Rave and Review

Shel Silverstein’s Underwater Land CD and Booklet

2009-11-14T00:46:38-08:00

Every kid loves Shel Silverstein, and for a very good reason; He speaks to them on their level and does so with comedy and energy to spare. Dark and somewhat taboo subjects are addressed with lighthearted and easy humor and the mundane is anything but when Uncle Shel’s narrating for you. Before his death in 1999, Shel was working on his final children’s recording, a collection of music called Underwater Land that takes listeners on an undersea adventure. Or, rather, takes you on 17 separate adventures in its 17 underwater themed tracks. Any fan of “Where the Sidewalk Ends” or “A Light in the Attic” will appreciate his trademark humorous wordplay and the absurdity that only a child, or a child at heart, could appreciate. Underwater Land is written, produced and illustrated by Shel Silverstein and comes complete with a beautiful 32-page book of Silverstein illustrations as well as lyrics. The CD is truly a treasure for the Shel Silverstein fan, and complements his other children’s pieces beautifully. The music and vocals are performed by...

Tike Tech CX3 Stroller Review and Giveaway!

2009-11-13T12:05:34-08:00

When we first found out we were going to be parents, hubby and I absolutely agreed that a stroller was where we would spend most of our baby budget. There were a couple of good reasons behind the decision, but our first thought was that the stroller really was for us as a family, and getting one that was of high quality meant that we would actually want to use it. The ultimate goal was to find one that was easy to use, comfortable for extended distances, and was able to grow with us – all without completely obliterating our buggy budget. We finally settled on a travel system that worked with our car seat, but looking back now, I really wish Tike Tech had released their new 2009 line two years early! We’ve all seen them; strollers that cost more than my first car (seriously), and come with fancy schmancy features like speakers and rims that would make my current car green with envy. But, $1,000 + for a stroller? Not on my life....

Madeline Turns 70 and We’re Having a Giveaway to Celebrate

2009-11-12T14:25:35-08:00

Who doesn’t love an anniversary celebration? We’re marking the 70th anniversary of Ludwig Bemelmans’ Madeline, the book that first introduced the world to one of the most beloved characters of all time, by hosting a giveaway in her honor. Even if you’ve never had the pleasure of reading one of the classic Madeline stories yourself, you are sure to recognize the main character, Madeline herself, all dressed up in her blue school girl uniform and ready for adventure. The same Madeline your parents and grandparents grew up reading has absolutely stood the test of time. She has been one of the most adored literary characters for generations, made famous first by the books and then by a number of plush dolls and accessories available in the Madeline line. Kids Preferred has recently released my favorite Madeline yet, a limited edition 70th Anniversary doll in honor of her big birthday and she is just as adorable as ever. We were thrilled to get a chance to review the 70th Anniversary Madeline and introduce our family to...

Bones Bicycle Rack by Saris Cycling Group

2009-11-10T12:18:30-08:00

When my wife and I first got our bicycles, we had a lot of our friends laughing at us. Not for the fact that we were riding, but because our bikes were so different. She on her Electra Townie, and me on my full suspension mountain bike, we definitely turned a few heads. After a few months of this ridicule and once the realization hit me that the most dirt my mountain bike had seen was a long driveway, I ended up trading it in for a road bike. Unfortunately, this didn’t solve all of our mismatched bike problems. Much worse than a few snickers was the fact that taking our bikes anywhere by car was next to impossible with the two very different sized frames. At least it was until we found the Bones 3 by Saris that helped expand our biking area dramatically. Anyone who has gone bike shopping recently will agree that there is a staggering amount of bikes available, and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Even a...

CuteyBaby Wall Decals - Review and Giveaway!

2009-11-09T15:01:37-08:00

Everyone knows that I love customized and personalized products. When those products are made especially for my daughter, well, I just can’t resist. This is evidenced in the fact that my daughter is only 16 months old and already has 2 murals custom painted just for her. So, when CuteyBaby contacted me and asked me to do a review of their custom vinyl wall decals, of course I said yes. For a few months now I had been looking for some bird decals that could compliment the family tree wall mural my sister had done in my daughter’s bedroom and hadn’t found anything that looked quite right. I emailed and asked CuteyBaby if they had any bird designs available, and to my surprise, they offered to create custom bird decals just for us. They went to work designing a sheet of Feathered Friends as well as doing up a sheet of their Pirate themed decals for the custom painted pirate “scrog pit” that is just off our living room. As if it wasn’t enough to...

Village Maternity Product Expo in Seattle

2009-11-08T12:07:45-08:00

Calling all Seattle Rave and Review Readers! After all the New York events we attended last month I got a ton of emails from readers asking to be notified of any events going on in the Seattle area and I've got a really good one to announce. This Thursday there is a Product Expo at University Village's own Village Maternity. Not merely for maternity items, Village Maternity has been stocking items for mom, dad, baby and toddler since 1983, and is always one of the first in Seattle to bring in the newest and coolest children's items. Thursday, November 12th from 6pm - 8pm at Village Maternity in University Village 2615 N.E. University Village St. Seattle, WA. 98105 There will be raffle drawings every 10 minutes and treats and drinks to sample while you talk with Village Maternity's knowledgable staff and the representatives from some of their most popular brands. Prizes will include items from Medela, Born Fit, Ingrid and Isabel, Japanese Weekend, Pukies, It's a Belly baby planners, Swaddle Designs, Woobie Blankets, Belli, JuJuBe...

MAM Baby Products

2009-11-07T13:52:36-08:00

At the Baby Show NYC in October we were so excited to run into the wonderful reps from MAM Baby Products and get a sneak peak into their 2009 and 2010 product line. Most of the items are not yet available in the States, but I’m going to let you in on a dirty little secret that most people don’t realize: us Americans are always behind the curve on getting all the super cool items available to us and our babes. You know all those baby products you dream about that would make your life easier and make your baby deliriously happy? You should know that Europe has all those items and more and they showcase them in little pharmacies on just about every other block. I don’t know if any of you have ever spent exorbitant amounts of time in European pharmacies, but let me give you the run down. These little shops are meccas to cutting edge design and innovation, loaded with cool little objects that you need instructions to identify but nonetheless...

MSR Mutha Hubba HP Tent

2009-11-06T00:02:04-08:00

Every year around this time I can’t help but wonder where summer went. It always seems like I had this great list of activities I was going to do; I had all these plans to get outside more and make the best of the good weather that never came to be. Now as fall is fully upon us and the days are increasingly blustery and chilly, I can’t help but feel the regret of opportunity lost. Thankfully, the folks over at our local favorite outdoor company, MSR, have felt this pain, too, and come up with a great solution to the dreaded end of the summer. With the addition of their new HP series to their line of Hubba tents, MSR promises to keep you toasty while camping all throughout the shoulder season. The original line of Hubba tents, which are available in one person (Hubba), two person (Hubba Hubba), and three person (Mutha Hubba), were some of the first tents to use a hubbed pole design. This is a design feature where the poles...

Maclaren Beginning... For Mama and Baby Giveaway

2009-11-05T02:36:43-08:00

At the Baby Show NYC a few weeks back, I had the pleasure of meeting the wonderful reps from Maclaren and seeing their new line of Maclaren Beginning bath and body care products. Beginning holistic care products are a premium line designed to pamper both mother and baby with natural and organic ingredients. From massage oils and bath products to aromatherapy and candles, the Beginning line feels like a day at a high-end salon each time you open them. What makes the Beginning line unique is that it is for both mama and baby, allowing you to share in the experience of their natural indulgence together. All of the products are made in England and almost the entire line is made with certified organic ingredients for even the most delicate baby skin. The Mother product line is designed to be used through pregnancy and in the post partum stages, but I would contend that these products will make it into your pampering routine for years to come. The complete line includes bath milk, alleviating leg...

Animal Planet Wooden Dino Playland Giveaway

2009-11-04T01:31:29-08:00

Any parent who has ever watched their living room slowly become engulfed in kids’ toys knows that the absolute best toys are the ones that are big enough to bring hours of fun and creative play, but then break down compactly when playtime is over. The Animal Planet Wooden Dino Playland is my favorite pick in this category of building toys, and something that is sure to make your little adventurer’s day. The Dinosaur Playland is created by sliding the painted interlocking wooden sections into each other to create three tiers of fun dinosaur play. The really great thing about the Wooden Dinosaur Playland is that building the playset is almost as fun as actually playing with the completed habitat. The instructions were easy to follow and the pieces were easy to fit together, but it should be noted that it does have 9 pieces in addition to a fold out mat to set up, so the little ones will need a bit of help. The set comes with two plastic dinosaur figures so it’s...

Bei Bambini MEGA Giveaway + Discount Code! (Over $600 ARV!)

2009-11-03T09:27:00-08:00

I am so excited to kick off the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide and start things off by announcing the BIGGEST giveaway ever hosted here at Rave and Review! Holiday portraits are just around the corner and I know a bunch of you are wondering what your kids should wear for that all-important family picture, specifically the handful of you that have already been emailing me and asking for help choosing the perfect outfit. Whether or not I’m taking your holiday pictures for you, I still want your photos to be the best, which is why I’m thrilled to introduce you to Bei Bambini, an exclusive Jeanine Johnsen online boutique. They have some of the cutest and most elegant children’s clothing, in many timeless and classic styles so your pictures will remain as precious to you tomorrow as they are today. Bei Bambini carries a full line of both boys and girls clothing from birth to size 14, so you can even order coordinating outfits for multiple ages of children. Those of you who have ever...