Housewares | Mommies With Style

If He Got You A Vacuum, I Hope It Was This One

January 5, 2012 By kate Leave a Comment

Really. I know they mean well. But when someone you love gets you a vacuum as a gift, despite perhaps your need for a new one or your love of clean floors, it just doesn’t go over well. So if you were the recipient of a cleaning devices this holiday season, my apologies. There are, however, a few exceptions. Like if he got you one of these.

Neato Robotics Vacuum: It’s not science fiction anymore. There are robots among us and some of them like to vacuum. I fell in love with this product even before I opened the box. “Our goal is to free everyone from the drudgery of household cleaning. Why? Because we all have better things to do with our time.” Amen. With three boys and a dog, I could easily justify vacuuming my house every day, yet surprisingly, I don’t actually enjoy vacuuming this often. Neato does. I’ve used other robot vacuums in the past and Neato has them beat in a few areas:

(1) It’s simple to use. Simple to set up, simple to schedule, simple to empty.

(2) It’s quiet(ish). It is a vacuum, but earplugs are not required.

(3) It’s (almost) as good as I am. I’m not going to sell myself short here – I’m a pretty awesome vacuumer. Dust bunnies? No problem. Cheerios? I won’t break a sweat. But I have eyes that can actually see these things. Neato only has a sensor. But it’s a darn good one that surveys the room via laser and then navigates around your furniture to hit all the nooks and crannies.

(4) It’s effortless. Every morning at 9:15am, my bedroom floor gets vacuumed. I however, am likely enjoying a cup of coffee.

Dyson DC41 Animal: If you’re not familiar with the brand, Dyson is to vacuums what Tiffany’s is to diamonds. (Note: Guys – do not attempt to propose with a Dyson.) The DC41 Animal is one of the newest additions to the Dyson family and it is a beast. This Animal sucked things out of my carpet I didn’t even know existed. Looking at the canister is a little bit like a freak-show. You’re grossed out that all that was in your carpet and on your floors and yet you Can’t. Look. Away. Some of my favorite features of the DC41 Animal:

- Strongest suction at cleaner head: 235 constant Air Watts of suction if you want to get specific. One of my favorite games is to position the vacuum at the base of the couch and see what that powerful suction pulls out from underneath. So far, it’s been Legos, goldfish and dust bunnies. Keeping my fingers crossed it finds an iPad.

- Washable filters: Buying filters takes time, money and brain space to remember that you need them. With Dyson’s washable filters, I get a clean start (for free!) as often as I like.

- The Ball: The design of the Ball makes turning a breeze and keeps all the nuts and bolts confined to a small area, leaving the rest for dust-sucking capacity.

- 35 foot cord: I know this feature may not win over some, but at 35 feet, I can vacuum my whole living room, dining room and kitchen – without unplugging. Win!

- “No Touch” canister emptying: No touching the vacuumed-up gunk at least. One button releases the canister from the vacuum. Pressing the button again, opens the bottom to release the contents into the trash. House clean. Hands clean. Done.

Seeing a cleaning device under the tree would likely earn raised eyebrows instead of roaring applause. But if it was a Dyson or Neato? Well, you just might be in luck.

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Kate Bayless is a freelance writer and editor with bylines in Parents, American Baby, Parenting, Babble and Momtrends. She is slightly embarrassed to admit that her holiday wish list included this item, but still would have rolled her eyes had her husband purchased it for her. Visit her at www.katebayless.com

MWS was not paid for this review. Samples were provided.

Filed Under: For the Home, Housewares Tagged With: cleaning, Dyson, Neato, robotic vacuums, vacuums

Gifts to Keep The Family Warm

December 22, 2011 By kate 1 Comment

The holidays are a perfect time to bundle up and get cozy. Here are some great gift picks to keep the whole family warm this winter.

Sunbeam LoftTec Heated Throw – A good throw is great to snuggle down with. Even better? A heated throw. Available in two neutral colors – a dark brown walnut and creamy seashell – the LoftTec Heated Throw offers Sunbeam’s highest level of softness and comfort with a thick, lofty, polyester material and Sunbeam’s ThermoFine technology that “senses and adjusts to deliver consistent warmth.” In other words, a blanket that knows what you need and delivers. I love that the 50 x 60″ throw is big enough to share (when I have to) and has 3 heat settings on a 6 foot cord to provide the perfect amount of warmth. Plus, the 3-hour automatic shut-off ensures I don’t broil all night if I fall asleep in front of It’s A Wonderful Life. $50

Khombu Bell Tower Boots – My husband lives in sandals which surprisingly are pretty ineffective at keeping your feet warm in the winter. That’s why I love these fur-lined Khombu Bell Tower boots. They are similar to another well-known boot brand, but at a fraction of the cost. Available in black or brown, the durable PU exterior is waterproof and rugged though it also looks nice enough to pass as a mid-range shoe. The interior is insulated with soft, plush fur that gives the boots a cold rating down to 20°F and Khombu’s Therolite insole that is breathable, moisture-wicking, shock-absoring and anti-fungal. The end result? Toasty toes in a boot that can go from shoveling the driveway to dinner at the in-laws. $50-$70

Petunia Stroll - Instead of piling blankets onto your babe for your winter walks, encase your little angel in Stroll by Petunia, a luxurious bunting bag. Available in seven gorgeous chenille and printed polyester designs, Stroll is lined with uber-soft velour that will make you wish they offered adult sizes. Place the bunting bag into your stroller and weave through your stroller’s safety harness. Conveniently placed zippers make it easy to get your little one in and out while keeping them snugly and warm while bundled up. Plus, you can match your Stroll to one of Petunia’s chic diaper bags or accessories like the Adorn iPhone 4 case for a complete look. $149

Filed Under: Babies, Diaper Bags & Totes, Holiday 2011, Home Decor, Housewares, Strollers Tagged With: blanket, boots, bunting bag, electric blanket, Khombu, Petunia, Stroll, Sunbeam, throw, warm

Dear Santa – Please Send Kitchen Appliances (And A Giveaway!)

December 19, 2011 By kate

CONTEST CLOSED – Congrats to DeNai who won our Vitamix giveaway!

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What tools are to some guys, kitchen appliances are to me – and I imagine many of you can relate. There’s something about a shiny new appliance in the kitchen that just makes the food taste better – or at least make me want to cook more. Here are some great holiday gift picks for the kitchen – forward freely to the gift-buyers in your life. (Amazing giveaway below!)

Omega VRT350 Juicer: I wrote about this juicer a few weeks ago and have discovered there’s a reason it’s made by a company called Omega – it’s the last juicer you’ll ever need to own. From kale, spinach and dandelion greens to carrots, beets and celery, the Omega VRT350 has handled everything I’ve attempted to juice with ease. As a slow juicer, it carefully squeezes out the nutritious juice at 80 RPM (unlike traditional juicers that use speeds of 1,650 to 16,000 RPM to obliterate the food – and many of the nutrients). The vertical design makes it easy to store on the counter without sacrificing too much space, and the dual juicing screens (coarse and fine) let me customize the pulp level I want. Plus it’s fast, efficient, compact and quiet. $380 at Omega.

Breville Smart Oven: I love smart appliances and this is one do-all mini oven that is worth the counter space. The Smart Oven can toast and roast, bake and broil, reheat and keep warm to perfection every time. How is it so smart? Its Element IQ ideally adjusts the oven’s 1800 watts of power based on which of the 9 preset menu functions you choose. BROIL sends all the power to the top elements to perfectly melt cheese or brown meats. TOAST equally browns both the top and bottom of the bread while BAGEL crisps the top side of the bagel, only lightly toasting the bottom side. Making COOKIES? The Smart Oven has a preset for that. Need a fast dinner and want to throw in a PIZZA? Smart Oven has a preset and an included non-stick pizza pan. If the cookies or pizza are frozen, just press the FROZEN FOODS button and the oven will automatically adjust the time to allow for defrosting and cooking. Even better, the Smart Oven remembers your desired settings for each category. The Smart Oven is a sleek, stainless steel toaster oven that blends seamlessly in the kitchen and makes toasting, roasting, baking and broiling effortless. Now if only it was self-cleaning…. $249 at Breville

Vitamix Professional Series 500: This recent release from Vitamix combines the powerful variable speed control Vitamix has always been known for with new pre-programmed settings for the recipes customers use more. Plus, they’ve added a Pulse button to give you complete control over your blending. If you’ve never used a deluxe blender like this, you’ll need to adjust your mindset of what a blender can do. Smoothies and pureed soups are elementary here. With a Vitamix, you have the ability to handcraft your own nut butters, grind grains into flour, chop everything from carrots and coleslaw to coconuts and cheese, whip up frozen desserts in seconds and mix and kneads bread dough. Yes, bread from your blender. I love the versatility and power the Vitamix Professional Series 500 offers and the help they provide in getting you to truly experience all the features and abilities of the blender with their helpful instructional DVD and recipe book with over 300 delicious inspirations. Just this week, I’ve tried out their Pumpkin Pie Latte and amazing Brie and Bacon Dip as well homemade almond butter and a berry sorbet. Plus the kids helped me make our own super-fine, colored sugar sprinkles for decorating cookies. An investment for sure, but worth it if you use all its features. $599 at Williams-Sonoma.

** GIVEAWAY ** Vitamix is giving away one of their Professional Series 500 blenders to one lucky MWS reader! To enter, leave a comment below with what you’re looking forward to blending, chopping, pureeing or grinding up most. You can earn additional entries by doing any of the following (be sure to come back here and leave us a separate comment telling us you did!)

- follow MWS or Vitamix on Facebook

- following MWS, Vitamix or me on Twitter

- share a link to this post on Facebook

- tweet about the contest using the hashtag #MWSvitamix

Contests ends December 22, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST. No PO boxes and US residents only. Winner will be chosen by random.org and notified via email. Winner has 3 days to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Please not that the product will NOT arrive in time for the Christmas holiday.

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Note: MWS was not paid for this review. Some product samples were provided.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Holiday 2011, Housewares Tagged With: blender, breville, cooking, healthy eating, juicers, kitchen, Omega, toasters, vitamix

Cuisinart 12-Cup Coffee Maker, 73% off on Amazon’s Gold Box Deal of the Day

December 11, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

I wish I had someone to buy this before because this is a great deal! Have someone on your list who loves coffee and could use an upgrade to their coffeemaker? Look no future and buy by the end of the day today!

This Cuisinart 12-Cup Coffee Maker normally retails for $185.00. You can buy it today for $49.99 with free shipping on Amazon. Such a fab deal – snatch it up before end of day if you can use this for someone on your list!

Filed Under: Cooking, Coupon Codes & Sales, For the Home, Housewares Tagged With: coffee, Cuisinart, deals, sales

78% Discount! $12 for 12 Issues of Real Simple Magazine

December 7, 2011 By Whitney Leave a Comment

Love Real Simple magazine! They have the best recipes and simple ideas to make your life easier. I used to keep their magazines for months!

A subscription doesn’t come cheap, which is why this one is such a great deal! Amazon’s running a Gold Box Deal on it – $12 for 12 issues. It is auto-renewal but you can literally sign up and cancel a month later (yet still get your year) It’s so worth it and what a great gift, right?

Get 12 issues of Real Simple for $12 on Amazon – not sure how long this one will last so hop to it!

Filed Under: Cooking, For the Home, Housewares Tagged With: magazine subscription, real simple magazine

The Perfect Holiday Hostess Gift: Little Black Dress Wine, $10 a Bottle!

December 7, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

I know I shouldn’t be influenced by a label when it comes to wine, but the honest truth is that I love the name and look of these Little Black Dress wines. It’s just makes me want to uncork it and hang with the girls – am I right?

So as a bonus, the wine is good! I tested in out the Little Black Dress Chardonnay and I was not disappointed. It was great.

Triple bonus, it’s affordable!! You lucky ducks that don’t live in PA (where you can’t get wine in a grocery store – boo) can find Little Dress Wines in your local Walmart, Albertson’s, Ralph’s and Kroger’s for the thrifty price of $10 a bottle! Visit their Retail Availability page to see where your closest spot to buy it is.

Filed Under: For the Home, Housewares Tagged With: hostess gifts, little black dress wine, wine

Lowe’s Helps Me Do My Laundry

October 9, 2011 By kate 1 Comment

There are a few things that can truly upset the working order of our house and bring things to a standstill – when the water has to be shut off (no showers! no flushing!), when the laundry isn’t working and when we are out of milk. It’s this middle dilemma that I was recently faced with – a 10+ year old washing machine that went from being semi-effective albeit noisily to quiet and smoking. Yes, literally smoking.

Once we discovered it was no easy fix our washer needed, I did what everyone does these days when they need information – I went online. The searching was endless, the option mind-boggling – what did I really need in a washer? What did I really want? Did I have time to worry about features when my laundry pile was starting to look like Mt Everest?!? And then I ended up in an unlikely place (for me anyways) – the Lowe’s website. I’m familiar with Lowe’s – we have one less than a mile away from us and I know that my husband frequents there often. But me? Not so much.

Lowe’s however had something called an Appliance Selector Tool which drew me in. You select your appliance (washer) and it asks you a handful of questions about your specifications, needs and desires (in my case, load size, energy efficiency, features like steam, pretreating, allergy cycles, etc.) Then, as you answer, it narrows down the appliance options to only show those that meet your criteria. When I was done answering all of the questions, the Appliance Selector Tool narrowed down Lowe’s 140 washing machines to just one – this Whirpool front-loader. It really did have everything I needed – a large capacity (4.3 cu. ft. for my family of 5), quiet (the washer is practically in our kitchen) and energy efficient, both Energy Star certified and CEE Tier III (the most efficient at saving water and energy). I was so impressed I got a bit ahead of myself and even used the Appliance Selector Tool to pick out a new refrigerator (for my dreams).

But the more I spent time on the Lowe’s website, the more I realized that Lowe’s can indeed be a place for the the whole family. From outdoor fall projects like fire pits, winter garden and homemade backyard games to kid-sized garden tools and kid’s Build And Grow building sets, Lowe’s offers much more than lumber and tools.

I even ventured down to our local Lowe’s on my own one afternoon to check out the Whirpool washing machine in person and was inspired to start pondering half a dozen different redecorating/DIY/organizing projects from the things I saw there. Plus I learned that Lowe’s offers Saturday morning Build and Grow clinics where I can take my three boys and help them construct all sorts of cool wood crafts like monster trucks, airplanes and pirate ships. Yep, put a tally mark in the cool mom category.

The next time the hubs needs to run down to Lowe’s for “just a few things” I think I might just tag along. And get my own cart.

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Mommies With Style was not paid for this review. I am working with Lowe’s to provide information about their site and services in exchange for product. The reviews expressed here are my own.

Kate Bayless is a writer, editor and after her recent visit to Lowe’s, is now considering remodeling nearly ever room in her house. Send help. Her work has appeared in Parents, American Baby, Fit Pregnancy, iVillage and other publications. Visit her at www.katebayless.com or @katebayless.

Filed Under: For the Home, Housewares Tagged With: appliances, choose the best washing machine, Lowe's, washing machine, Whirlpool

Loving Our Colourful Sticky Labels from Mabels Labels

September 14, 2011 By Whitney Leave a Comment

This time of year is always a whirlwind of labeling things for my kids for back to school. After this year’s Style School, I’m using Mabel’s Labels. Years ago, I had used Mabels Labels and I don’t know why I ever stopped!

I ordered my kids some Colourful Sticky Labels ($21). Love these! They stick to just about anything – I have them on my kids’ backpacks, lunch boxes and inside their clothes. (They can go through the wash)

Each order comes with 45 Sticky Labels. Aren’t they cute? And so practical. Avoid those mix-ups at school and label everything with Mabel’s Labels.

Disclaimer: Mabel’s Labels was a sponsor of Style School. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Family Travel, Feeding & Mealtime, Housewares, Kids, On The Go, Play Time, School gear Tagged With: mabel's labels, Style School

Hands-Free with my VTech Phone – Multitasking At its Best!

September 13, 2011 By Whitney Leave a Comment

At any given moment at home, I’m attempting to do four things at once. Empty the dishwasher. Make the kids a snack. Talk on the phone. Feed the cats. Make myself a cup of coffee. Need I go on and on?

I’m like any other Mom in the house – busy and multitasking several different things at once.

So having a hands free phone is a huge help. I had tried a few head sets in the past and never found anything that had a decent quality that was good enough to hold an extended conversation on.

But I have one now that I love. The new VTech LS6475-3 cordless headset phone system ($99.95 with free shipping) is awesome. I have asked several people if they can tell the difference when I’m on the headset versus and phone and no one can. It’s top quality and it makes my life remarkably easier for those harried moments.

Other cool perks that come with this phone:

-Caller ID announces who is calling. (In other words, no need to drop everything and rush to the phone for a telemarketer!)

-You can expand this phone to use up to 12 handsets and you only need one phone jack! (additional phone units are $19.95)

-Store up to 50 names and number in your phone directory

-Cool blue backlight on all the phones

-If you don’t have a voicemail package with your phone service, it comes with a digital answering machine!

Get this VTech model at VTechPhones.com for $99.95 with free shipping

Filed Under: For the Home, Housewares, Mommy Time, On The Go Tagged With: bluetooth, handsfree phone, phones, VTech

Coffee-Mate Introduces Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer

September 1, 2011 By Whitney 3 Comments

It’s hard to believe that there was a time that I didn’t drink coffee. I only started drinking it three or four years ago but these days, if I don’t get my morning cup, it’ll be one of those days. I rely on my Keurig and my several shots of Coffee-Mate French Vanilla creamer. (I won’t take any other flavor!)

So I was interested in posting about this new product – Coffee-Mate’s Natural Bliss. It’s a much healthier alternative than what I was using. These new products are all natural with no artificial ingredients and are made with real milk and cream. Thank you Coffee-Mate! I love it. In my on-doing effort to eat organically and more healthy in the family, this is a

The three flavors are Vanilla, Caramel, and Sweet Cream. I’ll be using the Vanilla of course but the other two sound great as well. Visit the Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss page to read more about this latest product. Like ‘em on Facebook too if you are a fan!

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Coffee-mate and received coupons and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Filed Under: For the Home, Housewares, On The Go Tagged With: Coffee Mate

Love this Textile Spool Wine Rack

July 26, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

How cool is this Reclaimed Textile Spool Rack? Wish it weren’t $275.00 but pretty neat, huh?

$275.00 at UnCommonGoods.com.

Filed Under: For the Home, Housewares Tagged With: uncommon goods, wine, wine rack

Giada De Laurentiis for Target Kitchen

July 18, 2011 By nancy Leave a Comment

Recently I had an opportunity to attend a preview of Target’s new grocery products, which included Giada De Laurentiis for Target Kitchen. Giada De Laurentiis did two cooking demos for us, using her food and culinary products. I am such a Target fan , plus I worked in production at the food network from 94 to 99 (3 years before she joined the channel), so I was so curious to see if she was as warm as she was on TV.

Giada showed us how to make Linguine with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives and Lemon and Mini Caprese Burgers using the products she developed with Target.

I had a front row view and had a great time watching her cook and hear how she worked with Target. As she did her cooking demo, she chatted with us about kids and dealing with picky eaters (something that I deal with everyday with my oldest child). We found her to be warm and welcoming- plus the food she made was delicious.

Giada told us she prefers to strain her pasta by using a pasta scoop – not just draining a whole heavy pot into a strainer in the sink. She showed us the one she developed with Target called the Giada De Laurentiis for Target® Scoop and Strain Stainless Steel Colander ($14.99). We were given one to take home and it’s my new favorite kitchen tool. I don’t burn myself with the steam anymore by draining a whole pot of pasta — and since I make pasta for my children just about every day, it’s getting a lot of use. She also showed us her Panini Press and Mezzaluna Knife, as well as her Dutch Oven (which at $89.99 is pretty reasonable). As a mom who cooks every night, her tools (which were affordable and quality) are going to inspire me to create even more fun dishes for my family.

For dealing with picky eaters, Giada recommended making a few pasta shapes together to keep kids interested and to have my oldest child help me in the kitchen. We sampled her new specialty foods — note: you’ve GOT to check out her Charred Tomato Vinaigrette ($2.99) and her Pesto! New for 2011 is Bucatini, Galleti, Fuscilli Corti and Gobetti Pasta. The pasta has fun shapes and is organic. Prices range from $2.49 – $2.79.

I couldn’t possibly mention all the great Giada De Laurentiis for Target Products we saw, plus all the amazing Archer Farms and Target branded foods, but we love the selection and all the different specialty items we saw. One theme was rampant– they were affordable and still had quality ingredients. As Giada told us, “Only Target could have the resources to make her pasta sauce $2.99 and not skimp on good ingredients!”.

Thank you to Target who hosted Giada De Laurentiis’ Cooking Demo. We were given a samples of Target Grocery items to take home.

Filed Under: Cooking, Feeding & Mealtime, Feeding Baby, Housewares Tagged With: cooking, Giada De Laurentiis, target

Mommies with Style Interviews Brooke Burke on Tips for Hosting Summer Parties

July 13, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

So I was off at the beach when I received this opportunity to interview Brooke Burke on some summer hostess/BBQ tips. She was nice enough to answer my questions online by video and she has some fab tips on kids being a part of a BBQ, her favorite BBQ food choices, how to set the mood and more – check it out here:

Filed Under: Entertainment, For the Home, Housewares, Misc, Outdoors & Gardening, Parents Tagged With: Bacardi, Brooke Burke, Summer BBQ

Father’s Day: Web TV With Boxee

June 7, 2011 By kate Leave a Comment

I’m all about Father’s Day gift that dads will love and moms will appreciate which is why I’ve been having fun trying out the Boxee Box from D-Link. Here’s the low-down on this great gift idea for dad.

What Is It?

The Boxee Box is a media device that allows you to access internet content, online sources for TV and movies, your personal photos, music, movies and more all on you HDTV.

What’s Included?

The Boxee comes with a, well, box-type shape device and a dual-sided remote. Very cool. One side is called the “Simple Side” which has a play/pause button, menu/go back button and a select/directional pad to navigate through menus. The other side of the remote has a mini-QWETY keyboard which makes it super easy to type in the address of your favorite website or search your music collection for a specific artist.

What Can You Do?

Movies – You can access a collection of free movies from sources like myLifetime, SnagFilms, EZtakes and Databazaar, upload your own movies from a hard drive or network, or access a gazillion movies on Netflix (if you are a member) or VUDU ($3.99 to rent). I may never set foot in another video store again.

Watch TV shows – The Boxee aggregates thousands of your favorite TV shows from the web into one convenient location. For him, there’s Family Guy, Nova, The Office and The Daily Show. For you, there’s CSI, Chuck and Glee and the kids will be thrilled to see episodes of iCarly, Dinosaur Train, Scooby-Doo and SuperWhy. The quality of the playback will definitely depend on your Internet connection, but overall, I have been very pleased.

Apps – Boxee currently has apps (with more being added all the time!) that tailor stuff from the web for your TV. There are lots of apps that will look familiar (Netflix, Pandora, vimeo, CNN, TED, Facebook, MLB, HBO Go) and lots of new ones to introduce you to a whole host of new content. My one complaint is that I wish the apps offered a bit more description about what they are and the type of content they offered. There were a bunch that I’d never heard of and the little description that pops up when you click on it was only marginally useful in giving me a clear idea of what it was about.

Connect With Friends – As if you weren’t already connected enough, Boxee lets you connect with friends on Facebook, Twitter and Google Buzz to find out what your friends are watching and recommending.

Play Your Own Stuff – Whether it’s your personal music collection, home movies, funny video clips from your last vacation or photos of the kids, you can drop your media to the included SD card and upload it to Boxee. Never have your friends and family crowd around your computer screen again to see that slideshow from your last trip.

The bad news….

You can’t watch just ANYTHING off the web. Websites are getting smart and making you pay to watch certain content on certain devices. Take Hulu for example. You have access to thousands of clips and movies for free on your computer, but try to access Hulu.com on Boxee and you’ll need to join Hulu Plus (for $7.99 a month) to view anything at all.

The Competition

Are their other devices that do similar things? Yes, but Boxee’s got them beat in a number of areas. Check out their comparison chart here.

How I’ve Been Using Boxee

- watching free YouTube workout videos full size on my TV instead of trying to maneuver the laptop to the floor (I’m loving the POP Pilates series)

- my own large-scale digital frame to easily show pictures from our last adventure

- catching up on old shows (Sex in the City and SNL) and discovering new ones (Modern Family, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia)

- pulling up an Instant Watch clip on Netflix of Diego or Backyardigans for the kids to watch when I need 20 minutes of silence

Buy Now! Whether you’re looking for a gift for dad or just another way to connect all your media together, visit D-Link to learn more about Boxee and find a retailer near you. Or hop on over to Amazon and get one in the mail to you today for $199.

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Disclaimer: D-Link sent a sample of the Boxee for this review. The feedback is my own.

Filed Under: Dads, Entertainment, For the Home, Housewares

Hot Weather Calls for a Trip to Target

June 1, 2011 By Whitney 3 Comments

We’re in the midst of an early summer heat wave here in Philadelphia. My back deck thermometer read 101 yesterday in the sun which wasn’t really true but still tells you that it’s pretty damn hot outside.

I’m holing away inside of my air-conditioned house as much as I can but of course my daily craze gets me outside pretty often. The kids have been loving the heat. They’ve been running around with water balloons and whatever other items we have that involve water outside.

As I had to make a trip to Target yesterday, I stocked up on backyard water blasters, swim toys and other items the boys were thrilled with. I buy my boys water blasters like this Swimways Splash Blaster ($10.49 with free shipping) because somehow a “blaster” seems better to me than a “water gun.” Plus, they’re just more efficient in a water fight.

I also wanted to point out that this Swimways Baby Spring Float is on sale for $15.29. We used this float for both boys as babies and toddlers and loved it because you can let the kids tool around in the pool in it and that mesh part allows you to leave toys sitting there for them to play with. A great buy.

Of course I had to check out their swimwear as they have some great bathing suits if you go at the right time (ie before it gets hot). It was completely picked over in my size of course but I ended up finding this one piece black cover up for $14.99 from Xhilaration! I was thrilled and ended up wearing it out last night and is looks like an actual black dress. It’s not this one pictured but it’s similar. Just a great, versatile piece of clothing. This Mossimo Strapless Smocked Black Dress is really cute too for only $18.00.

Filed Under: For the Home, Housewares, Kids, Play Time, Toys Tagged With: strapless black dress, summer fun, target, water guns, water toys

Go Green with Staples Sustainable Earth

April 27, 2011 By Whitney 1 Comment

I find it totally awesome that big brands like Staples are on board with offering green product options. Now Staples has Sustainable Earth, a line of organic and green products available online and in-store.