. A stunning stirling silver bracelet with shimmering beads that are each assigned a value depending on what you’re tracking, the Mommy and Me bracelet can help a mama track pretty much anything – daily feedings for baby, fruit and vegetable servings for mom, pre-natal vitamins, extra calories during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and even books read. You track your daily progress by sliding beads from side of the bracelet to the other, and the patented jump ring systems keeps the beads exactly where you want them. Mommy and Me can also be effective in reducing mom’s bad habits, such as sweets, sugary sodas, caffeinated beverages and artificial sweeteners. Or, if you’re like me, it’s a gorgeous accessory that you’ll forget to use – but it won’t matter because it’s totally gorgeous. Easy to use (and can be as simple or as detailed as you wish)

The Mommy and Me bracelet retails for $88. Pick yours up at www.countmehealthyjewelry.com.

Vincent Shoes is one of the few places we can order shoes for kids older than three. So many of our awesome footwear finds only fit up to size 9 or age three, and that’s just not good enough. These little people grow up, you know?

There are SO many great Vincent styles that it’s always hard to choose. This rainy (and snowy – ugh – but that’s a story for another day) Canadian spring, my daughter wears the pink BLOMMA (”flower” in Swedish – adorned with romantic May Flowers that make a rainy day a happy day) and my son wears the navy GRAFFE (bold colours & the perfect height for uninhibited puddle stomping), both from the Spring/Summer 2009 collection and both priced at $33.95.

If it rains where you live, you’ve got to puddle jump in style and Vincent has you covered. Check out these styles and more at Vincent Shoes.

Get 20% off all summer sandals via this link or 10% off all kids shoes via this link.

(P.S.: My first stop at Vincent is always the sale section. It’s always full of great styles!)

Debi Derryberry, a successful voiceover artist and children’s entertainer, has released her third CD this month. Debi’s new CD, BABY BANANA is so similar to her previous two that my son recognized her voice immediately. (We reviewed Debi’s previous two CD’s in 2007 and 2008.) The inspiration for the CD and the newly launched Baby Banana “brand” comes from a bedtime story about a unique and loving family — Baby Banana, Momma Duck and Daddy Gorilla — which was originally created for Debi’s young son. The CD contains a reading of her first ever childrens’ book, Baby Banana and the Licorice Tree which is as entertaining to the little people as her music. There’s something about Debi’s childlike voice that makes the kids love her and, though it’s a little high for me, I actually enjoy her music too, which is really nice since they made me play through the CD three times today.

Track Listing:
1. Baby Banana
2. I Wish You Could Fly with Me
3. Scoops of Ice Cream
4. Happiest Day
5. Oodle the Orangutan
6. I’m a Chameleon
7. Freckle Face Freddie
8. Tropical Fruit
9. Slumberland
10. Baby Banana and the Licorice Tree (The Storybook)

Win it! We’re giving away TWO copies of Debi’s new CD to randomly selected winners who comment before noon mst on May 27, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

It was almost exactly a year ago that we shared a great Canadian company with you – a company whose new products are so fab we’ve brought them back again! Clippopotamus (Clippo for short) isn’t just clips anymore. T.O.P. contributor Susan shares with you three new products from Clippo:

Soother Clippo:

If you have a child that uses a soother you will agree those things are like gold. The soother clippo could be your saviour. The material they use for the tether is made from fully washable grosgrain ribbons and the clips are stainless steel with plastic teeth that won’t ruin fabrics.

I only wish my daughter’s soother had something I could clip on it… however, I used the soother clippo as a toy leash as they recommend on the Clippo website. I’m sure many of you can relate when I say if I had a dollar for every time my daughter threw something out of her stroller I would be a rich woman. Of course I know it is just a game she loves to play and generally I don’t mind… except when we are in a disgustingly dirty public washroom and she decides to launch her teething toys or worse yet her “surface wash only” plush teddy bear, eeeew. So, needless to say I was thrilled to put the Clippo to the test. And I am impressed. My daughter who is also very strong and determined was not able to pull her toy off the stroller thanks to the Soother Clippo.

Bib Clippo:

This is the coolest design ever! In case you haven’t guessed my daughter is also one of those kids that hates to wear a bib. She reefs on the Velcro bibs I have for her, tears them off, swings them around, and throws them on the ground. So, we tried the Bib Clippo while we were away this weekend, and I love it. I got the idea from the Clippopotamus website because I wasn’t sure how to use the bib clippo… but when they talked about being caught someplace without a bib and trying to stuff a napkin in a child’s collar, I laughed because I am totally guilty of that, and yes it was a bust. This is obviously one of those brilliant mom inventions. Just carry your bib clippo in the diaper bag and you’ve got yourself a disposable bib-on-the-go.

Honestly, I think my grandmother, who was 93 when she passed away, would have appreciated this product. She lived in a care facility where they had adult bibs, just what you would put on a baby only larger. If they had the bib clippo they could use napkins or paper towels attached to these sophisticated tethers. I definitely would have bought her one of these.
The other great thing about the bib clippo is because of the adjustable size moms can use it to make a quick and easy nursing cover. Now I would say I am middle of the road liberal/modest when it comes to nursing in public. Generally I have no problem whipping it out to feed my baby, however I was once stuck in the middle of a very busy mall on a Saturday in an unfamiliar city and was trying to cover up some with a blanket… well my daughter would not have this, so over and over again would try to pull it off her head and expose me for all to see. The bib clippo will keep your receiving blanket in place!

Blanket Clippo:

I don’t have a little one in a bucket car seat anymore but if I did I would want a blanket clippo. See their website for a visual. With the wind gusts we get here in Southern Alberta, the Clippo’s fierce bite is crucial. The blanket clippo straps on to the carseat or stroller and ensures your child’s blanket stays put. It is a nice alternative to those car seat covers. We were caught in a hail storm this weekend while at a park, and the Blanket Clippo came in very handy to keep my daughter’s blanket in place on the stroller. I have been known to run over a few blankets in my day… it’s extra special when the stroller wheels are nice and muddy.

What fantastic products from a fine company that prides themselves on giving back to the Canadian community. Four dollars from the sale of selectively designed soother clippos goes to the charity SickKids in Toronto.

Speaking of designs, did I mention the amazing variety of patterns to choose from? Very trendy, and there’s something for everyone’s taste.

Win it! We’re giving away one of each of the featured Clippos to one randomly selected T.O.P. reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on May 26, 2009 including your favourite fabric(s) form the Clippopotamus

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

It’s the infamous May Long here in Canada and we’re all spending it outside enjoying the gorgeous weather in our yards & local parks.

Back tomorrow with a great Canadian giveaway.

Enjoy your weekend, and every day, to the fullest!

Contrary to what I heard & read before my first child was born, breastfeeding isn’t always easy. Though I’ve exclusively nursed two children for a looooong time and it certainly got easy and wonderful and even blissful, it didn’t start out that way. Either time.

My memories of learning to nurse my first consist of requiring a nurse, my mom, my husband, a stool and a huge pillow in order to get him properly latched, and heaven forbid the pillow slip or the footstool not be in exactly the right position. The creams, the pain – OhGoodLordInHeaven the pain – it was all normal (for me) but it’s a good thing I was so committed to my children never having formula or I surely would have given up. Once the first 6-8 weeks passed and I was able to nurse him pain-free anywhere & anytime, it was just as amazing as I originally thought it would be from the beginning. Had I had the Simply Breastfeeding DVD with Shari Criso of My Baby Experts prior to giving birth, I would have been much more prepared and well educated.

The “breastfeeding educational program” is incredibly thorough. It runs 2 hours and comes on 2 discs. Part one addresses the benefits of breastfeeding for both you and your baby, and helps you establish a strong personal reason WHY you want to breastfeed, and part two teaches you exactly HOW to breastfeed. It’s organized into helpful chapters so it’s easy to skip to the topic you want or watch it straight through in one sitting.

Some of what you’ll learn from Simply Breastfeeding, as stated on Shari’s website:

* Amazing Benefits For Both You & Your Baby – that You Might Not Have Heard Before
* Exactly How to Hold Your Baby – with real Mom & Baby demonstrations
* How to Prevent the Unneccessary Nipple Pain You Hear About in Other Mom’s Horror Stories
* Exactly How Much Milk Your Baby Needs Each Day During the First Few Weeks, As Well As Signs and Clues for You to Follow to Make Sure Your Baby is Getting Enough Milk
* How and When to Give Your Baby a Bottle
* How to Avoid the Biggest Mistake that Most Parents Make in the Hospital….

Whether you have a lactation consultant available to you or not, and whether you take a breastfeeding class or not (and no, the half hour devoted to it in prenatal class doesn’t count), this DVD will be invaluable to you in your quest to breatfeed your child. I’ve pretty much been nursing for three years straight, and even I learned some new things about those little newbies that make me feel like I’m in labour all over again.

The My Baby Experts blog has lots of great information for all parents – lactating or not.

Buy it from Amazon or the My Baby Experts site for $40.

Win it! We’re giving away a copy of this awesomely awesome DVD set. To enter, leave a comment before noon mst on May 22, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

The Adventures of Scuba Jack is a new, interactive DVD series for preschool aged children that combines education and entertainment through the use of animation, puppets and live actors. The concept was created by Beth Costanzo, the owner of two preschools, and the DVD’s actually simulate a day at pre-school. They engage young children through stories & activities, and in addition to their main topic of instruction (Tide Pools, in the first episode) also improves their letter and word recognition, basic arithmetic, classification, fine motor and gross motor skills.

The cast of characters, including Ms. Beth – the Pre-School Teacher, Scuba Jack – the knowledgeable underwater adventurer who visits the classroom to take the students on ocean adventures, Paco the Pelican – a talking pelican who teaches the children a new Spanish word each day and many more quirky folks, are not professional actors or professionally filmed by any stretch of the imagination. While that got on my nerves ever so slightly, my kids and their preschool aged friends who spend their days here have asked to watch Scuba Jack at least twice a day, every day, since the DVD showed up a week ago. They’ve learned some very interesting ocean facts and it’s even brought out some more realistic imaginative play with their sea creature toys. While shopping recently, my son blurted out something or other about tide pools and told me that he likes “all sorts of adventures” and “gathering on the rocks.” This stuff sticks.

The DVD ($20 in the Scuba Jack shop, along with a ton of other cool stuff) comes with “Under the A-B-Seas,” an awesome colouring book (& crayons!) that features an ocean creature for each letter of the alphabet. They’re line-drawn (read: easy to copy for the kids to use more than once) and each is accompanied by an interlined label for the creature in a dotted font for the child to trace. It’s an awesome colouring book and would be a great addition to an ocean theme in a preschool/kindergarten classroom or homeschooling home.

So, while I don’t really want to watch this show every day anymore, I’m thrilled to use it and especially the colouring book in my classroom and in my home.

Parents and caregivers can download episode specific learning activities from the Scuba Jack website that create a unique, interactive pre-school experience for their youngster.

Win it! We’ve got a DVD/colouring book pack to give away. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on May 20, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

That’s not actually what it’s called.

The pictured 100% cotton canvas Blakely Ring Tote from Kokopax, is decidedly un-diaperish, though. Don’t you agree?

It’s simply a chic & trendy tote that’s functional as a diaper bag if you choose to use it as such. With it’s durable nylon lining, it’s leak-proof and easily wiped out with a damp cloth. Whether breastmilk or a bottle of Perrier, whatever leaks isn’t going to be all over the seat of your car. It features three deep pockets and a zipper pocket, a bottle/beverage compartment, and an attachable mini-tote & key fob – all things that will come in very handy whether you’re carrying diapers & pacifiers or novels & gym shoes.

I personally love the silver ring handles. They add a special touch that really shouts “I AM NOT A DIAPER BAG.”

The Blakely ring tote sells for $79.99 at Kokopax.

Win it! A Blakely Ring Tote in your choice of fabric is up for grabs. Choose your fabric and leave a comment before noon mst on May 19 to be entered.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We don’t feature tons of diaper bags here at T.O.P. because, really, it’s just a bag. A decorative item which carries crap – ometimes literally – for which most of our readers are not interested in paying five hundred of their hard earned dollars. However, we occasionally find one that blows us away with either it’s beauty or it’s features. Our latest find is sure to blow you away.

The dad-designed Baggino combination diaper bag n’ changing belt easily converts from a stylish messenger bag to a practical, hands-free baby changing waist belt. After all these years of hanging my bag from the corner of changing tables & stall doors to prevent it from touching the bathroom floor, I can’t believe this concept never occurred to me. (Oh wait – yes I can. I haven’t slept in three years. Not exactly optimal brain function.)

The Baggino comes with an extra large change pad, attaches securely to any stroller via velcro & caribiner, comes with built in rings to attach other items, features a brilliant instant-access key finder (see brain function, above) and has more pockets than you can shake a stick at. (Hey, put that stick down.) There’s a private zippered pocket for parental use (think Visa, tampon, lipstick), an elasticized compartment for those immediate-need items, a removable pocket, a baby food compartment, a spacious diaper area, an extra-large velcro pocket for clothing or blankets, and that doesn’t even cover them all. I have no idea how so many pockets fit in such a modestly sized bag. The reversible zipper allows access to all pockets even when the bag is attached to a stroller. This bag was obviously designed by a perfectionist. I can’t think of a thing he forgot. Click here to view all of the features.

I’ve never been much of a cosmetic junkie. I’ve got my bare minimum basics that I use daily, and that’s all I want. Since having children, though, I’ve become somewhat of a natural-product junkie. If it’s natural or organic and it’s made for kids, I’ll buy it. I’ve found shelves and shelves full of products that I like just fine, but a few standout items or companies are fabulous enough to make it on to T.O.P. The Spa Sisters make approximately a gazillion of those standout products. And they make them by hand, with fairly traded ingredients. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

The mandarin bubble bath from their kids line is made with pure essential oils and smells positively scrumptious. Unlike many natural bubbling products, this one actually makes bubbles, and they last more than thirty seconds after the kids get in the tub.

The lotions, which aren’t actually part of the kids line, are some of the best I’ve ever tried. While I don’t like to use any scents on myself, my kids love guessing what they’re going to smell like on any given night and these scents are pure awesome. My personal fave is mango margarita, a scent that’s rather unique – a little sweet, yet natural. They make a body wash in the same scent that’s a great pairing for the unbelievably nourishing lotion.

If you’re looking for something even more nourishing, the body meringues are like a butter that’s been whipped until it’s almost frothy. It feels kind of like rubbing moist air into your skin. But better, of course. It’s a really nice change from the standard body butters.

My daughter loves their tubes of lip butter. I honestly haven’t tried it – because she won’t let me – but according to her it’s “Yum yum kissy!” Any bets on how long before she takes a bite?

All Spa Sisters products are SLS and SLES free and contain no parabens, synthetic colourings or petroleum. According to their site, they’re releasing a baby line and an organic line this spring, and I can hardly wait to try them!

Win it! We’re giving away four bottles of the fab Spa Sisters lotion, in the following scents: mango margarita, orange jasmine, green tea and lemongrass, and vanilla fudge. To enter, visit Spa Sisters to browse around and come back to comment with some other goodies you’d like to try. Or just let us know what you think in a general sense. Or tell us something you wish they made. Just pay them a visit – that’s all we ask. Honesty = good karma! Contest closes at noon mst on May 14, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I have never met a mom of a little girl who has never felt the exasperation of trying to keep up with their ever changing tastes. Mag-Tagz, a new line of magnetic interchangeable jewelry is perfect for the tween set because it allows them to change their jewelry to match their outfit or their mood without having to break the bank buying a bunch of new necklaces.

Mag-Tagz necklaces come with a standard magnetic pendant base (which is cute enough to wear alone, actually) and the tagz charms can be easily interchanged at any time. New & limited edition tags are released every few months so there’s always something different to try and they’re a great thing to trade & share amongst girlfriends. Who needs hockey cards?

Invented by mom Anita Worth, Mag-Tagz involve young girls in every step of their business. Her daughter and her friends shared their input right from the start, and now the site includes several interactive features. They can play “Tag, You’re It!” where they can enter a code found on the back of each tag to get a clue. The goal is to collect four clues and decipher the common trait. Once they’ve solved it, they can submit their answer and be entered to win awesome prizes. (Wii!) And it’s not just a grab to get your kids to buy more Tagz. Girls are actually encouraged to share codes with each other and trade their Tagz in order to learn more clues. Though if it were, at only $3.99 – $4.99 most girls could afford to buy them with their own money. The necklace base sells for $9.99, and a starter pack with a base and 3 tagz goes for $19.99 (small) or $23.99 (large).

Girls (and, I suppose, boys, if they’re into that kind of thing) are also encouraged to design their own Tag and enter it into the Mag-Tagz design contest where they’ll be voted on by blog readers. If they win, their design will be produced as a limited edition Tag and their name is even engraved on the back! How thrilling would that be?

Use the code blogger20 to save 20% on purchase of $20 or more.

Win it! A necklace base and either the Green Earth Tag or the Bee Tag is up for grabs. Take a look at the design winners page and then come back to comment with your choice to be entered to win.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED (Congrats Terra!)

Over the last few years, I’ve invested in a cupboard full of glass containers for freezing & storing food and ditched 90% of the plastic that we used to use. It’s costly, but totally worth it for the health of my family. I consider it an investment. They’re endlessly reusable which means I save money, the earth, and the bodies of the people I love most.

My husband and I often take leftovers for lunch in glass, but I’m not about to send glass with my three year old. Even if he didn’t smash it on purpose, he’d surely do it accidentally by the end of the first week. Since he mostly eats dry snackies, fresh produce & cheese all day long, I was thrilled to discover LunchBots. Made from the highest quality 18/8 stainless steel, LunchBots won’t leach chemicals into foods like plastic does.

The LunchBots uno (blue lid) is perfect for sandwiches or a larger quantity of the same snack. My kids love it for trail mix or cookies. The LunchBots duo (orange lid) is the same container but with a divider welded in to hold two portions of snacks. The divider is not water tight so LunchBots are not intended for wet foods, but if you pack fresh like we do then you’ll be very happy with these. For extras like dips & yogurts, you’ll need to supplement with another type of container. We love the duo for cheese & crackers, raisins & cucumbers, fresh fruit salad & veggies sticks and so much more. Both measure 6.5″x4.5″ and fit easily in lunch bags, diaper bags & most purses. I recommend buying both because no matter which one you choose, you’ll wish you had the other one as soon as you start packing lunches! They’re both great, and used daily in our home.

US readers can purchase directly from LunchBots ($14.99). Canadian readers can purchase from Parenting by Nature ($22.98).

Win it! We’ve got a LunchBots uno AND a LunchBots duo to give away to one lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on May 12, 2009. Feel free to share your great “dry lunch” ideas!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I love greeting cards. I’m one of those people who saves them in a special box to look though as the years pass (provided someone has actually written something in them, but that’s a whole ‘nother post) or scrapbooks them for special occasions. When is a card even better than a card? When you can record a personal message in it! Hallmark’s recordable cards with music, which we’ve told you about before, continue to be our favourite cards to give to those extra special people, and now they’re available for Mother’s Day & Father’s Day too. Watch this video to see the cards in action. All you have to do is press and hold a button inside the card, record your message (and you can try as many times as you need to get it just right) and mail it. When the card is opened by your special someone, your message will introduce the song. I would absolutely love to have one of these from my kids. Do you think it would be a clear enough hint for me to buy the card & leave it on my husband’s night table, or would I need to add instructions on a post it note?

Big news! Hallmark has recently released a new 99 cent line of cards and, honestly, I have no idea why they’re only 99 cents. You know the cheap crap cards that you get at the dollar store, right? The ones you can almost see through with cheesy flowers and grotesque poetry? Well, these have them beat by a penny and are the same great quality as your standard $2-$5 dollar card. Maybe a little smaller, but totally not a dollar store card. I’ll admit to buying cheapies, since most people toss them straight from the envelope into the recycling bin, but from now on I’ll be heading over to the Hallmark store for these babies. Who knew frugal didn’t have to look cheap?

Hallmark cards are available almost everywhere – Click the link to find a store in your area.

Win it! We’ve got a selection of Hallmark recordable cards (mother’s day, father’s day and more) and also a huge random selection from the 99 cent line to send to one randomly selected reader. Leave a comment on this post before noon mst on May 11, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Putumayo World Music/Putumayo Kids is one of those companies who produces music that you just can’t go wrong with. We love exposing our family to the sounds of countries that they may never be able to visit. It would be nice to travel the world with them but unless we come into some cold, hard cash its not likely to happen. In this economy, we’re lucky to be able to drive an hour to go for a hike. Allow me to share with you what I think are the greatest new-ish releases from Putumayo. All of them can are available from Amazon.

Putumayo Presents: India, with mesmerizing voices and gentle beats, is one of my favourites for several reasons. First of all, I married into an Indian family so it’s important to me that my 1/4 Indian kids are exposed to at least a little bit of the culture. The food and the music can’t be beat. This cd showcases India’s rich musical variety, from traditional and acoustic music to Bollywood and electronica.

Putumayo Presents: Acoustic Arabia features the subtle, organic music of the Arabic world. Inspired by the region’s traditional music, it’s much more authentic, in my humble opinion, than the arabic pop & electronic commonly featured. A nice change from…everything we own!

Putumayo Presents: Acoustic France brings the romance and charm of Paris and the French countryside right to us in the not-so-charming-right-now snow covered western Canada. From the press release: “This collection features contemporary chanson and acoustic pop by established stars and up-andcoming artists from today’s thriving French music scene. Inspired by the classic styles of an earlier generation, young artists are borrowing from old-school lyric-driven composition, folk and Gypsy jazz to create an appealing modern sound. The music captures the ambiance of strolling along the Seine or sipping wine in a Parisian café on a beautiful summer day. Included in the liner notes is a signature recipe from 3 star Michelin French chef Michel Troisgros of La Maison Troisgros. Sifflets De Sole À La Banane Et Citron Vert (Banana and Lime Sole) is well-paired with the flavorful melodies served on this collection.” That says it so much better than I could. Thoroughly enjoyable, thoroughly authentic – a great addition to your (hopefully growing) world music collection. Also cool? A portion of the proceeds from Acoustic France will be donated to La Chaîne de l’Espoir (The Chain of Hope), an organization that provides children from developing countries access to health care and quality education.

Putumayo Presents: African Reggae is a great collection “featuring selections by outstanding African musicians who have built upon Jamaica’s “golden age of reggae” in the 1960s and 1970s by weaving together traditional and modern sounds into a vibrant musical fabric.” If ever there were an homage to Bob Marley’s powerful impact on African music, this would be it. Totally worth a listen or several. It’ll get you and the kids all up dancing!

Win it! We’re giving away all four of these CD’s to one lucky winner. To enter, leave a comment on this post before Friday, May 1 at noon mst.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Mother of two Lauren Busch Singer of ASAP Productions has produced a great new CD with the help of her 10 year old son Jake.

(How cool is that? Jake has got to be the coolest kid in school.)

FUNKY KIDZ features 12 of New Orleans’ finest artists (Nevilles, The Radiators, George Porter Jr., Theresa Andersson and more) doing crazy funked up covers of classic kids songs we all know and love. Think Zip a Dee Doo Dah, Yellow Submarine and the funkiest rendition of the Hokey Pokey you’ve ever heard. It’s danceable, even for me. It’s funky, it’s complex and it’s totally not kiddie crap. It’s as good as what I’d listen to if the kids weren’t with me, and that’s the kind of CD I want my kids to love. And love it they do.

A portion of the proceeds from this album go toward fostering music education in New Orleans. Check them out at funkykidzmusic.com.

Win it! Comment by noon mst on Friday, May 1 to enter to win your own copy of Funky Kidz.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

NAPPA and Parent Choice award-winning artist Jonathan Sprout’s latest release American Heroes #3 is, as one would presume, full of songs about American…um…heroes. Though I’m solidly Canadian, we actually learn a decent amount of American history up here. (In our igloo schools). The third in the American Heroes series, A.H.#3 is packed with fun & upbeat songs about some America’s finest. Like Pocahontas – I learned a lot listening to this CD. Music and a history lesson all rolled into one makes for kids who actually remember the content after the test. This would be great in a classroom! It’s not all serious though. Tunes like “Chocolate King” about Milton Hershey offer up some education and an equally large dose of entertainment. The songs all have great hooks that reel kids in & make the lyrics memorable. Think we can convince him to come north for a while and make one for us Canucks? Contrary to popular belief, we can actually be interesting!

Win it! We’ve got a copy to give away to one lucky reader who comments before noon mst on Friday, May 1, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We spent the better part of this weekend grooving in our living room to the tunes of Recess Monkey. Seattle based band members Jack Forman, Drew Holloway, and Daron Henry have recently released a new CD, Field Trip, and is just as fantastic as all those that came before it. For a band that pumps out the CD’s like these guys, it’s amazing that the quality just keeps getting better and better.

The songs kept us laughing, and listening to see what they were actually saying as we made up goofy lyrics to go along with each of the titles.

Track Listing:

1. Fort
2. Marshmallow Farm
3. Sack Lunch
4. Knocktopus
5. New Shoes
6. Haven’t Got a Pet Yet
7. Hot Chocolate
8. Ice Pack
9. Tiny Telephone
10. Little Insects Crawling Everywhere (L.I.C.E.)
11. Something Happens in the Teens
12. Secret Agent Watch
13. Bubble Factory
14. Centipede Pirate
15. Firefly Lullaby
16. Waiting For Vanderslice

One quick look at the song titles and it’s evident that these guys have a sense of humour. The only thing better than that on a CD is the awesome musical talent that goes along with it.

Win it! To enter to win a copy of Recess Monkey’s new CD, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on May 1, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

It’s music week at T.O.P. and each day we’ll be featuring a new CD we’ve been sent to review that has made it into regular rotation in our homes and vehicles. Each one will be accompanied by the usual giveaway, with all of them closing at noon mst on Friday.

Enjoy, and happy dancing!

With Earth Day having just passed, there’s no better time than now to introduce you to the Etsy shop of Ruth Smith, a Winnipeg-based Canadian working mom of two, PeriwinkleDzyns. Ruth got tired of seeing all the obsolete electronic components go into the garbage at a local factory and was industrious enough to rescue them, combine them with her jewellery making skills and create her line of upcycled e-waste jewelery.

Her custom original geekery lanyard is the coolest geekiest. It’s 44″ total length (adjustable to your specification) and has a sterling plated chain around the back of the neck for comfort. It’s very sturdily made of new resistors (never in contact with solder or circuit boards) that have been rescued from going to the landfill. It comes equipped with a 0.75″ key ring for your keys, pass card or whatever you need to have within reach. She makes some cool jewelery that’s less function and more fashion as well. I love this one and this one.

Another cool find in Ruth’s shop are the vintage pinback 1.25″ buttons made by her daughter Kendra. She uses words from vintage dictionaries and thesauri to create these cute accessories which she sells for just $2 each, keeping the books out of the recycle bin, increasing her vocabulary and learning basic business skills all at the same time. What a great venture for an obviously smart little girl!

We love a find that allows you to have it all – shop online, support a mom, support a kid and protect the earth.

Win it! We’ve got BOTH of the pictured items up for grabs – a yellow geekery lanyard and a full set of Charlie Brown dictionary buttons. To enter, visit the PeriwinkleDzyns shop and come back to comment with your fave(s) that were not mentioned in this review. Contest closes at noon mst on May 1, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

With the influx of annoying gift guides in my inbox, it’s evident that Mother’s Day is coming.

You know what’s not annoying? Winning great stuff!

Remember Photofiddle?

They’ll fiddle your pictures into over over 50 art styles and print them in your choice of canvas or art prints, framed or not, from 8″x8″ to 6 feet by 20ft. The quality is second to none…and it could be yours.

They’re giving one of you a $50 gift certificate in honour of Mother’s Day!

Win it! To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us what you’d do with it (which product and for whom?) before noon mst on April 30, 2009.

Use the code TOP15 for 15% off until the end of May.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED