Welcome to the week sans giveaways! (I know, that’s not exciting for you. For me, however, it means I don’t need to moderate 6000 comments when I have regular internet access again.)

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Want to see some cute vintage cartoons from around the world? Then visit Bunny Ears!

Bunny Ears is a new Web TV station for young children aged 3+ that brings you an assortment of vintage and contemporary cartoons from all around the world.

Each cartoon is fairly short, about 5 minutes each, and are filled with simple animation and adorable stories! While there isn’t a huge selection up yet, they are planning to bring hundreds of cartoons, that are hard to find elsewhere, right to your computer screen!

Run out of Toronto, Ontario by mom Judy Blumstock, Bunny Ears is advertising free and free to watch. She founded it for her own daughter and now it’s available for everyone’s children.

While you may recognize some characters, such as Chapi and Chapo, there are many others that you and your children will quickly fall in love with!

I can’t help but to love Chapi and Chapo the most, but a close runner up is sweet little Bedtime Bear! Perfect for helping your preschooler with his or her bedtime routine!

Hop on over to Bunny Ears, cuddle up with your preschooler, and settle in for a sweet and funny story! -Gina

It seems there’s always something out there that is going to hurt the health of our babies. All the additives in foods, BPA in bottles, pesticides in our veggies, and even formula or sweet liquids will cause damage. Baby tooth decay is a common problem that can be prevented, but as a parent I understand how difficult it is to always follow “what’s best.” By that I mean that I don’t always brush my baby’s gums or my son’s teeth after eating or drinking. Why? Well, they don’t particularly like me coming at them with the tooth brush.

Tooth Tissues may very well be the best idea since sliced bread. They’re simply little disposable tissues that you can use to wipe your young one’s teeth or gums to keep them healthy! The simplicity of it makes it easy to carry in your diaper bag, in the vehicle, picnic basket, over night bag, or really anywhere! All you do is wrap the wipe around your finger and rub your baby’s gums or teeth, and if they’ve fallen asleep with a bottle or boob in their mouth it makes it way easier to soak up the left over liquid. Good luck trying to brush in babies’ mouths while they’re sleeping, but with Tooth Tissues there is hope!

Aside from the initial intention for Tooth Tissues, I’m pretty sure they’d be great for adults too! I don’t carry a toothbrush around with me so I can brush after meals while on the go, but I would carry Tooth Tissues. Just wipe and toss. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

Created by a couple that are dentists as well as parents, the priorities of both the medical world and the family world were addressed with the invention of Tooth Tissues. The tissues are 99% natural (check out their website to find out why they’re not 100%) and available in stores and online for a very reasonable price. What a great find. Buy yours online for just $6.99/pack or $4.00 for a dozen single packets.

Win it! We’re giving away a package of tooth tissues and a couple of single packets to one randomly selected reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon MST on June 25/08.

Additional entries available - up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I’ve got to be honest here - I had never heard of Locallectual until they bought one of T.O.P’s premier ad spaces over there. See it? The nice big highrise ad on the right? Yeah, that’s it. You’re going to want to click that.

How did I not know about this site? It’s such a fantastic idea!

A little bit about Locallectual from their site:

Are you a smart consumer? Think before you answer… the definition is changing! It used to be about buying the highest quality products at the lowest price, and many have mastered this skill. However, many savvy consumers now think about the social and ecological impact of their purchases; the cost of manufacturing on the environment as well as the social effects on the workers and community who produce consumer goods. These are all factors that many responsible consumers consider while making a purchase. Whether a person is buying fruit, a t-shirt, or a toy… how it was made and how it made its way to you are some things to consider. Sounds like a lot to think about, right? It is, but to make it all easier, now there is Locallectual.

The idea behind Locallectual is to offer a personalized shopping experience based on your preferences. Shop for what you want, made where you want. You can shop by category, country of origin, state of origin, or search for goods made within a designated mile radius of your zip code! This saves you, as a consumer, precious time while leaving you with the peace of mind of knowing exactly where your purchase was produced. This site also gives you information about the manner in which various products are made and by whom. Locallectual doesn’t stop there; other features allow you to:

* Contribute! Locallectual is a wiki-type site, so if you know of a producer in your area that is not listed, click on “Add Entry ” to add them to the database!

* Create a user profile allowing you to specify your purchase preferences - choose your geographic regions of interest, what items you are interested in, and receive recommendations based on what you choose.

* Network with other Locallectuals in your area or in an area you intend to visit, or network with those with similar interests and hobbies.

* Learn more about manufacturing practices as well as why its important to support your local producers.

* Learn where to buy and eat local no matter where you are with our soon-to-be-live “Local Lowdown” city pages.

* Be Green! Locate eco-friendly companies by searching within our “environmentally friendly” category.

* Benefit from the knowledge and experiences of other consumers through the ratings and reviews feature. And of course, share your knowledge and experiences in the same way.

Doesn’t that sound fabulous? The only problem I can find with Locallectual is that it doesn’t include Canada…yet. Let’s get on that!

Edited to add: Apparently I didn’t dig deeply enough. Here’s the link to search by country! (Thanks Karen!)

At TOP, we do our best to review some of the coolest and most family friendly or gadgets, toys, tools, clothing and more. We hope you like what we do, and always welcome your suggestions.

This time, we need you!

We’ve had several reader requests for a great family calendar available online and we’re hoping you can help us find one or more to review and share with our fab readers.

It sounds like you’re looking for one that…

-is large enough to have room for all of the family’s activities, perhaps freezer door sized?
-is not wipe-able but permanent, and has 13 months to record activities and appointments in advance.
-is dateless so families can start and end it as they choose throughout the year.
-can hang on the fridge with either VERY strong magnets or suction hooks.
-optional colour coding for different family members’ activities

Anything else?

Please leave suggestions and ideas in comments.

Any enterprising business person want to make one?

Summer is here and with that Vincent’s annual Summer Sale, which kicks off TODAY!

Scoot, skip or hop over to the Vincent online store and take advantage of sale prices as low as 75% OFF! Look for the red banners. The sale will run while supplies last so hurry up as it’s first come – first served!

Also check out the Vincent Closeout Cubby where they still have a few great shoes and boots left at up to 75% OFF; great deals if you are planning ahead for back to school and fall. (Please note that all Closeout Cubby item purchases are final – no returns or exchanges.)

As always, Vinvent provides free shipping on all orders of $75 and up.

Learning to eat is a messy stage for even the most perfect child. No matter how anal retentive you are about cleanliness, you’re going to have a mess much of the time. When your child is ready to try his or her hand at utensils, you’ll want to check out My Plate-Mate. It helps a toddler learn how to successfully eat with a utensil and plate (or bowl if it’s the right size - 8″-9 1/2″…) while minimizing much of the mess.

My Plate-Mate is super Easy to use and is made of food grade plastic which is lead-free, BPA-free, PVC-free, latex-free and phthalate-free. They’re also dishwasher & microwave safe. It’s essentially a c-shaped piece of plastic that slips onto the edge of your child’s plate and helps your child successfully learn to use a utensil while preventing messy spills on the table.

We’re using a My Plate-Mate with our two year old and I love that he is showing increased confidence and independence with his utensils simply because I’m more relaxed and not chasing him around with a cloth.

They’re only $7.95 each and can be purchased from the My Plate-Mate website.

Save 10% with the code MESSFREE

Win it! We’re giving away a white My Plate-Mate to one lucky reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post by noon MST on Jun 9, 2008.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Remember the Flipper toothbrush holder?

Remember how they offered you a 20% off code because they felt sorry for y’all who didn’t win?

Well, you’re getting lucky again! We’ve got two toothbrush holders and two razor holders to give away. Two winners will each receive one of each - just leave a comment to enter! You’ve got just 48 hours to enter - contest closes at 8 pm MST on Wednesday, May 28/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

A Giftventure is a personalized treasure hunt service where all of the materials are custom made and delivered to you! You simply choose an adventure, a character, and a hiding place for a gift that you provide. Enter the location where you have the hidden gift, some of the child’s personal interests, (such as a favorite game, or a local landmark), and you’re all set! Using the information you provide, they create and mail a series of letters and puzzles addressed to the child who must solve the puzzles and follow the clues in the letters to discover the location of your hidden gift.

Trust me when I tell you that Giftventure is as cool as it sounds, if not cooler.

There are currently seven adventures to choose from with more coming soon, and there are seven characters that guide your child along their giftventure.

Giftventure has been undergoing some changes in the past months. Now customers can purchase general Giftventures without having to personalize them first. This means you can purchase, as an example, 3 giftventures. After purchase, you get a confirmation email with an individual ID code for each of the 3 giftventures. You can choose to personalize one right then, keep one saved on your member account to use for another occasion later in the year, send the ID code to a friend or family member for them to redeem on the site and personalize their own giftventure (just like a gift card) or any combination of the three.

Three families including my own were the first crazy Canucks to try Giftventure. They’ve just launched their company in to Canada and I know that if we spread the word it’s going to be huge here. (Canadians have good taste, after all.)

I used my Giftventure for my 9 year old niece. She is all about adventure and imagination and still firmly believes in all of the mythical people and creatures that children should. She was so pumped when she received the first letter that she drove me crazy until the next one finally arrived. The entire experience was wonderful and I know she’ll never forget it!

Read on to see what TOP writers Andrea and Raechelle thought of their own Giftventures:

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A child’s imagination is something pretty spectacular. Just last night my kiddos were talking about zombies as if they were actual and factual, it was quite cute. Sometimes I find it difficult to feed their creativity to the length that they desire, but when we started The Treasure Map Adventure from Giftventure I could tell that they would be at their imaginative peak for the next few days.

The ordering online was very easy, just pick a character, fill out a bit of information like the children’s names (you can name up to three), a location by your house, and something that your children enjoy doing. This allows Giftventure to totally personalize your treasure hunt! I was able to order in less than five minutes and the checkout process was super easy. It arrived in the mail about a week later.

Upon opening the package I could see that this would be something the children would enjoy. It contained three envelopes that looked like they were sent directly from “Gunther the Dragon” (the character I chose), and inside them were a story and directions on how to find the hidden present! I had purchased a small gift to use at the end of the hunt. The treasure hunt lasted over the time span of about a week, where Gunther would drop off a letter with a few more instructions each time.

My two older children, ages 5 and 7, took part in the hunt. They’re still at the age where they actually believe dragons exist and that there’s a magical place called Cloudstead up in the clouds. For that week of fun my children went to bed speaking of Gunther and the hunt, and they would wake up looking for letters from this magical dragon. It was great seeing them so excited for something that I really didn’t even have to put any effort in to. All I had to do was buy a small gift, than play along, and giftventure took care of the rest. And now we have to figure out what to do with all of the letters that the kiddos have written to Gunther! And I think I may have to order more adventures for their birthdays (and Christmas, and Easter, and maybe Halloween too)! - Andrea

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When Dad leaves for business trips it is always tough on my kids. My preschooler pines for her Dad, and the special time they spend together. This time I wanted something special to distract her while he was away so we had a Giftventure delivered.

We began the adventure on the first day her Dad was gone. We went to check the mail to discover a special letter for her. Being an avid fan of mail, she was extremely excited to open it up and start her Giftventure. (You can have them all delivered to the parents in one package or have them individually delivered to the children. If you’d like to have the control, you can just stick them in your own mailbox for the kids on certain days!)

I had hidden a special gift in our hall closet and on the following days she received more clues in the mail to guide her way. She absolutely adored that a fairy was taking her on this Giftventure. The map was AWESOME and we are now drawing treasure maps on a daily basis.

Before we knew it, Daddy was home and she shared her amazing story of her Giftventure with him. I would not hesitate to have more Giftventures in the future - especially now with the great service and very reasonable shipping rates to Canada. -Raechelle

Save 10% on your Giftventure with the code TOP10CAN.
This code is the newest addition to the TOP Shops - the most fabulous collection of online shopping discounts anywhere on the web!

Win it! We’re giving away a Giftventure to one lucky T.O.P. reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post by noon MST on May 29/08. (Yes, any comment - even the lazy ones will get through this time!) ONE ADDITIONAL WINNER will be drawn from those that blog about this contest and get the word out about Giftventure!

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED - Congrats Wendy and Angela!

I’m not much of a pouch sling user myself - I’ve just never found that they work great with gigantic nursing boobs. The few that I do use I chose because they fit me perfectly, and that means they don’t fit anyone else. If your baby loves to be worn and you’re not exactly the same size as your husband, mother and babysitter you’re going to end up with a few different carriers. (Not that there’s a problem with that - I love my collection.)

If you’re a pouch person and you’d rather invest in one fab sling that will fit everyone, I suggest you make the investment in an amazingly gorgeous Baby Bee Sling™ from Honeywear, a company founded upon the nurturing of children and the environment, our two most important and precious resources.

Made from the most pure and exquisite all natural fabrics and lined with soft organic cotton, the Baby Bee Sling is truly one size fits all and offers complete adjustability for many different holds. It’s created with an innovative quick release buckle and a toggle tightening system unlike anything else on the market.

At $120, it is an investment, but one that you’ll find well worth it when you open the box and see the beauty. A Baby Bee Sling doesn’t need to match your outfit - it IS the outfit. Nobody’s going to notice what’s underneath.

Win it! We’re giving away an organic cotton sateen Baby Bee Sling in the eyes of the world pattern. (Value: $120.) To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us which of the other ten fabrics available you like best. Contest closes at noon MST on May 23, 2008.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

I am pleased to announce that approximately a week and a half ago my daughter grew some hair.

Like anything, there are positives and negatives about that. The great thing is that she can wear her fabulously fantastic Bugalug barrettes in the tuft on top of her head, but the bad news is that she’s getting closer to telling me to “Just back off and get your own accessories, Mom!” I admit it - I’ve been wearing her clips from Bugalug for weeks now. But I’ve gotten a ton of compliments on them so they must not look too bad on a grown woman.

Bugalug clips are based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and are designed with an innovative non-slip grip like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s a silicone type grip - and it works! The clips stay in both my daughter’s hair and my own. The clips are also glue free and can withstand the washer and dryer and never get bumpy with glue like many do.

I was most impressed with the quality of Bugalug clips. Everyone’s next door neighbour makes clips these days, but Bugalug clips stand out from the rest as some of the finest I’ve ever seen. There are no raw ribbon edges visible and the ‘crafts-woman-ship’ is worth every penny of the…oh wait - they’re only $4!

She’s not yet old enough for headbands, though, so I don’t have to share those for a while. At their new longer length of 26″, they fit any head and are fully reversible and adjusted via plastic toggle. They’re available in tons of gorgeous ribbon selections.

Bugalug is so concerned with safety and quality that they’ve declined producing the baby clips that many of their customers are asking for (after lots of research) simply to reduce the chance of a child choking on a Bugalug clip. That’s commitment.

Save 10% at Bugalug Baby with the code TOP10.

Win it! We’ve got a gift package of 4 clips and 2 headbands to give away to a reader. To enter, visit the Bugalug Baby site and comment on this post with your favourite products. Contest closes at noon MST on May 26/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

My little sweetie has the most precious feet. No, seriously, they’re so cute that I could just kiss them all day! That might explain why I usually let her go barefoot and until recently have not put a pair of shoes on her sweet feet.

Well, that changed when I received a pair of Minnies baby shoes. The shoes are almost as cute as her feet! Note that I said “almost”, nothing really compares to her little piggies. That said, I did not hesitate to dress her little piggies with these beautiful pink corduroy shoes. They slipped on easy and they were kept in place by two silky smooth elastics accented with a pink butterfly!

After visiting Minnies website, I could see how much thought and effort are put in to these tiny shoes. They have four fabulous lines, including Funky Casuals, Kickin’ Sneakers, Chillin’ Boots, and Sweetalicious Mary Janes. They restock their line twice a year in the spring and in the fall, always being sure to keep on top of the “what’s new” in the baby fashion world. To top it off, the material used to make these fab little shoes is carefully tested to make sure it lives up to the strictest safety standards!

Minnies are some seriously funky and functional footwear for those sweet little feet in anyone’s life. They are available in sizes 1-4 for pre-walking baby girls and boys. Launching just this spring, Minnies will be found in specialty stores and boutiques across North America and in Europe. - Andrea

[Ed: The Minnies site is driven by flash (not good) and has auto-play sound (also not good) but the shoes? Rock.]

Win it! We’re giving away a pair of boys Kickin’ Sneakers in 6-12 months. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post by noon MST on May 21, 2008.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

We travel rather frequently because none of our family lives where we do. We travel packed from floor to roof in our mommy-van because we take our own…well, everything.

One thing I refuse to leave behind is the playpen. We use it for a bed and for a safe restraint and a used one is just…ew. Well, it was ew until I discovered the Coverplayard designed by smart-mom Allison Costa.

The aptly named Coverplayard is a slip cover liner that gender neutralizes any playpen, protects your babe from the germies on a borrowed unit or just modernizes your own playpen. It slips on and off easily and fits most any playpen - just slip it on and attach it with Velcro and pop it off and into the wash when it needs it. It’s absolutely perfect for hotels and anywhere else you take the babes, and comes in several awesome designs.

Starting at just $50, the Coverplayard is way cheaper than buying a new playpen and more convenient than dragging your own everywhere you go. Thanks Allison - now my kids have room in the van to pack “just one more toy!”

Save 10% on your Coverplayard with the code faf

I’ve always been a very happy person and can see the positive in almost any situation. I believe that happiness is a choice. You may not be able to control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to it. I tend to find the “Negative Nellie” type of person annoying and energy draining and choose not to spend my time with them.

Since having children I find it even easier to find joy in every day things - like the dew on a blade of grass or the feel of the rain on my head as I stomp in a puddle.

Focus Friends is a mom-run company out of Colorado producing a series of children’s books and products based on characters called Focus Friends. Each of the characters created by founder and author Lisa Rey Marks is imbued with a special gift or valuable trait and the books and products provide a springboard for teaching young children to develop the positive thought patterns and emotions that will help them to live happier lives.

The debut title, Joy Is The Greatest Gift, features Joyann - a friend with the focus of creating joy. With colourful illustrations and flowing rhymes, it’s a book that captured the attention of my children and would do the same for yours. And while books are always preferred over tech toys, books with positive lessons like this are absolutely first-rate in my book.

Win it! Focus Friends is giving a copy of Joy Is The Greatest Gift away to one TOP reader. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon MST on May 20, 2008.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED - CONGRATS CINDI!

If you have kids (which I assume you do if you’re a regular at T.O.P. - tell me if I’m wrong…) you have probably played the “uh-oh” game toys, sippy cups, cutlery and any number of other things. It may be cute at first (just may-be) but after the seven hundredth time it gets a little old.

Crafty mom Allison Conta of Ali Designs has created the Ali-Oops! Toy Clip just for you. It tethers your child’s toys, sippy cups, snack traps, and more directly to the stroller, carseat, or highchair.

Each toy clip is approximately 10 inches in length with heavy duty snaps on either end for attachment. They come in two different sizes and make a great present topper for a baby gift or first birthday gift.

Sippy cup - $4.99
Soother - $3.99
One parent saving another from the endless game of drop and retrieve - priceless.

Win it! Ali Designs is giving away two TOP readers a toy clip of their choice. To enter, leave a comment on this post stating which of these you would like if you’re one of the randomly selected winners. Contest closes at noon MST on May 21, 2008.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED - Congrats to The Chatty Housewife!

May all of you spend the day surrounded people you love and may they appreciate the sacrifices you make every day, just because you’re their Mom.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Great news - there’s been so much interest in our review of the Flipper toothbrush holder that the company is giving all of you a 20% discount!

Now no home needs to be without this great invention that keeps toothbrush germ sharing to a minimum.

Save 20% on your Flipper toothbrush holders with the code “opinionated parent”

If everyone else jumped off a bridge, we’d be right behind them.

Or something like that.

The Opinionated Parent is now on Facebook! Come join our group!

You’ll have chances for extra entries and occasionally special prizes just for group members.

See you on the flip side Facebook!

In decades past, if you gave most mothers a piece of computer equipment for Mother’s Day you would have been in the doghouse for weeks. Not anymore.

We’ve got the perfect gift for the tech-savvy yet fashionable mama.

The Cruzer Gator is a flash drive adorned with stylish mock alligator skin. It’s available in three great colours and comes in 2 GB (pink), 4 GB (red) and 8 GB (black) capacities.

But what’s style without function? The Cruzer Gator has some fantastic features. I particularly love the password protected access control. Now we can safely store our data without worrying what someone may do with it should we misplace it.

Want to show off pictures of your kids at work? Take home videos to Grandma’s house? The Cruzer Gator is a suitcase of memories that fits in your purse and is lighter than your lipstick.

It also allows you to take your files plus U3™ compatible PC programs wherever you go, with no PC installation required. Never tried U3? You will love it! With a U3 smart drive - like the Cruzer Gator - you can plug your into any PC and work, play a game, message friends, send email, edit photos and more. A U3 smart drive makes any PC your own PC. And when you unplug it, it leaves no personal data behind. For a busy mom, that’s simply awesome.

Win it! We’re giving away a 2 GB pink and a 4 GB red Cruzer Gator to two winners. To enter, leave a comment with your favourite Mother’s Day memory. Contest closes on Mother’s Day - May 11, 2008.

Get up to three additional entries into this contest!

1. NOTE THE CHANGE FOR THIS CONTEST - On your own blog, post a picture that embodies Mother’s Day for you. Include, if you wish, the story behind the photo. Link to 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) so that we can come check out your entry.

AND/OR

2.Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your subscription.

AND/OR

3. Place our button in your sidebar or add us to your blogroll. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid url so we can confirm the addition.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.theopinionatedparent.com"><img src="http://www.theopinionatedparent.com/images/topbutton.jpg" alt="The Opinionated Parent" /></a>

Maximum four entries total per person.

CONTEST CLOSED

I dig finding new & unique shops from which to clothe my kids, and I dig even more finding shops that are eco-friendly.

Pondür is a 100% organic and 100% stylin’ shop that started with a childhood passion. Owners Shanna and Christy are dedicated to inspiring the world, one tiny thought at a time. The Pondür shop features organic tees & onesies printed with thought-provoking and inspirational quotes.

My personal favourite and the one my daughter wears regularly - Take care of me, Take care of the world.

So true, my friends. So true.

Pondür’s unique, environmentally friendly baby apparel not only inspires the little one wearing it but also everyone who sees it.

With every purchase you make from Pondür, you’re making a difference for kids.

Save 20% at Pondür with the code TOP20.

Pondür is a proud member of the TOP Shops, where they and many others are giving you great deals just for being an Opinionated Parent!

Win it! Pondür is giving away a tee to one TOP reader in your choice of size, quote and colour. Value $23.

To enter, leave a comment on this post with your choice for all three - size, quote and colour - should you be the randomly chosen winner.

Contest closes May 14 @ noon MST.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules. Maximum 4 entries per person.

CONTEST CLOSED

Brothers-All-Natural is a company out of New York who sent some of their new freeze-dried Fruit Crisps and Potato Crisps for us to sample. They were pitched as a snack food that gives moms and kids a break from sugary fruit snacks and greasy potato chips.

If you shop at Whole Foods or Costco, you may have seen Brothers-All-Natural on the shelf, but they’re also available online from their site .

The Fruit Crisps and Potato Crisps are 100 percent all-natural, freeze-dried fruit and potatoes that come in single-serve packets that are easy to take in the car or pack in lunchboxes and are shelf-stable for one year. Each packet has between 30-70 calories.

They taste great and we love the concept.

But…

There are two very important things that we were not impressed with.

1. They’re not organic. While that’s okay for pineapples and potatoes, the pineapples, pears, strawberries and apples are extremely high in pesticides if they’re not organic. Giving these to kids would not be a good idea.

2. They’re made in China. Huh? A New York company with access to great organic North American foods and great North American factories has their “healthy” food made in China? I can’t think of any good reason for that. I’d pay a lot more for quality food (organic preferred) made anywhere BUT China.

Win it! If you’d like to try these out for yourself, we’ve got two prize packages to give away. Each contains 2 bags of fruit crisps and 2 bags of potato crisps. To enter, leave a comment on this post by noon MST on May 9/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

When it comes to window shopping, I have a gift. I usually have no problem looking at the cute stuff, drooling a little, and moving on. Not this time. As soon as I saw the new custom room products from Jennifer Talbot at b.delicious, I knew that I simply had to have a few for my little girl. Just look at this stuff!

Gorgeous, huh?

Each piece of the décor is handmade using 100% wool adhesive backed felt, ultra suede, boiled wood, and printed cotton which features a woodland theme and incorporates three dimensional birds, owls, and buckets of apples.

Select pieces of the room décor are currently available at Jennifer’s website, b.delicious (check out the cute clothes, too). You can also see some of Jennifer’s works in progress at her blog, cup of coco.

Just be warned, you’re going to want this stuff. Seriously. - Kelli

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See our year-ago review of b.delicious clothing here.

NOTE TO MY MOM - STOP READING THIS RIGHT NOW!

Seriously Mom - click away!

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(You’re not reading this, are you Mom?)










I had to tell you about this before Mother’s Day so you’d have a chance to order this reader recommended wonderful and inexpensive gift for your own moms (or yourself) but it’s at risk of giving away my own mom’s and mother in law’s gift that I do this. The things I do for you people…

The one of a kind, hand-stamped mother’s necklace from Ohana by Lea is a custom keepsake of the totally non-tacky variety. The photos on Lea’s Etsy site don’t do these necklaces justice. I’ve worn mine every day since I got it (Happy early Mother’s Day to me!) and have gotten more compliments on it than any other jewellery I own. The price is totally reasonable at around $25-$30 depending on how many discs and ‘danglies’ you want. Lea will work with you to create the awesome custom jewelery that every mom deserves.

Type “OPtake10” when convo’ing Lea through her Etsy shop and she’ll take 10% off when she creates your custom listing.

Now that I’ve got two children with tentative plans for more (did I just say that?) I have had to find ways to make this baby a lot more portable. While I’m a devoted baby wearer, it’s not always comfortable or convenient and sometimes my two year old just wants to have his mama all to himself. For those times, I am in love with the baby zabu™ from wagamama baby.

Whassa wagamama? (That’s exactly what my husband and my son both asked. Genetics much?) It means “spoiled rotten” in Japanese.

My own spoiled rotten baby now gets to enjoy the great outdoors and the living room floor alike in the zabu, a luxuriously soft mat with tie-up soft bumper walls that’s a playpen alternative for babies of the non-mobile variety and a playpen insert for when you need a little more security with added padding and cleanliness. Leave it untied for a great playmat too.

When you’re done, the baby zabu™ rolls up like a way cushy yoga mat and comes with a coordinating shoulder strap for travel or storage.

The baby zabu™ is currently available in two sizes and nine styles which include two eco-friendly bamboo options and range from $88 - $135.

Save 15% with the code TOP15 until 5/31/08.

The newest addition to my van tunes is the new CD from Bari Koral Famly Band. I had this review all done for you a couple of weeks ago but lost it in the great upgrade debacle of 2008. It’s much shorter now, but a great CD nevertheless.

With track names like “Dad’s New Car” and “A Day at the Beach,” the lyrics are obviously kid-friendly but the tunes are a parent delight. Bari has a breathy Norah Jones-ish sound that appeals to rock fans of all ages - (listen here). It’s a totally welcome addition to our family collection. It even received high compliments from my husband - “This doesn’t suck like lots of them do.” From him, that’s amazing for anything intended for the kids. I’ve heard they’re even better in person so if you ever have the chance to see them be sure to let us know!

Buy it at CD Baby for less than $10!

Remember Tiny Revolutionary? Of course you do! (They’re in the TOP Shops too, with a 15% discount code!)

Today only, save $10 on your purchase at Tiny Revolutionary by entering the code EARTH08 at checkout.

Feel like you can’t make a difference because you’re just one person? Here are some tips from the great folks at Tiny Revolutionary that will help you see the error of your ways.

We don’t know about you, but sometimes, this whole “Save the Earth” thing can start to feel just a tad overwhelming. Good thing we always have our “All Change Begins Small” philosophy to reign us in and remind us that little things can make a big difference. To that end, we thought a good way to celebrate Earth Day was to send some simple things you can start doing today, to help get us a little closer to global balance.

5 Ways to be a Better Earthling

1. Teach your Kids Discipline. Why? Because discipline is all about doing the hard stuff, the right stuff, even when it’s not easy. Most actions that contribute to a kind, compassionate, socially responsible world are not easy. Giving up meat - that’s not easy. Volunteering time when you’ve already had a tiring week, is not easy. Buying a car that is fuel efficient, even when you can afford a Hummer, is not easy. For some reason people always think those cars get you laid. Two words: Cameron Diaz. She’s been driving a hybrid for years and as far as I know, isn’t having any trouble in the booty department. Cameron, if you are, call me. Now.

2. Be Nice to Cows. Don’t eat ‘em. Or, at least, don’t eat ‘em as much. Turns out, cows are responsible for the second most significant greenhouse gas emissions! Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs make for some rather noxious posterior expulsions. So, if you stop eating beef (or reduce your intake), you not only save a sweet little cow life, you save the ozone. Yay! Love all around.
* Bonus Points: This is actually a great way to start becoming more animal friendly in your diet. Start to phase out one meat at a time. You’ll find it easier than going cold turkey.

3. Unplug your chargers. Even when you’re not charging your phone or computer, the charger itself is still sucking energy out of the wall. All that suckin’ goes completely to waste. What a shame.

4. Buy Compact Florescent bulbs. Why in the hell they call these things this lame-ass name is beyond us. We like “Green Bulbs.” Anyone? Anyone? They really do save you a lot of energy even if the investment up front hits you a little. Plus, you don’t have to replace them for like, five years. Heaven. Oh, and they don’t get hot. How many other reasons do you need?

5. Stop littering. It just makes the joint look crappy. Save the mess for your house. And if you see some litter, pick it up! Not only does it help keep our little corner of the universe looking nice but it will definitely win you points with onlookers, especially your kids.

My amazingly gorgeous and intelligent husband has found a work-around for the Wordpress glitch that was causing TOP to flip back to the default design at random. God, I love him. (For more reasons that that he fixed the site, but that helps!)

So, now that you can all see it…

Watch for our first ever reader survey coming soon!

Olive Kids (reviewed here) is celebrating their tenth birthday by giving away over $1000 worth of presents!

Click on the image above to get to the entry form, answer a few simple questions and, voila, you’re entered! Entries must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. PT on June 30, 2008.

We reviewed the Kaboost before Christmas and love it. We take it everywhere, and now you can too!

Much more convenient than the grocery bag I use, Kaboost is giving away a carry bag to everyone who sends a proof of purchase of their Kaboost and tells them “I saw the Kaboost video on The Opinionated Parent!”

Send your proof of purchase and your “I saw…” sentence to one of the following:

1. Email: TravelBag@KABOOST.com

2. Fax: 212.625.8645

3. Mail: KABOOST Corp
41 Union Square West, suite 320
New York, NY 10003

As you may have noticed, our most recent WordPress upgrade has not gone as planned. We have this gorgeous new design (which we hope you’re seeing right now) and a glitch in WordPress continually reverts the site back to the boring and unattractive default design. After trying everything the pros have suggested and more (forced database upgrade, revert to backup and re-do the upgrade, etc. etc. etc…), we’re back to the drawing board and may have to start the site from scratch in order to stabilize it. (Though if you’re a wordpress pro who knows php coding, please email or leave a comment if you’d be willing to help us save this one!)

Rest assured we have backed everything up multiple times, and if it appears that some contests/comments are gone, they are not. We have all of your comments saved and will be able to draw contest winners as usual. We’ll do our best to reinstate everything but it may take a while and we’re not positive that the comments will come back in a way that’s visible to our readers.

Thanks for sticking with us through this - we’re glad to see our traffic hasn’t dropped off at all. We’ll continue to bring you the daily goods & giveaways as we stumble through design-land blindly!

Our house is full of pictures - scrapbooks, boxes, CD’s full of digital images and walls full of frames. I was recently given the opportunity to try out Imagekind Story Frames™.

It’s an online service that allows you to build your own visual narrative by placing multiple images in the frame of your choosing. After uploading and selecting your images you use their unique framing engine to position, crop, rotate and resize your images in the frame of your choice.

The process is fun and extremely easy. You can try it out at no charge and see for yourself!

I made a story frame for my new daughter’s room with a belly photo, her ultrasound photo, a newborn photo with me and a 6 week photo. It looked great on my monitor but I was still very pleasantly surprised when the (extremely well packed & protected) parcel arrived on my doorstep. The framing is truly professional quality and the frame itself is obviously not from the local big box store.

Imagekind is so sure you’ll love their products that they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee - no questions asked! Imagekind Story Frames™ range from approximately $50-$90 - less than it would cost me at a local professional framing store but much more than a similar but far lower quality frame from a big box store. Perhaps these aren’t for every day at those prices, but for special occasions like weddings and babies, story frames are perfect!

We told you recently about the new Robeez Tredz. My love affair continues with the launch this month of the Tredz sandals!

The sandals, like the Tredz shoes, are available in three sizes - 12-16 mos, 16-20 mos and 20-24 mos, and there are currently six available styles. They retail for $41.95.

My daughter has the fuschia flower sandal (pictured) and I’m completely in love, as I always am with any new pair of Robeez. The ankle elastic allows each month range to fit a variety of sizes and ensures that the sandals are easy to get on and really stay on, and the sole is perfectly supportive and flexible - perfect for the new and exhuberant walker alike.

How great to have the comfort of Robeez, the function of Tredz and the summer style of sandals all wrapped up in one awesome little shoe!

Win it! Two lucky randomly selected winners will win their choice of any Robeez sandal! To enter, leave a comment on this post listing your favourite sandal style from this page.

Contest closes at noon MST on March 31, 2008.

Get additional entries into this contest!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment on this post containing the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry) or send a trackback to receive your second entry. If you don’t know how to do this, just email us for help!

AND/OR

Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your new subscription.

Maximum three entries total per person, and each one must be in a separate comment to qualify.

CONTEST CLOSED

Searching the internet for the perfect hair clips is becoming a weekly activity for me. There are just so many awesome and talented moms out there making fabulous accessories.

Reader recommended Taia Hairclips are no exception. Par.entrepreneur Jen Pezzolla creates velcro lined (brilliant!) alligator clips that stay comfortably in even the finest baby hair yet are suitable for babies and girls of all ages. She has recently launched her Spring Collection of 16 new clips and they’re just as fab as the not so new clips of yesteryear. Each clip is lovingly hand made by Jen herself and the quality is evident as soon as you see them in person.

Taia clips range from $7 - $9 in price and though they look great online, they’ll look completely awesome on your daughter.
View all 90 clips in the Taia line here.

Get 15% off your first order at sweettaia.com with the code opinionated

Get free shipping on any orders placed by May 3/08 - just enter theopinionatedparent.com in the comments box at checkout and your order will be adjusted.

Win it! Two readers will each win four clips of their choice! (Value $28-$36.) To enter, leave a comment on this post before March 31 listing at least two of your favourite styles from the Taia line.

Contest closes at noon MST on March 31, 2008.

Get additional entries into this contest!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment on this post containing the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry) or send a trackback to receive your second entry. If you don’t know how to do this, just email us for help!

AND/OR

Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your new subscription.

Maximum three entries total per person, and each one must be in a separate comment to qualify.

CONTEST CLOSED

When it comes to baby and toddler furnishings, it’s always been tough to find things that aren’t (a) what every family on your street has or (b) overstimulating and wildly colourful.

Not anymore! Check out the modern and eco-conscious Hiya Series from Generation Orange. Made by Spot on Square, these six fab pieces all use low VOC non-toxic paints and MDF which is made of recycled and/or reclaimed materials. There are three wood finished to choose from and by selecting bamboo you have the option of choosing a sustainable hardwood for a bit more of an investment.

Until March 31, save 10% on anything at Generation Orange by entering “Opinionated Parent” at checkout.

Please note: Canadian customers must order via email or phone at this time.

Several TOP contributors have been checking out the newest product from KUTOKA Interactive, Mia Reading - The Bugaboo Bugs.

Read on to see what they thought.

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If there’s one thing my kids love, it’s computer games. So when a program comes along that’s not only educational but fun, I’m excited!

KUTOKA Interactive has recently released the 6th installment of their popular character, Mia Mouse, in The Bugaboo Bugs. This time, Mia’s family home has been invaded by stinky bugs. She’s afraid that if the humans find out, the exterminators will come and Mia’s family will be out on the street.

This program focuses on Reading concepts for children 5 to 9 years old by using 12 different activities on 4 levels of difficulty. Our favorite game was Bubble Blast where a word is displayed with one letter missing. Below it are a bunch of bubbles that contain a letter each. All you need to do is pop the bubble of the letter that will complete the word. Even I enjoyed it!

However, the best feature of this program is the 3-D graphics. The rich and colorful animations will really hold your child’s interest. Even my 2-year old was enchanted!

KUTOKA Interactive’s mission is “to continue to produce original, different, high-quality, entertaining and educative products that use the strengths of interactive entertainment to educate.”

I think they’ve done just that.

By Kailani

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My children’s screen time is extremely limited so I’m always excited to find a product that allows them to spend their time learning as well as having fun. Mia Reading from Kutoka is a fantastic new game that teaches a variety of reading concepts and is intended for children 5 to 9 years old. It has 12 different activities and 4 levels of difficulty. It has awesome graphics and was enchanting for all of my children. I’m very very picky about what media I will allow into my home but after having played this game with the kids I’d easily be convinced to purchase any of the Mia products. They’re a great addition to our home as a supplement to homework that is more “fun” and I can see it being a great purchase for homeschoolers as well!

By Betty

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As a mother of two boys and a business owner, I am constantly looking for ways to entertain my boys while I work. However, I am not a big fan of the television as a babysitter so when I was approached to review a new Reading Computer Game, I was, well, all game! Enter Kutoka’s newest mouse Mia. The game: Mia’s Big Adventure Collection: The Bugaboo Bugs. For 5-9 year olds. Kutoka claims, “This game contains an excellent balance of fun and education, surpassing the minimum daily requirements of an exciting role-playing adventure.”

I must say at first I was a bit skeptical as really how fun could an educational game be for a kid? I popped the DVD into the computer and settled my 5 year old down on my lap. Soon the screen was filled with wonderful graphics and bugs with voices that not only kept my five year old’s interest, but kept us giggling. At first he was a bit overwhelmed, as he has never played a computer or video game before. Nope, not once. After he mastered the mouse and keyboard he was off and running. Needless to say because the game is so well put together and the directions geared towards 5-9 year olds, it wasn’t long before he was sitting solo at the computer. With 12 different activities, along with an adventure all it’s own and four different difficulty levels, I am sure I will have to begin to monitor computer time, as my son has fallen in love with Mia and The Bugaboo Bugs.

Thanks to Kutoka and their endearing new mouse, Mia, not only will I have some time to work without the whining, but I’ll feel good about it, knowing my son is getting a successful mix of entertainment and education.

By Jody

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The mouse on the cover is definitely eye-catching for children, maybe more so for girls. The bugs however, are great for the boys. I proceeded to load the disc onto my computer so that I could get my twin boys of 7 years to start enjoying it. Their excitement sort of waned down because of the length required to load the program. It just seemed to take longer than most standard programs of today.

I liked the fact that there are 12 activities. It keeps the boys from getting bored so quickly. We started with the flea circus. It was a little hard for them at first until they realized how the answers were supposed to be done. They enjoyed watching the fleas jump up if they got it correct, and even when they didn’t.

We then tried the rhyming circus. Probably one of the easier games to play. It helped that there were pictures to kind of give a hint as to what the word was. We then played the safe combination using three words of rows to form sentences. I set the level a little higher than normal just to see if they could figure it out, and it proved to be a little difficult to form the sentences. They didn’t like that one because they couldn’t get it right.

Bubble blast was once again easier for them. They like the fact the picture was up there and the word was pronounced to help them figure out what letter was missing. I liked the fact of the repetition of the words with the different letters missing. It helped to figure out the other letters rather than just one in particular.

The boys wanted to play one more, so we played letter arcade. The jelly beans are very colorful and the sound effects great. They liked using the joystick process since it reminds of those arcade games with the claw. They favor those particularly, and were excited to get the jelly beans. Rather easy game for beginners, and the photo of the word helps as well.

I liked the fact that you could choose what level you wanted the game set at. It helped to keep the boys from getting frustrated and wanting to give up so quickly. Once they mastered the easier levels, we moved it up. The colors and over effects of the program is great. Some of the instructions had to be repeated for the boys to understand, but once we did that, they got it.

It seems to be an overall great product for the kids to start on. I think the ages under 6 may have a little trouble, even in the lower levels of some of the games. The price is a little high for a computer game, I would have figured it would be closer to 19.99 rather than the 24.99. Looks like a great product for learning.

By Sandra

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I’ve been reviewing a new software program for kids called Mia’s Reading: The Bugaboo Bugs. It’s put out by a French company called Kutoka.

From what I’ve seen of the program, I really like it! Kristin had a great time with it. It helped her with her reading, spelling, and sentence construction. But those are only a few things that it covers. It also teaches Word to image association using comic strips which are really cute. It covers phonics, singular/plural, capital letters, adverbs, rhyming, verb tense, and following instructions.

There are 2 ways to play the game. You can choose an adventure mode, or just play the individual activities. We had a little trouble with adventure mode. I think our disk was faulty. However, we played a lot on the activities and Kristin seemed to enjoy each one. Our favorite was the Bubble Blast where you choose what letter completes each word given. She also loved Bat Cadet which is for reading directions and following the instructions given. There are 4 levels of difficulty for each game, ranging from Beginner (1) to Expert (4).

The recommended age is from 5-9. I think it’s far better suited for 5-7 year olds. Maybe 8 & 9 year olds who struggle with the above mentioned concepts. Sarah is 9 and she found it far too childish. However, she does really well with reading and reading concepts.

Overall I think this is a great and fun program. I know we will continue to use it. Kristin enjoyed the graphics and the little bugs. They are quite humorous sometimes. And, what kid doesn’t love bugs?

by Gina

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Win it! A copy of Mia Reading: The Bugaboo Bugs will be delivered to one lucky T.O.P. reader. To enter to win, leave a comment on this post containing a valid email address (and blog link if you have one) and tell us one other Kutoka product that you’re interested in. Rest assured, your email address, when entered in the comment form, is not visible to anyone but us and we don’t share that information with anyone. You cannot win if we cannot contact you.

There’s software in English, French and other languages, as well as toys & collectibles to choose from!

Contest closes at noon on March 17, 2008.

Get an additional entry into this contest by blogging about it!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment on this post containing the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry) or send a trackback to receive your second entry. If you don’t know how to do this, just email us for help!

Contest Closed

I love my diaper bag, but it isn’t always convenient to bring it everywhere. And even when I have it it’s not always easy to dig to the bottom to find the puny little change pad that came with it. At Butt-Ums Up Baby, there’s a great solution to both of those issues. Their changing pads have several advantages over the typical ones.

1. They’re the longest I’ve ever seen. Even my 22 month old fits on it easily.
2. There’s a pocket at the top end that easily holds a wipes case (included) and a couple of diapers. It’s not zippered, so it’ easy to get the things you need with only one hand while the other hand holds down the poop covered child that’s trying to escape.
3. It rolls up into a compact package and secures with velcro.
4. That same velcro makes it easy to open with one hand. while you’re holding the above mentioned poop covered child with the other.
5. There’s a buckled loop attached at one side that makes it easy to clip it to a stroller or purse.
6. They come in your choice of twelve gorgeous chenille fabrics and are all lined with vinyl.
7. They’re all machine washable and dryer safe.

Entrepreneurial mom Stacy Sager is the talent behind Butt-Ums Up Baby and she also makes gorgeous matching blankets in the same luxurious soft chenille fabric with silky satin trim and binding.

The change pads retail for $40 and the blankets range from $25-$108.

Win a Butt-Ums Up Changing Pad in your choice of fabric! To enter, leave a comment on this post stating which of the twelve fabrics is your favourite. The randomly selected winner will be contacted via email for their mailing address and will have 48 hours to reply before an alternate winner is chosen. You must leave a valid email addr