Getting sporty with the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

6a0105362badb1970b01b8d130a3a8970c-800wiBy Tyler, Editor and reviewer

We’ve tested, borrowed, and rented quite a few cars in the past few years. But never have we been asked so many times whether we were thinking about buying those cars than with the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport that we borrowed this week. Mitsubishi Outlander SportMaybe it was the bright blue color, or the fact that it’s a bigger car without being too big, or maybe it was because we’re due for a car that can handle the kinds of adventures we love to go on, but whatever it was, it seemed to be the consensus that we belonged in a vehicle like the Outlander Sport. Mitsubishi Outlander Sport from the front

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Iconic Ambi developmental toys for baby and beyond

Sponsored postDo you remember these toys from Ambi from when you were young? I’m betting you do, because every single person that has come over and seen my kids playing with the set of Ambi Toys has remarked about how they used to play with them when they were little. Ambi Toys packNotice how I said “my kids”? Not “the baby”, but “the kids”.

In fact, I had these toys all set aside waiting for when the baby was old enough to play with them, thinking that my older kids were well past the Ambi Toys stage. Then, one day when we had a house full of kids, the box got torn open and the toys were immediately pounced on – by all the kids, from age 3 months to 7 years. Ambi baby rattleHow could you possibly be mad when the toy thief is this adorable? You just can't.

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Mix and match fun with custom Modarri cars {& discount code}

Sponsored postWe discovered Modarri cars last year, and we quickly became obsessed. Basically, they are everything my son loves.
Fixing things: check
Racing: check
Designing stuff: check
Things with wheels: check Modarri cars playSo, what are Modarri cars? They are build-it-yourself custom cars that you can mix and match and customize to your heart’s content.

Each car even comes complete with a special hex tool so you can break down each car into its multiple parts: a chassis, hood and windshield, seat pan, seat, fenders and frame, and wheels with front and rear suspension. And, each of those parts can be used with other Modarri car models so you can build and rebuild as often as you like to create whatever car strikes your fancy. Modarri custom racing fun

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Kid tough dress up gear from Aeromax {Junior Fire Fighter Suit review}

Sponsored postIn our house, dress up day is any day that ends in a "y". We don’t merely have dress up time – pretty much all play time these days is done in costume. And, for us, dress up isn't limited to just inside play. My kids wear their costumes to stores, to parks, walking to and from school, and so much more.

This is just a small snapshot into the last year with my little man.Aeromax firefighter costumeObviously, we can't get by with cheapy costumes designed for one day use; we need Get Real Gear from Aeromax. My son has become so famous for his amazing Aeromax costumes that I swear I could sell their dress up clothes right out of my car and retire for life. Aeromax fire firghter

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Clean up in seconds with Lay-N-Go ~ a totable mat for everyone in the family

Sponsored postNow that we’re in the early stages of re-baby proofing our house for our new little one, I’m realizing more than ever all the small choking hazards that litter my floor as the kids play. Since getting rid of toys that have small parts isn’t really an option with a LEGO fanatic and a whole house full of miniatures, I’ve been brainstorming ways to corral the toys and keep the little ones safe. Tiny toys in their placeI’d be mad at all the little pieces everywhere but it’s not entirely their fault as our current system involves dumping bins which causes small pieces to scatter. And, in all fairness, they are actually quite good about picking up the pieces when they are done playing, which is why the bin system works for us. It was an obvious improvement upon the toy box system which had little pieces in thin layers along the bottom of the box, but clearly neither option is going to work well once we have a mobile baby.

While looking for something that allowed the small toys to be put away while still allowing them to be accessible, I found an awesome company called Lay-N-Go. Not only do they solve the problem of how to store all those small toys, their products also add the benefit of giving the kids a safe place to play with those toys, and an easy clean-up process.

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Make any day magical with Pacific Play Tents

Sponsored postIf I were designing the perfect childhood toy, it would have two major components. First, it would inspire imaginations to encourage make believe and storytelling. Second, it would be open-ended so it could be played with in numerous ways, which means it would be played with often and be a beloved toy for years.

Take the Painting Teepee from Pacific Play Tents for example. This clearly isn’t just a high quality teepee, it’s a childhood haven. As you can see, it's the kiddos fort. Decorated teepee

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Celebrate the power of play with the Gymboree Hop ‘N’ Roll collection

Sponsored postI know play time for children is vital as it helps them learn about the world around them in ways I can’t teach them in a book, so I always make play time a priority. From unstructured playtime to working together to create a talent show, a fairy garden, or a circus, we fill our days with as much play as we possibly can. PLaying in Gymboree clothingSo, I was a little taken aback the other day when I told my kids I wanted them to wear play clothes if they were going to be out digging in our backyard and they both looked at me like I was crazy. “Do you mean dress up clothes?” my daughter asked. Clearly, they aren’t of my generation where we had two categories of clothing: play clothes and fancy. Gymboree playdateTo my kids, everything is play clothes, even if they really shouldn’t be. We’re talking fancy holiday dresses year-round at the beach and white button-up shirts and dresses while gardening. After looking through their closets it became really clear that they could both use some new “play clothes” for summer that would allow them to swing on monkey bars, skip rope, and do all the other things kids should be doing all day without worrying about restrictive clothing getting in the way.

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Meet the beautiful Samsung Galaxy Alpha from AT&T

Sponsored postLove the iPhone styling but just don’t love the iPhone? Join the club.

Introducing the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, the sleek and smart Android phone that has the best of both worlds. I will admit I’ve had a mixed history with Android in the past as I love my Android tablet but I can’t quite give up the functionality of my Windows phone and how well it pairs with my PC, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the Galaxy Alpha design and all the premium features built in. Samsung Galaxy Alpha form function

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Non-candy Easter treats from Corolle dolls

Sponsored postMy kids really aren't big on candy, which makes me really happy. Sure, they get the occasional treat at school or during holidays, but I never load up on holiday candy because it just takes up space in my pantry after the kids forget all about it. Since I already know what happens when they get bags and baskets of treats, I'm always thinking of creative things I can give them in their Easter baskets, and I always think Corolle first.

If anyone thought that having a real live baby of our own would diminish the kids' love of all things Corolle, they were wrong. Baby dolls are a very big deal around here and show no signs of going anywhere anytime soon, so I love the idea of getting them each a little surprise in their Easter baskets that can add to all the doll play and make it even more fun. 6a0105362badb1970b019b02d6ed77970b-800wi

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Start a love of biking early with the smarTrike 4-in-1 trike

Sponsored postOur family is huge into biking and the kids spend all spring, summer, and fall pedaling all over the neighborhood and beyond. But, with a new reviewer that is going to be too young to join in all the biking fun, I wasn't sure what her and I were going to do while the big kids played. Sure, I could push her in the stroller alongside them, but that's a pretty sad consolation to biking with the big kids.

Introducing the smarTrike® Boutique Touch Steering® 4-in-1 trike that can get her out biking even before she can reach the pedals. Besides starting a love of biking earlier than ever, it also has all sorts of little details that make toddlers and parents happy. It might be so cool that even the big kids love it. SmarTrike in stroller modeBeing 4-in-1 allows us to start baby girl on the smarTrike at 10 months and then as she grows we can configure it to fit our needs. Just check out all the ways you can use the smarTrike to grow with your child, or make it useful for families with multiple young kids.  Smartrike 4-in-1

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