Our Christmas: A Recap in Pictures

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! We had such a fabulous Christmas around our house with my family in from out of town. We stayed so busy with Christmas fun that I didn't have time to hit the blog, but I'm back now. And what better way to get back to blogging than sharing some cute holiday pics!

Oral-B Stages & Crest and Oral B Pro-Health FOR ME Mommy Party

My kids' oral health is a big deal for me. I work hard to teach my kids how to take care of their teeth and I take pride in the fact that none of my kids have ever had a cavity. So I jumped at the chance to host an Oral-B Mommy Party. 

Oral-B sent us all sorts of goodies to pass out to the kids at the party. No matter what age your kids are, Oral-B has great products for your kids. For younger kids, Oral-B sent us some of their Stages line. We got to check out some of the toothbrushes and floss picks in the Stages line, which also includes toothpaste. Stages products come in 3 levels: 4-24 months, 2-4 years and 5-7 years, so they are perfectly tailored to your child as they grow. The kids at the party loved the Disney characters on the toothbrushes and floss picks. The Stages Oral-B products can be found in Disney princess, Toy Story and Car styles, so your child will be sure to find a kind they like.

My son will be turning 8 this summer, so I was excited to get to check out Oral-B's Pro-Health For Me line. This line is tailored just for kids 8-12, with funky styling to appeal to older kids. The Pro-Health For Me line includes toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss picks and  fluoride rinse. My son and his friends loved the cool graphics on the products. Because my son's oral health is so important to me, I'm happy to know that there are products out there that he's interested in using, especially as he gets old enough to take over his own oral care. 

In addition to send us the awesome products to check out, Oral-B made sure we had great activities at the party as well. The kids had fun playing the Healthy Mouth game, where they sorted items that are good for your mouth verses those that aren't. And the highlight of the party was the screening of Cars 2! In our party pack, we got a DVD of Cars 2 and some Cars 2 gummy vitamins, which help keep kids healthy all around. The kids LOVED the movie and the moms loved seeing how excited they were about the Oral-B products, so the party was a huge hit all around!

Building Some Fun at Our MegaBloks Mommy Party

The kids and I had so much fun with our first MegaBloks Mommy Party that we jumped at the chance to host a second one! And our second party definitely didn't disappoint. I'm not sure who had more fun--the kids or the moms. The kids had a tower building contest to see who could build the tallest tower. They also had races to see who could push their MegaBloks vehicle to the finish line the fastest--using only their nose! Of course, us moms had fun chatting, snacking and checking out all the fun MegaBloks goodies.

And MegaBloks definitely sent us some great toys to check out! The kids loved the giant Farm set. The farm animals were particularly cute and the kids couldn't get enough of the little tractor. They all took turns building an arch with MegaBloks and pushing the tractor through the tunnel. Despite all those fun features, my favorite part of the set may be the giant tub that the farm set comes in because the lid has MegaBloks bumps on it. This means that you can build right on the lid and it's a nice big building surface--large enough to build a cute, happy farm big enough for all the animals :)

My favorite MegaBloks toy that we were sent for our party was the adorable Jungle Friends set. Seriously, I always knew MegaBloks were fun and educational, but never have I seen them be so stinking cute! In the Jungle Friends set, all of the blocks feature cute stickers which help your kid's creations come to life. Four of the blocks have faces of animals on them, allowing kids to build their own animals. The animal print blocks and plant life blocks just add extra life to the adorable creations.

If you're looking for a more pink girly option that is just as cute, check out the Garden Friends set. It uses the same concept as the Jungle Friends set but instead of jungle animals and plants, the Garden Friends set features bugs and flowers. Included in the cute carrying case are blocks with 4 bug faces, bug bodies and flowers. The girls at our party were crazy about the Garden Friends. The pink blocks were such a hit that they didn't want to share! 

Look at how excited my little one is about her fun new MegaBloks! I know these cute new MegaBloks are going to be a great addition to our growing collection. I can't wait for our next MegaBloks party!

Fun Holidays: Today I Couldn't Pick Just One!

There were 2 holidays that I couldn't pass up mentioning today because they were just so fabulously funny! Today is both Bathtub Party Day and International Ninja Day. Seriously, ninjas and a bathtub party on the same day?? Best. Day. Ever.

Fun Holidays: National Cookie Day

Today is National Cookie Day, the perfect chance to start your holiday baking!

Fun Holidays: International Day of Disabled Persons

Today is the International Day of Disabled Persons, a great chance to help your child learn some empathy by helping a disabled person in their lives. Here's to helping our kids be better people, one act of kindness at a time.

Review: HipSeat Baby Carrier

The hip carry. Sticking your hip out to the side to make a perch for your baby. Every parent does it. And every parent know how uncomfortable it can be. If you are looking for a more comfortable, supportive way to carry your baby on your hip, the HipSeat is the perfect carrier for you!

The HipSeat is a waist belt-style carrier with an integrated seat for your baby. The seat is made of firm foam, making it a perfect perch for your little one. The waist belt can be fastened on either side so that your baby can be worn on which ever hip is more comfortable for you. The wide belt spreads the baby's weight over your waist and the seat allows you to keep your back in alignment while carrying your child, meaning less back problems and other health issues. The HipSeat also features a clip for your keys and an integrated pocket to stash your wallet or other necessities. 

The HipSeat is a hands-on carrier, meaning that you have to keep one hand on your child while using the HipSeat. This is the first hands-on carrier I've tried and, while it may not be my carrier of choice to use for an all-day outing, I found it to be great for perfect situations. My daughter is almost 2 and toddlers often want to be picked up one minute and put down the next. Strapping or wrapping my daughter into a complicated carrier only to have her want to get out 3 minutes later can be infuriating. That's where the HipSeat is perfect. I can wear the HipSeat around and easily pick my daughter up and carry her when she wants to be carried, but then put her down just as easily when she wants to get down.

I like that the waist belt attaches around your waist with both a large Velcro panel and a plastic clip because it makes the belt feel very secure. And I love that the waist belt can be folded up and snapped away when not in use, making the HipSeat more compact for traveling or storing. Because of the adjustable size, my husband and I can both use the HipSeat. The pocket is convenient because it holds enough that I can even leave my purse at home for just a short trip.

I found the HipSeat to be both comfortable and convenient--my two main criteria for a carrier. Give it a try and discover a more comfortable way to carry your toddler!

{I received free products to facilitate this review. However, the opinions expressed here are my own.}