Are you a fan of high quality, comfortable shoes for the whole family?! I know I am, which is why I love Crocs. For the longest time I was under the impression that they only sold the Crocs Classic shoes.
It wasn't until I found their website that I learned I couldn't have been more wrong! They have an amazing selection to choose from. Whether you're looking for boots, sandals, or something else...they offer unique options for women, men and children! Our family has owned several pairs of Crocs shoes in the past, and we are always impressed with the quality and comfort they provide. After a recent visit to their site, I was drooling over their new more fashion-forward fall product line. The boots are especially eye-catching.

For those who live in or near Minnesota and love Crocs as much as we do, I have some exciting news to share! There is a South Point MN Concept store Grand Opening event THIS weekend! This Barton Creek Grand Opening Event is December 3-4 with some great festivities to celebrate. For those who are interested, here are the details:

Saturday (December 3):
The first 50 people in the door get a FREE* pair of shoes and 5 random people will have the opportunity to participate in a 2 minute Stash and Dash: Check out the Video from the Lennox Mall Grand Opening Event:

All Weekend (December 3-4):
Get a chance to win a FREE pair of shoes or savings up to 50% off a pair of shoes! Also, get local’s favorite Jibbitz™ packs, Crocs bags, and more! While supplies last.

*Free pair of shoes up to a $65 value. Not valid on YOU by Crocs products.

You can connect with Crocs on Twitter and Facebook.

When the kids' birthdays roll around each year, I'm always on the lookout for a fun outfit or shirt they can wear the day of their party. Typically I watch for something personalized...as having their name on it makes it that much more special and fun for them. That's why I was thrilled when introduced to the personalized birthday shirts from Pipsqueak Boutique!

With everything from room decor, personalized gifts, clothing, toys, and more...Pipsqueak Boutique offers everything you need when it comes to personalized gift ideas, baby/children's products, etc.

The timing of this review couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I learned we were going to have the opportunity to review a personalized birthday shirt for Kaden, in time for his birthday last week.

We were sent the Birthday Prince personalized shirt to review.

There are actually seven different styles of tees and one pieces available in this particular design. We were sent the Ringer Tee style which has been absolutely perfect for Kaden.

When the tee arrived, I was immediately impressed with the quality. Made with super soft 100% cotton, I could tell right away that this shirt was nice, thick and something that would hold up to a lot of wear and washings.

Of course, one of the neatest things about this tee is the fact that it's personalized. Kaden has a name that isn't the easiest to find on pre-made personalized products. That's why I love that I was able to simply give his name and spelling, and then have it printed directly onto the fabric using a high quality printing process. It looked very professional and the finished shirt is so soft, you can't hardly feel where the design is. It's not a rubbery applique and we have had no problems with peeling or cracking.

Kaden was tickled to be able to wear his birthday shirt. It made his special day that much more great. I love the blue color, as well as the "prince" theme. It suits him perfectly. The moment he put on the shirt, he was smiling from ear to ear. Having the number 2 on the shirt was fun too. We were able to talk with Kaden about how old he is now, and he now has learned to hold up two fingers to tell people.

Overall we've been really happy with the personalized birthday shirt from Pipsqueak Boutique. The quality is fantastic, and the fact that it is personalized made his birthday that much more fun and special for him. It's a shirt he's worn several times since, and every time...we get people complimenting how cute it is and asking where we got it.

I would definitely recommend the birthday shirts for toddlers found at Pipsqueak Boutique to any parent with little ones. Of course, the personalized shirts are just one of so many fun products offered here. I was also looking at all of the unique gifts for boys and found several that would be fun for Kaden.

Be sure to visit Pipsqueak Boutique and check out all of their great personalized items!

Buy It: You can purchase the Birthday Prince Personalized Shirt for $26.

**The product for this review was provided for free. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.**

When I first had children, the amount of baby and toddler gear available to parents was a bit overwhelming. The isles and isles of products left me wondering what we would need and what we could live without. Over the years I've learned which products work for us, and in the end...safety, quality and innovative design are a few of the main things I look for. And, when it comes to a company I can trust for all this and more, I know I can always turn to Prince Lionheart!
A family-owned and operated business since 1973, Prince Lionheart operates upon three core beliefs from which they were founded...quality, innovation and outstanding service. Although times have changed over the years...their commitment to these core beliefs remain the same. Offering everything from feeding and nursery items to safety, play and more...it's no wonder that they are a name parents have grown to know and trust time and time again.

After learning more about the people behind Prince Lionheart and who they are as a company, I was very excited to find out I had been selected to be a part of Prince Lionheart's Elite Writers Group for 2011. It's an honor to help spread the word about their quality products over the past year. We have been extremely impressed with the items we've reviewed, which is why I was excited to learn we were going to have the opportunity to giveaway an awesome toddler bundle of products this holiday season.

The toddler bundle giveaway includes the boosterPOD, Two Stage SeatSAVER, and Universal Drawer Organizer.


The boosterPOD is a product we have in our home and use on a regular basis. It makes sitting safe, comfortable and fun! The soft seat design is comfortable for kids and the practical base attaches securely to both the child and chair for safety. I love the 3 point child safety harness....it gives me piece of mind to know Kaden is safe while sitting up to the table. Aside from the comfort, quality and safety features, I also appreciate that it's waterproof and very easy to keep clean. With a messy toddler eating on it, this is a must in my opinion!

Features/Benefits:

• Dual strap system attaches boosterPOD® securely to chair
• Comfortable 3-point child safety harness
• Non-toxic, waterproof and easy to wipe clean

Another one of Prince Lionheart's great products, is the 3-in-1 Universal Drawer Organizer. What I love about this product is that it can be used even after the baby grows....great for use in pantries, drawers for utensil storage, or even on countertops.

Once I had children, staying organized became harder than ever. That's why I love the idea of having a universal organizer to help keep things tidy. The versatile four row tray design saves space in pantries, keeps drawers neatly organized, or stands alone on countertops to keep things accessible.
The 2 Stage SeatSaver is made from high-density foam that prevents depression damage that is caused by car seats. What's neat about this seat saver is that there's a bottom tray that keeps all car seats level and in proper position. The kick plate protects upholstery from shoe scuffs.

The bottom tray is used along with rear facing infant seats. The back attaches to the bottom tray when using a forward facing seat.

With the holidays just around the corner, I think all three of these products would make terrific gift ideas for parents who have toddlers.

Win It: One very lucky reader is going to win a Prince Lionheart Toddler Bundle which includes the boosterPOD, Two Stage SeatSAVER, and Universal Drawer Organizer.

Mandatory Entry - Sign up to receive the Prince Lionheart Newsletter (Please be sure to leave the email address you signed up with in your comment so I can verify)

Extra Entries: (Only valid after the mandatory entry has been completed. Leave 1 comment for each extra entry)

1. 1 extra entry- Like Prince Lionheart on Facebook

2. 1 extra entry- Follow Prince Lionheart on Twitter

3. 3 extra entries- Blog about this giveaway (linking to this post and Prince Lionheart) and leave THREE comments with the URL to that post.

4. 1 extra entry- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can tweet once a day for one extra entry every day)! You can copy and paste:

#WIN a @PrinceLionheart Toddler Bundle including boosterPOD, 2 Stage SeatSAVER, & Universal Organizer! http://bit.ly/s2aEFF

5. 3 extra entries- Post my blog button or blog URL to your blog and leave a comment with the URL to your blog. (If it already is, leave me a comment letting me know)

6. 2 extra entries- subscribe to A Mom's Balancing Act via e-mail (found along the side column) and leave TWO comments letting me know.

7. 2 extra entries- 'Like' A Mom's Balancing Act on Facebook

8. 2 extra entries- Follow my blog publicly on Google Friend Connect

9. Enter any of my other current giveaways. Leave me a comment on which one(s)....ONE entry for EACH giveaway you enter!!

10. 1 extra entry- Share about this giveaway on your Facebook status by including a link back to this giveaway (you can do this once a day, for an extra entry every day).

Leave one comment for each entry you complete above including with each, your e-mail address (or make sure it's visible in your profile) so that I can easily contact the winner!!

This giveaway will end December 13th and is open to US Only!

**The products for this review and giveaway were provided for free by Prince Lionheart. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. The opinions of others may differ from my own*

For the last few months of my pregnancy, I was on a strict diet after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I was determined to control it with diet alone...and began researching to come up with nutritious and balanced meals that were good for my diet and delicious at the same time. I thought I would have to give up pasta, which is one of my favorite foods...but thankfully came across the all natural Barilla Whole Grain Pasta and am so happy I did!!

Barilla has helped me provide myself and my family with healthy meal solutions. Made with 51% whole grain, the all natural Barilla Whole Grain Pasta has three times the fiber of regular pasta and provides a great way to make any pasta meal more nutritious. Even now, after my pregnancy we continue to eat Barilla because it's not only healthy, but also very tasty.

Having become such a fan of Barilla Whole Grain Pasta, I was very excited to learn that we were going to have the opportunity to take part in the Barilla Blog Tour and share about their Whole Grain Taste & Share Challenge. The challenge was created to help encourage sharing Barilla's Whole Grain Pasta with families to see how they enjoy the flavor while enjoying the added benefits. As part of the challenge, anyone can submit a code from a purchased Barilla Whole Grain box at www.facebook.com/barillaus to receive a $1 off coupon for friends and a coupon for themselves.

As part of the challenge, we were sent a Barilla Taste & Share Challenge Kit (which included six boxes of Barilla Whole Grain pasta, Academia Barilla olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pesto, Sicilian cherry tomatoes, sea salt with black olives, and a Barilla apron)!

During my pregnancy I was pretty much the only one who ate Barilla Whole Grain Pasta. However, after trying it and loving it so much, I was really excited to take the Barilla Taste & Share Challenge and see what my husband and kids thought of it too. I began with a simple spaghetti recipe and didn't tell my husband that I used a different pasta. He said it was good, but liked the regular spaghetti better. My kids agreed. I for one, loved it and thought it was very tasty.

I didn't want to stop there, so a couple of days later, I made a fettuccine type dish using the linguine noodles. Again, I did not tell my family that I used a different type of pasta and after just a couple of bites my husband said he loved it! He asked what I did differently and when I told him about the whole grain noodles, he was pleasantly surprised. My kids were also big fans!

By simply pairing Barilla Whole Grain Pasta with seasonal veggies, herbs and cheeses, it is possible to serve your family a versatile, tasty and healthful meal. We have been enjoying trying different things with the Whole Grain Pasta we were sent...and overall...have really been impressed with the results. The pasta tastes great!

There are a couple of other recipes I'd love to try still. The Barilla Whole Grain Spaghetti with Fresh Veggies looks really good, as well as the Barilla Whole Grain Medium Shells with Roasted Cauliflower and Cherry Tomatoes!


I've also enjoyed finding more recipes by visiting the Barilla Dinner Kit.

We've been really happy with the Barilla Whole Grain Pastas and would definitely recommend them to other families looking for nutritious, healthy and delicious meal ideas!

Win It: THREE very lucky readers are going to win a Barilla Taste & Share Challenge Kit like we received (which includes six boxes of Barilla Whole Grain pasta, Academia Barilla olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pesto, Sicilian cherry tomatoes, sea salt with black olives, and a Barilla apron)!

Mandatory Entry - Leave a comment letting me know what your favorite healthy, whole grain meal to serve your family is OR what you've found to be the best practices for dealing with picky eaters.

Extra Entries: (Only valid after the mandatory entry has been completed. Leave 1 comment for each extra entry)

1. 1 extra entry - Like Barilla on Facebook

2. 3 extra entries- Grab my Blog Button and leave a comment with the URL where it can be found.

3. 3 extra entries- Blog about this giveaway (linking to this post) and leave THREE comments with the URL to that post.

4. 1 extra entry- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can tweet once a day for one extra entry every day)! You can copy and paste:

#WIN a Barilla Taste & Share Challenge Kit Prize Pack! 3 Winners! http://bit.ly/syIejX Ends 12/5

4. 2 extra entries- subscribe to A Mom's Balancing Act via e-mail (found along the side column) and leave TWO comments letting me know.

5. 2 extra entries- 'Like' A Mom's Balancing Act on Facebook

6. 2 extra entries- Follow my blog publicly on Google Friend Connect

7. Enter any of my other current giveaways running now. Leave me a comment on which one(s)....ONE entry for EACH giveaway you enter!!

Leave one comment for each entry you complete. Be sure to leave your email address with your comments or make sure it's visible in your profile so that I have a way to contact you if you win!

This giveaway will end December 5th and is open to US Only!

**I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Barilla and received a Taste & Share Challenge Kit to facilitate my review, kits to giveaway, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.**