My 4yr old has this obsession with not wearing socks…ever. She insists that socks “hurt” her feet too much. I could buy her a brand new pair straight out of the package and she would still say they are “bad” and “hurt”. Half the time, mom is bent over forcing on a pair of perfectly fit socks, fighting a toddler. Ugh. I gave up.

Then these super cool socks came called EZ Sox. They sent me enough sizes that I even gave my niece and nephew some. Ariel thought they were great. I felt like was finally stressfree on the whole idea of socks. She tried them on, and the look on her face was priceless. I really think the process of putting them on easy with handles herself is what she liked the most. But, she said these socks were “the no hurt kind”. Hey I will take that and run!

She wanted to wear the same frog design for days but I had to pry them off her and switch them out. I think I might have to ask EZ Sox to create sizes large enough to get her through high school. ;- )

Here is a great EZ Sox video:

Overall: This pair of Ez sox are $9.99 for a 2 pair pack (2 pairs of fun animal designs in each pack) and if you have new learners or just stubborn ones like mine, go for Ez Sox! Cute and easy, these are perfect for toddlers! My mother in law said my niece and nephew both enjoyed putting the socks on themselves too, and left them on throughout the day. And from what I know about them…. that’s a plus! lol

-They do carry sizes for older kids and I just seen they have adult sizes too! I am kinda excited about that in Ariels case haaa. But on a serious note, these are great for anyone with immobile needs or those who really want to have some sort of Independence. Its a positive product!

I received product to review.

Indigo with white contrast stitching and coordinating long sleeve t-shirts, sleeveless kimono shirt/ vest and camisole tops in Natural cotton color with a coordinating white contrast stitch.  Whatever you buy from this collection will also go beautifully with other pieces in your child’s wardrobe.

Kids Organic has a really brilliant idea for collections. Each collection is 2 color tones, and no graphics; all solids. I chose the BlueZ Collection. I liked the blue tone, and the way it looked down to earth and unisex. I was sent the outfit above,It reminded me of a tom sawyer version. The pants have a pocket on one side, the shirt has some pretty stitching, and of course the cap. Since it did not fit my own daughter, I sent it to my niece. One great thing about this brand, is that it is 100% organic. My niece has alot of skin irritations so knowing that it was organic made me feel better.

I felt the clothes ran a little small, so just keep that in mind when ordering. As far as the quality, these clothes felt as if they were made out of bamboo material or similar. They are soft and seem comfy. The whole outfit was rather cute, you have to check out the rest of the collections.

I received product(s) for my review ( Rachel Florio PR)

Please try to refrain your eyes. This is serious cuteness overload. Chelsea Baby is an uber amazing designer of baby booties. I have a neice and she is more tom boy, but her aunt (me!) thinks she needs fluffy, furry, ooey, gooey cute stuff. This pair of  booties called “Shelley” are all that and a bag of animal crackers.

They arrived in a beautiful package. Clear box, with yellow shredding, and all you could see was tulle. As soon as I saw the branded suede, lime green bottoms, my heart melted. Now, at $42.50, it may seem a high price for a gift, but doesn’t your daughter or niece need these!

Super soft, easy to put on, and a show stopper. The bow snaps off (you can purchase several others to mix and match)  and they are 100% machine washable! The fabric is even resistant to spills and stains.

I sent mine off to my niece and my mother in law said she absolutely adored them. Even if I am her only aunt..I am still in the lead for her favorite thanks to Chelsea Baby!

 The lime green and mango “Sensuede” in combination with the black and white houndstooth pattern toe is just the right mix. And the sherbet tule in combination with the striped grosgrain ribbon makes this snap on bouquet an instant success

I received product(s) for my review ( Rachel Florio PR)

Paying hommage to the classic mix tape, this screened design showcases a cassette tape image and the words “Old School” on a black tee. This eye-catching design is sure to cause a few heads to turn with it’s bold graphic and unique design.

This company has by far the cutest retro, modern, shirts for your toddlers. As soon as I seen this mix tape, old school, long sleeve shirt, I had to have it. Funny story, on a visit to Goodwill one day, both of my daughters asked what a Walkman was. When we explained that CDs were new to us and we had stuff called Tapes, my oldest looked horrified. Hence, when I seen Little Trendstar had this mix tape shirt, I wanted it.

The quality and size are wonderful. Since washing, nothing has faded or peeled either. You can get “Old School” in sizes 2T – 6T and it retails for $26.  I got this for my daughter and one think I like about the majority of their shirts, is they can be unisex. If you do have twins or siblings in similar sizes, you can cut costs by purchasing just one of each and sharing. I think that is perfect!

Little Trendstar® t-shirts and onesies are also produced with kids in mind! Each t-shirt and onesie is printed with non-toxic, water-based inks that contain no phthalates or PVC!  They are also 100% cotton, Made in the USA and sweatshop free!

I received product(s) for my review ( Rachel Florio PR)

We live in Washington, and although we have cold weather, we do have places like Great Wolf Lodge that offers all year round indoor warm water fun. But my niece and nephew live in Texas, where they are almost still in “summer” mode. So for this review, we sent a girls rash guard to my niece. Some of the benefits of SwimZip Rash Guard are:

* UPF 50+ rash guard
* Full zipper front
* Flat seams
* Quality stretch lycra/nylon construction
* Zipper flap for safer zipping
* Chlorine resistant
* Comfy tagless neck

SwimZip is an easy-on, easy-off UV 50+ protective swim shirt for children. The full front zipper and sewn-in protective Collar make changing little ones a breeze. The no-pinch zipper flap, tagless neck, and flat seams make wearing the swimwear comfy! SwimZip’s material is chlorine resistant too. Our swimwear protects young children from harmful UV rays.

The sizes are from 2T-5T. My favorite feature of SwimZip is that the zipper has a little cover so it won’t nip your child’s neck. That is always my fear, and leave it to me to be zipping up one of my kids and slice them on a zipper. Also the fact that it is Chlorine resistant, and block 99% of UVA/UVB rays is wonderful.

You can pair this rash guard with any bottoms, or even with a swimmer pull up for smaller kids. For boys, it would even look stylish with a pair of board shorts playing in the sand! Girls, put it over their normal swimsuit for added protection.

Stock up now, before the summer season starts. This would be a great present to add for Christmas if you are looking to surprise the kids with Disney tickets or a family vacation!

Follow SwimZip on Twitter & Facebook

I received samples for my review

Some information provided from website

The last time I happen to tweet something with the words Star Wars, I had a slew of people talking to me randomly. It’s the total “in” thing lately, especially with the latest movie hitting blue ray a few weeks ago.

What better way than to take my inner geek and expose it for everyone on Halloween with a Deluxe Jango Fett Costume from BuyStarWarsCostumes.com. I have never seen a site solely dedicated to the Star Wars cult following (can I call it that?), and I found it seriously awesome. You should see the authentic gear they have on there. Where else can you get a Chewbacca costume made of actual fur? It’s for those die hard fans at $423+ but (cough) I think I could splurge for that one.

Yea, you know you want this.

Oh my goodness, they even have authentic lightsabers with lights and motion activated sounds!! Freakin A. I could have an actual battle with Darth Vader (Uh, yea they have his costume too!)

Anyways, back to my costume (pictured at top):

So It comes with everything shown except the holster and blasters which is fine, since I had a Nerf gun of the kids that could totally pass as an awesome addition. It does comes with 2 Piece Full Head PVC Mask, Jumpsuit with molded body armor, Molded Belt and Gloves. It has 2 sizes, standard or XL.  The price is considerable cheap for being a licensed costume, only $67.

This deluxe Jango Fett costume includes a polyester jumpsuit complete with molded body armor, a 3D molded belt, gloves, and a 2 piece full head PVC helmet. Jumpsuit attaches in back of the neck. Make your costume complete with Jango Fett blasters and holster. This is an officially licensed Star Wars costume.

They even have costumes to fit the whole family. You can all be a different Star Wars character! Even your dog! (You cant tell I am excited right?) I would love for my dog to be the infamous Yoda.

Get the whole family into the act with our huge selection of kid’s Star Wars costumes. We offer costumes for the little jedi in your life, as well as the little princess. In sizes infant to x-large, BuyStarsWarsCostumes.com is sure to have something for everyone. Now you won’t have to leave out even the smallest members of your Star Wars clan!

Overall, my costume arrived pretty speedy and made of far better material than what you buy in the stores. Everything fit fine, but I am on the shorter side, so if you are pretty tall, you might want to order the XL just based on that. Other than that, it looks I better not see  Master Obi-Wan Kenobi anywhere. Where my clone girls at!!?

If you are placing a last minute order for Star Wars Costumes, you have to check them out. If you need some other types of costumes, you can head over to their sister site HalloweenCostumes.com and use a code for 10% (just click the link and the code will automatically apply for you).

“Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things.”
Yoda-

I received product for my review.

In a recent Mom Central/T.J.Maxx and Marshalls survey of nearly 1,000 moms, almost half (43%) name value or prices as the most important factor with the second highest factor being quality (40%) when it comes to BTS shopping and a whopping 80% said rising costs will impact this shopping season.  

Having only boys (sigh) I immediately looked at Marshall’s suggestions for this school year:

• Denim is a key wardrobe staple for guys, and this year whiskered jeans in darker washes are perfectly paired with a plaid button-­?down and chukka boots.
• Vintage tees with a pair of striped shorts and basketball sneakers make his walk down the hall one that no one will forget.
• A lightweight hoodie is his fall jacket. Whether solid or striped, this must-­?have can be worn with everything from shorts to denim and tees or a more formal button-­?down style.
• For more casual days, athletic wear is a great option. A tee and shorts or running pants with a pair of Americana kicks will keep guys comfortable, yet on-­?trend.
•  Cross-­?body bags in either solid or prints are the perfect way for guys to carry their books and look cool at the same time.

I  was so very excited when my in-laws offered to watch the kids for an evening.  I told my husband the first place we need to stop is at T.J. Maxx so we can search for great deals without the boys.  Going into the store I had one mission set in my mind….great deals!   I just started at the boys’ clothing and worked my way down the racks.  Almost immediately I found the best deal of the day:

Retail price: $45.00  on clearance for $15.00!!!!!

My husband found this next outfit which is going to be a Thanksgiving outfit:

Retails for $59.99   T.J. Maxx price: $29.99

My take:  I never even knew a T.J. Maxx was so close to my house but now that I do..watch out because I will be hunting monthly for great deals like I found above.  I was impressed with the cleanliness, the large selection of clothing and the big signs making everything easy to locate.

Want your chance to win? Enter here:

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I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of T.J.Maxx and Marshalls and received a gift card to facilitate my review and thank me for taking the time to participate.”

• Just for girls…glitter, glitz and gingham
• Pearlized synthetic leather
• Heelys Wave Comfort Heel Bracket provides comfort and stability
• Gum rubber Ninja Star outsole
• Fats low profile wheels with ABEC 1 bearings

I recently was given the chance to review a pair of Heelys for myself. And I laughed. I am lucky to walk stable win regular shoes, let alone to add a wheel and wish me luck.

Instead, I chose to pick a pair for my oldest daughter. She had some when she was younger but wow they have come a long way. Not only were the new designs really fresh, but these weigh a lot less than the older style. I felt the older styles were big, bulky and weighed as much as a newborn baby! Now, Heelys has a new design for the wheels, making the new pair I received much easier for her to glide around in. New, lower profile and more a real show look.

On the design, you can just take a look and see my “Sassy” pair is far better looking now. They remind me of Twinkle Toes but for the emo/skater crowd. This way, she is still keeping her girlie side and the “I can out run your butt” side. She loved these ones! The wheel pops in and out very easy and she said they are a lot easier for her to use. We felt the shoes did run a little larger than other shoes. I am kind of glad though because I would rather have her grow into them, than order them and they be too small. She was showing all her friends her new “sparkly heelys” .

If you’re looking to get noticed, step into the Sassy. With its rhinestones and glitter accents, we’ve got glitz covered. It’s up to you to bring the glamour.

Sassy is $55 and runs from a size 12 kids to a size 7 women’s!

Learn how to use Heelys with Skate 101. Follow Heelys on Facebook & Twitter !

I received product for my review. Special thanks to Heelys & Business To Blogger.

The Tacoma Mall (part of Simon Malls) was nice enough to help out and send us on a little shopping trip to get as many school school clothes as we could on $100. I am a savvy shopper so that wasn’t too bad. I had 4 kids with me that day (I was babysitting), so 1st we went and had some fun by signing up for the Kidgits Program. For $5 a year (per child) they get a TShirt, several freebies at pretzel places, and stores, lots of discounts and even can spin a wheel every shopping trip for a prize. (Plus every Saturday they can come and play or have story time) They had so much fun getting an Aunt Annies pretzel and goodie bags.

Now that I have them munching, we are off to The Children’s Place. I had a coupon for an extra 15% off my total plus almost everything was on sale. I found leggings and shirt for Jas and 4 shirts & 1 legging for Ariel all for $38.13 (tax and discount included). Um just in case you didn’t know and you want to be the best mom ever…they sell Justin Beiber t-shirts!

Then over to Crazy 8 (a sub store of Gymboree), where they have a TV and bench to keep the kids entertained while you shop. That was a lifesaver! I managed to get a good bit here. No coupons or extra discounts and they don’t take a Gymboree point card yet. Here, I spent a total of $62.77 on 10 items (only paying 90 cents out of pocket). Several items were marked down more than 50% .

Overall- 17 items for $100.90 including tax!

1st Day Of School! Backpack- Sears, Lunch bag- Pottery Barn Kids, Shirt & Pants- The Children's Place, Watch- JB Collection at JcPennys

(Side note- We let Jas have a sleepover with all her girlfriends the night before and they were covered in “washable” tattoos in the morning so on the 1st day of school she was still rocking them lol)

We did some more shopping on my own dime, but only for accessories. You know you can’t start the 3rd grade with a Justin Beiber watch from JcPenny’s (Only $14 moms!). Plus some earrings and necklaces from Forever 21 & Claires Boutique. Over at Payless we picked up 4 pairs of sunglasses, and 2 pairs of water shoes for only $27! We finished off with lunch at McDonalds and cotton candy from a little shop in the mall.

We had a great time and I survived shopping with4 kids!

 I received sponsorship from Simon Malls

These posts do not necessarily represent Simon Property Group’s positions, strategies or opinions

mom to mom™ is the new and improved Safeway brand of baby products we’ve trusted all these years. It was created using the shared wisdom of the real experts in caring for babies: moms like you and me. Using our insights and real-life experiences, mom to mom™ developed more functional high-quality products to make our life as moms easier and more fulfilling.

• mom to mom diapers are now available only in the Supreme variety (in the purple packaging), and offer better leakage control, perfect fit waistband and tabs, an ultra absorbent core, and a super soft hypoallergenic liner with aloe, vitamin E, and organic botanicals.
• mom to mom training pants are now easier to change and provide  better fit and comfort, have easy open sides (a feature not available on all training pants), and  a super soft hypoallergenic liner with aloe, vitamin E,  and organic botanicals.