Starting today until July 15th, they are hosting their first site-wide sale, and MWS blog followers are invited to the sale! They are offering 40% off all orders for 4 days only in celebration of their newest addition, born in January; the online code is ilovebuti and is good through July 15th. Stock up now as this is an amazing sale!! Enjoy!

After this eye-opening experience I decided to try out a product called the Sport-Brella. The initial thing that attracted me to the Sport-Brella is that is has UPF 50+ protection, so I could feel safe having my kids (or me!) rest under it. After using it a few times, I feel like I could be the new Sport-Brella spokesperson. I love this awesome, portable sun and weather shelter and I think every family should have one!

Here is why it is so great:

-The Sport-Brella takes literally less than a minute to set up (it opens like a regular umbrella) and it’s much easier to set up than your normal beach umbrella

-It’s  lightweight and portable and very easy to carry (you can sling it over your shoulder or carry it by the handle)

-It is nice and spacious inside (opens to 8 feet), accommodating a couple of chairs or about 4 people sitting on a blanket

-It doesn’t blow away like your typical umbrella…the wind gust release vents plus the tie-down cords give the Sport-Brella added stability in high wind conditions

- There are some nice features like two side zip-down breeze windows, and two inside storage pockets

-It’s not only great for the beach, but the perfect item to take along camping or to sporting events (all of those cool, rainy days watching t-ball and soccer will be much more comfortable next time!)

-You can use Sport-Brella not only as a ground shelter but also as a telescoping umbrella

- And as I mentioned before, the Sport-Brella is UPF 50+, blocking over 99.5% UVA/UVB rays

The Sport-Brella was an instant hit on the beach. The kids all gravitated to it, wanting to seek some cool shelter from the sun, and the adults loved it, wondering what it was and where to get one. I am so happy I discovered the Sport-Brella and I plan to use it all summer, and into the fall when I go to my kids soccer games. I know the Sport-Brella will protect my family from the sun, wind, cold and all of the elements.

The Sport-Brella retails online for $59.99, but use code “MWS” site-wide and save 15%!

You may be wondering why I used a travel potty seat while I was potty training in my house. Well, first of all, this potty seat fit nicely on a toilet that is a bit odd-shaped and was hard to use with other potty seats. Secondly, it was very easy to use and comfortable for my son. The inflatable seat with backrest support and handles made the large toilet seat nice and snug for my son. He felt safe and secure and it definitely helped him gain confidence as he learned to use the toilet. The seat was also very easy to clean. I just rinsed it under some warm water and it was clean in seconds.

This is a great product to take with you in your car, with you on a trip, or wherever you may venture to outside of your home. Since it is inflatable, it folds down to almost nothing, so it’s easy to pack and take along. The stabilization ring fits in the toilet seat opening and prevents the seat from slipping, which is a problem that I find with many of these types of seats.

Best of all, it is very inexpensive, at $7.99. Available in both blue and pink, this is a great product to have on hand for your potty-training or potty-trained child. Learn more about the inflatable potty seat with an interactive video or purchase online!

A little background first…

My boys are 5 and 2 1/2. We rarely use strollers anymore, however, I knew I would need to bring something on a trip involving airports, lots of walking, and general travel. When I learned that I had the chance to try out the Joovy, I figured, “why not!,” not truly realizing how fabulous this stroller is and how perfect it was for us and for our trip.

Now a bit on why this stroller is so amazing!

Our Joovy Caboose Ultralight allowed our two boys to comfortably sit throughout our travels. My younger son Jonah (2 1/2) sat in the two-position front seat and my older son Jacob (5) alternated between sitting in the padded, adjustable rear seat and standing. Jacob, who is a very tall child, had no problem using the back seat/standing. (The stroller accommodates kids 6 months through 45 lbs.) Jonah, who never really napped in a stroller previously, enjoyed the Joovy so much that every day around 2pm he asked to get in and take a walk to take a nap. Every single day of our trip Jonah napped in the Joovy for over 2 hours! (See why the Joovy was so important to the success of our trip?!) He also enjoyed keeping his cup and snack in the child tray and cup holder.

I also really loved using this stroller:

• First of all, it was a pleasure to steer. I am not going to slam any other stroller manufacturers, but I have been using another tandem stroller for 2 years and will not be using it again after my experience with the Joovy. My now-former not-to-be-named stroller was too hard to push with both kids in it, and much heavier and more cumbersome than the Joovy. The Joovy, however, has these amazing swivel “smooth-glide” wheels which make it a pleasure to push.
• It also has a large, awesome basket (which sometimes you lose on a double) and comes with a neoprene parent organizer! (How awesome is THAT?!) The parent organizer holds water bottles, cell phones, keys, iPods, credit cards and money, and more. We stuffed our sunscreen, room key, and some water bottles in it each day and were off!
• I also loved that it was extremely easy to fold up and was very light weight. We were able to easily store it in our hotel room (which was not huge) and even got compliments throughout our trip from other parents on how nice and compact the Joovy folded.
• A huge bonus for me and my family was the large sun visor/canopy. With a red-headed fair-skinned child in the Caribbean, we were definitely concerned about burning. But the Joovy’s huge canopy easily covered him and also covered part of my older son in the rear seat.
• Finally, the Joovy is a really nice looking stroller. Not that I am vain or anything but as far as the typical Sit and Stand goes, I think the Joovy is really attractive. And I love that it comes in a ton of great color choices. We had the bright and fun Sunset color, but also available are Sage, Black, Brownie, Blueberry, Orangetree, and Greenie.

One feature that I did not use but that is fabulous should you have a little one in an infant carrier is the universal car seat adapter. This easy-to-install adapter accepts most major brands and allows you to safely and easily tote around your newborn or infant along with your older child.

Really, I could go on and on about this stroller. It is my new favorite must-have for parents of two little ones. I’m not sure why it took me so long to experience the Joovy Caboose Ultralight, but I will certainly be using it all of the time now… and I highly recommend it to you if you have (or are expecting) 2 young children.

Thanks to Joovy for donating the Caboose Ultralight!

This beautiful, classic necklace features a photo of my two children, encased in an antique-looking, oxidized sterling silver photo charm with deep-set glass. Two simple, sweet “J” charms dangle along with the photo charm to complete the look. (You can also choose larger initial charms, birthstone crystals, and more to customize it to your taste.) It hangs on a sterling silver ball chain.

The first day I wore my necklace, I must have gotten a dozen or so compliments. People were drawn to the necklace, loving the photo and the way Jody, the owner of Belladorn, created it so beautifully.

This is a truly special piece that you will adore wearing. Every mom I know loves to show off her most precious gift — her children — and there is no better way to do it than to wear their sweet faces around your neck, by your heart, all day long (in a classic and stylish way!)

Treat yourself with one of these amazing pieces today! You deserve it! (Or gift one as a unique and special piece for grandmom for Valentines Day!)

Thanks to Belladorn for providing an Antiqued Deep Set Glass Photo Charm and Necklace for review.

Rag & Bone offers a full range of sophisticated products, from baby books, photo albums, address books, and day planners, to wedding and shower albums, guestbooks, binders, growth charts, and more. There are countless stylish cover options from whimsical designs to classic to sweet and simple looks.

One of their newest products is the 4×6 slip-in photo frame album. The cream colored paper pages are 100% acid-free and lay flat when opened. Photos may be removed & rearranged by simply sliding them out of the frame pages. These albums hold twenty 4 x 6 standard sized photos and make great brag-books or coffee-table books featuring your favorite holiday pictures or pictures from 2009.

Rag & Bone albums, made in Rhode Island, are made extremely well by skilled artisans. They are archival quality and are not only well constructed throughout, but are simply beautiful. You will definitely enjoy preserving your family’s memories in one of these classic albums!

Want a chance to win a 12×12 Paper page Album in Dogwood design (value: $98.00) and a Photo Frame album (value: $29.00)? Please comment and tell us your scrapbooking/photo goal for 2010 and you will be entered to win! Winner will be drawn on January 14th and will have 24 hours to respond to claim this special Rag & Bone prize.

Thanks to Rag & Bone Bindery for a sample of their new 4×6 frame album for this review.

When we arrived at Great Wolf, it was snowing, both inside and out! During the month of December, Great Wolf Lodge hosts their Snowland, with twinkling lights all over, festive trees and glittering snowflakes, holiday music, and snow that falls throughout the day. As part of Snowland, they also had Santa’s Workshop (where kids could make and mail letters to Santa), North Pole University for Elves, Story Time with Rowdy the Reindeer, cookie decorating, horse and wagon rides, visiting with Santa, and more.

Of course, the true star of any Great Wolf Lodge resort is their fabulous indoor waterpark. With 11 slides, 6 pools (including a wave pool), a giant waterfort, a lazy river and more, it’s a great time for the whole family. Both of my boys (ages 5 and 2) had a wonderful time. There were slides and water attractions perfect for their ages, as well as more daring slides and attractions for older kids, teens and adults. (After my kids went to bed, I ventured to the slides for some mom fun. It was awesome!)

When we were ready to take a break from our waterpark fun, there were a number of other things to do inside Great Wolf that my kids loved. We visited the Cub Club, where kids can play games, read stories, do craft activities, and more.  There is also the Northern Lights Arcade, which is a huge arcade with games, skee-ball, and a ticket-redemption area for prizes. One of the most popular features of the Great Wolf Lodge is MagiQuest, an interactive action adventure that immerses children of all ages into a world of Renaissance-style fantasy. Throughout the hotel we saw kids with their interactive wands completing quests and accumulating powers. It was exciting! Also available is a kids spa, called Scoops, which is a bright and pretty space for kids to get “ice cream pedicures” and other treatments. (Of course, there is the Element’s Spa for adults should you want to pamper yourself too!)

Great Wolf Lodge makes it easy for families by providing everything you need within the hotel. With a Starbucks,Pizza Hut, gift shop, snack shop inside the waterpark, and restaurant/buffet, it’s easy for everyone to find something they like, in a friendly, fun, family environment. Our family enjoyed eating at the various restaurants throughout the hotel and noticed that the food was consistently very good.

We also really enjoyed our spacious Wolf Den Suite. Inside our well-appointed room was a couch, outdoor balcony, and separate kid-themed sleeping area with bunk beds and their own TV and Nintendo. My kids LOVED this space and had so much fun in “their own room” within our room. It was perfect! All of the rooms at Great Wolf Lodge are spacious allowing families (even families with more than 3 kids) to share a room together. Some rooms had sleeping areas that were partitioned off, others had semi-private living areas, and some had kids cabins within the rooms! With so many room types there is definitely a style to fit your family’s needs.

As someone who tries to be as environmentally conscious as possible, I was very pleased to learn that Great Wolf  is the first, and only national hotel chain to have all of its U.S. properties Green Seal-Certified. They recently unveiled their own environmental sustainability program, called Project Green Wolf, which touches every part of operations, including waste minimization and recycling, energy efficiency, management of fresh water resources, environmentally & socially sensitive purchasing, and a guest education program.

We had such a great time visiting Great Wolf Lodge, and we will certainly be planning a trip back soon. Check out the locations to see if there is one near you, and treat your family this holiday season to some special family time together at the Great Wolf.

Thanks to Great Wolf Lodge for providing a discounted room rate for this review.

Two and a half years later, you could say I am still shocked that I have a redhead with blue eyes (both my husband and I are brunette with dark eyes, as well as our older son), and every day I enjoy the fun comments and feedback that we get on my son’s hair. I realized that my son (and I, as his mom) are now part of this exclusive “club” of redheads. When we see one another, we smile. We love to chat about our kids and their unique features. It’s really fun!

So when I learned about a new book written by a mom with a similar story to mine, I had to check it out. Little Redheads Across America, written by Nicole Giladi, is a fabulous book for special redheaded children and their families. It features tons of beautiful pictures of redheaded children from all over the country with all different shades of redheaded hair. Also peppered throughout the book are fun facts about redheads, like “Which Shade of Red Are You?”, “How did you get your red hair?”, “Myths and Superstitions,” and more, including information on sunburns and skin care, freckles, teasing and name calling.

My son (to the right) loves looking through the book, seeing other kids like him and looking at their pictures. And I love learning more about redheads, something I never thought about before my son came along.

If you have a redheaded child or know one, this unique, beautiful, hard-covered book makes a perfect (and very special and thoughtful) gift! Check out the book’s website with fun facts, pictures, games, and an online store, where you can order the book.

Now that it is cold out and I’m not walking around in flip-flops all day, I risk ruining my new pedicure by slipping on my shoes. But this is no longer a problem, thanks to my recent experience with Flexflops, the first emergency flip-flop that folds in half and stays in it’s own matching pouch.

Simply throw your Flexflop pouch in your purse or leave them in your car, and you are always ready for a pedicure! Unzip the adorable blinged-up pouch, unfold your Flexflops, and off you go! The Flexflop is extremely comfortable and made of a terry material. It’s available in a number of different stylish colors and styles (check out the great holiday selection). Some of my favorites include “Chic Feet,” “Pedi, Please,” and “Paint, Primp, Polish” with adorable heart bling. At around $20 each, they make great gifts for girlfriends, a trip, bridal party, maternity, and more!

Many of the Flexflops are on sale right now for 20% and more. Plus use code TWITTER for an additional 10% off your order.  Shop the adorable selection and enjoy!

I have reviewed many personalized necklaces and pieces of jewelry over the years, and one of the reasons I especially love my Tiny Tag necklace is its classic simplicity. I wear it every day with my jeans, work out clothes, or when I get “dressed” at night. It always seems to work and look great with whatever I wear! And I love the simple yet elegant looking ball chain (which is 16″ — I like mine short — but you can get it at 18″ or 20″ too.)

This is your staple mom necklace and every mom should have one! It’s at a great price, so put one on your holiday list or treat yourself! And while you are shopping, please check out all of the other great pieces that Tiny Tags offers. From jewelry for little girls to special items for Grandmom, sister, and more, there is something perfect for every woman on your gift list. For moms, I love the original Tiny Tag, or  this simple twist on the original Tiny Tag, which has a fun font alternative. Other gift ideas include the grandchildren bracelet for Grandmom, the initial necklace for teens or friends, sister necklace for your sis, or the Flower necklace for little girls. Use code “Mommies” for 20% off your purchase.

Tiny Tag’s have been recently reviewed in Us Weekly, Tot Trendy Weekly, and recently gifted to Ali Landry who loves hers!

Want a chance to win an original tag necklace with or without a Swarovski crystal (with your favorite color or child’s birthstone!)?  Tell us what you want for the holidays this year and you are automatically entered to win! Winner will be selected on December 8th and will be given 24 hours to respond. Good luck!