Kids Crocs for Summertime

Crocs Inc. was born in Boulder, Colo. in 2002 as the maker of a simple, comfortable boat shoe.  The crocs clogs shoes we've all seen is made of material called Croslite™, which is a "a proprietary closed-cell resin that gives each pair of shoes its soft, comfortable, lightweight, non-marking and odor-resistant qualities."  Today, you can now “Get Crocs Inside” in newer styles, including canvas sneakers, leather boots, heels and sandals.  They have also expanded into new lines such as the Ocean Minded™ by Crocs which is a line of men’s, women’s and kids’ sandals and apparel inspired by and perfect for the beach and warm-weather wearing occasions. Golfers can check out their new Crocs™ Golf collection that features a number of men’s and women’s styles that can be worn both on and off the course.

As an affiliate partner, I recently visited their website looking for children's shoes for summertime.  Many summer camp's require a closed toe shoe, no  flip flips or sandals are allowed.  Kids want simple, comfortable shoes that will take from from the playground to the pool. We , s parents, want them to last through summer vacation without turning into little stink bombs. Below are a few cute, summertime selections:

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Crocs Iris / Neon Purple Girls' Duet Busy Day Mary Jane (Children's) Shoes $34.99







Crocs Ice Blue / Iris Girls' Crocband Airy Hearts Flat (Children's) Heart Flat




Crocs Navy / White Kids' Beach Line Lace Boat Shoe Shoes available in both Children's $39.99 and Juniors $44.99





Crocs Black / Black Kids' Swiftwater Sandal (Juniors') Shoes $34.99





Crocs Ultraviolet / Black Kids' Hover Sneak Metallic Kids' Comfortable Sneakers also available in Fuchsia $39.99

Mother's Day Jewelry Giveaway (ARV $75, Ends 5/11/14)

Welcome to the Mother's Day Jewelry Giveaway

Hosted By: Uniform Mom

Sponsored by: Watermelan Designs

Jewelry from Watermelan Designs is handcrafted with carefully selected, high quality materials. The pieces reflect the sophisticated, yet playful nature of the designer. The current collection is skillfully crafted to feature beautiful stones and unique clasps that beg to be displayed rather than hidden in the back. Some of her most popular pieces include a hint of a contrasting color used in just the right way. Moms everywhere recognize that this piece didn't come from some box store - Jewelry from Watermelan Designs is special.

One winner will receive the double strand turquoise necklace with a rhinestone clasp and yellow accents. (AVR $75, see photo.)

The event is open from 4/28/14 through 5/12/14 12:00 AM ET. Open to US Residents only.  The winner will be chosen at random and will be notified via the email they used to enter the contest. If after 48 hours, there is no response, another winner will be chosen. Uniform Mom is not responsible for fulfillment of the prize. Open to US residents, 18+ only.

To enter for your chance to win the Mother's Day Jewelry Giveaway, simply use the form below. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Uniform Mom, the organizer, was not provided compensation to organize this giveaway. Uniform Mom is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact Uniform Mom with questions or to see your business or product featured on the next event! This giveaway is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

(Photo used with permission from Watermelan Designs.)

Olly Shoes School Fundraiser

I'm always on the lookout to learn about school fundraising programs, especially those that relate to school clothing.  So given that it is National Foot Car month, I was pleased to learn that Olly Shoes partners with local area schools and offer either a discount on required shoes to parents or a percentage of sales back to the school to assist in funding school programs.

If you missed it, you can check out the Retail Round Up post on Olly Shoes from earlier this month which features several great selections fro school shoes.  There is a useful link labeled School Shoes in the upper right hand header of their web page to take you right to the selection of great school shoes including pediped, School Issue, Merrell, Jumping Jacks, Sperry, Puma, and New Balance.  They also carry Jefferies socks and tights.

So far, they are working with schools in PA, DE, MD and NJ. To receive information about our program and get your school involved, email your request to info@ollyshoes.com.

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FarFaria Membership Giveaway #BloggerOp

Family friendly blogs are encouraged to signup to help promote the Avoid the Summer Slide FarFaria Giveaway.  This giveaway is sponsored by FarFaria. The FarFaria app offers more than 600 children’s books for the iPad and Android devices targeting kids ages 2 - 9.

Free Facebook or Twitter Link on Rafflecopter Form for posting this giveaway on your blog.

Prize: 
2 Winners. Each will get a 3-month memberships. (ARV $11.97)

Giveaway Details:
It will run from May 18 - June 1, 2014.
Giveaway will be Open to US Residents 18+.

Your Responsibilities:
Schedule the giveaway post to go live on May 18
Promote the giveaway on your social media at least 6 times during the course of this giveaway.

Sign Up Form

Questions: please contact me at navyplaid@comcast.net

Mother's Day Jewelry Giveaway (AVR $75) #BloggerOp

Thank you for your interest to help promote the Mother's Day Jewelry Giveaway.  This giveaway is sponsored by Watermelan Designs.

Free Facebook or Twitter Link on Rafflecopter Form for posting this giveaway on your blog.

Prize:
1 Winner will get a double strand turquoise necklace with a rhinestone clasp and yellow accents. (AVR $75)

Giveaway Details:
It will run from April 28-May 11, 2014.
Giveaway will be Open to US Residents 18+.
HTML will be sent out on April 26, 2014.

Your Responsibilities:
Schedule the giveaway post to go live on April 28
Promote the giveaway on your social media at least 6 times during the course of this giveaway.

Sign Up Form

Questions: 
Please contact me.

Celebrate Earth Day with eco-friendly products

Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection.  Below are a few products from Uniform Mom affiliates that make it easy for our families make smart choices with products for home and school:

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ECOlunchbox is delighted to announce the launch of our Blue Water Bento collection for release in Spring 2014! The first product to market in our colorful Blue Water Bento collection is our Splash Box™ featuring our classic stainless steel lunchbox bottom plus a novel silicone lid. Since ECOlunchbox first introduced to market its line of plastic-free, eco-friendly lunchware in 2009, its mission has been to help families reduce their dependence on plastics by providing high-quality, plastic-free lunchware alternatives.

To learn more about the benefits of reducing dependence on plastics, check out educational information on their website.



The Maggie Bags Small Backpack is wholly made from recycled seatbelts. These bags are available in a diverse spectrum of colors from neutral tans to vivacious lime-greens. The exterior of the bag features Maggie Bags’ patented diamond seatbelt weaving and logo emblem, in addition to two adjustable shoulder straps and a loop for hanging. The top of the bag has a zipper that closes shut. The inside contains a purple satin lining with a zippered pocket, cell phone pocket, pen pockets, and key pocket. The bottom of the bag has four metal studs to protect the fabric from wear.

Maggie Bags Small Recycled Seatbelt Eco-friendly Backpack - $54.00 from: The Ultimate Green Store.

Small and lightweight, the 12oz Klean Kanteen is great when space is limited. The 12oz Kid Kanteen is made from high quality, 18/8, food-grade stainless steel that's totally free of BPA, lead and other toxins. Because stainless steel itself is safe, there is no need to coat the inside of the bottle with a plastic or epoxy lining, which is one of the main differences between a stainless steel Klean Kanteen and aluminum bottles. Rounded corners are easy to clean with no hard angles where dirt, germs or bacteria can stick.

Shop MightyNest.com for non-toxic products and create a healthy home.



Mead.com wants you to celebrate Earth Day with 15% off Recycled Products.
Enter promo code AFMD4ED at checkout.  Offer valid 4/20-4/30/14.

Schoolbelles Side Pleat Skort, a Review

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved.

The folks at Schoolbelles asked me to take a look one of the items from their regular uniform line of clothing. They sent me a gift of a skort as the basis for this review. No additional compensation was received.

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd
All Rights Reserved.

This skirt is a winner. The Side Pleat Skort with Knit Shorts from Schoolbelles has slight a-line shape which is flattering to most body types. It has two side pleats on the front  and 2 on the back. It has an elastic-back waistband to grow with your daughter and knit shorts built in for comfort and discretion. It has a side zip closure on the left side and a pocket on the right side.

My daughter is just growing into a size 7. Parents of girls her age know that there is a big jump in length between 6/6x and 7 sizing with most retailers; 2 and a half inches difference for this particular item. This size 7 skort is hitting her just at the knee now and it will sit just above the knee as she grows into it. The classic length is a welcome change from the mid-thigh skorts that are currently popular at national retailers.

This skirt is available in navy in girls' sizes 4 - 20. They also offer it in X sizes 6x - 20x which is similar to plus sizing. And they offer PT, or PreTeen sizing, which is recommended for tall girls with a narrow waist that need a longer skort length.

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved.

We took this skort to play in a local park.  Because of the built in knit shorts, it is "playground friendly". As you can see, my daughter had total freedom of movement to climb all over the equipment.

One of the features I admire about the Schoolbelles brand is their "180 School Days - Durability Guarantee". Because they are one of the few uniform suppliers that operates its own sewing factory in Cleveland, OH, they can better control quality and inventory levels year round. For families and schools looking for "Made in America" school uniforms, Schoolbelles is a great choice with a full line of school uniforms in plaids and basic solids.

The fabric in this skirt is a blend of 65% polyester and 35% cotton twill. The fabric is durable and the quality of the workmanship is noticeable in the details. The pleats are stitched down, so they will stay crisp wash after wash.  It also has a 2 inch hem which could be adjusted, if needed.

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved.

To launder the skirt, they recommend a machine wash and you simply hang it up to dry.  It retails for $39.95 in regular sizes and $43.95 in preteen sizes. While the price point is higher than you'll see at national retailers for similar style items, the quality makes this brand of uniform clothing a solid value that will stand up to the 180 school days guarantee. I bet that this skort will become a staple in my daughter's wardrobe that will last her through the next 2 years. Schoolbelle's also offers a value line of uniform items at a lower price point that works well with most standard dress codes and includes most uniform basics.

Schoolbelles is based in Cleveland with store locations across the mid-west. They were recently featured in the Retail Round Up Series.  Those living near one of their store locations should definitely visit to check out the additional quality items in their inventory. The rest of us can visit their website and order online.  Their website is currently being redesigned and will launch with a new look and feel later this year.  If you're ready to browse their offering online today, I recommend clicking on General Catalog (the navy bar) from the left hand sidebar or to browse items from their list of Full Line catalogs.

Schoolbelles is having a sale beginning today, Wednesday, April 16th through Saturday, April 26th. You can shop online, in-store or by phone at 1-888-637-3037.  To keep in touch and learn about their future sale notifications, Like their Facebook page and join their mailing list.

Winning Moves Games Giveaway (Ends 4/30)

Welcome to the Family Fun Night Giveaway!

Sponsored by: Winning Moves USA

Hosted by: Gloriously Green Gal & Savory Savings

Co-hosted by: Uniform Mom

Games nights in are a great way to get to know your family on a personal level.  Kids will talk, parents will laugh and memories are made!  In our house, we try to have game night on a regular basis.  Winning Moves USA is the leading maker in board games from the top game makers and sent several games to Krista from Savory Savings to review.  Check out her thoughts on this fun mix of board games that bring out the best in your family nights!

How would you like to win a collection of Winning Moves USA board games?  If you would like a chance to win, enter with the Giveaway Tool below.  If you have won a Winning Moves USA giveaway anytime from another blog in the last 12 months, you are not eligible to win this giveaway.  The giveaway will run from April 16, 2013 through April 30, 2014 at 11 PM CST and is open to US residents, ages 18 and older.  Entries will be verified.  Winner will be notified via email (consider adding gloriouslygreengal@gmail.com to your safe list) – winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize or another winner will be selected.

Good Luck!

Winning Moves Games Secret Word

Find the Winning Moves
Game of the day
to earn additional entries!

Sunday: 5ive Straight

Monday: Pay Day

Tuesday:  Monopoly

Wednesday:  Pass the Pigs

Thursday:  Trouble

Friday:  Sorry

Saturday: BUNCO

 

Olly Shoes in the Retail Round Up Series

Olly's has locations across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Ontario. If you are withing driving distance of a store, take the kids to check out their OllyScan. An OllyScan is a patented, computerized measurement system that takes a picture of your child’s foot and measures it at 6 points to determine their size.I also love that they have a link for School shoes right in the top of the website.

When shopping online, unused purchase can be returned by mail within 30 days.  Olly has a reward program called Olly's VIP members where members get an additional 10% off.

Here is the Olly Story from Founder, Katherine Chapman:

"OLLY Shoes began as a result of my own challenging shopping experiences with my family. As a mother of three kids that ranged in age from newborn to seven, I found it extremely difficult to find shoes that fit my kids properly. My goal was to create a shoe store that made footwear shopping fun for kids - and easy for their parents. OLLY Shoes was born in 2001 and has received an overwhelmingly positive response. We offer a wide variety of athletic, casual, seasonal and specialty footwear, as well as unique accessories and gifts. Come see why parents who shop us consider OLLY the best one-stop kid’s shoe store in the business. We look forward to serving you at OLLY!"

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Here are a selection of great looking school shoes I found while browsing their site:

School Issue Semester
Who doesn't want to rock these blue suede shoes?  These are great looking saddle shoes for boys. They are available in navy suede, brown oil and dirty buck.

Price: 44.95

School Issue Scholar

Basic boys's school oxford shoe.
Price: 54.95

Jumping Jacks Tutor

Perfect Mary Janes's for girls.  Available in navy and black.
Price: 59.95

Puma GV Spedial Jr

Basic girl's sneaker in white; perfect for PE.
Price: 49.95

New Balance KX624

Basic boy's sneaker in white, perfect for PE.
Price: 39.95

Lands' End Swimwear for Kids

As an affiliate with Lands' End, I recently had the opportunity to participate in an event to learn more about their swimwear. The Lands' End kids swimwear is rated as excellent using a relatively new rating designation for sun protective textiles and clothing, called UPF or Ultraviolet Protection Factor. This means it blocks 98% of harmful UV rays.  The fabric is quick drying so it is comfortable in and out of the water. And even better, the color is fade resistant so it will look good all summer long.  They carry the kids swimwear in extended sizes including toddler, plus and husky for most items.

"Have you ever tried to wrestle a toddler back into a wet one piece tank style swim suit? Skip the drama and opt for the tankini suits for young girls. Having separate pull on bottoms make trips to the rest room much easier."        Uniform Mom

For girls, you will find a wide variety of styles including tankini tops and bottoms, bikini tops and bottoms, swim mini's, skirted one pieces and basic tank suits.  Suits are featured in four different collections:

• ShoreSide collection feature red, white and blue colors with a nod to a nautical theme.
• Saltwater Taffy collection features bright colors, ruffles and fun prints.
• Coconut Cove collection features floral appliques and sequin details in summer colors.
• Smart Swim features the best value suits.

I bought my daughter Lands' End swimwear last summer. She swam almost everyday, sometimes twice a day at summer camp.  It held up all summer long through our beach vacation at the end of the summer. Here's the swim outfit she picked out (this turquoise blue is her favorite color) and I ordered for her for this summer:

The boys swim trunks are offered in solids colors, color block styles and prints.  They feature cargo pockets and a comfortable elastic waistband for pull on simplicity.  Boys swim Ts come in solid colors and color block styles, as well as some in fun graphic prints.

"Have you ever burned your toes on the hot sand?Yea, me too. I wish we had water shoes when we were kids."   Uniform Mom

I also loved learning about the kids new water shoes and sandals.  Water shoes are quick drying and lightweight.  They are made for kids to wear playing in and out of the water.  They have styles with and without toe protection. They are great for summer camp.  These water shoes are easy to slip on and off because of the "rip grip and bungee adjustability".   They are also are perfect for beach play. The traction sole and cushioned foot bed would making walking over broken seashells a breeze.

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Everybody in! Take 25% off Regularly Priced Kids' Swim merchandise at Lands' End now through April 15. Plus, Free Shipping on orders over $50!

APMA Launches New Children's Foot Health Campaign

(c) APMA

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) launched a new online educational resource for medical professionals and parents. The "First Steps: Keeping Kids' Feet Healthy and Happy" campaign aims to educate the general public about the importance of maintaining children's foot health at all ages, and the role today's podiatrist plays in promoting positive foot health. Pain-free feet are the first step in making sure children stay active and healthy.

"The most critical stage of the foot's development is during a child's first year, when feet grow rapidly. It's important that parents pay close attention to children's feet even before they start to walk, beginning at birth and continuing as they take their first steps, go to school, and participate in sports."

APMA President Frank Spinosa, DPM  

Don't let a child's foot pain stop them in their tracks. Today's podiatrists are uniquely qualified among medical professionals to treat the complex structure of the foot and ankle, based on their level of education, training, and experience. They can provide guidance for keeping children's feet healthy at all developmental stages and treat any injuries or abnormalities.

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is the nation's leading professional organization for today's podiatrists. They have created a suite of education materials as part of the First Steps campaign, including an online resource page, poster, brochure, videos, and a Pinterest board of children's products that have earned the APMA Seal of Acceptance.

Examples of School Uniform Policies

As a reader of this blog, your child likely attends a school with a uniform policy or a uniform dress code. Most school's now post their policy online on the school's website or the PTA website.  Please take a minute and add a link to your school's written policy.

In the comments below, share with us:

1. What type of school? Public, Private, Charter, Parochial, etc.
2. Where is the school located? City and State & Country if you are outside the US.
3. URL Link to the school's written policy:

(image used with permission from Microsoft)

Celebrating National Foot Care Month

Does your kid need new kicks for school?

The American Podiatric Medical Associations promotes April as National Foot Care Month.  They conducted a national study conducted in 2012 that investigated teenagers' attitudes toward their overall foot health.  Here are a few key findings:

• Only about half of teenagers see feet as important to overall health; few recognize their complexity and the need for expert care.
• Teenagers are just as diligent as adults (or in some cases, more so) in caring for their bodies, except their feet.
• Most teens participate in some type of sport, and of them, almost 4 in 10 say they have injured their feet doing so.
• Two in 10 suffer from foot pain from uncomfortable shoes – girls more so than boys. High heels are the most painful shoe choice. A third of girls say they would rather go barefoot than wear shoes!

Throughout the month, we will be celebrating shoes, socks, and foot care. Upcoming posts will highlight several affiliate vendors that carry school shoes and socks in the Retail Round Up Series.  We are participating in several shoe giveaways (Hotter Shoes and Mozo Shoes) this month.  You gotta enter to win and fans of Uniform Mom will find easy entries available.