The Adventures of Bella & Harry :: Let's Visit Paris!

The Adventures of Bella & Harry: Let’s Visit Paris! is the first book in a series about jet-setting sibling Chihuahuas who travel the world and (covertly!) educate their readers along the way. In their Parisian adventure, the wide-eyed, long-eared duo hit popular landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Arc de Triomphe breaking from their packed schedule only to sample French cuisine.

Written at an early elementary reading level, the story is engaging and easy to follow. Brief yet detailed descriptions of French foods, artists and popular tourist destinations offer children a glimpse into a culture different from their own. Kids will need help with the French names, of course, but I love that the author, Lisa Manzione, doesn’t talk down to her readers. She understands that kids like to learn new things and that they like a challenge – they also like knowing things other people don’t know, such as how to say, “Je ne parle pas Francais” (I do not speak French)! Kristine Lucco's illustrations are bright and colorful but not too cartoonish, keeping the story rooted in just enough reality that the educational elements are cleverly disguised amid the fun.

If your children are curious (or if you want them to be!) about what lies across the Atlantic, I highly recommend the Bella & Harry series. The second and third books find our canine travelers in Venice and London, and I, for one, can’t wait to read them! If your family is planning a visit to any of these locations, then these books are a MUST for prepping your children for the trip!

Lisa Manzione is a financial professional, children’s book author, geographic literacy advocate and mother of two children, ages 21 and 23.

The Adventures of Bella & Harry: Let’s Visit Paris! :: $16.95

I received a copy of this book for review purposes.

peace toys :: hugg-a-planet

This is one of the best toys I have ever seen -- and I promise you I wouldn't say that about just any toy. While I think toys are great fun and definitely a wonderful part of childhood, rarely do I come across one that I think will really have an important impact on my child's development. I am super pleased to introduce you to Peace Toys, a toy company offering amazing educational and organic toys. And I have fallen in love specifically with Hugg-A-Planet.

Hugg-A-Planet is essentially a globe pillow. While this sounds super simple, it's kind of brilliant. The moment I opened the package and pulled out the globe my son tackled it to the ground and began hugging it (to prove this please see my camera phone picture... this toy is suitably named). Hugg-A-Planet offers multiple forms and sizes of planets from Earth to Mars and even the moon! Each planet is accurately marked, allowing children to start learning and identifying geography from an early age. Colorful, soft, light weight...fun -- Hugg-A-Planet toys meet kid criteria and go above and beyond to deliver a great level of learning as well.

I love the idea that my son can get a sense of the world from a young age. We are a traveling family and being able to point out our destinations in respect to their placement in the world is pretty fun. While a typical globe is great for older kids, Hugg-A-Planet is a toy you can introduce from day one. This is a toy that can grow with your child.

And just to up the cool factor of this toy -- it's been to outer space. Yep, check the picture below for proof. What kid wouldn't want the toy that astronauts played with on a spaceship!

Peace Toys :: $22.95 :: Hugg-A-Planet Earth

*I was provided with Hugg-A-Planet Earth, Mars and the moon along with a Foundling Rabbit to conduct this review using personal experience. The opinions expressed are my own.*

CARS 2 road trip survival kit {giveaway}

So it's the day after Memorial Day. Are you still recovering from the craziness of the first long weekend of the summer season? Did you go on a road trip of epic proportions or just stay at home and chill?

My family took the staycation route this time, but have BIG plans for the rest of the summer. And yes, all our trips are road trips, because that's how we roll.

Roadt rips are awesome, but road tripping with small children can sometimes be less than ideal. The never ending barrage of "are we there yet" and "how much longer" gets old fast.

Kimberly Clark and Pixar have teamed up to make family road trips a little more bearable. When buying participating Kimberly Clark products (such as Kleenex, Cottonelle and Pull-Ups), look for the Disney* Pixar CARS 2 codes (usually located on the front of the packaging, learn more here), enter Codes here and redeem for great CARS 2 gifts.

What kind of CARS 2 gifts are we talking about? Fun stuff like Crayola Color Wonder, CARS 2 Mattel Die Cast cars, and even prepaid Visa cards!

Are you excited yet? We are! And to get you even more geared up for road trip season, Kimberly Clark and CARS 2 have an amazing Cars 2 Road Trip Survival Kit to give away to one Simple reader!

A SIMPLE GIVEAWAY:
One SIMPLE reader will receive all the goodies pictured above (estimated retail value: $230).

Included:
· Giant Color Pages
· Disney Cars 7" Portable DVD Player
· Original Cars DVD
· Disney Cars Pool Tumbler with Straw
· (2) Cars reusable tote
· Cottonelle Moist Wipes
· Cars branded Scott Extra Soft TP
· (4) Kleenex pocket packs
· Kleenex brand facial tissues
· Cars branded Pull-Ups
· Cars branded Huggies
· (2) Cars branded Viva paper towels

How to enter (leave a comment for each):

• Leave us a comment, letting us know if a road trip is on your summer agenda. If so, where to? (REQUIRED)
• Facebook "like" this post. (find the thumbs up at the end of this post)
  
• Tweet (Daily : Leave a link to your tweet in our comments) :: Win a CARS 2 survival kit from Kimberly Clark and Pixar over at @simplereviews: http://tinyurl.com/3swjpfk
• Enter your email address in the left sidebar on SIMPLE to sign up for daily emails
  
• Publicly follow SIMPLE via Google Friend Connect

Winner will be randomly chosen on June 14, 2011. Please reference Giveaway Rules at the top of the page before entering.


*I was provided with product to conduct this review and promotion using personal experience. The opinions expressed are my own.*

in need of a car seat?

I had to share this deal with you - my hubby let me in on it from an email he received! If you need a car seat, you have to head on over to CSN today. They started a sale yesterday, and Britax car seats are up to 50% off. Boo-Yah...if you are in need of one!

It's only for a limited time, so don't delay so you can get the one you want! Good luck!

joovy :: the new scooterx2

As you well know by now I'm sure, we are expecting BABY #3 in July. I'm excited and scared all at the same time! One of my biggest concerns in having three children is - only having two arms. And one of the biggest things that I wanted to be sure I had was a safe, secure and user friendly stroller that I would be able to fit Adalynn and the new baby in (once the baby is big enough to ride in a stroller without the car seat). I don't sit home much, so having a user friendly, convenient and simplistic stroller is an absolute MUST.

JOOVY TO THE RESCUE once again! (I have previously reviewed the Cocoon X2 on SIMPLE, you can read that review HERE).

Here are a few little things about Joovy, the actual company, that I think is read-worthy and important to note:

• Joovy is an American company with facilities...
  
• Our goal is to design and manufacture family gear products that are extremely useful, practical, good-looking and FUN.
• Joovy family gear products have premium features and use vibrant, high quality fabrics and materials.
• Joovy’s ‘signature’ features are extra-large canopies on all strollers; sealed, ball bearing wheels; bold fabrics; and swing away trays, to name a few.
• Extra features come as ‘standard equipment’ with Joovy gear, i.e. car seat adapters, trays, sheets, etc. *Both are bolded for effect - did it work? :) *
  
• We strive for high quality at a reasonable price for our customers.
• And on and on...I only have so much room! :)
  

Now here are a few things that I just LOVE about this NEW ScooterX2 stroller:

• Huge area underneath for all the goodies and things a family on the go needs.
• Very, very, VERY simple folding and storing - folds very easily
  
• Cool colors available (the orange and green are not obnoxious but enough color to stand out) and the fabric seems very resilient
  
• Recline capabilities in BOTH seats on the stroller. That doesn't mean they both have to be reclined at the same time though, one can but up and the other can be down.
  
• Smooth ride for the kids
• Not too wide too! You know how you can't get some double strollers through the clothing aisles at the mall, this one is slimmer it seems.
  
• HUGE canopy that will cover your little ones. I mean, it's big....but can be tucked back when not in use.
• The brakes to this stroller are very good too. (Called Linked Brakes on the website). it's a bar that goes across the back, making it very accessible to get to unlike some other strollers where it is just on the wheel.
• GREAT customer service if there is an issue.
  
  
  
  

Follow Joovy on Facebook and Twitter to be "in the know". They announce special sales and new products via these channels.

Joovy ScooterX2 Stroller :: $199.99 Seriously, you will NOT be disappointed should you decide to make a purchase with Joovy. All the strollers I have had from them to this point have proven to be above and beyond what I expected of them.


*I was provided with the Joovy ScooterX2 shown above in order to conduct this review using personal experience. The opinions expressed are my own.*

orbit baby G2 :: next generation, same revolution.

This here is the Cadillac of all strollers. At least, I think it is!

Orbit Baby and their G2 Stroller. I was extremely fortunate to get one. (I actually won it through a giveaway via Late Night Parents on MomTV, Dada Rocks and Dad Street - follow them on twitter for the latest: @latenightparent, @dadarocks, @dadstreet) And because I was SO incredibly thankful and fell immediately in love with it once I got it, I decided I just had to share this with you all!

If you want to see more videos on the Orbit Baby G2 stroller, click HERE and it will bring you to the YouTube page where Orbit Baby is featured. There are a ton of fantastic videos on here to learn more about Orbit Baby! Also, if you click HERE you will see a ton of information that shows all the research and everything involved with the brand. These guys are top notch!!

So...why do I LOVE my Orbit Baby Stroller? Let me list the reasons for you now:

• Totally compact. Fits into the back of my SUV and doesn't take up a ton of space. This also fits very nicely into the back of any car from what I have seen.
  
• You can buy additional accessories so the stroller grows with your child - from infant all the way to toddler...as well as multiple children.
  
• The carriage underneath is so transportable. The red little pod shown in the picture is removable. It is our new diaper bag. It slides in and out very quickly and there is plenty of room for now!
• So, so, SO simple to fold the stroller. With a twist here and a lift there, voila. It's folded (or unfolded) and ready for action! Even simple for this preggo mama who gets confused quite easily at this stage in the game :)
• Comes with a snack tray...a total necessity for those long shopping trips.
• The chair swivels and rotates and moves into any position you need it to move into. You can see that demonstrated in the video above.
• A cup holder for my water bottle with divots on each side where I typically put my phone and my keys if I don't want to put them in my purse.
• The handles are great for hanging things on...purse, shopping bags, jackets, etc.
• The shade above the child's head is a GREAT size. Seems like on a lot of strollers, the shades never quite cover the head and eyes. And that upsets Adalynn. Not with this one!
  

Right now my Adalynn is riding in the stroller. We use the Stroller Seat attachment. As soon as the baby arrives however, she is getting booted to the back! :) But, I feel she will still love it because then she will get to ride on the very sweet and modern looking Sidekick Stroller Board.

Everyone is always stopping me asking what kind of stroller this is. I actually had a lady the other day at the museum stop me and have me take it apart a bit so she could understand it. She pulled her husband over to check it out as well. When I was done she told me she was heading straight to Buy Buy Baby (the only retailer locally that carries it). How fun!

I seriously can't sing the praises well enough about this stroller. If you have a retailer near you that carries this line, go check it out yourself. You won't be disappointed in it. And yes, the price point is high, but in comparison to what you get in this stroller, I truly believe it is worth it.

Orbit Baby Stroller Travel System G2 :: $900 :: Click HERE to find out where to purchase one for yourself. You can find physical retail locations that sell Orbit Baby, Online retailers as well as a Buy Now section. I have seen them at our local Buy Buy Baby.

*I won this stroller in a contest and just had to share my findings with you all...because this stroller is really as cool as it looks! Since getting it, we have purchased the additional infant seat to go along with it.*

Taking Care of Your Little Travelers {little honey :: Giveaway}

With all our family at least a 45 minute drive away I have learned three things: 1) never underestimate the value of strategically planning drive time to coincide with sleep time; 2) kids can sleep anywhere; AND 3) being a human accordion looks (and must feel) VERY uncomfortable.

It was insight #3 that led me to find little honey.  Their stylish travel accessories for women drew me in, but it was the adorable kid-sized travel pillows that has made me love them.

Just like their momma sized versions each little honey kids travel pillow "is filled with thousands of microbeads for super light and squishy comfort.  The front printed side is a soft poly/spandex blend so its easy to clean and the back side is a super plush velour for ultimate cuddling.  Each pillow also has a fabric loop so it's easy to attach to your kid's backpack or travel bag."

While the included instructions called for only spot cleaning the little honey website product description does say that the pillow can be hand washed and line dried.  If your kid drools in their sleep like mine do this is SUPER awesome to know since nobody should have to sleep in the smell of dried spit. (Because that's just gross.)

Here you can see Michaela with her new purple giraffe little honey kids travel pillow.  She LOVES her new "car pillow" and was working very hard to pretend sleep here while she modeled for me. :) FYI: these travel pillows are not meant for use with children under 3 years of age!

little honey kids travel pillow :: $12.99

A SIMPLE GIVEAWAY!
One lucky SIMPLE reader is going to win a little honey kids travel pillow!  Here's how to enter:

• Which little honey  kids travel pillow design does your little traveler love? (Required)
• "LIKE" little honey on Facebook
• Send some twitter love and tweet something like the following (daily tweets allowed and leave the link to your tweet) :: Enter to win a kids travel pillow from @alittlehoneybee on @simplereviews: http://tiny.cc/fpdlt  #giveaway #contest #win Please RT!
• Sign up for SIMPLE updates! (Enter your email address in the left sidebar)

 Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry.  Winner will be randomly chosen on April 21, 2011. Good luck!

{ * GIVEAWAY CLOSED :: CHECK THE WINNER’S TAB TO SEE IF IT WAS YOU * } 
 


*I was provided with a little honey kids travel pillow  in order to conduct this review. The opinions provided are my own.

Britax Frontier 85 Review and *Giveaway*

I may drive a Honda, but my kids ride in the Cadillac of car seats - Britax. To me, there simply is no comparison, they are the best. When I buckle my kids in, I have peace of mind they are as safe as possible thanks to the genius engineering that goes into every Britax car seat. In fact, I recently replaced one of our nice name-brand car seats with a Britax Frontier 85, and plan to only use Britax from here on out. I need to have the confidence that my kids are protected by the best, which is exactly what Britax offers.



This review is to showcase the Frontier 85, but I can't help but brag on our Britax Boulevard car seat as well. The engineering of Britax car seats is so far superior. Even amongst the complex technology in each car seat to ensure maximum safety, they are still VERY easy to use! I have a very easy time installing both our Britax car seats, and once installed properly, they DO NOT BUDGE.


The Frontier 85 is a car seat and booster in one. It can be used with the 5-point harness starting at age 2 and 25lbs. up to 85lbs. Then it can convert to a belt-positioning booster seat for kids at least 40lbs. up to 120lbs. with easy color-coded vehicle belt guides.


The Britax Frontier 85 has a plethora of awesome features you can read about here. But I thought I'd point out a few of our favorites:

• True Side Impact Protection, something you don't get with just a regular booster
• Quick adjust harness, so you don't have to detach straps to adjust height
• LATCH has push buttons like a seatbelt for easy release (awesome!)
  
• Tangle-free 5 point harness (oh yes, it's possible!)
• My son loves the cupholders for water and snacks
  

Britax has been a leader in the car seat industry for years offering a full line of car seats. Anyone who owns a Britax will tell you how much they love it for the quality and security it provides for their most precious cargo! Britax is a brand you can buy with confidence knowing they are worth every penny. In a year or so, we will be doing another car seat switcharoo, and I will definitely be investing in a Parkway booster seat for my oldest. (Then my middle child will inherit the Frontier 85.) Britax is a brand I know I can trust, and so can you.


GET YOUR OWN!! Britax car seats are available at places like Target, Babies R Us, Amazon and more. Visit the Where to Buy section on the Britax website to find a retailer near you. The Frontier 85 sells for around $279.99.


WIN YOUR OWN!! Britax is generously giving away a Frontier 85 car seat to one of our lucky SIMPLE readers! To enter, visit the Britax site and tell us in a comment here one of their other products you think looks awesome. (by the way, you MUST be a SIMPLE blog follower for your comment to count. Not a follower yet? Simply add yourself on the left sidebar.)

Additional Entry: Tweet this giveaway: Come enter SIMPLE's #giveaway to win a #Britax Frontier 85 car seat valued at $279.99! http://tinyurl.com/6zjy9zh


Winner will be selected via random.org and announced 3/4/11. Good luck!!


*I was provided with a
Britax Frontier 85 free
of charge to conduct this
review. My opinions
are my own. *

Nap-N-Sack for Tired Little Travelers

Here at our house we love The Piggy Story! (see original review here) They have fun, kid-friendly products that my daughter and I both love.  We recently have been able to try another of their great products and I just had to share...

It's that time of year where we are routinely packing the kids into the car at all hours of the day to travel to various parties with family and friends.  Many of these gatherings just plain wear the kids out or they interfere with bedtime and we know that by the time we get home there will be two sleeping kids in the backseat.

To help get our oldest to sleep faster while we are away we've been taking along her new Nap-N-Sack from The Piggy Story.  She loves having her very own little pillow and blanket to use and carrying them in the matching backpack with a few of her 'treasures' makes her feel very important.

Here's some more info on the Nap-N-Sack, straight from the folks at The Piggy Story:

"Red eyes, big yawns and a little crankiness: warning signs to reach for the Nap N Sack and avoid a meltdown. This handy pack is equipped with a child sized pillow and super fuzzy fleece blanket. The machine washable sack pack can be used over and over for other toys, books or stuffed animals too. A pocket space for embroidery makes it essential for traveling on day trips or grandma's house. Kids will gladly take a nap with this fun set. Blanket: 39"X29" Pillow: 12"x8" Sack Pack: 11"x14""

GET YOUR OWN!!! Visit The Piggy Story online to order the little ones in your life their very own Nap-N-Sack.  It comes in 9 different patterns and you're sure to find one for each of your tired little travelers. 

*I was provided with a Nap-N-Sack from The Piggy Story free of charge in order to conduct this review.*
 

Creative distractions with The Piggy Story

To keep my sanity I find leaving the house on a regular basis to be a great help.  I know that this is not easy with two small children, but my need for sanity wins over my fear of public tantrums and we regularly venture out for a variety of reasons.  With that being said anything that can help me make our outings go more smoothly is well appreciated.

My sister introduced me to The Piggy Story about a year ago when she gave my daughter one of their Art Folios (right).  This brilliant little distraction has made many a trip out for lunch, dinner and to the doctor's office with us, saving me from being 'that mom' due to boredom on my toddler's part.  It's small (fits in our diaper bag), has handles for little ones to carry all on their own, comes in fun prints and it holds a pad of paper or an activity book with a dozen crayons.

I recently realized that The Piggy Story had so much more to offer and as soon as I saw it I just knew we needed to try out their Chalk N Doodle!  With a lap-sized drawing surface and fold out 'arms' for holding chalk or crayons the Chalk N Doodle is perfect for using in the car.  For those times you don't want to risk the mess that chalk dust can cause, the elastic tabs on the corners are great for holding down a doodle pad or activity book.  The vinyl covered slots for storing the chalk or crayons leave me worry free about my budding artist accidentally coloring on herself while in the car.

Like all their adorable products the Chalk N Doodle also comes in so many kid-friendly Piggy Story designs and themes that it is hard to choose a favorite.  Their Spring Fling design is so cute I wish they made their Chef Mini Apron in a "Mommy Apron" size! :)

GET YOUR OWN!!! Check out the complete line of kid freindly, imagination inducing products offered by The Piggy Story at their website here.  Through 11/30/10 our lucky SIMPLE readers can use the coupon code "SIMPLEPIGGY" for free shipping! Just in time to start shopping for the holidays!

*I was provided with a Chalk N Doodle from The Piggy Story free of charge to conduct this review.*
 

Grooving along with Joovy!

When I was contacted to review the new Cocoon x2 from Joovy - I was ecstatic! I am always looking for a superb stroller to cart my girls around. We don't sit still EVER so, having a stroller that can keep up is a must! Lili is not in the stroller much anymore, she is pretty independent, but this Cocoon x2 calls her name when I have it out! I find her riding in it more, playing alongside her sister. When both my girls are in the stroller, I find there is plenty of room. It looks very comfy too!

Not only does is look fantastic, but it works GREAT! The front wheels swivel around making it VERY easy to squeeze through those tight quarters in the store (and I have to add without having to pick up the stroller or moving racks of clothes)! The maneuverability is outstanding and the ride is so smooth...and I'm not just telling stories here. If you are looking to invest into a stroller that you will love and will work for SO many things in your life, this is a fabulous choice!

This stroller is great for year-round use. "Entry is through the zippered door that has a cool mesh window for great ventilation and a vinyl window for when the weather is less cooperative. The kids love the two huge windows on either side that allow incredible visibility and views." There is even a storage area in the back of the stroller for all your essentials as well as dual rear parking brakes.

Here are some additional features the Cocoon x2 has to offer:

• Great for "Four-season" fun
• Top Quality-heavy Duty Construction (but moves along great and is not super heavy and bulky)
• Converts from a Stroller to a Bike trailer
• Large Easy Access Storage area
• Compact Fold

The last - and one of the most important in my opinion - things I wanted to mention was the transferability in outdoor activities. I am a big outdoors person. I love to go for walks with the kids, take them for a job as well as take them on bike rides to the park. This stroller can do all this!

"Like" Joovy on Facebook and be the first to hear about promotions as well as new products! There is actually a Warehouse Sale going on November 12th and 13th if you live in the Irvine, California area! AND...on Facebook under the Sweepstakes tab, be sure to come back often. They run promotions for free product! :) They also have a Joovy twitter account - so as you are in the social media world, head over there and follow them too!

GET YOUR OWN!! You can purchase your own Joovy Cocoon x2 for $549.99 and you get free shipping in the US. They also offer the Cocoon too! If you are looking to invest into a stroller that will stand the test of time, you should start with Joovy! This stroller can not be compared to your everyday umbrella stroller - it far exceeds what the average stroller can do!

*I was sent from Joovy the Cocoon x2 for review purposes free of charge to conduct this review. What was wrote above is my own personal testimony!*