Review: Avio Stroller by Inglesina

When you’re pregnant for your first child, people mention to you all of the things that you will need for the new baby, a stroller high among them. What they don’t tell you is that by the time your child is 4, you will sometimes still NEED a stroller, but the one you bought 4 years ago is most likely worn down, broken, or just outdated.

Two weeks ago I flew to Orlando to film a commercial in Walt Disney World with my daughter and mom. We are huge Disney fans to begin with – annual passholders to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, as well as Disney Vacation Club members, and just overall Disney freaks – and I say that affectionately.

But there is one thing I know about Walt Disney World, and that is that I cannot get through a day there without a stroller. That place is huge, my darling daughter has tiny little legs that tire easily, and a stroller just makes our everyday life easier. The problem is that the stroller I had bought for her when she was an infant was completely worn down and outdated – it no longer rolled as easily, I was missing pieces and parts – I was hard on that stroller!

Luckily, the Italian company Inglesina partnered up with MomCentral and they approached me about a new stroller being released called the Avio – a one-handed folding stroller that looked as sleek and chic as it did practical.  Knowing that we would be heading out to Disney again, I jumped at the chance to to do this Avio Stroller by Inglesina review.

We were able to put the stroller together in about 20 minutes – the directions actually made it seem harder than it was, but it really came in 4 large pieces – it was just a matter of snapping things in the right places.  Also, there are additional pieces in case you want to use the Avio with a detachable infant seat that I obviously didn’t need, so that threw me off the trail a bit.  Still, 20 minutes wasn’t bad at all.

The seat and sunshade for the stroller are both very ample, and my daughter and I both love how far back the seat reclines – she can lay down nearly completely flat which is great for naps and relaxing.  The seat itself is plush and comfy, and the seatbelt is easy to buckle and unbuckle for me, but not for Audrey (meaning she has to stay put until I let her out!).  The buckle on our last stroller was so tight that it even hurt MY hands to squeeze it together enough to get it undone, so this is such a welcome change.

Pushing the stroller is really smooth, though occasionally the front wheels did lock up on their own on me and I was unable to push the stroller left or right – only straight.  It’s a simple enough fix though it is rather annoying when it happens.  However, I’m not entirely convinced that this little hiccup isn’t due to user error on my part – I may be doing something that is causing the wheels to lock like that.

The one handed folding is the only thing that I’m not quite as sold on, though it is not something that bothers me all that much and wouldn’t stop me from buying the stroller.  It is easy to get the stroller to partially collapse with one hand, but in order to lock it into a collapsed position you really need a second hand to pull it tightly into place.  I had mentioned how plush the seat is, and I think that, while we both love how comfy the stroller is, the problem is that the seat is SO plush, that the stroller takes a little more effort to collapse into place.

Overall we both love our Inglesina Avio and we cannot wait to take it with us on a trip out to Disneyland really soon.  It is the best stroller I’ve owned by far, and I know we will get lots of use out of it!

Avio strollers are available for purchase at Diapers.com and if you enter promo code AVIOFAST at checkout you’ll get a free fast table chair with your order!

Disclosure:  I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Inglesina and received and Avio Stroller to facilitate this review.  For more information, see my disclosure policy.

Final Update: My Fresh Start For the New Year

I write this post feeling a bit sheepish. I fell behind a bit on my New Year’s Resolutions. For a split second I considered coming here and telling you about all I had done and how great I did these past two weeks, but in all honesty, I slacked a bit.

The first problem was when I didn’t get to the store in time and I ran out of yogurt. I swear it was all downhill from there, because it threw me off of my morning routine, and my snacking routine.  I was still eating my Cheerios but I felt like I wanted more.  Unfortunately sometimes the cravings got the better of me.

The good news is, I didn’t GAIN any weight.  Matter of fact I still lost an additional pound, bringing me up to a grand total of 7 lbs lost – which really isn’t bad for a month.  I’m just kinda hard on myself and felt like I lost a bit of my momentum.  The good news is, I have been LOVING on my new Xbox 360 with Kinect – and I’ll confess that I may have bought “Dance Central” for it as well.  I’ve been “Evacuating the Dance Floor” with Ke$ha like, every night.

Also, for about 2 weeks I slacked on using Walmart’s free health and fitness tools, but when I got back on the wagon this week I noticed a CONSIDERABLE change in my momentum and determination.  Keeping track of everything I eat makes me SO much more conscious of everything that I put in my mouth – and since I know that one Oreo is a whopping SEVENTY calories, I think about all of the other things I could be doing with those calories before it goes near my mouth.

I’ve also completely slacked in taking my vitamins, which make me feel SO much better when I do.  My biggest hang up with the vitamins is that I can’t take them on an empty stomach, so I have to take them with food and I never seem to remember to grab them when I eat, or I’m out at a restaurant and I forget.  I need to work on carrying a few of them in my purse, and leaving them somewhere in my house where I will remember to take them.

Then, of course, there was my daughter’s 4th birthday party – which meant that there was, of course, cake.  Cake and ice cream.  Funfetti cake with strawberry icing.  I couldn’t pass that up!!!  My little princess would have been crushed if mommy didn’t want to share her birthday cake, or at least that’s what I told myself!

Don’t worry, I haven’t completely forgotten my health goals, and I’m still on track to lose that 15 lbs, though maybe not as fast as I originally thought I would.  I’ll definitely try and keep you updated!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms. All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

CoolSculpting: After My Consultation

In my last post I introduced you to CoolSculpting by ZELTIQ – the non-invasive way to reduce fat in problem areas.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to go for a consultation to see just what this procedure was all about.

I arrived at the Dr. Kinsley’s office (which felt more like a spa, to be honest) and was given a robe and ushered into a comfortable room with a full length mirror.  Before I knew it, I was laughing and talking about my daughter and my life while standing in my bra and panties in front of the mirror, discussing parts of my body that I was not too…ahem…fond of.  I’m relatively modest, but Dr. Kinsley’s staff put me at ease immediately.

They more fully explained the process to me – about how the machine freezes the area to 12 degrees below zero, literally reducing and eliminating the fat cells in that area.  Cool fact about fat cells?  Once they are gone, they don’t come back!  The size of your already-existing fat cells can increase, but the ones you are targeting are gone and gone for a lifetime.   Of course, I had already done a fair amount of research – like reading this Marie Claire article about it, and watching a video of the procedure being done on Dr. Oz.

Where can I sign up?

I am somewhat shy, so I’ll refrain from telling you ALL of the places that I qualify for CoolSculpting, but let’s just say that it’s enough to make me feel like I will look like a new woman.  I’ve scheduled my appointment to try it out for next week, so I’ll definitely update you to let you know how it goes.  All of the women in Dr. Kinsley’s office have tried CoolSculpting and rave about it – including Dr. Kinsley herself – so I feel much more at ease going into it.  Basically I’ll be sitting for an hour for each problem “area” and hanging out, reading my kindle or watching a movie while the machine works it’s magic.  It must be pretty popular, because it was difficult to find a time in the near future when I could get an appointment – the office manager told me they have a steady stream of clients who are eager to try CoolSculpting.

So now I’m excited.  I am constantly aware of my weight and my body, but I struggle to get the look that I really want because of those pesky areas that I can’t stand.  Now I feel like when I get married sometime this year or next, I will have the sexy physique that I’ve always dreamed of but really thought was unattainable.  You can bet I won’t be wedding dress shopping until AFTER my treatment!

Don’t forget that you can win your very own CoolSculpting treatment for you and a friend on the CoolSculpting Facebook page!

Go check out the contest and enter to win.  As a bonus, if you enter, come back here and let me know in the comments, and I’ll enter you to win a brand new Flip Cam HD – so you have an extra chance of winning!

Disclosure:  This post was sponsored by CoolSculpting by ZELTIQ, but all opinions are my own.  For more information, check out my disclosure policy.

Shedding a Little Light

In my role as one of the Walmart Moms, very cool projects occasionally drop into my lap.  Though I don’t write very frequently about it, I have a major commitment in my personal life to eating whole, organic foods, and trying to live responsibly.  For a while I thought of it only in the sense of food consumption, but was infamous for doing things like leaving every light in my house on.  When I met my fiancé he (being a good California boy) quickly schooled me in the importance of turning off lights – even in places like hotel rooms (where my philosophy was always, I’m sorry to say, hey – I’m not paying for it!) in order to conserve energy.

So recently, Walmart came to us and asked us to take a survey about the lighting in their stores, plus asked if we would mind posting it on our blogs.  Knowing that a lot of Walmarts are being retrofitted for more energy-conscious solutions, I thought this would be a great time to show how far I’ve come in regards to conserving our resources.

What a cool opportunity to weigh in, and possibly make a difference.  If you wouldn’t mind weighing in on a matter that will literally only take you 5 minutes at the max, but could potentially affect the lighting in a Walmart near you (thereby improving your shopping experience!) please take the survey on the lighting in a Walmart near you.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms. All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

Trend Spotting: Rose Gold Jewelry

For most of us, it is way too cold to start sporting Spring fashion trends – or am I the only one not wanting to dash around town in light, airy skirts and soft, feminine blouses? I am feeling more like jeans, soft tees, sweaters and boots. But in addition to these staples, I have been subtly adding on a Spring trend — rose gold jewelry. It’s an interesting twist to familar accessories, and works on just about any skin tone. (If you are fair or your skin has pink undertones like mine, it works especially well!) We are seeing this new hue in all sorts of designs and even more price points.

Some of my favorite ways to integrate it into an outfit are the most basic-a chunky watch or simple, sleek hoops. When the weather gets a little warmer and we’re busting out a bit more skin, I may opt for a fanciful bangle or statement cuff. And I won’t be wearing a beautiful diamond band on my finger anytime soon, but maybe this is an option for Erika?

CoolSculpting by ZELTIQ – A New Way To A Slimmer You {A Giveaway!}

This past month has been a total blur for me, and I’m still reeling/reveling in the idea that I’m now engaged!  I am so excited to marry the man of my dreams sometime in the near future, but while I’m hearing wedding bells, I’m imagining all of the things that I should be doing.  Working out.  Eating right.  Focusing on dropping the 15 pounds that I had committed to losing with the start of the New Year.  (only 12 to go, for the record!)

Getting In Shape With “Your Shape” Rocks. Seriously.

Confession:  I hate to sweat. HATE IT.  I refuse to be caught sweating in public – it’s one of the biggest reasons I can’t stand to go to the gym.  When I was still teaching high school, the worst thing was when a student of mine would hop on the treadmill next to mine and cheerily chirp at me “Hiii Ms. Lehhhmaannnnn!”  Seriously?  I don’t want your perfect 16-year-old self next to me – being at the gym is supposed to make me feel BETTER about myself, not worse.

Don’t you love how some people try to make sweating sound all awesome – like they say you’re “dewey” or “glowing” instead of “jeez, you’ve got water pouring off of your forehead”.  Don’t worry, I don’t buy the glamour of it all.  Not in the least.

Of course, I’m not a big fan of working out in general.  The idea of it pains me – I feel like it should be a lot easier than it is.  I generally feel very accomplished when it’s over, but the whole process of getting in my gym clothes, putting on tennis shoes, and going to the gym is somewhat off-putting.  It seems like 3 hours of work for a 1 hour workout.  I write from home, people.  I’m a BLOGGER.  Getting dressed up and leaving the house reminds me just how agoraphobic I can be.

All of this to say that Walmart and Microsoft sent me an Xbox 360 with Kinect last week, plus a copy of Your Shape for the Kinect and I LOVE it.

Yoga in my pajamas? Yes, please.

Kickboxing at 2 am to blow off some steam and wind down? Yes, please.

Not counting every. single. calorie. burned because I’m having too much fun to care? Yes, please.

Sweating in the privacy of my own home, not next to a former student at the gym? YES, PLEASE.

Your Shape for the Xbox 360 with Kinect may have changed my life.  If that sounds dramatic, then good.  I meant it that way.  It certainly helped me to drop those 2 extra pounds this week.  5 down, baby.  10 to go.

How are your 2011 fitness goals shaping up?  Share with me in the comments!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms.All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

Hot For Spring: Denim Trouser Pants

Spring trends are on their way! One of my favorites is the return to the true trouser. Now skinnies aren’t going the way of the dodo, but we are definitely seeing more and more wider leg and bootcut options. While I’m all for a great pant, I simply cannot contain my excitement over trouser denim styles. They are super-chic, always flattering and fun to style. Paired back to crip basics for a polished look, fun florals and flowy tops for a boho feel, or keep it casual with clogs.With all these great styling ideas, now all I have left to do is buy a pair. Have you got your eye on any?

Love Story by J Brand $178 Robertson from Paige $195

Wide Leg Trouser at Gap $69.50 Fade to Blue at Urban Outfitters, $98

Red Hot Valentine’s Day Picks

Tis the season for the color of passion.  In celebration of Valentine’s Day, here are a few red-hot picks that are high on our list.  Disclaimer:  All items will make any man swoon, use in moderation.

1. Long Tall Sally’s Cap Sleeve Ponte Dress – $105

2. eyebobs’ “bamboozled” frames – $75

3. Spring Street’s “Gem Dandy” leather and crystal bracelet – $20

4. Clava’s “Wellie” market tote – $26

5. Børn’s “Cornflower” sandal – $95

6. Long Tall Sally’s leather belt – $25

7. Long Tall Sally’s satin pumps – $32

8. Harlequin by Panache’s “Polka” lingerie set – $82 for bra, $26 for brief

Video Review: Essie Nail Polish Now at Walmart!

Quick – make a run for Walmart!

Essie, the long-praised and loved-by-every-celebrity-on-the-planet polish has released a second line in addition to it’s salon line, and that is a retail line being sold at Walmart. Oh yeah, Walmart.

I’m a long time Essie fan, and I’m certainly a beauty product FAN-atic, so having access to to my favorite line right here in my neighborhood Walmart is a home run.

Thank goodness for my new Essie polishes, by the way, because I had stashed “Fishnet Stockings” in my bag on my flight out to California for New Years and polished my nails on the plane (oh yeah, people LOVED me for that one).  I even took this really cool pic and posted it to Instagram:

Turns out that it’s a lucky thing that I gave myself that plane-promptu manicure, because the next day I had even more of a reason to show off my hands!

So clearly, Fishnet Stockings will always hold a very special place in my heart!  Which brings me to the polish itself!  Though it’s less expensive than the salon line, I don’t find any change in the quality of the product.  It’s the same great color and brand that my fellow Essie lovers have grown to know and love.  You can find your favorite shade at Walmart.com or in a local Walmart store for under $8 a pop – which is pretty phenomenal in my book!

The color stays on for about 4 or 5 days before I find that it begins to chip, though applying a fresh coat of clear top coat every other day seems to extend the life of the polish by a few more days.  All of the colors came off pretty easily with nail polish remover, with the exception of my new favorite, the red you see above.  However, this is very typical of almost ANY red polish, so I wasn’t surprised to have red cuticles for a few days after removing it – as a matter of fact I pretty much expected it.

Check out my video review below where I confess to you my addiction to nail polish!  What are your thoughts on this new line?  Do you have a favorite shade?  Leave me your thoughts in the comments!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms.All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

Video Review: Maybelline 2011 Product Line Up

Makeup.

I love it. LOVE.  My hobbies are reading, swimming, shopping, and makeup.  Seriously.

I mean, not that you’re surprised.

Maybelline approached the Walmart Moms and offered us the opportunity to review their new product line-up for 2011 and I was all “duh”.  Because, you know, makeup is my hobby.

I started with the new Maybelline Fit Me! product line, which includes 18 different foundations, 6 different concealers, 12 different shades of blush, and 3 shades of bronzer.  This lightweight formula is meant to allow your face to breathe which hopefully means fewer blemishes and breakouts, plus skin that is much, much healthier.  All of the different available shades allow you to completely customize your complexion to find the best shades that “fit you”.

I liked the Fit Me! line, and if you watch the video below, you can see me apply the line in real-time – and you can see how smoothly it evens out my complexion.  The Fit Me! line is very affordable and I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

Now, I’m a bit of a mascara freak, so it takes a lot to impress me.  I’m a big fan of anything that makes my lashes big, bold, and sorta out of control.  My all-time favorite is Dior Show Mascara, but it costs a whopping $28 a tube, and as a very famous makeup artist once told me “you should never have to pay that much for mascara”.  So, for the past year I’ve been on a mascara “diet” – hopping around trying to find the perfect one and I really, really think that I’ve found it in Maybelline’s One by One by Volum’ Express Mascara.  This mascara coats and separates every single one of my lashes with no clumping.  One coat is enough to make me feel like hot stuff, but two coats is enough to make me feel va-va-voom!

The last product that I tried from Maybelline is their SuperStay 24 Lipcolor – a 2-step color that lasts for 24 hours.  Let’s be honest – I was super skeptical.  According to Maybelline, this unique formula has 5 years of research and 10 US patents backing it up – and it won’t crumble, cake, fade, feather or transfer.  24 hours?  That’s a long time.  The first time I wore the color, I remember walking into the bathroom after eating lunch with friends and being shocked that my lipcolor looked like new.  Like I had JUST applied it.  That afternoon I brought my daughter home a few cupcakes from her favorite bakery, and we devoured them together – while my lipcolor stayed put.  So far we had made it though 8 hours and it looked great.  I started to notice a little fading around the interior of my lips, but nothing worth complaining about.  My fiance’ loves it too – he used to go in for a kiss to tell me how pretty I looked and then quickly pull back to avoid messing up my lip gloss.  Now he smiles and says “24 hour stuff?” and kisses me anyway.  That’s a keeper in my book!

Check out the video to see more of my experience with these three great products – and leave any thoughts that you have in the comments section!

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms.All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

Spring ’11 Sale Picks

So what kind of fashionista would I be if I couldn’t sniff out a great deal? Here’s a hint: not a great one. But, being the shopping guru I am, I’ve found some great scores hiding among those cluttered sale racks. The fun part about these sale pieces is that they really don’t scream “last season” even though many of them are deeply discounted. New-ish clothes right on trend for Spring at sale prices-how could I not share them?

Don’t let this androgynous model scare you. Neutrals are still a major color come Spring. And so are silk blouses. This one at Urban Outfitters can be worn now with a great pair of trousers and later transitioned into your lighter looks.

Another trend we will see in a huge way next season is the return of the ladylike skirt. This one by Gap is executed perfectly, complete with 70s-inspired pleating and a go-to hue that’s just right for Spring.

So the J Brand Houlihan isn’t new news…but this style isn’t going anywhere anytime soon (they just recut it in a distressed style for Spring). And a special shopping secret for you-if you shop in-store at Neiman Marcus, you’ll find these marked down even more (around $80…from over $200!).

Maxi skirts are all. the. rage. for Spring. If you can pull of this old-school style, this skirt is worth getting. The simple, neutral color of this skirt from Anthro will work back to Spring tops in both patterns and bold colors.

Speaking of color. It was everywhere on the runways this Fall. Bright on bright, bold all around-there are no rules when wearing these eye-popping shades. Not sure if you wanna commit to such a statement? No problem-these jeans from Delia’s are under ten bucks.

Slinky, sexy dresses in girly colors make a statement every Spring and this year is no exception. This dress from Piperlime can make its debut on Valentine’s and then take you to every fab event you hit way into the Summer.

Happy shopping!

New Year’s Heath Goals – An Update

Last week I posted some very exciting, life-changing news – I’m engaged!  Because of that, and because a new year is always a great time to set goals for myself, I have been trying to live a more healthy lifestyle.  I want to cook more frequently, more low-carb and I want to lose a few lbs.

An update on the cooking part:  last week I tried to make Spaghetti Squash as a part of an asian-noodle inspired dish.  I did everything properly, and I think the squash turned out ok…but the dish was a disaster.  Horrible.  Smelled up my entire kitchen.  Trying again for something healthy this week, but with a bit more trepidation.

An update on the health stuff:  I started taking vitamins for my hair, nails, and skin because my nails have been so brittle lately and my hair is definitely suffering from this cold winter!  For snacks, I have bought some of the Yoplait light yogurt (you HAVE to try the red velvet!) to have every day as well as some Frigo Cheese Head Light Cheese Sticks, and I’ve been sticking to my whole-wheat english muffins with Smart Balance peanut butter on them or a bowl of Cheerios in the mornings.  The rest of the day I’m usually out and about, but if I’m home I enjoy some of the Marketplace Organic Salad with my homemade dressing drizzled on top.

Oh, and I’ve lost 3 lbs this week!  I’ve been drinking a lot more water and I noticed that it always comes off the fastest in the first week.  I’m looking forward to meeting my 15 lb goal sooner rather than later!   I’ve been using the health and fitness tools from Walmart, and they have really helped to keep me on track and keep me away from candy and cookies.

Thanks to my friends at Walmart, I’m able to workout more frequently thanks to the Kinect and Xbox 360.  What suggestions do you have for me as far as games go?  I hope to share with you my fitness progress in the next post!  Share your ideas with me in the comments!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Walmart as a part of my role in the Walmart Moms.All opinions are, and always have been, my own.

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