Archives for September 2015

pediped® New Fall Collection with Back to School Styles are a Must-Buy!

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pediped®, named Children’s Footwear Brand of the Year at the 2015 Footwear Industry Awards, debuts its fall collection of award-winning footwear across its three signature lines: Originals®, Grip ‘n’ Go™ and Flex®. Many new styles are added to the collection this season including  a range of back to school shoes available in larger sizes up to 38 (US Youth 6). Additional winter styles including boots will be introduced later this year.

 

Featured in the collection are Mary Janes, sneakers and everyday styles to cover all fall footwear needs from the classroom to special occasions and beyond. The Originals® collection gets a lux update with fourteen new styles including a friendly owl named Jazzie. New machine washable options are added in both Grip ‘n’ Go™ and Flex®, and more than ten new styles are available for back to school including the highly anticipated styles offered up to size 38, Ann, Alex and Highlander.

 

In conjunction with the introduction of new back to school styles, pediped® is accepting enrollment into its annual schools program. pediped ♥ schools is a one-of-a-kind giving campaign where education partners receive 10% of their total combined purchases of pediped®. School officials, leaders of the PTO or PTA along with parents and teachers are encouraged to enroll their community’s school at www.pediped.com/pedipedschools. Upon enrollment, each school receives a unique code and those who purchase pediped® footwear should enter the code at checkout when shopping online at pediped.com or in any pediped owned boutique. pediped® tracks the purchases registered to each school’s code to determine the amount of dollars earned. Purchases for the 2015-2016 school year will be tracked now until May 15, 2016.

 

Originals®

  • The Originals® line of soft-soled, flexible infant shoes is recommended by pediatricians and podiatrists as the shoe’s design closely mimics barefoot walking. Each style is leather lined with slip-resistant leather soles.
  • Fourteen new styles are available for fall including favorites Aryanna, Connie and Grayson. Available in soft suede is Brittany and Jazzie, and new styles Gordon and Clive are stylish neutrals crafted from genuine leather and suede.
  • The Originals® collection will retail for $37-$45 and is available in sizes newborn to 24 months.

 

Grip ‘n’ Go™

  • The Grip ‘n’ Go™ line has special feature G2 Technology™, making it the perfect shoe for active toddlers transitioning from early walking to a confident stride.
  • Eight new styles are available including genuine leather options Lorraine and Starlite. Two new machine washable styles are added with Gehrig and Franklin.
  • The Grip ‘n’ Go™ line will retail for $39.95-$53 and is available in sizes 19-23.

 

Flex®

  • Flex® is the ultimate shoe for an established walker who has developed a confident, natural stride. The Flex® line offers more than 50 styles with maximum flexibility and comfort.
  • Ann, Sarah, Jake and Alex highlight the collection of back to school shoes, available in classic brown, navy, and black. Frank and Becky are machine washable options also making them great for everyday wear.
  • The Flex® line will retail for $39.95-$89 and is available in sizes 22-38 (available sizes vary between styles).

I received a sample of the Flex shoes and my son likes how comfortable they are! We are fans of pediped and so are quite happy that they are also in bigger sizes for boys. I like that they are very sturdy and durable and glad that my now 11-year-old son still thinks they are cool!  

 

The fall 2015 collection is now available for purchase online at www.pediped.com and also in select retail stores.

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About pediped®

Exceptional quality, unsurpassed comfort, and distinctive styling have made the award-winning company the fastest growing children’s footwear brand in the United States. pediped® footwear has been awarded the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance for the promotion of healthy foot development, and preeminent orthopedic medical professionals, Dr. Mininder S. Kocher and Dr. Thomas W. Vorderer, deem pediped® shoes an excellent choice for parents/caregivers who want their children’s feet to develop naturally and healthily. pediped® has received numerous industry awards and accolades including recognition from Earnshaw’s, the premier media resource serving the children’s market. In 2015 pediped® was recognized by the Footwear Industry Awards as the Children’s Footwear Brand of the Year, was awarded Best Toddler Kicks in the Cribsie Awards and Best Children’s Shoes by Prima Baby Magazine. In 2014, Earnshaw’s recognized pediped® with an Earnie Award for Best Footwear, and earned a 2014 Family Choice Award and 1st place Reader Favorite Award from Baby & Children’s Product News.

 

pediped® is sold in over 2,500 stores in the United States and 40 countries worldwide with an offering of more than 150 designs for boys and girls between its three lines, Originals®, Grip ‘n’ Go™ and Flex®. The award-winning footwear is available in EU sizes 17 to 38 (US newborn to 6 Youth). For more information, visit www.pediped.com.  LIKE on Facebook at /pedipedfootwear and follow on Twitter and Instagram @pedipedfootwear.

Self Disclosure: I received a free sample to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received. Photos courtesy of pediped.

Repurpose helps with being eco-friendly!

Repurpose Product Line

Repurpose offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional disposables when entertaining; its line of cups, bowls, plates and utensils are made entirely from plants! Now, how cool is that?! I received samples and have to say that I am pretty impressed! I think that it is really cool to help keep our planet earth clean, recycle and stay green as much as possible. I was also impressed with the quality and how durable the plates and cups are.

Because their plant materials (corn, sugar, bamboo) are annually-renewable resources AND 100% compostable, Repurpose products help us lower our overall carbon footprint. Plus, all Repurpose items are BPA-free, chlorine-free, petroleum-free and use only soy-based inks.

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Making a greener choice doesn’t have to mean sacrificing convenience, durability or functionality. Because Repurpose goods can withstand temperatures up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, the line’s virtually unbreakable spoon won’t melt in your hot soup for instance. And gone are the days of doubling up on paper coffee cups; Repurpose’s innovative eco-insulation ensures one cup is all you’ll need to enjoy hot beverages, while keeping your beverage hot and your hands cool. Better yet, there’s no Styrofoam or petroleumbased liner in this cup, so all you’ll taste is your coffee. Repurpose heavy-duty plates and bowls are cut and leakresistant so consumers can load up on cold, wet ice cream or warm soup in the microwave without any bending or warping.

Suggested Retail:

Repurpose 12 oz Insulated Cup: 12 pack w/12 lids/ $4.99 Repurpose 12 oz Cold Cup: 20 pack/ $3.99 & 50 pack/$8.99 Repurpose Cutlery: 24 count pack/$2.99 Repurpose 9” Plate: 20 pack/ $3.79 Repurpose 6” Plate: 20 pack/$1.99 Repurpose 16 oz Bowl: 20 pack/$3.79
For more information and a store locator, please visit www.RepurposeCompostables.com.

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Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received.

September 16th is National Guacamole Day!

The kindie music titans of Brooklyn – Rolie Polie Guacamole — are set to celebrate.
Rolie Polie Guacamole_1_Trio_photo credit Kyle Depew
In honor of National Guacamole Day,  Rolie Polie Guacamole’s new album, Chips and Salsa, may be streamed, free of charge, at http://roliepolieguacamole.com from September 16 – 20.
(Chips and Salsa is set for release on September 25.)
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And … Rolie Polie Guacamole has a great recipe for guacamole, too!

Rolie Polie Guacamole’s Guacamole!

Guacamole recipe

3 ripe avocados

1/2 red onion

3 limes, juiced

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, diced

1 medium sized ripe heirloom tomato, diced

 

Using a mortar and pestle or a large bowl:

Peel and mash avocados

Add lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Mix well.

Add cilantro, tomato, and onion. Mix well.

 

Credit: Rolie Polie Guacamole.

ALL-NEW BOO AT THE L.A. ZOO

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Annual Event, Sponsored by 99 Cents Only Stores,
Is Reimagined and Expanded to Every Day in October

October 1 through 31, 2015
10 am – 4 pm
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

This Halloween season, the Los Angeles Zoo offers families and Halloween lovers of all ages a chance to feed their imaginations with treats at the all-new BOO AT THE L.A. ZOO, expanded to an entire month of seasonal fun and learning beginning Thursday, October 1and continuing through Saturday, October 31, 2015, 10 am to 4 pm.  BOO AT THE L.A. ZOO 2015 features daily activities such asspooky caves spotlighting animals’ “super” natural senses, while weekends include a “Graveyard Safari” adventure, “Boneyard” education station, themed crafts, storytelling, live music, strolling characters, pumpkin carving, animal feedings and other family adventures.  Kids are invited to dress in costumes, and costume contests are presented throughout October.  Activities at BOO AT THE L.A. ZOO, which is sponsored by 99 Cents Only Stores, are free with paid Zoo admission.  Check lazoo.org/BOO for details and daily schedules.

In a twist on a more traditional Halloween haunted house, the L.A. Zoo debuts spooky caves in the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo, which are filled with shadows and projections of slithering snakes and crawling spiders and eerie sounds of nocturnal creatures and other special effects, as well as live tarantulas, scorpions and other critters.  Visitors wandering through the spooky surroundings can expect to unearth shocking facts about animals’ “super” powers such as heightened senses that help them survive in their environments.  Other daily activities include fun photo ops in front of a “Haunted Barn” backdrop and up-close “Animals and You” encounters with some of the Zoo’s smaller (and creepier) residents.

Weekends at BOO AT THE L.A. ZOO offer a slew of additional “sweet and spooky” entertainment and education attractions.  A new Graveyard “Safari” hay bale maze is stocked with “tombstones” and silhouette cut-outs of skunks, possums, raccoons and other creatures that inhabit backyards – like yours! — in the dead of night.  Animal skeletons and skulls at a “Boneyard” Station may actually make guests jump out of their skins a bit, as might mysterious characters strolling through the Zoo.  Adding a lighter touch are pumpkin-carving demonstrations, Halloween crafts, “Professor Johnson, Organ Donor’s Haunted Halloween Musical Review” featuring “silly songs and sing-alongs,” and “Dress Up With Campfire Cat,” including face painting with a choice of spiders or fangs with four shows each weekend day.

Zoo residents celebrate along with everyone, so guests are encouraged to keep their eyes peeled for seasonal feedings of pumpkins for plant eaters and carcasses for carnivores on select dates (parental discretion for the latter is advised).  Feedings are set for lions onSaturday, October 3; for Komodo dragons on Sunday, October 4; for jaguars on Saturday, October 10; for elephants on Sunday, October 11; for the black bear on Saturday, October 17; for the tiger on Sunday, October 18; for snow leopards on Saturday, October 24; and for Komodo dragons on Sunday, October 25.  On Halloween, Saturday, October 31, guests can celebrate the one-year birthday of Rosie, the Zoo’s near-legendary baby hippo, with activities to be announced.  Traditional trick-or-treating at the Zoo takes place on Saturday and Sunday, October 24 and 25 and Saturday, October 31.

The landmark Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, drawing 1.6 million visitors each year, is home to a diverse collection of 1,100 animals representing 250 different species, many of which are rare or endangered.  Its lush grounds on 113 acres feature the LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles); Elephants of Asia; Campo Gorilla Reserve; Rainforest of the Americas, an extraordinary collection of endangered and exotic mammals, reptiles, fish and amphibians living in spaces that exemplify their natural habitat in the rainforest biosphere; Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel; an Indian Rhino Encounter direct-contact opportunity; Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains, home to one of the largest troops of chimpanzees in the United States; Red Ape Rain Forest, where visitors can walk among orangutans; the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo; one of the largest flocks of flamingos in any zoo in the world; a botanical collection comprising over 800 different plant species with approximately 7,000 individual plants; and much more.  Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), whose members meet rigorous professional standards for animal welfare, the Zoo has achieved renown as an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife.  The private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), which has supported the Zoo in partnership with the City of Los Angeles for more than five decades and provides funding for and operates seven essential Zoo departments, has 60,000 member households representing more than 240,000 adults and children.

Admission to the Los Angeles Zoo is $20 for general admission (ages 13 to 61); $17 for seniors (ages 62+), and $15 for children (ages 2 to 12).  No ticket is required for children under 2.  Admission for Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association members is free.

The Los Angeles Zoo is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.  5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA  90027.  Free parking is available.  For additional information, contact (323) 644-4200 or visit www.lazoo.org/BOO

Credit: The Los Angeles Zoo. Photo Credit: Jamie Pham.

Petsmile: A gentle way to keep your Pup’s teeth clean!

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Looking for a gentle way to keep your pup’s teeth clean? Petsmile is your answer!

Invented by the makers of Supersmile, Petsmile Pet Toothpaste is the gentle safe way to clean your dog’s teeth, eliminating plaque and tartar for thorough oral care – all without the need to brush! Products are extremely affordable priced at $9 for a packet of 50 applicator swabs and $25 for a 4.5 ounce tube. Petsmile is the only dental care toothpaste for pets recommended by the Veterinary Oral Health Council.

 

We received a sample to try out and I like that it really is gentle and really easy to use! It also gives your pup fresher breath!

To find out more, check out their website!

Self Disclosure: I received a free sample to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received to post.

Benny is Pet of the Week!

Benny, Sept. 17 Pet of the Week

A Benny saved is a Benny turned into a great companion! Benny’s a 3-year-old cairn terrier mix with golden fleece. He gets along fine with other dogs and enjoys his walkies. He’s neutered and ready to go home with you. Meet Benny on the shelter side of the Companion Animal Village at 7700 East Spring St., (562) 570-PETS, and meet Beth. Ask for ID#A554425.

 

(The usual suspects contributed to this rescue)

Credit: Companion Animal Village. No compensation was received to post.

Terra Kitchen’s Beer-Infused Game Day Mustard

As Football season officially kick-off tonight, what better way to wow your family and friends then with Terra’s Kitchen recipe for Beer-Infused Game Day Mustard!

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/4 cup dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 cup beer (we like a pale lager)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a medium metal or pyrex mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard, turmeric and beer. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add enough water to come up the sides 2-inches and bring to a simmer.
  3. Whisk in the remaining ingredients to the mustard mixture and set over the pan of simmering water.
  4. Cook, whisking constantly until the mixture begins to thicken (about 5 minutes).
  5. Remove from heat and allow to cool before transferring to a jar with a lid and refrigerating.
  6. TK Beer-Infused Game Day Mustard keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.

Credit: Photo and recipe courtesy of Terra Kitchen. 

Rolie Polie Guacamole Chips and Salsa

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Holy Guacamole!  The award-winning kindie music titans of Brooklyn are back!  Rolie Polie Guacamole is set to dish out some ear spice for families everywhere with the September 25 release of their fifth album, Chips and Salsa.

Rolie Polie Guacamole lays claim to being one of the hardest working bands in kids’ music, and that just might be true.  They’ve released four albums and played well over 1,500 shows nationwide since hitting the boards with their first performance in 2007, receiving top picks fromBoston.com, Time Out NY Kids, and Time Out Chicago.  (It must be in the genes, for founding band member Frank Gallo’s dad is none other than veteran kids’ musician Lou Gallo.)

Winner of the prestigious Parents’ Choice® and NAPPA Awards,Rolie Polie Guacamole has developed a smart, parent-friendly musical style that dresses up original tunes and classic covers with vibrant harmonies and deft instrumental layers, plugging in a sizzling electric current of rhythm that lights up lyrics humming with relevance and humor.

Produced by the acknowledged wizard of the kindie mixing board, Dean Jones, and featuring a stunning roster of guest artists that includes The Chapin Sisters (Abigail and Lily Chapin, daughters of Tom Chapin),Jen Chapin (daughter of Harry Chapin), Mike Dillon (Primus & the Chocolate Factory, Les Claypool, Ani DiFranco), and Amelia Robinson(Mil’s Trills), as well as singer/songwriter Katie Mullins, Chips and Salsa continues the Rolie Polie Guacamole tradition of bouncy, fun, high-energy songs all done up in folk, funk, rock, Latin and country styles, about eating healthy, staying active, and places the band loves to go, with a sprinkling of animal tunes thrown in for good measure.

Album highlights include the jovial, Latin-flavored “Rolie Polie Guacamole,” “Always Brush Your Teeth,” which showcases Frank Gallo’s smooth vocals, the wildly rocking “The Mantis,” and a one-of-a-kind take on Woody Guthrie’s  classic “This Land Is Your Land.”  Listeners will note influences ranging from Primus, Ween, and Pink Floyd to The Beatles and Boards of Canada.

Enthuses Frank Gallo, “Chips and Salsa is the culmination of nearly a decade that Rolie Polie Guacamole has spent developing the very best family program possible.  We consider this album to be our crowning achievement.  It’s a fun, rocking good time for all, and we hope it really blurs the line between great kids’ music and great music, period.”

Previous Rolie Polie Guacamole releases include Triathlon (2014, Parents’ Choice Fun Stuff Award®), Houses Of The Moly (2012, Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award®, NAPPA Honors Award), Time For Hummus (2010), and Rolie Polie Guacamole (2008).

I received an advanced copy of this CD and I like that the band has an unique sound! The lyrics are fun and young children ages 2-7 will really enjoy this one!

Chips and Salsa will be available at www.roliepolieguacamole.com, CDbaby, iTunes, and other digital retailers.

Visit the Rolie Polie Guacamole website HERE.

Rolie Polie Guacamole on Facebook.

Rolie Polie Guacamole on Twitter.

Rolie Polie Guacamole on YouTube

Self Disclosure: I received a free CD to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received.