Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara

When I was offered the chance to try Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara, I jumped at it. After all, I use Maybelline Great Lash Mascara religiously and have for years. Mascara is one of the products that I have found to be pretty much the same, whether I buy it at the drugstore or the Chanel counter, so a new variation of Maybelline was of great interest to me.

The product's promise is that it uses an elastic formula to extend lashes to a "provocative length" and that the brush allows the mascara to reach every part of your lashes.

What I found is that the brush is pretty awesome- It delivers a much finer coating of mascara than the average brush, meaning that my lashes don't clump together when I put it on. That said, it takes several coats of Lash Stiletto to reach the same point as one coat of Great Lash. So while the results are better (no clumping, greater lash definition), it takes longer to put on and if I'm in a hurry, I'm likely to reach for the Great Lash. Got it?

I would definitely buy Lash Stiletto and I recommend it to those of you who like a light coat of mascara and no clumping, or who have a few extra seconds to spend putting on several coats for great length and definition.

Ahhhhhh, Umi!

Oh, Umi.

Umi and I have a special history. Umi was the first company to send me a product for review- It was the most darling pair of shoes ever and Punky actually cried when she outgrew them and had to throw them out (and trust me, no one else would have wanted to wear them- she wore them to shreds because they were her FAVORITE SHOE EVER.)

Umi has since let me review more of its kids shoes and I fall a little more in love with them every time. I think I sort of have a thing for children's shoes because they are so whimsical and adorable in ways adults just can't pull off.

Anyway. Where was I?

Oh. This time, Punky got her first pair of Umi sandals and ohhhhh! They are WONDERFUL. Even better than the picture above. That flower is totally detailed and beaded and the soles have flowers in them, too! SOOOOOO CUTE!

Punky generally gets an inexpensive pair of sandals at Target when I'm buying- They almost always cause blisters for the first couple of weeks and are uncomfortable until Punky manages to "wear them in." The Umis, though, went on like butter. They were soft, they didn't cause blisters, and she was running around in them comfortably from the get-go. Also? Umis are incredibly well-made and they last forever and ever and ever.

I've said this before and I'll say it again- If you can afford them, Umis are totally worth the money. You WILL see a difference, both in the quality of the shoe and in comfort your child feels while wearing them. Also? Every time my children wear Umis, they get comments from strangers, who want to know where I got them- always a good thing! :)

Check out Umi's spring/summer line now at the Umi website!

pedipeds. Make Your Kids' Feet Happy.

Punky has a new pair of pedipeds from the spring/summer line (see the above picture) and I continue to be impressed by the brand's workmanship, attention to detail, and all-out cuteness.

For those wondering what makes them worth the price, pediped has been awarded the APMA Seal of Acceptance for both its Originals and Flex lines because of the company's attention to the foot health of young children. Pedipeds include cushioned leather soles, a wide toe box and soft leather uppers.

What that means in plain English is that I personally can tell the difference between pedipeds and cheaper shoes because when my kids get new pedipeds, there is no "break in" period, when they get blisters and complain about the shoes being uncomfortable. I've noticed my daughter puts on her pedipeds before any other shoe, so that says a lot to me about its comfort. Also, our pedipeds have lasted forever, so if you have more than one child of the same sex, pedipeds are especially worth the investment.

Another plus is that pedipeds come with removable inserts that make the shoes last even longer. Start with the inserts in the shoes; when they start feeling a little snug, remove them and get even more wear before your child outgrows his shoes.

Pediped's Spring/Summer line is out now and available- Get your pedipeds while you can, because I've noticed that they sell out fast!

P.S. Are you expecting a new child soon? You can shop online for durable kids bedding and a great selection of blankets for your child. If you are expecting your first baby, make sure to research crib safety before purchasing any new or used crib sets.

Lilo & Stitch are Back!

Lilo & Stitch, one of our favorite Disney movies, is back out of the vault in a special 2-disc "Big Wave" edition!

Even if you already have a copy of this film, the new edition is worth it for a number of reasons. First off, the enhanced video and sound quality are obvious. New technology has been utilized to make the film crystal clear, even for today's more advanced televisions.

Second, there are tons of extras in this 2-disc edition, including an excellent full-length documentary on the making of the film, audio commentary, deleted scenes, games, and much, much more. If you are a fan of Lilo & Stitch, this is most certainly the definitive edition of the film.

Lilo & Stitch, 2 Disc Big Wave Edition is out today on DVD- Get your copy now!

Bolt!

Out now on standard and Blu-Ray DVD is Bolt, a wonderful film the whole family can enjoy.

We watched Bolt on family night and everyone had fun watching it, from my two-year-old on up to my husband. I think my four-year-old loved it the most. She's a dog lover and of course, since the heroine was a girl, she could easily imagine herself in her position.

What I love is that Bolt was adopted from a "store for pets no one wants." Now, Punky is adamant that our next dog come from a place like that. Yay! I really didn't want to have to explain puppy mills to her when that time came.

As an adult, I found Bolt to be entertaining for adults. The dialogue is clever and the CGI animation is absolutely amazing.

Best of all, this is another Disney release that includes both a copy of the Blu-Ray disc, a copy for your computer, AND a copy for a standard DVD player. This idea is brilliant, if you ask me, and a great bargain. You can also get a straight standard DVD copy if you'd like, too.

Bolt is out now on DVD! Go get it!

NEOSPORIN Helps Us Scrape By. Heh.

My husband has coached a combined 37 seasons of soccer now, so you could say we are all too familiar with NEOSPORIN!

In fact, I'd say it's definitely the most-used medicine in this house, from my two-year-old all the way up to my husband. It's the go-to medicine for all our minor cuts and scrapes. So I was more than happy to try out some NEOSPORIN products on behalf of Mom Central and Johnson's.

I tried out the traditional NEOSPORIN (which rocks. We all know this. Need I say more?) as well as NEOSPORIN + Pain Relief Ointment, NEOSPORIN + Pain Relief Cream, and the newly available NEOSPORIN NEO TO GO! First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Spray.

I loved the NEOSPORIN + Pain Relief Ointment and the NEOSPORIN + Pain Relief Cream, mostly because I love being able to tell my little ones that this medicine will make it stop hurting so much. Because that's what we really want as moms in that moment after a scrape happens, right? For the pain to go away. And for the SCREAMING TO STOP.

But my favorite is the new NEOSPORIN NEO TO GO! First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Spray, simply because I can take it with me. As my regular readers know, the kids and I spend a lot of time on the go, whether we're at nature classes at the park, zoo classes at the zoo, playing ball on the soccer field, or just hanging out with friends on the playground. Cuts and scrapes are most likely to occur when we're out and about, so I've been keeping my NEO TO GO! in my diaper bag specifically for these kinds of small accidents. NEO TO GO! is also available in single-use packets, which are perfect for your family's first aid kit.

Basically, I'm set on NEOSPORIN for a while, which makes me very, very happy. And with four kids in the house, I am pretty darn sure all of it will be put to use!

This review written in partnership with Mom Central, which provided a gift card to participants of this blog tour.

You've Never Seen Dolphins Do This Before!

SocialSpark asked me to watch and review a video from ABC World News that is seriously the coolest thing I've seen in a long time. So I'm excited to tell you about it, because this is the kind of video you'll definitely want to show your kids- or watch it alone, if they're not around.

The dolphins at Sea World have taught themselves a whole new way of communicating, socializing, and all-out playing. They've learned to blow huge bubbles underwater through their blowholes and then manipulate them into rings of air that they can play with and push through the water, either alone or with other dolphins. They've also learned to poke and prod the bubbles to create waves of sound that allow them to communicate with the other dolphins. The experts at Sea World have never seen anything like it! But now you can see it for yourself.

Watch the video below from ABC World News, then take your kids to Dolphin Bubbles, a site where they can learn more cool facts and information about Sea World's amazing dolphins!

Pinocchio!

It's back from the Vault!

Pinocchio! Or as my daughter calls it, "THE NOKEY NOSE."

Disney is doing something awesome with some of its newest DVDs now- releasing 2-disc sets that include copies for standard and Blu-Ray DVD players, so that you can watch it now and you can watch it later when you've made the upgrade to Blu-Ray. I really like this idea because we don't have Blu-Ray now, yet I hate buying standard DVDs, knowing they won't play on a Blu-Ray player when I eventually get one.

Anyway, this is the 70th anniversary edition of Pinocchio. Can you believe it?! My children love it every bit as much as I'm sure the kids did 70 years ago, particularly Jiminy Cricket. And I love the moral lesson Pinocchio teaches about lying.

The standard edition 2-disc release features all kinds of extras, including fun facts about Pinocchio that you can learn as you watch the movie, all-new audio commentary, a feature that lets you sing along by reading on-screen lyrics whenever a song plays. Disc Two includes a behind-the-scenes featurette about the making of Pinocchio and deleted scenes from the movie, and a Pinocchio game your children will love (at least mine do!)!

Blu-Ray bonus features include a movie chat feature that lets you watch the film while in a synchronized viewing party with remote friends, using your remote control or any text-enabled device, like a laptop or cellphone, and a movie challenge feature that lets you test your skills against other players in a real-time, online trivia game while watching the movie!

Pinocchio is out now on standard and Blu-Ray DVD! Copies are available pretty much everywhere!