Viewing category ‘General’

Kid Stuff: Tonka Ricochet

Categories: General, Great Gift Ideas, Kid Stuff

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Remember those old-school yellow Tonka dump trucks you had as a kid? Leave it to the folks at Hasbro to create a new classic. The Tonka Ricochet remote-controlled stunt vehicle is sure to please big kids and, um, bigger kids alike. Not only can you steer it around or over pretty much anything in the yard, you can flip it back and forth — preferably by driving it over objects — and when you engage the Monster Life Suspension, the vehicle rises up to new levels of awesome.

$79.99 at Hasbro Toy Shop.

Kid Stuff: Firefly toothbrushes

Categories: General, Health and Beauty, Kid Stuff

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Toothbrushes with bling are great for getting kids excited about brushing their teeth, but after a while they can be hard on Mom’s and Dad’s wallet. The FireFly toothbrush has a built-in LED that shines brightly and blinks for a full 60-seconds — just exact amount of time dentists recommend that kids brush each row of teeth. And, at $1 to $1.50 a brush, it’s a bargain.

Available at Target, Walmart, CVS and other stores.

 

Food and Cooking: Kent Island Crab Cakes

Categories: Food and Cooking, General, Great Gift Ideas

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If you’re looking for something special to serve before Thanksgiving dinner (or if you’re searching for a great gift for the picky foodie on your list), the people at Kent Island Crab Cakes have the perfect solution. Their crab cakes are divine: Huge lumps of blue crab, a smattering of buttery breadcrumbs, bay seasoning — that’s pretty much all there is to these delicious packages of old-fashioned Maryland tradition. They arrive frozen, are easy to heat, and worth every penny.

$50 for 6 3.5-ounce crabcakes, $52 for 24 1-ounce crabcakes, at Kentislandcrabcakes.com.

Fashion: City Slips foldable ballet flats

Categories: Fashion, General, Mom's Must Haves, Travel Gear, Work Happy

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Turns out that you can be a slave to fashion and still stay comfortable, even when it comes to your feet. Instead of sadly giving up those killer heels, slip a set of these foldable ballet flats in your bag. City Slips fold in half to fit inside your purse, and they come with their own carrying case as well as a soft bag in which you can tote your stillettos while you’re walking through the airport or from meeting to meeting. Available in black, gold, and silver, and in leather and non-leather versions.

$24.95 (non-leather) at Cityslips.com; all-leather versions ($58, in black, gold, or leopard print) available at Neiman Marcus stores.

Health and Beauty: Adora Calcium

Categories: General, Health and Beauty, Mom's Must Haves

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We can agree that most women need calcium, right? OK, then. What’s different about Adora calcium supplments is that each serving is 50 percent of your recommended daily allowance for calcium and 65 percent of the RDA for Vitamin D, delivered in a disc of smooth, delicious, real chocolate. Not “chocolate-like” product. Not something covered in a “chocolately coating.” Actual chocolate, made by Thompson Brands, a chocolate company that’s been in business since 1879. It comes in milk and dark versions, doesn’t have even a hint of a chalky taste, and is only 30 calories per disc.

I’m looking forward to increasing my calcium intake.

$7.99 for a bag of 30 at CVS stores and CVS.com. (Also: Right now, there’s a $1 off coupon available at adoracalcium.com)

Family Fun: Djubi

Categories: Family Fun, General, Great Gift Ideas, Kid Stuff, Outdoor Fun

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Djubi (pronounced JU-bee) is part lacrosse, part slingshot, and a whole lot of fun. On a recent sun-filled Saturday, I grabbed this throw-and-catch game and headed outside with my husband and our youngest kids. Mr. 3-year-old boy couldn’t quite get the hang of it and happily kicked a soccer ball around instead, but Ms. 6-year-old girl figured out the slingshot-like aspect of it quickly, and was sending the ball skyward in no time. The balls (which don’t really bounce, but do float, making this game perfect for the beach) have an elastic loop attached — you hook the loop onto the edge of the hand-held net, pull it back, and let it fly while the other player races to catch it. The set comes with two nets and two balls; additional balls are available.

$24.95 at Djubi.com

Health and Beauty: Vicks Starry Night Cool Moisture Humidifier

Categories: Be Green, General, Health and Beauty, Kid Stuff

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I know it doesn’t seem like a luxury, but it really is. Many cool-mist humidifiers are clunky, noisy, and hard to fill and clean. The Starry Night Cool Moisture Humidifier by Vicks, though, is easy — and it has multiple output settings, runs quietly, lasts through the night (the 1-gallon tank holds enough water to produce mist for 18- to 24-hours), and has a built-in heater to warm scent pads. Those are what makes it a necessity. Here’s the little luxury: a built-in projector that fills the ceiling with pretty stars and colors. With cold medicines out-of-bounds for babies and toddlers, having a humidifier that they’re happy to use can help you get through cold-and-flu season more easily.

$49.99 at Target.

Be Green: Bobble filtered water bottle

Categories: Be Green, General, Health and Beauty, Mom's Must Haves

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One of the problems with eschewing bottled water and carrying your own water bottle instead is the fact that tap water can taste, well, not great. It’s a small price to pay for doing your part to save the environment, but what if you could be environmentally friendly and have great-tasting water where every you go, regardless of the tap from which you fill up? That’s what Bobble is all about. It has a carb-based filter built right in, so it filters the water as you drink it, taking organic contaminants out of regular tap water and reducingthe taste and odor of chlorine significantly. One filter is good for about 40 gallons — or 300 Bobblesful of water; replacement filters about $6.95 each. The colorful BPA-free bottle is made in the US and made of recycled (and recyclable) materials; it comes in three sizes (13 ounces, 18.5 ounces, or 34 ounces), so even the kids can carry their own.

$8.95 to $12.95 (depending on size) at Waterbobble.com

 

Kid Stuff: Company Kids Hooded Towels

Categories: General, Kid Fashion, Kid Stuff

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These hefty hooded towels are for bigger kids, not babies. The preschool set will love the cool designs; in addition to the standard duckie and dinosaur are a plane, a caterpillar, a superhero, a monster, an angel, a fireman, a fairy, and an alien. Parents will love the fact that the 50-inch by 30-inch towels are actually big enough for their bundle of joy to bundle up in.

$29.95 at The Company Store.

Be Green: Poo-Pourri

Categories: Be Green, General, Home Style

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If you’re trying to reduce the number of chemicals you use at home, that bathroom deodorizer spray has to go. Poo-Pourri Little Stinker spray uses a blend of Bergamot, lemongrass, and grapefruit essential oils, which are naturally anti-bacterial and smell great — and a little goes a very long way. The spray was designed to eliminate the smell of dirty diapers in the pail or garbage, but it’s perfect for use in the bathroom for those who have already been potty trained.

$12.95 for a 2-ounce bottle, $19.95 for 4 ounces, at poopourri.com.

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