When I was a kid we always had a special pyjama bag to put our pjs in during the day. This meant that (a) they weren’t just lying around and (b) we always knew where they were when it came time for bed. I know it’s been a while since I was a kid, but when I hit up our friend Google to try and find one for Maisie I was at a loss – I came up empty time and time again. I turned to Etsy in hope that someone creative had similar childhood memories, and that’s where I discovered DesignLaboratoire’s PYJ-AMIS.

Sophie, the designer and creator behind PYJ-AMIS (a play on pyjamies & “amis”,  French for friend) was born in Paris, studied fine jewelry for four years in Lausanne, Switzerland, jewelry design in Geneva, and industrial design in Zurich. To say that PYJ-AMIS are well designed is an understatement! DesignLaboratoire were kind enough to send me a little bunny PYJ-AMIS for Maisie to try and it was an absolute HIT. Not only is the bunny design incredibly cute (its little cross-stitch nose is the epitome of cute), but Sophie added Maisie’s name making it personalized cuteness personified. (Maisie’s full name is very unusual and I’m positive we’re never going to find it alongside regular personalized items, so being able to add it to items like PYJ-AMIS makes them even more special.)

PYJ-AMIS come in seven different designs – Sooree the mouse, Foosh the Frog, Swing the seahorse, Boon the bunny, Pingoo the penguin, Kooky the koala and, the newest member of the PJY-AMIS menagerie, Piggy the pig. Each of the animals are available in six different colours (kiwi, raspberry, ocean, gold, oatmeal, and rich cream) with contrasting features and a hanging ribbon so that the PYJ-AMIS can be hung at the end of the bed or on a hook. They are even cuter in person than I imagined, and as soon as I showed Maisie what it was for she immediately insisted that ALL of her pyjamas go into the bunny. I think this would make an awesome birthday gift and if you are as big of an organization freak as I am, you HAVE to get one.

PYJ-AMIS cost $35 USD – add an additional $5 USD for personalization for that special little one but right now, as an Easter special you can get FREE name printing with any order of a “Boon the Bunny” Pyj-Amis during the whole month of April!

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Sophie from DesignLaboratoire has very kindly provided the opportunity for TWO readers to WIN their choice of personalized PYJ-AMIS (one each).

To Enter: Visit the DesignLaboratoire Etsy store and leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us what your favourite item is. Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” #WIN 1 of 2 personalized PYJ-AMIS pyjama bags from DesignLaboratoire & @SpiltMilkMoms http://tinyurl.com/4ppu6pl #giveaway #contest “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
  
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Wednesday, April 6th, and the winners will be selected using Random.org.  Winners will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before other winners are selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.

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I first came across Look Who’s Growing’s personalized growth charts at a trade show last fall. The gloriously bright colours instantly caught my eye and when I found out that not only were they beautiful decorative pieces for kid’s rooms, but they were also functional growth charts, I knew I had to have one for my son. The charts come in 2 widths (6 or 12 inches), are printed on durable vinyl material and come in the most beautiful colours and designs you can imagine. You can even personalize them with your child’s name, birth date and picture! Fantastic!

Look Who’s Growing was kind enough to send me a sample chart for my son’s room and I chose the beautiful Giraffe design because really, what toddler doesn’t love giraffes!  When I took it out of the box the look on my son’s face when he saw the beautiful image was priceless! Hanging it in his room was a bit of a challenge because he wanted to take it down and play with it. And getting him to stand still long enough for me to take his measurement against it is was whole different story entirely, but once we work the kinks out it will be great!

The best thing about the personalized growth charts from Look Who’s Growing is that they are completely portable! We just moved last week and unlike back in the day when you’d have to leave that closet door frame with all your kid’s growth marks behind, Look Who’s Growing’s charts are completely portable and can be moved from one home to the next as the years pass, serving as a great keepsake for kids and parents alike!  And since this chart measures to over 6 feet tall you can bet that I’ll be doing my best to measure my son for as long as he’ll let me, or until my husband tells me that measuring my 6 foot tall kid against a giraffe chart is getting to be a bit much. We’ll see who wins this one!

Thanks to Look Who’s Growing for sending me the beautiful sample, I’m definitely going to have to get one for my new baby who’s due next month. I’m totally going to place that order once this kid is born. I’m so excited! For both the birth of my second baby and for the new growth chart I get to order! Now the big decision of which design to pick this time….

The Look Who’s Growing personalized growth charts come with a wooden dowel at the bottom and two grommets at the top for easy wall mounting. They are available for purchase online starting at $34.99 CDN.

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If you’re in the Toronto, Ontario area, Look Who’s Growing is sponsoring a fantastic mommy’s day out at the Sweet Grass Spa on May 29th! Click here for more information on The Great Mommy Escape and sign up to take advantage of some great spa pampering deals!

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To Enter: Go to the Look Who’s Growing Website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which growth chart design you love most.  Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @lookwhosgrowing and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” WIN a Personalized Growth Chart THX TO @lookwhosgrowing http://tinyurl.com/473zz5l @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway #contest ” and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
• ‘Like’ Look Who’s Growing on Facebook, leave a comment there letting them know that the Spilt Milk Moms sent you for one extra entry.
• ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a link in the comments for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Go to http://www.lookwhosgrowing.ca to sign up for their newsletter for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Friday April 1st, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

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Silkberry Baby was founded by Carrie Shan, who started the company because of her daughter’s allergic reaction to synthetic fibers and polyester filled bedding.  What’s unique about Silkberry Baby’s line of products is that they are made using  mulberry silk floss, which is the highest quality of silk available on the market.  Mulberry silk floss is:

• 100% natural, odourless, and hypoallergenic.  Natural materials like silk and cotton result in less allergic reactions, and both my three year old son and 18 month old daughter have incredibly sensitive skin so this is really important to me.
• Soft, light. and durable.  When the Toddler Comforter arrived, I couldn’t believe how light the bedding was given its generous size (117cm x 102cm).  And soft … I can’t even begin to tell you how incredibly soft the comforter is!  It was such a big hit upon arrival that Charlotte and Oliver fought over the blanket all afternoon, alternately laying on the floor snuggling in it and exclaiming, “It’s SO soft, Mama!”
• Breathable and comfortable.  My children sweat like crazy when they sleep, so I was excited to learn that silk filled bedding absorbs moisture and releases it into the air, which regulates body temperature and keeps babies and toddlers from feeling too hot or too cold during the night.  Sure enough, after testing it on my son for a few weeks, I can honestly say that he is no longer ‘sticky’ at night and wakes up having slept much better because of the even body temperature the comforter provides.
• Eco-friendly and sustainable.  Silk floss comes from renewable resources as it is produced by silkworms, the farming of which leaves little ecological footprint compared to the production of petroleum-based bedding products.

I am absolutely thrilled with the quality of the Silkberry Baby Toddler Comforter.  It is incredibly soft and unbelievably well-made (so well made that I had trouble finding the well-hidden zipper to see how the silk filling could be removed).  I love how it keeps my son or daughter (depending on who wins the fight to sleep with it) warm but not overheating at night, and that it is light and portable yet durable and easy to clean.  Also, I cannot say enough about the charming art work adorning the company’s products – how cute is the sheep on the Toddler Comforters or the elephants on the Sleeping Sacks?  Adorable!

Silkberry Baby has a great range of Eco-bedding products for children including Comforters, Sleeping Sacks, Silk Fleece and Bamboo Blankets, and Cuddly Pillows.  The company also has a mulberry silk-filled Candy Pillow and a line of Eco-friendly bathing products coming soon!  Purchase Silkberry Baby Eco-bedding through the company’s website, or from the following retailers.

I am so delighted with the Silkberry Baby Toddler Comforter that I’m heading to my local retailer to pick up one of their amazing Baby Sleeping Sacks with removable silk filling for my daughter this week!

Silkberry Baby has TWO fabulous promotions on right now!  Get a FREE Cuddly Pillow with the purchase of a Toddler Comforter (valid until April 26, 2011) or get FREE SHIPPING with the purchase of a Sleeping Sack (valid until March 31, 2011).  To take advantage of either of these great offers, make your purchase online through www.silkberrybaby.com and then email the company at carrie@silkberrybaby.com (for the free Cuddly Pillow, use subject line ‘Buy One, Get One Free‘).

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I carry a little notebook with me in my purse so I can write down any fun and cool things I come across in my travels so I can share them with you. The other day I sat down to go through them and to my surprise several of the items kept coming back to the same company Galison Mudpuppy.

I’m going to review both arms of the company but today we’re starting with Mudpuppy. Here’s the first thing you should know – if you have a kid in your life you NEED to know about Mudpuppy. What do they do? Well a better question would be what DON’T they do – they have a whole whack of fantastic kids products from sticker books, to puzzles, to flip & draws, to flashcards. All of the items I’ve seen (in stores, at friends’ houses and with the items they kindly sent me) have been fantastic quality.

Mudpuppy sent me the Painter’s Pallet Wooden Magnetic Numbers and the Sweet Owls Wall Clock (above). The wooden numbers were a hit before I even finished getting them out of the package! Each set holds 40 numbers or symbols: 3 of each number from zero through nine, 3 plus or times signs, four dashes, and three dots (so you make your own division sign!) The set is suggested for ages 3 and up because of the small pieces but I just removed the dots & the dashes for now and the rest of the numbers aren’t of an edible size (trust me – she’s tried!) As much as I love the product I adore the packaging too – the magnets come in a resealable “milk carton” style container which is great for storage & gift giving. And they come with “green” credentials too – the magnetic pieces are made of 80% recycled wood, the package contains 85% recycled paper and they’re printed with nontoxic inks. They retail for $18*.

The Sweet Owl Wall Clock is one of six available clock designs (others include a robot, a monkey, a pirate, butterflies & the Very Hungry Caterpillar). They’re made from fiberboard, come ready to hang and measure nine and a half inches in diameter. They do need one AA battery which is not included but I’ve discovered that being a parent means you always have batteries on hand. The clocks are also printed with nontoxic inks and are phthalate free. Now they are fiberboard so they probably aren’t going to be heirloom pieces that get passed on from generation to generation but they are charming & will add to any child’s room. Oh and the best part? They sell for $20 so they’re an affordable room accessory and make a perfect gift.

I highly recommend checking out their website, especially the (very long) list of award winning products – I’m sure you’ll like what you find!

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Galison Mudpuppy is generously giving away each of the items they sent me – the Painter’s Pallet Wooden Magnetic Numbers and the Sweet Owls Wall Clock, one item each to TWO lucky readers.

PLUS Galison Mudpuppy are giving ALL our readers the chance to save 15% on purchases made from their on-line store – all you have to do is enter coupon code ZZZ2 at checkout. This is a great chance to stock up on perfect birthday presents for all the kids on your list!

To Enter the contest: Go to Mudpuppy’s website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which of their products you love the most. Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @galisonmudpuppy and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” Enter to #WIN fabulous @galisonmudpuppy products & save 15% on purchases! http://tinyurl.com/6fj3ydv @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries. This entry method will count as TWO ENTRIES for this giveaway (leave two comments, please).
• If you ‘Like’ GalisonMudpuppy on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry. If you visit their page be sure to let them know Spilt Milk Moms set you!
  
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Saturday, March 5th, and the winners will be selected using Random.org.  The winners will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before other winners are selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.

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Recently our family relocated from a small one bedroom apartment in East Vancouver to a spacious three bedroom townhouse in Ladner. As soon as we moved in the renovating and remodeling began and my son’s room was the one room I had a clear idea of how it should look. I envisioned a transportation theme with one wall sporting a chalkboard silhouette of a town. I took the idea of a chalkboard mural from my mom, Linda Buckinham, the author of Projection Stenciling and Projection Art for Kids.

Regardless of talent (or lack thereof) anyone can create wonderful works of art by following the simple step-by-step instructions in the books.  In less than half a day my mom and I had my son’s wall completed.  Despite the work that still needs to be done I love showing people through our new house. I get so excited when we reach my son’s room, everyone loves the mural (below) and can’t believe it when I tell them how fast and easy it was to do.  I’m not sure who loves drawing on it more – the kids or the adults!

I used Benjamin Moore Aura paint. (You can also use regular chalk board paint.) I went with Aura because it is low odor, environmentally friendly and can be tinted in any desired color. It’s an expensive paint so I bought a cheaper paint tinted in the same color to paint the first two coats and then used the Aura as a topcoat. I only bought a liter and was left with enough for another project.  The color I used is called Stone Brown (2112-30).

For anyone who wants to be artistic but needs a little guidance, my mom’s books are great.  The techniques are easy to follow and minimal tools are needed.  My silhouette project is from the Projection Stenciling book.  However, if you are looking for some different ideas and inspiration for your children’s room the Projection Art for Kids has lots to offer.

Projection Stenciling and Projection Art for Kids are both available through Amazon.com or…

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You could WIN your very own copy of Projection Stenciling signed by the author!

To Enter: All you have to do is leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us what your child’s room theme is or what you would love it to be. Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” #WIN this book to learn to make fantastic chalkboard murals http://tinyurl.com/4lgoft3 @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway #contest “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
  
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Friday, February 11th, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.

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I’m not into the girly-girl type room where everything must be ultra pink, instead I prefer feminine yet classy and modern decor (not that pink can’t be classy, of course).  While checking out the beautiful things available from Cocoon Couture (having been introduced to the company by fabulous on-line retailer Raspberry Kids), I noticed the range of beautiful wall stickers produced for them by The Wall Sticker Company.

The Wall Sticker Company is an Australian-based company that creates the most elegant, modern and beautiful wall stickers imaginable.  Their designs incorporate unique and intricate patterns and colours in the most clever themes.  The company was generous enough to send me the Enchanted Branch wall sticker (the girl version, pictured above) I requested, and I could not wait to put it up in Charlotte’s room, knowing it would go perfectly with her walnut-coloured Stokke bedroom set.  My photo, below, just does not do the Enchanted Branch sticker justice ….

The Enchanted Branch wall sticker set ($85 AUD, which is about $83 USD) is available in pinkish hues for girls or in bluish ones for boys.  This specific set comes with a total of 20 stickers, which includes 13 clusters of funky-patterned leaves, three beautiful birds, three acorns, and one big long branch to hold it all.  You can arrange the stickers however you like, and because they are removable and reusable, you can even switch it up from time to time.  There was only one hitch in the application of my Enchanted Branch stickers, and that was that I decided to be a hero and do it all by myself, and not to wait for my husband to help me (what can I say – that’s how excited I was to get the stickers up).  The issue was that sometimes not all of the sticker was cut perfectly to the edge, which meant that I held my breath and pulled when it came to getting the most delicate parts of the stickers off of the sticker sheet (like the bird’s beaks, for example).  I really recommend getting someone to help you with the sticker to wall application, and the second set of hands will also help prevent your stickers from folding in on themselves as you watch in horror.  Luckily, everything worked out perfectly at the end, and not only does my Charlotte’s room look gorgeous, but she loves to point at and touch the birds and leaves while standing on her change table and cooing (assisted and supervised, of course).

The Wall Sticker Company’s stickers are made to order specifically for you, and are PVC-free and carbon neutral with a neat, textured, fabric-like finish.  I absolutely adore the Enchanted Branch sticker set, and some of my other favourites include the Jungle, Babushka doll, and their Jane Reiseger gemmi the giraffe wall sticker sets … and those are just a few of them.  The company has a set of stickers for every room in your house and everyone special in your life.  Purchase your The Wall Sticker Company wall stickers through the company’s website and get ready to watch your child’s room become enchanted!

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The Wall Sticker Company has agreed to do giveaway with the Spilt Milk Moms!  One lucky winner will choose from either the Boys or Girls Enchanted Branch by Cocoon Couture .  Thanks The Wall Sticker Company!

To Enter:  Go to The Wall Sticker Company website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which of The Wall Company’s removable wall stickers you like best and why.  Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @WallStickerCo and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” WIN an Enchanted Branch wall sticker for your child’s room thanks to @WallStickerCo! http://tinyurl.com/29qw5l4 @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway “ and leave us the link for extra daily entries.
• If you ‘Like’ The Wall Sticker Company on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Tuesday, December 7th, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to all INTERNATIONAL entries.

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The wooden puzzles from Melissa & Doug are wonderful, but they do pose a problem when it comes to storing them neatly. The pieces will fall out if the puzzle is tipped on its side, and the pieces don’t all stack nicely on a shelf due to the pegs, so I was happy to find that Melissa & Doug has a line of puzzle racks.

The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wire Puzzle Rack is designed to hold six small puzzles and six large puzzles. The wire rack is easy to bend and is not as sturdy as I would like, however it is nice that all of the Melissa & Doug puzzles we have fit into the rack neatly. Unfortunately, I have read a series of mixed reviews on this product from other sites, so I hesitate to claim that this rack will fit all of the Melissa & Doug puzzles. Most of our Melissa & Doug puzzles are the small peg puzzles or the 24-piece puzzles. If you have a lot of the chunky or jumbo peg puzzles, and are unsure if this rack will work for you, I recommend emailing the company directly with a list of the puzzle types you own.

The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wire Puzzle Rack is available from MelissaAndDoug.com for $19.99USD.

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My son has recently been going through some growing pains in regards to learning about dealing with emotions such as anger and frustration. I have found that he often responds to lessons from books better than direct talks from me, and so I was happy when I stumbled across Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns It’s OK to Back Away.

The story follows a day in Howard B. Wigglebottom’s life. First Howard gets into trouble for cutting into the lunch line, then he gets upset and kicks his friend for taking the last chocolate milk, and while he’s cleaning up the mess he caused, he loses his cool again. At the end of the day, Howard is sitting in his room in a time out when a friend comes over and offers to help Howard learn what to do when he feels angry – essentially he learns it’s OK to back away.

The book gives young children an idea of how to deal with anger, and my son enjoys the story. We have used the story as a jumping off point to discuss appropriate ways to manage anger. Both of my kids like the illustrations in the book – especially the close up of Howard counting his fingers and toes. The story is simple to understand and gives some easy tips for kids in how to manage that tight feeling in your gut when your emotions are threatening to run amok.

Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns It’s OK to Back Away is aimed at kids ages 4 to 8, and is the fifth book in the Howard B. Wigglebottom series. The book is currently listed for $10.20 from Amazon.com and $11.14 from Amazon.ca.

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Imaginarium wooden train accessories advertise that they are compatible with Thomas brand trains and tracks. There are a variety of sets available, but to start out I decided to give the Imaginarium Overpass Bridge a try. My opinion on the bridge is a solid hmmm.

The bridge deck that moves up and down does not fit easily into the adjoining piece and must be forcibly wedged down. This means that the red lever that is supposed to raise and lower the bridge deck is not strong enough to open the bridge – essentially the red lever is useless and doesn’t need to be there. The bridge can be raised and lowered, but only by grasping the track with your hand and forcing it up and forcing it closed again. Luckily, the overpass is high enough that most of my son’s Thomas brand trains fit underneath without having to move the bridge at all.

The bridge is not a perfectly working toy, but it does join up well with the IKEA track and works with the Thomas trains. Since some of my son’s Thomas trains are a little bit taller than others and don’t fit under the overpass while it is in the lowered position, I would be happier if the Imaginarium Overpass Bridge raised and lowered easier, but at $19.99 in Canada (or $14.99 in the US) the bridge is half of the price of comparable Thomas bridges. There are numerous wooden train accessories available, and my son has already asked me for some more.

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I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it or not, but last month we moved our family from an insanely spacious 3000 sq/ft house to a “make the best of it” 900 sq/ft apartment. It hasn’t been an easy transition and for a while it looked like we were living in a furniture warehouse. So in order to try and make the most of the space we have, I decided to become the Queen of storage solutions. I have absolutely fallen in love with the Kangaroom Wally Wall Organizer and I couldn’t wait to share it with you all.

We have next to no wall space or hallways in the new place, so I knew I needed to utilize the lesser used spaces, like behind doors or on closets, and the best thing for me about the Wally organizer is that it comes with little metal hooks which allow you to hook it over the door (it also comes with wall attachments if that’s easier for you). It has 12 pockets of varying sizes, including five transparent sleeves that are great for photos (or keys), two media pockets that have little slots in the back so you can thread your chargers through, one marked for pens or pencils, and a half-moon shaped one at the top which holds more than it looks like it can. The Kangaroom Wally Wall Organizer also has a magnetic white board, complete with a pen attachment. Seriously – this thing is AWESOME!

The possibilities are endless with Wally – it would make a great diaper station and would be fantastic for keeping sewing or crafting supplies in. Kangaroom also make Corky Wall Organizer, a half size organizer great for the office cubicle or other small spaces.

My only (minor) complaint is that the over the door hooks don’t fit on an exterior door, so Husbando had to play around with them to make them fit our front door (which is where it saves our lives everyday by keeping our keys, phones and sunglasses in the same place.)

The Kangaroom Wally Organizer is  24″wide  x 60″ long (Corky is 24″ wide x 30″ long) , is available in green, pink, and navy, and retails for $39.99 USD (Corky costs $34.99 USD) directly from Kangaroom.

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Now that my son is nearing the 4 year mark, we are heavy into board games to keep us occupied on a rainy day. I’ve mentioned that our favourites include the Busytown Board Game and Curious George Discovery Beach, but we also recently added Zingo to our regular rotation of games as well.

Zingo is described as ‘Bingo with a Zing’ and was nominated as a TOTY (Toy of the Year) 2009 Best Toy of the Year. Each player receives a board with pictures and words on it. There is a sliding block that spits out game tiles two at a time. If a player sees a tile that matches a picture on their game card, they need to yell out the name of the picture first. Whomever covers all of the pictures on their game card first yells “Zingo!” and they win the game.

My son gets really excited when we play this game. Trying to be the first person to yell out the name of the picture first has him literally jumping up and down in his seat. This is not a game we can play just before bed because of how much it winds him up, but he will happily play this game over and over and over if I let him.

My one issue with this game is that it’s a bit of a pain to reload the tiles into the sliding block. They need to be loaded one at a time and if they’re not put in correctly the tiles won’t be ejected correctly. On the plus side, my son loves it, and while he’s busy loving the game he’s also learning matching, word recognition, and concentration skills.

Zingo by ThinkFun can be purchased online from Chapters Indigo for $22.95 or from Amazon.com for $15.57.

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