Category: Parenting

Gift Guides, Healthy Living, Kids, Parenting, Reviews by Anthony

Rollerblade Spitfire XT 2016 Kids Inline Skates

Erin Sluka

Thank you to Rollerblade for partnering with us for this feature

Rollerblade Spitfire XT 2016 Kids Inline Skates

We just wrapped up our Memorial weekend and for the first time is many years we had above 80 degree weather for all 4 days! That is so rare here in Seattle. We spend the weekend visiting family, one last celebration from Anthony’s birthday last week and a road trip to Mt Rainier area for a flea market.  It was gorgeous and not much time was spent indoors with this weather. It has me so excited for summer.

Anthony is also excited as the past 2 weeks he has owned a brand new pair of Rollerblade inline skates. He has never even owned roller skates before so this is new to him and he did not know how to use the inline skates when they arrived. Now he has improved so much and thanks to this weather stretch he has been able to get a lot of practice. That means less time indoors near the TV and games.

He has the Rollerblade Spitfire XT. What is unique about these skates is that they expand in size. Because our kids are always growing these skates can stay theirs for a long time. We spend enough as they grow out of shoes and clothes so now they can keep the skates and in a minor adjustment they will expand a size. There are 3 kid size options to choose from: 11(junior)-1, 2-5 and 5-8. the Spitfire XT comes in red/black. You can find them at Dicks Sporting Goods and on Amazon

When the skates arrived I was so happy with the quality. Words can hardly express how enamored I was inspecting every stitch and feel of the skate. Sizing took a push of a button and a strong pull and the shoe keeps in place. With Anthony as a new rider he has had many spills these past few weeks and there have been no flaws of adjusting form the skates. They use the standard inline skate brake pads too so it is easy to change these out as your child wears our the pads.

Do your kids have inline skates? Have they ridden in a while?

Visit the kids rollerblade options. Let’s get them moving outdoors this summer!

Back to School 2017, Brands with a Cause, Food, Healthy Living, Kids, Natural Foods, Parenting, Reviews by Anthony

Zap Cavity Monsters with Zollipops the Clean Teeth Pops

Erin Sluka

Thank you to Zollipops for partnering with us on the feature. Opinions and story if my own

Zap Cavity Monsters with Zollipops the Clean Teeth Pops

Now that you are done with dessert…have a lollipop! Because of a brilliant little girl who had a concept at age 7 to create a lollipop that is good for your teeth you can have some candy after dessert. And you should! Xylitol, Erythritol, Stevia-a triple threat to those nasty cavity monsters have come together in the form of lollipops, taffy and candy drops.

It was her little sister that came up with the name Zollipops! These are the suckers and now there are Zollidrops and ZaffiTaffy. Zollipops and Zollidrops are sugar free, non-GMO, gluten free, dairy-free, vegan, kosher and made with natural flavors and colors in the USA.

What is Xylitol?
 
Xylitol is an all-natural sugar alcohol that is in many fruits and vegetables. It is so natural we actually produce small amounts in our bodies. With over 40 years of studies and safe records, Xylitol is proven effective. Because Xylitol is absorbed by our body slowly and with only small amounts being absorbed, you get a sweetness with very little calories. It has a low glycemic index of about 7 (most sugars are over 80). It is so low that the body does not require insulin to metabolize it.
How can Xylitol help with dental care?
 
Did you know that chewing gum after each meal freshens your breath and can help fight acid reflux and heartburn symptoms. Consuming sugar-free chewing gums and candies manufactured with xylitol as the primary sweetener have already received official endorsements from six national dental associations. By reducing acidity, we can help take away the power from those little cavity monsters!
Erythritol is just like Xylitol only a tad smaller molecule size. And Stevia is also a plant with no added calories and sweet like sugar. So all 3 are natural sweeteners with the added benefit of not causing cavities and actually raises the pH in your mouth and reduces the acids that the cavity monsters need to grow the bacteria we don’t want.
So grab a Zollipop in your favorite flavor- strawberry, grape, orange, cherry, raspberry and pineapple. See Anthony hare a bit more about the brand below:

My BEWARE: Xylitol is easily fatal in dogs so always be careful your dogs or pets cannot access your xylitol foods.
Deals, Kids, Parenting, Seattle Area Attractions, Travel

10 Seattle Activities To Do With Kids feat. Seattle Family Adventures Guide

Erin Sluka

10 Seattle Activities To Do With Kids feat. Seattle Family Adventures Guide

Living near Seattle we are very familiar with heading into the city for a day of fun. There are so many things to see and do especially if you have kids. If you are moving to the area or planning to visit, I first recommend getting a copy of Seattle Family Adventures: City Escapes, Day Trips, Weekend Getaways and Itineraries for Fun-Loving Families by Kate Calamusa.

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We live north of Seattle and a lot of our family is south of Seattle so it makes the city a gathering place for us for birthdays and occasions. We just recently celebrated my Dad’s 70th birthday with the entire family beginning with the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room then dinner at Cutters Point. We topped it of by riding the Wings Over Washington exhibit on the pier and a waterfront walk.

Seattle activities

10 Seattle Activities To Do With Kids feat. Seattle Family Adventures Guide

  1. Woodland Park Zoo – www.zoo.org – watch for ‘rainy day’ discounts they often offer
  2. Seattle Great Wheel – www.seattlegreatwheel.com – must like heights and gorgeous views
  3. Safeco Field and Centurylink Field – Seattle Mariners (MLB), Seahawks (NFL) & Sounders (MLS) games
  4. Firehouse Coffee – in Ballard neighborhood – When you need a coffee break and the kids need a play yard
  5. Wings Over Washington – www.wingsoverwa.com – this is brand new so not in the guide (next to the Great Wheel)
  6. Blue Highway Games – www.bluehighwaygames.com – they have tables to stay and play board games as a family
  7. Underground Tour – www.undergroundtour.com – ages 6+ 90 minute tour of the city…underground.
  8. Pike Place Market – www.pikeplacemarket.org – currently getting a fantastic update, browse vendors and shops. The home of the famous Flying Fish market
  9. The Museum of Flight – museumofflight.org – do the kids like war planes and a NASA training rocket? Must see.
  10. GameWorks – www.gameworks.com – surrounded by many fantastic restaurants, there are over 180 games with a bar and big screen so Dad can catch his game while the kids play

Seattle Sounders

If your family loves sports, I highly recommend attending a Seattle Sounders or Seahawks game while in town. They say around here that if you enter Centurylink Field as a visitor you will leave a fan. Seattle loves its teams and the pride is plentiful inside one of the loudest sports stadium.

**MLS Seattle Sounders game tip: If you score Sounders tickets, head to Occidental Park 90 minutes before kick off where Pre 90 starts with guest speakers and they will announce the starting 11. The last one we attended my son won a hat (above photo). At 60 minutes prior to kick off the crowd starts marching to the field with popular chants. If you are going to the game, this is a must do! Scarves Up! Want to see a video we made of the Pre 90 experience? Watch it here!

Find these activities and so many more in the book, Seattle Family Adventures.

Books Reviews, Education, Parenting, Tips and Tricks

Managing Emotions with the Home Edition: Feeling Buddies for Families Toolkit

Erin Sluka

This is a compensated post for the review of the Feeling Buddies or Families Toolkit

Managing Emotions

We have 3 boys in our family. I have helped raise my husbands boys since they were 5 and 11 and they are now 19 and 24. We also have an 8 year old. Having a child much younger tends to result in a bit of spoiled tendencies and he can be a bit dramatic. He is what one would describe as…spoiled. We have tried many tactics that never seem to stick. He remains feeling entitled, melts down easily when he doesn’t get his way and tends to get bossy with others. I heard about the HOME EDITION: Feeling Buddies for Families Toolkit when I was approached and asked to become an Ambassador for the brand. I knew this may be just what we need before he gets much older and set in his ways.

boys

Getting Started

We have not begun using the program with him yet because we have some tasks to do prior to introducing him to the toolkit. This is explained in the Quick Start Guide that is the first thing to read when your kit arrives. Here is what your first tasks are:

  1. Review and follow the Quick Start Guide: This guide will give you steps with the order in which to use the kit.
  2. Watch the video coaching sessions with Dr. Becky Bailey in the order the Quick Start Guide suggests
  3. Read the provided book, Managing Emotional Mayhem

By the time you get to Step 7 you will have watched 6 videos, read the book, downloaded some materials to be used with your child and get to know your Feeling Buddies plush and how it will be used with our child.

Following this guide will ensure that as you introduce your child to the Feeling Buddies for Families Toolkit that it will be used correctly and introduce them as tools, not toys for your improvement on their emotional wellbeing. Make sure you take this time first before getting the kids involved. You will love getting to know Dr. Becky Bailey in the videos.

home-edition

The HOME EDITION: Feeling Buddies for Families Toolkit is a new product from Conscious Discipline, a leading provider in social-emotional learning and classroom management resources. This toolkit known for use in the classroom has now been modified for use in your home with your children and is only available at www.feelingbuddies.com to purchase for only $99.

Stay tuned as I will post about our progress using this toolkit between now and the end of April including a video by Anthony on how he feels this worked for him at the end.

What do you think so far? Is this a toolkit you can benefit from in your home?