Fall Field Trips and Keen Footwear #boundlesswonder

* I received a pair of Keen shoes to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Post by-Laura

The Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The cool air, the falling leaves, nature turning colors, it's amazing. It is also a time for pumpkin patches and trips to local farms to see all the Fall foods being harvest. We recently visited a local farm in Auburn CA on a school field trip for my son. I knew when we were getting ready for the day that it would require more than his favorite Keen sandals that I cannot get off his feet, he only wants to wear them. He tried wearing his Keen sandals in the rain the other day, I had to put my foot down on that. He did wear his new Keen Encanto Wesley High Top sneaker on this field trip.

I knew from previous years I did not want him wearing clunky rain boots on this field trip so he could run and play without burden. The Keen kid shoes offer him the flexible support he needs and with a padded collar for comfort. The shoes are okay for light rain but not puddles so I knew they would be perfect for a sunny Fall day on the farm. This is also his first big boy tie shoe that I am excited to be teaching him to tie his shoes on.

We walked all over this amazing big family farm for a few hours. We explored our way through a kiwi maze, we gathered chestnuts and ate them freshly roasted, we visited a "haunted" bathroom and explored a pumpkin patch all without the battle of him complaining boots are too heavy or uncomfortable.

He will definitely let me know if he does not like a shoe I have bought him. He will not wear one and will give a very detailed reason as to way. Over the last few years switching to Keen footwear as a regular shoe for my son he no longer complains of achy feet. I love the quality and durability of Keen footwear. My son always outgrows a Keen before he totally beats it up, to me that is a great shoe!

I loved seeing my son smiling on a beautiful Fall day exploring a family farm. We learned so much from the family farm about harvesting, planting, growing and ways to incorporate farming into our own lives.

Keen Sandals for Kids: A Summer Must Have #BoundlessWonder

* I was sent a pair of Keen sandals for my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Summer is almost here! As soon as the sun is shining in California my family takes the opportunity to wear sandals. As a parent I know each season my son usually needs new shoes. He can't fit in anything from last year as I would expect him not to, so this means we always have a good reason to go shoe shopping.

I have tried many types of shoes for my son for the warm weather from flip flops and slides to leather fisherman sandals. Each have their pros and cons but one that I absolutely love for the summertime is Keen. They are durable, toes protecting, machine washable, functional shoes for kids. Sure I get the parents out there that may feel they are not as "cute" as some other sandals but shoes are about what is best for their developing feet and not the latest fashion trends.

My son loves his sandals! So much so that he made up a dance with them on, his moves were epic. He can put them on himself, gotta love Velcro for busy kids and parents, they come in cool colors and he can wear them in the lake and river to protect his feet (they are waterproof). I love that he has proper foot protection while he is busy being a kid.

I recommend Keen shoes all the time to my customers at work for all summer long and especially for people planning trips to Disneyland or Hawaii. No one wants achy feet on vacation or to have a pair of flip flops trip up your day.

If you would like to have your little ones feet sized and properly fitted for Keen Sandals you can go to your local Nordstrom to have a Certified Fit Expert assist you in finding the right style for your children. If your little one has narrow feet like my son I would suggest the Seacamp style and for a little bit wider foot I would go with the Newport.

Summer Fun with Kids Fashion: Chooze Shoes

 *I was sent a pair of shoes for my review, all opinions of this product are completely my own.

Creativity and uniqueness are encouraged in our house. I am a mom who is not concerned if everything matches, I think mismatching is a fashion statement in itself. My son seems to have inherited my outside the box style and I love that. I have found a company that also feels the same way about choosing to be different with style. Chooze is a company that purposely mismatches its shoes and other items to foster uniqueness in kids. I think the idea is awesome!

This summer my family created a Summer To Do list and one of our items is plant a container garden. We want to have the choice to put in our own soil mixture and plant foods that are organic. Plus how fun is it to eat food you have grown yourself. My son is in charge of watering the plants each day and it has given him a confidence in watching something he nurtures grow. Just like the choice he made with his shoes, to have ones that do not match give him the confidence to wear something unconventional. A kid at the park mentioned his shoes did not match and he smiled so big and said "I know, I love them". The kid smiled back and they both took off running to playing.

I consider myself well informed about kids shoes. I know that flexibility and lightweight are key to shoes for little feet. I would definitely say these shoes are good for both of those. Many casual slip on shoes on the market are too stiff and heavy for kids. Its like they are adult shoes just made smaller. Chooze shoes are made for kids being lightweight and having the flexibility needed for playing at the park and going out and about. They also have an anti microbial removable padded insole and 100% vegan materials. Your child can be comfy and fashionable all summer long by giving them the choice to have Chooze.

The box the shoes come in are called art boxes that are made of recycled cardboard. Your child can color the pictures and designs on the box to make it uniquely there own. My son has decided his will be the new box he stores his crayons and markers in. I look forward to the other summer adventures we will have as we do more of our Summer To Do list and my son will be rocking his cool "Space" shoes as he calls them.

You can order Chooze shoes online directly from them or Nordstrom also carries them. Following them on Facebook and Instagram you can see the newest products and sales. They have just introduced backpacks, lunch boxes and this Fall, leggings.

Western Chief Rain Gear for Halloween Fun and Giveaway #sponsored

My son has been talking non stop about Superman for the last few months. When he saw the Western Chief Superman Boots and Raincoat at Nordstrom he said he NEEDS it. It is funny and sad to see him be into super heroes. He no longer wants Thomas the Train stuff like he did last year, he says he is a kid not a baby. So my kid wants super hero everything, it is cute just makes me realize he is growing up and getting his own opinion on what he wears lol.

i play On Safari Collection Review and Giveaway #sponsored

 

We are in full back to school mode around here, Jayden will be a 1st grader and Liam goes back to his wonderful preschool. Liam may not be in grade school but he still needs a backpack for his personal items like extra clothes, art projects and his sharing item when it is his sharing day. I wanted something light weight but also wanted it to be a cute as can be and we found one in the On Safari Collection with i play.

 

The On Safari Collection includes animal-inspired Backpacks, Bento Boxes, Utensil Sets, Snack Bags, Stainless Steel Bottles, and Pocket Raincoats that are just the right-sized for children and great for back-to-school, picnics and every day on-the-go activities! Liam is really into monkeys lately so this backpack is perfect for him, I know he can't wait to show it off on the first day of school.

 

How about you and your family, are you all ready for back to school? It is right around the corner and we can't wait to use all of our great things from the On Safari Collection!

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway



*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Aug 29 2013 and ends on Sept 10, 2013 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Kidorable Backpack Review and Giveaway

Spring is right around the corner and that means getting out more and more with your little ones. If you are looking for a toddler sized backpack for the beach, the park, a picnic, school or an outing for the day Kidorable has some great ones. Here are a few examples of some cute ones, these could also make a great Easter gift!

Butterfly Backpack

Pirate Backpack

Ashley examining her new Ballerina Backpack!

My daughter, the baby of the family, is at the age where a diaper bag is not always needed on a short day trip. I like something compact and personal for each of my children to carry so they know which bag is theirs to hold things like snacks, toys, water bottles and whatever else they may need to keep them happy.


We just love our Kidorable Backpack and feel so lucky we get to take it on our next adventure! And luck you...Now through March 23rd, you can purchase your little one a backpack for 20% off by using code BACKPACK88 at checkout on www.kidorable.com

GIVEAWAY
Win a Kidorable Backpack for your little one

Enter in the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway 



 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts March 19 2013 and ends on April 3, 2013 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Tsukihoshi Kids Shoes Review and Giveaway

Finding the right shoes for kids can be rough. Things are too tight, too loose, too big, too small, it feels weird or they just agree with what you say then when you get home it turns out the shoes don't fit at all. But that's normal when it comes to kids and shoes. For them its harder to know if a shoe fits right so us as parents have to start out by giving them good choices when it comes to the brands we have them select from.

Plus they need to look cool not only to me but to my kid. My son at 3 is staring to get an opinion on what he wants in the way of shoe and clothing color, I think its so cute! I have done a lot of research on kids shoes for fit, durability, light weight and colors available. One shoe company that is at the top of my list is Tsukihoshi.

Tsukihoshi is a Japanese brand that has been around 1873. These shoes have proper arch support, flex at the toes of the foot allowing for running and jumping in comfort, barefoot like comfort (great for little developing feet)
light weight, easy on and off, and two great features that I LOVE an anti bacterial removable insoles and the best of all they are MACHINE WASHABLE!!! How awesome is that!!

I really do love these shoes and so does my son. He picked out the orange ones, he loves orange. Even my husband who is picky about style loves them. I was impressed by that! They are so easy to put on my son can do it himself. It has a Velcro top and fake laces. So they look cool and not like a typical no lace shoe.

My son was running so fast all over the mall yelling "Super Cool" and showing people his shoes I had to put him back into his stroller! He has a several other pairs of shoes but since he got these he insists on wearing his orange shoes. I love how great they fit his feet! They are a true to size fit and sizes range from Baby to Toddler to Youth.

I even saw that many celebrities kids are wearing Tsukihoshi too. Tori Spelling, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sandra Bullock, Adam Sandler, Julie Roberts, Jack Black, John Stewart and so many more celeb parents buy these shoes for their kids.  They come in several styles for boys and girls including a mary jane one that is so cute.

You can find Tsukihoshi (when you say it the T is silent) at Nordstrom, online and other high end kids shoes retailers. A great investment in the foot health of your little ones!

Here are some other fun styles I like:

For the Girls:

You can learn more about Tsukihoshi on their facebook and twitter pages.

GIVEAWAY
For our Valentine's Day event we are hosting a giveaway for one pair of shoes from Tsukihoshi for the little Valentine in your life. Winner's Choice of style.

Enter in the Rafflecopter form:

a Rafflecopter giveaway




 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Feb 6,  2013 and ends on Feb 15, 2013 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Stompeez Review and Giveaway

Knowing what my son wanted this year has been fairly easy, he sings the catch phrases or tells me when he sees a commercial that he likes it. Last year it was Pillow Pets, this year its all about Stomp Stomp Stompeez. He even asked Stompeez Please. Too cute! Last year that had such an overwhelming demand they ran out! But this year they have a new plan and tons of inventory for all the good little boys and girls that want Santa to bring them Stompeez.

Have you seen the commercial its very catchy. They show the kids stomping in the cool slippers and say Stomp Stomp Stomp Stompeez! I have even seen Stompeez showing up at some retailers. For my son I picked the Growlin' Dragon. My son thinks dragons are super cool. He loves this slippers. He stomps all over the house making his Stompeez growl at me. They have even munched on a few toys. My son will stick a action figure in the Dragons mouth and make the slipper bite it. It hilarious! You do need to stomp in the slippers to get them to work. My son had to learn to stomp properly to make the mouth open. I am sure older kids will have no trouble at all.

Making his Stompeez growl at me

My son immediately knew what they were. He yelled Stompeez and put them on to stomp. He wears them in the house every day and I have let him wear them to run errands. He had them on in the grocery store cart the other day and a few people asked me where to get them. Some kids recognize them too. They are a super cute gift for the kids in your life! Most kids under 5 will wear a small. My son is 3 with big feet and he still has room on the back of the slippers to grow into them.

My son LOVES his Dragon Stompeez

You can buy Stompeez online and get great deals.

I have two promos to share that won’t expire until after Dec 31, 2012:

1) Get $5.00 off your order by entering promo code SLIPPER at check out

2) Customers who order two or more pairs at StompeezClub.com enjoy free same-location shipping on the additional pairs (after S&H paid for 1^st two pairs).

For our Holiday Gift Guide we will be hosting a Giveaway for one pair of Stompeez. The winner will pick which Stompeez character they want as a prize. (these will not be delivered before Christmas as the giveaway does not end before last ship date)

a Rafflecopter giveaway




 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Dec. 11 2012 and ends on Dec. 22, 2012 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Kidorable Review and Giveaway - Holiday Gift Guide

~by Samantha

I live in Washington State. It rains here, a lot. We are always in need of things like umbrellas, rain boots and raincoats. I don't want just any rain gear, I like something with a little extra, something that stands out from the rest. I love Kidorable and all of the super cute styles they carry. Each style has matching umbrella, rain boots, rain coat, backpack, hanger sets, towel and more!



        




For Ashley we got a rain coat from the Lucky Cat Collection in the My First Collection Line. They are sized with your little one in mind and their first things. We are into all things pink (well I am and I'm the one picking her clothes these days) and I love the Cat print as well as the ears on the hood!

Ashley acting super shy in her "Kittty Cat" rain coat

Kidorable always has great items that we fall in love with every time we browse their site. The quality is great and are kids are always happy wearing them. There is not fighting about wearing a coat or rain boots. Not to mention every time one of my children wears something from Kidorable I get asked where we got it!

Enter to Win a Kidorable Umbrella for your little one:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

  *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Nov.10,  2012 and ends on Dec.1, 2012 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent an item to review for this post.

Cookie's Kids Fall Clothing Shopping Online

As soon as October rolls around I know its time to update my son's wardrobe for the Fall. Without going in the closet to see if any of his clothing fits I know it does not. He was my baby still last year and this year he is a big running talking toddler! His pants are all too short and his shirts his belly stick out of them. Clothing to me has an emotional attachment. Each time I put away a season and size of clothing I know he will not wear them again, makes me sad but happy knowing another baby one day will wear them. That is why I like to buy quality name brand clothing that I can save for future kids. Cookie's Kids offers quality clothing for affordable prices, I can shop brand and low price! I always find something I love at their online store.

My son is almost 3 so he does have a bit of an opinion on what he likes. I showed him a few character outfits and his favorite was Elmo. I would have picked Cars but he wanted Elmo, glad I asked him! Since he has changed sizes and I now buy him a 3T. I wondered if he needed a 3T in everything or somethings bigger or smaller. I was glad to see Cookie's Kids has the ALVA Kids icon to help you find the right size in a specific brand. The application asked me info about my son's height to help determine what size he needed for the item, very helpful for online shopping. You can also shop in stores at Cookies Kids if you live near the 7 locations around New York City including the Bronx, Brooklyn and Jamaica.

 Since I signed up for the Cookie's Kids Email Newsletter I was informed about the awesome Clearance Sale that included some items for $0.99. I love a great deal like that. I was also looking for an outfit for my son to get his pictures taken in before he turns 3, a casual playdate outfit and something he could wear to the tumbling class I enrolled him in. #CookiesKids

The clothing from Cookie's Kids to update my son's Fall Wardrobe #CookiesKids

I was very happy with my purchase. I found everything I needed for under $30! Plus I found a few hoodies and a coat I want to get for my son asap. I love that about the site, there is everything you need and more! I like shopping online since I can email links to family for gift ideas since my son's birthday is next month. Makes it easy for them to know what he needs.

My son loved this Elmo outfit. He picked it out himself. I paid only $11.99 for an Elmo Hoodie and Jeans set. A great deal since I can pair the jeans with other items and the hoodie I know he will wear often.

I love this little outfit "Double Windsor" 50 Fifty. I only paid $10.99! I like button ups with a collar for getting pictures taken. We will be headed to a photo studio later this week and of course his best friend Giraffe will be there too.

I was thrilled to see many items in the $0.99 Clearance sale. I found just what I needed in my son's size for tumbling class. I found a pair of U.S. Polo shorts and a French Toast tank top each for $0.99. I saw a few items I should have purchased at the time for next year Summer clothing but were gone when I looked again. So hurry and get those on sale items before they are gone.

Along with the items I did buy I made a little Wish List Polyvore set for what I want to get next shopping trip. I call it the Go Green Cars Set. :)

Source: frugalfamilytree-bloggers.polyvore.com via FrugalFamilyTree on Pinterest

To get you started on updating your own kids Fall clothing Cookie's Kids has given me a coupon code to share with my readers. Awesome!!

Online Code: frugalfamilytree 10% off, no minimum! Excludes Furniture, Gear and Toys. Contiguous U.S. Only. Expires 11/30/12

You can see all the great items I found online at Cookie's Kids to get ideas for updating your kids Fall Wardrobe by reading my Google+ story. 

 *I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and CookiesKids.com #CBias #SocialFabric

Save Money Shopping: Online Offers

 

 

CanvasPeople.com is offering a free 8x10 or $40 off larger sizes (just pay shipping) as a special introductory deal! 

 

Remember 2 canvases are always better than 1 and with $40 off larger sizes, you can get the size you want even cheaper!  

 

Plus, While supplies last, we'll include a one-year subscription to Kiwi magazine ($6 value, 6 issues) with any purchase of a canvas print (a $49.99 value) (excluding taxes and shipping & handling charges) starting at $14.95!

 

 

 

FabKids is still having a great $25 deal!  

 

Why Sign Up Now? FabKids is so confident that you’ll love the clothes and the shopping experience that they are offering the first outfit for $25. This deal won’t last forever. At more than 60% off the retail value, it’s a steal. Love it – stay in the FabKids club to get playfully styled outfits year-round. Don’t love it – cancel anytime for any reason with absolutely no strings attached. No penalties. No problem. Try FabKids today.

Each month FabKids will suggest an outfit. These playfully styled outfits are only $39.95. It’s easy to accept the recommended outfit in a single click either via e-mail or on the site. You may also shop the collection to choose your own outfit, or simply skip the month. There is never an obligation to buy – you may “skip” as often as you’d like.

If you are not totally delighted with the FabKids experience you may cancel your membership at any time. No problem. We’re here to make shopping for your daughter fun, easy and affordable. Period. 

 

You can sign up to get their emails and take the Fun Style Quiz  

 

 

 

 

 

Have you shopped online at Zulily yet? Daily Deals for Moms, Babies & Kids! 

 

 

 

 

 

Sign-up for eBay Fashion Vault emails and become part of special fashion events of branded clothing, shoes, and accessories. Selections range from exclusive collections to special access events and one-of-a-kind items...and shipping is usually FREE! 

 

 

 

 

Join Big 5 E-Team today and get 10% off your next in-store purchase. 

 

 

 

What Online or In Store Offers or Sales have you seen this week?