Feed Your Hunger with Fuel To-Go Containers & Lunch Bag!

   

Now that summer is coming to a close, it's the time when we're beginning to think about, and look forward to, getting back into the swing of things. Part of that is getting back into healthy eating, and more meal planning.

Trudeau Maison is a new line of affordable kitchen products and to-go containers. Their Fuel line offers a number of environmentally friendly and BPA-free lunch containers, lunch bags and lunch accessories, perfect for back to school or work. 

I happily sampled 3 items from their Fuel line: 

The Fuel 5-Piece Lunch Set includes a large Sandwich Container, a 10oz reusable juice box, as well as, a Snack'N Dip Container. The sandwich protector is quite sturdy and roomy inside. You could easily fit a thicker deli style sandwich inside and still be able to get it closed. No more squished sandwiches! Personally, I don't like to drink out of plastic containers very much, but I could see this being useful to those who do. The snack container is sectioned into two parts. One 5oz compartment for items like veggies or crackers, and a smaller 2oz section that would be perfect for dips like hummus, yogurt, or peanut butter. The snack container also comes with a little spreader that fits snugly inside the container, ready when you need it. The Fuel 5-Piece Lunch Set retails for about $19.49CAN. 

If you are a condiment addict like I am, then the Fuel 3-Piece Condiment Set will be right up your alley. It's nice to find small, durable and leak resistant containers for salad dressings and other sauces. Each of these will hold 1.5oz, and they are very durable. This Fuel 3-Piece Condiment Set retails for approximately $9.49CAN.

And last, but not least, the Fuel Hungry Lunch Bag allows you to transport your food items in a functional, insulated, and classy lunch bag. It has a large opening so that you can have easy access to all items inside, and a wide carrying strap to take the load off. The large opening allows you to easily fit food containers inside, along with various snacks. You could probably even get a drink inside as well depending on how much food you've already got in there. I like that everything inside the lunch bag is easily accessible when you unzip it. No more digging to the bottom! It's lightweight, easy to wipe down and water resistant. The only thing I would change is to have the carry strap be adjustable for when you'd prefer to be hands-free. It retails for $26.99. 

In my opinion, the Fuel line would be best suited to older children and adults who can appreciate the trendy and sophisticated design and colour scheme that these items have to offer. They are an environmentally friendly alternative, and in the end, could save you money if you were one to purchase a lot of take-out before utilizing re-usable containers like these. 

Additionally, Trudeau Maison has a whole line of other useful to-go items. Particularly noteworthy is their Fuel Salad Container. It has a snap-in ice pack and an attached dressing container inside. They also have a Bento Box, as well as, a number of cutlery solutions. Their items come with varying warranties, and are available at a wide variety of specialty and mass market retailers across Canada.  To check out all Trudeau Maison has to offer, visit their website.

Happy noshing! 

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

Possibly the Coolest Lego City® Backpack/Lunch Bag!

   

'Tis the season for back to school shopping! To some, this is the most wonderful time of the year. To others, it is the beginning of a rat race to acquire quality, durable products for their children's return to school.

I was recently shopping in a well known Canadian book retailer with my son. He called me over to show me a Lego City backpack & lunch bag that he'd seen and thought was cool. When I picked it up, I immediately noticed how good the quality was and how durable it seemed compared to those sold in big box department stores. 

Now that my son is getting older, his bags are starting to not only take a beating throughout the school year, but being strained by carrying heavier items to and from school.  When I realized how good the quality was, I immediately set out to acquire some samples for review. Thankfully, Carry Gear Solutions/LegoBags.com, the manufacturer of these items, were happy to oblige. 

The Lego City® Elite Police Heritage Classic Backpack is the perfect bag for Lego fanatics! It's got the main section, as well as, a front volume zippered pocket. There are organizer compartments in both sections of the backpack, as well as, as a side mesh pocket on the outside that's perfect for their water bottle. There is a name tag on the inside where you can write your child's name, and it is PVC, lead and phthalate free. It has great padded shoulder straps  that come with a chest strap to help balance the load. It also has a D-ring on the front so that they can either attach their hat, lunch bag or other items onto the bag. I was also thrilled to see that there were reflective points on the back to increase visibility. Our bus times are early, and sometimes in the winter, it is still dark outside at that time. This will be especially useful for those in similar situations.  This particular bag is 16"H x 11"W.  The Lego City® Elite Police Heritage Classic Backpack is available at LegoBags.com, as well as, Amazon and retails for $35USD. There is a more basic version of this bag available at Indigo Books here in Canada which is a bit smaller in size, does not have the front volume pocket and is designed for younger kids. This smaller one in particular retails in Canada for $35CAN.

The Lego City® Elite Police Vertical Lunch Bag is a well insulated bag. I was pleased to see how dense the insulation padding seemed compared to others I've checked out. This should help to keep food colder, longer, and possibly help to prevent one more smashed sandwich that got mushed while inside their backpack. On the inside, there is a nice little mesh pocket that you can store cutlery or other smaller items like an ice pack, and is held secure by velcro so it won't slip out. The inside lining is easily wiped clean and the outside not only has the appealing Lego City® Elite Police image, but also reflective Lego stud decals on the sides. It comes with a well padded handle, a buckle clasp that you can open to attach to the backpack, and measures 9"H x 7.5"W. The Lego City® Elite Police Vertical Lunch Bag is available at LegoBags.com, Amazon, as well as, Indigo Books here in Canada. It retails in the US for $15USD, and if you were to purchase this lunch bag here in Canada at Indigo Books, you're looking at $19.95CAN. 

LegoBags.com also has a number of other Lego backpacks and lunch bags for sale, geared towards both boys and girls. When purchasing from their website, shipping typically costs $5 to continental U.S. destinations if the total cost is under $50. If the total exceeds $50, then shipping is free within the U.S. For shipping to Canada, costs are assigned by weight. To give you an idea, the average shipping cost for one backpack and one lunch bag to the Toronto area would be about $15USD via USPS.

For more information and to see their full selection of Lego backpacks and lunch bags, visit LegoBags.com.

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

Be a Sky Rover Voice Command Helicopter Pilot!

   

Many kids dream of being a pilot, but not many actually get to try it out. 

While it may not be like flying an actual aircraft, the Sky Rover Voice Command Helicopter gets them age-appropriately close within an indoor environment. 

This remote control Sky Rover Voice Command Helicopter allows the user to speak twelve pre-determined voice commands into the accompanying headset, which will power the helicopter. Whether you want to turn left, right, go forwards or backwards, or even pull a U-turn, it does it all. It has real working lights, and you can also hover and fly on auto-pilot. Alternatively, you can also fly the helicopter in traditional mode using the accompanying controller. The remote controller requires 3 AAA batteries, and the helicopter itself contains a rechargeable battery which can be recharged by USB on your computer. This remote control helicopter is designed for indoor use only and recommended for those 8 years and over.

My son thinks this toy is pretty cool. Because he was initially nervous to try out the voice commands, he began by mastering how to fly it using the regular remote control device. Once he felt comfortable with that, he moved on to using voice commands. That got him pretty excited and feeling like quite the little pilot! It can be flown for about 6 minutes per flight and controlled up to 10 meters away. We found that it took about 20 minutes of flying before it required charging, which took about 30 minutes. 

The great thing about this helicopter is that if you accidentally fly it into a wall or crash land it, the helicopter will fall to the ground. Ours crashed quite a few times initially when my son was first trying to master landing the aircraft. So far, it's taken the beating well. It also comes with some replacement parts so that if it did break, you will likely have the parts to put it back together. Overall, while being a delicate toy by nature, it does seem pretty sturdy with regular, responsible use.  It has sustained all falls very well so far. One other cool thing it can do is prop itself right side up again if it falls on its side! 

The Sky Rover Voice Command Helicopter is available at most toy retailers across Canada and the U.S., and retails for approximately 39.99USD/$59.99CAN.

Happy piloting!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

SheFit - Possibly the Best Sports Bra in Town!

   

If you've ever struggled to find a decent sports bra, particularly if you're bigger in the chest, then look no further! 

Months back, I was watching an episode of Shark Tank, the television show. Low and behold, on came a mother who created a sports bra called The SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra. At first, I thought it was for extreme fitness. But as I continued watching, I realized that it looked to be a great sports bra for anyone, not just those into high impact fitness. I'm glad I gave that woman a chance and listened to her whole pitch. In doing so, I learned about what might be the, if not one of the, greatest sports bras for any woman ever!

First thing the next morning, I immediately got to contacting the mother and creator of the SheFit bra. I was eager to get my hands on this bra to test it out and see if its claims were true. 

I am smaller in the band, but larger in the cup. As such, I typically have a hard time finding bras in general. But because I'm plus sized and have a larger cup, finding a sports bra with adequate support has always been a challenge. I have boys, and as such, I'm active with them doing all sorts of things throughout the day. In order to cope with my dangling duos, I would usually wear a regular bra, and then a crappy fitting sports bra overtop for added control. But no more! 

The SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra is ultimate alright! You can tailor it to fit YOUR body, not just some designer's version of what they think a person's body fit should be. It has a personalized bust band and 1" wide shoulder straps that you can adjust to fit the way YOU want and need. You can convert the shoulder straps from an X-Back to an H-Back style, similar to a conventional bra. The straps are fastened with a strong Velcro type material which keeps them locked in position. In total, this bra has 15" of shoulder strap adjustability and 8" of adjustability in the bust band. 

Not only can you personalize the bust band and shoulder straps, the bra has moisture-wicking properties. It also has a mesh lining that comes with removable pads. This was great for me personally as, like most women, one of my twins is bigger than the other, making it difficult to size. By taking out the pads, it gave me just that little bit more room in the cup that I needed, making for the perfect fit.  

The bra features a zippered front, making it easy to take on and off. In case you thought your tatas might fly out after you've zipped it up, there's no reason to worry. There are two zipper locks along the zipper, preventing your twins from blowing it open and exposing your goods. 

I also think that this sports bra would be fantastic for pregnant or postpartum women. Because the bands and shoulder straps can grow or shrink with you, it would be a great support for your ever changing girls. Taking the shoulder strap off to breastfeed or pump would be relatively simple as well. 

The SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra is made out of a Nylon & Spandex mix. To maintain the longevity of the bra, it is advisable to hand wash and lay flat to dry. This would also prevent any lint from sticking to the Velcro straps and band. If you much prefer to utilize your washing machine to launder your bra, then be sure to do so in a lingerie bag. Wash it on the delicate cycle, using cold water, and ensure that the front zipper and hooks are secured and that the band and shoulder straps are secured. Lay flat to dry. 

I love almost every single thing about this bra! The only thing I would change, is to somehow make this bra more smooth on the front surface so that you could wear it under a tshirt without the seams showing. If you were wearing this bra on its own while working out, then this would not be an issue at all.

Personally, I prefer wearing it in the H back position. I find that the appearance of my bosom is more flattering in this set up. With that being said, if I'm wearing a racer back style tank top, I will switch it up to match the style of the shirt. For my body type, I found the support was the same no matter which way I wore it.  

The SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra comes in 10 sizes, from XSmall all the way up to 6Luxe. To find your SheFit bra size, simply follow their simple instructions on the Size Chart page. They also have a size calculator to assist you in finding the right fit. If you for some reason you measured incorrectly, SheFit offers refunds/exchanges within 30 days of shipping, so long as it is in brand new condition with the tags still intact. It should be noted that you will be responsible for the cost of return shipping should this occur though, so be sure to do your best to measure accurately. The bra, at this time, is currently sold from XSmall to 3Luxe. The 4Luxe-6Luxe sizes are expected to be available sometime this month. 

The SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra retails for $58.99USD. Shipping costs on average are approximately $5USD for delivery within the United States, and approximately $19USD to Canada. 

For more info on the SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra, please visit SheFit.com. 

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

Spice up your Kitchen Counter with this Spice Rack!

   

It's tough finding a spice rack that matches your specific needs.  I was recently looking for one that had a lot of jars, and would also accommodate my space limitations. Our old spice rack had 20 compartments, and was great for having all our spices handy. But the lids were getting weak from years of use, and it took up way too much counter space. 

I came across the Trudeau Maison Axia 16-Bottle Revolving Spice Rack, available both online & in store across Canada at Walmart. I immediately searched out a sample and put it to the test. 

This spice rack not only has 16 bottles, which gives you a lot of selection at your fingertips, but it also comes with 16 different herbs & spices. From Cinnamon, to parsley, to thyme and basil, you'll find many in between. Some of the spices included I have never personally used, so I opted to fill the others up with my own personal favorites to compliment what was already included in the set. 

Each of the 16 spice jars comes with a screw on/off cap lid which allows you to pour, sprinkle, or keep it closed for freshness. The spice rack itself is narrow and short, taking up little counter space. It revolves so that you can easily grab whichever herb or spice you'd like in a pinch. Pun intended! For finely ground spices, the sprinkle holes work fine. For the chunkier herbs like chives, you will have to utilize the pour feature, or screw off the lid. 

Overall, I like this spice rack. I think it'll be good over the long haul and is already a great addition to our kitchen. It is compact and handy and would be especially fitting for someone residing somewhere with little counter space. For the price point, it's definitely a good buy. 

I just wish that it would have come with a variety of commonly used herb & spice labels for those that were both included in the set, as well as, for those that a consumer would add themselves. Not including any labels with the spice rack, makes it difficult for the user to differentiate between some of the similar looking herbs. The one spice rack image online also shows it with labels on the lids, which can be a bit misleading. It should also be noted that the amount of herbs/spices that come in the packs fill up the bottles about 2/3 of the way, not full as is pictured on the box. 

This Trudeau Maison Axia 16-Bottle Revolving Spice Rack is available at Walmart across the country, and retails for $32.97CAN. 

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

Super Wings Transforming Characters Have Flown in to North America!

    

Super Wings toys are now here in North America! 

For those of you who are not familiar with the show Super Wings, Jett - the main aircraft character, delivers packages to kids around the world. Jett frequently encounters problems of various kinds, and therefor calls upon his cohorts for assistance in figuring it out.  In the show, these little planes can walk on their own two feet, and then transform themselves back into planes as the need arises.  

Given the theme of the show, it should come as no surprise that toy designers came up with the idea to create transforming figures for children to play out their own scenarios. These Super Wings Transforming toys come in 6 different designs - Jett, Jerome, Donnie, Paul, Bello & Dizzy. 

We sampled Transforming Jett & Transforming Jerome.  Like the show, these adorable little guys can stand on their own two feet while in the bot position, and then also change into an aircraft in order to complete their deliveries and solve problems. They switch from aircraft to bot, and vice versa, in 10 steps or less. In the bot position, they stand approximately 5" tall. 

These toys are geared for kids 3 years and over. Personally, I think they are best suited for those around 5 years of age. My 3 year old has so far been unable to figure out how to transform them without help, as they do require a bit of a firm hand. With that being said, he does very much enjoy playing with them in both positions and likes to have them switched back and forth.  They are perfect for small hands and both my youngest and my oldest have been playing with them quite a bit since they arrived. It should be noted that, like many toys, they have some small parts. As such they could pose a choking hazard for children under 3. So be sure to keep them away from little ones, if you have any. 

These Super Wings Transforming characters are available at retailers such as Toys R Us and Walmart and retail for approximately $17.99CAN/$9.99USD.

Happy flying! 

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

Finding Dory Dive Characters, Pool Shooter & and Mr. Ray Ride-On Make Great Waves!

   

Swimways Corporation is known for its selection of water toys and accessories.

This summer's line up offers a number of Finding Dory themed items in their Finding Dory Pool Shop. From themed life jackets to swim masks, to body boards and a sprinkler, you'll find all sorts of cool stuff! 

I reviewed 3 products from their 2016 Finding Dory summer line up: 

The Finding Dory Dive Characters come in a 3-pack and include Dory, Nemo & Hank. They are made of flexible plastic and will sink to the bottom so that kids can practice retrieval drills without even realizing they're working on their swimming skills. These are also fun for kids to play with in the bath tub. They retail for approximately $16.99USD and are geared for kids 5 years and over.

They have a Finding Dory Pool Shooter which has Hank affixed on the end of it. When the shooter is activated, water will spray out of 6 of his tentacles. It retails for approximately $12.99USD and is geared for those 3 years and over. This pool shooter has some weight to it, but fills up and sprays very easily. You can rotate the shooter chamber while spraying, allowing you to change up the direction of the output.  When full of water, this shooter will reach lengths of over 6 feet in any given direction! This would also be fun in the tub, but I would avoid using this item at the beach. The tentacle shooters have small tubes and debris could get stuck inside.When not in use, it floats, which makes it handy for any impromptu water battles that may arise. My 3 year old loves playing with this, particularly when he gets to blast his older sibling, or one of us parents with a surprise spray! 

We also got to sample the Finding Dory Mr. Ray Ride-On inflatable pool float. This stingray is pretty big! It measures 53" long and 42" wide, and is quite simply, an adorable floaty. Not only could you partially lie on it, you could use it as a flutter board. This inflatable retails for approximately $15USD, and like the Dive Characters, is geared for kids over 5 years of age. It also comes with a repair patch. While I did not notice anything on the packaging indicating weight capacity, I did see that 150lbs was listed on the Target webpage for this product. My oldest is approx 90lbs and he had no problem being on it, so that 150lbs is likely accurate. It does require a fair amount of air to fill, so you as the parent will likely be blowing this stingray up. 

It is important to note that the Mr. Ray Ride On inflatable toy is not a flotation device. It is simply a toy. As with any water or bath activities, it is imperative that you never leave children unattended while in or around water. All of the above mentioned water toys should only be used under the supervision of an adult. Vigilant care needs to be taken to ensure that children do not enter a body of water that is deeper or more challenging than their swimming skills can handle. When using these or other water toys and accessories, be sure that they are not located in an area in or around water which could be way too deep for their abilities. This has nothing to do with the products, and everything to do with basic parenting. So, just as you would watch your kids in a pool in general, be particularly vigilant when playing with toys that could get them closer to the deep end, or farther than their swimming skills can handle. 

Swimways products are sold at a variety of retailers. To find one near you, visit their Store Locator page. 

Enjoy your water play this summer! 

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

Get Your Read on with DK's Summer Book Boutiques! There's Something for Everyone!

   

Summer is the best time to put your feet up and kick back with a great book. Whether you are a child, or an adult, DK Books has something for everyone.

My favorite thing about DK Books is that they have so many titles which appeal to kids. Like most parents, I think it's important for my kids to read and do my best to encourage them any way I can. In the summer months, my kids participate in a book reading rewards program and they can read anything they want. My oldest son almost always gravitates towards LEGO levelled reader books, as well as, super hero and other character books.

DK Books' Summer Reading Boutique has a wide variety of levelled reader books. From various LEGO themes, to Star Wars, to animals and everything in between. In addition to the Summer Reading Boutique, DK Books has so many other topics & titles that are not mentioned in the boutique. The levelled readers go from Level 1 to Level 4, which is perfect for readers who progress in their skills over the summer months. Some of these levelled reader books also have new covers with foil embellishments on them that are sure to catch the eye of your little reader. My youngster is currently reading the Level 3 LEGO Nexo Knights Monster Battles, and will then be moving on to LEGO Ninjago Team Ninja.

DK Books features a number of Canadian Editions on a variety of titles in their Oh Canada Boutique. I sampled the Pocket Birds of Canada. I was eager to get this book in particular as we've set up bird feeders around our yard this summer and have been curious to see which feathered friends have been visiting us. This book has 285 pages of different birds here in Canada. The book breaks down identifying features, where they are commonly found, as well as, what their feeding, nesting and habitat tendencies are. It's been neat to use this book as a reference, and gets the whole family involved.

Not included in a particular boutique, but definitely worth a mention all the same, is their LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes Character Encyclopedia. My son had seen this in a book store and was goo goo for ga ga over it. Aside from breaking down all the minifigure characters, it also comes with an exclusive LEGO Pirate Batman minifigure. The book is hardcover and contains 208 pages of engaging data. He thinks he's getting a cool book, but does he know that I'm all for it because he's reading without even realizing that that is exactly what I want him to be doing this summer? ;)

DK Books Canada is also featuring other boutiques this season. Their Summer Living Boutique offers titles related to smoking your own meat, growing vegetables, as well as, books for kids with regards to bugs, sleepovers, outdoor activities and a whole lot more. Their Food & Drink Boutique states the obvious, and their Back to School Boutique offers all sorts of educational material.

Get your read on people, it's the perfect season!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****