Come fly with me!

Independent startups always intrigue me. Maybe because one of my life to-dos is invent something amazing or start an amazing something or, well, do anything that is amazing and actually useful and hopefully not hurting dolphins. But most independent products have the appearance of something, well, made in someone's garage. (Though Mr. Dub just informed me that Google was started in a garage, but it's harder to judge someone's cyberness.)

As a result, I wasn't expecting much when I was asked to review Andy's Airplanes, a new 3D animated DVD series. But then I spoke to its creator, Jon Pierre Francia - who is also an aviation flight instructor and TV producer - and felt his sheer enthusiasm for the project, which in turn raised my expectations. And I wasn't disappointed.

I literally blown away by the animation on "Andy Meets the Blue Angels." Not only were the graphics cool, but the storyline was interesting and engaging. Miss Dub, who typically doesn't respond to any show that doesn't involve puppets, was mesmerized by Andy and his adventure, which involves performing with the legendary Blue Angels and learning about the naval tradition.

One thing I really liked is that while Andy is a curious kid, he's also kind and respectful. Jon Pierre - yes, I like any excuse to use his Frenchy name - made sure to let me know that he's not interested in adding a bratty character, as is the norm on most kid's cartoons these days, because he wants the entire episodes to be filled with good examples and respectful fun. Merci, Jon, for that!

Anyway, the episodes are a nice blend of fun and info. Kids will learn a lot about planes, including a live-action segment at the end where two kids talk more about the specific plane featured. I even laughed at a few of the jokes. (No clue if that's a comment on the high level of humor featured or my lowered standards after months of Teletubbies.)

Finally, there's a fan club that kids can join that includes cool stuff like stickers and a passport and all kind of other goodies you can see here.

The only negative to Andy's Airplanes is that the animation and content really is still too old for Miss Dub to understand. And, to be honest, I think boys will dig these DVDs more than girls because boys and airplanes just seem more natural for some reason. But I could be wrong.

But if you are going to support an independent startup, support this one. You can buy the DVDs here. And then you can act all cool and say things like, "Oh, Jon Pierre, pass me the French fries." Or whatever.

Paco prints a pretty picture

Procrastination reared its ugly head when it came to this review. Which honestly makes no sense because I was actually really excited about the HP Photosmart 626 Printer and two photo books that Parent Bloggers Network sent me eons ago. (For those without Dub decoder rings, eons = months.) But having just finished a mammoth scrapbook for Miss Dub's first birthday - nothing fancy, but involving a good 300 photos - I was hesitant to be near pictures again.

Knowing how technology generally works, I feared my late start would be an issue, so imagine my surprise when I set up and printed a picture in less than 15 minutes, with nay a phone call to an HP representative in Bangalore or Boston. It really was super simple. Point 1 for my printer, whom I've lovingly named Paco.

Paco, by the way, is quite small - about the size of a small loaf of bread - which is good since my desk is pretty much rented out currently. He also features a touch screen, which you can control surprisingly easily with your finger or an included stylus. I likes the finger method as it seems more personal.

To print your pics, you just pop in your memory card. This is the only tricky part, and one where Paco is in danger of losing some points. Because I'm a frequent blogger and organizational freak, I upload my memory card about every 10 pictures and promptly delete the entire thing. So unless I've just come from a vacation - oooh, doesn't Chile sound tempting this time of year? - I'm not going to have much to work with, much less enough to make a memory book. If you want to print photos from your computer, you have to purchase a separate USB cable. Sorry, Paco, but I do find that a little disappointing. Then again, we seem to have USB cables coming out the wazoo at our house, and while an overflowing wazoo can be embarrassing, it can also come in handy.

Anyway, whatever method you so choose to use to get your pics up on the printer screen, you can then use the (highly responsive!) touch screen to perform basic photo edits - crop, remove red-eye, control lighting. And there's a feature called Get Creative that allows you to draw, write captions, add pictures frames and a variety of other cool things that I insisted using all at once with tacky results. You can't save the edited pics, but you can immediately print them in their pimped-out glory. Only bummer is that the screen is kind of small so it's a bit harder to see what you're doing than if you used a computer-based program like Photoshop, but it's much, much easier for a photo-editing amateur.

Though printing is slow, the pictures turn out great, which says a lot since I've always preferred to print mine at Costco. But now I feel so empowered because I can change the photo inside a picture frame without logging in online, though I would still opt for a professional if I were printing, say, 2,349 photos. But it could come in handy when you want to quickly share a photo with a friend or print a picture right after taking it.

Thinking about getting yourself a Paco? Well, first you must know that Paco is a one-woman kind of printer so you'll have to find yourself an HP Photosmart 626 Printer named Santos or Vincente. You can look in your Sundays ads for specials on the printer itself. But you can get 20% off the photo books at the HP Home & Office Store if you use this COUPON CODE: AC8595.

By the way, the photo books are pretty cool and easy to use. Each one comes with photo paper and software. With the smaller books, you just print the pics and snap them in. The larger books don't mean larger pictures - Paco does only 5x7 or smaller - but a nice piece of paper that you can scrapbook on and snap into the binding. (The snapping is a little weird - I felt like I was going to break the book, though I thankfully didn't.)

Oh, and if you don't have the kind of luck I did - and I don't mean to be rude, but pretty much it would take an idiot to have problems - there's a manual complete with a troubleshooting section that is easy to read and follow. You know, if you're the idiot type, and I usually am.

Now, excuse me while I have a romantic breakfast with Paco. He's printing out french toast. What a man!

Your name goes here!

You know that thrill you had as a kid when you saw your name on a souvenir license plate? Or when you heard it in the words of a song? Or when you discovered a character in a movie or book with your same moniker?

Well, Printakid is sort of like that, though you can't really get so excited because it's not fate or coincidence - you personally customize the book to feature your child as the main character along with the names of friends and family as other characters. You even get to describe your child's physical appearance to make the illustration most resemble your kid.

It was fun to order the book - thanks Parent Bloggers Network! - but I actually wasn't expecting it to be the final product to be very cool because their website is kind of basic. So I envisioned a really rudimentary book with Print Shop graphics. But I was pleasantly surprised. The books are nice - hardcover with fun illustrations and a clever story. We opted for a Christmas one without the accompanying CD, but there are five other story options, including one about robots. And you know how I love me some robots.

Unfortunately, I can't attest to Miss Dub's enthusiasm about the book because she neither reads nor recognizes her names beyond the the first letter at this point. Also, because I haven't let her touch the book yet. She's more fond of tearing pages right now than reading them. So until she moves past board books, it will have to be a novelty for me.

I think it's a fun Christmas idea, but what the heck do I know?

As Lavar Burton used to say, "But you don't have to take my word for it." Find out for yo'self!

Is your baby That Baby?

As you all know, Miss Dub is bit enamored with TV. Blame the media, blame her early morning risings - you can even blame me, though we all know the mother has nothing to do with this sort of thing, riiight? Whatever the cause, it makes for a happier Miss Dub, but a crankier Mrs. Me because I just can't stand to watch the stuff myself. (Especially the Teletubbies, but really anything on a 10th or 11th viewing.)

Enter That Baby DVD and That Baby CD. Made by a mom and dad who had similar thoughts - i.e. kids' TV and music makes us want to scratch our eyes out - it's a fresh take on baby entertainment. Basically, it's parent music sung by a soothing, folksy female artist named Stephanie Schneiderman, who participated in Lilith Fair back in the day.

Just take a look at the play list if you still think this is "Old McDonald" fare:

	Song	Made Popular By
	Happiness Runs	Donovan
	Circle Game	Joni Mitchell
	Sunday Sun	Neil Diamond
	When We Grow Up	(from Free to Be...You and Me)
	Pony Boy	Bruce Springsteen
	Brass In Pocket	The Pretenders
	Get Together	The Youngbloods
	Garden Song by Inch)	Peter Paul and Mary
	Anything is Possible	Jonny Lang
	Songbird	Fleetwood Mac
	These Are Days	10,000 Maniacs
	CD Bonus Tracks
	Three Little Birds	Bob Marley
	I Will	The Beatles
	St. Judy's Comet	Paul Simon

So That Baby CD is obviously a better option than most of your child's favorite music, unless you have a really cool kid who likes the original versions of this song, in which case, you're doing OK. (It's too early to tell with Miss Dub, though she does seem to be leaning toward hip-hop and Christmas carols.)



That Baby DVD is just the same songs in music video form. Some involve kids running around, others have cool graphics. But most important, they're all palatable for the adults, but engrossing enough for kids that you could probably sneak in some magazine reading while they watch.

The only bummer is that most of the songs aren't the top hits from these artists so there might not be as much joyous nostalgia as you're anticipating. Also, the music video quality is impressive for a small business venture, but it's no Noggin. And, finally, it might be geared more to toddlers than babies as Miss Dub seems to be getting into the groove with these more as she ages. Perhaps they should rename it That Toddler DVD?

But did I mention you never have to hear "Uh-oh!" or "Again, again!" again?

Head over here to purchase the combo yourself. Thanks to the Parent Blogger Network, you can enter PBN as a coupon code and get an additional 20% off! Oh, and there is a "no questions asked" money back guarantee, AND you can get a lifetime replacement on your DVD and/or CD. And we all know that kids never break things, right?

Now, I must go feed my child. Apparently, she likes three meals a day.

My own daring admission

There are two possible endings to this story - Either I'm a bad, bad PBN reviewer, or I'm a good, good person.

I hope it's the latter.

The book in question is "Daring Admissions" by Jane O'Connor, which I agreed to read and review for the Parent Blogger Network.

But about one page into the book - which I was already starting to enjoy, thus making me reevaluate my harsh opinion of "chick-lit" - I came across a somewhat questionable passage, and I decided not to read the book for fear of its contents. (Not that it was thaaaat bad, I just figure there are too many good books out there to sully myself with anything that doesn't make me personally feel good.)

But wanting to be true to PBN, I told myself I would give it another try. I seriously said I would. And as of yesterday, I was still telling myself that I should read it. But as of today, I still hadn't.

So I don't really have a review to give per se, other than to warn any of my prudish friends to avoid at least the first chapter.

It's rather a pity because the main character is a copy editor, and you know that's my true calling in life. (Shortly after professional blog reader and clothes shopper.) And there's even a murder mystery. Just read the book description here:

Miranda "Rannie" Bookman—43, divorced mother of two, with a recent love life consisting of a long string of embarrassingly brief encounters—is beginning to feel like a dangling participle: connected to nothing. Her career as a copyeditor is down the toilet (she makes one little slip—a missing "l" from the last word in the title of the Nancy Drew classic The Secret of the Old Clock—and suddenly she's Publishing Enemy #1!), so she's been forced to take any gig she can get. And that means giving tours at the Chapel School, the ultra-exclusive, ultra-expensive, private academy that her children attend. Certainly not the most interesting of employments . . . at least until someone stumbles across the dead body of the Director of College Admissions.

Investigating a murder was never in her job description, but with her soon-to-be-college-bound boy Nate a prime suspect, Rannie has little choice. Besides, who better to dot all the "i"s and cross all the "t"s than a self-proclaimed "language cop"? Her diligence might even lead her to a brand-new love. Or to a killer. Or to another corpse—hopefully not her own.

Sounds good, doesn't it? Read a real review here to confirm that.

The good part is I can't blow the ending for you. And I can feel a little bit better about myself for making what is a good choice for me. (And totally up to you!)

But, I may be in for a whuppin' from PBN. Do you think they believe in spanking?

Dare to be a girl!

By now, you've probably heard of The Dangerous Book for Boys. In essence, it's an encyclopedia of boyhood and hit the New York Times bestseller list with such a vengeance that now Disney wants to make it into a movie. (Though, I'm admittedly puzzled what it would be about.)

Anyway, lest women began to feel unloved, Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz decided to pen a complementary book called The Daring Book for Girls, all about things every girl should know - like how to put your hair up with a pen or a how to negotiate a salary.

OK, so it's not deep stuff. It's a coffee table book, people. This isn't a book that will change your girls' lives, but it will most certainly give them an added boost of confidence, along with a little girl pride. Or, if all else fails, it will entertain them.

I dig this book. It's a fun flip-read, which means you can open it up to any page and get a quick kick out of its contents. It's the kind of book I'll keep out for years and still never have read in chronological order. And I bet it's going to come in handy when I least expect - like when Miss Dub needs to know how to read a tide chart.

If you have girls, you should get this book. It celebrates being a true girl - not a ditsy sexpot, but a girl who loves to build forts and have slumber parties.

Thanks PBN for the fun read. Now, what about a Daring Book for Mothers? 'Cause I'm still wondering what's the best way to tie a shoelace.

Van Gogh, perhaps?

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it.

No, I haven't been selected as an honorary Pointer Sister. But I am thoroughly enthused about the latest goodie the PBN hooked me up with - "pre-walker" shoes by Vincent. (I received the Mini Angela mary janes pictured above and the Mini in pink.)

Not only do I adore them, but Miss Dub loves them. And let me tell you, folks, Miss Dub is not a shoe wearer by nature. Like her mother, she likes her tootsies free and unencumbered, which has totally sucked heretofore because so many people gave me adorable infant shoes, but she scarcely wore any of them - some never at all - because she was so annoyed by the stiff soles and narrow passages.

But these bad boys are the opposite - they have a soft sole and wide footpad. Sort of like a Robeez, but they actually look normal and not like a leather pillow. (Sorry Robeez!) Also, the shoes were really, really easy to get on Miss Dub, but not so easy for her to get off herself. Again, a major issue in our shoe battle.

And if I don't sound saccharine enough, I have to say that Miss Dub began to take more steps after receiving these shoes. Granted, I was bribing her with her treasured stuffed bunny, but that has to mean something, right?

OK, there is a downside. The shoes have VINCENT written in large letters across the bottom, which would be no big deal, except it prompted about 1,200 people at church to ask me, "Who's Vincent?" And I really didn't know. I mean, is Vincent in charge of the place? Is Vincent someone's dog? I just don't know, and I like to be in the know, you know?

But here's what I do know. The shoes are awesome, though admittedly pricier than I would typically spend for Miss Dub. But they are high-quality and they are comfortable from what I can tell. But with infants' feet growing at the rapid rate they do, you might not want to invest until you hit a longer-lasting shoe size.

Of course, you could also try to win one of two $50 gift certificates that Vincent the Dog is giving away to two lucky readers. Just check out the Vincent site, pick your favorite shoe from their entire collection and post a comment here telling which style you like and why. (Winner will be picked by Nov. 2.)

But if you don't win, you can always use this discount - "OCT-20-OFF" - and get 20 percent off your first purchase through Nov. 11.

I'm pretty much going to use it myself.

Do you think they carry a women's 8.5?

The Little Black Book of Style

I’m a big Project Runway fan. Because I like fashion, and I like pregnant women, which Heidi Klum is 99 percent of the time.

I also like Tim Gunn, who 99 percent of the time is saying, “Make it work!”

Ditto for Michael Kors, who is wearing a blazer 99 percent of the time.

And while Nina Garcia appears to be squinting at things in 99 percent of her shots – I blame editing – I like her, too.

So when PBN sent me a copy of her new book, The Little Black Book of Style, I was excited to read it.

Unfortunately, I didn’t ever get a chance to read it start to finish. Such is the life of a mother. I also never get to finish a conversation, develop a thought or properly dress myself. Miss Dub is just so charming/needy that I find myself distracted by her mid-activity, like writing a blog.

What was I talking about?

Oh, sea lions.

I mean, Nina Garcia … whose book is a great compilation of personal anecdotes and fashion world experience served up in the form of fashion tips. Seriously. I know that sounded like a blurb from the book jacket, but I really thought it was fun and helpful.

And while I didn’t read it front to back, I found myself picking it up and reading whatever page I opened to. And over time, I read it all. Because it’s a short, fun, happy little read with good fashion advice. (Although much of it was geared to designer-label-lovin’ women, and my wardrobe is currently devoid of any D&G.)

Favorite part: Chapter five, which boasts insider tricks from insiders like Diane von Furstenberg, Zac Posen, Ralph Lauren, and Elle Macpherson.

Honorable mention: Chapter two, which gives 10 basic rules and guidelines to help a reader edit her wardrobe to fit her unique style. Great tips like cleaning out your closet, what items to invest in and how to be a little unconventional all inspired me. Until Miss Dub distracted me.

Speaking of that, she’s currently crawling into a forbidden area so I must go.

But read the book – it’s good!

And catch Project Runway’s new season on Nov. 14^th.

“Make it work!”

Phonics 4 Babies

Despite Miss Dub's affinity for Baby Einstein, I promise that I don't care if she's a genuis.

I mean, she appears to be one, but I'm not forcing it on her. She's clearly smarter than most eight-year-olds, but it's all natural.

I'm not insisting on sign language or dual language immersion or, down the road, tutors and private preschools.

A competitive edge, however, is fine by me. I'm happy to help her learn to read early, something I did before starting kindergarten, and which I credit with making me a more intellectually balanced individual.

So I was thrilled when PBN sent me an advance copy of "Phonics 4 Babies," a DVD featuring Mallory Lewis and the Tummy Tots singing about words and sounds to encourage early speech in babies and toddlers.

I wasn't totally thrilled, however, when it dawned on me who Mallory Lewis is. No offense to the deceased, but her mother is Shari Lewis. As in, "Lamb Chop" Shari Lewis, known for her children's ventriloquist act. Also known to me as one of the most annoying shows on television during my childhood.

But once I realized that Mallory was actually ventriloquisting (is that a word?) for the puppets and not awkwardly holding her mouth ... I kind of got over it. And Miss Dub could have cared less about who was doing the voices. She seemed genuinely excited about the puppets and songs, even though I felt the material was a little bit advanced for her. (I would recommend it for ages 1 and up.)

Miss Dub is saying a lot these days. I don't know if it's normal for her age, or because of the DVD. But I would definitely recommend the Phonics 4 Babies series if you're looking for an educational video for your little one. The songs are cheesy, but they're great for teaching basic sounds and words.

And I must admit that Baby Einstein is a little more soothing from a parental perspective, but this DVD is more blatantly educational. Plus, it's less annoying than the Teletubbies.

Then again, a root canal is less annoying then the Teletubbies.

Vocalpoint

So this review blog hasn't been receiving a lot of love lately. Also, my kitchen floor, but that's another story. And, yes, I'm still in California as I type this so who even freaking cares? (Perhaps Mr. Dub, but that's all part of my sneaky plan to get him to clean in my absence.)

Anyhow, let me express apologies for leaving you review-less, lost and/or aimlessly wandering the aisles of your local Target. I have received and will review a ton of cool products in the near future. And even though it sounds weird and forced at times, I promise that my reviews come from the heart and are totally honest, albeit subdued. (For example, you won't hear me say something is a "fartknocker" ... instead I'll diplomatically call it a "bloated disaster." Or something similarly gaseous.)

So you know I'm being sincere when I insist that you check out this site. The best way to describe Vocalpoint is as a daily baby shower for moms. Except, you don't have to get an epidural after all the gifts are opened and great mom banter is exchanged. And Proctor & Gamble is the host so you don't get stuck with clean-up. Still confused? Well, did I mention you could go to the site and figure it out for yourself? Just a little tip for all you DIY-ers out there.

But since you're apparently feeling lazy let me share this little explanatory blurb from the site (where you can go yourself):

Vocalpoint works with companies in industries that include consumer products, entertainment, fashion, music, food, and beauty. We get our Members directly involved in the creation and launch of these companies' ideas and programs. We collect feedback and generate valuable knowledge and insight for our clients through surveys, product sampling and previews of products and services, while building word-of-mouth among moms.

Yeah, that's tight. (Or "fresh ta death" as Mr. Dub has taken to saying.)

So rather than whine and moan about the ridiculous sizing system for children's socks, or daydream about a peanut butter with a hint of hazelnut - sign yourself up with Vocalpoint and do something about it!

Plus, free stuff is pretty cool. And good advice from other moms is priceless.

It's totally not a fartknocker.

For real.

We all scream for sunscreen!

Sunscreen and I have a troubled past.

As in, we have no real past because most of my life I've neglected to use anything to protect my skin against the growing-ever-more-angry sun.

When I was young, it was an issue of laziness or sheer forgetfulness. And I often paid a sunburned price for my neglect, which didn't feel good then and doesn't feel good now when I think about the likelihood of me getting skin cancer. (If I was a betting woman, I'd say there's a 90% chance I will. Resume ignorant bliss.)

But as I got older and spent more time outside as a swimmer and lifeguard, it just seemed like I didn't need it. Because my skin - whether from years of abuse or genetics - turns sun into tan faster than most people can turn broth into soup. I rarely burn, and if I do get a little pink, it's gone within hours. So while I try to put on sunscreen, if I don't - I don't really notice.

I've promised myself, however, that my lackadaisical habits will not extend to the next Dub generation, even if Miss Dub came out with a light bronze glow. Then again, she did have jaundice.

So while we've been swimming all summer long, I've faithfully applied layers and layers and re-layers of sunscreen on her. And it's ain't easy, people! She loves to wiggle. She's fond of trying to eat the goopy sunscreen. And she just doesn't have the attention span to see a full application through.

Enter Kinesys, a line of sunscreen products aimed at adults and kids that is oil, PABA, and alcohol free. The Parent Bloggers Network happily hooked me up with a full kit of their goodies: a spray sunscreen for kids and one for adults, a face stick and bottle of lotion made for kids.

First off, I didn't even try the latter two. Why? Because I'm in love with the spray sunscreen, and I'm not just saying that since this is my first review. For starters, I've always been a big fan of spray sunscreen, but I've only tried those that come with an aerosol pump, which can messy. The Kinesys sprays, however, comes with a push pump. So much better. It's much more accurate, provides total coverage upon spraying (whereas I always had to rub it in with an aerosol) and doesn't leave your carpet covered in sunscreen.

Plus, the spray covers such large areas - even with the kiddie spray - that I was able to give Miss Dub a thorough coating in about 30 seconds. And she enjoyed every second of the spray action.

In fact, it was so easy that I found myself using the adult spray. A few spritzes on my chest, back and face, and I was good to go. I didn't even need Mr. Dub to get those hard-to-reach spots, though he's certainly happy to oblige.

I didn't use the spray on my arms and legs - two spots that haven't been burned in decades. But I'm getting there.

So thanks Kinesys, even if your products are a little pricey and not that easy to find. Maybe now I won't die quite as soon. And Miss Dub is sure to love sunscreen for the rest of her life. Cross your fingers!