Archive for October, 2007

« Older Entries

Beauty Confidential - Campaign Launch

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

I’ll confess: I find beauty magazines overwhelming. Total information overload. I also wonder the products that appear in the articles are really that fabulous, or if there’s some collusion at play. Call me suspicious and cynical, but I can’t see dropping $50 here and $100 there for products that aren’t necessarily worth it. I’ve got diapers to buy, you know.

So it’s surprising to me (and probably getting to be a little tiresome for my friends) how much I love a new book that’s all about beauty.

Former magazine beauty editor Nadine Haobsh has condensed the beauty wisdom contained in a thousand issues into a single reference book that will fit nicely in your bag on your next (or first!) trip to Sephora. Drawing on her extensive industry experience, Nadine cuts to the chase in Beauty Confidential as she recommends products and techniques that really work. If you’ve ever wanted a beauty expert at your disposal, this book is about as close as you’ll come without taking on a magazine internship yourself.

Plus, Nadine’s exit from the magazine world is a good story in and of itself. It was her blog - Jolie in NYC - that led to the loss of an offer from Seventeen…after she’d already left her post at Ladies’ Home Journal. Jobless in NYC can be a nightmare, but Nadine managed to turn this development to her advantage - and now ours too, thanks to Beauty Confidential.

Fifteen of our parent bloggers will review Beauty Confidential over the next few weeks. We’ve also got a fantastic Blog Blast scheduled for this Friday - check out the details here!

Thurs 11/1 - Mayberry Mom
Fri 11/2 - Chicky Chicky Baby and PBN Blog Blast
Mon 11/5 - One Chic Mama
Tues 11/6 - In the Trenches of Mommyhood
Wed 11/7 - Life With Heathens
Thurs 11/8 - Baggage Reviews
Fri 11/9 - Boston Mamas
Mon 11/12 - Lipstick to Crayons
Tues 11/13 - Cheese Party and Mid-Campaign Post on PBN
Wed 11/14 - Mummy’s Product Reviews
Thurs 11/15 - SusieJ
Fri 11/16 - Taste Like Crazy
Mon 11/19 - Binkytown and Her Bad Mother
Tues 11/20 - Mother Bumper
Wed 11/21 - Round-Up Review on PBN

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Bath & Beauty, Books | No Comments »

The Daring Book for Girls Campaign Launch

Tuesday, October 30th, 2007

The long awaited and highly anticipated girl’s response to the hugely popular “The Dangerous Book for Boys” has finally hit the stands thanks to authors Andrea Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz. Known for their own fantastic books on mothering and Mother-Talk, these ladies have collaborated on the brand spanking new “The Daring Book for Girls.”

It’s blue (we love that!), it’s sparkly (even better!), and it’s chock full of everything from how to make a cootie catcher, to pressing flowers, to playing a mean game of darts, and much much much more.

We’re excited to hear what our fine group of bloggers had to say about this book considering they just couldn’t get enough of The Dangerous Book for Boys.

Will they feel the same way about Daring Girls?

Check out the reviews and reminisce with our bloggers. And take part in the authors’ interactive website and blog, which includes appearances as well as book signings. And join the authors as they chat with Kristen Chase (Parent Bloggers Network Co-Founder and Host of Motherhood Uncensored Radio) on Wednesday 11/14 from 9-9:30pm. Plus, check out the YouTube video below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhXFkiQVs34

10/31: Quarter Rest
11/1: ValuewIT
11/2: Mother Bumper
11/5: Lipstick to Crayons & Formula Fed and Flexible Parenting
11/7: Cheese Party & Mrs. Dub’s Reviews
11/8: Radioactive Girl & Taste Like Crazy
11/9: Bananas and Toddlers & Daddy in a Strange Land
11/12: Mayberry Mom & Mothergoosemouse
11/13: Suburban Oblivion
11/14: Girl Con Queso & One Chic Mama
11/15: Krississippi
11/16: Ruth Dynamite & Sweatpants Mom/ Mid-Run Round-Up
11/19: Crazy Momcat & Surrender Dorothy
11/20: Creature Bug
11/21: Domestic Diva
11/26: Mom to the Screaming Masses & SusieJ
11/27: Get in the Car & Little Bird Reviews
11/28: Karianna & Midwestern Mommy
11/29: Mama Maven & Mummy’s Product Reviews
11/30: Jumping Monkeys & Lawyer Mama
 12/3: Final Round Up

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Books | No Comments »

The Teen Whisperer - An Ounce of Prevention and a Ton of Pure Intention

Tuesday, October 30th, 2007

“One of my biggest fears as a parent is that my kids will hide things from me. As a teenager, I felt like my parents were so wrapped up in their own lives that they just didn’t have time to learn anything about mine. I lied to my parents all the time, about where I was, who I was with, and what we were doing. And it terrifies me beyond belief that my kids will lie to me too. All I can hope is that with the right communication, my kids will know how important they are to me and their Dad, that they will understand why it’s important for them to make safe choices, that they won’t ever feel like we don’t care about them.”

How many other parents have felt that way?

Whether they are just beginning the journey with a newborn or have already weathered the teen years, I expect most parents reflect on their own adolescences and recall the hell they put their own parents through at one time or another. Even though most of us sustained little damage thanks to the choices we made, we’d still rather our own children make better choices than we did. But how can we encourage them to do so in a way that will actually make a difference?

Enter Mike Linderman and his book, The Teen Whisperer - “a straightforward and common sense approach with professional validation.” Without exception, our bloggers praised this book and its author: “Linderman has a straightforward style, with no sugar coating and definitely no superiority complex that so many self help authors exhibit.” In fact, “in his own estimation he’s just a guy who seems to have a way with teenagers and the therapist stuff is all secondary.”

But what if you don’t have a teen? Or even a tween? One blogger, who has four children herself, sees value in this book for every parent, no matter how young their children might be: “Do you have kids in the home? Do they fall in the age category of one day to eighteen? Trust me, this is a book you should be reading. As a mother of four, ages one through nearly thirteen, I can attest to the fact that in six blinks of an eye your little cherub who thinks you hung the moon will morph into a hormone-infused adolescent. It is always best to be prepared.” Another blogger, a father of an eighteen year-old, agrees wholeheartedly: “Simply put, this book is something that you should read before your children become teenagers! Read it, and perhaps you can mitigate problems on the rise instead of dealing with full-blown issues later on.”

How does Linderman connect so well with teens, in ways that their parents do not? One blogger summarized his approach eloquently: “The book identifies the Five Primary Needs of Teens (Survival, Fun, Freedom, Power, and Belonging). If one of these needs is unmet, it usually manifests itself in negative behavior. Mr. Mike [how the teens address him] includes checklists to help parents determine where the problem might be hiding, and to identify the unmet need with the behavior. Mr. Mike brings all of this together into identifiable concrete actions families can take to help the teen feel loved, to meet the unmet needs, and to stop the cycle of destructive behavior.”

This same blogger explains the communication disconnect between parents and teens in a way that even parents of babies and toddlers can understand: “When your child is a baby or a toddler, their total dependence on you for meals, cleaning and entertainment makes it very clear to them that they belong, and are loved by you. However, when the toddler grows into a self-sufficient teen, our physical presence is not needed, and most of our physical contact is severed. In Linderman’s work with troubled teens at Spring Creek, a boarding school, the teens claim over and over that their parents do not love them or that they seldom hear those words from them.”

Pure intention, as opposed to unconditional love, is the basis of Linderman’s guidance to parents in relating to their children. One blogger described it as such: “I will always love you, and I will always respect your needs and do what I can to help you see that they are met, but I won’t always respect the actions you take or the choices you make. I also understand that you can say the same of me. But we also have to understand that underlying any of those disagreements and disappointments is a solid foundation of love and trust.” Because as Linderman points out, much to the surprise of one blogger: “What parents might find surprising is that the one group their kids want most to belong to is their family. Thinking back on my own teenage years, I was humbled to discover that he was correct. Sometimes, being a parent means remembering your long lost teenage years.”

Those who are still in the throes of the terrible twos may not yet be thinking of those teen years far in the future. But one mother knows all too well how the challenges differ: “As my best friend told me once after enduring a toddler screaming fit that left me with frazzled nerves, Little kids, little problems. Big kids, big problems. I now understand what she meant, as I’d do just about anything to be back at a time when if my son was being naughty, I took away his beloved Thomas trains. Now, he’s flunking 6th grade and I feel very helpless.” Another mother, with six kids ranging from toddler to teen, advised: “I’d recommend any parent of a preteen or teen, troubled or not, get this book and devote as much time as possible to improving their relationship.”

In short, The Teen Whisperer gave our bloggers hope:

“I quite honestly feel like a light has been shed on the road ahead for my family (I can’t wait to share this book with my husband) and I know without a doubt that this will be a parenting reference book that I will keep close at hand for a long time. I am thrilled that I have had the chance to read this now, before crisis mode and I most definitely encourage everyone with children to get this book before they think they need it to help pave the way for a healthy parent/teen journey.”

To purchase your own copy of The Teen Whisperer, click here.

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Books, Kids, Pre-teen | 1 Comment »

Sequoia Survival - Here’s What They’re Saying So Far

Monday, October 29th, 2007

A few months after moving to Colorado, we took a day trip into the mountains. On our way home, we made one wrong turn and found ourselves relying entirely on our GPS and our limited knowledge of the local geography in order to get back on track. We were tired and thirsty and at least one of us had a wet diaper, but we were lucky: It was daylight, the weather was clear, and we made it home. Moreover, we learned a valuable lesson about being prepared, especially under much less hospitable conditions.

The Sequoia Survival Company makes products to help you be prepared, both at home and on the road. Our bloggers had the opportunity to check out the Vehicle Survival Kit, which resonates strongly with parents who travel great distances to visit family and remember the tragedy that befell the Kim family. We know what might happen and yet one blogger (speaking for too many of us, I expect) admits, “I’ve never taken measures to ensure safety while on the road aside from the car seat. We don’t keep extra food or water or blankets in our car. And shame on us.” As another blogger pointed out, we’re all quite sheltered from such circumstances, “but what if suddenly all those things we take for granted were unavailable? What if our water supply was compromised, or the electrical power grid blew a fuse, or there was no oil to fuel our cars or the transportation that brings the food to our local supermarkets? Then what?”

Once you start thinking about those what if’s, it’s hard to stop until you find a way to put your mind at ease. The Vehicle Survival Kit does exactly that. One blogger stated: “I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited by a product that I’ve reviewed for the Parent Bloggers Network as I am about this one.” Another blogger, a native Californian who has lived with the threat of natural disaster all her life, agreed: “I feel really confident that if something was to go wrong and I got stuck somewhere, this kit would definitely make itself useful. And quite possibly, could help to save my life.” Yet another blogger, who readily admits to being a worrywart, was reassured by the contents of the kit: “This kit contains just about everything I need - and in one handy, compact place - to ease my neurotic concerned mind.”

Her husband agrees - both about her neuroses and the completeness of the kit. Although his “idea of a Vehicle Survival Kit is a 24oz cup of coffee and a week-old piece of beef jerky hiding under the seat,” he “was surprised with the both the quality of bag in which the kit is packed and the quality of the most of the contents.”

Another couple went through a hilarious exchange of comments on the contents of the kit:

“Two thermal emergency blankets (silver and reflective)

She said: Perfect for a NY rave.

He said: If you’re trying to signal in the space shuttle, you’ve come to the right place.

Two rain ponchos

She said: He loves these so much that he sleeps in them.

He said: Nice touch.

Two 6-hour hand warmers

She said: Those aren’t pillows!

He said: If there are hand-warmers in here, this thing is the real deal.

Two 12-hour light sticks

She said: Paired nicely with the emergency blankets, you can get laid anywhere.

He said: Remember the wax matches? Much better.

Crank radio/light and cell phone charger

She said: It’s a cell phone charger, too? I didn’t even notice that part. I’m pissed it has AM, because I have to travel with God’s gift to sports radio.

He said: What? No crank-up MP3 player? Seriously, easily the hit of the survival kit.”

Did the bloggers find that anything about the kit was lacking? Overall, no; “…all in all, it was hard to find fault with the Sequoia Car Survival kit.” But they did have a few suggestions to offer:

And being parents, the bloggers were also concerned with family essentials: “What I would have liked to have seen in the kit (or had the option to purchase separately on the web site) were things that parents of young children can’t live without: diapers, wipes, kid-friendly snacks, ziplock bags for containing dirty diapers, and even a few kid’s books or coloring books and crayons. Yes, these family-friendly items are things that I could easily amass and throw into our car in a separate care package but the ability to purchase them on the site at the same time as the vehicle kit would save this busy parent even more valuable time.”

That’s the crux of the matter for many people - the time required to assemble such a kit and the completeness of it. One blogger praised the kit as a great value because “…it takes so much time to shop for all of these items and figure out where to store them. One of the things I like about the Sequoia kit is that I don’t have to think about or shop for these items - they’re all assembled for me in a handy carrying case.” Another blogger agreed: “I’ve been meaning to put some kind of kit together for the car, but the one I might have assembled wouldn’t have been anywhere near as complete as this one. I wouldn’t have thought to include half of the stuff Sequoia put in this kit, which retails for $99, a price that’s eminently reasonable given what it buys you: some peace of mind.” A third blogger summed it up perfectly: “I challenge anyone to find a pre-packaged survival kit like this for a comparable cost, and I credit the people at Sequoia for making it easier for insulated suburbanites like me to be prepared.”

More reviews are coming up - check the schedule below.

Mon 10/29 - Bananas and Toddlers and Marketing Mommy
Tues 10/30 - Seabird Chronicles
Wed 10/31 - Soul Gardening
Thurs 11/1 - Sunshine Reviews
Fri 11/2 - Gunfighter’s View
Mon 11/5 - Jumping Monkeys
Tues 11/6 - 24/7
Wed 11/7 - Little Bird Reviews
Mon 11/12 - Round-up review on PBN

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Automotive, Outdoor, Travel | No Comments »

Deceptively Delicious Blog Blast Winner (and Another Blast You Won’t Want to Miss!)

Sunday, October 28th, 2007

Congratulations to Laura, author of You Are What You Eat - the winner of the Deceptively Delicious Blog Blast! She’ll receive a $250 gift card for Williams Sonoma.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Blast!

——————————

Beauty products can make you look like a goddess, or they can make you look like a goofball. Not only do you need to understand how to use them, you’ve got to choose carefully. With some products, the drugstore version will do nicely. But with other products, the high-end options really are worth the money.

Beauty Confidential, written by former magazine beauty editor Nadine Haobsh, is a no-nonsense guide to what really works - from haircare to skincare to makeup. What makes the book so appealing (apart from the confidence it imparts, even to us novices) is Nadine’s self-effacing, down-to-earth style. Nadine is so easy to relate to that as you read, it feels almost as if your best friend is sharing stories of her adolescent angst and fried hair. She’s a confidante, not an icon.

In that spirit of “all girls together”, this week’s Blog Blast, sponsored by Harper Collins and Beauty Confidential, is all about beauty blunders. Whether you’ve crimped your self-highlighted hair, worn teal mascara on a day other than Halloween, or doused your skin in rubbing alcohol, we’ve all been a beauty “don’t” at one time or another. Tell us about your beauty blunders!

What can you win? The entire list of beauty editor must haves on pages 12-14 of Beauty Confidential:

  • NARS blush in Orgasm
  • Terax Original Crema intensive conditioner
  • Essie Mademoiselle and OPI I’m Not Really a Waitress nail polish
  • Mario Badescu Drying Potion
  • Shu Uemura eyelash curler
  • Bumble and bumble Does It All styling spray
  • Cetaphil face wash
  • Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1
  • Lancome Definicils mascara
  • Phytodefrisant balm
  • Lancome Flash Bronzer Instant Colour Self-Tanning Leg Gel
  • Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Touch

In addition, if you post a picture of your beauty blunder, you’ll be entered to win another random drawing: Five lucky winners can ask Nadine their most burning beauty question, and they’ll receive a personal answer!

Ready to play?

1) Post about that time you wished you’d had a paper bag handy on your blog anytime Friday, Nov 2, before midnight PST. Title it creatively!

2) Send us the link to your post - parentbloggers@gmail.com. Include links to Beauty Confidential (http://www.beautyconfidentialthebook.com) and Parent Bloggers Network (http://blog.parentbloggers.com) somewhere in your post.

3) We’ll round up the posts here on PBN that Friday, November 2.

4) One grand prize winner will be drawn at random from all the posts that meet the above criteria. Five runner-up winners will be drawn at random from all the posts that meet the above criteria AND include a photo.

Any questions, please email us at parentbloggers@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing about (and seeing!) all of your beauty blunders on Friday!

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Bath & Beauty, Blog Blasts, Books, Giveaways | 3 Comments »

Deceptively Delicious Blog Blast - Just Eat It!

Friday, October 26th, 2007

One of the many universal struggles in parenting concerns mealtime. We’ve got our ideas about what kids ought to eat, they’ve got theirs, and we’re lucky if we meet in the middle now and then.

Parents have different ideas as to how to achieve that consensus, and we love to share those ideas with fellow parents. New products, new recipes, new strategies - we’re open to input. Maybe we’ll try it, maybe we won’t. Maybe it’ll work for us, maybe it won’t. But barring any surefire solutions, sometimes it just feels better to know you aren’t alone in your parenting struggles.

This week’s Blog Blast is all about commiseration where it comes to feeding our families - whether the cooking is done by us, our partners, or our personal chefs. It’s sponsored by Harper Collins and their new title, Deceptively Delicious, by Jessica Seinfeld (you may have heard of it…), and the prize is a $250 gift card for Williams Sonoma.

Here’s how to play:

1) Are your kids picky eaters? Were YOU a picky eater? What have you tried to get them to eat, and what have they done to avoid eating what you’ve served? Post about your mealtime skirmishes and strategic maneuvers on your blog anytime today, October 26, before midnight PST. Title your post creatively - we’ll list them below by post name!

2) Send us the link to your post - parentbloggers@gmail.com. Be sure to include links to Deceptively Delicious (http://www.deceptivelydelicious.com) and Parent Bloggers Network (http://blog.parentbloggers.com) somewhere in your post.

3) One winner will be drawn at random from all the posts that meet the above criteria. Even if you’re not a chef, Williams Sonoma is hugely enticing (they sell gourmet food there too!). And who knows - with $250 to spend on cookware, you might just decide that cooking can be fun!

Check out the other posts below. Maybe you’ll get some good ideas, or maybe you’ll get some good laughs. Sounds like fun either way!

You Are What You Eat!

Yin and Yack

Who Me, Picky?

Uh Oh, Squash in My Sketti Ohs?

The Revised Food Guide Pyramid According to a 7 Year Old

The Pokemon Cure for Picky Eating

The Family Feeding Frenzy

The Clean Plate Club

That’s Not Cheese or How I Raised a Food Snob

Switched at Birth

Squashed by Squash

Shhh…Don’t Tell My Son

Picky Pickerson

Picky Inherited?

Picky Eater? Aidan?…Well, Maybe

Only in America Can You Get Sent to Hell for Sneaking Veggies in Your Kid’s Food

One - Two - Three Foods. Bwahahahahaha!

Little Carnivore

Let Them Eat (Veggie)Cake!

Let Them Eat Cake!

Let Me Assure You That We Only Serve Delicious Food in This House

Lay Off Jessica, People!

Kids Just Don’t Like Vegetables

Just Eat It!

Just Eat It

It’s Not Just the Icky She’s Picky About

I’m Required to Feed Him So…

I Wasn’t Going to Say Anything

I Want a $250 Gift Card for Use at Williams Sonoma

I Know You’re Dying to Get Your Hands on My Icing Recipe

I Am the Anti-Christ

Henry and the Christmas Squash

Golden Glow

Get a Grandmother and Some Ranch Dressing

Fine Dining, Hold the Flavor

Every Child Is Different, but They All Need to Eat

Eat It - Or, I’ll Shove It Down Your Throat

Dinnertime Drama

Confessions of a Food Nazi

Chew Up Your Freaking Food Already!

Can a Toddler Subsist on Yogurt Alone?

Bread and Jam - and Frances, and Ellyn, and Jessica

Beet Bread

Because Breastfeeding a College Student Is Frowned Upon

All That Hard Work and Nothing to Show for it

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Blog Blasts, Giveaways | 8 Comments »

Vincent Shoes: Here’s What They’re Saying So Far

Thursday, October 25th, 2007

There’s certainly no shortage of adorable baby shoes out there. But while it’s true that babies grow out of their shoes pretty quickly, that doesn’t mean parents should skimp on quality and design. Babydom is waaaaay to short for ugly shoes, and if you buy the right pairs, they can make their way through a few years of more children — always a benefit!

So, for parents looking for something a little different that the typical baby offerings, we’re pleased that our parent bloggers have had the opportunity to try out Vincent Shoes, a Swedish shoe company with a plethora of pre-walkers (as well as shoes for kids up through the tween years!).

And from what we can tell so far, the parents were VERY pleased as well.

“I was graced with two pairs of the cutest shoes ever. I’ve been a fan of Robeez, as well as a great lover of the Pediped, but these seemed different. ”

Many parents felt that the shoes were sturdier and equal if not better than the other popular shoe brands. “And I can attest that the quality and craftsmanship is just as good. We have a pair of Robeez that Myles hasn’t worn yet and I did a side by side comparison. I would say that the Vincents are definitely sturdier and better made. ” “I was a little disappointed to see that the shoes weren’t actually made in Sweden. They’re manufactured in China like everything else. But I feel like the quality is there. Vincent Shoes have the soft leather sole of a Robeez slipper, but unlike Robeez, they have a terry lining to help absorb moisture (baby feet seem to sweat a lot).”

Other parents commented on the unique terry lining. “The second thing I noticed and fell in love with immediately, was that the shoes are lined with a light terry cloth fabric. I thought this was an ingenious idea. I had noticed in the past after slipping off other shoes, that the girls’ feet seemed damp, I assumed from the lack of breathability in their current shoes. This was a fabulous idea. I also didn’t feel it completely necessary to have a sock on with this particular shoe because of the terry lining. ”

Parents with pudgy footed little ones were pleasantly surprised. “I’m glad to say the shoes that arrived at my door came without pokey or rubby spots and still easily slid onto Levi’s pudgie foot. ”

A few parents noted that on the shoes with velcro, they were definitely baby proof. “…and the velcro is nice and long, which means he can’t undo it and take the shoes off without my knowing about it (a problem we’ve had with another brand).” “When the girls tried to take their shoes off, they were faced with a very strong line of Velcro that didn’t simply attach on the one side; it was a full-length piece of Velcro.”

Additionally, most of the shoes were a good marriage of everyday shoes that could still be worn with dressier outfits. “Again, these [mini alfons] have great support while still being soft and piliable. The same long straps fit the shoes securely to his feet so we don’t have to worry about losing a shoe somewhere, and the leather sole doesn’t skid when he’s taking a step or two on his own.”

And one mom summed it up well.

Long story short, I love them, I’d buy them, and truthfully I don’t think any baby’s or child’s wardrobe is complete without them. So There.

Stay tuned for more adorable pictures (seriously, check the reviews just for those but be forewarned — your ovaries will hurt). And make sure to take advantage of the fantastic discount code “OCT-20-OFF” for 20% off your first time order from Vincent. (I’m getting my daughter her winter shoes and boots!).

And make sure to check out their printable foot sizer!

And please make sure to peruse the site and let us know your favorite shoes and WHY you like them. Then leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win one of TWO $50 Gift Certificates.

FREE SHOES!

Stay tuned for more reviews — and you’ve got until 11/1 to get your comment in! (one per person per IP per blog per email — you get my drift — and if you’ve left a comment on our other post, you’re already entered!).

10/25: Mommy Must Haves

10/26: Motherhood Uncensored

10/29: Toddler Planet

10/30: Snarky Momma

10/31: Mrs Dub’s Reviews

11/1: Final Round Up

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Baby, Clothing | 27 Comments »

Kids Are Americans Too - Here’s What They’re Saying So Far

Wednesday, October 24th, 2007

When we queried our parent bloggers for interest in reviewing Bill O’Reilly’s latest book, Kids Are Americans Too, we wanted to hear from bloggers across the political spectrum - provided they were willing to read with an open mind, in spite of their own political beliefs or their perception of the author’s political beliefs. We were thrilled to see how many thoughtful and politically well-informed bloggers responded, and we were confident that whether or not the bloggers gave the book two thumbs up, they would give it a thorough read and a fair assessment.

We’re not disappointed in the least.

One blogger, whose review was titled “Can I Give Bill O’Reilly the Benefit of the Doubt?”, stated that even though “I wanted to be able to find something positive to say about this book,” she could not. Another blogger, who startled a few of his readers by even making mention of the book (readers who then clicked through out of sheer curiosity!), wryly commented that “there is no real evil in this book, so if your teenager reads it, he or she would not likely harmed by it.”

Despite such inauspicious introductions, the bloggers definitely recognize the importance of the subject matter: “I do agree with the general premise - it is important for kids to learn about how our country is governed and what rights they do and don’t have under the Constitution. As a political science major in college and a lifelong political junkie, helping students learn about our political process and our rights in our government is hugely important.” Another blogger summarized the book in this way: “There are two main themes of the book: avoiding apathy and recognizing the importance of balance between rights and responsibility.” She described the objective of the book as getting kids to start “thinking about the other person’s perspectives, and the greater good when considering how individual rights mesh with community goals, expectations, and pleasantries.”

O’Reilly “explains in the introduction…that many American kids are complete morons. He goes on to explain that these morons are too lazy to figure out what their country is all about.” But one reviewer, who is “a listener and viewer of Mr. O’Reilly’s“, grew up in a rural location. As she described it, “I had very limited access to resources about politics and current events. Our once-a-week 30 page newspaper could’ve hardly counted! If only I’d had access to Bill O’Reilly’s new book Kids are Americans Too, I might’ve realized a thing or two about politics, civil duty and my rights as an American…kid.” Because of her lack of knowledge as a kid, would O’Reilly have considered her to have been a moron, or - because her parents had conservative views which they endeavored to pass on to her - would he consider her sources of information to have been sufficient?

For one blogger, that’s what O’Reilly’s message in Kids Are American Too boiled down to: “Praise children who conform to his view of the world and mock those who don’t. That’s not the kind of message I think any children should get from a book, no matter where they or their families fall on the political spectrum.” That was the major objection to the book, along with “the constant referrals to and self-promotion of Mr. O’Reilly’s radio/television programs and the obvious promotion of Fox News” and that “the reader might be a bit bothered by the excessively casual tone…[The book] sounds as if it was transcribed directly from one of Bill O’Reilly’s radio or television programs, and I’m not certain if this is necessary to add to its effectiveness.”

“I found this book to be trite,” commented one reviewer, and another concluded that: “If you’re a fan of O’Reilly’s show and you think children should be exposed to his views, then you’ll like this book. If you’re looking for a well-balanced volume to help your middle-schooler learn about the Constitution where the scenarios aren’t infused with the personal opinions of a conservative pundit, you’ll be sorely disappointed.”

What will the rest of the parent bloggers think of Kids Are Americans Too? Check out their upcoming reviews!

Wed 10/24 - Builder Mama
Thurs 10/25 - Marketing Mommy
Mon 10/29 - Baggage Reviews
Tues 10/30 - Taste Like Crazy
Wed 10/31 - My Two Cents
Thurs 11/1 - Bananas and Toddlers
Tues 11/6 - Final Round-Up Review on PBN

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Books | 1 Comment »

OxiClean - Reuniting Moms and Kids With the Clothes (and Pillows) They Love

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007

We’ve all experienced laundry tragedies - impenetrable stains that consigned cherished items to the rag bag. And while I wouldn’t wish such tragedy on any of my fellow parent bloggers, I have to admit that it’s heartening to see that I’m not the only one who has fallen victim to spattering grease, sloshing coffee, or poor stain-treating techniques.

One blogger told of her “beloved shirt“: “Oh, it may not seem like much to you, this shirt, but to me it was the softest, most flattering, long-sleeved V-neck tee that I’d ever owned.” Dinner preparations one night left “two small but noticeable grease spots just below the V of my shirt. The spots clung stubbornly to the cotton fabric despite my best efforts to remove them. Regular detergent, spray-on spot-remover - nothing helped.” Her beautiful shirt was relegated to a dresser drawer.

Another blogger told of her throw pillows, which “became an anchor for me in the adult world and somewhat important to my sanity.” Sadly, she went on to describe their demise: “…one morning while I sat on the sofa enjoying my coffee, [my daughter] decided to dive bomb me - which meant my precious pillows became sprinkled with coffee stains.”

A third blogger told of a ruined onesie, thanks to “a serious baby poop blowout…I was a fool and soaked it in hot water, thinking that hot water would help remove the stain. No one ever told me cold water was the key. So I probably set the stain.” Somehow, it’s even more painful when you’ve had a hand in your own laundry tragedy, isn’t it?

It’s not at all surprising that these bloggers jumped at the chance to review OxiClean, even if they were already devoted customers. As another blogger described her experience, “When I first became a mom one of my friends, oh-so-wise because her baby was 10 months older than mine, told me that she always threw a scoop of OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover into her wash, and then didn’t bother pre-treating stains. I started doing the same and found she was quite right. For anything especially stubborn, I use the OxiClean during an extra soak cycle; this takes care of most everything my family can dish out in the stain department.”

But there’s breaking news regarding this well-established and well-loved product: “The developers of OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover have determined that it works to counteract fade-causing chemicals found in tap water, to significantly protect clothes from fading. Adding a scoop of Oxiclean to every load of wash actually helps keep colors from fading…” Stain-fighting, whitening, and fade protection? It’s a trifecta!

So was OxiClean able to help those first three bloggers? Absolutely. The blogger with the formerly grease-stained shirt reports: “OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover took care of the grease stains. I’m wearing it today, and I couldn’t be happier about it.” The throw pillow covers are nearly as good as new: “Coffee stains came out and I swear there may have been tears shed (but I won’t admit it here). My pillows look great save for a very tiny incredibly hard to see area that was the oldest stain and you really needed to know where to look to see it.” And the darling onesie? Restored to its former pristine (well, as pristine as a baby’s onesie can be) beauty: “The results were a huge improvement on the stain - some parts were completely gone, and the last stray spots were a lot lighter.”

Really, if you’re not already using OxiClean, I’m not sure how much more anecdotal evidence it will take to convince you to start. From babywear to sportswear to upholstery - this stuff works.

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Household | No Comments »

Deceptively Delicious - Here’s What They’re Saying So Far (and Blog Blast Announcement!)

Monday, October 22nd, 2007

Wow.

When Harper Collins first notified us about the upcoming publication of Deceptively Delicious, I expected it would spark some interest among our parent bloggers. I did not expect the sort of widespread discussion - and criticism - that we’ve been seeing across the blogosphere, probably because I had read and reviewed a similar cookbook six months ago (which generated no outcry that I knew of).

Never underestimate the power of celebrity, I suppose.

Forty of our parent bloggers received a copy of Deceptively Delicious, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive thus far. Not only have they read the book and tried the recipes (well, those who are suffering from morning sickness have been given a pass), they’re getting into the spirit of it. One blogger took a cue from the author and introduced her children in a similar manner:

“Meet Maddie: Charming pubescent daughter who eschews food that touches, food that doesn’t coordinate with the current seasonal palette for Abercrombie & Fitch, and at times, food that contains molecules, nutrients, or atoms.

Heeere’s Chloe: Preteen in training. Chloe likes food that doesn’t moo, oink or bleat. She is willing, however, to eat pasta salad, chocolate, and air.

Awww! It’s Jacob: Five year old adventurer. Will eat anything dangerous, evil, or imbued with super powers. Does not like fish, however still believes us when we say salmon is the thigh meat of Darth Vader.

Whoa! Jack is in the house: Jack is a fifteen month old who likes food that can be placed in his mouth and chewed. Favorites include pasta with fresh pesto, coq au vin, and anything Playskool.”

A sense of humor is always helpful when preparing meals for children, don’t you think? Especially when they prefer gnawing on plastic broccoli rather than deigning to eat anything you’ve cooked.

But let’s get down to business. Which recipes did our bloggers try, and how did they and their families react?

Creamy potato soup:

Chicken strips/nuggets:

Meatloaf:

Lasagna:

Chocolate chip cookies:

That’s right; one child actually helped prepare the food by which he was deceived, and that brings us to one of the objections that’s been raised against Deceptively Delicious: Is it dishonest to sneak veggies into foods that normally wouldn’t contain them? Our bloggers’ thoughts on this question ranged from a resounding “YES!” to a desperate “Who cares?!”

The chick pea-eater’s mother summed it up beautifully: “And he doesn’t even need to be tricked to try these foods. He knows there is something he doesn’t recognize in each recipe, but it doesn’t matter because the food is so delicious that he wants to eat it anyway.”

Some bloggers weren’t thrilled by the time and effort involved in pureeing: “I have exactly 30 minutes from the time I walk in the door to prepare dinner or everyone spontaneously combusts into a wild explosion of super crabbiness. Every minute I spend cleaning my kitchen at night is one less minute I have to talk to my kid or my husband or go to the bathroom.” Others found pureeing to be easier than they’d expected: “I found that pureeing my veggies and fruits in one day is not that difficult even with a temperamental blender such as mine. Simply steam the veggies and puree. Store them in the fridge or freezer in ½ cup servings and when it’s time to cook or bake you are ready to go!” and “I filled our freezer with ½ cup portions of puree and have incorporated purees easily and effectively in our food every single day.”

A few bloggers threw themselves wholeheartedly into testing the techniques and recipes in this cookbook, with amazing results:

The book itself has been a big hit with the bloggers too:

But back to the salient question: Why go to the effort to steam and scheme? Why not just dump the spinach on the plate and announce “Like it or lump it”?

Two bloggers answered that question quite well - one from a scientific point of view, and one from a philosophical point of view.

The scientist says:

“As I made some of the recipes, I wondered just how much of an impact a vegetable puree would have on a recipe. Most purees are added in only half-cup increments. So for twelve PB-cauliflower-banana muffins, each muffin has 2 teaspoons of cauliflower. That isn’t exactly a serving of vegetables, right?

Well, not exactly. But the purees are concentrated. The aforementioned delectable brownies had an entire bag of baby spinach in them: that stuff wilts down pretty small! Vegetables have a bunch of water in them, so even as I added back some during the pureeing process, I still ended up with rich, condensed vegetables. So a half cup of a puree represents a much larger portion of raw or traditionally prepared vegetables.”

And the philosopher agrees:

“My husband originally told me that he thought the idea of this book was silly. He wanted to know why any parent worth their salt should try to hide fruits and vegetables in their kids’ foods instead of teaching them to eat the foods themselves. I explained it to him this way: if I have a choice between feeding our daughter a processed, packaged cookie or a homemade brownie chock full of hidden veggie goodness? I’ll chose the homemade brownie every time. And, once I explained it that way, he started to see the light.”

More blogger reviews coming up - see the schedule below. And if you’d like to see some actual photos of blogger-made goodies from Deceptively Delicious, check out this fantastic Flickr photoset!

Mon 10/22 - Chaos Theory and Mommy’s Must Haves
Tues 10/23 - Bananas and Toddlers, Sunshine Reviews
Wed 10/24 - Chicken and Cheese and Girl Con Queso
Thurs 10/25 - Sarah’s Dandelions and Sweatpants Mom
Fri 10/26 - Girl Plus Two and Mother Bumper and a Blog Blast!
Mon 10/29 - Lipstick to Crayons and Ruth Dynamite
Tues 10/30 - Domestic Diva and Jennster
Wed 10/31 - Builder Mama
Thurs 11/1 - Mom to the Screaming Masses and Suburban Oblivion
Fri 11/2 - Cheese Party and Creature Bug
Mon 11/5 - Rookie Moms and SusieJ
Wed 11/7 - Round-up review on PBN

——————————
This week’s Blog Blast is all about commiseration: Are your kids picky eaters? Were YOU a picky eater? What have you tried to get them to eat, and what have they done to avoid eating what you’ve served?

Full disclosure below:

1) Post about your mealtime skirmishes and strategic maneuvers on your blog anytime Friday, October 26, before midnight PST. Give it a unique title!

2) Send us the link to your post - parentbloggers@gmail.com. Be sure to include links to Deceptively Delicious (http://www.deceptivelydelicious.com) and Parent Bloggers Network (http://blog.parentbloggers.com) somewhere in your post.

3) We’ll round up the posts on PBN that Friday, October 26. Maybe you’ll get some good ideas from other posts, or maybe you’ll get some good laughs. Sounds like fun either way!

4) One winner will be drawn at random from all the posts that meet the above criteria.

What’s the prize? A $250 gift card for use at Williams Sonoma - otherwise known as Heaven for the chefs among us! Even if you don’t cook, you can buy yourself a stylin’ Kitchen Aid mixer to dress up your countertops, a rainbow array of Le Creuset, or ten boxes of Peppermint Bark.

Any questions, please email us at parentbloggers@gmail.com. Looking forward to some good tales on Friday!

[Bloglines] [del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [Google] [Kaboodle] [kirtsy] [Slashdot] [Squidoo] [StumbleUpon] [Technorati] [Twitter] [Yahoo!] [Email] More »

Posted in Blog Blasts, Books, Food, Kitchen | 2 Comments »

« Older Entries