Laugh It Up, Furball…

We have six indoor/outdoor cats and it's been over 100º for the past week. Shedding is definitely a concern in our household. I've tried several different brushes and combs over the years with no success, but I think we have finally found something that actually lives up to its promise: the FURminator deShedding Tool.



The FURminator is a comb-like device with a sturdy handle that removes the undercoat of your pet's hair without cutting or damaging. It looks a lot like a metal nit comb and I guess it pulls the loose hairs (the ones that typically end up all over your clothes and furniture!) right out. In mounds. Seriously, I didn't expect the crazy amount of hair this sucker can extract. The photo below shows the shed debris from Piewackett (grey), t. Rex (orange) and Superchunk (black) from our first trial run. They were all combed cursorily with the FURminator deShedding Tool, just a minute or two each. Obviously, Chunk is the most bristly-haired and least likely to shed ordinarily. His little clump of hair looks startling like something you would avoid on a public toilet. Pie's grey tufts show that she is a short-haired cat who sometimes feels like a long-haired cat. And Rex… well, I could knit a sweater from that kitty alone.



FURminator makes deShedding tools in several sizes for dogs and horses, too, plus shampoos and solutions that expedite the removal process. I was too lazy to try and use the shampoo and conditioner samples I was sent but the Waterless deShedding Shampoo for Cats seemed simple enough to use: just spray, rub in, let dry and then FURminate. Not that my critters like it, but it's not the worst thing they've ever experienced. And it leaves their coats shiny and fragrant, which is a big plus.



I found a video on YouTube that I think exemplifies the wonders of the FURminator deShedding Tool. And underscores why you'll want to use it somewhere you can vacuum…



Did I mention that the FURminator deShedding Tool supposedly eliminates hairballs? We haven't found any since we first used the tool, so it might actually be true. But a 90% reduction in shedding is pretty darned sweet, too. And well worth the $30 or so the FURminator will set you back.

Wordless Wednesday- sibling revelry

Expert toymaker Roo made the airplane above (a small painted log with a wing and tail plank nailed on!) and Jasper loves to play with it. She's getting to be great at drawing, too:

Protect-a-Bub this summer!

Protect-a-Bub makes all sorts of cool stuff to protect kids from the harsh rays of the sun or the cold chill of winter. From sun protective swimwear to stroller accessories, sunglasses, and hats, Protect-a-Bub has your kid covered!



The "Paint Your Own" UPF50+ Sun Hat is a craft project as well as protective gear. The floppy white bucket hat comes with brushes and paints, ready to be customized by little artists.



The UPF 50+ Classic Single, Twin, Tandem & Triple Stroller Sunshade Attachment fits most strollers and provides improved sun protection while retaining full air circulation.



***Superdumb Supervillain Bonus!***

Use code protect4spring for 10% off your Protect-a-Bub online purchase!

Home Office 101 with Simply Chic and Eye Candy

Mom Central introduced me to a new collection of affordably elegant stationery by Carolina Pad and Paper. Designed by Jacqueline Savage McFee, Simply Chic and Eye Candy are two gorgeous new lines that are debuting exclusively at Wal-Mart this season.



Eye Candy is full of lollipop colors, bold and bright, with cheerful stripes, dots and flowers. It's vibrant and fun and cheerful.





Simply Chic is a bit more subdued, perfect for moms or more sophisticated teens. It features a black and white palette of houndstooths, pinstripes and arabesques punctuated by citrus-y brights. It's classy without being stuffy.





I got to try a sampling of items from both the Eye Candy and Simply Chic lines and they are really adorable. I love stationery products and these are funky and fun. Roo fought me over everything! I am hoping the file folders and magnets and pens will help me become more organized in style…



Carolina Pad and Paper is holding a contest where you could win a complete collection of Eye Candy or Simply Chic products and $100 gift cards. Learn more about the contest at Glam Your Office.

Tutu Tough!

***WINNER PICKED 8/14 WITH RANDOM.ORG***


***CONGRATULATIONS, carissaad (non-blogger)!!!***

her comment...
I like the Lavendar, Pink, and White Tutu with White Ribbon Waist Size 2T.


Sure, Roo likes to dig in dirt and play Ninja Turtles, but she also loves the ubiquitous Princesses. Lucky for her, Sara Rose Tutus can accommodate even the pickiest fashionista. Even if she happens to be four, tyrannical and T-U-F-F like this one (the Snow White tattoo screams hellraiser, right?):



You can choose from ready-made styles in SaraRoseTutus' Etsy shop but your little diva-in-training can also specify custom tulle colors and length and poofiness, additional ribbons… pretty much anything her little heart desires. All for a very reasonable price– from $12 for a single-color newborn size tutu to about $40 for an older girl's tutu with all the extras.



This seafoam and aquamarine tutu is just dreamy to me. I would totally wear one in my size but it would probably horrify my poor daughter.



How stinking cute is this little ladybug tutu?! Great for Halloween or everyday, if you're fancy like that. It would be cute for a Minnie Mouse costume, too!



To enter and win a Sara Rose Tutu, please comment on this post with your favorite tutu from their blog or SaraRoseTutus' Etsy shop.


Entries will be accepted through August 13th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. US and International readers are eligible, courtesy of the generosity of Sara Rose Tutus. Only one entry/comment per person, please.


Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a site that compiles winners in one convenient place:

***Click Giveaways on my sidebar to see what else you could win!***

Buy Buy, Baby

I had plenty of toys as a kid but I remember being more into books. I'm not entirely sure if this was a nature or nurture situation because I also remember not being given the opportunity to shop for toys very often. Department stores usually had a small toy section in those dark ages (also known as the '70s) but they weren't overflowing with stuff the way even grocery store toy aisles are today. And we certainly didn't have the wondrous internet to help us complete our Star Wars action figure collections…

Hawaii in the '70s was significantly more backwards than it is today. We got movies months later than the rest of the US and even our TV programming seemed to be behind the mainland. So I never really knew about the hot toys anyway, unless they were featured in comic books. I was pretty obsessed with the library, since we didn't have gigantic mega bookstores back then, either. Once a year, the military exchanges (my dad was a Marine) would set up their Christmas annexes and there would be a ridiculous stampede with everyone clamoring for the toys. It was the one time of year that the shelves would be brimming with multiples of the same toys instead of one or two lonely dolls and hula hoops.

I thought it was magical then but now I can't even imagine lining up and shuffling through to buy the same stuff everyone else is getting from Santa. I'm happy to have a kid who asks me to find old She-Ra stuff for her on Ebay, although I am sure she would also be psyched if our house was completely filled with Littlest Pet Shop and My Little Pony toys. Although I suppose I would brave the mall crowds for Roo or Jasper if they REALLY wanted something that badly.

The Parent Bloggers Network is holding a blog blast this weekend to spread the word about Hasbro's Hot Summer Toy Event. For every item you buy during the Hasbro's Hot Summer Toy Event (7/20/08 – 8/2/08), Hasbro will donate a toy to Toys for Tots, up to $400,000 worth!



Toys for Tots is a longstanding USMC initiative: I remember their bins in place during the aforementioned holiday shopping excursions and realizing for the very first time that there were other kids who didn't have any toys at all. (Or food. Or books! I was very distraught.) If you visit Hasbro's Hot Summer Toy Event, shipping is free and you'll be getting something not only for your kid, but for someone else's, too. Nice.

The Little Things

Jasper has strep, just like his daddy. We went and got a culture today and it was positive. (Roo and I are still healthy so far, knock on wood.) So while we were loitering at Target waiting to fill his prescription, I bought a new dishrack. It's big and shiny and folds up flat. The drain tray is deep and practically-designed. It's one of those Michael Graves things that look like they're trying too hard to be Alessi but are surprisingly decent quality. And I love it*.

How sad is it that I get excited over such a thing? I am so old and lame.

Just thought you should know.




*Aside from its lack of a utensil cup. Who dries cutlery flat?! Well, I suppose I do, for now…

Twist and Shout

I've been seeing Twisted Silver all over the blog world in the past year or so and wondered what all the buzz was about. They generously sent me my favorite piece from their collection, the Beatnik Bracelet, so I could see for myself. And I was pleasantly surprised.



The Beatnik Bracelet is a chunky, oversized link bracelet that could go classic or punk rock, depending on what else you were wearing. I love how simple the design is but how bold. The weight of the piece is also fantastic. Too often, affordable jewelry feels insubstantial on, but Twisted Silver definitely feels like quality merchandise. Impressive, since the silverplated Beatnik Bracelet will only set you back $30.



The clever industrial-looking clasp makes me smile. There's also a matching Beatnik Necklace. (I hope my husband is paying attention.)



Twisted Silver has fabulous earrings, too. I am smitten with the schmancy Shower dangles that Jasper would probably rip from my earlobes:



Until Jasper outgrows the grabbiness, I think a safer option might be the lovely Mini, which have sort of an ethnic bohemian flair:



What are your favorite Twisted Silver pieces?

Little Piddles are in Bloom!

***WINNERS PICKED 8/14 WITH RANDOM.ORG***


***CONGRATULATIONS, Alyce!!!***


her comment... I like the cream flower the best, although I think my neices would love the colorful daisies!

AND

***CONGRATULATIONS, rbauske (non-blogger)!!!***


her comment... I like the pink headband


Little Piddles is a mom-owned online boutique that stocks an incredible array of baby and kid-related goodies. From furniture to frills, they probably have what you're looking for– even if you didn't think you needed it!




Little Piddles owner Jennifer also makes boutique hair clips and was generous enough to send us a few of her newest creations, gorgeous hair clips with big blossoms! They are super fancy, attached to a sturdy alligator clip that I think could also be attached to headbands, through a buttonhole, even on shoes or handbags if you are so inclined… Roo's favorite is the purple flower, which I think gives her sort of a melancholy Billie Holiday mystique:



If you've ever looked at boutique hair accessories before, you know how pricey they can be. Jennifer's designs for Little Piddles are handmade and incredibly reasonable, retailing for between $3-$6 per clip. I am partial to the flowers, mainly because gerbera daisies are my favorite flowers. I intend to steal them when Roo's not paying attention! If you have a daintier child, or one whose hair doesn't overwhelm everything in its radius, the little felt butterflies with rhinestones would be so sweet.



***Superdumb Supervillain Bonus!***

Use code SUPERDUMB for 15% off your online purchase. Expires 8/31/08





To enter and win FOUR Little Piddles Hair Accessories of your choice (choose any of the first 13 items on this page), please comment on this post with your favorite item from Little Piddles. Two winners will be selected!


Entries will be accepted through August 13th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. US readers are eligible. Only one entry/comment per person, please.


Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a site that compiles winners in one convenient place:

***Click Giveaways on my sidebar to see what else you could win!***

We All Love Peanut Butter

***WINNER PICKED 8/7 WITH RANDOM.ORG***


***CONGRATULATIONS, Leigh!!!***


her comment...
PB w/ chocolate-chip cookie dough


I knew I would like the samples I received from P.B. Loco. That was a no-brainer. Peanut butter is massively popular in our house, at least with the over-twelve-months-old members of the family. (Jasper turned one last week and I gave him a nibble of peanut butter and he may or may not have had a reaction, so I am keeping him away for a while longer, just to be safe. Our pediatrician said he doesn't recommend giving children peanut products until age 2 or 3 but I swear we only waited until 12 months with Roo…) I received two jars to try, Peanut Butter with Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough and Peanut Butter with Asian Curry Spice.



P.B. Loco Peanut Butter with Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough? Umm, yes please. I would like to say I shared it with the rest of my family but, sadly, I consumed most of it myself. With a spoon, straight from the jar. And it was good. I can't imagine who wouldn't like Peanut Butter with Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough, aside from those who don't like chocolate. And they're just freaky.



I was more surprised by how much I fell in love with P.B. Loco Peanut Butter with Asian Curry Spice. Yes, a savory peanut butter. Exotic, even. But one that should become a pantry staple, it's that useful. And yummy. You can use it straight out of the jar– just spread it on bread or a tortilla and maybe add some grated carrots, torn up cilantro or mint. Use those same extras and slather some P.B. Loco Peanut Butter with Asian Curry Spice on some cooked shrimp, then roll them up in rice paper for super-deluxe spring rolls. The peanut dipping sauce is already in there! Genius!!! Add some shoyu, mirin, and coconut milk to thin it down and add it to your favorite stir-fry recipe. I stir-fried P.B. Loco Peanut Butter with Asian Curry Spice with shrimp and rice noodles and it tasted divine, although I imagine chicken would be tasty, too. And if you just toss in some green onions and garnish with lime wedges and crushed peanuts, everyone will think you slaved in the kitchen for hours…I also had some last night, stirred into a bowl of chili that Bob made. I eat my chili Hawaiian-style, over rice, and the P.B. Loco Peanut Butter with Asian Curry Spice made for a nice change of pace.



I'm really looking forward to trying some of the other flavors P.B. Loco offers, too. It's safe to say I will love things like Peanut Butter with Dark Chocolate Duo or Peanut Butter with Raspberry Dark Chocolate but the next one on my list is Peanut Butter with Sun-Dried Tomato. I'll bet that's terrific in chili! There's also a recipe section on the website: should you lack culinary inspiration, just click Concoctions. There are even P.B.Loco Cafes where you can sample peanut butter delicacies. Unfortunately, I am nowhere near one:



To enter and win your own jar of P.B. Loco, please comment on this post with which flavor you'd choose. If you have a flavor suggestion or a peanut butter story you'd like to share, feel free to let me know that, too.

Entries will be accepted through August 6th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. US/Canada readers are eligible. Only one entry/comment per person, please.

Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a new site that compiles winners in one convenient place:

***Click Giveaways on my sidebar to see what else you could win!***

Another Grosgrain giveaway…

Another lovely one-of-a-kind piece is up for grabs over at Grosgrain:



As usual, I think Roo would look fabulous in this reversible birdseed skirt, don't you? Maybe someday I will win one of her beautiful pieces and we can see… did I mention green is my favorite color?

Kea + Joby, RIP

Unbelievably awesome kids' clothier Kea + Joby is going out of business. I was lucky enough to win a shopping spree there from The Family Groove a while back and I spent hours agonizing over my choices, getting a bunch of gorgeous things for both Jasper and Roo.



The clothes are so cute, with great color combinations and comfortable styling. Best of all, Kea + Joby's signature fabric is a rayon/lycra blend that is unbelievably soft and silky but washes like a dream. Every time the kids wear their Kea + Joby outfits (I am particularly fond of the pink/green skirt set), I am reminded that I wish all of my clothes could be so effortlessly chic and comfy.



Right now, EVERYTHING at Kea + Joby is 50% off. I'm sad to see them go but it's also a great opportunity to stock up on really lovely clothes. If you buy anything, please mention Naomi (superdumbsupervillain @ cox. net) sent you and I could earn some store credit to squirrel away some more super soft fashions for Roo and Jasper…

Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

***WINNER PICKED 8/7 WITH RANDOM.ORG***


***CONGRATULATIONS, Marci!!!***


her comment...
I love the all the different pictures of the kids on the bottles - so cute! I think my girls would love the banana scent of Lala's Leaping Lemur Banana Lotion!




Circle of Friends is a line of bath goods that offers salon quality products for kids. Instead of dumbing down their line to cater to little ones, Circle of Friends uses quality ingredients and fun fragrances packaged with stories about children from across the globe. Kids can even play interactive games and learn more about the characters on the Circle of Friends website.

We got to try a whole range of Circle of Friends products and loved them. I was especially thrilled with how nice the hair products were, since Roo has such a crazy mane of curls. They dried smooth and ringlet-y, with just a simple combing and air dry:



She feels pretty, oh so pretty.



These are results garnered from Natasha's No Tearski Shampoo, which smells like ripe raspberries, and Abebi's Safari Detangler which has a pineapple scent. The pump dispensers are so easy to use and the detangler can be used on its own. I think next time I might try one of the conditioning shampoos (the character on the Ana Banana sort of looks like Roo!) and a heavier leave-in conditioner like Maya Papaya.



Roo also went nuts for Heidi & Niklas' Yodel-Ay-He Lotion because it smells like C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E, her favorite thing in the whole wide world. This might have been why she and her friend managed to use half of the bottle while I wasn't paying attention. Oh, well, at least their skin was soft and they smelled divine…



The product I loved the most was Emma's Pre-Swim Conditioner. It has a coconut fragrance that is perfect for summertime and it is absolutely essential for pool use. We've been swimming so much that our hair has gotten dry and this definitely helps to alleviate that. I say "we" because it's a great product for the whole family and I've been using it as much as Roo! It uses an exclusive blend of polymers, emollients and Vitamin B5 to protect the hair. My kids aren't blonde and don't get the greenish cast that I've heard tell of but apparently Emma's Pre-Swim Conditioner will take care of that, too. And it has such a great, beachy scent that I am almost tempted to spray it on everything in sight.



There are plenty of other items I am looking forward to trying from Circle of Friends, too. I am absolutely dying to try their Hair Paint now that Jasper has enough hair to make a little faux-hawk. And there are six different varieties of Bubble Bath, all of which I am sure smell better than the fake-fruity grocery store brands that make Roo's skin itch. Their gift sets range from $6-$30 and are an outstanding value. My favorite is the All-Star Collection Lunch Bag, which features a starry-patterned lunch bag filled with Leilani's Halakahiki Lotion (tropical fruit), Chehn's Mandarin Orange Sudsy Sponge, and Niklas' Mint Chocolate Buddy Bar Soap. This is over $20 in products, plus you get a free lunchbag! And it's super cute! (I think getting Roo's enrollment forms for full-day preschool has made me covet lunchboxes.)



***Superdumb Supervillain Bonus!***

Use code SDSV20 for 20% off your Circle of Friends online purchase!

To enter and win an All-Star Collection Lunch Bag gift set, please comment on this post with your favorite items from the Circle of Friends collection. Also, what items or scents would you like to see added to their line?


Entries will be accepted through August 6th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. Continental US readers are eligible. Only one entry/comment per person, please.

Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a new site that compiles winners in one convenient place:

***Click Giveaways on my sidebar to see what else you could win!***