MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.
One of the hardest things for my husband to leave in China was his Crossfit community at our international school. He had helped his friends establish a box and their little “family” grew into a school wide love for Crossfit. Even the kids loved joining in, and ever since my son could walk he has mimicked his dad doing overhead squats and burpies. The team encouraged each other daily to live healthy lives and push themselves to set and exceeded personal records.
TEAM BUFF!
So when we left for America he knew there would be an adjustment. Our biggest problem was knowing we wouldn’t be able to afford a membership for him to join a Crossfit box. Our other option was joining the local rec, but we didn’t like the idea of our kids not watching us workout. Not to mention, the time and effort it takes to travel to and from a gym after a full days work.
In the end we decided we would build a garage gym and my husband could workout at home, using a suspension trainer which is fun. The coolest part was watching him teach and encourage his family to try out Crossfit. Within weeks he had built a new Crossfit community with his brothers, parents, and sister in law. We bought a variety of other equipment too, for example, the best elliptical machines, so that it replicated a real gym as closely as possible and so that we could all enjoy it together with activities that best suited all our abilities.
The only problem was affording and outfitting a box to accommodate a number of people. One of our biggest needs was finding a way to do pull ups and dips. We looked like a super family jogging down to the local playground and doing pull ups on the monkey bars. That system quickly got exhausting and would soon become impossible when the weather changed.
That’s when we found our perfect fit for our fitness routine with Stamina!
Stamina is a team of focused exercise enthusiasts dedicated to making quality equipment. With innovative and affordable products, Stamina enter the fitness world with a boom in 1987. You can shop Stamina in the boutique studio market as well as big distributors such as Walmart, Amazon, and QVC. Their overall mission is to bring effective communication, consistency, superior service, and honest marketing to their customers.
Stamina truly works to build a healthier and stronger you by providing a huge selection of quality exercise and wellness equipment. They pretty much cover it all! From AeroPilates, outdoor fitness, strength training, physical therapy, crossfit, and even office fitness, Stamina can provide quality products to meet your exercise area.
AeroPilates Stamina|X wirk Back Health Outdoor
Purchasing is also made easy with wonderful customer care. Their website provides a live chat, call, and email to discuss your stamina products. Even better yet, shipping is free and you can return your purchase within 30 days of delivery. Stamina’s website provides resources such as videos and educational pages to help breakdown the benefits and features of each equipment category. With your fitness goal in mind, Stamina can guide you towards a perfect match. Stamina is a customer focused team that works to equip you with the right quality products to make a healthier you.
With a strong desire to build a Crossfit home gym we were looking for equipment that was versatile and exercised the whole body. Stamina Power Tower
A basic, but sturdy stand, fit perfect in our garage and was only 76 lbs; light enough to move around our yard. During summer days my husband can easily move the tower to the driveway by himself. During the winter, it is small enough to be used in our garage. We did have an issue with the springs in our garage which was a little annoying but if you click here, you can find a great company who does repairs. The only downside to it being so light weight is heavier people can experience some wiggling, especially during pull ups. My pipsqueak sister in law never had a problem, however my 200olbs+ husband got some shaking when trying to race the clock on pull ups. We all agreed the integrity wasn’t lost nor anyone felt unsafe, and a simple solution was made with sandbags on the base.
The Stamina Power Tower
The tower is made with a solid steel frame that is durable and can withstand up to 250lbs. Comfotable pads that are easy to clean are added for the VKR station so you can focus on technique and endurance rather than unnecessary pain.
All workout points include secure foam hand grips for comfort. They are firm enough that grabbing isn’t compromised but giving enough to prevent blisters.
If you’ve ever done Crossfit, you know blisters become some weird induction into the family. #braggingrights
The manual provides a guide on how to best use the power tower. Included is conditioning guidelines, warm-ups and cool-downs, and workout instructions with pictures.
The Stamina Power Tower
At MamatheFox we love to encourage healthy living. We appreciate Stamina’s mission to provide innovative and affordable equipment so everyone can live a healthier life. Overall, we were extremely pleased with our first Stamina purchase. The convince of this versatile power tower made our garage gym less cluttered without sacrificing a full body workout. The light weight made it easy to transport and use year round. No matter what your workout routine is, we encourage you to check out Stamina products and see what they have to offer!
Do you have a gym in your home? If so, there is a good chance you might have considered investing in an infrared sauna. Saunas have been used for thousands of years and can help people to unwind and relax after a workout. Studies seem to show that using a sauna might have other health benefits too. However, when buying a sauna, your health and safety need to come first. Matt has the best sauna reviews for low emf brands so take a look if you are on the lookout for a sauna for your home gym.
Keep an eye out over the next two weeks for a chance to win another Stamina favorite product!
Connect with Stamina
Stonz was created by a mom who loved being outside with her kids. However, she was quickly frustrated by her toddler’s wardrobe malfunctions and the need for a solution to keep him warm.
In 2004 Stonz Booties was launched and has continued to thrive in making innovative warm gear for babies and kids. Stonz is functional, durable, and adorably fashionable.
(up to 3 years)
My daughter is approaching 12 months and will be facing her first Ohio winter. Since birth she has been super sensitive to the cold so I knew I needed to find warm shoes for her, especially since she will be walking in snow.
Stonz booties are definitely innovative and I think once you go Stonz you’ll never go back! The shape of the shoe is more like a mitten for the foot. It has a large opening and is super spacious inside. My daughter always curls her toes when I put shoes on, making it next to impossible to put her feet completely in. Even with curled toes, I can quickly slip Stonz on and get her feet flat.
Rather than laces, Stonz booties has two adjustable toggles; one on the ankle and one on the top. It makes for a snug perfect fit every time and keeps shoes on! Not to mention it saves time on wrangling toddlers to tie shoes. While wearing my daughter in the carrier or pushing her in the stroller, I was worry free about her shoes falling off.
The bottom of the boots are made with soft, skid-resistant rubber. It is flexible enough to allow those developing feet feel the ground for balance but durable enough to protect from outside elements.
Stonz booties are made with a cold and wind resistant 600D nylon and lined with a warm fleece. I love these boots are so versatile. They can be worn during chilly rainy seasons as well as freezing cold winter days. Since the shoes are adjustable, it is easy to layer up or down. My daughter was able to wear her booties with just tights as well as over her winter snow suit.
Stonz also sells Linerz that can be added for extra warmth. These are especially great for playing in the snow or long exposure to cold.
All of their booties are specially designed to follow the fashion of your little one. Stonz provides a plethora of different styles such as animals, colors, patterns, and cartoons. We chose the gray booties with a simple bird on the side. The only down side is the design gets squeezed and distorted when the elastic is tightened. I probably would have chosen a solid color or pattern if I had known
Overall I was very impressed with Stonz booties! I loved how easy they were to put on but did not run the risk of falling off. Even being made with durable warm fabrics, they remained adorable and in my daughter’s style.
For my 2.5 year old son we chose Stonz’s scout winter boots. I will admit at first I was confused at which shoe to get. The 5T-9T through me off, I was correlating it to clothes sizing and thought my son would be too small for these shoes. However, after I used their handy shoe sizing chart I realized it just means shoe sizes 5-9. My son is currently a 7 and we bought him an 8. He can comfortably wear them but has some space to grow into them this winter.
Scout Winter Bootz come in four color options; green, blue, pink, and gray. My son quickly chose the lime green which was a perfect match for his winter and rain coat.
I might be brain washing him into liking green. Or he just gets his great taste from his mama!
We fell in love with these bootz instantly after opening them up. They are wonderful quality with 600D nylon and warm fuzzy fleece. The bottom has a slip resistant sole that is durable and flexible.
The wide opening makes it a breeze to put on and fit pant legs inside the boot. Rather than laces. an elastic velcro assure a tight snug fit.
Stonz states they are made to keep feet warm up to -22 degrees Fahrenheit. I honestly hope to never be outside when it is that cold but I do know these are Canadian made and Canadians know cold!
We played outside in the ran when it was just over 50 degrees. My son ended up begging me to take his coat off because he was hot. I’ve actually read up on it and found research showing that cold feet can weaken your immune system, thus getting sick more during winter seasons. I’m happy to know my kids’ feet will be staying toasty this winter in Stonz.
Probably the best feature is Stonz boots are lighter than an iPhone!
I was amazed to see my son run fairly normal in his boots; not that awkward clunky march kids do all winter. He was definitely comfortable playing and didn’t slow down from heavy overweight boots. Stonz boots are flexible enough to let his ankles move freely while the elastic straps keep his boots on securely.
Stonz bootz are a great option for your toddler who is active rain or shine..or snow and wind. They protect their feet from the elements while being light enough for them to play freely!
Yes! Stonz makes products not just for feet! They also make warm, easy slip on mittens to assure your child is warm from finger to toes!
With winter around the corner don’t be caught off guard with icy rain and freezing temperatures. Keep those little toes nice and toasty with durable but light Stonz boots.
Keep your eyes peeled on MamatheFox for a Stonz boots giveaway coming soon!!
As an educator and mom I am always looking on sites like umkytoys for the right toys.
The mama in me looks for safe toys that are attractive and versatile. Toys need to do more than one thing and spark imaginative play. I want my kids to want to play with their toys, and I want them to play for a while.
Mama needs her coffee time!
As an educator, I look for toys that strengthen my child’s skills and development. I want them to contribute to my kids growth and challenge them to do, think, or feel.
My husband wants high quality products and our money’s worth. He does not want toys breaking…aka hearts breaking, not to mention they need to last through the years of being hand me downed to the next kid.
If it was up to him, our kids would be playing in cardboard boxes, because lets be honest, most kids love the packaging the most.
With the holiday and birthday season approaching I started researching gifts for our kids that would meet our high standards.
That is when I came across Discovery Toys and began reading about their perfect blend of fun, educational, and quality.
Discovery Toys has been in business for over 35 years and has gained a trusted reputation of providing premium quality toys. They are dedicated to designing toys that promote kid-power learning through play. Discovery Toys cover ages birth to 8 years and each toy is designed to teach, play, and inspire. Their mission is to provide engaging toys that assist parents and teachers with educating through play. The goal is to inspire a love for learning in children and adults.
These toys are unique as they combine multiple levels of learning in every toy.
Since discovery toys are so versatile they are great for supporting children with special needs. Their toy catalogue is actually labeled with an Autism symbol that corresponds with the specific learning each toy supports. They also provide a very useful guide to help consumers select the correct product for their child’s needs.
I found this chart to be extremely helpful for any parent. As we watch our kids grow we notice their strengths and weakness in development. My son is a big kinesthetic learner and strong communicatively and cognitively. However, as a strong willed stubborned toddler he could improve his social skills and some fine motor tasks. My 12 month old is very visual and just starting to reach some cognitive milestones. I used this guide to help me choose the right toys to help grow and strengthen the needs of my littles.
I think my favorite thing about Discovery Toys, besides the toys themselves, is the catalogue setup. It’s perfectly color coded, organized, and supportive of parents’ choices. It’s almost as if a teacher is shopping with you explaining the benefits of each toy.
At the front of the catalogue they provide a table of context of each type of play. Their toys are grouped accordingly and each page is clearly marked.
They provide a key for their autism and special needs toys. Each letter corresponds with the specific learning the toy supports.
Also included are indicators of exclusive Discovery Toys, best sellers, and award winners.
If you are searching for a specific age rage, they provide a index by age. However, most of their toys will grow with your child beyond the listed age.
As you can imagine, it was hard to choose just a few toys for our kids! There is a great desire to buy everything I think would interest my children, or be a possible teaching tool! If I followed my desire I would have every toy in the book. So I settled for 3.
All three toys are BPA free and included a tiny informational booklet. It provides a number of ways to play and educate using the given toy.
This best seller Discovery Toy was my no brainer. My son is getting more and more creative with his imaginative play and I am loving every minute of it. I recently started searching for a doctor kit when my son started using his tool kit for doctor play.
I give him points for creativity!
Normally I would just let it go and be satisfied with him using his tools for multiple purposes. But after a scarring visit to a hospital, while living overseas, I wanted him to get familiar with doctor tools. My goal was to play doctor enough times that he would begin to know the intention of each tool and be comfortable with medical exams.
My problem was trying to find doctor kits that weren’t outrageous colors or extremely flimsy. The Heartbeat M.D met my expectations.
The tools are a nice weight and great quality. My son’s imagination was immediately sparked as we practiced using each tool.
My educational expectations were even exceeded as I realized doctor play helped him learn to take turns, improve his focus, and communicate his feelings. Not to mention, we worked on being gentle when his little sister joined in as a patient.
With the help of baby dolls, doctor play can also be an independent quite play activity. We currently only have one extremely old doll but she made due.
If you have an animal lover, doctor kits are also awesome for veterinary play. We don’t have any live pets to practice on but we do have plenty of stuffed animals.
This toy is suggested for ages starting at 3 years and has won two awards!
A staple childhood toy has got to be stacking cups. They are versatile, durable, and grow with your child. Cups are great for stacking, playing in sensory bins, pouring in the bath tub, stamping, nesting, and so much more.
I loved that both my toddler and baby were engaged with Measure Up! Cups and developmentally benefited from their play. While my daughter was learning cause and effect of knocking down a tower, my son was experimenting with volume and getting a grasp on relational sizing.
When I received Measure Up! Cups I was curious how Discovery toys had worked to improve such a timeless toy.
The first thing I noticed was the ridged edges. This is to help prevent accidental suffocation, a risk I didn’t even know came with stacking cups. The ridges also help to stabilize the cups when being stacked and make for great castle turrets.
Each cup is numbered on the inside and outside and looks great when numerically arranged or sequentially placed in a circle to make a clock face. The numbers are also written in English, Spanish, and French and include corresponding dots. The bottom of the cups has stamped animals that correlate with the cups size. Cup 12 has an elephant while cup 1 has a butterfly. Measure Up! Cups are designed to be volumetrically proportional and are a great teaching tool for math concepts.
Discovery Toys suggests Measure Up! Cups for children from 12 Months to primary school. This toy has won three awards including the Family Choice Award.
I was instantly drawn to this rattle for my daughter and knew it would meet her interests. My daughter loves music and always chooses the egg shakers in the instrument box.
The rainfall rattle is a multi sensory experience as little ones watch and hear a stream of colorful beads falling. My daughter was drawn to the moving rainbow of colors and watching the effects of her shaking.
The rattle fits in little hands and is great for shaking, tipping, and rolling. Surprisingly it made for a fun toy for not only my daughter but my toddler too.
My son enjoyed experimenting with the pace of beads by how quickly he turned the rattle. He was so focused on getting every bead through the eight layers to the end.
As an educator, I also found this toy to be a soothing quiet break. My very energetic son often struggles with getting over stimulated and needing an outlet to gain control. Watching the cascading beads glistening in the sun has been a wonderful resource.
The rainfall rattle is suggested for 9 months to toddler age and has won one award.
But don’t just take my word for it, Discovery Toys has a wide variety of toys that meet the needs of any child.
“Discovery Toys® products are available through our independent Educational Consultants in the United States and Canada. Our Educational Consultants are trained to help you select the appropriate products for the children in your lives, to take orders, to share the Discovery Toys income opportunity, to help you plan a party, and to answer any questions you may have.”
If you want to learn more about these Discovery Toys products contact Angela (The Expert!) through her website or by emailing angelakraemer_discoverytoys
Connect with Discovery Toys
Transition is pretty much happening everyday when you have little ones. Weather is changing, milestones are being hit, likes/dislikes are developing, and in my extended family, babies are always being born.
It’s hard to keep up.
So when fall weather hit out of no where, I realized I was in a pinch for new kid shoes. We needed to transition out of easy slip on sandals back to socks and sneakers.
As a mother of two, sneakers are my worst nightmare.
Thats four pairs of socks, four wrestling matches to squeeze feet in shoes, and four races to tie shoes before the feet run away.
My daughter is transitioning into walking so this fall I knew she would need a good pair of solid walking shoes. While my son is transitioning into an opinionated “three-anger” and pretty much controls what he wears and when he wears it.
So with fall rolling in I was scared leaving the house was going to start taking 3 hours.
Then I found ikiki shoes!
A dad with growing kids came up with ikiki shoes in 2009. He was actually an engineer looking for shoes that were healthy and fun for kids, and not just shrunken adult shoes. He understood kid feet are in the most important developmental stage of life, and therefore needed the correct support and design. ikiki has reimagined kid’s shoes and has used the best materials to make their products breathable, comfortable, and fun.
Before you freak out, please promise to read on. ikiki shoes have built in squeakers.
While living in China, I saw kids wearing squeaker shoes daily. At first I didn’t get it. Why would you want to hear that all day?
Then I saw it in action.
New walkers smiling from ear to ear as they heard the squeaking. It actually is a genius educational tool. It teaches kids cause and effect which is big milestone for littles. The squeak is also providing a multi sensory activity for walkers; feeling feet walk while hearing squeaking in unison. I don’t think I’ve every seen my daughter smile so big than when she first wore her ikiki’s. As I held her hands and she jumped, the squeaking brought giggles and entertainment.
It also provides a safety measure. I remember seeing a mom turn around to talk to her friend and her daughter taking off. Immediately the mother heard the quickening of squeaks and turned around to chase her little one back to safety. These shoes are great for in stores and parks when you are trying to multitask. Rather than looking for groceries and watching kids, you can actually look at what you are buying while listening to your child’s actions.
Like I said, squeaker shoes are no new invention. However, ikiki shoes are built with a patent-pending adjustable squeaker design. With a simple flip of a switch you, or your child, can turn the squeaks off. So when heading to the library or movie theater, or you just need a bit of quiet, ikiki shoes can be silenced.
I liked that it was simple to turn the squeaks on and off. My 2.5 year old son figured it out within minutes of wearing his new shoes. He established his own set of rules of when he wanted the squeaks on and off. When he’s jumping and “working out” he sits down and turns those puppies on and has a wonderful squeaking time. During his imaginative play time or when grandpa’s around he chooses to keep them off. I liked that during this transition of needing control, my son has something he is in control of.
As for my newly walking daughter, we just leave her ikiki’s on because what is cuter than a tottering baby?
A tottering baby laughing at herself squeaking.
As I said before, ikiki shoes were engineered around children’s feet.
The soles are very light weight and soft, making them flexible and comfortable. The rubber bottoms protect their little feet while also allowing children to feel the ground; helping to develop balance and stability. Each sole has a different pop of color, making it easier to match the correct foot to the correct shoe.
The website provides a wonderful printable sizing guide. Included is detailed directions, an accuracy check, and scale. It was simple and quick to measure my kids’ feet and the shoes ended up being very true to size.
The actual materials making up ikiki shoes are breathable and durable. The unique high top design offers padded support for little ankles without hugging too tight. The insides are smooth making slipping on shoes a breeze, while the outsides provides extra protection for toes and heels.
My son is a wild child always looking for adventure. These shoes have held up not just through every day use but also scooter riding, playing sports, and adventuring by our local park’s creek. While reading through some ikiki reviews, I read one consumer’s fear of the shoes being too flimsy for outside. ikiki actually encouraged her to try the shoes for outside play and offered another pair if they got ruined.
The truth is, healthy kid shoes should feel light weight and flexible. ikiki has mastered just that by engineering high quality developmentally appropriate shoes for your kids’ growing feet.
My favorite feature of ikiki shoes is how easy they are. These are the first shoes my son has ever independently put on!
A serious miracle!
The backs have large easy pull on loops which can actually be used. These are far from the normal wimpy loops that slip right out of your fingers.
The best part is the wide opening velcro which provides plenty of wiggle room to pop feet in. Since velcro can be adjusted, you can still make the roomy shoes tight enough for safe walking.
ikiki didn’t just design shoes for the different needs of adolescent feet, they also created unique styles to accentuate the personality of your little ones. ikiki shoes are visually appealing with bright colors and friendly characters. Each pair doubles as a fun character friend that is as unique as your child. Their website includes bios for each character helping your little one choose his or her ikikis.
For the first time I let my son choose his own shoes. It was a much debated processes as we went through and read about each character. He eventually decided on Prince Kairu, a competitive frog working towards being the first amphibious Olympic swimmer. He loved the medal Kairu had won in his bio picture and the fact he could help him jump to victory.
For me it was a struggle to narrow it down but I finally chose Patty Potamus for my daughter, a dancing hippo ballerina that has a taste for finer things. Not to mention, we loved they were glittery and matched her favorite hippo toy.
Thanks to our ikiki shoes
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The days are shorter, the temps are cooler. It’s time for fall break! This giveaway hop is hosted by Savings in Seconds. Enjoy the giveaways at the blogs linked below. The event runs from September 21-October 3. Good luck!
Note: Savings in Seconds and participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.
Its a new season and kids are starting a new year of school, so why not check out a new company?
MamatheFox was excited to find Simplay3 as a company destined for the success in making those staple toys for our children’s childhood.
Who is Simplay3
Simplay3 is a newer company in the toy and home plastic industry. However, the brains behind this company are far from newbies. Tom Murdough, the founder of Little Tikes and Step2, created Simplay3 after deciding to come out of retirement. He assembled a leadership and design team of experienced and talented employees that continue to stretch and redesign innovative and high quality products. Simplay3 is excited to meet the needs and wants of consumers and offer products directly from the manufacturer.
They are certainly a company to keep an eye on, as they are continuing to design and sell new and iconic products.
We are also happy to say all of their products are produced in the USA.
What I love about Simplay3
Everyone has their parent pet peeves and have developed parental “tastes” on baby products and clothing.
Well mine is battery operated toys. I don’t like repeated sounds bouncing through my house that eventually my toddler is going to be repeating. As an educator, I didn’t like that batteries took away from the imagination and controlled how kids played.
So when I found Simplay3 children line I wanted to give the creators a big no batteries thank you hug!
They believe in unstructured play and kids telling toys how to play and not vise versa. Their children products are meant to inspire imaginative play as well as provide play patterns to help fine tune motor skills and develop growing muscles.
In addition, they create activity tables and stations that welcome social play while also providing space for kids to play peacefully together. Less elbow bumping and more giggling!
But the designing doesn’t stop there, Simplay3 home produces a variety of garden and home products. From hauling equipment, Step Stool
Simplay3 simple solutions for work and play are built to uphold value. Parents can appreciate toys that last for years, homeowners can trust durable multipurpose tools.
Super Coupe Pedal Trike
One of Simplay3’s hottest toys right now is the Simplay3 Super Coupe Pedal Trike
Why?
Tricycles are great energy outlets and exercise for those crazy littles that never stop moving. Coordination and agility are improved while kids build confidence from accomplishing a task independently. Tricycles are staple toys that get your kids outside and active.
The Super Couple Pedal Trike has all the same great features of a tricycle with added sophisticated design. The roof gives a realistic car feel while the low seat and big wheel gives provides easy control.
Another beneficial feature is this trike can grow with your child. It offers 3 adjustable seat positions, making it perfect for ages as young 3 all the way to age 7.
My son is 2 and a half and has little experience with bikes and pedals. He runs on the shorter side but was still able to reach the pedals with the balls of his feet. It took him about 3 rides before dominating pedaling and turning into a wild man on the sidewalks. I am anxious to see what he will be capable of when his whole foot reaches.
The Super Couple Pedal Trike is pretty light weight, 16 pounds, for being a riding toy. I was able to throw it in the back of my compact SUV and bring it to a local park. It was light enough for my son and niece to take turns pushing each other around. I liked there was a place for the kids to rest their feet if pushing becomes the game…which it always will. I didn’t have to worry about shoes dragging or feet getting rolled over.
To assure quick assembly the front fork, pedals, and big wheel are already assembled for your convenience. My husband and son had it from box to trike in less than 30 minutes…and that is with a 2 year old “helping.”
An added bonus, shipping is already included in the price for most of America!
So there you have it Mama’s! If you are looking for innovative durable toys that encourage imagination and physical health, I encourage you to check out Simplay3. The Super Coupe Pedal Trike is a staple childhood toy that will grow with your child and build lasting memories.
Connect with Simplay3
Do you smell it?
It’s the smell of summer ending. Pools closing. Buses arriving. Kids heading Back-to-School!
My nephew is headed to 1st grade this year! Hard to believe he is old enough to be in the grade I use to teach. Definitely makes this Aunt Haha want to cry and reminisce over old baby pictures.
How about you?
Are you one of those parents bursting with excitement to push those energetic, mess maker, eating machines, out the door to school? Is it just me or does it seem like kids are hungry every second of summer break?
Maybe you’re a mama whose heart is breaking watching your first, or last, baby climbing those big bus stairs on their way to their first day of kindergarten. I always love seeing the huge backpacks on their little bodies and wondering what 5 year old has that much homework?
Or perhaps you are sitting in a classroom counting desks, rechecking lesson plans, and giving yourself a world changer teacher pep talk? Whether it’s your first or last year teaching, you will always get the first day of school jitters.
For me I am super excited to start our first year of homeschool preschool! As a past teacher, I have been itching to build lesson plans with activities, music, crafts, and play.
Yeah. I am definitely one of ‘those moms’ who can’t stop themselves from still being a teacher. I will forever rock holiday theme earrings and make everything and anything into a song.
Just like I can’t stop being a teacher, Crayola will never stop being our go to for school supplies!
From their first box of affordable wax crayons in 1903 to becoming the leading producer of hands-on products for creative fun, Crayola has been working hard to inspire creativity in all children…and adults.
That’s why parents and teachers trust Crayola to fill those larger than life backpacks with all the needed school supplies.
This year Crayola’s new featured product is Silly Scents. These new coloring tools come with the same great colorful quality you’d expect, but with an extra gift for your nose. My son was first drawn to the Silly Scent characters decorating the packaging. He kept telling me he wanted to color with the cool angry guy, aka the roasting marshmallow. The bold silly smells bring laughter and delight to any child’s coloring experience, while making it a multi-sensory activity.
From the perspective of a toddler mama, I really enjoy the mini twistables! They are perfect for little hands and are an excellent size for on the go. The durable plastic barrels keep the crayon core safe from constant use or your toddler seeing how many crayons he can break in a minute.
As a past teacher, I am in LOVE with the twistable colored pencils! If I could have, I would have made all my students use these. The amount of time students spent sharpening colored pencils was unreal. I used to beg kids to use a different color or borrow a friend’s. Classroom productivity can take a mega boost when outfitted with ready to use and quality products.
As a crafter, I was surprisingly impressed with the chiseled tip and Slim Fine Line markers. When my son and I started opening a pack of makers and I realized they were chiseled edge, I immediately convinced him they were mommy markers and we should try a different kind.
Mama of the year award!
I love typography and card making and I’m always looking for a good marker. I was pleasantly surprised by both the chisel tip and slim fine line markers. They produced great colors and gave me versatility.
An added bonus is Crayola offers free coloring sheets, including their Silly Scent characters. Its a nice break from my 2 year old’s drawing demands.
So whether you are filling up your “baby’s” first back pack or starting another year of shaping little minds, I wish you the happiest of back to school days!
Connect with Crayola
Hey fluff love Mamas!
How is your cloth diapering going?
When we moved back to America we switched to cloth diapers since we finally had a washer machine connected to the hot water. I’ve enjoyed testing MamatheFox’s stash of cloth diapers to figure out which brands I like best, not to mention which ones my husband can correctly put on.
Recently while reading blogs and searching Pinterest for cloth diaper information I stumbled upon FuzziBunz diapers. I was immediately hooked by their prices and the frequency of sales. I loved their unique vibrant prints and realized these were different from most cloth diapers.
FuzziBunz has a longer lifespan because you can replace the elastic. Diapers are equipped with Fantastic Elastic which are easily replaceable using a button-hole system. Replacement elastic is extremely affordable. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised! I mean replacing the elastic is pretty much giving your diaper a second life, so I expected it to be kind of pricey. Each replacement kit comes with 3 pieces of hole elastic and cost $1.50.
I’ve tried a lot of different brands of one size adjustable diapers. Some include snaps on the front which make for quick, but sometimes confusing, adjustments. I’ve also tried diapers equipped with a bra like elastic system in the legs. Those were so tight I literally had to use pliers to adjust my diapers. FuzziBunz elastic attaches to the adjustment buttons in each leg and on the waistband. A custom fit is made easy and can quickly be readjusted. FuzziBunz also provides an adjustment sizing guide and tutorial to help you get started.
Recently FuzziBunz refined their diapers creating a 3 point leak protection system. Their seams are are reinforced with new technology to prevent wetness leaking through. The first time my daughter wore this diaper she had a mega blow out. My father-in-law wrestled with a fussy baby for over 30 minutes with no resolve. I didn’t even know she had pooped until I went to change her diaper before a feeding. The leg holes are equipped with thick seams that keep moisture in but are still comfortable and moveable.
Inserts are pre-prepped and pre-shrunk in order to prevent abnormalities after the first washes. I loved how dense and high quality the organic hemp/cotton blend felt. It worked great alone during the day and paired well with a booster at night. I like the blend option as the cotton quickly absorbs moisture while the hemp retains moisture under pressure.
An additional treatment was added to the outer cover fabric to help make it more water resistant. To me, the outer cover resembles a soft cotton swimsuit. It definitely has a stronger water resistant feel and has protection against any wicking. An added bonus is the array of prints and solids. Their 2017 line is pretty top notch with a variety of different styles.
You know the phrase “soft as a baby’s bottom?”
Well FuzziBunz’s polar fleece lining might be softer. The white lining was super comfortable on baby, especially around the legs and waist where it is tighter. I like to make my diapers a bit tighter mostly because my little one is on the squishier side. The extra polar fleece padding around the seams kept her leakproof while not leaving any indents on her skin.
I love how much information and support FuzziBunz gives to parents starting cloth diapers. I know when I made the switch I was completely overwhelmed. Everyone has different opinions, methods, and systems and it was so hard to remember what to do and when. The FuzziBunz website provides a resource center for how to get started and how to maintain a healthy cloth diapering system.
FuzziBunz provides almost everything you need to get started with cloth diapering. They offer first year bundles that also include free accessories to get you started. You also have the option to buy diapers individually. They actually make three different types:
(7-25LBS)In addition, FuziBunz sells:
Overall, I was extremely impressed with FuzziBunz adjustment features and 3 point leak protection. We can all agree babies are not one size fits all, so why should their diapers be? So whether you are looking for a new brand to try out or you are just getting started with cloth, I highly encourage you to try out FuzziBunz’s affordable, adjustable, diapers!
Connect with FuzziBunz
Ok Mamas sit down to relax with a nice hot cup of coffee while you read this post.
Or maybe not.
Lets be real, it will probably take you a few good hours to read this blog from start to finish. In between sentences you’ll probably feed a baby, or kiss an ouchy, or stop a few hundred dangerous decisions your toddler is trying to make.
I get it. Mamas are always on the move inside and out of the home.
Since week one of my son’s birth I was on the move. Visiting family, going to special events, and eventually returning to our home overseas. I quickly learned adding children to our active lives was a whole new ball park. Always having something similar to holle formula stage 2 helped a bunch.
But not impossible.
As a new mom, I learned there are clever people designing and engineering products specifically for mamas on the move! One of my favorite brands for ingenious baby gear is OXO. They create innovative products that cater to everyday living with children.
OXO makes 1,000+ products covering numerous areas of the home. There big philosophy is Universal Design; basically, creating products that almost anyone can use. The company started when Sam Farber promised his wife with arthritis he would create a better peeler for her to use.
Precious, right?
Sam worked through hundreds of models and did extensive research until in 1990 he invented the first OXO Good Grips kitchen tool; the iconic peeler. So we can all thank Sam, a trusty husband, for making “Women’s Work” just a tad bit simpler.
But the good doesn’t stop there, OXO is dedicated to fighting against pediatric cancer. They are a corporate partner with Cookies for Kids’ Cancer by matching proceeds from bake sales.
OXO tot brand was inspired after a baby boom in the office. When their employees faced parent pet peeves firsthand, they decided to start problem solving. OXO tot line covers a number of products such as feeding, seating, and on-the go for your littles one.
My first experience with OXO tot was when I purchased the Travel Drying Rack for our many travels in China. I remember appreciating how well thought-out its compact design was, and how it proved its durability over and over again. It came with us on every trip and was used for bottles, sippy cups, and teethers. I always had mamas asking me about it and where it could be purchased. Needless to say, I had a great start to my OXO experience.
Recently, I tested a number of feeding and on-the-go systems by OXO. I am a mama of two under three, and I can attest that I am always moving. Someone is always hungry, there is always somewhere to be, a mess to be cleaned, and a diaper to be changed. Overall, I appreciated the well thought out engineering of each individual product. It honestly felt like a mom had invented each one after facing some kind of catastrophe with their little. I hope I can give you a helpful and honest review of each individual product.
Pretty self-explanatory, it’s a toddle fork and spoon in a travel case. The stainless-steel tableware is perfectly shaped, sized, and weighted for little hands.
Did I say weighted?
Yes! They are strategically weighted which gives them a much more durable feel. Not to mention, it assists in helping your little one dig into foods with ease. The travel case is durable and keeps the utensils securely in place when being jostled in a diaper bag. They are dishwasher safe and meet the mama standard of no sharp edges. An added bonus is any OXO Tot Fork & Spoon set can fit in the On-the-Go case. Which means you can have more color options than just the green and aqua. But knowing my whole kitchen is decorated in that exact green and aqua, I was pretty pleased with the colors.
I don’t know about you but I NEVER leave my house without snacks. Snacks are my saving grace when it comes to stalling or keeping my kids entertained. Since the time my son was old enough to snack, I had snack cups. The top is made of soft flaps that let little hands in but prevents snacks coming out. The flaps are definitely the highest quality I’ve ever used and don’t seem to lose stiffness over time. The handle conveniently doubles as a hook for hanging onto strollers and the twist on lid doesn’t pop off with impact.
Trust me, we’ve tested it.
My favorite feature of the Flippy Snack Cup, making it preferred over similar products, is the travel lid. No more cheerios at the bottom of the diaper bag or stale snacks at the end of the day. I do wish the lid was hinged on the top and not completely removable because I know sooner or later I’m going to be digging through the diaper back for the impossible to find clear lid. Overall, I would award this my favorite brand of snack cup.
The Mash Maker is designed for maximum ease in pureeing food for your little one starting solids. To be honest, I have a few mixed emotions about this product. It started out rough as my mom and I confusingly struggled to get going. I would highly recommend reading the directions thoroughly and maybe even watching one of their instructional videos on amazon before getting started. After watching the video short, we had a real “ohhhhh” moment and realized how much sense it actually made.
Once we did get going I was trying to steam and puree everything in sight. The non-skid base and grip was comfortable and stable while grinding food. It worked really well for soft cooked fruits and veggies. I tried steamed zucchini, sweet potato, and squash and they all worked well. What makes this more innovative than just a blender is its ability to separate excess liquid. I would highly suggest grinding juicier foods on a plate or in the sink. We had a flood of juice out the bottom of our mill during our zucchini mash up, but great news is our puree was an excellent texture.
The blades are stainless steel, however at times it was quite difficult to forcefully push downward while cranking. My experience pureeing a mango did not go as smoothly as I’d had hoped.
My favorite feature overall was the ability to dissemble and clean the Tot Mash Maker. After each vegetable I did a quick rinse and then finally a full handwashing at the end. It came out stain free and looking like new, even after mashing sweet potato and mango. It also did great in the top rack of the dishwasher. Even with some slight difficulties, I enjoyed having a small, manual, easy to clean tool that was just meant for baby food.
With my first little I did all the fun baby food prep using my everyday kitchen tools. We literally sacrificed having ice for months because our ice trays were full of baby mush cubes. I struggled a lot with keeping the trays covered, food free from freezer burn and odors, and popping out individual cubes at meal time. What makes this freezer tray unique is the multipurpose patented cover. It slides which allows releasing one cube at a time easy. The design is made for easy stacking and is of course, its dishwasher safe. When it came to meal times, each cube popped out easily and was nice and fresh.
Again, this is another product most of us mamas have seen. An easy to clean bib that includes a food-safe pocket for catching those pieces that don’t quite make it into baby’s mouth. However, there are two things that make this universal design more unique. First off its made of a combination of soft fabric, on top, and durable silicone, on bottom. Both materials are BPA, PVC, and phthalate free. My daughter was not bothered by the comfortable Velcro strap around her neck and happily wore her bib through all of meal time.
Cheers to no bib ripping off battle!
Meal time was simple to clean up as my daughter stayed dry and clean under her waterproof, well fitted OXO bib. As for the bib itself, it both wiped clean and washed well without staining. The other unique design of the Roll-Up bib is it being travel friendly. The fabric rolls into the silicone and securely closes. I went straight for the two pack so that I could consistently have one in the diaper bag and one at home. A definite must have for the mama on the go!
As my family moves farther and farther away from having plastic in our house, I am always looking for good solid glass containers. These durable BPA-free containers worked great in the freezer, microwave, and oven.
On those very rare days where I am actually prepared, I love having the choice of heating in the oven.
The snap lids proved to be very air tight giving me confidence to throw one in my diaper bag, not to mention keeping food fresh and odorless.
Measurement markings are great for portioning and the stackable tray helps keep my baby food organized and together
That means no more hidden food wasting away in the corner of your fridge.
This soft silicone spoon worked great during feedings and the stainless steel made it feel extra sturdy. The spoon shape made it easy for wiping excess food off her face and regulating the amount given to her at a time. Since my daughter is in that fun handsy stage, she consistently grabs the spoon before it gets to her mouth. I eventually gave up and started putting food on the spoon and letting her feed herself. The contour handle worked great for her little hands and she was one happy independent baby!
Transition Straw Cup with Handles
The minute I opened this cup it was fought over between my 2 year old and 9 month old. Not sure if it was the bright color, cool handles, or fun hinged cap that made it so appealing. I let my 2 year old try it out first and that immediately hooked me. Not sure if you have this problem, but my son is a mega water bottle stealer and hider. He attempts to drink from any cup in sight and then carries them away to a black hole where they seem to be gone forever. 
Until I find a giant wet puddle leading me to the loot of water bottles.
However, this cup has proven to be completely spill proof. The straw has a valve that opens as soon as a tot drinks, minimizing messes.
It also includes a hinged cap that is leak-proof, yet easy enough for my toddler to open and close.
When I finally got it out of my son’s hands I really appreciated the ability to disassemble the cup for a good thorough cleaning. I then let my baby take it for a spin during meal time.
She did great with the comfortable grip handles and I was able to see how much she drank with the printed ounces down the front. Another OXO clever design is the almond-shaped straw that conforms to baby’s mouth. Its intention is to ease the transition from bottle or nursing into cup. And if you haven’t heard, straws are the new alternative due to orthodontic and speech issues associated with sippy cups. Also an added bonus is you can purchase replacement straws, because we all know the dishwasher needs a monthly sacrifice or your toddler decides to dig a hole to China using his cup. Overall, I appreciated the universal design of this cup and how it worked from infancy to toddlerhood. I’d even go as far to say it would be an awesome baby shower gift!
So there you have it.
Mamas on the go you are not alone in your daily battle to get out the door with everyone clothed and fed. Just know there are creative folks out there, like OXO, who have your back by working hard to provide you with innovative products that meet your every day needs.
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