Mommy Ramblings

December 16, 2017 · 1:58 pm

Classic Heirloom Style for Babies & Toddlers For 100 Years and Counting

They say good taste never goes out of style. I have always loved dressing my babies and toddlers in classic, smocked clothing. One name that has been my go to brand is, Feltman Brothers. They have been around for 100 years and counting for good reason.

Their clothing is quality made, I still have some of the Friedknit and smocked outfits and dresses from my oldest children, and they still look great. They make the kind of heirloom clothing, that can be passed down from one generation to the next, with hand embroidery and smocking that is beyond beautiful.

The timeless style is a favorite to wear for portraits and photographers, even hobby photographers, like myself, love taking photos of children wearing their clothing. I loved dressing up my kids in their smocked dresses, smocked shortalls, sailor suits and more. Nothing has changed, they are still my favorite brand for beautiful children’s clothing, that creates those picture perfect memories.

This year’s holiday collection is white and wonderful. I especially love the Short Sleeve Holiday Pearl Flower Bishop Dress. The dress features hand embroidered flowers and leaves all over the dress, on the cuffs, collar and hem.

The smocking features flowers, pearls and bullions in traditional holiday colors. Dreamy feather stitching lines the neck of the dress and is in a beautiful scalloped design along the bottom. This dress is everything you would expect from Feltman Brothers, the quality is second to none.

Bonnets seem so hard to find these days and it is a shame because they look so beautiful on baby girls. At Feltman Brothers you can find the Holiday Smocked Bonnet that is available in a range of sizes up to 24 months.

For little boys their holiday creepers, Bobby Suits and longalls are reminiscent of yesteryear and look absolutely adorable with hand smocking and embroidery.

How cute is the Tree Bubble Romper for baby girls? I just love this look with its beautiful hand embroidery and smocking.

The Holiday Knit Longall will keep even the newest babies, looking festive and keep them warm.

If you love dressing babies and toddlers in heirloom clothing, you need to check out Feltman Brothers. They have clothing for all occasions and even have an outlet shop on their website where you can score some good deals on their quality designs. Let me know if you love their clothing as much as I do.

5 Comments

Filed under Baby, Baby Gear, Fashion

Tagged as baby, Bobby Suits, Bonnets, Classic, Dresses, Embroidery, Fashion, Hand-Made, holiday, Rompers, Shortalls, Smocking, toddler

December 15, 2017 · 4:50 pm

Tips to Help Keep Your Kids Safe on the Internet

Your Child Will Be Exposed To The Internet

There are a wide range of threats to children online. These threats come in many different forms, from cyberbullying to identity theft schemes to predators who want to meet your child offline. These threats can be daunting and difficult to fathom, but with solid awareness and a plan to keep your child protected, your child can avoid most online pitfalls.

Your child is going to be exposed to the internet. In this day and age, it is unavoidable. Your child will be online at school, or at a friend’s house, and you won’t always be able to directly monitor them. You can’t prevent your child from being online, but you can instill good habits and keep tabs on their internet use in general. Here is what you need to do in order to keep your child safe when they are online.

Defining Safe Internet Use For Children

The first thing that you need to do is work to understand what safe internet use for children is. You should instill in your children that they need to keep their phone numbers, home addresses, and personal contact information offline. They shouldn’t talk to strangers online, and you should let your children know what types of websites are acceptable for viewing and which types of websites to avoid.

A child without direction could give away personal information to a stranger in a chatroom. If a child feels uncomfortable or that they made a mistake online, they should contact an adult they know and trust immediately. One easy way to keep you and your child’s personal information safe is through the use of a VPN.

Parents And Children Need To Stay Aware Online

There are new dangers popping up online each year, and parents need to know the dangers so that they can keep their children protected. There are email phishing schemes that seek to gain access to children’s personal information with a seemingly harmless email message. There are the risks of cyberbullying and pornography. Parents should stay aware of the risks and keep their children up to date on new potential threats online.

Tips For Parents

The good news for parents is that when children stay safe online, they can have a good time and learn more than if they were offline. The key is to establish rules early in the process so children know what is in bounds and what is off-limits. Make sure that your children use strong passwords and always log out of their email and social media accounts, so that they don’t allow access to the next person who uses their computer (such as at a school computer library).

Parents should always read the fine print on social media sites that their children join, so they are aware of the information that brands and other third parties can gain access to.

This is a sponsored guest post that does not necessarily represent the views or ideals of Mommy Ramblings.

Watch Ya’ Mouth Throwdown Edition For The Big Mouths on Your Holiday List!

A few weeks ago, I told you about a different game for your family that you might want to consider for your next family game night. The Watch Ya’ Mouth Throwdown Edition would also be a fun gift for kids and families on your holiday gift list.

The Watch Ya’ Mouth Throwdown Edition is the evolution of the original, wildly popular, hilarious Watch Ya’ Mouth game.

Rather than just speak phrases, players now go head-to-head with hilarious and challenging tasks – while wearing mouthpieces. Throwdown Edition takes competition – and laughter – to the next level and builds on the multigenerational gaming phenomena.

We had some time to try this game out and I will admit, while I thought it looked fun, the germophobe in me was wondering about everyone putting this stuff in their mouth and the logistics of cleaning it. This is a thought that never occurred to my kids or husband, lol. Apart from that, it is a very fun game but one that I have sterilization duty after.

Throwdown Edition has already been Awarded Top Holiday Toy of 2017 by Toy Insider & selected for the 2017 Amazon Holiday Toy List. We have added it to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

The icing on this cake is that you can save 15% Off when you use the Coupon Code 15THROWDOWN when you check out on Amazon.

Make and Play Christmas Book – Hands-On Holiday Fun! #Giveaway

I just adore the Make and Play Christmas Book. It is so much fun for my kids to make the fun Christmas decorations and display them throughout the house.

This innovative new activity book includes ten press-out pieces to play and decorate with. The simple die-cut shapes, including Santa, a reindeer, and an angel, are easy to press out and slot together. The book also includes lots of activities, songs, and recipes to help celebrate Christmas!

This is a really nice book to give to any child and it gives them something to do throughout the season to prepare for Christmas Day.

We think this book is so fun we have added it to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

Giveaway:

Candlewick Press is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of Make and Play Christmas Book! Thank you to Candlewick Press for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Where’s Waldo? Destination: Everywhere! Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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44 Comments

Filed under Books, Gifts, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Review

Tagged as Activity Book, Books, Candlewick Press, Christmas, Decorations, giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Nosy Crow

· 3:27 pm

5 New Year’s Resolutions to Set for Your Family

Throughout the year, you do little things to help ensure your kids grow up to become good people.No doubt, they are well on their way, but here’s the thing: Kids don’t always listen. When you try to drive a message home among a million other messages, it can be difficult. That’s what’s so great about New Year’s Resolutions. This time of year offers us a podium.

If you make resolutions fun, the entire family can get involved. Make the process interactive by keeping track on a chalkboard or a website. Hold everyone, (yourself included) accountable, and it may start feeling like a game.

Here are five ideas for resolutions you can set for your family.

Less screen time. Isn’t this always the goal? Maybe this year, your family can achieve it by adding a board game night or a group game of volleyball. Whatever you do, try to keep it simple and consistent, so everyone knows when it’s not okay to turn on the television or pick up the tablet.

More exercise. You can make this a family event where you all exercise together or have everyone keep track of their own goals with something like a Fitbit. Getting your kids in the habit of exercising now will help them understand the importance of staying fit throughout their lives.

Family dinners together. If you aren’t already sitting down at the dinner table together, this is a great idea for a resolution. In fact, regular family dinners are associated with reduced rates of depression and suicidal thoughts in teenagers. Try to sit for dinner together every night, if you can.

Have regular mental health days. Teenage depression is on the rise, and mental health is an issue that has become extremely important. Take one day a week to talk to your kids about their thoughts and feelings. Let them know why this is important. Untreated depression can have dangerous consequences, such as alcoholism, substance abuse, or suicide.

Keep gratitude journals. While we’re teaching our kids to be good to others, we sometimes forget to teach them how to be good to themselves. Show your kids how to create a gratitude journal to express all the things they appreciate in their lives. Especially in the teenage years, kids can get so wrapped up in what’s happening around them that they forget the important things. Gratitude journaling serves as a great reminder. This is something you can even do together as a family.

As the new year approaches, it’s time to set new goals. We may not need to reinvent our families, but we can refine some of the skills we’ve taught and learned throughout the years.

New Year’s resolutions can be a fun way for the children to try something that they wouldn’t otherwise try. If you make it fun, it’s likely to last well into the year. If you’re lucky, these habits will continue until those little ones go off to college!

This is a sponsored guest post that does not necessarily express the ideals or views of Mommy Ramblings.

Where’s Waldo is 30 Years Old! Anniversary Book #Giveaway

Waldo isn’t ready for his copy of AARP yet, but he is 30 years old! To celebrate this exciting milestone we are having a giveaway for the anniversary book, Where’s Waldo? Destination: Everywhere! by Martin Handford. Inside you will find 12 classic scenes as you’ve never seen them before.

Everyone’s favorite bespectacled explorer has been many places — the land of dragon flyers, a Jurassic arena of sports-loving dinosaurs, the set of black-and-white movies in Hollywood.

Join Waldo as he hand picks his favorite journeys of all time, revisiting twelve of his most fantastic travels in a new format that includes a surprise at the end of the book. New eye-boggling games await Waldo-watchers alongside every scene in this fresh tribute to Waldo’s many years wandering the world.

We think this anniversary book deserves a place on Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. Unlike Waldo, the book is very visible on our gift guide.

Giveaway:

Candlewick Press is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of Where’s Waldo? Destination: Everywhere! Thank you to Candlewick Press for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Where’s Waldo? Destination: Everywhere! Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Books, Gift, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide

Tagged as 30th Anniversary, book, Candlewick Press, Gifts, giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Where's Waldo

· 2:17 pm

Classic Children’s Books Make Great Gifts #Giveaway #TheVelveteenRabbit

I love sharing classic stories with my children. The Velveteen Rabbit is probably one of the most beloved children’s books of all time.

When the Velveteen Rabbit first arrives in the nursery, he is snubbed by the other toys. But the Rabbit soon makes friends with the Skin Horse, who explains how toys can become “real” if they are loved enough.

The Velveteen Rabbit longs for this to happen, and one day he finds that he has become the Boy’s very favorite toy. They play together through a long, golden summer, Rabbit becoming shabbier and shabbier as he becomes real to the boy who loves him. The rabbits in the garden think otherwise — how can Rabbit be real when he can’t leap and hop?

When Boy takes ill with scarlet fever and Rabbit must be discarded, a magical fairy appears to transform him into a real, wild rabbit, though her parting words remind him that he was always real to the Boy.

A perfect gift for delivering an old favorite to a new generation, this beautifully illustrated version of Margery Williams’s time-honored tale is the first in a series of Nosy Crow classics. We love this book so much, you will find it on Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

Giveaway:

Candlewick Press is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real! Thank you to Candlewick Press for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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53 Comments

Filed under Books, Christmas, Gift, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide

Tagged as "The Velveteen Rabbit", Candlewick Press, Classic Books, giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, How Toys Become Real

December 14, 2017 · 1:58 pm

Inspire Future Engineers with the Gadgets & Gizmos Invention Kit #Giveaway

We really like to choose toys for our kids that are fun and educational. That is why when we saw the Gadgets & Gizmos Invention Kit, we knew it was one that our kids would love and let’s face it, I knew my husband would love it too!

This is the ultimate kit for every aspiring inventor! The open-ended kit is packed with parts that kids can mix and match to make tons of gadgets and gizmos.

The step-by-step guide is easy to follow to create 8 projects, like a catapult, helicopter, hydraulic lift car and so much more including their own unique creations.

When they build and invent with this kit, they are exploring exciting science and engineering concepts. My son Ethan is interested in becoming an engineer so this is very exciting to him. The first thing they built with this 180 piece kit is an air powered rocket launcher. After building it, the testing it was super fun for all the boys!

We love this kit so much we are adding it to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

Giveaway

Lakeshore Learning is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own Gadgets & Gizmos Invention Kit! Thank you to Lakeshore Learning for the review kit and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.

Gadgets & Gizmos Invention Kit Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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61 Comments

Filed under Christmas, Gift, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Review, Toys

Tagged as Creativity, Gadgets & Gizmos, giveaway, Invention Kit, Inventions, Lakeshore Learning, STEM, toys

· 12:41 pm

Save 30% on Personalized Gifts for your Child, Pet, Family & More! #Giveaway

Unique gifts like personalized books, board games, placemats and more celebrate the recipient and can even include their family and pet in the fun. I See Me! makes it easy to give gifts that will make every child a star.

I love giving I See Me! products to my kids. The look on their faces, when they discover they are the main character of a special book, is truly priceless. This season, I created some really special gifts for my kids on the I See Me! website. It is so easy to add personalization and photos to create unique and treasured gifts.

I know my son Ethan is going to love the personalized USA Road Trip Storybook I created for him. It is such a fun book, that will really spark his curiosity and imagination with a fun and factual geographic exploration of the United States. In the story, he receives a personalized driver’s license, hops into a magical car, and learns state names and key monuments during the journey across America. He will take a rest stop in our own state of New York to learn a few extra fun facts!

I was able to easily personalize this road trip adventure with my son’s name and the state we live in. I selected his skin tone and hair color, and uploaded a photo of his face to be incorporated throughout the illustrations!

He is going to love it, and at the end of the book, he will see a personalized map of the United States. The book even includes a list of all 50 states with their capitals, so he can check off the names of the states that he has visited! We ordered the gift set which included a scratch off state map that he is going to just love! I cannot wait to see his face when he opens it.

For our son Luke, our dog lover, we choose the If My Dog Could Talk Storybook. I customized it for him and our American Bulldog, Delilah. I was able to choose from twelve illustrated dog styles and five colors to create a dog that really resembled our dog.

The book includes Delilah’s name and the names of four of our family members, this really makes it fun to read! This book is also a nice way to celebrate a new puppy or dog adoption or remember a lost pet. Your dog’s name and the names of up to four family member’s names (children or adults) are also included throughout the story and illustrations! Plus you can add a personal message and up to two photos on the dedication page.

For a really special gift, the book can be ordered with a personalized bandana, ornament or placemat for you pet. We ordered the book with the bandana and a personalized Christmas ornament that we already have on our Christmas Tree.

Another great gift idea on their site that is fun for the whole family is I See Me!’s new, Our Family’s Race Across the U.S.A. board game. This game makes family game night so much fun! It is a brand new addition to their extensive product line.

Take an adventure across America as you move your piece along the game board. Personalize up to six game pieces with photos of your family member’s faces so they can “travel” from space to space. Your family’s names will also be incorporated into the game board artwork! Create lasting family memories with this uniquely personalized keepsake.

Order Now and Save 30%!

If you order by December 17th and use code CELEBRATE when you checkout, you can save 30%! This is the perfect chance to get a special gift at an amazing price! Click HERE to get started.

We love I See Me! products so much, we have added them to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

Giveaway

I See Me! is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own Personalized, Our Family’s Race Across the U.S.A. Board Game! Thank you to I See Me! for the review items and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.

I See Me! Our Family’s Race Across the U.S.A. Personalized Board Game Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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41 Comments

Filed under Books, Christmas, Dogs, Family, Gifts, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide

Tagged as Discount Code, Family, Games, giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, I See Me, personalized books, personalized gifts, pets, Sale

· 12:43 am

Broken or Damaged LuvaBella or LuvaBeau Dolls? Read This Now!

If you have a LuvaBella or LuvaBeau Interactive Doll from Spin Master tucked away, just waiting for Christmas morning, I have a warning, that you are probably not going to want to hear. As a blogger who reviews the newest products, I was anxious to get my hands on a LuvaBella doll.

I had no trouble finding one, but the trouble began soon after taking her out of the box. Her silicone or vinyl doll “skin” had a greasy appearance and had all kinds of hairs and dirt stuck to her face.

It was not that she was ever taken out of the box, it was how she was packaged from the factory. She had what looked like a crease between her eyes, which most like came from a defect in the mold. On the side of her face she had this huge unsightly seam that was very obviously a flaw from the mold. Her molded hair was painted so sloppy, as if a child had done it. The paint went right down onto her face and was all over her ear.

After inserting the batteries she had a terrible clicking in her neck, and her chin and would seem to get stuck, she would vibrate in place before turning her head. I took a video of this and let the company know. After viewing my photos and video, they said that, the doll was indeed very damaged and needed to be returned. They explained that in an effort to get the dolls out quickly, there were some issues with defective dolls being released that should not have happened.

I returned that doll and picked up a new one. Now, when I removed the new doll from the box, she had a much better paint job on her hair, she did not have that unsightly crease defect between her eyes, nor did she have the big seam on the side of her head.

I thought everything would be okay. I took a video of her and she began to keep yawning and saying things at different times that did not make sense. She also could not stop burping when eating.

I thought she needed new batteries, so I put in a fresh set of 4 C batteries. However, with the new batteries, she still said things at the wrong time, she did not burp when her back was patted, but kept doing so when eating. She also started to have limited movement of her mouth. Her mouth barely opened now.

See the video below to see how her mouth is failing

I did some reasearch and found several adult collectors on their 4th doll, and still not having any luck with replacements. Some had the eyes start to fail, they stayed shut unless their was a string tied around their head not allowing the eyes to close. Others had the mouths just stop moving totally.

Many people would comment how gingerly these dolls must be handled. Now they are marketed to ages 4 and up. Do you think if adult doll collectors are having issues like this, that when you give the doll to a 4 year old child. that they are not going to move the limbs, turn the head, bang the doll? Given all the parents that have not opened or tried the doll, we are bound to see reports of many broken and damaged LovaBella and LovaBeau dolls after Christmas Day.

In my opinion, given what I have experienced, and from what I have seen happen to dolls that were not in the hands of children, I have to say, these dolls are not suitable for toddlers or young children. There is a review for the doll you can see on Amazon that shows the aftermath of the doll being in the hands of a three-year old. It is not pretty.

LuvaBella and LuvaBeau are very delicate dolls, not one that can be toted around and carried everywhere. It is quite disheartening that they are so delicate yet marketed to such young children.

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So, let me know if you do decide to check your LuvaBella or LuvaBeau out. The new doll that I had in the video to replace the other damaged doll was only on for the fourth time when she started showing issues with her mouth.

I hope the company does something to make up for all the damaged dolls.