Cool Products

Some of the best loved books in our house are those published by Barefoot Books. Founded by mompreneurs in the UK in the 1990s, Barefoot Books has become a successful childrens' book publisher through a winning formula of great stories accompanied by beautiful art and illustrations. Many of their books, like Whole World pictured above, come with sing-along or read-along CDs, many narrated by well known award-winning actors. Stories presented in Barefoot Books are both timeless and timely, and include tales from a variety of the world's cultures.

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Tired of the same old boring, cookie-cutter Valentine's Day cards? Create and order custom cards online! There are numerous websites where you can create your own cards and other gifts by adding a personalized message or even your own photos. Create cards, invitations, labels, and gifts that will make you stand out from the crowd. Here are a couple of our favorite places to get creative and find that perfect card for Valentine's Day or other holidays and special occasions.

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The New Year is here and it's not too late to get organized in your busy life. One of the tools that I have to do that, which I absolutely love, is my BusyBodyBook! The BusyBodyBook is a stylish and easy-to-use family organizer that allows you to keep track of the entire family's schedules. My BusyBodyBook is for the 2007–2008 academic year, but they also offer a traditional 2008 calendar year version which could definitely come in handy right now at the start of the year.

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Now that school is right around the corner, it’s time to start shopping and buying those back-to-school basics. One of those basics for all children is a lunchbox. My son discovered these very cute lunch boxes from Crocodile Creek. The front of the lunch boxes are decorated with whimsical, colorful illustrations depicting a variety of themes including dinosaurs, horses, wild animals, farm animals, and garden. The lunch boxes are made of vinyl, which make them durable and easy to clean with a wet cloth. These lunch boxes are fun and educational at the same time. You can purchase the lunch boxes online at Oompa Toys

In our household, where we're always on the hunt for children's music that doesn't make you lose the will to live, we've been fans of Susie Tallman and her children's music ever since we received copies of her lullaby CDs as new baby gifts for Trevor, who's now 4. We're excited about her recent release, Let's Go! Travel, Camp & Car Songs.
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After my son was born a few years ago, we experienced the hottest summer that I can remember in a long time. When we went for a walk I was constantly draping the stroller with baby blankets, shirts, or whatever else I had on hand, to shade him from the sun. Of course I didn't want to make it too hot for him, either, so it was always a balancing act. I searched high and low for some type of sunshade that would fit the stroller, but had no luck. I wish that I found these fashionable sunshades for Your Little Ones from Bellah May Designs. Choose from 27 different styles, all of which are reversible and are made of 100% breathable cotton.

One of my favorites is the Natalie (pictured above), which offers a Parisian flair with Eiffel Towers and polka dots in shades of pink and brown. The sunshades offer a sleeping baby privacy, and full or partial protection from the sun. They also offer a handy pouch for storage. Prices range from $75.00–$85.00. For more info or to purchase, go to www.bellahmay.com.

Ok, when my kids were born for some reason I just couldn’t seem to find that many cute birth announcements online. Now, of course, I ran across Tiny Prints (when I don’t need them, naturally). Tiny Prints offers super cute, unique birth announcements, baby shower invitations, and baby shower favors that you can personalize and instantly preview. The styles, by a number of noted artists and designers, are simple and modern, yet chic and sophisticated. Prices are very reasonable, too.

Tiny Prints have been featured in InStyle Magazine and the Wall Street Journal, and were given out as favors for the Golden Globes and Entertainment Weekly parties. Check out their styles at www.tinyprints.com.

Father’s Day is right around the corner and I’ve been talking to the kids about gift ideas for their daddy. I like to be creative with my gifts and give him something that the kids have truly created. Café Press online is a great place to create your own masterpiece for Father’s Day. You can take your child’s artwork, scan it, and have it printed on a shirt, apron, mug, cap or a number of other custom products. It makes for a unique, one-of-a kind gift that your husband will cherish. You can also search their marketplace for shirts and other products designed by Café Press’s thousands of users.

Most dads like gadgets, so another idea for Father’s Day is the Swiss Army SwissMemory USB multitool by Victorinox, maker of the original Swiss Army Knife. This cool gadget combines a pocketknife, USB 2.0 flash drive in varying sizes up to 2GB, and a variety of other devices, including laser pointers, flashlights, and even MP3 players. You can buy SwissMemory tools at a variety of stores, or order them online direct from Victorinox.

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