About Venettini Shoes

For almost 20 years, Venettini has been designing and manufacturing luxury children’s footwear with a large emphasis on fashion and style.  Founded in 1989, the brand has grown steadily under the management of Kinderland Inc, a family business dedicated to designing, manufacturing, and distributing high-end and luxury children’s footwear.  Fashion, fit and comfort are the driving forces behind Vennetini designs.

When it comes to dressing my boys, I must admit (sheepishly), that I love putting on all their new clothes and shoes.  I am happy in my sweats, but love to give my boys the best fitting clothes and shoes.   I know for me, when it comes to shoes, I look for a shoe that is well made and comfortable.   Venettini shoes offer both when it comes to shoes for children.

When opening the boxes for the first time, I was busy ohhing and ahhing over how adorable and classy these shoes look and feel.  Both of my boys (they are only 2) were already telling me to put them on…  “On mommy on” as they would say.  I guess they love their new shoes too, because they ask to wear them all the time now.  I don’t think I will ever return to the realm of boring, clunky, and uncomfortable shoes for my kids again.

The new Fall/Winter collection is to die for with adorable names like Bert, Ace, Billy and Able just to name a few.  Whether you are getting your little ones all gussied up for the holidays or just going out on the town, Venettini shoes will compliment any outfit, and are total class right down to the tiniest details.   Venettini will definitely be top choice in my new shoe addiction, when it comes to buying new shoes for my little men.  Venettini shoes can be found at Zappos.com or Endless.com

Zenni Optical sells stylish prescription eyeglasses online and you avoid all the middle man expenses. They have a huge selection of frames to give you that modern classy look. Zenni Optical sells only their own manufactured frames direct to the customer so this is what makes their prices so much more affordable!

New frames have just arrived at Zenni!  Coming from a family that almost all wear eyeglasses this is a great place to shop.  This day in age saving money is definitely a plus.  Zenni Optical has been recommended on a popular U.S. talk radio host of the nationally syndicated consumer advocate program The Clark Howard Show. You will find a huge selection of frames, with single vision lens, sunsensor (potochromic) lens, tinted sunglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens.  I know that my family will benefit from these huge savings and love the huge selection of stylish frames to choose from. I don’t wear glasses and I would consider getting myself some non prescription eyeglass just for fun.

If you are looking for a great deals on eyeglasses
, I would definitely head on over to Zenni for some great deals and wide range of styles to choose from, and dress your eyes in style!

It is almost time for the holidays and I cannot believe that it has gone by this fast.  With the changing seasons comes all the added stresses and things to do.  Along with all the fun stuff, it is time to think of gifts to give, pictures of the kids, and cards to send out to loved ones.

At Vista Print they offer a ton of fun and reasonable options for all your printing needs.  I have used their services on a few occasions and everything has turned out wonderful.  They can print fun gifts for the grandparents like t-shirts with pictures of their grand kids. It is a fun and easy way to add a personal touch to your gift giving. You can even make t-shirts from the kiddos for Dad or Mom.

I am usually a big procrastinator but looking at all the fun things I can do at Vista Print is a big motivator to get started early! If you are looking for a fun way to create something special, why not try making a t-shirt with Vista Print. If you enter the coupon code: TShirts25 you will receive 25% off of your t-shirt! That is a great deal, so head on over to Vista Print and get started on your holiday shopping!

This year’s newest Haba wooden blocks are guaranteed to beat the television for entertainment.  Kids will quickly forget about lounging in front of the television and turn play time into a “block party”

Haba Stack the Trix Mix Pull Toy ($50)

This is such a bright and whimsical toy for your little one ages 1 to 6 years. It is designed to stimulate the child’s creative skills, large motor skills and spatial thinking. There is no right or wrong way to stack the brightly colored spools each with a color or unique feature like a face or a fabric tail.   It encourages your child to think creatively.  Then your little guy or gal can pull it around showing off their new creations.   I even found myself playing with it.  Haba toys are well worth the money because these toys will stand the test of time.

Haba Curioso Fabric Shape Sorter ($45)

Which blocks fits where? The Curioso shape sorter is a matching game designed for ages 12 months and up, that acquaints children with shapes and colors.  Each block has a special optical or acoustic element about it such as a bell, or a mini kaleidoscope that stimulates perception.  Each block has a different shape which encourages your little one to develop cognitive skills as well.  I must say that I am impressed with Haba’s quality and the blocks have such bright and fun colors.  When you are holding them in your hand they don’t feel cheap and are well made.  The boys love trying to fit them through the shaped slots and even love to stack them.  These will definitely be on my list of things to give for Christmas.

You can tell that Haba takes pride in designing toys that can stand the test of time and can be passed on from generation to generation.  Many of their products have received German and American awards such as Parents’ Choice, and Dr. Toy and Best Toys of the Year recognition.  Haba toys can be found at many online specialty toy retailers such as Maukilo.com

The watchery has a huge selection of watches to chose from at some reasonable prices.   They have a wonderful selection of Tag Heuer watches that I can only just drool over.  I love the tag heuer aquaracer. It is such a beautiful watch and most importantly it has a blue mother-of-pearl diamond dial. I am usually not a big jewelry fan but this watch is simply gorgeous and I would love to get a gift like this for our anniversary from my husband (hint hint)!
I had actually never heard of Tag Heuer watches until I visited the Watchery but now that I know I love their stuff. If the budget isn’t too tight I would definitely recommend a Tag Heuer watch for your special gal or guy. They would make a great Christmas gift or a really nice stocking stuffer and would be a pleasant surprise for a special someone in your life. Check out the Watchery today and take a look at their incredible collection of Tag Heuer watches!
I have always had a thing for watches and I own three, but would love to have this sweet little addition to my collection. I might not take it off.

If you are an active blogger like me, it is probably beneficial to have webhosting of some sort. I know that having your own domain has a lot of benefits and you also have a sense of ownership. I am always on the look out for hosting sites that are good and offer the most options to me, so when I run across sites that have ratings and comparisons, I will bookmark them. This sort of gives you a way to look at everything in one place to make choices and compare. Webhostingrating also has some interesting information on various topics to help you along the way such as articles on scripting that you give you valuable tips on how to make your pages stand out. This is a great help to people like me and helps boost my knowledge base. Check it out!

tottieBean was created by two sisters who are moms as well, that wanted to create an ideal sportswear line for children and moms alike. Their line of clothing is all about classic fit and wearability, made with comfortable and durable fabrics. Their motto is that “kids should dress like kids, look good and always be comfortable.”

tottieBean’s newest Spring 2009 collection will include athletic-inspired swimwear and togs featuring swimsuits, and t-shirts in coordinating colors for girls and ladies, as well as, t-shirts and shorts for boys.

Some clothes today just have too much going on and we seem to lose track of the more simple clothing designs for children.  As a mother I tend to go with the more practical things when picking out my children’s clothes.

I was recently given the opportunity to review tottieBean’s classic pullover ($45). To me clothing should withstand numerous washings and come out looking as good as it went in. Before even putting it on one of my boys, I washed the pullover about 3 times and it washes beautifully. I love tottieBean’s pullover because it is a classic and simple design that can be jazzed up with  bright colors underneath. My boys are so active when they play that this is perfect for those cool Fall days and rolling around in the leaves, and I don’t have to worry about it falling apart. Clothing should stand up to the wear of young children and still look good.

Check out tottieBean today…simple yet classic style for your special bean.

Experienced mothers have many things to share with future mothers. Whether it’s tips on enduring pregnancy, suggestions about nurturing a “spirited” child, or ways to teach children crafts that will enhance their lives, the information needs to be passed along. The earth’s first mothers passed their lore through the oral tradition of storytelling. The advent of the printing press let mothers pass knowledge in books. But in today’s modern world, mothers pass along their know-how via the internet through “YouCanMakeThis.Com.”

YouCanMakeThis.Com is an iParenting award winning website that provides families and or anyone with instant access to patterns, eBooks, instructions, and tutorials for wide range of favorite craft and sewing projects.  The site has patterns and instructions for all sorts of things such as woodworking, sewing, knitting and quilting.

YouCanMakeThis.Com’s downloadable eBooks provide simple, step-by-step guides.  For those unfamiliar with eBooks, basically, they are files that can easily be downloaded, saved and then printed or read on a computer monitor. The website offers more than 700 projects that help moms make things for their children, for themselves and even teaches tweens how to learn a new skill.

This is my first experience with this site and I must say I love it! I spent close to two hours just looking at all the fun things to do! There is a huge wealth of information all in one spot and it is very well organized into categories. I just recently got the the “Nap Mat” pattern and the instructions are very thorough and pretty easy to understand. We will have to see how these turn out! I have always wanted to learn how to quilt, and there are lots of patterns for that. These projects are perfect for the upcoming colder months when you are stuck inside, and a great way to learn something new. The possibilities are endless!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!

Thank you to all who entered!   Check back often!

DoubleBugs and YouCanMakeThis.com are giving you the chance to learn something new by giving three lucky winners an ebook of their choice!

Here’s what you gotta do:

Leave a comment on what you like about the site and what you would like to try to make.

Please leave me an email or a way to contact you if you win

Contest starts September 24, 2008 and and ends October 4, 2008

Check back and see who the winners are!

Good Luck!

I just recently had the chance to review Umi shoes for the boys and I must say that I am very impressed with their shoes.  Over time, I have become a bit of a shoe connoisseur so naturally I took them out of the box and started doing the “Mommy” test.  When looking for shoes for toddlers,  I always check the soles on shoes, to make sure they are flexible.  Umi shoes fit the bill perfectly.   Shoes that are well made for children, need to offer give for quickly developing feet.  This is one of the first things I look for in the stores.  Most of the time, the soles are so hard you could just use them as paper weights!

The insides of the shoes are amazing!  I couldn’t believe just how soft and cushy they were, and I can imagine that they are like walking on clouds.  Comfort is such and important factor, because kids really “wear” their shoes to run, jump, and play.  I know I have those few pairs of “pretty”  looking shoes in my wardrobe, that only serve that purpose.  Children need functional shoes because they are always on the go. Umi shoes offer easy velcro closures so you can get them on and off without the hassle of shoelaces.  Besides all the important factors, their shoes are fun hip and stylish for your little one.   Their latest Fall and Winter collection is absolutely adorable and I found it hard to make up my mind.  You can dress these shoes up or down and  I have already had three people ask me where I got these shoes!

Check out Umi shoes you won’t be disappointed!

I just recently got the chance to review some fun organizers from Whomi.  Their organizers were featured in Oprah magazine announcing that most women today use paper to organize their busy schedules.  I know the calendar in our kitchen always has appointments and reminders on it.

Between my husband, the dog, the cat, two kids, grocery shopping and all the tasks in between, I am constantly jotting things down.  Most of the time I find myself scratching something down on a napkin, a torn off piece of envelope, or whatever else I can find.  Whomi has fun ways to organize your life with simple and colorful organizers.

Clarity Agenda (Compact size $25)
This calender lets mothers view their crazy schedules right along side their kids’ crazy schedules. I love this calendar because it fits right in my purse and allows you to keep track of your own schedule on top and has space for the rest of the family’s schedule on the bottom.  So you know what’s going on with everyone.  It comes in two sizes the original size and a more compact version of the original.

• Weekly Planner tracks multiple family members all in the same view
• Color-coded lines for each family member
• 30% of customers use color-coded lines to track:
• View your entire week in one easy snapshot
• Portability enables scheduling on the spot
• Beautiful and unique shape, layout and graphic design
• Vinyl cover for durability
• Clarity Agendas are January-December 2009, with a Monday through Sunday weekly view
• A separate August 2008-December 2009 Monthly calendar is included in the top booklet

There is even spaces to write down birthdays, contacts name and numbers, and favorite books and movies along with a full calendar with holidays marked of course!  This was a very well thought out weekly planner, I love how its designed!

Every Day Pad ($19.50)

Organize your tasks by days of the week.  I think this is such a neat idea because you have a little mini pad for each day of the week!  Not only is it extremely multifunctional, it is such a fresh idea to boring pads of paper.

The To-Do Collection

Here is another brilliant idea by Whomi.  I have never seen pads like these but they are ideal especially when I am lining up tasks to do.  Men inherently never know what needs to be done around the house (sorry guys!), so now I have a place to put who needs to do what and there are no questions about what needs to get done.

-ME YOU TOO PAD: ($16) This helps to delegate such tasks and nobody is guessing about what they should be doing.  This is great for me because I can hand my husband his sheet of paper and send him on his way  LOL!

-HOME WORK PLAY PAD: ($16)  This pad is handy when you have tasks that need to be done in specific places. Separate tasks by where you’ll be when you need to get things done.

I love all the bright colors these organizers come in, and they are certainly a different spin on the same old boring stuff.  Real thought and consideration went into their design, and they are actually a helping hand for busy moms like me.  Anything that is designed to simplify our lives, is such a blessing and helps devote more time to having fun when you have a handle on all the things that make life busy.  Whomi has done a great job and I highly recommend them if you want to stay organized!