Up until recently, I had never heard of the Only Hearts Club.  The Only Hearts Club are real dolls for real girls. There are eight culturally diverse dolls.  They dress like real kids, are poseable, and are nine inches tall.  Their names are: Taylor Angelique, Karina Grace, Olivia Hope, Briana Joy, Lily Rose, Anna Sophia, Kayla Rae and Hannah Faith.  These girls form a club together called the Only Hearts Club and their motto is to “listen to your heart and do the right thing.”  For our house, these fit perfectly into Madison’s dollhouse.  There is another kind of doll out there that I cannot stand (I won’t name it), but these are a welcome alternative!  I love the positive message they are sending out to little girls.  They also have soft bodies which is great in my house (not that the kids are going to whack one another with them, but you never know).

They also have a line a books for your daughters to enjoy. We have the hardcover It’s Hard To Say Good-bye book.  The book about one of the girls losing her dog. One of the other girls goes to find another puppy for her and falls in love with the puppy herself.  I won’t tell you about the rest of the story, but it is about how the Only Hearts Club came about.  It is a cute short story and just the right length to hold young girls attention spans.  It also taught some morals without being obvious about it.

They even have Only Hearts Pets.  They are 2 1/2 inches tall and really cute.  They are really soft and each pet has its own name.  It also comes with a backpack clip.  The paws of each animal also have Velcro on them, so you are able to have them hold small objects like a pen or you can create a bracelet with secerql of them.  There are all sorts of pets also:  dogs, cats, monkeys, cows, pigs, frogs, and elephants.

All of these Only Hearts Club products are perfect for the little girls you have in your life.  They can be found at Target or online at The Only Hearts Club.  The Only Hearts Books retail at $3.99 each. The Only Hearts Club dolls retail at $15.99 each, and the Only Hearts Pets retail at $3.49 each.  These prices make this a very affordable present this holiday season.

As many of you know, we remodeled our basement this last summer, so we had some extra room in the house. We now have a huge play area for the kids. However, even though the basement itself is warm, the floor is freezing cold. We have been looking for sandals and/or slippers for Will that he wouldn’t easily be able to take off. We found the perfect match with the Polliwalks shoes. These shoes are not only cute, but extremely functional too. For the winter time, we got him the puppy dog shoes. They are super warm for him. I love that the bottoms are nonstick. We have hardwood floors upstairs which also get very cold in the winter. I can never put him in socks, because he either doesn’t leave the socks on or he slips and falls wherever he tries to go. With these shoes, he can’t easily get them off (though I can easily get them on), and he isn’t falling all over. He also is a huge puppy fan right now, so he loves them just because they are puppies.

Now, for the summer (or when we can’t find his puppy shoes), we got him the Fish Shoes. I love them. These shoes include the back straps that ensure that they stay on your little ones feet. It also makes it super easy to adjust for a custom fit for your kids’ feet. They are super easy to get on and my son has yet to try and take them off.  The fish lips change color when exposed to UV rays of the sun too!  How cool is that?  Right now, these are only in select Dillards stores and online at Zappos.com.  They will be available at all of their retailers in Jan/Feb.

Overall, I am impressed with the Polliwalks shoes that we got. They are made out of high quality material, and try as he might, my son has not figured out how to wreck them yet. They are cute and can definitely take a beating. These are shoes that will easily be passed down from kid to kid and still look great!  Now, since these are so great, I want to offer pair to one of my lucky readers!

1. Leave a comment on this post.  Check out the Polliwalks site and tell me which pair of Polliwalks shoes you would want.
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This giveaway will end on December 14 at 8:00 pm CST is available to US residents only. Good luck!

If you are on the lookout for a great toy for your kids this Christmas, Toobeez is the one gift you must have in your house.  It is a favorite in my house and will be in yours too.  This is one of the few toys on the market that actually make your kids think which is why I love it!

Toobeez is basically one big tinker toy set that is super easy to put together.  If my 4 year old can do it, anyone can do it.  All you do is take the tube and push the end into the hole on the spheres.  You then turn it slightly until it clicks.  That’s it!  Now, there are about 100 different things you can make with these.  You can make simple structures (which is where Madison is at) and every intricate structures like a super fighter jet.  There are just so many things I really like about this.  Like I said before, it makes my kids think and design.  It is not too hard for my daughter to put together, so she does not get frustrated and is able to build what she wants without too much help.  I remember building forts as a kids with chairs and blankets, and I have to admit that this Toobeez set with the slide on curtains is just so much cooler.  Best of all, it comes with its own zippered storage bag, so you don’t have to worry about losing pieces!

If you decide that you kids must have this, they are running an awesome deal.  If you purchase the 57 piece set, you get an additional 15 piece kit ($24.99 value), The Big Idea Book with tips for enjoying your TOOBEEZ ($4.99 value), and free shipping ($24.00 value)!  Also, make sure you check out their giveaway!  They are giving away a free set to a lucky winner.  How cool is that?  If you are sick of the noisy toys that don’t require your kids to think, then Toobeez would be a perfect fit in your home.

Want a unique piece of art for your house? Want this art to be talked about at all the parties you go to? If you answer yes to either of these questions, you have to get a piece of DNA art. I have to admit, this is one of the coolest things I have seem come out. Here’s how it works:

First, you will receive a sample collection package which includes the tools to swab the inside of the cheek of whoever’s DNA you want as artwork. I personally think I would do my kids, but you really can do anyone who is willing to give you some buccal cells from their cheek. You then send the collector back to the MyGeneImage lab. Once you send it in, it takes about two weeks to create your piece of art.

Now, you can pick from several different styles of how you want the DNA to be displayed. You get to pick which gene sequence they use as well as the design, background color, and size of the artwork. Your first choice is myArtwork which is a reflection of the gene sequence displayed in picturesque art. Then there is myCrystal. This is your DNA sequence engraved inside a crystal structure with the 2D or 3D picture of the individual. Lastly, there is myGenetic ID which is the ultimate identification card with genetic markers.

It is hard to believe what beautiful artwork can be made from our gene sequences. However, myGeneImage has figured it out, and I am impressed. For your kids or the person you never know what to get them, this is the perfect fit.

Do you recognize the two people to the left?  Look very close.  That is what Stephanie and Sportacus from LazyTown really look like!  Hard to believe, I know!  Lazytown is a show on Noggin and Nick Jr. that encourages your kids to get off their butts and be more active!  When asked about the inspiration for the show, Magnus (the shows creator and Sportacus) answered:

Really, when you get down to it, LazyTown is a state of mind. We’ve all been to LazyTown. When we decide to go “veg-out” on the couch, you could say you’re “in LazyTown.” Even me. It’s a place we all go.

In a funny way, LazyTown reflects characteristics that you see in yourself or in people around you. These characteristics are universal: It’s that dynamic of opposites.

For instance, in the show, Sportacus is a driving force. He’s fit, agile, and an amazing athlete who’s patient, kind, and understanding. He encourages kids through example. He doesn’t take the low road. Conversely, his adversary, Robbie Rotten, is all about easy solutions and pulling the group down to his level. Then there’s Stephanie, the lead kid character, a wide-eyed optimist who believes she can make a real difference; while Pixel, a boy character, can conquer every video game, but when the situations are real, he has a harder time.

Just like in real life, nobody’s perfect and LazyTowners are constantly trying to find ways to understand and improve themselves. I guess that you could say that LazyTown explores the opposing forces that we encounter in our own daily lives.

How is that for teaching your children? Most moms and kids that I have talked to like this show. Magnus knows what he is talking about too — he was the Icelandic Men’s Individual Champion in Aerobic Gymnastics in 1992. In 1993, he became the Scandinavian champion, and was the European champion twice in 1994 and 1995. He was voted Athlete of the Year by Iceland in 1994. Adding superhero to that resume just makes it twice as nice.

Now, why should you and your children watch this?  It does get them off their butts.  I find Madison and Will dancing and singing with the show when its on.  It has taught my children that there is nothing wrong with going outside and playing.  On top of the activity lessons, there are moral lessons too.  Check your local schedule and see when you can watch it at your place.  You won’t be disappointed!