I’m not a happy umbrella user. Never have been, never will be. In fact, I’ve lived in some of the rainiest climates in the world (London and Seattle) and tried to avoid using an umbrella as much as possible.  But now that I have children, I at least need an umbrella to hold over them.

I received an UrbanTrim umbrella just in time for our rainy season here in Boston.  The umbrella, a collaboration with SquidLondon, a UK design house is the first product from this new company.  When it gets wet, the spots change from white to colorful “paint” splatters.  It’s fun and fashionable, and my kids absolutely love it!

I found the umbrella easy to use, however, I haven’t used it yet in heavy winds.

Watch the video below to see exactly how it works.  To learn more visit UrbanTrim’s Web site.

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Color Changing Umbrella from UrbanTrim

The Front

Are you looking for the perfect gift to give the mom in your life?  Or are you helping a child choose a present for their mom?  A casual yet elegant necklace may be just the right present.

Isabelle Grace jewelry has introduced some beautiful mom necklaces this season that are definitely a wonderful gift for moms.  The “From Child To Mom” necklaces has the word “Mom” on one side alongside a flower, and the words “You Make Me Bloom” on the other.  Finishing off the piece is a delicate, hanging freshwater pearl (representing a seed).

The “Mom’s Heart” necklace has the word “Mom” on the front next to a heart, and the words “You Hold My Heart” in the other.  This necklace is a bit more casual than the “From Child to Mom” necklace, and would be perfect with jeans or a business casual outfit.

The back

Both of these necklaces are made from .999 silver, and the accents are 24k gold.  The gold definitely adds an elegance to the piece, as well as some visual depth.  They are great quality, and are very eye-catching.

Isabelle Grace also offers personalized pieces that have been worn by a variety of celebrities including Tori Spelling and Katherine Heigl.  To learn more about Isabelle Grace, visit their Web site.

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Gorgeous Jewelry for Moms from Isabelle Grace

Although my kids are now well past the swaddle stage, I still remember those wiggly little months of swaddling.  I was terrible at swaddling them (especially my son who would break any swaddle I attempted) but my husband is the swaddle master.  In all of my various attempts at swaddling my babies – I learned two key things.  One – the blanket needs to be stretchy.  Two – the blanket needs to be breathable – while you want the baby to be warm enough, you don’t want him or her to overheat.

At Mom 2.0, Aden + Anais handed out adorable breathable muslin swaddle blankets.  While I’d heard of them before, I hadn’t actually seen one until this point.  They really are as advertised – thin, stretchy, and completely adorable!

To learn more, visit the Aden + Anais Web site.

Disclosure: As an attendee of the Mom 2.0 Summit, I received a blanket from Aden + Anais.

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Breathable Swaddle Blankets Made From Natural Muslin

If you went to Blissdom, or know someone who did, you may already be familiar with Lisa Leonard Designs.  Each Blissdom swag bag included a gorgeous bliss necklace from Lisa.  I wear it frequently and get loads of compliments on it.

Of course, being the mom jewelry lover that I am, I had to run over and check her Web site, and found so many necklaces I love, like the “original necklace” featured here.  I love all of the options she offers, including some choices for men!

While I haven’t seen all of Lisa’s necklaces, the quality of the one I received is excellent.  It’s really classy and casual, all at once.

To learn more about Lisa Leonard Designs, visit her Web site.

Disclosure: As a Blissdom attendee, I received a Lisa Leonard Designs necklace in my swag bag.

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Custom Necklaces from Lisa Leonard Designs

One thing I’ve tried to do in my diet is increase the amount of whole grains and fiber in general, and I know firsthand that it can be difficult.  Whole grains are essential – eating just part of the grain doesn’t provide the same benefits of the whole grain.

Nine out of ten Americans don’t eat enough whole grains per day, which is really unfortunate.  Whole grains offer vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.  One way to increase your whole grain consumption is to eat breakfast cereals.  As the graphic on the left shows, Big G cereals (Cheerios, Fiber One, and Total, among others), provide 10% of the whole grains consumed in this country.

General Mills recently announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single-digit grams of sugar per serving. Since these cereals appeal to kids, it does make me feel better letting them eat what I would normally think of as “sugary” cereals.

To learn more about whole grains and how to incorporate them into your diet, visit Whole Grain Nation.

Disclosure: General Mills, through My Blog Spark, provided me with a whole grains gift pack, coupons, and information to facilitate my review.

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More Whole Grains in Your Morning Routine

The VTech LS6245

Readers probably already know that I’m obsessed with the latest technology, so when Vtech offered me the opportunity to test one of their newest offerings, I immediately chose this one.  It’s gorgeous, and has Bluetooth to link up to your cell phone!

The Vtech LS6245 has a touch-sensitive keypad with no actual buttons, which makes it look incredibly sleek and modern.  My initial concern was that my chin or cheek would start randomly dialing while holding the phone under my chin, but that hasn’t happened.  The keypad locks, and you have to “unlock” it to activate the buttons which prevents accidental dialing.

My favorite feature, however, is the ability to use Bluetooth to link the phone up with my iPhone.  When I’m home, my regular phone rings when I get a call on my cell.  I can also use the Vtech to make/receive calls on my cell line.  I’m impressed with the range, but do have to admit that I’ve had a few volume issues that I still need to work out.

This phone also offers an answering machine, but I don’t use it.  We have digital answering from our cable provider.

Here are some of the specs from the manufacturer:

• DECT 6.0 Digital technology provides the best sound quality, security and range in cordless phones
• Expandable up to 12 handsets using only one phone jack–uses LS6204 accessory handsets
• Connects to Bluetooth® cell phones
• Touch controls on handset and base
• Large reverse LCD with white backlighting
• Handset and base speakerphone

To learn more about the Vtech LS6245, visit the VTech Web site.

Disclosure: I received this unit free of charge to facilitate my review.

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A Gorgeous Cordless Phone that Links to Your Cell Phone

A video review of the Your Shape game for the Wii – with both positives and negatives of the game.

Disclosure: I am participating in a three-month sponsored challenge for the Your Shape game.  All opinions are my own and are not influenced by the challenge.

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Your Shape Review

Last week, at the Mom 2.0 Summit, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Michael Shore, Vice President of Worldwide Consumer Insights at Mattel.  I asked about how Mattel changes products based on parent and child insight (truth is, they make a LOT of changes based on feedback, and also test out different product options with focus groups).

Dr. Michael Shore also talked about how different kids have different play styles, which evolve over time.  I have seen that first hand with my daughter and my son, who play together well but obviously have different play styles and different preferences.

Mattel was so generous to sponsor part of the Mom 2.0 conference.  Each of the attendees received one of the custom motor car sets, which is a Hot Wheels cars complete with custom parts that can be added so your little one can make the car his/her own.

The video above shows the whole interview – although I have to apologize for the poor sound quality.  To learn more, visit the Mattel Web site.

Disclosure: XtraXtra sponsored part of my trip to the Mom 2.0 Summit, and Mattel provided me with the custom motors set and the video.

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Custom Motors from Hot Wheels and Mattel

Every once in a few books, you get one that really stuns you. The story may be touching or funny, tender or explosive. Then there are the characters that are so vibrant and real, you leave the book feeling like you’ve just spent a few hours getting to know new friends. When you read one of these, you have no choice but to pass the word on to friends and relatives with the exclamation…"You’ve got to read this!"

So to you I say "You’ve got to read On the Steamy Side by Louisa Edwards." The second in the “A Recipe for Love” series, On the Steamy Side is set in the world of rock star chefs and their kitchens. Devon Sparks is a hot chef that gave up the kitchen for the bright lights of television. Think Rocco DiSpirito crossed with Gordon Ramsey and Anthony Bourdain. He’s popular and successful but has he lost the ability to cook? Enter good Southern girl, Lilah Jane Tunkle, to help him spice up his cooking and his life.

I really couldn’t get enough of Devon’s story. Edwards makes an almost unsympathetic character into one you’ll cheer for. From page one I was hooked and only stopped at page 100 to do a little gushing on Twitter and Facebook. Avoiding housework and sleep, I finished the book in less than twenty-four hours. Yes, it was that ‘can’t-put-down-I’ll-read-while-I-cook-brush-my-teeth-and-fold-clothes’ kind of book.

On the Steamy Side releases today and can be found along with the first in the series, Can’t Stand the Heat, at your local bookstore or online here. 

*I received a review copy of On the Steamy Side in a giveaway on Louisa Edward’s website.

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Louisa Edwards’ Steamy Read

Cooking our favorite pasta dish

As you probably already know, I was chosen to be a Frigidaire Test Drive Mom for 2010, and I’m on Team Range/Microwave.  A few weeks ago, I posted that they were here, and now I’ve had the chance to use them for a few weeks!

Here are my initial impressions:

The Range

Awesome, awesome, awesome.  The power plus burner is perfect for boiling water super fast, and the simmer burner is great for keeping a pot warm.  While I LOVE the concept of the middle burner, honestly, I haven’t had a reason to use it yet.

The Oven

My favorite feature is that the oven displays the temperature as the it preheats.  So, I am able to tell if it’s close to being ready.  I’ve already baked with the oven also, and I love that the ample space allows me to put multiple cookie sheets in at one time.

The Microwave

My first thought about the microwave is that it’s big, although it’s no bigger than my old one.  I think the interior is larger than the old one.  Either way, it’s done its job well, and it looks great in my kitchen!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and received a Frigidaire Range/Microwave to facilitate my review.

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Saving Time With Frigidaire!