Why I Love eBags!

If you didn't realize from reading my blog, I have an addiction to bags.  I also have an addiction to Michael Kors.  Put the two of them together, and I am one happy mama!  The problem with both of my addictions is that when I decide I want something, I want it immediately.  I know, that's not a very attractive trait, but unfortunately it's true.  Having two children does not make it easy to run to the mall and get whatever I want when I want it, so I resort to online shopping most of the time.

I recently was introduced to eBags.  I received an email from eBags, asking if I would like to collaborate with them on a review for A Frog in My Soup, and of course I jumped on the chance!  (Keep your eye out - there will be a review and giveaway over at AFIMS in the next week or so! ;))  When I told my husband about it, he told me that he bought his first messenger/carry on bag from them about 10 years ago.  I was not happy that he hadn't shared this information earlier, but I found it quite humorous that my hubby, who avoids shopping like the plague, knew about this bag site, and I didn't!  Uncool!

Anyhoo, I was extremely intrigued by eBags and spent quite a bit of time on the site and you would not believe the selection that they offer!  From luggage to golf bags, and designer bags to diaper bags, they have EVERYTHING!  Seriously - the whole gamut - Adidas to ZUCA and everything in between!  Of course, the first thing I looked at were the Michael Kors bags, and I was thrilled to see that not only do they have a huge selection, but they have new bags that not even the MK store or large department stores near me have yet!  Like this gorgeous MK Jet Set Travel Tote in the perfect spring or summer color, Zinnia.

It's so hard to see in a picture, but the leather is actually textured and it really gives it a great Summer feel.  It's not thick and winter-ish like you might imagine.  Plus, it comes in so many beautiful colors! I might also happen to have it in Tangerine...just sayin'.

This bag was featured in the Zinnia color in the Summer MK Catalogue, but it isn't in any of the stores near me yet.  However, eBags not only has it, but they offer fast shipping, or if you are a ShopRunner member, free 2-day shipping!  Nice, huh?  In addition, they offer free returns and a price guarantee.  To date, they have already shipped 13,830,251 bags, so you know they are a trusted company, and if that's not enough, they also sell watches and other accessories.  Check them out and don't forget to follow them on FB and Twitter for the hottest deals and promos!

Stay tuned for the review and giveaway at A Frog In My Soup...I'll post here when it's live.  Trust me, you don't want to miss it!

Comfort Zone

A few days ago, I told you a little bit about my pup, and his tendency to act out.  I also told you that I had finally found a solution to help mellow the crazy mutt and promised to share it with you, so here it is!

Comfort Zone is an amazing product that has totally changed my dog's behavior in just a few short weeks. I will not lie and say he is 100% cured, however, he is calmer, listening to commands better, and not destroying nearly as many things as he was before. He doesn't bark as often, and has stopped the excessive whining and crying when we leave the house.

Comfort Zone with D.A.P (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) uses a plug-in diffuser that sends calming pheromones into the room where your dog is. (They also make products for cats, but ours is pretty chill, so I decided to try the products for pups.) The pheromone that is emitted, is the same pheromone that is secreted by mother pups when she is nursing her puppies. The pheromone makes your dog feel secure, safe, and comfortable, thus reducing their stress and helping to eliminate destructive behavior. Each diffuser lasts for about 30 days and fills about 600 square feet.

We placed it in our living room because that is where we spend most of our time, as does our dog, but I love that I can take it out and move it around whenever I need to. I had to put our dog in our bedroom for a little while during a play date with a child who is afraid of dogs, and so I moved the diffuser to my room for that day. Chewy was content and snuggled up in my bed when I went to let him out. Another thing that I love about Comfort Zone is that you don't have to buy a new diffuser every time that your old one runs out. Instead, you can just purchase a refill, saving you money, and being kind to the earth. I love it!

Do you have a cat or dog that could use Comfort Zone? Tell me, what is the worst thing that your pet has done because of their stress?  It might make me feel better about the loss of my shoes... ;)

LeapPad Ultra eBooks

I have written many posts about my unconditional love for LeapFrog.  I've shared how the LeapPad has made our hectic lives easier on plane and car rides, but I haven't shared a lot about my favorite games for the LeapPad, the 2012 Toy of the Year.

Recently I was given the opportunity to try out two of the latest Ultra eBooks with my kids, and I jumped at the chance!  As you can imagine, my kids were thrilled when they saw that new LeapPad cartridges had come in the mail, and they were even more excited when they saw their favorite characters were on the boxes - Cinderella and the stars of Cars 2.

I have said it before, but because my professional training is in education, I adore how Leapfrog manages to make learning fun!  My son is constantly telling me "I learned it on my LeapPad!" and it makes me smile every time.  The thing that makes these Ultra eBooks extra special is how they teach your children.  The books are written in 3 different skill levels, allowing you to customize and adjust the learning for your child.  In addition, every page is interactive - from sounding out words, learning new vocabulary to drawing  conclusions and reading comprehension.  The LeapPad is so smart, that it actually remembers your child's reading level from book to book, so when you start a new Ultra eBook, it is already programed to the correct level.  Another amazing feature of the LeapPad is that you can purchase the games and books as cartridges or as apps.  While we have a lot of both, and I am happy to use either, the apps really make it easy because they are stored on the actual LeapPad and on your computer, which means, no lost games.  Plus, you can put the apps onto two LeapPads, so if I download something that both of my kids will like, I can easily give them both access to it at the same time.

While these Ultra eBooks are actual stories, they also include mini games to keep your child engaged and excited as they read along.  Of course,because it is LeapFrog, the games are always educational, whether your child realizes it or not. ;)  These books are categorized as appropriate from ages 4-7, however, my daughter, who is 2, is a HUGE fan of her LeapPad and of the Cinderella Ultra eBook.  She will pay attention as the story is read to her, and she knows exactly how to interact with it.  She taps on characters, words, and objects, to see what will happen.  I know she is gaining a lot from these books, the least of which is the concept of cause and effect.

If you aren't familiar with the LeapPad, or the amazing games and books that you can use with the LeapPad, you need to check it out!  Trust me, there is a reason that it was named the 2012 Toy of the Year!!  It is by far my kids favorite toy, and their new eBooks have quickly become their favorite thing to do on their tablets.

Do your kids have LeapPads?  If so, what is their favorite thing to do on them?  Draw?  Take picture of video?  Play games?  I'd love to hear!! There is a little one in our house with a birthday coming up and I'll bet she'd love some new stuff for hers! :)

Puppy Love

When my husband and I first got married, I begged and begged and begged him for a dog. We already had a cat, and he was completely fine with just our little Ollie. I, on the other hand, grew up with a dog, and couldn't stand not having one of my own, so after a few beers, and lots more begging, I got him to take me to see a litter of Golden Retriever pups that were born on Christmas morning. Of course, like any person would, we fell in love and proceeded to put a deposit on a little red, female retriever whose name was originally "Dancer" and that we changed to Jessie. Jessie was my baby. As a matter of fact, up until the day before my son was born, she and I would cuddle in bed every night. I know I have a picture of me, 9 months pregnant, spooning that dog. Sadly, when she was only 7 years old, she got sick and passed. It was heart wrenching, and I cried for a week straight after she passed.

 

About 8 months later, after many more heart breaking conversations with my son about why Jessie wasn't going to be coming back to live with us, (his precious, innocent, 2 1/2 year old mind, asked if Jessie was giving baby Jesus rides on her back in heaven), I finally got my husband to agree to take a trip with me to visit an adoption festival run by the SPCA. We left my son with my parents so that he wouldn't be disappointed if we didn't get a new puppy, but we took our daughter, who at that point was only a few months old. That's when we met Chewbacca. (Can you guess who named him?!) He was taken from a high-kill shelter in Tennessee and brought to NY to find a forever-family, and when he couldn't stop kissing our daughter's face through his crate, we knew he was the one. The poor puppy had been living in a small crate for his entire 4 months of life, and was so timid when we brought him home, but he was loving and couldn't get enough of our daughter. One of my favorite pictures ever is of him sitting on her lap, just hours after we brought him home. She is probably thinking, what is this beast doing on my lap?!? He is still very protective of her and of our whole family.

 

 

So, why am I sharing this looong story with you, well, because, like many people who have animals, we have had some trouble with Chewy and his anxiety issues. The poor dog can not handle when we leave him. He is a herder by nature, but this poor dog will spend hours, sitting in our bay window, at attention, waiting for us to return. When we are home, he takes his anxiety out on my kids toys, chewing and shredding them. He has taken out more than one pair of my shoes - most recently my new, black, suede MK stilettos - UNacceptable!  But, come back tomorrow, because recently I was given the chance to try an amazing product called Comfort Zone and I am soooo excited because I have a review and giveaway to share with you!  Stay tuned!! :)

James Morrison's "The Awakening"

Is anyone else completely sick of singing Nick Jr. and Disney songs all day long?!? Even when you're alone?! I swear if I have to sing "Bubble, bubble guppies!" one more time I might cry!  Honestly - even when the kids aren't around, it seems that all I can think of are songs from the movies and television shows that my kids watch.  (I've even caught my husband singing them!)

I am soooo excited that I just found out about James Morrison's new album The Awakening! His voice is so soothing and it is such a blessing to have some relaxing music to listen to when I am feeling tired and worn out.  It's the perfect music to chill out to when you have five minutes to yourself!  Check out his album on Amazon or iTunes - I'm sure you will love it too!! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NN4PPU/?tag=unimotrecunir-20

His first 2 albums “Undiscovered (2006) and “Songs for You, Truths for Me” have sold a combined total of 4.5M copies and yielded an astonishing 10 singles. “The Awakening” is a warm, live-sounding collection of classic but contemporary folk-soul songs. There are nods to Motown, gospel, country and a hint of Latin. Morrison also drew on his own experience of fatherhood. His daughter, Elsie, is now 3. His newest singles “I Won’t Let You Go” and “One Life” are just brilliant. He has even worked with some other really great artists like Nelly Furtado and Jason Mraz, both of whom I also love.

He also has a Facebook page if you are interested in following him. I am so thankful that Miles of Marketing, who I work for, gave me the heads up on this fabulous artist! I hope you get to relax with his work too! :)

Who do you listen to when you actually have control of the remote?  What do you think of James Morrison?  Does the English accent make you feel uber calm too? ;)

Easter - The Pinterest Way

If you are not one of the many people addicted to Pinterest, like myself, you need to become one.  This pretty much sums up my love/hate relationship with the site.

But aside from all of the decadent treats and awe inspiring abs on Pinterst, there are a multitude of fantastic ideas on how to make the holidays even more special.  As Easter approaches, I find myself adding more and more pins to my list of things I HAVE TO DO by Sunday.  Here are just a few...



Just sugar cookies, but seriously, could they be any prettier???

(Do you see what I mean, about Pinterest causing weight gain??  But how stinkin' cute are these?!)

And who doesn't love them some Angry Birds?

And last, but not least...

Because, face it, color blocking is all the rage right now.  ;)

Happy Easter week! :)

Yogibo {Review & Giveaway}

You can see this review at A Frog in My Soup, where I am the Product Review Coordinator.  Yogibo has kindly offered to run a review and giveaway on both AFIMS and Stuff Mom Loves.  Enjoy! :)
I don't even know where to begin with this review.  The Yogibo Max has literally become the most sought after, fought over, adored piece of furniture in our home.  By everyone.  Even the dog and cat.  I was given the Yogibo about a month ago to review, and I honestly haven't sat on my couch since.  It's seriously that good.

I have been thinking about what I wanted to write about this amazing company for days now.  I even told my husband last night that I had no idea how I was going to express just how much I LOVE the Yogibo, so I thought I would just share a few stories about how our family has used the Yogibo and give you a little background information on the company.

If you live in New England you may have already heard of Yogibo.  The company began in 2009 in New Hampshire, with their first concept store opening in Massachusetts shortly after.  Now, there are stores in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut and more are popping up all the time! These lounge bags ("don't call it a bean bag - you'll hurt it's feelings")are so incredibly versatile, it's near impossible to tell you about all the uses.

It is essentially a couch.  But more comfortable.  My favorite use for it is to cuddle my kids and relax in the living room.  We read books on it, play games on it, watch TV on it, and yes, my kids jump on to it from the couches.  In fact, that's the only time they use the couches too.  I can be extremely comfortable on the Yogi Max with my 4 year old, 2 year old (almost!), my dog and my cat.  I also love that the outer cover is removable.  You can wash it and replace it, or keep a spare in one of the 14 colors that it comes in. The beads that fill the bags are non-porous, so if you spill  something, just wash the cover, let the bag air dry, put it back on, and forget about it.  The beads will not absorb it and start smelling your basement circa 1980.  I have used this as a bed during nap time, a recliner while reading, and a chair while watching television.