Umi Shoes, Connor's favorite sandles for summer!

Anyone who knows me and Connor will tell you that we wear sandals just about everywhere. So much so that it's not uncommon to see one or both of us sporting sandals in the winter. Though I love shoes, I just am a sandal girl always have been. I think I picked the habit up growing up in the south and from my mother who is just as guilty as I am. So needless to say the first thing Connor asked for when summer came was a new pair of sandals.

Though Connor loves flip flops, just like his mom, they just do not hold up to all the running and jumping that boy does. So we needed something that would hold up to all that jumping and running and still look great. Umi Shoes has been one of our long term favorites for tennis shoes and dressier shoes and when I saw the Nyoni I knew we had his new sandals for the summer. These sandals are as well built and have the same sort of sole and insoles that you would expect from a tennis shoe. What I really love though is the fact that the straps and heel strap are all padded. We've had some real problems in the past with sandals rubbing holes in Connor's heels and these ones show no sign of that happening and I know his feet will be well supported. They also feature very heavy duty velcro straps which will take the abuse that young children put on velcro shoes.


I especially love the color choices offered this year. We went with the ocean color in the Nyoni which has a green accent that runs all around the shoe. Most of Connor's wardrobe falls within blue and green and they match nicely to just about everything in his wardrobe. Though if I bought a second pair we'd get the chocolate for his dressier outfits. Don't worry girls they come in pink too!


Umi Shoes offers really exceptional shoes that hold up great and look even better! Connor has several pairs that he will be passing down to Dylan and they still look awesome. If your headed over there and are looking for a great looking pair of tennis type shoes I highly recommend you check out the Oleson as well. I've been drooling over them for weeks!


Visit Umi Shoes to see their entire selection!

Disclosure: We were given a pair  of Nyoni sandals free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors!

Only fueling my children's shoe addiction.

Eleven is one of the companies totally responsible for my massive children's shoe addiction. It's funny as I've never been a shoeaholic when it comes to my own shoes. Sure I like pretty shoes but I'm pretty much a flip flops or sneakers sort of girl. Connor on the other hand walks around in incredibly stylish shoes such as these sneakers, Joseph, from Eleven. Really the only difficult part of buying a pair of shoes from Eleven is deciding which shoes to buy as I find it nearly impossible to name a favorite.

What really makes me completely and utterly jealous of these shoes is just how incredibly soft the leather is and how flexible the soles are. No detail has been spared from the mock laces to the very heavy duty velcro straps you can really tell the shoes were made with care. Ready to wear right out of the box with no break in period, your child will be utterly spoiled once they put a pair on. Connor already has opinions about his shoes and he is the first to tell me if a pair of shoes just doesn't feel right. The best part though is we have two boys now (Connor plus one due in just a few weeks) and these shoes hold up great which means every pair in our collection will eventually be owned and loved by two little boys.

Right now if you buy two pairs shipping is free! I know we'd love to have another pair of Caspers and a pair of Iggys, we've admired Iggy for a long time and its currently on sale as well! Visit the Eleven Collection to see all the styles currently available!

Eleven would like to share a pair of shoes with one of my readers as well! One lucky winner will recieve a pair of shoes in their choice of size and style.

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Just check out the Eleven Collection website and tell us which size and style you'd want if you won. Styles sale out pretty fast this time of year so give me your top three choices.
  
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • Let people know about the giveaway on Twitter with a link to the giveaway!
  • THREE extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Dec 31th at midnight!
    

ShooShoos are not just for infants!

We miss the days of those soft little leather shoes that Connor wore every day when he was an infant. We still have a few pairs but unfortunately for the most part he has to wear shoes with waterproof soles as he spends a good amount of time outdoors.

ShooShoo's Smiley Light Flexi Rubber Soles look and feel like soft soled shoes from the top but the bottom hides a fully flexible light weight rubber sole that will protect little feet and hold up to outdoor wear and tear.

Connor received a pair of the Denim/Silver Smiley Sports which he loves as much as I think they are adorable. With no velcro and no laces they go on just the same as a traditional soft soled leather shoe. Elastic secures them on around the ankles and keeps them on no matter how much jumping and running goes on. Connor can easily slip them on, but what I really appreciate is they are harder to kick off than a standard shoe. Connor has this awful habit of just removing his shoes every single time we get into the car and he has to work a lot harder to get his ShooShoos off which usually deters him from trying in the first place!

At $24.95 a pair they are very affordable as well! Visit the ShooShoo's website for more information and to see all the adorable styles.

Have you never tried a flexible sole toddler shoe?

I've heard from many mom's who have never put their children in flexible soled shoes that the big reason for this is that they are concerned that their children would not have enough traction, or protection. Though I've always tried to convince them otherwise, Stride Rite's Natural Motion System will please any mom. At first look the Stride Rite Natural Motion System does not even appear to be a flexible soled shoe. With thick soles, deep grooves, and everything you'd expect to see in a adult tennis shoe, I had to pick them up and squeeze them for myself to even believe they were flexible! I would really recommend these shoes for toddlers and children who are always on the go outside as they provide as much protection as a traditional soled shoe but with the benefits of a flexible sole that is so important to children's growing feet.

We tried out a pair of the Stride Rite Natural Motion Concorde sneakers and I was really impressed at how much padding they had but still retained their flexible nature. Connor really seemed to enjoy running around full blast outside and they really helped him keep his traction while climbing up and down our outdoor play toys. I was really quite surprised at how incredibly light they are as well! Connor also really enjoyed the Velcro as he loves to put his own shoes on by himself, though I personally wish he asked for help more often as he is growing up just WAY too fast!

The newest product Stride Rite has to offer is the new Sensory Response Technology shoes. These shoes are the result of tons of research and are really quite cool. The soles of the shoes have these little bumps on them called sensory pods. Each of these little pods reacts with your child's feet allowing them to really feel the ground below them. The soles are also super flexible and hourglass shaped so little feet can bend and flex the way they are supposed to, not to mention are shaped just right for little feet
!
You can check out the entire line of Stride Rite shoes on their website. Make sure you check out their step system as well. There are three "types" of Stride Rite shoes in the step system, which basically describes the three sole types available on their shoes. You can choose not only a really cute pair of shoes, but what type of soles you'd like your shoes to have as well!

Fall shoes for stomping around in leaves!

It still feels like summer, actually I'm having a hard time with the heat and this pregnancy, not to mention this awful sinus infection that just wont go away and threatens to keep me in bed most days. Though I've started to see the signs of fall, slightly cooler nights and of course the Halloween candy starting to arrive everywhere. Fall means its time to give up our sandals, though don't tell but it's not uncommon for me to wear sandals in the middle of winter.

Umi makes gorgeous shoes that are incredibly well made and really attractive. Now that Connor is getting bigger it seems that clothing and shoes just seem to be getting more and more generic every where I look. I'm not sure why but girls clothing and shoes get prettier and more interesting as the sizes go up but boys shoes especially seem to gravitate towards the solid colors and standard looking tennis shoes.

Umi takes a unique spin on their shoes. At first glance their shoes are attractive but you really have to pick a pair up to really appreciate them. Connor has a pair of Astros for his fall wardrobe in a mix of sage, navy blue, and chocolate. The color combo is just unexpected enough to get attention but the real beauty is in an up close glance at how gorgeous the leather is and how well built the soles are! Connor absolutely loves the fact that he can put his shoes on himself with the help of the Velcro. I love the fact that they have really high quality soles that will protect his feet from everything all his stomping and jumping can throw at them, and that they still have impressively flexible soles that support his growing feet!

With sizing from a newborn up to a size 6 (us sizing) you can find a pair of shoes for your littlest to your school aged kids and feel really confident with your purchase! Visit Umi Shoes to find a great selection of children shoes right now!

It's time to retire the cheap flip flops.

I got lazy over the summer... Connor's feet have been growing like weeds and though I usually make sure he leaves the house in an awesome pair of shoes from our collection I just got lazy over the summer and he could usually be seen sporting a pair of $1 flip flops. Then again most of the summer was spent in our pajamas too as this whole pregnancy business this time around has left me sick as a dog more days than not. With the kids going back to school and fall approaching way faster than I would like its time to pick things up and get back in gear.

With the kids going back to school its really important they have a great pair of shoes regardless if its preschool or beyond, and those little growing feet deserve them. Connor's favorite pair of sandals earlier this year were a pair of Vincent Bobbys, he even wore them for his 2nd birthday photo shoot. I can't even tell you how many compliments we got on those shoes and Connor actually demanded that he wear them everywhere. Somehow on a trip to my Mother's house before my wedding they were lost and we have still yet to locate them. With those sandals in mind I really wanted to pick something for Connor to wear this fall with those shoes in mind as Connor really loved those shoes. So when we saw Vincent's Leo we knew we had the right shoe.

The great two toned striped Leo, available in four colors, reminds me a bit of the soccor shoes I saw on my trips to France. Sporty enough to look right at home with an old tee shirt and a pair of cotton gym shorts the Leo looks even more amazing paired with a fancy pair of jeans and a dress shirt. We got a pair in black and white just like our beloved Bobby sandals and Connor couldn't be more pleased.

What really impresses me with the Vincent brand is not only does the shoes look amazing and though they are really sleek looking they seem to have this timeless feel about them. I would have been as excited to wear the current styles when I was a kid as I am about Connor wearing them now. To be honest with you I'd be happy to own a pair of Leo's in my own size. Now that Connor is a little older he has really started to have an opinion about his shoes on his own and he will tell me if a pair of shoes hurts and he will usually gravitate towards the shoes that are the most comfortable if not downright demand he wear his favorite pair. I'm more than positive that his new Leo's will be among his favorites this fall as well.

If your looking for a pair of great, well made, children's shoes for back to school or even for your toddler or infant, Vincent Shoes has something for almost every child on you list. I'm especially fond of their tennis shoe collection!

I'm positive these are the radest kid shoes ever.

If my feet were just a tad smaller I would wear the Eleven Collection myself without even blinking. I have to say until Connor was born I really was not that into shoes. Sure I enjoyed a good, pretty, pair of shoes but I never really sat and thought about them. My very first pair of See Kai Runs, Eleven's sister company, totally and I do mean totally changed my perspective on shoes. Not only on children's shoes but my own as well. I find myself downright jealous of Connor's shoe collection and in turn I've invested in a few nice pairs myself. Not that I will be dropping a month's paycheck on a pair of expensive designer shoes anytime soon as bills come first but I've certainly paid more attention. Connor on the other hand totally notices what he is wearing on his feet. This rang loud and clear when we took him into a discount shoe store while visiting his grandparents to buy a pair of sandals. Basically in not so many worlds he told me flat out that all those cheap shoes were "ugly and uncomfortable" heh... I think I've created a shoe monster.

Regardless of all my shoe envy I still hold firm on my long standing belief that regardless of what a shoe looks like you should buy something that really is supportive and function and this is very important when it comes to children's shoes. I really truly believe that even if you can only afford one pair of shoes, which for a boy is easy to do, you should buy the best you can afford. Growing feet need the support and it will pay off more than you know in the long run. This coming from the girl who had to wear corrective braces on her legs and still walks on the outsides of her feet. What kids wear while they are growing absolutely affects their adult feet. With that said Eleven delivers on both fronts. They are downright gorgeous, for once I'm pretty torn when it comes to picking out a new pair each season. They are all beautiful and I would be happy to own a pair in every style in each size. I can tell you without any doubt in my mind that you will be overly happy with how well they hold up as well. Connor has been wearing See Kai Run for some time and his first few pairs are now in the attic awaiting the day when we are blessed with another baby to share them with. I'm sure our Eleven shoes will get the same honor without a doubt.

Now lets talk about the styles for this year. Wow. I swear each season the new additions only keep getting better and better. This season there were three pairs that really gave me a run for my money when it came to choosing a style for Connor. The Iggy was the obvious choice, totally rocker totally vintage rock something I could absolutely see Connor wearing in LA when his music career goes big (lol I'm so kidding.. he will end up wanting to be an accountant because I said this.. mark my words). I'm still totally mesmerized by Iggy but they seemed a little bit formal for Connor's summer wardrobe of mostly shorts and tees. Come winner I'll totally be after them as they would look amazing with a pair of blue jeans and a hoodie. Then that brings me to Josef.. totally sporty.. very much a traditional sneaker with a very fashionable edge with the two colors of blue. Connor's daddy loved them and they are still his first choice. But after drooling over Iggy I really felt I needed a middle ground, something with a bit of a edge but would still be at home with a pair of cargo shorts and a tee shirt with grass all over it from being in the yard but still appropriate for Connor's dressier outfits too.

In the end it was Caper that won our hearts. A traditional shaped tennis shoe with a super fashionable look that would be at home today and will still be just as awesome ten years from now. Olive and grey leather will go with everything and the orange stitching really gives them a little something extra. I'm absolutely in love and I really wish I had a pair myself! I may be gushing but its no lie when I tell you I'm crazy about both Eleven and See Kai Run. When those little red boxes arrive I get all giddy as I'm always pleasantly surprised regardless that I already know I'm going to love whats inside!!

If you've not taken a look at the Eleven Collection before now what on earth are you waiting for? Some of our favorite styles are on sale right now including the Iggy!

What is that on your feet?

I remember the first time I learned about wooden clogs in some story I read when I was a child. I thought it must be horrible to wear wooden shoes on your feet as just the thought of something other than my worn out tennis shoes seemed so uncivilized. I also remember looking at a display of wooden clogs at a tourist attraction at some point as well mesmerized by all the colors and how absolutely adorable the designs were.

The secret about clogs is really how incredibly comfortable and supportive they really are! Clogs can be seen in almost every hospital in the country these days on the feet of nurses as they are wonderful for a long day on your feet but usually you see plain plastic clogs in blah colors. Why not bring home a pair of beautiful crafted Clogs made in Sweden?

We got a pair of beautiful little clogs in for a friend of ours for her upcoming birthday. Not at all what you would expect when you think of clogs at all. The lucky little girl is just finishing up kindergarten so sweet and adorable she really needed a pair of shoes that matches her personality. I highly considered the Dots design as it would go with everything and had the cute factor we were looking for, but something was missing. I needed something with a little extra spunk and we found just the right pair in Whimsy.

Our new Whimsy clogs from Cape Clogs are just the perfect gift for our little friend. Beautiful heart patterned leather on top and surprisingly light wooden soles on the bottom. She can run around to her hearts content and these shoes will easily outlast her feet as I’m quite positive she will outgrow them before they show any signs of wear as they are really wonderfully made. I already know she will be the envy of her kindergarten class as well, as I’m already wishing I would have ordered a pair of clogs from Cape Clogs in my size!

Now lets just hope Connor doesn’t notice as I’m positive he will want one in his size as well. That kid loves shoes more than he loves toys, heh, and thankfully he’s not spotted them yet.

Go check out Cape Clogs right now and see their adorable designs. I’ve been eying the Lollipops with the semi-soft heels and the Black Skulls! While your over there check out their sale section too for some awesome deals on some beautiful clogs including a really cute dinosaur pair for little boys!

No one will ever know that your feet are ecofriendly.

Finding cute eco-friendly footwear has been a bit of a challenge. I'm not sure why but I've just not sure why but ecofriendly footwear seems to be either very hard to come by or incredibly ugly. Simple Shoes however is not just ecofriendly but their shoes are so cute no one would know unless you told them that your shoes just happened to be made from recycled materials.

Back in the fall before all the Christmas madness I got two pairs of Simple Shoes to try out. I ended up getting a pair of Women's CARats in a bright blue for me and a pair of swanky black Men's CARats in black for the daddy person over here. I was totally blown away by how comfortable and incredibly cute they are. I wear mine to work out in, take long walks, and every day around town and I've never had to worry about my feet hurting and there was absolutely no break in period as they were as comfortable from the moment I put them on as they are today. Our CARats have a dyed hemp top or certified suede, organic cotton lining, and a recycled car tire sole. Actually the soles of these shoes totally crack me up as you can still see the tire tracks in your shoes. Leaving footprints in the sand looks a little like your feet are miniature tires.

Simple Shoes ranks their shoes by best, better, and good dependant on how much ecofriendly and recycled material is used to make the shoes. They also package their shoes in shoe boxes made from recycled materials and attempt to use as little packaging materials that's humanly necessary. Personally we love them because they are super cute and we love the fact that they were made with protecting our earth in mind!

Head on over to Simple Shoes and check out the entire collection. You must swing by the kids section as there are some adorable children shoes available as well!

Shoes for your valentine!

My little man, Connor, loves shoes more than almost anything else in the world. You could lay out a whole host of toys, clothes, and bobbles, and a lone pair of shoes in a pretty box and without fail he will scream shoes and most recently use the sign for shoes and rip into them first. His obsession with shoes goes way beyond his own shoes but mine as well he walks in my high heels better than I do, he may not be able to get his own shoes on his feet successfully but is pretty good at putting my shoes on my feet, and he can even tell the different in most cases between the right and left shoes. It seems ironic when his mother prefers flip flops to almost any other type of shoe and is almost as happy with a pair of flip flops from the dollar section at Target as she is with a pretty pair of shoes but his obsession is wearing off on me. I bought myself my first pair of really beautiful high heel strappy sandals two weeks ago and I felt pretty powerful when I wore them out to girls night though I will say dancing in high heels even for a short time frame is hard work!! I'd almost say that just wearing high heels is a workout all on it's own.

So offering my son a pair of beautiful shoes for his Valentine's Day is only a natural gift. Actually for any child a pair of beautiful shoes is always a welcomed treat. I remember as a child, though usually I hated dresses and fancy shoes as I was a total tomboy, I had one specific sundress which I loved and a pretty pair of mary janes to match. I always felt special when I wore it and would usually pretend I was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Investing in a great pair of shoes is also a great investment for parents as appropriate shoes can mean the difference in your child's lifetime of foot health as growing feet are the most needy when it comes to footwear.

Pediped has always been a pioneer in children's footwear. Pediped's original shoe line is very soft and though it looks and is styled like a traditional shoe it hides a completely soft flexible sole like you would find on the slipper type shoes that are very popular. In young children and toddlers flexible soles are essential for proper foot growth. Pediped's shoes are very unique in the fact that their flexible soled shoes also offer a bit of padding for comfort and they really do look like a solid shoe but every aspect of the shoe is soft and flexible. Along with the original design the Pediped Flex offers a slightly more rigid sole with more arch support that is waterproof but still very flexible. The Flex offers one very unique design that sets it apart from other shoes in the fact that the flex is called the flex as it has its own flexible fit system. Each Pediped Flex shoe has insert able inserts that allow you to adjust the shoe just for your child's foot. Seeing as small feet grow fast and sometimes it seems that even as they outgrow one shoe they are too small for another the flex system really helps make up that gap.

There are some beautiful Pediped shoes available in pink for little girls this Valentine's Day as well there are some hansom new styles for boys this year. Visit Pediped to see the full selection!

HoHoHO Yarrh?

I've been watching that commercial on the TV all week where the mom is trying to get her kid to say Merry Christmas so she can record it in a card and needless to say I've been attempting to get Connor to say Merry Christmas ever since but I've not had much luck. I did get him to say Ho Ho HO several times which is usually followed by an Uh Oh or Rawr (his two favorite words). Then it dawned on me..possibly he is saying Ho Ho HO YARRH seeing as he did take his Christmas pictures with Santa wearing the cutest little elf costume but what you can't see is the tops of his shoes have little skull and crossbones on them, of course.

I've had my eye on Jack and Lily for some time and I regret not doing this review sooner as I couldn't be more thrilled with our new Jack and Lily Skull shoes from their My Shoes Collection. The My Shoes Collection is Jack and Lily's newest edition and its geared totally on toddlers who are walking, or running, or in Connor's case hopping off of furniture. The My Shoes Collection offers a sturdy but very flexible sole that is acceptable for both inside AND outside use. Connor has been stomping around through the leaves, all over the yard, and most recently to the mall to visit Santa. Actually you would have thought his Jack and Lily shoes were a Christmas Gift as I'm not sure why but the moment he saw me open the box he came running over. Usually when I open boxes here he will come and see if its a toy and if not he will usually wander away. This time however he exclaimed "oohhhhh" and proceeded to rip the box out of my hands, open it, and attempted to put them on his feet all by himself. Needless to say though my boy does love shoes I've never quite seen him fall in love with a pair of shoes that fast. The whole day afterwards he stomped all over the house with those shoes on refusing to let me take them off until I finally slipped them off while he was sleeping.

The My Shoes Collection comes in sizes 0-6 and goes all the way to 18-24m which basically means you can get them in sizes 2.5 to a size 7. There are quite a few styles to choose from but if you have your heart set on the Skulls but want something more girlie you have ot check out the Skulls with pink bows after all even girls have dreams of being pirates too, just take me for example. Connor may not be speaking that much but from the way he reacts to his new shoes every time I take them out of the basket I can tell you they must be very comfortable as its one of the few shoes he leaves on even in the car and its always the first pair of shoes he grabs if I let him choose his own shoes for the day.

You can see the entire collection of My Shoes over at the Jack and Lily website. I may just have to buy a pair of the Skulls in the next size up too as I have a feeling Connor, as much as he loves these shoes, will end up having a meltdown the day he outgrows them. For a toddler who has a very short attention span for him to pay that much attention to a pair of shoes, that's love.

Head on over to Jack and Lily to check out their entire collection of shoes including their original soft soles as well!

Those are some unique shoes you have there!

I had to giggle when I got the press release for U*neaks Shoes. They are absolutely adorable and believe me your kid will love them, but the reason I giggled? Well quite simply because they remind me of my favorite shoe of all time growing up. I can't even tell you what brand name they were but they were a pair of pink tennis shoes that had these little windows on the side which you could put inserts in. Mind you I lost my inserts the first month but I would take small pieces of paper and draw my own designs on them and then put them into my little shoe windows. I thought I was the coolest kid on earth and I still think fondly of those shoes. Well now you can share the same idea with your kids!

U*neaks do not have little windows with inserts that your kids will loose but they do have clear windows that lets you see into the inside of the shoe. I'm sure your thinking how exactly is that useful. Well depending on the socks your kids are wearing the whole look of the shoe changes. Not to mention that U*neaks also makes these great socks that are designed to work especially with your U*neaks sneakers and have designs just in the right places to show through the window. Each sock has a different design on each side so depending on what foot you wear your socks on the design that shows is different. Pretty cool eh? Though you could just wear colored socks or socks with designs that you already have and the idea would be the same as well.

Personally I'm in love with the U*neaks boys Camel Rev tennis shoes. They remind me of shoes that the skater boys wore when I was in school but are dressy enough that they would look great with a polo shirt and jeans. Pair them up with the Checkers/Camo socks for a dressier look or with the Skulls/Extreme Sports crew socks for a more edgy look. Either way every kid at school will want to know where you got the shoes! Not to mention they are great for parents on a limited budget as you don't have to buy six pairs of tennis shoes to get six different looks. I'm pretty excited about that!

Visit U*neaks to learn more about their shoes as well as pick up your own pair!

Bring Robeez home for the holidays.

My first love in baby shoes has always been Robeez. Actually Robeez were our very first soft soled shoe in the form of a hand me down well loved, well worn, now retired blue puppy dog design. Connor wore those shoes a whole season and they really fueled my love of quality baby shoes as previously I had considered baby shoes really unnecessary as, quite simply, they never fit right.

I don't think I would feel right if we didn't have a pair of Robeez in our shoe wardrobe at all times. They just are one of the best all around shoes on the market and one of my first recommendation to parents who tell me that they can only afford one or two decent shoes per size range for their infants from the sheer fact that they wash beautifully and there is a good selection of styles where you can get something that really works for you. Connor's puppy pair had already lived through two children before they were ever handed down to Connor and they wore beautifully through many washings, being worn almost 24 hours a day as at the time they were our only shoes at the time, and still they look good enough that I packed them up again to be hopefully used for my next child as well or at least to be hand me down to a future niece or nephew.

No holiday outfit is complete without a great pair of shoes and Robeez always provides a great selection of holiday ready shoes to be worn during my favorite time of the year, the holiday season. Skating penguins in blue or pink, teddy bears opening presents in cream, angels on a pink background, elves on a brown background or beautiful little red mary janes are this year's selection of holiday styles. All of which you can pick up currently on sale for just $19.99 which is a deal as most of the styles especially my favorite the penguins can easily be used all winter long.

If your looking for a great holiday present check out all of the great holiday gift ideas including some limited edition gift sets that include some of the favorite styles of Robeez paired with a matching set of socks. Visit the Robeez website to see more styles as well as pick up your own pair of Robeez.

See Kai Run - Suprise Giveaway!!

I'm a huge fan of See Kai Run and we have featured their shoes on the blog in the past. So when we got a chance to give away three pairs of their shoes to our readers you know I jumped on the opportunity! See Kai Run is one of our favorite shoe companies. Their shoes are incredibly well made, super stylish and each season brings you a whole new colorful selection. You will have a hard time picking a favorite as believe me mine changes almost hourly. Though my favorites keep changing I have to say for the time being my favorite is still the Mazi from the smaller collection. I got Connor a pair recently for a review and sadly he outgrew them within two weeks to my dismay.

The three pairs I have available are for the most part limited edition colors so this is a unique opportunity to have a pair of See Kai Run's that you won't be seeing many other kids running around with! These shoes feature a flexible solid sole meaning though they do flex quite a bit they are a totally outdoor safe sole so feel free to let your children stomp anywhere they wish in their See Kai Runs!

Here is what we have available to giveaway :

Paul limited edition in a cool blue and brown with tan stripes. This was a limited edition color and its no longer available. The current Paul edition is a green and brown with tan stripes. The pair we are giving away is a size 6!



Julie limited edition in pink leather and pink, brown, and tan rainbow stripes. This was a limited edition color and is no longer available. The current Julie edition is a brown suede with red orange and yellow rainbow stripes. The pair we are giving away will be a size 5! These are the cutest Julie's we have seen yet!





Julie in the most current edition, brown suede with red, orange, and yellow rainbow stripes. The suede is buttery soft and perfect for fall. Actually this pair though classified as a "girls" shoe is really appropriate for either a girl or a boy. The pair we have to give away is a size 7!

I only have the three pairs above in the sizes listed to give away. They will be awarded to three lucky winners!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out See Kai Run and tell me which of the current styles other than the ones I mentioned here are your favorite. Also make sure you tell me which pair you wish to win as they will be awarded according to your choice in the comment.
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Dec 30th at midnight!

New shoes for christmas?

Toddler shoes are one of my favorite things when it comes to dressing a little person, but finding good shoes or just knowing the difference between the options in toddler footwear can be confusing and frustrating. Connor has outrageously small feet and it can be a bit tricky to fit him for shoes as not only is his feet small but they are a bit on the narrow side too.

The holiday's are coming and that means family dinners, dressy outfits, and finding a beautiful shoe to go with Connor's holiday attire was important. The Umi Puggle is one of our favorite baby/toddler shoe for several reasons. The big thing that caught my attention about the Puggle is its modern style. This season the Puggle is available in several color combos, for boys this year there is an orange and grey version and a blue as well a pink and brown version for girls all of which are stunning but I have to say though orange is not at all my favorite color the orange and grey version's contrast is really exciting.

The Umi's stunning good looks is really only a small reason why I love them. The real benefit to Umi's is just how well they function. I'm not sure how often I have to preach to parents that buying a a good quality shoe for your child is really important even if that means you can only afford one or two pairs per size your child's feet will thank you later as the shoes they wear now can really affect their feet as they grow.

The Umi Puggle has several really important design features the first that you will notice is the thick velcro strap that runs across the top of the shoe. Its easy to get on and off and it looks cute but its strong enough that its not terribly easy for little hands to get off so if you have one of those kids that is constantly taking off their shoes they might find the Puggle is a bit harder than some other styles of shoes to remove for little hands. Though the real beauty of them is the soles, they are flexible but unlike some soft soled shoes they offer tons of traction in the rubber pads that are strategically placed along the bottom. This means that kids like Connor who are always on the move at full blast will keep their feet under them more than not. This also makes the Puggle completely safe for outdoor use within reason.

I've just been incredibly impressed with the quality of Umis, nothing is spared its exactly the same sort of quality you would expect out of an expensive adult shoe but with a cool kid twist. Umi makes more than just toddler shoes, check out their entire collection on their website!

We are rocking the house.

It's starting to feel like fall around here and fall means two things to me, Halloween, and rock star hoodies. I know that seems funny but they are two my favorite things. The only issue was finding that perfect pair of baby shoes that will match Connor's rocking fall wardrobe. Robeez's fall collection is full of all sorts of awesome surprises including the pastel blue guitar shoes! Connor is ready for anything in his new shoes and I feel a little like my little man is growing up. Seeing him standing there in his little guitar shoes I can already see the little person he is becoming. I'm excited and I'm a little scared too!!


Robeez's fall collection is my favorite thus far, actually my favorite Robeez soft soles ever to date showed up this fall in the girls collection! I have to admit I'm a bit jealous that they didn't make something similar, minus the bow, for the boys! The pastel pink owls are sharp looking, not to mention adorable. I think we should make a trade some pink guitar shoes for baby rocker girls in the making and some blue owls for those little boys that don't like to sleep. Heh. If your looking for a pair of shoes that will look great with everything check out the taupe song birds. The red bird against the taupe background is a little surprise against a neutral background!

You really have to go and check out the soft soled collection over at Robeez!

What to wear on the playground this fall?

Connor is on his feet ALL the time these days and having great outdoor shoes is a must as that little man can runnn!

Finding a great looking pair of shoes for a active toddler can be tricky, they need to have flexible soles, stay on those fast moving feet, and of course look great. Robeez fall line of Tredz do just that. With the same super stay on powers that their soft soled shoes have you won't be looking all over the yard for that lost shoe. Like their soft soled shoes Robeez Tredz are flexible but durable enough and waterproof for outdoor wear.

Introduced last spring just before Connor's birthday the Robeez Tredz have been a hit since the day they were released. Actually getting a pair the first few months was the hardest part as they were selling out online almost as fast as they could make them, and don't even get me started about how hard they were to find locally. Actually my local store still has trouble keeping them in stock and is currently sold out since school started. In sizes from 12-24 months they pretty much will follow your child from their first steps to almost preschool (and at the rate Connor's feet are growing he may just make it to kindergarden in his.. heh.. hopefully I'm wrong about that but thus far he has inherited my tiny feet).

The new fall line brought new styles and more to drool over. With Halloween approaching I had to get myself a pair of the Monsters in Navy and if you had seen Connor at my father's birthday dinner tonight you would have realized why that was the perfect choice. I swear that child is turning into the Tasmanian devil as we speak. Can anyone recommend a good baby wrangler? heh

While I try to get my little monster under control, why don't you guys hop on over to Robeez and check out the Monster Trez for yourself as well as the rest of the Tredz line! Hmm I'm starting to wonder if I should have gotten the Dylans instead as possibly he would have traded in all this monster behavior for something a bit classier like the Dylans style. heh. One could only dream.

Robeez Tredz are available for purchase directly on the Robeez website or you can use the store locator to find a store near you that sells them!

A whole new reason to fall in love with Robeez!

The classic Robeez design comes in sizes 0-24 months, though many styles are now available all the way up till 4 yrs due to popular demand!

The problem, however, is finding a "big boy" looking shoes for your little person. Though I wouldn't trade my classic Robeez slip on styled shoes for the world there is something endlessly adorable about a classic shoe on a little foot. I think its the pure shock of seeing a little shoe in such miniature proportions. The problem has always been finding tiny shoes that function correctly for tiny feet. I strongly believe in not putting a child under at least two in a hard soled shoe... and no matter how cute a shoe is I hold strong to that belief. Not that I think every pair of shoes in a toddler's wardrobe should be a soft soled shoe as one your little one is up and walking outdoor fun should be done in a nice flexible sole. The problem is I see way too many "baby" shoes with hard soles and its just not good for little feet.

Robeez recently added Tredz to their super popular line of shoes which solved the delima of outdoor shoes as they combine the great quality and style you expect from Robeez with the added benefits of having a super flexible but harder sole that is appropriate for outdoor wear. The only issue is that Tredz start in a size 12 months, so younger babies are left out on the action.

Mini's however offer all the awesome style of the Tredz with a slightly more durable sole for light outdoor use compared to the Robeez classic and of course that "mini" shoe look for those of you that want something that looks more like an adult shoe verses a slip on type look. Minis come in sizes 3 months to 18 months which is especially nice for babies that are walking earlier or just pulling up. I recently got my hands on a pair of the Mini's in 3-6 months and seriously It makes me a bit sad that Connor didn't have any proper shoes at this age. He did have a pair of white cloth shoes that reminded me a bit of the shoes my Cabbage Patch doll wore when I was a kid but nothing that would protect his feet but still allow him to flex when we were practicing walking. The soles themselves are unlike anything I have seen before in smaller shoes, as flexible as the standard leather or suede soles but made of a waterproof material on the outside and a soft velvety suede on the inside. So you end up with the best of both worlds, a shoe that looks well.. like a shoe.. and the benefits of a slip on soft soled shoe all in one!

The Robeez Minis are selling out everywhere so pick up your pair now for holiday gift giving as there is no guarantee the style you want will be available as we get closer to Christmas! Robeez Minis can be purchased in their online store or you can use the store locater to pick a pair up near you!

Gimme those booties!

I've been drooling over the Isabooties's chocolate dots since I saw them a few months ago and finally we have a pair here to play with. The combination of chocolate ultrasuade and that dotted ribbon across the front is so pretty. They are fairly simple in design, no monkeys, no doggies, no embroidery, just cute designs with simple accents which is especially nice if you want to use them for casual wear but even better if your looking to pair them with a formal outfit. I LOVE my soft soled shoes but I am always frustrated when it comes to formal wear as though I have to admit I'm a sucker for Connors puppy dog shoes, they don't look nearly as nice with "evening attire". Isabooties however look great with everything and that simple little dot ribbon really stands out just peeking out from underneath some gorgeous little baby slacks. Who am I joking it looks great even if its just with a pair of casual shorts or even a diaper.

The ribbon embellishments are not what makes Isabooties special. If you have had any past experience with soft soled shoes you'd know that typically the bottoms are made of a soft suede or smooth leather. As they are normally just for indoor use only thats not really an issue but I don't know a single mom who has stuck firmly to that indoor rule. If I am out and about with Connor and he has his soft soled shoes on and we forgot our outdoor shoes I won't deny him a good romp in the grass just because he has his soft soles on, but with that said it does come with some risks. Soft soled shoes are notoriously slippery when wet and especially those smooth leather soles do not offer much traction when it comes to outdoor surfaces, as well they were not designed for them. Though I still do not highly recommend you allow your baby to run all over the place outside in soft soled shoes (especially concrete as that destroys soles) but Isabooties soles are unique as even if they get wet they feature soles made from Touchtek. Toughtek is super durable, very grippy, flexible (just like a smooth leather bottom) and it does not get slick.. ever. Combine that with a scuff proof Ultrasuede top, and you have some pretty rockin shoes. The Ultrasuede also washes incredibly well. I always cry a little when I have to put my soft soled shoes in the washing machine as I know when they come out they will be all crinkled up and it takes a while for them to stretch back and look as good as they did when they went in. Ultrasuede is designed to be washable so you can wash and wear without any worries at all.

One more note.. since Isabooties are made of Ultrasuede and Toughtek, that means they are totally "animal free" so those of you trying to stick to a vegan lifestyle can breath a sigh of relief!

Isabooties are available directly from their website!

The best part is.. one reader will win his or her own pair of Isabooties in their choice of styles/colors/size (of in stock styles)!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Isabooties and tell me which pair/size you would want if you win! Choose wisely as thats what you will get pending whats in stock if you do win!
  
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
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• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end August 31th at midnight!

See Kai Run just keeps getting better

See Kai Run is one of our staple favorites over here, we did a review awhile back on their Noah shoe and I swear with each new season the shoes just keep getting better. I can tell you I am already foaming at the mouth just waiting to see the styles that will be coming out here shortly. I got a secret sneak peak at the Eleven Collection's (See Kai Run's sister company for bigger kids) fall line up and its really just stunning I already have my favorites picked out!

The best part about all this waiting and watching is that most of the current styles are on sale. You can pick up my current favorite the in the boys collection, the Levi, for $26 or the absolutely adorable pair of Aprils for girls for $28. The April reminds me a bit of strawberry shortcake with that pink backgrounds and the red almost candy looking stripes. Yum.. I get hungry thinking about it.

If you see something on sale you must have you better act quick because the sale shoes are gone when they are gone.. and I do mean GONE. Get the point?

Not on sale, but absolutely worth a look if you have a little girl is the Lola. I think every little girl has a love affair with ballerina shoes at some point in her life. Though I have no inspirations to be a dancer, I failed miserably at my ballet lessons, I will admit I never did get over my love affair with the shoes. The Lola combines the look and flair of those precious shoes and puts them into a toddler friendly, quite stunning, pair of pink shoes.

Oooo the new line is almost here, and with that comes a whole new set of soft soled booties for babies from 0-18m. I am so excited I just can't wait.

See Kai Run's shoes are available directly from their website.