Category Archives: Going Reviews

Soft Star Child Merry Jane: Classic Shoes They Can Use

08/01/2016 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Mary Janes are classic shoes that originated in the early 1900’s from a character of the same name in a popular comic strip Buster Brown. Buster, and his little sister, Mary Jane, both wore the same shoe that became know as the Mary Jane with the help of an obviously successful ad campaign.

Typically made of leather with a strap that goes over the foot and is secured by a buckle, Mary Janes are often considered a formal/semi-formal shoe. In kid terms, this means uncomfortable and not meant for the playground. Determined to turn this classic style into a shoe that’s fun for kids and parents will adore, the elves at Soft Star Shoes created a more comfortable, versatile design of the Mary Janes.

Soft Star sent Avery a pair of their Child Merry Janes giving her the mission to test them out before their release on August 16th. As a seasoned Soft Star fanatic, she readily and happily accepted.

It’s always important to know what kind of tread you’re dealing with, and the Vibram rubber sole checked out for us.

Durability is essential for an active kid, as well as flexibility. Two qualities the Soft Star Merry Jane, like all of their shoes, has.

With a little help from Dad to get them on, I snuck a quick pic of her new test subjects before she could jump up in constant state of motion. You know, a toddler.

Avery kept seated long enough for a side shot of her new kicks.

Then it was time to begin the mission of putting the Merry Janes to the toddler test. After a little begging and playground persuasion, she agreed to 10 seconds of standing still for me to take a picture.

You’d think I would get better at taking her picture by now, but I completely cut off the top half of her body! No worries, the flexible elastic band connecting the buckle to the shoe and grippy Vibram rubber sole made for an easy transition from standing to squatting!

The Merry Janes passed the squat test, an extremely important test, without a hitch. They’re also perfect for practicing much needed balancing skills.

Next, we took them outside for a ~~spin~~ walk/run around the neighborhood to break them in. Alternating from a slow walk to a fast run, Avery had no issues with the shoes slipping off or weighing her down. She had zero complaints on our walk and said she loved her new “Yellow Soft Star rocket shoes!” Not by my request, she decided to test out their puddle jumping abilities.

We haven’t had much rain in Texas lately, but kids have a keen eye for puddles. The passed. But what about their performance ~~in the wild~~ on the playground, where kids can be found roaming free?

Avery quickly confirmed they perform well in a kids’ natural territory by running all over a local playground. It’s hard to get a detailed description from a toddler on how they feel, so I look for visual cues to get a good idea.

Soft Star calls their version of the classics “Merry” since they make feet happy, and judging by the look on Avery’s face, who can argue? Do kids even know how to fake smile?

The testing phase is never really over when it comes to kids and parenting, but the new Soft Star Shoes Merry Janes have quickly become a new favorite for our little girl. Having a buckle instead of just elastic or velcro takes a little longer, but it’s not as bad as I first expected. Avery is able to get the shoes on herself and then have Mommy or Daddy secure the buckle. That elastic band attaching the buckle makes the process much easier!

Parents will love seeing their kids in stylish shoes they’ll wear without putting up a fight, and kids will love cheerfully playing in their new shoes. Although they are geared mostly towards girls, Soft Star’s Custom Child Merry Jane gives you the option to make a good looking, functional shoe for any boy or girl.

Keep both eyes on the calendar for when August 16th rolls around to order your kid a new pair of Soft Star Child Merry Janes. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to keep up to date on all of their latest news too.

Soft Star Shoes provided their Child Merry Janes free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All words are my own and I was not compensated in any other way. Get yourself and your kids in a handmade pair of Soft Star Shoes and see why their minimal footwear will make your entire family’s feet happy and healthy!

Food, Going Reviews

Gold Nugget Ghee: A Tasty Source of Health Benefits

07/29/2016 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Just what is ghee, you ask? It’s made from butter that has been gently heated to remove the milk solids. This makes it a pure fat just like coconut oil with a high smoke point at 482°F. You can use it just like butter, and for those sensitive to butter, ghee seems to not trigger the same intolerance.

Ghee is chock full of fat soluble Vitamins A, D, E, and K. And wouldn’t you know, ghee is pure healthy fat allowing for easy absorption of these health-promoting vitamins. But, like most things, not all ghee is created equally; where it’s sourced is an important part of what makes it healthy. Enter Gold Nugget Ghee, committed to providing people the highest quality ghee on the market.

Daniel Draskinis, the founder of Gold Nugget Ghee and an avid outdoor enthusiast, set out to find something that would provide him sustainable energy for his adventures. From rock climbing to yoga to ultra marathons, performing at his best was vital. Through research and experimentation, Daniel created Gold Nugget Ghee.

GOLD NUGGET GHEE is committed to bringing people the highest quality ghee available on the market. We source butter from small farms in Northern California, which provides a unique rainforest ecosystem that allows cows to happily graze on green grass ALL YEAR long. We are committed to providing nutrient-dense ghee that supports your health, our planet, and environment.

Daniel graciously provided a jar of Gold Nugget Ghee free of charge for me to review. I’ve used coconut oil for cooking plenty of times before, but when I found Gold Nugget, I had to try for myself.

The source of food is essential if we want to give our bodies the best nutrients available, and Gold Nugget is right on target. What about the taste? Glad you asked, we love it! Going Mom and I first tried it in our black coffee since we’ve heard wonderful things about putting butter or ghee in coffee, aka Bulletproof Coffee.

Gold Nugget Ghee and Coffee

A rich, buttery aroma filled the air as steam rose from our hot mugs of upgraded coffee, and our mouths were greeted with a rich, nutty flavor. I could pick up slight notes of caramel as the coffee cooled a bit and it left me craving more. We added about one teaspoon to start, but now we’ll do almost two teaspoons.

Next up was cooking with our Gold Nugget treasure. With a high smoke point, it held up to the high temps of cooking on the stove as well as mixed well with steamed veggies.

ghee, healthy cooking, coffee, vegetables

Avery and and Going Mom gave me their empty plates and buttery kisses in approval. So ghee is good in coffee (I call it coff-ghee because, dad jokes) and savory dishes, but what about something a little sweet? Keeping with healthy, whole foods, I made cinnamon roasted carrots with ghee to put it to the test.

Gold Nugget Ghee with Cinnamon Roasted Carrots

MMMMmmmmmm! Nuff said.

Much like coconut oil, ghee is beneficial both in and outside of your body. It is used to treat burns and rashes, and as a moisturizer for the skin and scalp. What I appreciate about is that it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, which makes it the perfect food to take along when traveling.

Gold Nugget Ghee supports local businesses, holds up to the highest of mindful business practices, and put care into what they create. They also package their product in glass jars as opposed to plastic, so you can reuse the jar over and over again.

My family and I are nothing but pleased with Gold Nugget Ghee. We can feel the health benefits and taste them too! Every time my wife and I have our morning cup of joe, Gold Nugget finds its way into our mug and puts a happy, healthy smile on our face.

You can follow Gold Nugget Ghee on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up to date on specials and tasty ways to use their delicious food. Be sure to pick up a jar (or two or three) here.

Disclosure: Gold Nugget Ghee provided a jar of their ghee free of charge in exchange for my review. I was not compensated in any other way.

Going Reviews, Naturepedic

Naturepedic 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra Kids’ Mattress: More Than Just Comfort

07/20/2016 R.C. Liley 1 Comment

When shopping for a mattress, the level of comfort is probably what most of us think of first. But, there’s more to consider in a mattress than just comfort. Take, for example, the Naturepedic 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra/Quilted Kids’ Mattress.

Naturepedic 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra/Quilted Mattress

I had the pleasure of receiving Naturepedic’s EOS Series mattress to review a few months ago, and have been enjoying a #SafeHealthySleep ever since. Going Mom and I loved the EOS so much that we felt a bit guilty we didn’t have such a high quality mattress for Avery.

We had an organic crib mattress, but it was time to transition from the crib which meant we needed a bigger and “bedder” mattress. Turns out, the kind folks at Naturepedic liked me enough to work allow me the opportunity to review one of their kids’ versions, the 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra/Quilted Mattress.

naturepedic organic 2 in 1 toddler mattress, quilted

Excitement beamed from Avery’s face when we told her about her new big girl bed, and we matched her happy face from the comfort in knowing she’d be getting a superior organic cotton mattress. Their organic cotton is much healthier than the synthetic fabrics and foams commonly found in other mattresses. It’s also made without flame retardants and questionable chemicals like vinyl/PVC, phthalates, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and formaldehyde. It’s ultra clean, ultra pure, and free from allergens like wool and latex.

With a host of certifications and awards like being certified by the OTCO to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and meeting the GREENGUARD Gold Certification standard, Naturepedic leaves nothing to worry about when bringing their products into your home. Even the packaging from delivery produces no off-gassing, vapors, or chemicals. An important aspect to consider when you have excited tots waiting to give it a warm welcome.

Naturepedic 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Kids' Mattress Instagram Pic

Just like she did upon the arrival of our EOS Series Organic Mattress. But now she was hugging her very own big girl mattress, which she made certain to let us know……a lot.

The 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra is a versatile mattress that is made to last many years as your child grows from a tiny tot to a big kid. It looks good too!

Naturepedic 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra/Quilted Mattress

On the top, the mattress features an organic cotton waterproof fabric that’s easy to clean and so pure it even meets food contact standards. When your child is in potty training mode (or you’re just not that sure yet), the waterproof side is the perfect choice!

On the bottom side, you’ll find a luxuriously quilted organic cotton fabric that’s perfect for older, “mature” kids. This side is not waterproof, but offers a more comfortable sleeping surface that older kids and adults will appreciate.

From the start, we used the quilted side since Avery was mostly potty trained. The comfort level was evident by the disappearance of my wife most nights of the week following the 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra.

She usually lays down to sing with Avery at bedtime, and would end up dozing off, usually before Avery. This happened on occasion in the past, but it the occurrence increased twofold. Lately, she’s started leaving the room earlier so as to not make it a habit. Thankfully, Avery feels right at home in the Naturepedic 2 in 1 and doesn’t mind sleeping solo. If anything, I’d say she’s rather proud and enjoys the extra room.

Avery smiling with Naturepedic Organic Full Size Mattress

And we’re proud of being able to provide a high quality mattress for our precious little girl. Naturepedic’s statement, “Babies and toddlers spend 10-14 hours a day sleeping and playing on a crib mattress. As such, for the first few years of a child’s life, the mattress is the single most prominent object in the child’s environment. “ further supports how happy we are to have their mattresses in our home.

Your child’s, as well as your own, health and safety should be non-negotiable. Naturepedic knows this all too well and follows a list of priorities making them stand out from the rest:

Priority #1: No harmful chemicals.

Priority #2: No allergenic materials.

Priority #3: Natural, organic and renewable materials wherever possible.

Priority #4: Practical design (e.g. easy-to-clean waterproof cover).

Priority #5: Third party independent testing and verification.

Many of us consider of a mattress as just a place to sleep, but a kids’ mattress, as well as an adult’s, is used more than we think. It’s a perfect platform for dancing in your undies….

Naturepedic 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra/Quilted Mattress

…..bracing for a tickle attack….

…..doing butt-busters….

……playing hide-and-seek….

…and a place for that collection of stuffed animals we our kids have.

Naturepedic offers a comfortable sleep and play environment for not just our sweetheart, but for us, her parents, who love playing and sleeping with her too. I haven’t had the privilege of spending half the night with Avery (yet), but she did wake up crying early one morning and I laid back down with her for a while. I could’ve easily fallen asleep and had to take back all the times I gave Going Mom grief for dozing off.

Avery still gets excited to sleep in her”Naturepedic bed.” every night, and as you can see from the pictures, it offers plenty of joy no matter the time of day.

Highlights

The 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra is highly versatile, combining waterproof and quilted sides for an ideal children’s mattress.
Excellent for sleep and play.
Great for training toddlers, bed wetters, and/or messy eaters.
Comfortable medium-firm support for growing kids……adults too!
Made without flame retardants and other questionable chemicals such as vinyl/PVC, phthalates, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and formaldehyde
Certified by OTCO to the Global Organic Textile Standard.
Free from potential allergens such as wool and latex.
20 Year Limited Warranty.

Other than it being on the higher end of the price range, for good reason, I have nothing negative to say about the 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra. We’ve been completely happy with our Naturepedic mattresses and look forward to many years of safe, healthy sleep (and play) to come.

Keep up to date with all specials, news, and products from Naturepedic by following them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+.

Disclaimer: I received the Naturepedic 2 in 1 Organic Cotton Ultra/Quilted mattress free of charge in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. All opinions are strictly my own and I was not compensated any other way.