Little Tikes Makin' Mud Pies Review And Giveaway

Evan has recently become a huge "helper" in the kitchen. He wants to stir everything and is intrigued with how everything works. He later goes and imitates me in his play kitchen and with his other toys.



Little Tikes has several products to help Evan with his love for "cooking". They have been manufacturing kids toys in Hudson, Ohio since 1970. As their website states, Little Tikes is committed to making safe, quality, durable fun toys that encourage discovery and learning through active, creative, and social play. Little Tikes® urges children to play outdoors and "Get Up and Grow"!

Little Tikes Sent us the Makin' Mud Pies toy.


Makin' Mud Pies has several features to keep kids cooking for hours. I was completely impressed with all of the accessories that were included to make the set as real as possible. It includes a Hand-crank mud mixer, a real working sink that uses a water reservoir, a sink strainer, a shaker and lid, a pie mold/tin, a large mixing bowl, mixing spoon/scoop, measuring cup, and cutting board.

Here it is in the box.


This is what it looked like before it was assembled. This picture also includes all of the accessories.


I put it together on my own and it was incredible easy. It just took 12 screws and I was done. It may have taken 20 minutes total. This is how the sink works. It has a water reservoir and pump.


You pour the water in right there and screw the top back on. It took WAY more water than I thought it would so I won't have to keep filling it up over and over again. You can also see the stopper in the the sink. Simply pull the tab up when the sink fills up with water and it drains out.


The pump is a little hard for Evan to do when he's standing in front of the sink and has to reach over. He can do it really well if he goes behind the sink or uses two hands.


They were really smart when they thought to raise the square part where the bowl fits. The bowl has the square indention on the bottom so it fits snug and doesn't slide all over the place when you use the mixer.


Just like a real mixer, it lifts up when you're done so you can easily take the bowl out.


Evan has recently become obsessed with the salt shakers at home. He wants to put salt on EVERYTHING. He got so excited when he saw the Makin' Mud Pies salt shaker. We put sand in it so it would be a different color than the soil.


This is the mold that you can use to make your mud pies. Evan got a kick out of putting the dirt in there and squirting even more water into it. You can put the cutting board over the sink to make a flat surface to work on.


I'll be honest, I didn't think this toy would be as much fun as it is. There is more to do than I thought and as always, Little Tikes thought of all the little extras to make it functional and entertaining. Evan enjoys Makin' Mud Pies and all of the kids in the neighborhood ask for me to bring it in the front yard when they're outside. Not only is it a hit with the 2-3 year olds, but the 7 year olds like it too!

Here is a very short video that shows the sink and the mixer.


Visit Little Tikes to view their full selection of products to get your children outside and playing this summer. Don't forget to check out my review for the Anchors Away Water Table and the Get Out 'n' Grill.

Buy It!
You can purchase Makin' Mud Pies for $39.99.

Win It!!!
Little Tikes is giving one of my readers a Makin' Mud Pies.

To enter, visit Little Tikes and tell me another product that you think would be a big hit at your house. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- For TWO extra entries, subscribe to my blog via email.

2- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Little Tikes.

3- Follow Twoofakind AND Little Tikes on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: Win a @LittleTikes Makin' Mud Pies toy @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/22jj7my

4- Become a fan of Little Tikes on Facebook. I'm sure they'd appreciate some comment love while you're there.

5- Place my pink Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House button on your blog.

6- Follow my blog publicly.

7- Place my blog on your text blog roll.

Contest ends June 14th at 11:59pm EST on when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US Only.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may very from others. Thank you to Little Tikes who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Ready For Summer Fun? Hapari Swimsuit Giveaway

I have been trying to exercise more to get ready for swimsuit season. We're in the water all summer long, so I'm always on the lookout for new swimsuits.



Hapari provides women with modest swimwear and tankinis that are stylish and comfortable for all body types. They have done their research and designed their swimsuits to enhance your figure.



Aren't these swimsuits adorable? They provide full coverage, but don't look "frumpy". I have several prints that I like. I think my top pick would be this Blue Aloha V-Neck Tankini. I wish there were pictures on their website of the front of the suit so I can see exactly what it would look like.


One of my biggest "trouble areas" since having Isabella is my tummy. I need to work on getting it toned, but in the mean time, I can use these Tummy Tuk bottoms.


Visit Hapari to view their full selection. You can mix and match any swimwear bottom with any tankini or bikini top.

Win It!!!
Hapari is giving one of my readers a top and bottom of choice!

To enter, visit Hapari and tell me what top and bottom you would choose. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- For TWO extra entries, Subscribe to my blog via email.

2- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post AND Hapari.

3- Follow Twoofakind AND Hapari on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN @hapari swimwear (top and bottom of choice) @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/2fbvldb

4- Become a fan of/like Two Of A Kind on Facebook.

5- Become a fan of/like Hapari on Facebook.

6- Follow my blog publicly.

7- Place my pink Two Of A Kind button on your blog.

8- Add my blog to your text blog roll.

Contest ends May 31st at 11:59pm EST on when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US Only.

The opinions are solely my own and may very from others. Thank you to Hapari who supplied the gift certificates. I will receive an $85 gift certificate for writing this post. I was not compensated in any other way.

Breastfeed On The Go With A Chic Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover Giveaway

With summer approaching quickly, many mothers will be on the go more than usual. Breastfeeding out in public can be extremely intimidating, but having the right accessories makes it a breeze.



Bebe au Lait has several amazing products for babies and toddlers. Claire Ekelund gave birth to her second daughter in 2003 and wanted to proudly breastfeed without always having to leave the room. She quickly decided to design her own nursing cover and market them. All fabrics are hand-selected and expertly designed with chic moms in mind. Bebe au Lait now also has a fantastic selection of hooded towels, hooter hiders, burp cloths, jewelry, bibs, and more.



Nurse discreetly and in style! Moms, celebrities, and medical professionals agree - award winning Bebe au Lait nursing covers are a true 'Mommy Must-Have'.

Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover Features:

• 100% Cotton
• Terrycloth pocket detail for quick cleanup or storage of breast pads or pacifiers.
• Machine Washable
• Unique rigid neckline allows for ventilation, as well as direct eye contact with the baby.
• Adjustable D-ring neck strap
• Generous sizing keeps mommy completely covered during breastfeeding
• Multi-use: Can be used as a nursing cover, a blanket, or even a sunshade to protect baby’s fragile skin from harmful UV rays.

Nursing Covers are a must have item if mom plans to breastfeed. I usually give them as part of my baby shower gifts because it is one of those products that will be used from the first day in the hospital. I never knew how much easier my life would be with a nursing cover.

Visit Bebe au Lait to view all of their items. I just saw these adorable hooded towels that would be perfect for Isabella on the boat or by the pool!


Win It!!!
Bebe au Lait is giving one of my readers a Nursing Cover.

To enter, visit Bebe au Lait and tell me another product that you like(include your favorite fabric choice). This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- Subscribe to my blog via email.

2- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Bebe au Lait.

3- Follow Twoofakind AND Bebe au Lait on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN a @bebeaulait nursing cover @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/28ahc4r #breastfeeding

4- Become a fan of/like Bebe au Lait on Facebook.

5- Follow my blog publicly.

6- Place my pink Two Of A Kind button on your blog.

7- Enter any other current giveaway(there is a list on my sidebar).

8- Leave a relevant comment on any non giveaway post.

Contest ends May 31st at 11:59pm EST on when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US Only.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may very from others. Thank you to Bebe au Lait who supplied the products for the giveaway. I did not receive a review item and there was absolutely no compensation for this post.

Baby Genius All-in-One Musical Band

My kids have had so much fun with the Baby Genius Toys. I posted a review/giveaway of the Old McVinko's Musical Farm a few days ago. Now they have another toy that they can play with together just as much as the farm.



Baby Genius also sent us the All-in-One Musical Band.

Strike up the band! The musical band includes a Frankie tambourine, two Tempo maracas, a Vinko flute and a drum with two colorful drum sticks. Little musicians can play their favorite instruments while marching along. When playtime is over, easily store all the instruments inside the drum for on the go fun.

There are several great pieces to this toy so that children won't fight over it. When they're done playing, the drum acts as a storage container so that you don't lose anything.

Evan likes to walk around with the drum around his neck. He cracks me up!


Isabella loves the maracas. She can shake them and then chew on them. She also likes the little tambourine that is beside her in this picture.


The set is meant for children 18 months and up, but Isabella is 9 months old and really enjoys playing with it. Evan is 2 1/2 and has a blast walking around the house beating on the drum and blowing into his flute. When he's done he takes a bow and goes, "Thank you very much!". I would definitely recommend this toy for any older baby or toddler/preschooler, especially if you have more than one child. I have visions of my children playing with the All-in-One Musical Band for many years to come.

Visit Baby Genius to view all of their other fun toys.

Win It!!!
Baby Genius is giving one of my readers an All-in-One Musical Band.

To enter, visit Baby Genius and tell me another product that you like. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- Subscribe to my blog via email.

2- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Baby Genius.

3- Follow Twoofakind on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN a Baby Genius All-in-One Band @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/35bl2dp

4- Become a fan of/like Two Of A Kind on Facebook.

5- Follow my blog publicly.

6- Place my pink Two Of A Kind button on your blog.

7- Enter Jennifer's Moxie Girlz Giveaway.

Contest ends May 31st at 11:59pm EST on when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US Only.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may very from others. Thank you to Baby Genius who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

ATG Stores Portable Fan Review And $100 Gift Certificate Giveaway

I live in the south and we've already had several 90+ degree days. I don't look forward to the electric bill when we have particularly hot months. I decided to try and find a good fan so that I use my air conditioning less.



ATG Stores has a large selection of everything you can think of. Allied Trade Group, Inc. (ATG Stores) began in 1999 with the launch of its first website, LightingUniverse.com. They have since grown to over 400 sites that feature different types of products.

ATG Stores sent us the SPT Appliance SF-1520 Portable Fan.

A stylish, tall and space-saving tower fan that compliments any room. 3 speed settings generate high-velocity, but quiet, airflow. Features LCD screen, remote, Ionizer and timer. Small footprint, fits conveniently in small spaces. Optional 90° oscillation for wider air distribution.

Getting it set up was incredibly easy. You just put two screws in the base and then a few more to hold the fan in place.


I was cooking in my kitchen when I decided it was time to get the fan out. I turned it on and adjusted it to the highest speed. I then pushed the button to have the fan rotate. It immediately made the room feel cooler and I didn't mind working near the hot stove/oven.


The easy to read blue LCD screen gives it a modern look that matches the decor in the rest of my house.


The top has a closure over the buttons to keep little fingers out. You have to press down on the top to make it open.


The remote is great for when I'm cooking and need to stay near the stove. The remote allows me to turn it on/off, make the speed higher, or anything else that the fan can do.


Not only does it keep a room incredibly cool, but it keeps the air clean. It makes me feel better since it has an ionizer that provides clean fresh air. It is only 11 x 11 x 33 inches and doesn't take up much room at all. The handle on the back makes taking it from one room to another really easy. We spend most of our time downstairs and the fan allows me to use my air conditioning much less than I normally would.

Visit ATGStores.com to view their full selection of products.

Buy It!
You can purchase the SPT Appliance SF-1520 Portable Fan for $115.

Win It!!
ATG Stores is giving one of my readers a $100 gift certificate!

To enter, visit ATG Stores and tell me what you'd spend your $100 gift certificate on. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- Subscribe to my blog via email.

2- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and ATG Stores.

3- Follow Twoofakind AND ATG Stores on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: Win an @ATGStores $100 gift certificate @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/28lh77z

4- Become a fan of/like ATG Stores on Facebook. I'm sure they'd appreciate some comment love!

5- Place my pink Two Of A Kind, Working On A Full House button on your blog.

6- Follow my blog publicly.

7- Leave a comment on any of the ATG Stores Blog posts.

Contest ends May 31st at 11:59pm EST on when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US and Canada. NO PO Boxes.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may very from others. Thank you to ATG Stores who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Baby Genius Old McVinko's Musical Farm Toy Review And Giveaway

Evan and Isabella are now at an age where they will play with toys together. I can't help but sit back and laugh as they interact and fight over toys. I am always putting toys out that I know they like to play with together.

Baby Genius has several great toys that they can both play with. They are committed to providing music-based products that are entertaining, educational and beneficial to the well-being of babies and young children.

Baby Genius sent us the Old McVinko's Musical Farm.

Rise and shine. There are so many things to do on this farm. Your little farmer will enjoy the many exciting role-play activities along with their 6 favorite Baby Genius friends. Watch the chicken lay eggs, feed the animals, and milk the cows.

The barn sings the same song over and over again when you press the button at the top. There is a turn table inside that will spin if you have that feature turned on. It has spaces so you can put some of the animals on it. Both kids love that part, but sometimes the animals get stuck in there and pile up on top of each other.


Isabella loves to grab the toys as it spins around. She squeals as she sees a new one come around.


I love this toy because there are enough pieces that both kids can play, but not too many to keep up with. It has helped me teach them to take turns pushing the button and to share the animals. It says for children over 2, but Isabella is 9 months and I think it is very age appropriate for her and she will still be interested in it for a few years.

Visit Baby Genius to view all of their other products.

Win It!!!
Baby Genius is giving one of my readers an Old McVinko's Musical Farm.

To enter, visit Baby Genius and tell me another product that you like. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- Subscribe to my blog via email.

2- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Baby Genius.

3- Follow Twoofakind on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN a Baby Genius Musical Farm @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/2et3xvy #giveaway ends 5/24

4- Become a fan of/like Two Of A Kind on Facebook.

5- Follow my blog publicly.

6- Place my pink Two Of A Kind button on your blog.

Contest ends May 24th at 11:59pm EST on when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US Only.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may very from others. Thank you to Baby Genius who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Spoiled Sweet Tutu And Hair Bow Review And Giveaway

I was so excited when I found out that Isabella was a girl because thoughts of frills, bows, and tutus flashed in my head. I knew there would be many fun and girly photo shoots to come.



Spoiled Sweet has a large variety of bows , tutus, baby slings, personalized shirts and more. They are three wonderful women that have 8 children and enjoy making items for others. If you need a custom item, they are more than happy to create whatever you need!

Spoiled Sweet sent us this tutu and hair bow.


The tutu is pink and green and has been embellished around the waist. It stretches so that Isabella will be able to wear it for quite a while. It is short enough so that I can see her little feet in pictures and she can move around easily. She loves wearing her tutu and it makes adorable pictures.


The bow is super cute and has a "crystal" in the center. I love seeing big bows on babies. The clip was lined and even though she has really fine hair, the clip stayed in place. I was a little disappointed that it didn't match the tutu as well as I had hoped. It was darker than the pink used in the tutu, but worked because the two weren't close to each other in the pictures. I will still get to use the bow with several of her other outfits.


Here are some more shots from our photo shoot.







Visit Spoiled Sweet to view their great variety of products.

Win It!!!
Spoiled Sweet is giving one of my readers a tutu and bow of their choice!

To enter, visit Spoiled Sweet and tell me another product that you like. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- Subscribe to my blog via email.

2- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Spoiled Sweet.

3- Follow Twoofakind AND Spoiled Sweet on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN a @SpoiledSweet8 Tutu AND Hair Bow @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/3xnjzhg #giveaway open to US And Canada

4- Become a fan of/like Spoiled Sweet on Facebook.

5- Follow my blog publicly.

6- Follow the Spoiled Sweet Blog.

7- Enter Jennifer's Baby Bjorn Giveaway.

Contest ends May 24th at 11:59pm EST on when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US AND Canada.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may very from others. Thank you to Spoiled Sweet who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.

Ride Safely With Britax ADVOCATE CS Convertible Car Seat Review And Giveaway

Isabella is reaching the stage where she is getting tired of laying in her infant car seat. She wants to be up looking around. We knew it was time to make the switch to a convertible car seat.



Britax has been a leader in mobile safety for more than 70 years so I knew they were a name that I could trust with my children. I learned that their engineers have brought more innovations like Versa-Tether™ and True Side Impact Protection™ to child seat safety than anyone else in the world. In addition to car seats, they also have strollers.

Britax sent us the Kathryn Advocate CS Convertible Car Seat.

A new convertible child safety seat that features patented Side Impact Cushion™ Technology is now available from Britax Child Safety Inc., making it the safest car seat in the Britax product line. The Britax Advocate™ CS introduces energy-managing side impact cushion technology which dramatically improves the safety of child seat occupants and their adjacent passengers in the event of a side impact crash.

The Advocate CS is meant for babies that range in weight from 5-65pounds and in height from 18-49inches. This could actually be your baby's first car seat and it would last them for several years. It allows babies to be rear facing from 5-35 pounds and can be turned around for toddlers after they are 1 year old and weight more than 20 pounds. As we all know, it is best to keep your child rear facing for as long as possible.


The side impact technology reduces side impact crash energy by 50%, by diverting crash forces away from the child. This car seat is really large, but it makes me feel better. It takes 368 pounds of pressure to compress so there is less crash force that reaches the child. The Side Impact Technology goes down the entire side of the car seat, not just around the head.


A five-point harness system is designed to make contact with the strongest parts of the body – the hips and shoulders, and transfer crash forces over those strong parts of the body.


The Energy-Absorbing Versa-Tether is a strap near the top of the seat that anchors the car seat to the car. It can be used when they are rear facing or forward facing. Below are pictures to demonstrate how it is used. The picture on your left is a child seat with a tether. The picture on your right demonstrates what happens if the tether is not used.


EPS foam is used to absorb some of that crash force energy. Britax has placed the foam where it is needed so your child does not absorb all of the energy in a crash.


The LATCH System allows the seat to stay in place. The connector clicks onto the anchors in your car. I love how easy it is to take the seat out or put it in. Simply push the red button to release the connector and take the seat out.


The Harness Ultra-Guard System(HUGS) helps reduce forward movement of the child in a crash by adding friction to the harness against their chest as they move forward, similar to break pads on a car.


After watching the video and reading all of the features, I feel confident that I'm doing everything that I can to keep my baby safe in the event of a crash. Not only is the car seat safe, but it is super comfy. She has napped peacefully in the seat several times and it has forward and rear recline so that the child is always comfortable.



My first instinct was to go with a gender neutral color, but I absolutely love the Kathryn print. They did a great job with the design of the seat and the fabric choices. Even though it takes up a large part of my back seat, I am so glad that I have Isabella in the Britax Advocate CS with all of its safety features.

Visit Britax to view all of the features of the Advocate CS and to see all of the other amazing products that they offer.

Buy It!
The Britax Advocate CS Convertible Car Seat retails for $369.99.

Win It!!!
Britax is giving one of my readers an Advocate CS Convertible Car Seat(winner picks the fabric)!

To enter, visit Britax and tell me another product that you like. This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

1- For TWO extra entries, Subscribe to my blog via email.

2- For THREE extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post and Britax.

3- Follow Twoofakind AND Britax on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet once a day for an extra entry every day! You can copy and paste: WIN a @Britax Advocate CS Convertible Car Seat ($370) @twoofakind http://tinyurl.com/2ftda4n #OutdoorOasis

4- Become a fan of/like Britax on Facebook.

5- Follow my blog publicly.

6- Enter Jennifer's Summer Infant Giveawy.

Contest ends May 31st at 11:59pm EST on when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address if it is not visible on your profile. I will notify the winner and they will have 36 hours to respond!

Open to US Only.

This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may very from others. Thank you to Britax who supplied the products for the review and giveaway.