Little Tikes Activity Garden Plant 'n Play

  Little Tikes Activity Garden Plant n' Play

I'm giving this adorable little garden five stars because my baby girl loves it so much. It was a gift from her 11 year old sister for Christmas 2014, and they have really enjoyed playing with it together!

Little Tikes Activity Garden Plant 'n Play

The hose makes water sounds and music as you tend to your plants. The worms make cute boinging noises when you push them down, The bumble bee buzzes when pushed. The little gopher makes a noise and giggles when he is pressed down. The plants have shaped bottoms that fit into their respective places like puzzle pieces. When each is placed or removed, your child will learn about shapes and colors. The back of the garden is made of a material to which you can stick the velcro-backed flowers and fruits in any location your child desires.

The only downside to this product is that the toys extending from the sides are not designed to attach well enough, and they do not stay in their respective places as they should. My child loves the spider and the mirror, but those pieces spend more time in the toy drawer than they do in their proper locations attached to the garden.

Overall, this toy is not large, but it's the perfect height for a baby sitting by herself to enjoy. Our daughter received it at 4 months of age, and still plays with it every day (now that she is 17 months old.)  I assume she will continue to play with this toy for a long time.

I'm sure your little green thumb will enjoy this precious garden as well!

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Le Toy Van Honeybake Collection - Carlo's Gelato Playset

As soon as I saw this precious toy, I knew it had to be a part of Ribby's bakery-slash-sweet-shoppe-themed play room.

Le Toy Van has a GREAT reputation for producing bright, beautiful, high-quality creative toys. And this toy is definitely at the top of their offerings.

While it's not huge, it's definitely not too small. I've included some pictures of this toy in play with a few stuffed animals, including regular sized Build-a-Bear animals for your size reference.

The description here says you get 3 ice creams. We've always considered the third one more of a cupcake, but I suppose it could have been designed to serve as ice cream in a cup instead of a cone. I suppose that makes more sense figuring it is a gelato set, but I just let the kids use it as they choose to perceive it. And for us, that usually makes it a cupcake!

This set comes with:

Two ice cream cones, each made of 3 pieces. One is a cone, a scoop of pink raspberry colored ice cream, and then an orange layer with a cherry on top. The other is a cone, a chocolate scoop, and then a mint chocolate scoop. They are all interchangeable.

You also get the ice cream in a cup/cupcake, that is also 3 pieces. It has a green bottom with two pink layers, one with a yellow top.

Also included are two bottles of sauce, one chocolate and one raspberry. 

And a spoon. (Which is not shown in my pics)

All of these pieces slide on and off wooden pegs like little shape stackers and are interchangeable, although they do tend to fit together better the way they were intended. I think the company could have made a little more effort to make them function fully when the pieces are mixed and matched, but there is definitely room to be creative.

All together, the pieces fit onto the festively-colored wooden dessert tier. And when they do, the entire thing is just as cute as it can be! 

Whether your child has a play kitchen, or just adores food-themed toys, this one is a top-quality piece that is sure to please! As beautiful as it is sweet, you'll be glad you added this to your collection!

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Being Silly at Bear Creek - Strunk, KY

My baby girls, just hanging out in the meadow at Bear Creek in the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area.

We were between lunch, and our next hike to see Split Bow Arch.

We went to the area to hang out at Blue Heron, but, unfortunately it was closed due to recent storm damage. But Bear Creek and Split Bow Arch weren't a terrible consolation prize for our trip up there. You can't go too far wrong anywhere in the breathtaking Big South Fork. It really is the most underrated National Park in the entire system. The cliffs may not be as stunning as, say, the Grand Canyon, but they're pretty darned amazing in their own right!

Ribby Cakes Getting All Decked Out for Valentine's Day!

Bibby has been decorating Ribby's Bakery!

It's hard not to get excited about a holiday about LOVE!

Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?

Ribby and Bibby's Snowman

Lisa and Lubbas Just Chilling in Ribby's Bakery

Today's Daily Dose of Cuteness

Lisa and Lubbas Just Chilling in Ribby's Bakery

Build-a-Bear at Hamilton Place Mall - Chattanooga, TN

Today we set out to spend our accumulated Build-a-Bear gift cards, and I'd say we were successful.

The first trick in using gift cards is to remember to actually bring the gift cards with you. Check! (I'm not admitting to how many failed attempts we've clocked for this particular endeavor.)

Actually, that's really the only trick. Otherwise, it's pretty easy to spend money on teddy bears.

Everyone else in our crew has 3 Build-a-Bears, and Ribby only had one, so we decided it would only be fair to even it out.

Over the Christmas shopping season, we were NOT impressed with the selection in any of the several locations we visited. But, apparently Valentine's Day is an AWESOME time to Build-a-Bear! These animals were SO precious! And there were a few others we'd still like to add to the collection some day...

So, without further ado, meet Lubbas the Bear and Lisa Leopard!

Lubbas' super-soft pink and red hearted fur is scented in a sweetness reminiscent of old-school Strawberry Shortcake Dolls. It definitely conjures up many a childhood memory for me! While smelling the bear directly, the scent doesn't strike me as being too overbearing.  (he he!)  Within a matter of hours after bringing Lubbas inside Ribby's room, however, the entire 12 x 12 area smells like a Strawberry Shortcake doll factory. So far, I'm okay with this. After all, Ribby's room is a bakery. So, the scent works great for us. But, if you or your little ones have any smell sensitivities or issues with fragrance, you might want to give the fur a good, solid smell test before purchasing.  

Lisa Leopard, in all her rainbow spotted adorableness, is named for Lisa Frank, the iconic 90's graphic artist and designer of all things 90's kids HAD to have. We are HUGE Lisa Frank fans, and are anxiously awaiting the second coming of the Lisa Frank empire. I have collected tons of Lisa Frank items that I'm in the process of framing into wall art for Ribby's Room. In the mean time, of course, we HAD to have this Lisa Frank-esque stuffed Leopard, and are saving pennies again for her black and rainbow cousin Zebra, also currently available at Build-a-Bear. We would have bought both today, if Lubbas the Bear hadn'ta been so darned irresistible herself.

 

All in all, we had a good time. But a lot of that has to do with the fact that we adore anything that makes Ribby happy, and Ribby was pretty happy to get her new bears.

The ladies manning the store location were perfectly functional cashiers, but there was no magic whatsoever in their construction of either animal. I miss the days when Build-a-Bear employees made the whole building-a-bear experience feel like the kids was actually building a darned bear. They used to speak in sweet, happy voices. They'd talk the kid through pressing the foot pedal on the stuffing machine like they were filling the bear's crevices with a magic like no other. They'd let the kids rub their hands together and warm each heart before it was kissed and placed inside to radiate love for an entire childhood.

Now, it's just, "Do you want $100 worth of extra stuff crammed inside? Nope, well, press this pedal and shove some fluff in the animal's tuchus."

Yep...  We definitely miss the Build-a-Bear magic touch. But, watching your baby girl give it all she's got to carry her new buddies through the mall is still worth it!

Viga Wooden Cupcakes & Dessert Tier

Viga Wooden Cupcakes & Dessert Tier

Pictured here are two absolutely stunning wooden dessert sets from the Viga company.

The first is a 12 piece set that includes 11 cupcakes, donuts, and cake slices and one beautiful pink dessert tier.

The second is an add-on set that includes an additional 6 cupcakes and cake slices.

Of all the wooden bakery themed toy sets we ordered to go with Ribby's Bakery, these are probably my favorite. The wood is solid. The finishes are beautiful! The details are absolutely adorable!

The tier requires about 2 minutes worth of simple assembly. The cake slices with the tier come individually wrapped in tissue and plastic wrap, which probably takes another 2 minutes to finagle.  The add on set of cake slices come in a cute little tray made of thick cardboard. I'm sure the tray is meant to be disposable, but we've actually been using it for a tray in Ribby's Bakery. The most popular thing on her menu is the "6 Pack of Ribby Cakes" and this tray is a great way to serve up the fun!

The only place in the United States I've been able to find these products is on Amazon. If you're in the market for adorable wooden food toys for your kiddos, I'd recommend heading over to Amazon and checking out the Viga line!

Djeco Tom & Charlotte Bakery

For Christmas, we refinished a few pieces of furniture for Ribby's new room, which will surely be it's own post at some point. We turned an old handcrafted entertainment center into a Doc McStuffins-inspired Doctor's Office, and we turned some sort of old cherry hutch into a bakery.

We're also still working on turning a desk center hutch into a kitchen. We have a few other small pieces for which we're brainstorming ideas. All of these things are still very much a work in progress, but Ribby's Bakery gets cuter and cuter every day!

One of the reasons her room is so gosh-darned cute is because of toymakers like Djeco. This particular collection, called the Tom & Charlotte Bakery, is unbelievably adorable. It's a pricy little booger, I'm not going to lie and say it wasn't, but it's definitely a hit!

I bit the bullet and made the investment on this amazing toy constructed of painted wood and felt for two primary reasons beyond just being cute. First, it comes with a menu card that can serve a purpose during creative play, but also because it keeps the toy educational in nature. I was actually hoping it came with multiple cards that could help teach Ribby visual discrimination and following directions while she used the cards to create her baked goods, but it's just the one card. But, even so, it's useful.

Secondly, all the pieces stack together on stacker pegs and can be mixed and matched to create "custom orders" as the kids call them. This is great for developing and honing manual dexterity and fine motor skills. And even better, because the kids don't even know they're learning, they just think they are being creative!

Stay tuned for more blog entries on wooden baked goods and desserts, photos of Ribby's Bakery and Doctor's Office, and how it all comes together.

The Office of Dr. Ribby... Opening Soon!

We've been refinishing and repurposing an old handmade entertainment center into a Doctor's Office for Dr. Ribby.

It's still a work in progress, but here's a Sneak Peek:

Keep checking back for more progress!

Janod Wooden Number Hedgehog Playset

We absolutely adore this little hedgehog! He's so cute and made of excellent, high quality materials. The puzzle pieces here are so very unique and I think it is a excellent addition to our toy collection!

This puzzle is made of the same thick, sanded wood as the other Janod puzzles we purchased at the same time. He's painted in bold, bright colors. The soft, lightweight wood is perfect for little hands.


Ribby really enjoys playing with the cone-shaped pieces. She loves the beautiful colors as she puts the shapes into their spots and removes them again. At 14 months, she obviously has limited number sense and isn't putting them in any sort of proper order, but that just means we'll get many years of use out of this toy as she grows and her skills expand. Each recessed spot where the pieces fit are painted with domino-style dots to match the corresponding number order. There are countless opportunities for fun games and cool learning activities.

Janod toys are super-awesome, and this little hedgie is no exception. If you are looking for high quality educational puzzles for your little ones, be sure to check out the Janod brand! This hedgehog in particular would make an awesome addition to your collection!

Janod Wood Fish Puzzle

This rainbow fish is another adorable Janod product our family has really enjoyed! He's so cute, and clearly made of higher quality materials than most other toys with which I am familiar. These are definitely the kinds of toys I'd like to hang on to for the grandkids some day...

The thick, sanded wood of the puzzle is made of solid construction, yet it is soft and lightweight in a young child's hand. The beautifully painted pieces are so unique to hold in your hand. Even as an adult, I adore the design of this puzzle.


I was worried that this would be too simple a puzzle and might not be worth the money. Even though some of the other puzzles on the market do require more advanced cognitive skills, this one is still a gorgeous toy that I consider well worth the investment. My 14 month old loves the bright colors and enjoys putting the shapes in their spots and removing them again. We will get a lot of use out of this!

As I've mentioned in a few other reviews, I ordered several Janod products at the same time, and this is definitely a new favorite toy brand that I will HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking for educational toys for young children. This brand may be a bit pricier than more commonly found toy brands, but the quality is massively superior, and they are indeed an heirloom-quality investment worth every penny. You will not regret adding Janod products to your playroom or classroom.

Janod Wood Butterfly Shape Sorter

Janod Wood Butterfly Shape Sorter


Yet another amazing product from Janod! My new favorite toymaker!

This butterfly is gorgeous! The wood, the paint, everything is of the highest quality, and you can see and feel the difference. This brand is generally more expensive than comparable toy brands; but once you hold this puzzle, you'll understand why, and you'll be super glad you made the investment. These are the kinds of toys worth hanging on to for the grandkids some day...

The thick, sanded wood of the puzzle feels solid in your hand, yet it is soft enough for young children. The painted pieces are just so unique and so beautiful to hold, even as an adult, I find the whole thing mesmerizing.

I will admit that this puzzle was a little too advanced for my 14 month old when it was originally purchased. At first, she enjoyed removing the pieces, stacking them randomly, and just playing around with them. Now that she is 17 months old, she places the proper shape cut-outs on their corresponding posts with ease.  As she gets older, she will continue to engage her brain by calculating the orientation of each shape (it's trickier than you'd think!) as well as the color gradient of each stack. We will certainly get years of use out of this toy!

I ordered several Janod products at the same time, and this is definitely a new favorite brand that I will HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking for educational toys for young children. The quality of this brand is massively superior to the Melissa & Doug products we own. Janod may cost more, but it's an heirloom-quality investment worth every penny. If you are considering this toy, you won't be disappointed!

Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Clock

Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Clock

Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Clock


I bought this clock primarily for the shape-sorting aspect of it. There are 12 different shapes in 6 colors to be fitted into their respective holes on the board. I feel it is a good value for the money in providing my 14 month old a broad range of shapes and colors with which to enhance her spatial ability and fine motor skills. As she grows, she will also be able to engage her brain in number sense, and eventually telling time.

My only criticism of the Melissa & Doug brand, is that once you become accustomed to the higher quality brands, like Janod, Hape, or Haba, you can clearly tell the craftsmanship is not on the same level. This product is much thinner, and not finished to the same softness as the other brands.

Dollar for dollar, with all the skills this particular toy offers, I still feel it is a strong value for the investment, and I do recommend it as a 5 star purchase. Brand for brand, though, I don't feel that Melissa & Doug toys will stand the test of time quite as well as some of the other manufacturers on the market.

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Enjoy your new toys!