I love the sound of jingling bells because it usually means the holidays are here and Santa’s on his way. It’s a sad, sad day when the bells stop jingling but thanks to Baby Emi jewelry you can hear those tinkling, jingling bells all year long!

Baby Emi was founded “to celebrate Debbie’s [the owner's] Cambodian heritage and the culture’s family-oriented traditions. She was also inspired by her grandparents who made a brave trek to America during a dark time in history wanting to create lives filled with peace, hope and promise.” Cambodian families welcome new babies with jingle bell anklets believing the whimsical sounds keep bad spirits at bay. The inspiration for Baby Emi came when Debbie’s daughter received a set of traditional Cambodian jingle bells as a baby blessing gift in 2002.

I’m not the only one who loves these sweet little jingle bells. You’ll find Baby Emi’s sterling silver jingle bell anklets and bracelets on quite a few celebrity children. That’s probably why I felt super nifty when Baby Emi gave me a sterling silver jingle bell anklet for Livi so she and I could review it on the Daily Dish.

Oh, the sweet tinkling of those tiny, delicate bells! When I pulled it out of the satin gift bag the first thing I did was see if it would fit around my wrist. It honestly looked fabulous, but I sacrificed and let my daughter try it on for size. Unfortunately for this review but fortunately for me (because now I can wear it whenever I want), Miss “I’ll wear what I want to wear and not what you ask/beg/plead with me to wear” refused to keep it on. I bet if I’d had one on her ankle since birth she’d be fine with it. (The same holds true for headbands and oversized floral clips.) I honestly wish she’d wear it so I could tell where she was in the house. Is she in my bathroom trying on lipstick? Is she in the pantry pulling out the Costco-size bag of chips? It would be nice to have a sort of JPS (”jingle positioning system”) on her!

Though Livi won’t wear it, I continue to take it out of the bag, shake it gently and fall prey to the enchanting sound. Apparently these Cambodian jingle bells can stimulate a baby’s development–perhaps that’s why I love it. I could use a little stimulation throughout the day. (Not that kind of stimulation…) Anything to keep me awake from the hours of 3pm to 7pm.

Baby Emi offers anklets and bracelets for infants, toddlers and adults alike along with sweet necklaces and bangles. Though a little pricey at $60 for a baby anklet, they do make a beautiful and meaningful baby gift (or Valentine’s/Mother’s Day/I’d be lost without you gift). It’s been too long since I last heard the jingling of bells. Better give that anklet a little shake! –Emily

* Promotion! Baby Emi is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off their purchase with code BOUTIQUECAFE15. Now you too can jingle all year long!

*** Giveaway!!! Baby Emi is giving away one (1) sterling silver Jingle Bells anklet for baby to one lucky Daily Dish reader (a $60 value)!

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•    Visit BabyEmiJewelry.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite piece of jewelry.
•    Become a fan of Baby Emi on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•    Follow Debbie on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: February 11, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

I love a non-cheesy personalized children’s tee as much as the next mom but this type of tee can be hard to find. Fortunately for you–and your little one–I discovered Hopscotch Tees on Cool Mom Picks and knew I had to feature them on Boutique Cafe’s Daily Dish. With a tee that said “Pirate {enter your son’s name here}” how could I not?

Hopscotch Tees sent George their Roboman t-shirt and I should’ve paid to have them overnight it. Once George had picked out his tee he asked me “Is that my robot shirt?” every time I grabbed the mail. When it finally arrived that kid had the package open (with a little ribbon help from me) in no time. I wish I could’ve captured his expression when he pulled his “robot shirt” out of the package but these photos will have to do:

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Did you see the super cute lollipop? Yeah, I thought so. Yummy treat packaged with an equally yummy shirt. George couldn’t wait to wear his shirt but I made him save it until he could show it off at school, but the wait was well worth it (see photo at right). The shirt held up well at preschool and equally well after multiple washings. The shirt is super soft, which is perfect for a little boy who doesn’t deal well with shirts that might be even the least bit itchy. It’s definitely one of George’s favorite tees (and mine)!

Hopscotch Tees has styles for both girls and boys on its site, my favorite girl tee being Sugar Shop. And if (when) we order another one for George we’ll definitely add the Tackle Shop tee to his collection! –Emily

* Promotion! Hopscotch Tees is offering Daily Dish readers free gift wrap AND a crystal or long-sleeve upgrade on their orders! Simply mention Boutique Cafe when checking out. Roboman powers, activate!

As I write this post the upper half of my body is bobbing along to “Going to the Moon,” ditty number eight on Rise and Shine by Key Wilde and Mr Clarke. I kid you not, I’m rockin’ and rollin’ in my office chair. Good thing it has armrests to keep me somewhat contained, because if I weren’t bobbing to track eight, I’d be movin’ and groovin’ to track three, “Favorite Names.” Seriously–this song is awesome!

Though not all songs on Rise and Shine were made for serious rockin’ and rollin’, they are all made for children with enough funk for adults to enjoy. The songs range in style from bluegrass to 80’s punk rock and were perfected as the duo of Key Wilde and Mr Clarke performed together at numerous schools and kid-friendly events. When you listen to the songs you can tell these two “get” kids.

The CD comes wonderfully packaged in a board book complete with illustrations just as offbeat as the songs. It was my kind of humor and I thoroughly enjoyed browsing through it while listening to the music. (Does that mean my sense if humor is that of an elementary-aged kid?)
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Rise and Shine is one of the newest releases from Little Monster Records, an indie kid’s music label based in Woodstock, NY. Last February I reviewed another release from Little Monster Records (Robbert Bobbert & The Bubble Machine) so it was no surprise how much I enjoyed Rise and Shine by Key Wilde and Mr Clarke. Definitely add it to your current collection of children’s CDs. Now. –Emily

* Promotion! Little Monster Records is offering Daily Dish readers a really awesome deal on Rise and Shine. Our readers can buy the book/CD combo for $9.98 and receive a free video download! You must click here or click below to purchase a copy of Rise and Shine for yourself your kids at this special price:

Get it Now!

*** Giveaway!!! Little Monster Records is giving away two (2) copies of Rise and Shine! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a comment for each one you do:

•   Listen to Rise and Shine in the widget above and leave a comment telling us your favorite track.
•   Become a fan of Little Monster Records on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Follow Little Monster Records on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: February 4, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

I’ve reviewed Enjoy Life Foods a couple times on the Daily Dish. Their semi-sweet chocolate chips taste just like the “real” thing while their granola is packed full of vitamins, whole grains and taste. That’s not easy to do considering Enjoy Life Foods’ products are free of eight of the most common allergens: wheat/gluten, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish and shellfish. Yet their products are consistently delicious, which is why there are so dang popular!

The company sent me two of their newest products: Perk’s Crunchy Rice cereal and Perk’s Crunchy Flax cereal. The cereals are made with all natural ingredients and sweetened with fruit juice and honey—and look like a smoother version of one of my all-time favorites, Grape-Nuts. Knowing how healthy yet yummy Enjoy Life Foods’ samples have been in the past, and knowing how much I love breakfast cereal, I was anxious to give them a try.

I started with Perk’s Crunchy Rice cereal since it did sound a bit more appealing than Crunchy Flax. This cereal is 100% natural, low in fat and low in sodium and the ingredients list is impressive if you consider short impressive (and I do when it comes to cereal): rice flour, rice bran, raisin juice concentrate, honey and salt. The first bite was a bit crunchy but after a little soaking in some milk (reminiscent of those Grape-Nuts), they were perfect! They probably would’ve been sweet enough on their own but I couldn’t resist a touch of Splenda. The only think I didn’t like was the serving size, but that’s true of a lot of healthy cereals like bite-size shredded wheat, low-fat granola, etc. I finished off the box before anyone else in the family had a chance to grab a bowl, but who says I have to share all my product samples?

Then I tested Perk’s Crunchy Flax cereal, which was similar in size and texture but definitely different in taste. This cereal is a bit more impressive than the rice, boasting 50g of whole grain, 425mg of Omega-3s and 6g of fiber per serving. Perhaps that’s why the Crunchy Flax tasted a whole lot “healthier” to me. It needed an extra spoonful of Splenda, but then again, I’m as big a fan of Apple Jacks as I am of Grape-Nuts and love slathering jam on my toast. (Can you tell I have a bit of a breakfast sweet tooth?) I haven’t yet finished the box but I promise I will! I know what’s good for me, trust me.

Though Perk’s Crunchy Flax cereal wasn’t my favorite, Perk’s Crunchy Rice was a nice alternative to what’s usually in our pantry. A little bit (okay, I usually poured myself a serving and a half) did go a long way to keeping me full until lunch time and it felt good to fuel my body with something all-natural and packed with nutrients. Enjoy Life Foods never ceases to amaze me with the full-flavored products they offer their allergen-sensitive customers and their new cereals are no exception! –Emily

*** Giveaway! Enjoy Life Foods is giving away one set of their new cereals plus some fabulous coupons to two (2) Daily Dish readers! ***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a comment for each one you do:

•    Visit EnjoyLifeFoods.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite product.
•    Become a fan of Enjoy Life Foods on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest fan.
•    Follow Enjoy Life Foods on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winners from the comments and contact them via email. Deadline: February 2, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

I’ve never really done the infant carrier thing other than a few outings using the ol’ “carry the infant car seat in the crook of your arm” thing or Lascal’s M1 carrier. I’m more familiar with diaper bags than I am with slings or backpack carriers but they still intrigue me, especially because they’re so dang popular.

BabyHawk sent me one of their Mei Tai infant carriers to review on the Daily Dish, but they sent me the infant size rather than the toddler so I wasn’t able to give it a thorough test run. But I still find it an intriguing carrier, especially since they offer you the option of creating a custom carrier that reflects your personality. BabyHawk lets you choose from over 300 fabrics and 15 strap colors for a truly unique combination. Do the “other” carrier companies offer that much customization? You can also choose from a wide selection of in-stock carriers if you’re design challenged like I am.

BabyHawk’s design is just as fantastic as their fabric selection. I may not be too familiar with this style of carrier but it seems BabyHawk has the Mei Tai style down pat:

The equation? Simple. One child, plus two arms, plus one million things to do, equals me needing a baby carrier that not only matched my style but is functional and comfortable as well. A mother’s time is perhaps more valuable than anyone else’s and at BabyHawk our goal is to make your parenting experience easier.

Our Mei Tai’s (Asian Baby Carriers) are adopted from a Chinese-inspired idea that makes holding your little one on your front, back or hip as safe, as it is comfortable. The weight distribution of our MT’s makes wearing you baby more cozy and delightful than you can imagine for longer than you can imagine! Our design is simple to let you strap on or take off your custom Mei Tai quick and easy. BabyHawk Mei Tai’s are comfortable, sure, but they are above all safe and reliable.

If it makes wearing your baby more “delightful than you can imagine” I’d say buy two! The BabyHawk infant carrier has received some rave reviews (you can read them here); I only wish I could add my two cents. I will say it looks super stylish and functional, and I like the carrier enough to suggest you check them out if you’re in the market for a Mei-Tai-style carrier. You can’t go wrong, especially if you want to go custom!

AND if you order on Thursday or Friday THIS WEEK (January 21st and 22nd), 50% of sales will be donated to Partners in Health—Haiti. I can think of no better excuse to buy a super cool infant carrier. Do it. Now. –Emily

*** Giveaway!!! Because I didn’t get to test the carrier BabyHawk sent me, I’m more than happy to give it away to one lucky Daily Dish reader! To enter, do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each item you do:

•   Visit BabyHawk.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite fabric/style.
•   Become a fan of BabyHawk on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Follow BabyHawk on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: January 28, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Promotion! BabyHawk is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their order! Simply use code DAILYDISH when checking out. Offer expires February 4, 2010.

I wish I could say my son has sleeveless sniffles but he prefers to wipe his runny nose by dragging his sleeve across it rather than blowing into a tissue. He does the same when he’s done eating. By the end of the day his sleeves have peanut butter and snot track marks. What’s a mom to do? Well, if you’re Sharon Pevsner or J. Kelly Mayes, you invent Sniffle Buddies.

Sniffle Buddies are an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable tissues and a mom-friendly alternative to children’s sleeves. These organic cotton and bamboo wristbands, which are naturally antibacterial and anti-fungal, fit comfortably around a child’s wrist so they can wipe their runny nose quickly and easily. Sniffle Buddies can also be used to wipe those leftovers often found around your child’s mouth after eating. The fact that they come in multiple colors and are machine washable seals the deal!

The company sent us a couple Sniffle Buddies to test and I slapped one on George immediately. He didn’t seem to mind it while eating and even gave his nose a test wipe with it, but his favorite use was to wipe is mouth after lunch rather than his nose. He hasn’t asked to wear it since and is back to his ol’ sleeve-wiping habit. I wish he’d get into the Sniffle Buddies habit instead, but so far it’s a losing battle.

On a good note, when my mother-in-law saw the Sniffle Buddies she thought they were fabulous and wished she had one to wear while working in her garden. I immediately gave her our spare and she was tickled pink about it. Sniffle Buddies does come in an adult size, which would be perfect for those of us with runny noses that get in the way while we exercise or do anything active, including shoveling snow. I’d rather wipe my nose on Sniffle Buddies than my snow glove! –Emily

* Promotion! Sniffle Buddies is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their order! Simply use code DAILYDISH when checking out. Offer expires February 2, 2010.

I’m not really one for dieting. A few years back (pre George and Livi) I tried my hand at modeling and had the time, energy and incentive to stay in shape. I watched what I ate, worked out and would do some sort of dieting before a photo shoot. (The photo shoot was then followed by a cheeseburger, fries and Diet Coke.) But since giving birth to my last two I’ve found less time and definitely less energy for sticking to my previous super healthy, exercise-filled lifestyle.

And I’m okay with that. Don’t get me wrong, I still watch what I eat and hit the gym when I can but when life hits full force, especially around the holidays, I tend to skip the gym for a little more sleep and indulge in all the artichoke dips and Christmas cookies I can. You only live once, right? You also should only have to diet once if dieting is one of you New Year’s resolutions. For some, dieting is a cinch: simply eat better and exercise more. But for many it’s not an easy thing, especially when it comes to food. You want healthy food that tastes good in portions perfect for a serious dieter. Does that exist? In fact, it does.

Freshology believes “weight loss is an important step in maintaining a healthy balance of body and spirit, not to mention fitting into that bikini this summer!” That’s my kind of philosophy—a mix of mind, body and bikini. The company offers clients pre-made meals that are quite possible the healthiest, most gourmet on the market. Freshology also believes the environment’s health is as important as its clients:

Whenever and wherever possible, we purchase our ingredients from local growers-minimizing the environmental costs of transportation-and from farms dedicated to practicing sustainable agriculture. Our meal packaging is re-used whenever possible, and is fully bio-degradable, for minimal environmental impact. At Freshology, we are constantly seeking new ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and value the health of our planet as passionately as we value the health of our customers.

I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard those “other” companies who offer pre-packaged meals for dieters say anything like that.

Though Freshology offer a variety of plans from family meals to specialized nutrition for before and after pregnancy, their newest GETSLIM program is the subject of this review since it is the only national program they offer so far. Trust me, I wish I could try their FRESHDINING since that would mean I lived within delivery distance (i.e. SoCal). {deep sigh}

Freshology sent me four days’ worth of meals from the GETSLIM program. Here are the details on this home-delivery service that provides you diet-friendly (and palate-friendly) meals:

• Hand-crafted, chef-developed meals prepared in Freshology kitchens that are nutritionally balanced
• 100% fresh meals delivered to your door twice a week via FedEx
• Non-frozen, non-shrink-wrapped, non-pre-packaged, non-dehydrated and non-processed food. Oh, and there are no preservatives. (Whew! That’s a lot of “nons.”)
• Lean protein, seasonal vegetables, fresh meats and whole fruit for optimal taste, natural texture and greater nutritional benefit.

What I haven’t told you yet is the price for these gourmet, scale-friendly meals: a whopping $42.95 a day. Yes, that’s $40 per day totaling about $1,200 a month. That’s about three times what my family of six spends on groceries a month. Of course I’m not fixing broccoli, mushroom & cheese frittata for breakfast, roasted vegetable salad with pork tenderloin for lunch, and poached salmon with citrus sauce for dinner. Those are just a few of the mouth-watering names given Freshology’s GETSLIM meals. But how do they taste?

Freshology’s GETSLIM meals taste, well, fresh for one. You can tell they use high-quality ingredients and test their recipes before sending them to the masses. I actually double checked the ingredient lists thinking there just had to be some sort of preservative or funky “how the heck do I pronounce that?” ingredient but there was nothing. Take the ingredients for their Lemon Bar (butter, lemon zest & juice, sugar, flour, eggs, baking powder) or Roasted Vegetable Scramble (50% whole & 50% white egg liquid, lactaid, olive oil, canola oil, zucchini, crimini mushroom, red onion, grilled eggplant, thyme, olive oil). It’s not called Freshology for nothing.

Overall the meals were hit and miss. I did have my favorites (Roasted Vegetable Frittata, Marbled Banana & Chocolate Muffin, Manhattan Clam Chowder and Open Faced Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich) and a few meals I wouldn’t re-order (according to my husband, the Salmon with Citrus Glaze was “quite possibly the worst salmon he’s ever tasted” and the pork was a bit chewy). You can see the meals for yourself in the slideshow below:..

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Freshology excels in offering a huge selection of meals—something for everyone—so I didn’t get bored. The variety was a nice change from my typical can of soup or PB&J sandwich. Plus Freshology is pretty faithful about sticking to a 1,400-calorie diet plan, which is great for serious dieters, but for me it just wasn’t quite enough. I’m actually on the low end of the BMI for my height and weight, so I only do the 1,400-calorie thing if I absolutely must (e.g., Caribbean cruise). While the breakfasts were usually filling enough to last me until an early lunch, the afternoon meal didn’t cut it for me so I supplemented with a few snacks in the afternoon. And of course I didn’t count those calories. (If you don’t count them, they don’t exist, right?)

The million-dollar question is whether Freshology’s GETSLIM meal plan is worth $40 a day. Yes and no. If you’re a Hollywood star, and plenty of them are Freshology clients (just check out their press page), then definitely yes. Those with $1,200 a month to spend on a diet plan should totally go for it. The food is fabulous and healthy, the portions are perfect, and not having to think about what you’re going to eat is totally worth it—if you can afford it. And for some, finding a healthier lifestyle that works—and not having to cook—is worth any investment. But if you’re like me, a mom of four who hits the local rec center since it’s cheaper than a “real” gym and is okay with non-gourmet foods three meals a day (as long as she can get one at a fancy restaurant once in a while), Freshology is a pie-in-the-sky diet dream, albeit a healthy pie.

P.S. The Freshology website offers a lot more information, including great little videos, about their meals if you want to learn more.

P.P.S. You can find Freshology on both Facebook and Twitter. –Emily

* Promotion! Freshology is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their GETSLIM meal plan (14-, 21- or 28-day plans available) AND a free Freshology tote! Enter code BTQ2010 at checkout to receive your discount and “fresh” tote. Hurry and get healthy—this offer expires January 31, 2010.

During the past nine years we’ve lived in three houses but all in the same neighborhood. The first home had crappy cell phone reception, the second (only a few blocks east) had great reception. Our current home has the crappiest reception yet–and it’s only about one block away from the first one. In fact, our entire street has pathetic reception no matter your cell phone carrier. Trust me, we love T-Mobile but would change in a heartbeat if it meant more bars in more rooms. If we’d known this home had bad cell phone reception it just might have been a deal breaker. Totally serious.

So what’s a girl and her technologically advanced husband to do? Follow up on a recommendation from a friend to try out the zBoost from Wi-Ex. Another cell-phone-reception-challenged neighbor had used this gadget to give him a few more bars inside his home so we were anxious to test it. Wi-Ex was happy to send us their zBoost YX510, which “extends a zBoost Cell Zone for single or multiple users in homes or offices.” Basically it should give you more bars in more rooms. This unit claims to increases indoor signal coverage for up to 2500 square feet and is compatible with all U.S. carriers and mobile devices. Other benefits:

• Increases voice and data transmission for any U.S. phone or wireless data card
• Decreases dropped or missed calls
• Easy to set up
• Extends phone battery life (uses less power when signal is stronger)

Question of the day is did it work? Well, yes and no. First, the zBoost was fairly easy to install. Actually, it was cake for me since I simply handed it over to my husband with a “hear you go–go do your thing” and he had it working in no time. We have found it has helped with improve our signal coverage so we can make and receive cell phone calls better than we could before.

Previously we’d sit on the front porch if we wanted to actually hear someone on the other end or do the “can you hear me now?” thing, hang up and call them back using our home phone. Now we can hold a decent conversation but the signal is still a bit weak. We’re at about 2 or 3 bars, which is better than no bars but definitely not as good as 4 or 5. I tend to stand by a window or in my kitchen while chatting, and if my husband wants to hold some serious convo about the latest YouTube video on some nifty homemade gadget or the cool CGI in Avatar, he heads to the basement where the signal is the strongest.

So is the $300 price tag worth it for the fully decked-out zBoost YX510? If you rely on your cell phones as much as we do, yes. An average signal is better than no signal at all and the Wi-Ex zBoost is cheaper than moving yet again. But if you’re only a casual cell phone user (do any of those still exist?), then you might want to stick to your home phone or find a more affordable option like a couple tin cans and a really, really long string.

If you’re looking for a few more bars in other places, Wi-Ex does offer some cool options for the traveler (zBoost for your car) and international users, plus they also offer commercial solutions for businesses. You can check out all the zBoost options at Wi-Ex.com. –Emily

It’s January, 2010 and many men and women have already braved the barbells at the gym (hopefully more than once). With New Year’s comes New Year’s resolutions, one of the most common being exercise more and eat less. (In my case it’s exercise the same and drink more—water, not caffeine.) But as so many resolution makers know, it’s can be slow going turning the desire to get fit into a permanent lifestyle. After a couple weeks it’s easy to slip back into bed and back into old habits.

So how do you stay motivated to get fit when your favorite sitcom (or favorite Barcalounger) is calling your name? You grab a workout towel from Words to Sweat By and, well, break a sweat! Whimsical Walney, a good Twitter friend of mine, recently launched a wonderful line of motivational workout towels “with attitude.” Sayings include: “No jiggle in the wiggle;” “‘C’ is for crunches not cookies;” and “Strength. Compassion. Peace.”  Yes, Words to Sweat By might be just what the personal trainer ordered!

Whimsical Walney sent me the “Healthy. Strong. Happy.” workout towel to review on the Daily Dish. It arrived in a cute organza bag complete with “Cherish” charm attached. The charm lasted two seconds on the bag before it was permanently attached to my purse and then moved to my cell phone so I could see it all the time. I was motivated already and hadn’t even opened the towel! The 100% cotton towel was a good gym size at 16″x24″ and had a simple yet perfect applique on the front. I wanted to make sure the towel was washer and dryer friendly so I immediately threw it in the wash with some other towels to test its durability. It came out crisp and clean, no bleeding, no fraying.

We have a treadmill at home which I use when I don’t hit the gym so I hung the towel over one of the arm rails with the mantra facing me so I could glance at it while doing a 10% incline at 4.2 MPH. That incline really sucks when it’s your third time doing it in a 30-minute time frame. And believe me, I also used that towel to mop up plenty of sweat (Words to Sweat By is completely accurate). I’d have taken a picture to prove it but I think my husband used my favorite workout towel to blow his nose at some point; trust me, you wouldn’t want me to take a picture of the towel in its current state! The only thing I wish is for the towels to be a bit thicker and softer since I tend to sweat A LOT.

Along with her Words to Sweat By workout towels on Etsy, Whimsical Walney has a Words to Sweat By blog with health and fitness tips and tricks to keep you wiggling that jiggling away. Though it’s too late to stuff these great little motivational towels in stockings for the holidays, they do make a fun gift for friends and family who have set that New Year’s resolution to get and stay fit in 2010. Just remember, “Practice makes practice!”

*** Whimsical Walney is helping you pay it—or rather motivate it—forward by giving two (2) Words to Sweat By towels to each of two (2) winners! Those winners will get to keep one towel and pass along the second towel to a friend or family member. Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•    Leave a comment telling us your least favorite exercise.
•    Visit the Words to Sweat By Etsy shop and leave a comment telling us your favorite workout towel.
•    Become a fan of Whimsical Walney on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re her newest fan.
•    Follow Whimsical Walney on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re her newest follower.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winners from the comments and contact them via email. Deadline: January 14, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Melissa and Cassie M., the winners of the Words to Sweat By giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

Because I have four kids and a car that only seats six people I am rarely invited to participate in the elementary school carpool. But last year I did start carpooling with another mom whose son was in the same preschool as George and it worked really well because I already had an extra booster seat I could easily throw in the car. This year, though, George’s friend started attending a pre-K class and we ended up switching schools, so we started a new carpool with two neighborhood girls (yes, he loves the boy-to-girl ratio already).

Though all of us moms were okay with the lack of a third booster seat since the school was merely a mile or two down the road (and yes, the kids were tightly buckled), I was super excited when Harmony Juvenile sent me their new LiteRider Booster Seat to review. I would now have three booster seats, the newest one being pink–a big hit with George’s little girlfriends. Before I tell you my thoughts on Harmony Juvenile’s LiteRider, here’s a little info about these booster seats:

• exceeds the most stringent safety impact testing in the world
• is exceptionally comfortable and easy-to-use
• fits children from 30 to 100 lbs.
• uses ultra-plush, durable fabrics made with comfort foam throughout seat
• offers a full-wrap premium seat pad is removable for machine washing
• utilizes a seat-saver design
• visually pronounced belt guides promote correct installment of the seat belt
• belt path design prevents child from sliding under the lap belt on impact

That’s pretty impressive for such a small seat! I immediately noticed its light weight and sleek design. Compared to our other back-free booster, the LiteRider seemed to fit better against the seat and definitely offered more padding and a comfier fit for little legs. The seat belt also had a more snug fit, and not just because I finally learned what that belt guide is for. Those little armrest looking things on the side make it a bit more difficult to secure the belt but also make for a safer fit. I’m happy to spend an extra thirty seconds buckling in my child if it means he’ll be kept safer in an accident. Oh, and did I mention the pink fabric looks super cute against gray interior? (Don’t mind the lack of smile on George’s friend’s face–she’s not one for early morning preschool!)

The LiteRider Booster Seat also comes in beige, and did I mention the LiteRider booster seat is only $13? All those features for such a great price!

Even though our new LiteRider (kind of makes you think of Knight Rider, doesn’t it?) is pink it will be our main booster of choice as we relegate our previous ones to second and third positions. I don’t think George will have an issue with a pink booster; ever since he wore his sister’s hand-me-down hot pink snow pants he’s been good with pink! –Emily

I’m slowly learning there really is no work/life balance thing for me. Things go a lot more smoothly around here if the balance shifts in favor of family and so I’ll be taking some time off from posting Daily Dish reviews during the holidays. I might even find time to send out Christmas cards and make a few neighbor plates. (Who am I kidding?)

I’ll be back in full review force on January 5th. Until then enjoy some hot cocoa or hot apple cider while catching my favorite reviews from 2009. Happy holidays!
…

Em’s Favorite Reviews, 2009 Edition

Babycape—the superhero of winter coats
Loved testing the Babycape last winter and plan to use it again this winter season. Beautiful, soft, toasty and perfect for infants and toddlers. And guess what? One cape will last your child several seasons!

Pop Fly hits a home run with my kids
My kids still love Justin Roberts’ Pop Fly CD. It’s one of the most fun, danceable, groovable children’s CDs out there.

Time to change tactics!
My toddler has yet to be potty trained (she’s the most stubborn of the bunch) and so we’re still utilizing the diaper/wipes case. My favorite to date is JJ Cole’s Tactic Changing Purse. It goes from car to gym to church and is the perfect size for wipes, diapers, ointment and even a small change of clothes. (Fortunately we don’t need that anymore!)

I just can’t get enough!
We have featured See Kai Run multiple times on the Daily Dish and I never get tired of these perfect little children’s shoes. The pink Mary Jane Jennaes pictured in this post were worn by my daughter nearly every day of the week until she could no longer squish fit into them. We wore those shoes out and yet they still looked great enough to hand down to my friend’s little girl. Quite possibly my favorite pair of shoes Livi owns…or owned. {sniff}

Anne Taintor—better than popping Prozac
Anne Taintor’s vintage humor makes me laugh out loud every time I see it. It’s so my style. And yes, I’ve often wished I’d actually told my girlfriend to “stop me before I volunteer again.”

The HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition: The hottest clutch to hit the runway!
I have used my HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition notebook (or Vivienne Tam for short) more times than I can count—and had more women ooh and aah over it every time I pull it out of my handbag. I still need to wipe the drool off the keyboard when I’m done tweeting, Facebooking, emailing and updating my blog via this handy handbag-sized notebook.

Add some ambiance to your favorite aroma
I use my Contempo Candle Warmer Lamp every day. I love this alternative to sooty candles and the danger an open flame around a curious preschool-age boy poses. I just replaced my fruity pomegranate candle with a more appropriate spice one for the holidays. The smell is wonderful and the light gives off just the right glow in the evening.

Hapari makes swimsuit shopping a happy experience
Fabulous tankinis and bikinis in super fun prints combined with high-quality fabric and construction make these suits some of my faves. I’m also a big fan of their Shore, a sort of half-shirt-meets-cap-sleeve style layering tee that I’ve found works wonderfully well under dresses.

Photofiddle Dad this Father’s Day—he’ll love it!
I have my Photofiddled canvas artwork displayed on our dresser and not a day goes by that I don’t absolute love looking at it. Nothing like creating a work of art from a digital file!

Flip goes the world!
By now you’ve heard of Flip video and their handy, dandy line of mini handheld video cameras. I have two, the Mino and the UltraHD and the UltraHD is by far my favorite. Though not as compact as the Mino it takes superb video. We use our Flip all the time; so much so we forget we own a “real” handheld video camera. That thing has an inch of dust on it by now.

Kickin’ it on a mini kick scooter
George rocked and rolled his Kickboard USA mini kick scooter all summer long. Though we discovered leaving it in direct sunlight for extended periods of time fades the beautiful orange color, this is still my son’s favorite scooter and I love that it’s more stable than the Razor ones my girls ride. If you’re in the market for a preschool-friendly scooter, this is it!

CurlyQ Cuties for your little cutie!
Looking for a unique children’s gift? Heck, even an adult would love the custom monsters you can make using CurlyQ Cuties’ online Monster-Maker. George’s CurlyQ Cutie is still one of his favorite “reviews”—he loves that thing!

My new favorite tote
My Ann Judge Everyday tote served me well during our last vacation and it’s still my go-to bag when I need to pack more than the necessities like lip gloss, wallet and cell phone. Well made, beautiful and perfect for travel overseas and around town.

Jewelry storage disguised as art
Beautiful fabric + hand-finished wood dowels + convenient hooks = the perfect way to manage/display/organize/make sense of your earring collection. Need I say more?

Can functional be fun? Heck, yes!
Though one of my most recent reviews it still makes my fave list for 2009. The wit and real-life wisdom of Knock Knock’s products make for some serious chuckles if not outright laughter. Perfect for gift giving whether for yourself or that annoying coworker.

Our review dates are already filling up for the first quarter of 2010. If you would like your product or site featured on the Daily Dish, shoot us an email at dailydish{at}boutiquecafe.com.

See you in 2010!

If you’re a fan of good ol’ folk music and would love to get your kids hooked on it too, then Sarah Lee Guthrie’s Go Waggaloo CD is a must for your collection. This 13-tack disk from the artist is a fun musical romp through traditional songs and some new ones–you’ll even find three songs with never-before-released lyrics by Woody Guthrie.

Though some of the songs on Go Waggaloo may have familiar lyrics you’ll find a new take on the traditional folk songs and some great little surprises like a cool scratching drum machine and even a song recorded on a cell phone by the Guthrie family while on a road trip. I think it is the sort of mystical “Oni’s Ponies” but can’t be sure. (I wonder if Sarah uses it as her ring tone?) Sarah’s not the only voice on Go Waggaloo. You’ll hear her husband Johnny Irion, the couple’s two daughters and a handful of family and friends (Arlo Gurthrie, Pete Seeger and Tao Rodriguez Seeger).

Though it wasn’t quite up there on the list of my kids’ favorite CDs (they prefer music with a little less folk and a little more funk), I found it a nice, relaxing listen compared to some of the crazier children’s tunes you’ll find in our collection. Plus I found it rather endearing to know it was the Guthrie’s daughters’ voices I was hearing sing along. Nothing like a good family singalong! My fave songs are “Go Waggaloo,” “Take Me to Show-and-Tell,” and “If Mama Had Four Hands.”

If you’d love to introduce your children to folk music then Go Waggaloo is the way to do it. Tailored to children with fun vocals, lyrics and music, your kids will be singing “She’ll be comin’ ’round the mountain” right along with the Guthrie family in no time! –Emily

** Giveaway! Smithsonian Folkways is giving away two (2) copies of Go Waggaloo! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each:

•    Visit Go Waggaloo’s page and listen to samples from the tracks. Leave a comment telling us your favorite!
•    Become a fan of Boutique Cafe on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•    Follow Boutique Cafe on Twitter (@BoutiqueCafe) and leave a comment telling is you’re our newest follower.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 29, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Wehaf and renee, the winners of the Go Waggaloo CD giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

Make nursing your baby a Stylish SNAP, with Ginger Snappz available on Etsy!

Our new baby girl Lola Olivia arrived on December 10th and since then I have been using my beautiful nursing cover sent from Ginger Snappz in their Yoko Flowers design. What a treat to have such a gorgeous cover, I feel spoiled each time I nurse Lola and get to drap the beautiful fabric over for coverage. We’ve had loads of guests dropping by, and I feel totally secure wearing this well made cover as it’s the perfect size to keep me modest. My favorite feature is how the neckline bows out with a flexible material to allow me to latch her easily, and I can gaze at her precious face while he nurses.

Other awesome features include the adjustable neck strap so it fits any mommy perfectly. The inner corner of your Ginger Snappz nursing cover also boasts a terry cloth corner pocket to keep breast pads or use as a face cloth for baby when you’re on the go. Their covers are lightweight and easily portable, just fold them up and store in your diaper bag before you hit the road.

Ginger Snappz come in the most glorious selection of fabrics, they are drool worthy and perfect for the mom who loves to be stylish and fashion conscious. Each nursing cover is handmade with love and available on Etsy through their popular shop, now the only problem is deciding which beautiful cover to choose! ~ Daria & baby Lola

*** Giveaway! Ginger Snappz is giving away one of their beautiful nursing covers! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

• Visit Ginger Snappz Etsy shop and leave us a comment here telling us which nursing cover you adore.
• Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 24, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

We are Knock Knock, a product design company with aspirations to greatness. We concoct, manufacture, and distribute witty objects of cosmopolitan panache from our shamelessly sunny perch on the left-hand coast. Our domain is desire rather than necessity, though we seek to infuse our creations with utility and meaning.

Like I said, functional can be totally fun if you’re talking Knock Knock and the company’s product line. Oh, and that shamelessly sunny perch? That would be Venice, California. With a perch like that how could you not turn out fabulously witty notepads like the Why I Must Get Drunk With You checklist and Don’t Kill the Kids babysitter pad? I’m a big sticky note user so they’re sticky pads totally tickle my fancy. My faves: Total Crap, Trees Were Killed and I Didn’t Realize You Were Cool Until sticky pads. And don’t get me started on the kits like the Personal Library Kit and the B*tch Kit. (Sorry, couldn’t resist throwing that one in there—we all have an inner one, you know…) By the way, the company’s philosophy is a must read. I couldn’t agree more with their list of beliefs.

Knock Knock sent me two of their Forgettable recycled reusable totes to review for our readers. Trust me when I say their humor doesn’t stop with the last checkbox on the Romance Pros-Cons checklist. These bags are infused with just as much humor as they are recycled water bottles (80% by the way). Knock Knock’s Forgettable totes are the most generously sized tote I’ve seen, and I have quite a collection in the back of my van. They include an interior pocket and solid (solid as in well woven) woven handles. Oh, and though the product description doesn’t say so, it seems like they’re slightly insulated as well.

“Remembering to bring the bag is half the battle…” That’s what you’ll read in the product description and oh, how true it is. I have all the good intentions in the world but for the life of me can’t remember those darn reusable bags. It was even a topic of discussion on a past #gno night on Twitter. But since I’ve had these Forgettable bags—and their passive-aggressive, eco-friendly humor—in my car I’ve actually remembered to tote my reusable totes with me when I hit the grocery store. Well, not every time but more often than I ever did before. Don’t believe me? Here’s a photo via Blackberry to prove it:

It’s like they infuse my van with this sort of environmentally friendly guilt and it follows me as I try to lock my doors and head into the store. Whatever it is, it’s working. They are by far my favorite reusable totes, which is saying a lot since my previous favorites were my Trader Joe’s bags…and I love Trader Joe’s.

I’m like a kid in a candy store when it comes to Knock Knock. So many notepads, sticky notes, books and bags and so little time. Even their site navigation makes me smile—notice the “Gifts For” has an “annoying people” subcategory. Nice. I believe there’s still time to order for the holidays, so if you have an annoying person in your life or simply a relative or friend who’s hard to shop for, I can guarantee Knock Knock will have the perfect gift. I mean, who doesn’t need the Insults & Comebacks for All Occasions handbook?

Note: The plastic bag you see in my shopping cart is the result of poor planning on my part. I left a few reusable totes at home and bought more than was on my list. Like that’s anything new.

*** Giveaway! Knock Knock is giving away one of their Forgettable reusable totes, winner’s choice! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

•    Visit KnockKnock.biz and leave a comment telling us which product made you laugh out loud.
•    Follow Knock Knock on Twitter (@knockknock) and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest follower.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 24, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Melissa, the winner of the our Knock Knock giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

I’m guessing by the lack of family Christmas cards we’ve received this year, many families are either opting to save trees or they’re as behind in their holiday preparations as we are. (I refuse to consider the option that people just don’t like us any more.) If you don’t feel like doing the 100-strong holiday card thing and yet want to do something “noteworthy” with your kids, give Kookie Stationary a test taste run.

Kookie Stationary is a line of these delectable cookie greeting cards you can fill out and give to your kids or have your kids fill out and give to Grandma, Dad, Santa or friends and family alike. The kit includes a large cookie and an edible food coloring marker. Fill out the cookie on the lines or spaces provided and then deliver by hand or mail (I’d use extra packaging if by mail). Or in the case of a Santa note, deliver by fireplace and glass of milk! The recipient can then either eat your tasty note or display it using the case in which it arrived. Me, I’m all for eating the dang thing but there are probably a few dedicated grandmas who’d be willing to display it so it’s a good thing it comes with a built-in easel.

We received two of Kookie Stationary’s holiday offerings and we’ve already filled out and delivered one of them. My two oldest were given the privilege of filling out the Santa cookie since they’re the only two and I desperately wanted to snap a few photos but as usual the batteries were dead in the camera. By the time I had them charged and ready to go the girls were done and the cookie was sealed in its box. The cookie did arrive with a broken Santa hat, but once we had it placed in the gift box it was hardly noticeable. The pen worked well and the girls had a great time writing a little note to their grandma.

We hand delivered the Santa stationary later that evening and Grandma proudly displayed it on her piano. Since it was displayed we didn’t get a chance to taste it so I can’t tell you if the cookie is as tasty as the site claims. Of course, we still have the Kookie for Santa card, which I’m going to let my little ones fill out (and by “fill out” I mean draw psychedelic sunshines and crazy stick figures). Once the resident Santa munches on it I’ll be able to tell you if the cookie’s as tasty as the idea behind Kookie Stationary.

Whether or not the cookie is a feast for the tastebuds, the stationary is a treat for the eyes. Kookie Stationary has everything from birthday and get well cards to princess and dragon cards and my favorite, the Searching for Friends card. At about $10 a piece they might be a little more than your typical Hallmark card, though those are close to $4 these days. But then again, the card itself is a great little gift so it’s like a fabulously yummy two-for-one deal!

Note: Kookie Stationary is located in Canada and ships to the U.S., but I could not find the shipping rates on their site without going through the checkout process. You may want to verify shipping before purchasing.

*** Giveaway! Kookie Stationary is giving away one themed holiday treat to two winners! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•   Visit KookieStationary.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite Kookie.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 22, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Lisa and Heather, the winners of the giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

We love featuring Scholastic Storybook Treasures here on the Daily Dish. My children love the DVDs, which take favorite storybooks and turn them into classic animated stories my kids enjoy watching over and over again. I love how they remind me of my own favorite stories as a child and a simpler time before Spongebob and and his friends.

This holiday season my children are enjoying Scholastic Storybook Treasure’s The Night Before Christmas Special Edition two-pack of DVDs, which features all these great stories:

• The Night Before Christmas
• The Twelve Days of Christmas
• The Clown of God
• Great Joy in the Month of Kislev
• Merry Christmas, Space Case
• Seven Candles for Kwanzaa
• Too Many Tamales
• The Little Drummer Boy
• Max’s Christmas
• Morris’s Disappearing Bag
• Sam and the Lucky Monkey

That’s over two hours of multicultural, classic storybook stories! The stories are narrated by Jane Curtin, Anthony Edwards, Christopher Lloyd and other famous voices and the DVDs have won four awards including ALA Notable Video. Really and truly, The Nightmare Before Christmas Special Edition stories are a refreshing break from the “noise” that is Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and even Nick Jr. at times. (I can only handle so much Max & Ruby, even if they’re building a bunny-like snowman.)

You can find the two-pack of DVDs on Scholastic’s site along with a whole slew of wonderful animated classics. (They make great stocking stuffers, by the way!) We have quite the collection and have enjoyed every one. Plus as my younger ones get older they’ll be able to read along with many of the stories. I have yet to see follow-along captions on Wonder Pets! Happy holidays! –Emily

I have a lot of earrings and a very tiny jewelry box. This means any time I want to find a matching pair of earrings it’s like a hunt for buried treasure. Though I’ve tried to organize them a bit, there’s no helping the tangled mess that is my dangly earring collection. Something had to be done, but none of those oversized jewelry boxes appealed to me so I hit Etsy, one of my favorite places to shop.

I was not disappointed, for I came across KikiBella, which boasts “fashionable storage for your fabulous style.” I’m not sure I have fabulous style but I do need some fashionable (and functional) storage for my earrings and I found it in KikiBella’s earring organizers/jewelry displays. Kristie, the owner and designer of these fabric works of art, sent me the organizer that first caught my eye (Watercolors II) so I could review it on the Daily Dish and find out firsthand if her jewelry displays were as fabulous in real life as they look on Etsy. Because Watercolors II is not the typical size for a bellabella organizer (it’s slightly smaller), she also sent me one that was a typical size and one from the babybella collection (for children’s rooms; pictured at right).

Each KikiBella display is handmade using picked, “poke-proof” fabrics and trims. You’ll find everything from Japanese imports to vintage fabrics in the collection. The displays include two hand-cut, stained, varnished wood pieces, one at the top with two circular pieces for hanging the display and one on the bottom with a handful of hooks for hanging larger earrings, bracelets or necklaces. The minute I opened my Watercolors II KikiBella jewelry organizer I headed for my room to find the perfect place to display it. No, it wouldn’t go in my closet with the not-so-artistic hooks I have for my necklaces; it needed a spot worthy of a work of art since the colors matched my room’s decor perfectly. And I found just the place: right next to my closet on a wall that was quite possibly designed just for a KikiBella jewelry organizer:

Though not all earrings will work well (hoop earrings would have to be pretty close to the edge), I found the KikiBella display perfect for all my large dangly earrings and random earrings I don’t wear as often, plus the hooks on the bottom worked well for my favorite skinny bracelets. I did find a couple pairs of earrings easily slipped out of the fabric if I moved it around too much when adding another pair, but that was due more to the style of earring (a very wide, open hook style) and the double gauze fabric, which is unique to Watercolors II. The other fabrics in the collection aren’t quite is “filmy” as the one I choose.

The best part? No more jumbled earrings in my jewelry box! That little, old box has a new lease on life and I spend a lot less time digging through it looking for matching earrings. Apparently Kristie has a couple organizers hanging here and there in her home, for example, one in the bathroom and another in the bedroom. Though I’m one that needs everything kept in one place, I can totally see a use for having multiple ones depending on where you take off your jewelry.

The babybella jewelry organizers are super cute and would make a great gift for pre-teen girls who seem to have more earrings sets than See’s has candies! Kristie can even do custom designs combining your choice of fabric with your choice of wood pieces. (They come in a variety of finishes.) And unless you’re going for a custom order, KikiBella orders ship within 1 or 2 days via Priority Mail so you’re only days away from becoming beautifully organized–or days away from giving a wonderfully unique and stylishly functional gift for the holidays.

*** Giveaway! KikiBella is giving away one jewelry organizer/earring display, winner’s choice! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:
•    Visit KikiBella on Etsy and leave a comment telling us your favorite design.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 18, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Patricia, the winner of the KikiBella giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

It wasn’t too long ago organic children’s clothing had very little to offer when it came to super stylish clothing. Though you could easily find onesies, tees and caps in muted colors, it was a bit more of a challenge to find a party-worthy dress or playdate-ready outfit. But times have changed and thanks to companies like Postively Organic, you can find eco-friendly children’s wear that sports serious style while managing to look good even after playgroup, park visits and everyday antics.

Positively Organic’s children’s clothes (sizes up to 4T with seasonal sizes up to 6) are made using certified organic cotton. The company combines earth-friendly materials and sweatshop-free/fair-trade manufacturing with “bold graphics, bright colors and hip yet simple designs.” From henley and raglan tees to kimono one-pieces and yoga pants, Positively Organic is not your typical organic children’s wear line. When they say “bright colors and hip yet simple designs,” they mean it! I’m lovin’ the Earthgirl raglan tee, long-sleeve Cowboy tee and printed blankets.

Positively Organic sent Livi a cute long-sleeve tee and pants set. Though a size smaller than she usually wears, the outfit was designed well enough so she is still able to wear it…and wear it she has! We’ve already worn and washed this outfit two or three times, and each time it seems to get softer. The colors have held up well to both play and laundry detergent and this has become one of our favorite go-to outfits. (Trust me, she likes the outfit. What she doesn’t like is my taking her picture.) Though the pants are now a bit short I still love putting this outfit on her for slow, comfy days around the house.

Positively Organic’s collection is reasonably priced, which makes it even sweeter, and they have a pretty awesome clearance going on right now too. The fall line has some yummy colors like the bright raspberry in Livi’s outfit and some great styles like the corduroy cuff-up jeans for boys. And don’t forget those adorable kimono rompers! Along with offering customers stylish organic clothing for kids, Positively Organic also works with several causes supporting children’s welfare and environmental responsibility. Your children will look good and you’ll feel good when dressing your kids in the chic styles from Positively Organic. –Emily

* Promotion! Positively Organic is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off any regularly priced item! Simply enter code “cafe09″ at checkout. Offer expires December 23, 2009.

Only once have I thought a pair of tube socks to be super cool, and that “once” was when Hank & JoJo sent me a box of their Retro Baby Tube Socks for review on the Daily Dish. Who knew a geeky sport sock (okay, maybe Patrick Dempsey could pull it off) could be turned into a stylin’ eco-friendly accessory for baby?

The first think you notice about Hank & JoJo’s box of tube socks, besides the fact that “box of tube socks” is a sweet little rhyme, is the packaging. This miniature tin lunchbox with it’s peek-a-boo window has the cutest, most whimsical characters on it. Made from lead-free tin and plastic (and exceeding CPSIA regulations for lead), this little box is recyclable, but I can guarantee you’ll be recycling it in-house as a piggy bank, display case for those little treasures toddlers collect or the perfect storage for tiny hair clips.

But enough about the lunchbox. Hank & JoJo’s set included four pairs of tube socks: Strawberry, Banana, Pear and Blueberry. The socks are made using 80% bamboo, which is grown without the use of chemicals and has natural UV protection. Dyed with toxin-free dyes, these little socks were designed for babies ages 0 to 12 months. The socks actually go up over the knee protecting legs and knees during tummy time and crawling. You can also use them like you would leg warmers—in warmer weather pair a pair with a onesie for quick and easy diaper changes.

When the pairs first arrived I was a bit sad because my youngest just turned two. I figured we would get very little use out of our Hank & JoJos until I realized these socks with their tube design means even older babies can wear them! Livi has already sported the Pear and the Strawberry. You can check out the Pear in the photo below. Trust me, I tried to get her to look at the camera and smile but what can you do when Yo Gabba Gabba! is on? Though they don’t go over her knee the do get close to it. Once washed the heel ends up about mid sole but because they’re so soft she doesn’t even notice. And I love that they’re the perfect socks for wearing with nightgowns—they keep her legs warm when her nighties ride up. Plus they’re great under jeans in cold weather!

I love anything that works for multiple ages and is stylish and eco-friendly and makes a great gift and has super cute packaging. Perhaps that’s why I love Hank & JoJo so much. But one more reason comes to mind: each purchase of Hank & JoJo Retro Baby Tube Socks “ensures that The Tiny Miracles Foundation, Tiny Treasures Program, is able to include on pair of Hank & JoJo socks in each Homecare Starter Kit for parents and premature infants release from Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport Connecticut NICUs.” Now THAT’S cool.

Priced at around $30 for the box set, Hank & JoJo Retro Baby Tube Socks make a wonderful gift for the holidays and post-holiday showers. ‘Tis the season for giving, and with these babies you’ll be giving two gifts at once. Totally tubular, baby! (Forgive me, I couldn’t resist…) –Emily

*** Giveaway! Hank & JoJo is giving away one box set of their Retro Baby Tube Socks! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•    Visit HankandJoJo.com and leave a comment telling us you did (we trust you to be honest).
•    Become a fan of Hank & JoJo on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest fan.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 15, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Kari, the winner of the Hank & JoJo giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

It wasn’t too long ago I reviewed ScooterBees for the first time on Boutique Cafe’s Daily Dish. I am still just as in love with their foot-friendly design (i.e., chunky feet, small feet, long toes included) and unique storytelling powers as I was when I first laid eyes on them—and Livi laid feet in them—in July. Unfortunately her feet were just about bursting at the seams of her pink Growing Bird ScooterBees, so those will be passed down to a little friend of hers…and we will have to do the same with the latest pair. Trust me, I’m crying silent tears as I write this review.

ScooterBees just launched it’s new 2010 collection, which features a line of supple leather shoes handmade in Peru. The company sent us the Bloom story (”a flower story from bud to bloom”) in a beautiful gray and you can believe I tried to make them fit Livi’s not-so-size-6.5 feet. The leather is super soft and dyed using vegetables and fruits grown at the tannery, so each color reflects the crop of the season. How cool is that? And the company doesn’t use the chemicals traditionally used in tanning leather so you can be sure each component of ScooterBees is made from sustainable and safe materials. As with their 2009 line, the company is all about being eco-friendly. The new collection features a midsole made from recycled carton and lined with recycled fleece fibers and an outsole made using natural and recycled rubber (PVC and phthalate free).

Here’s a really great little video I found on their site that shows how the ScooterBees StoryTelling Shoe works. (It would’ve taken me hours to try and put something like this together for you, and I was too busy trying to get Livi’s feet in those dang cute Bloom shoes!)

Do any of the shoes in your little one’s closet tell a story? I’m not talking the “I was worn while jumping in mud puddles” or “I’m her favorite pair of sparkly princess shoes.” I’m talking endangered animals or dinosaurs or egg in a nest to tweeting bird in just two flaps. If you want a unique gift this holiday that is as good for your child’s feet as it is for the environment then choose a story from either the bamboo or leather collections offered by ScooterBees.

So Livi’s feet never did fit into her ScooterBees shoes from the new 2010 collection. Can you tell I’m seriously sad about it? Fortunately she does have a BFF (yes, even at her young age) who is slightly smaller in stature and will be able to give these shoes a good test run. Guess I’ll have to settle for a review by proxy. Sigh… –Emily

*** Giveaway!!! ScooterBees is giving away one pair of shoes, winner’s choice! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway (please leave a separate comment for the ones you do):

•    Visit ScooterBees.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite product.
•    Follow ScooterBees on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 14, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Heidi, the winner of the ScooterBees giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

Avon recently launched a new children’s fashion line and just in time for the holidays. Though I am on Avon customer, the only products I tend to buy are from their skin care and cosmetics lines, though once in a while I venture into the jewelry. I’ve never thought “fashion” when it comes to Avon but a first-hand look at a couple items from their new children’s line has me wondering if that might change.

The winter collection offers everything from party outfits to comfy warm-weather clothing. You’ll find plaid skirts, satin vests, ribbon sweaters, leggings, pajamas and even boots. (I love the cozy boots!) Sizes vary (and not everything is available yet) from about size 4/5 on up to 10/12. The clothing is heavy on girls with only a few offerings for boys, but that’s pretty true for Avon in general.

For today’s review Avon sent me the corduroy toggle coat and velour trim skirt, both in size 4/5. Because Livi is still a solid 2T she was a bit too small to give the two a thorough testing, but I did check them out as best I could. The corduroy toggle coat, which is a yummy candy apple red (see photo above), was pretty dang cool. It has a Sherpa-style lining even through the sleeves and seems like it will definitely hold up well in frigid temps like we’re having right now. The corduroy is soft and the toggles sturdy. What I love best about this coat is the color could easily work for a boy as well as a girl. Throw in a black beanie and gloves and you’ve got a decent boy’s coat too!

The velour trim skirt was silky, shimmery and very sweet. The flower embellishments and contrasting fabric made this skirt dressy, yet you could easily dress it down for casual wear. Though its lightweight fabric means it should be comfy no matter how long you manage to keep your four-year-old in the same outfit, I didn’t like how thin the material looked and felt. I snapped a photo hoping to give you an idea of the fabric–see below. You’ll definitely want to add some sort of petticoat or slip and throw on a good pair of tights if it’s winter. Even in the summer I’d think you’d want something under it.

Overall I think the winter collection is a fun and festive one (check out those sparkle flats!), though I do wish they’d add a few more items and offer them in a wider range of sizes, from 2T on up to 14 or so. Perhaps I just need to give Avon a little time! This is their first children’s fashion line, and for a first run they’ve done a pretty good job. You can find the entire collection online at Avon.com. –Emily

Fortunately I’m not talking about the stay-put bootie you get after all that holiday eating–I’d stay far away from a company offering that! Nope, I’m talking about what is sure to become you and your child’s cold-weather friend this holiday season: the Stonz Wear bootie. I could think of no better intro than this cute video on Stonz Wear’s site:

Need I say more? Okay, yeah, I do since this is the Daily Dish and it is about our take on the latest and greatest products for parents and kids alike. Stonz Wear sent me a pair of their Daisy Brown booties for Livi and until recently it wasn’t cold enough to sport them around town…and then when it was cold enough we hibernated inside. That combined with them being a bit too large and my not yet purchasing the fabulous Sherpa-fleece linerz for Stonz means Livi hasn’t actually worn these babies yet. But I can tell you they are within easy access so once I get those Sherpa-lined Linerz (they’ll be on their way today!), these will be our go-to shoes here in frigid Utah. And here’s why:

• They are the cutest dang boots I’ve ever seen!
• Wind and water-resistant thanks to a nylon upper.
• Soft, comfortable fleece lining provides warmth.
• Easy on, easy off (need I say more?).
• Toggles at calf and ankle make sure these booties stay on!
• Skid-resistant soft soles.
• Machine wash and dry, inside out on delicate cycle. (Bet your current boots can’t do this!)
• Made in Canada by a mom who knows a thing or two about cold, wet weather.

Though they do come with a fleece lining I am definitely adding a pair of Linerz to the boots. Stonz Linerz fit snugly inside and add even more warmth to the bootie and I love that the top of the Linerz can either fold over the top or you can leave them up for extra warmth. That’s a lot of warmth…you feelin’ warm yet? (Note: The Linerz will make the boots fit a titch smaller so size accordingly.)

Stonz Wear booties are now available for children up to four years of age–how cool is that? Though at about $45 they are slightly pricier than a snow boot from Target they are definitely worth it. Think of how much time you’ll save getting these booties on and off (we’ve already wasted too much time in our house trying to cram feet into snow boots) and knowing exactly where they are at all times (on their feet, of course!). Stonz Wear also has the most adorable collection of reversible and pointy Hatz and Mittz. I’m tempted to get the matching Daisy Brown Mittz to go with Livi’s new Booties. What a fashion statement that will make at the next sledding trip! –Emily

I am the bag lady. I received a weekender bag from Peasant & Travelers and i love it.

It is made for a man, yet perfect for me. It is a metro man’s bag. Designer Jee Kim has designed a refined and contemporary line that delivers exceptional detailing that marries style and function for men.

But…hold up. It is just perfect for a lady too.

It’s big but not too big. Small but not too small. Sounds like a contradiction right?
Yet, the bag is just that– big but small.

Big in that it fits so much!
I took off for the weekend and I put it to the test because I didn’t want it to look like I packed my closet, but, I also needed 3 pairs of shoes, plus warm and cool clothes. Suffice to say I got my 3 pairs of shoes in and all outfits I wanted to bring. I didn’t have to skimp on my packing and I didn’t need a mule to carry my load.

It is small enough to strap on your shoulder and carry as an adorable oversized bag. The classic brown exterior with bright cobalt blue and white gingham interior has all the makings of a must-have bag. It really could be for the male or female in your life. It has durable material, pockets inside & out and the bag can collapse down flat.

This cool urban overnighter bag is durable and versatile.
I pretty much love my new bag and think you would love one too. Really…it could be used for more than just packing up your closet and going. It could be your toy bag, your picnic bag, your errands bag. I love it and think you will too!

It can be found online at Peasants & Travelers.
-Amber

My husband absolutely loves books on CD (or MP3 or whatever format in which he can get them) and he makes lets us all listen to them whenever he can. Though I prefer alternative music to audio books, I humor him and the kids whenever we make a drive to my in-laws’ or his grandmother’s home, both a good half hour away.

But in a strange turn of events (due mainly to Maestro Classics sending me a CD to review for Boutique Cafe readers), Mom busted out a book on CD during our last drive up north. The Tortoise and the Hare is the latest release from Maestro Classics, a company that utilizes “wondrous new recordings, innovative educational and performance materials, and uplifting live performances … [to guide] audiences as they expand their listening horizons and discover the magic that can only be called music.”

My family can always use their horizons expanded so I popped in the CD and then passed around the accompanying booklet, which has activities and features illustrations by nationally recognized children’s book illustrator Renee Andriani. The Tortoise and the Hare takes the classic Aesop fable, sets it to an original score by Stephen Simon and then throws in the London Philharmonic Orchestra for good measure. Once we got the fade/balance thing right in the car so all parties could hear, the kids and the parents enjoyed the narration, especially with the added Mrs. Beaver character who runs the local bistro. As you know, I’m sold if it involves food.

If a book on CD can keep my children’s attention for more than five minutes, it’s a keeper…and The Tortoise and the Hare is a keeper! It even has a few bonus tracks filling in listeners about how the music is composed, more info about the original tale and even a Dixieland rendition of the “Pretzel Vendor of Paris,” which you’ll hear during the tale.

You can find The Tortoise and the Hare and the full collection of Maestro Classics on the website, including Peter and the Wolf (one of my favorites!), The Story of Swan Lake and Casey at the Bat.

*** Giveaway! Maestro Classics is giving away 3 The Tortoise and the Hare CDs! What a great stocking stuffer for the holidays! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway. Remember to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

• Visit Maestro Classics online and leave a comment telling us which other CD you’d love to hear.
• Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 8, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Christine, Shelley and Janelle, the winners of the Maestro Classics giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

The u-shaped car seat pillow that transports your precious cargo to and from are also the best pillows for everyday pillow uses such as lying down and playing or in the stroller.

This pillow from shopbabymoon.com has a unique Velcro at the edge of the “U” to create a little circle just perfect for any newborn head. This unique function that takes one of the arms of the pillows and attaches by velcro to the other arm creates a perfect head support and can be adjusted just right to your baby’s head. The circular opening of the pillow cradles the back of the head while providing optimal positioning for the baby.

Detach the Velcro and cover the scratchy Velcro surface with the soft peek a boo flap and instantly it becomes a perfect neck support for your baby while in the car seat or in a stroller. The peek-a-boo flap is provided so it can cover the Velcro so there in no irritation.

Designed by a mom. Tested by a mom. Created just for your baby.
Available online at shopbabymoon.com
-Amber

Though we should be giving all year long, the holidays seem to be the time of the year for supporting worthy causes. What better way to support a worthy cause then stuff someone’s stocking with it?

Wear Your Music is line of super cool bracelets made using guitar strings. Wear Your Music actually has two lines of bracelets, the Artist line and the Fashion line. The Artist line features bracelets that are “handcrafted from recycled fine silver and guitar strings” actually used by well-known artists such as Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Tim McGraw. These bracelets sell for $100 and up (you can get Robert Trujillo’s from Metallica for $250 or John Mayer’s for $200) and proceeds go towards a charity of the artist’s choosing. The Fashion line is made using guitar strings in a variety of colors. These unisex bracelets are simple yet pretty dang hip and are perfect for music lovers of all ages. A percentage of the profits from the sale of these bracelets are donated to charities that support music.

Wear Your Music sent us a collection from their Fashion line and once they arrived I had to immediately divvy them up so the girls could wear them. I of course claimed my fave colors (black and red) and let the girls decide on the rest. They looked great doubled and tripled up and I found I loved wearing my black one mixed in with some of my favorite silver bracelets. The fit is universal so no worries about wrist size and they are extremely well made so they can hold up to whatever your music lover throws at them. And at about $9 a piece they make a wonderful stocking stuffer or gift for the holidays. I love finding unique gifts and a guitar-string bracelet from Wear Your Music is definitely one of them.

If you have a real guitar lover in the family you might want to consider a bracelet from Wear Your Music’s Artist line. Not only will you be giving a one-of-a-kind gift perfect for your musician but you’ll also be supporting a worthy cause. Now THAT rocks! –Emily

*** Giveaway! Wear Your Music is giving away an 8-piece collection (an $80 value) from their Fashion line to one lucky Daily Dish reader! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway. Please leave a separate comment for each one you do:
•    Visit WearYourMusic.org and leave a comment telling us which artist’s bracelet you would absolutely LOVE to purchase (if money were no object!).
•    Become a fan of the Wear Your Music charity project on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•    Follow Wear Your Music on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 1, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Lisa, the winner of the Wear Your Music giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

…and the environment. With the latest info about phthalates and BPA and the move away from plastic bags and non-reusable containers when it comes to packing your child’s lunch, a few companies have taken up the cause to create lunchboxes that are both child friend and earth friendly. I’ve reviewed both the Kids Konserve lunch bag and the OOTS! Lunchbox and today I have a new one for you.

Though my girls don’t pack their lunches very often I am still trying to take baby steps on my way to helping our family be a bit more “green.” A reusable, eco-friendly lunchbox is one way we can make a small change in our habits, which will hopefully lead to more changes as we go. yubo sent me their Deluxe Lunchbox in a snappy orange–a good color for a family with both girls and boys. Before the lunchbox even arrived I was pretty excited to review it because although the previous ones I’ve featured on the Daily Dish were nifty, other than choosing your color or pattern, they weren’t extremely unique. yubo’s lunchboxes not only have removable faceplates but you can personalize them with your child’s name of even one of your own photos!

yubo’s Deluxe version comes with the lunchbox (of course), faceplate set (ours came with the “peace” set), three containers (one square plus two small rounds), a custom ice pack and a name tag. The kids saw the new lunchbox on the counter and immediately called dibs on who got to use it first. (My oldest won that one.) Though I quickly hand washed everything you can stick pretty much every part of the yubo into the dishwasher (except faceplates, tags and the ice pack). We love easy! The night before school my daughter packed her lunch complete with PB & honey sandwich, pretzels, carrots and fruit snacks.

Because her sandwich container had a little room she was able to throw in a pack of fruit snacks on top before closing it. Other than that there isn’t much room for anything except the ice pack. Of course if you don’t really need the ice pack you could throw in a granola bar or other small snack on top. She put everything inside, snapped on the lid, slipped in the faceplates and was ready to go. It fit nicely in the fridge so it kept the carrots cold until it was time for school the next day.

I would say out of the three this is my kids’ favorite lunchbox, but I will say as fun as it is to be able to change the design or personalize it or add one of any number of cool tags, it doesn’t hold that many items…unless you get creative and don’t need the ice pack. Otherwise you have a sandwich, two sides and that’s pretty much it. Perhaps that should be all you need for a school lunch, but I know by the time my girls eat (5 or so hours after breakfast), they’re pretty hungry. Of course you can buy different size containers so you could have three oval ones or four rounds and one oval one. But I have to say though the OOTS! lunchbox stacks vertically, which can be a pain if you need something on the bottom, it does offer a little more room for packing a few more things.

We didn’t received the drink holder to test but I do love that yubo lunch boxes offer this option, though I do wish it came included with the deluxe version. It’s a holder that attaches to the outside so you can carry a reusable water bottle and it’s insulated, which is super nice!

Overall the yubo wins our vote for its ease of use (easy access to everything, dishwasher safe); custom ice pack that takes up very little space; BPA-free materials, food-safe, anti-microbial agent; soft handle (forgot to mention that earlier); 100% recyclable materials AND the super cool faceplates and tags. Plus it comes in pink, orange and blue…and did I mention it’s easy to clean? At $29.95 for the Deluxe and $21.95 for the standard lunch box, it is more of an investment than your typical lunchbox but you are helping save the environment, and who can put a price on that? –Emily

* Promotion! yubo is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off their orders. Simply use code boucaf15 when checking out. Offer expires December 25, 2009.

And by “all-around” I mean literally all-around! This unique learning game–okay, it’s more like an interactive tool disguised as a game–incorporates a u-shaped mat so learning takes place all around your child. I am always up for reviewing and testing any product that takes a new twist on learning!

The U-Play Mat was designed by a New York pediatrician and mother of four. The design allows your child to sit and the floor, inside the opening of the U, and have full access to 15 clear pockets (5 on each side and 5 in front). The mat comes with about 8 sets of theme-based cards from animals to food to letters and you fill those clear pockets with those cards. For younger children you might only place 5 cards in front whereas for older children you’ll fill the entire thing. Then you get to make up games to play to help your child learn names, colors or even find matches. The mat, which comes with a tote to help organize the cards, also comes with some ideas for games you can play and then you can take it from there.

We set up the U-Play Mat on our family room floor and with a little direction from Mom, my oldest two took charge of a little learning time with their younger siblings. Livi went first:

And then George soon followed:

The girls had a great time working with the flash cards and cheering on their little brother and sister and I loved watching it all happen. My favorite part about it other than the super cool, super unique design? I didn’t have to locate a pair of AA or C batteries to get the thing going. We are far too plugged in at our home and going unplugged was definitely a welcome change. I was smiling the whole time while watching them get into our new U-Play Mat. How could you not when you have this taking place on your family room floor.  Note at the end how Livi is super “anxious” (i.e. throwing a small fit) for her next turn:

We really had a great time with the U-Play Mat and with 8 sets of flash cards it’s sure to be a hit for a while. (And now I’ve found a great way for my oldest two to keep the youngest two busy!) The U-Play Mat is an all-around great time for our kids! –Emily

* Promotion! Play This Way is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their U-Play Mat purchase! Simply enter code BOUTIQUE10 when checking out.

Though I’m not a seasoned pro when it comes to layering (I’m often fashion challenged…just ask my good friend LeShan), I do own my share of cap-sleeve tees and tanks. The whole tank/cap-sleeve layering tee craze may have actually started here in Utah but I can’t be certain. No matter where or when it began I’m sure I’m not the only one with a rainbow of layering tees in her dresser drawer. With all those tees and all those brands (Shade, Layers and mod bod to name a few), is there a difference or all they pretty much the same?

After owning tanks from DownEast Basics and Shade, layering tees from Layers and then being sent a tank and cap-sleeve tee from undertease to review on the Daily Dish, I can tell you yes, there is a big difference, and not just in price. I have found there is a big difference in fabric and fit among all these brands and up until I received samples from undertease, Shade had my vote for fit and fabric while DownEast had my vote if you were going for price. But then undertease sent me a white cami and a black cap-sleeve tee…sigh…who new fabric could be this comfy? (Note: I’d have included an image of the white tank but it was too hard to see on the mannequin. The black shows the fit better.)

My undertease tank is now my tank of choice when I need a white tank under sweaters, tees or low-cut dresses and if I need a cap-sleeve layering tee, you better believe I’ll reach for my undertease one first. I was thinking I might need to hide the white tank because my oldest daughter is now “borrowing” it for her use, and then I realized I just need to tell her to leave my undertease alone and stick with Shade. My favorite features are the fabric, length and especially the straps. The straps are on the thinner side with a bit of stretch so it almost feels like I don’t have a tank on at all–and when you’re wearing multiple layers, the feel of less is more.

I wanted to find out what made the undertease tees so dang comfortable with a fit that lasted after washing and I discovered the company uses a blend of 46% cotton, 46% modal and 8% spandex. It’s that modal that makes their tees maintain their shape, feel and look even after numerous washes. They really are silky soft yet have that spandex so they hug your body without feeling bulky, an important thing when layering.

I can speak from personal experience on their cap-sleeve tee, too. (Two for tea and tea for two…sorry, couldn’t resist!) I wanted to see if their sleeves would eventually cut into my armpit like the “other” cap sleeves I own and tend to make that area sore after extended wear. I donned the black cap sleeve for a day of testing and due to either the style or the fabric (or both), it was comfortable all day long. No armpit soreness or discomfort or “how soon can I get this thing off.” I really could tell a difference and it felt great!

As much as I absolutely adore my new undertease the one thing I don’t adore is the price. While they are top on my list for fit, fabric, comfort and style all rolled into one, they are bottom on the list for price. I guess I should say it’s worth the investment, and perhaps it would be if they were only a handful of dollars more than those other brands, but at almost twice the price I have a hard time justifying the purchase. If I needed to wear them day in and day out I think I would make the investment as I’m sure undertease will hold up a lot longer than the other tees in my dresser drawer, but since I’m usually kicking it in jeans and a comfy tee, I think I’ll love and cherish the undertease I have and wait for a sale to pick up a few more.

undertease also offers long-sleeve tees and tees for maternity and plus sizes. If you want to try undertease before buying you can find them at Blend Fashions in Pleasant Grove, Utah, Nordstrom (undertease is part of their Half-Yearly Sale so you may find me there stocking up on a couple more!) and boutiques around the country. You can also find undertease on Facebook and Twitter. –Emily

The pan you’ve seen…it’s the corner lover’s dream. Emily did a review on the Baker’s Edge brownie pan.

The u-shaped pan bakes corners in more than just 4 corners. The brownie pan has been the craze with bakers everywhere and now the bakers edge has introduced the lasagna pan with the same extraordinary u-shaped lines.

I’m a simple cook…by that I mean I’m not very good at it. Lasagna is a big meal for me so I felt a bit overwhelmed with the task of putting this u-shaped pan to the test with all the ingredients that go into creating this pasta.

The preparation wasn’t bad at all. The noodles just fold into place with the u-shaped corners and everything else just pours perfectly into its spot. I put the pan in and minutes later I had a delicious crispy lasagna.

I think anything I create in the oven that comes out unburned is a masterpiece, so I needed an objective opinion. I took the lasagna out of the pan and dished it onto a couple plates and took it to my neighbors to get their take on the taste of this dish.

Sheepishly they began eating away because it did look crispier than any lasagna ought to be…but that is what makes this lasagna so good. Immediately they raved about the perfect pasta that is crispy on the outside yet deliciously cooked on the inside. I admitted that it wasn’t my amazing cooking skills nor my brand new oven that delivered such an appetizing lasagna but it was my incredible new u-shaped pan.

Available online at bakersedge.com.
-Amber