Well, now they’re asking moms to try them. I’m a mom, I don’t hate Heelys and secretly thought they would be fun to try out, although DaddyB said I should take out some extra liability and life insurance before attempting to manuver on Heelys.

My first few tries at Heelys were slow going, of course I wanted to make sure I didn’t die seeing that I still need to work on my will, and the girls would probably miss me. But after a few good tries I was rolling around in the kitchen and dining room.

Where will I wear my Heelys? Again because I personally feel that Heelys are appropriate for certain locations I will not wear the wheels in places like grocery stores, church, my daughter’s school. However, when I take the girls to the park I am totally down for using them. Here is a great resource from Heelys for Responsible Skating Guidelines: http://www.heelys.com/media/PDFs/Heelys_Responsible_Skating_Contract_FINAL.pdf

My overall thoughts

• Visually – Heelys look cool. If you are not one to wear normal skater or converse-type shoes then Heelys may not be for you, however if you’re considering wearing Heelys in the first place you probably fit the style. Here are a couple that I really liked (Wave and Dash) and one shot of mine {Sassy, appropriately named if I do say so myself}:

• Comfort- In my opinion, I would totally buy these just as sneakers, they are that comfortable. They fit snug around my feet, which is great for fit and of course for skating safety too. They are easy to get on and off {the shoes themselves, we’ll talk about the wheels in another bullet.}

• Use- Once you learn how to skate and get the hang of it these shoes are fun and great exercise {because you’re lifting up your toes and engaging your leg muscles}, my only wish was that the wheels somehow snapped into the shoe for storage {like I had actually assumed they did before I saw a pair,} however I know that may not be possible with how the shoe is engineered. For me it was a little difficult to snap the wheels into place, but almost impossible for me to snap the wheels out, not for strength but for getting the right leverage and angle to snap them out. My husband got them out a little easier, but even he had to take a few shots at it.

Also, you have to remember you’ll be carrying the wheels with you if you don’t intend to wear them during your entire outing, so plan on bringing a backpack or bag with you so you don’t have to carry them in your hands or pockets. {a tad inconvenient.}

Also, here’s a clip of me showing off the first pair of Heelys I received on one of Charlotte’s local news stations WCNC. Mention is around minute marker 2:14 if you want to skip ahead.

If you have kiddos and you are thinking about buying some for them consider this: Heelys HX2 is great for beginners or young children because it has 2 wheels and acts as a training-wheel system. You can remove one wheel once the child starts to feel more comfortable Heeling. {I wish they made them for adults too.} and……..

Heelys is throwing a Black Friday special!! Between Nov 25-Nov 28, Buy any pair of Heelys, get the second pair for $25. Or buy a Nano, and get a pair of shoes for $25, and get free ground shipping on all orders! Wahoo!! Check them out here: http://www.heelys.com and on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/heelys

Would you ever try/buy a pair of Heelys for yourself? How about for your kiddos?

I was provided with a pair of Heelys in order to complete this review. The opinions expressed in the post above are my own based on my personal experiences with Heelys skate shoes, yours may vary.

Luckily, we have a solution. BePe Baby Slippers for ages 6 months through 5 years. These are great. Not only are they cute and available in a wide array of designs and styles, they’re also perfect for skating, floating or trying to be the next Martha Graham. They have just enough traction on the bottom to reduce the amount of spillage that normally happens with four-year-old girls. And even though she doesn’t care about that stuff. I do.

Plus, they keep her toes warm and so far, we’ve had a couple of very cold days here in Charlotte. And when she was wearing these, I didn’t hear one complaint. Imagine how lonely my ears felt. (Not really!)

But I love these slippers. And so does my daughter. And when MommyB asked me to review them for her blog, I jumped at the chance. As you can see, my daughter fits nicely in them. And they’ve become a fun part of her nightly routine.

Luckly for MommyB Knows Best readers, for the next 30 days, you can buy a pair for 20% off using code: mommyb. {It’s not case sensitive.} So make sure you head over to BePe Baby’s website: www.bepebaby.com and choose from the great selection of girls, boys, and unisex slippers.

Becca is the Social Media Marketing Manager for Picaboo. She is also the mother of two kids, a miniature cow and has a joyful husband. When she’s not creating Victorian Photo Books, she can be found eating carrot cake and watching Six Feet Under reruns.

I received a pair of BePe Baby Slippers in order to complete this review. This in no way has impacted my opinions on the company or product. The words in this review are my honest opinions, however yours may vary.

In preparation for Miss A going to preschool in the Fall I’ve been attempting to do more “school” type activities with her. I remember learning how to tie my shoes in Kindergarten, pretty vividly actually. I remember our teacher had several primary colored bins full of activities and I remember pulling out the shoe tying activity, unfortunately that’s about all I remember, but I know for certain we did not have Tie Buddies, Teach Them to Tie in No Time.

You’d be surprised to know I am a, “double-looper” when it comes to shoe tying, that’s just the way I was taught by family and it’s the way I’ve always done it. Now, I’ve learned the one loop method, but just like learning a language or using a dominant hand, my two loop style is my go-to.

Anyway, I learned about these really cool shoe tying accessories and wondered how they would compare to other products I’ve tried in the past. I really like that they are made of durable plastic, and the characters are cute (although I know some moms who try to go more plain with their styling.) It’s great though how the tie buddies are two sets of different images, that way the child can keep track of which tie goes behind the other, eliminating as much confusion as possible. Great thinking Tie Buddies!

My favorite part is that Tie Buddies website gives you ideas on how to create fun stories to get your child to remember how to tie. Here are a couple of ideas: http://tiebuddies.com/uploads/storyideas.pdf I wish they had more ideas or a place for parents to add their own, sometimes my brain is just a little worn out.

While Miss A certainly isn’t a shoe tying pro yet, I do see her interest in learning how to tie her sneakers increasing because Tie Buddies makes it more fun. I’ve personally never heard anyone exclaim how excited they are to tie shoes, so these are definitely helpful in my, “Get Ready for Preschool” plight.

Since I’ve seen other shoe tying products ranging from $9.99 to $15.00 or more so at $8.99 this is a great buy for a great product and I’m always one for the best price.

Check out Tie Buddies website for more information and to order yours here: http://www.tiebuddies.com and on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tie-Buddies/56780004911

What tips do you use to teach your child(ren) how to tie their shoes?? Remember anything from your own Kindergarten class?

Tie Buddies is also giving one lucky MommyB Knows Best Reader a set of Tie Buddies of their choice.

Here’s how to win:

Using the ENTRY FORM directly below this post (NOT the comment form), submit your name, an email address that you check regularly, and the entry/entries you are submitting all at the same time. There is no need to fill out separate entry forms for each item you complete. *Please note the Mandatory Entry MUST be typed into the form BEFORE you can qualify for additional entries.

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Giveaway ends December 9th @12:00 am. The winners will be chosen at random, verified, emailed, and announced in a Winner’s post. The winners will have 48 hours to respond to the email from MommyB to claim the prize, if the prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen at random. You must be a US resident and 18 years or older to enter.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure. Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Check the shelves of your sports equipment store, and it seems there are more types of athletic shoes than sports for which to use them! Specialization does matter, though, because you want to wear the best shoe for your specific activity. What does that mean? It means considering foot size, shape, and idiosyncrasies about how you run, walk, jump, and land. No matter your need, there is a shoe there for you – and
it’s easy to find.

The first step (literally) is to ensure you embark upon your expedition with your feet prepared as though to do your sport. Try shoes late in the day; if you go in the morning, your foot will be smaller and tighter than it would after a day of walking; you don’t want to end up with a small shoe. Also, make sure you take
the socks you will wear when you exercise to the store. The right fit must take sock size into account.

It is helpful to know a few terms that are important no matter choice of exercise. Pronation describes movement of the ankle. A neutral foot-strike means the heel and ball land evenly, with no rotation of the ankle. Over-pronators, who have flat or fallen arches, tend to roll the ankle too far inward. Under-pronators, who often have high arches and stiff feet, don’t have enough flexion in their stride. Ankle and arch issues permeate all sports, so have an expert watch your walking and running stride, if possible.

If you have high arches, investigate cushioning shoes. These shoes are built on a curved last, with padding in the heel and/or under the ball of the foot, to encourage a rolling motion through the heel-strike to the ball push-off.

If you are a neutral strider, you can find excellent shoes offering a middle level of cushioning, motion control, and stability that will encourage an efficient running motion without providing too much extra support. Stability shoes are lighter than motion-control runners, but a little bit heavier than cushioning runners. The
average runner will often find stability shoes to be the most comfortable because they do not create a particular stride motion.

If you have reached an elite level of running, however, you will probably focus most on the weight of the shoe itself. Some of these incorporate motion-control or cushioning aspects, but mostly they tend to sacrifice therapeutic controls to become as light as possible in an effort to help long-distance elite level runners.

Severe over- or under-pronators should not look into lightweight shoes, but average striders will be quite comfortable in them, as they provide a medium level of support to the foot.

Cross-training shoes take an entirely different motion into consideration. You want a pair of cross-trainers if you make any lateral (sideways) motion in addition to impact, such as in a sport like kickboxing.

Running or walking shoes are built for the forward motion of running, and
do not provide any stability to the ankle for side-to-side motion; only cross-trainers are designed to prevent injury and support lateral moves. You should also wear cross-trainers when weightlifting, because these shoes will typically provide the most multi-directional support.

Have your foot measured professionally, and seek out a shoe built on a narrow or wide base if you have a foot that is not average width. Make sure that the shoe is comfortable and supportive in movement. Hopefully, these quick tips help you in your search – remember that not all exercise shoes are created equally!

About The Author: Bobby DeMuro is the Founder of FusionSouth, a personal training/sports conditioning firm in Charlotte, NC. He is also the Executive Director of NoFizz Charlotte, a non-profit dedicated to bringing awareness on the importance of proper hydration. He resides on Lake Norman with his 2-year old boxer, Dakota.

Grow Green Baby is a great website for organic baby products and a few fun mom products as well. They have everything to cover your baby necessities from 100% organic clothing to baby safe Green to Grow bottles and bubbly body wash to keep your baby fresh and clean.

Grow Green Baby isn’t the kind of store that wants you to take all of your baby products and throw them away just in the name of being eco-friendly, rather they’re a shop that wants to help parents and grandparents make small choices to slowly turn your home into a healthier and more earth friendly one. I love that about this site.

I got the opportunity to test out one of their wearable items. The Isabooties pictured below, aren’t they cute??

Isabooties are American made and 100% animal-free and formaldehyde free. Great for indoor and outdoor, but not recommended on heavy pavement. Can you believe these Ultrasuede shoes are machine washable?? If you were to compare these shoes to another big name you’ll find that most are not machine washable and obviously not as eco-friendly, but very comparable in pricing.

Personally, if I can find similar organic or eco-friendly products at the same or lower price I’ll definitely go for those instead. It’s my responsibility to make choices for my daughters’ future home.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a “baby,” Isabooties run all the way up to 18 months for your little one and come in several colors and styles for your little boy or girl.

Check out Grow Green Baby here: http://www.growgreenbaby.com/default.asp for more great earth friendly items.

Grow Green Baby is also giving away 1 pair of 6-12 month Granite Isabooties to one lucky reader!!

Here’s how to win:
Using the entry form directly below this post (NOT the comment form), submit your name, an email address that you check regularly, and the entry you are submitting. *Please note the Mandatory Entry MUST be completed before you can qualify for additional entries.

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Giveaway ends March 19th @12:00 am. The winner will be chosen at random, verified, emailed, and announced in a Winner’s post. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email from MommyB to claim the prize, if the prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen at random. You must be 18 years or older to enter.