If you have a young girl or young boy for that matter, I am pretty certain you have heard all about the Rainbow Loom craze. Rainbow Loom is so popular that even adults are trying this new hobby out. If you don’t know about the Rainbow Loom, let me tell you about it.

Rainbow Looms are elastic rubber band bracelets that are created on a plastic grid with notches, called a loom. Rainbow Loom was first invented in 2011 by Cheong Choon Ng, a Malaysian of Chinese descent living in Novi, Michigan. This loom is approximately 2 x 8 inches. Using a crochet hook, hundreds of different patterns are created to make fun looking bracelets and more. You can even make a Rainbow Loom dress. Read more…

Instagram has become one of the rising stars of social media. My 21 year old son is highly addicted. He may not have 27 million followers on Instagram; then again he isn’t an American television and social media personality, with a booty-baring selfie. Nonetheless, with diligent effort he has reached 800 followers, which isn’t bad for an Ottawa university student who loves taking photos.

While home this pass Christmas, my son went on and on about his love of Instagram. When I gave him the opportunity to take it off his phone and into his apartment, he was ecstatic. Now, he can passively view his Instagram feeds from any room in his home.

The Cube is a square digital picture frame that connects to the Internet and is shaped like the Instagram logo. Cube™ speaks to the enormous popularity of Instagram by allowing my son to enlarge his Instagram photos from the smaller confines of a smart device. Because the #Cube™ is lightweight, and portable, he can take his photos with him on the go. Read more…

Pacifiers are a common item used by parents to soothe a fussy baby. In fact, researchers have found that babies who suck on pacifiers during their first 6 months have lesser risks for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Thus, pediatricians now recommend the use of pacifiers for babies.

With so many pacifiers on the market though, which one do you choose? Recommended for babies from infancy all the way up to 36 months, RaZbaby’s pacifiers are designed to help support healthy oral development. The soft orthodontic silicone nipples of the pacifiers are “contour shield designed,” so they’re comfortable for baby to suck on and the nipples are BPA free.
Keeping pacifiers clean

One of the biggest concerns with pacifiers is their cleanliness. Available in a variety of vibrant colors and creative animal designs, each pacifier features patented “Keep it Kleen” technology, which utilizes an innovative clasp to prevent the pacifier’s nipple from touching the floor when the pacifier inevitably falls. The silicone nipple also stays completely covered when not in use, ensuring a cleaner, healthier pacifier and Razbaby shields are built in, so no more lost pacifier coves!

Now you can customize a RaZbaby pacifier with baby’s name, making them a unique baby shower gift or new baby gift. I have always found that gifts take a special significance when they have a personalized touch. Read more…

By Shawn DesRochers

Monopoly has been a favorite board game for family and friends in one form or another for over a century.

Originally created by Charles Darrow in 1933,  who made a prototype of the new game using materials from around his home. He used a piece of oilcloth that had been a table covering for the game’s board, cut the houses and hotels out of scraps of wooden molding and typed the deeds and cards. The early mover tokens were actually charms from his niece’s charm bracelet.

On March 19, 1935, Parker Brothers acquired the rights for the MONOPOLY game from Darrow and began selling the game shortly after in the United States. Within a year of the release of the game in the U.S., 35,000 copies of the game were being made each week.

Over the years, the packaging has gone through many revisions and specialty editions, and has evolved to the ones we play today with many different versions and themes available.

Despite the alterations in look and style over the years, the fundamental and rules of the game have remained virtually unchanged.

In celebration of Monopoly 80th anniversary, Hasbro Inc. has teamed up with social news and entertainment company BuzzFeed to ask fans of the popular game to choose which great cities around the world will be featured as property spaces in the new Monopoly Here and Now: World Edition game launching soon.

Currently storming the leader board are Ligma, Riga, Istabul, Hong Kong, Wardsaw, Beltfast, Anthens and Cape Town. You have until Wednesday, March 4th to vote. The cities that have made the winning board will be revealed on March 19, Monopoly official birthday.

To vote for your favorite city, visit the Vote MONOPOLY website. Only the top 20 cities will make it on the board, so go vote!

I am a huge monopoly fan, and have been since I first played the game as a child. I passed my love of the game onto both my children who are huge Monopoly fans; my son perhaps more than my daughter. Read more…