Search Results for: label/Strolling Into Spring

CatBird Baby Soft Structured Carrier Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

March 21, 2013 by Larisha Campbell 59 Comments

It’s Day 21 of Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network’s Strolling Into Spring Event
and we are babywearing in our Catbird Baby soft structured carrier today.

About the company: Beth started Catbird Baby in 2004 after making a mei tai for a trip she was taking. After it worked so well, she started making more and people were dying to buy them from her. So, the business was born. You might be wondering (like I was) why in the world she would name her company Catbird Baby. Well, in the early 20th century there was an expression “sitting in the catbird seat” which meant to be in an advantageous position. Beth thought it was the perfect description for a baby who can see the world while being close to Mom or Dad. After selling mei tais, Catbird Baby now includes the pikkolo soft-structured carrier, the original wide-base carrier weather cover, and a patent-pending babywearing support belt. There mission always has remained the same: create beautiful, functional, and modern products that make babywearing and parenting easier for you.

I was lucky to be able to team up with Catbird Baby and review their stylish Pikkolo soft structured carrier!

I have been babywearing since baby girl was a week old, but I was using wraps. After receiving my Catbird baby carrier, I quickly realized I had been missing out on the soft-structured goodness.

They don’t have a ton of patterns available but the ones they do are beautiful. I received the Annika print and I am in love with it. I love that it’s girly enough for my princess, but that if I have a boy in the future it is still a great gender neutral print as well.

I love this carrier for so many reasons. It’s trim but feels great while I wear the baby. The waist buckle provides good support (If I ever felt like I needed more Catbird makes support belts for their carriers). The shoulder straps are comfortable. I do prefer the straps straight back with the chest clip attached in the back over the criss-cross method, but I think that’s only because of my small frame having to tighten the straps so much so I’m comfortable baby girl isn’t going anywhere.

All of the straps have easy to use loops that secure them in place one rolled up so you aren’t dealing with straps dangling all over the place while walking around.

I love that this carrier features a ladderlock buckle at the bottom that allows you to actually adjust the width of the carrier depending on your size. I haven’t seen this on other carriers, but it’s an amazing feature that all carriers need. It’s great that no matter who wears her in this carrier, everyone is comfy!

I love that there is a hood, so if the baby falls asleep or I need to nurse her, I can cover her up so we are uninterrupted. Yup, you read that right, I can nurse her in it without taking her out. Awesome, right!? The hood’s straps easily fit into little side loops. You can decide which loops to put the strap in depending on your child’s size. It then easily folds back into the carrier to be out of sight while you don’t need to use it.

We haven’t been able to back carry because baby girl is still too small right now, but I am sure that it will be just as convenient as our front carry is once we are ready. Look how convenient it is for an older child.

Photo courtesy of Catbird Baby

We are so happy with this carrier. She can easily peer over the top of it and look around. She’s always so happy being close to me and I’m happy being confident in the carrier that I’m wearing her in.

BUY IT: Catbird baby offers gender neutral and specific soft structured carriers currently in 7 different plain or design specific patterns. In additional, they also sell mei tais, winter covers, and support belts, all of which can be purchased HERE.

WIN IT: One lucky reader will win their own Pikkolo carrier in their color choice. This giveaway is open US and Canadian readers and will be up until 4/5/2013 at 12:00 am EST.

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Check out all open Strolling Into Spring Giveaways brought to you by

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Baby Roues Letour Stroller Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

March 18, 2013 by Larisha Campbell 125 Comments

It’s Day 18 of Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network’s Strolling Into Spring Event
and we are so excited to stroll into spring in our Baby Roues stroller. The awesome stroller has a bassinet feature, as well as the usual stroller feature you are used to seeing.

About the company: Baby Roues has over 30 years of experience manufacturing baby strollers, always looking for the newest innovations to meet customers needs. They are dedicated to coming out with technological advances for both mom and baby’s comfort.

I teamed up with Baby Roues to review their “Letour” stroller! This is a top of the line luxury stroller that features an infant-to-toddler Bassinet and Stroller System at just $550. Weighing only 20 pounds, it’s lightweight, as well as easy to maneuver. It’s luxury strolling at an affordable price.

Some of the amazing selling points include:

-Stroller folds with seat attached

-Separate frames for bassinet and stroller

-Dual-facing easily interchangeable bassinet and stroller

-Bassinet suitable from birth to 6 months

-Stroller suitable from 6 months to 40lbs

-Large basket for all baby’s essentials

-Convenient pouch for bottles and diapers

-Bassinet includes highest quality mattress

-Fitted and contoured bassinet and stroller rain cover

-4 position adjustable stroller recline

-3 position handle height

-10.5″ and 6.5″ rear and front PEVA wheels for comfort and smooth wheeling of baby

-5 point stroller safety harness

-1 year Manufacturer Warrant for defects and free spare parts for life of stroller

Now, I know that you are already convinced this is the stroller for you, but keep reading so you can see first hand exactly how great it is.

It has a sleek and simple design with amazing craftsmanship and so much attention to detail. Baby girl is getting older now and she loves sitting up and looking around. The material is soft, durable, and can easily be wiped clean.

Doesn’t she look comfy?

It starts with a sturdy aluminum frame. The large basket underneath is guaranteed to fit almost anything. My large diaper bag, stuffed with everything imaginable, fit easily inside without any problems at all. There is an easy to use kick stand on the back to apply the breaks, as well as a brake on each of the front two tires, making you feel secure that it won’t go anywhere if you need to step away for a second. The large back wheels make going over bumpy surfaces a smooth ride and I didn’t have trouble in grass or dirt surfaces either.

There is an incredible clear cover that encloses the entire bassinet or stroller so if it’s raining (or snowing in our case right now), I can still go out and not worry about the baby being exposed to the weather. There is an opening on one side wish a mesh covering to allow air to flow through if needed.

The handle bar can adjust 3 different ways. You are guaranteed to find a fit that is comfortable for anyone. With just a push of a button you can adjust it to the setting that is desired by whoever is pushing around your precious cargo.

Opening and closing the stroller or bassinet feature is a breeze. The Letour features a folding mechanism that allows for the stroller or bassinet to still be attached while folding down making it convenient and hassle free. The front wheels turn in on their own and lock into place under the stroller. On the side of the stroller is a locking feature that ensures it stays locked while you need to move it. While I didn’t try to get it into my car while the bassinet was still attached, it easily fit in the car while the stroller portion was attached.

The features are easy to exchange. To remove the bassinet or put the stroller on, you simply push the two square buttons forward (left picture) and pull up. To put a new piece on you just attach until you hear it click. It takes less than 30 seconds. To incline or recline the bassinet or stroller you push the two round buttons on each side (right picture) and move to the desired location. It’s amazingly simple.

Both the bassinet and the stroller have dual-facing capability. It is easy to switch back and forth with just the click of the buttons on the side. This is one of my favorite features. Whether using the stroller or bassinet, I can let her face towards me or away. I have never seen this on any other stroller, but it’s definitely one of the most innovative stroller functions I’ve ever seen.

The handlebar easily attaches and detaches as well. I was even able to hook baby girl’s toys on it which allowed her to have something to look at.

The bassinet can be completely flat on inclined. The stroller features 4 different positions and you can see each one here. This is my second favorite feature and again I’m not really sure why I haven’t seen this genius idea before. Some babies (mine included) don’t like to be completely flat, but by slightly inclining her position, she was much happier. I love that the stroller portion also has this feature but you can completely recline the stroller while your child is sleeping to let them relax more easily.

The bassinet has a TON of room. Baby girl isn’t that big, but she has so much room to grow. There’s a cushioned mattress pad that goes down, making it soft and comfy. A cover zippers on to keep baby warm and protected, but can easily be unzipped and folded up with the straps that hold it in place attached to either side.

The canopy comes further down than I’ve seen before, which I love because it creates a dark environment while she sleeps, and keeps unwanted people from peeping in as well. The foot rest is large enough for a small baby, yet easy to see that even a toddler would have no problem having plenty of room here. The canopy unzips to not only have a great view of the baby, but also keeps bugs away. I love how much you can see with this opening, unlike our other stroller that you just get a glimpse inside a small square.

The back of the stroller features a great pocket to store a bottle (if you use one) or even a bottled beverage for mom (or dad) on one side and the other side is great to add a diaper and wipes, or just simply throw in your keys/wallet. (stock image used below)

The stroller portion is designed to be used for babies 6 months and up and with baby girl only being 3 1/2 months old you can see even at the tightest setting that it’s still pretty loose on her at this point. I really do wish the straps would be a little tighter so she could use the stroller function and be secure earlier than 6 months.

This stroller is definitely unique, has a ton of amazing features, is easy to use, and has innovative ideas that should be industry standard.

What can be improved upon:

Nothing I say here is going to deter you from buying this stroller, but there are some things, I think, would make this an even better stroller than I already think it is. The system came in a ton of different pieces. With the ease of the folding up this stroller, I definitely think it could be pre-assembled. Andrew put it together (like he does with everything) and it actually took him a good amount of time. Besides all the pieces, the instruction manual didn’t explain how to put it together everything together. For example, it explained how to put the material on the bassinet and the seat; however, you can see below that’s already done when you remove it from the box, yet it didn’t tell you how to put the canopy on or how to zip on the cover to the bassinet.

I wish that the stroller could be used when she was under 6 months. She doesn’t always like laying flat on her back anymore and even though the bassinet can be an an incline, she seems so much happier when she is sitting up. I also think the stroller harness could use a chest clip. This just always makes me feel that baby girl is more secure. You also have to have room to store whichever part (stroller or bassinet) that you aren’t using at the time. You can remove all of the fabric and break it down though, so it doesn’t take up much room.

Regardless of the minor details described above, you won’t receive a better luxury stroller with the innovative technology that Baby Roues has come up with in making this grand stroller. You also can’t beat the price if you are wanting the pure luxury that they offer. The Letour comes in 6 gender neutral or gender specific colors that include, black, gray, beige, red, pink, and blue.

BUY IT: The Letour that I reviewed is $550 or your can get the LeTour Lux which features leather canopy for $599. You can view all the amazing features to learn more or both can be purchased HERE.

WIN IT: One VERY LUCKY reader will win their own letour stroller in their color choice. It will be open until 3/29/13 at 12:00am EST. This giveaway is open to US residents only.

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Check out all open Strolling Into Spring Giveaways brought to you by

The Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network by clicking on the button below!

Onya Baby Soft Structured Carrier Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

March 16, 2013 by Larisha Campbell 49 Comments

It’s Day 16 of Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network’s Strolling Into Spring Event and we are babywearing with Onya Baby Carriers. The perfect way to take a stroll on a nice spring day!

About the company: Onya Baby believes that baby carriers are essential parenting tools that allow a parent to continue living life while including their baby in their daily activities. It is a small, family-owned company that believes in children who are give physical closeness grow up to become happy adults. Onya Baby was born when a mother (Diana) wanted to reduce the number of items she had to lug around with her and decide to simply her life by creating a baby carrier and travel seat in one.

Onya Baby currently makes 2 carriers, the Outback and the Cruiser, both of which are soft-structured carriers. The Outback is a water-resistant carrier with air-mesh lining that make outdoor weather or hiking comfortable for you and baby. I received the Cruiser to review and all it’s amazing features are listed below!

My goal in life is to make it easier. I love products that are multi-functional, so when I first learned about Onya Baby I was pretty excited. I have just recently started using soft-structured carriers, but had never seen one like this. There was a lot of thought process that has gone into making this a very unique carrier.

Like mentioned above, I received the Cruiser to review. This soft-structured carrier is made from 100% brushed cotton, machine washable, and safety-tested up to 75 pounds (WOW!).

I take a lot of walks, sometimes more than 2 hours. As our daughter is getting older she is awake a lot more lately, so I am in love that Onya Baby put built in hooks to attach toys too. There is a hook on both sides of the carrier and they truly are life saving.

There are also multiple pockets on the carrier. The top picture shows a zippered pocket that can be accessed from either the left or right side of the carrier and the bottom picture shows another zippered pocket that can is on the very front of the carrier. Some carriers don’t have any pockets, so the fact that Onya Baby has 2 is amazing. There is plenty of room whether you need to put snacks, a small wallet, chapstick…you get the point…it all fits nicely inside. There’s so much room, the only downside is that you will be tempted to weigh yourself down you can fit so much inside.

Each strap has a stretch loop that fits nicely around it so you don’t have straps dangling all over the place. To tighten and loosen the straps is very easy, though I will say that sometimes it’s too easy. The straps have a silky feeling so sometimes when I try to loosen just a bit so I can nurse the baby in it, it loosens way more than needed. But it tightens up easily, so it’s not much to worry about.

The straps and supportive waist belt are soft, thick, and comfortable. I have never had a problem with these straps digging into my armpits and the waist belt provides extra support that helps with my ongoing lower back problems.

There is a great hood tucked inside the carrier that helps cover baby while sleeping or nursing (or to keep unwanted strangers away!) It easily tucks inside and when you need it out there are a few different snaps options depending on your child’s size. It was difficult for me at first to try to snap on it, but once I got the hang of it, it became much easier.

Now where Onya Baby completely blows the rest of baby carrier companies out of the water is that they have an integrated seat inside of their carrier. So no matter where you are, whether the establishment has a high chair or not, you have a seat built right into your carrier. it easily tucks into the bottom of the carrier and while having this does bulk out of front of the carrier more than other, it doesn’t compromise the comfort of the carrier.

Unfortunately, our little girl is still too small to use the seat portion of the carrier, but look how amazing it is!
Onya Baby’s chair is currently patent-pending and equipped with a safety strap.

Photo credit to Onya Baby

Baby girl is also still too little to do back carries on any carrier, but fortunately for any mom, including us when we are ready, Onya Baby provides amazing video tutorials on their site that shows you how to use the carrier.

I love how comfy she looks inside while sleeping and how comfortable it is for me to wear her close while she needs some extra loving so I can get work done. There is extra neck support as well which is a great feature for me.

It currently comes in Dove (gray/chocolate color) and Leaf (green/light brown). I do wish it was available in more colors, however, I actually love the gender neutral print that we did receive. Andrew actually said it’s his favorite that he has seen and would love wearing this one out.

BUY IT: You can purchase the Cruiser that I reviewed or their Outback version for $149.00 HERE.

WIN IT: One lucky winner will WIN their own Onya Baby Cruiser carrier in their color choice. Just enter the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway will be up until 3/31/13 at 12:00am EST. This giveaway is open to US & Canada (Canadian winner must pay shipping)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out all open Strolling Into Spring Giveaways brought to you by

The Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network by clicking on the button below!

City Grips Stroller Handlebar Covers Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

March 14, 2013 by Larisha Campbell 19 Comments

It’s Day 14 of Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network’s Strolling Into Spring Event and we are helping to get the germs away while you are strolling with your little one(s) with today’s sponsor CityGrips.

About the company: CityGrips began out of necessity. Grossed out on a hot summer day by the sticky germ infested stroller handlebar, the founder came up with the idea for a cover that is soft, durable, washable, and stylish. CityGrips has a worldwide patent, award winning design, and offers 100% satisfaction guarantee so you have nothing to loose if you don’t like them.

As I have mentioned in other posts, since our baby girl was born, I have become quite the “germ-a-phobe”. I just want to keep her safe and I love new ideas that make sure that’s possible.

CityGrips stroller handlebar covers do just that.

I received the Single handlebar “Polk a Dot” pattern grips. They come in a pack with two separate grips so you can adjust them to wear you usually keep your hands while pushing your stroller. They easily Velcro apart and literally grip onto the surface to create a secure hold. They are stylish and look great on my stroller. They have a nice cushion to them so it feels better than my normal stroller handlebar as well (you can never have too much comfort right?)

I have been walking with some local moms at least once, if not a few times a week lately, and sometimes when I’m pushing the stroller, my hands began to sweat. I know this is only going to get worse as it starts getting hotter outside. It always grosses me out knowing that I can’t take the stroller bar off to wash it, and I don’t feel like anything I do really gets it completely clean. However, with CityGrips I can quickly remove them and throw them in the washing machine and dryer and then have a completely clean place to put my hands on again.

They also easily attach to our car seat which is awesome. Just like I don’t like germs while I’m walking, I love that I can carry her car seat back and forth and then just throw these covers in the washing machine and they are clean again. Since we have a travel system, it’s a breeze to just pop them off our car seat and put them on the stroller and vice versa.

Whether you too are grossed out by how dirty handlebars can get, want a way to tell your stroller apart at mommy’s day out get togethers, or want to make sure your handlebar is protected from wear and tear to make it easier to sell (or give away) later, then CityGrips are for you.

Buy It: You can purchase CityGrips for just $12.95 in double or single handbar styles and from 14 different colors and patterns HERE.

Win It: One lucky reader will win their own pair of CityGrips. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US & Canada residents and will be up until 3/29/13 at 12:00am EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out all open Strolling Into Spring Giveaways brought to you by

The Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network by clicking on the button below!

Eddie Bauer Trail Hike 3-Wheel Travel System Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

March 8, 2013 by Larisha Campbell 60 Comments

Travel systems (that include both a car seat and a stroller) are one of the first things new parents register for on their list of needs. Let’s face it…you NEED it. You NEED a car seat without a question, so it’s easier to bundle them together and knock two things out at once. It’s not only more cost effective, but it eases a parents mind that they got two “bigger items” knocked off from their list. You also want the Best travel system for your baby. Well… look no farther, I have your solution.

I received the Eddie Bauer Trail Hiker 3-Wheel System for review and I’m super excited about it. As many of you know, we just had our first daughter in November. I have wanted a travel system for both of our vehicles, so I didn’t have to worry about switching them out, but I have been severely procrastinating so this came just in the knick of time.

I’m not going to lie, when the box arrived, I did a little dance. I was so excited. The box was large, but it wasn’t too large. It would fit easily in most vehicles (no, sorry, you’re not getting this in a Smartcar).

Enough about that, let’s get down to the “nitty gritty” of what you really want to know.

A little about the overall quality of both the stroller and the car seat. The material is super durable, machine washable, but at the same time, it’s still very soft. Additionally, everything is super easy to use and handle. With another travel system that I currently own, I have a difficult time unlatching things, but this was a breeze compared to that.

First, the car seat. It alone has a TON of great features. It has a nice weight to it, but it’s not super heavy at the same time. The handle is adjustable and locks into place to secure. The base has a nice weight to it, which makes me feel like my daughter will be very safe. The canopy easily comes up and pushes back down, making sure to cover a large portion of the baby.

The canopy itself has Velcro and attaches to the back of the seat. I love this because you never have to worry about it pushing down or coming off. The seat has easy to push gray buttons on either side of the seat to make moving the handle bar super easy. There is a level indicator on the side that is easy to read, so you make sure depending on your child’s weight they are properly secure. This makes it easy for parents, and in my opinion, eases a parent’s mind as well. There are a total of FOUR shoulder adjustments depending on the baby’s height.

There is an awesome lever on the back of the car seat to remove it from either the base or the stroller. It’s so easy to use and never sticks. To adjust the straps, there is a silver button located right under the material where her legs end. Can I just say that I’m insanely happy about this feature! I know that might sound weird, but I love when things are easy and make sense and this feature does both. With many car seats you have to adjust so many different things at the front, then the back, move things back and forth just hoping that it’s not to tight or too loose. Not anymore. You just push the button down and adjust. It’s awesome. Underneath the car seat there are little clasps that secure the informational booklet which is great because you never have to worry about loosing it, but also because it’s always with you. It’s annoying to need to know how to do something and not only not have the manual with you, but not even know where it is buried at inside your house. The base to the car seat also has a storage bin for the extra straps so they aren’t in the way.

I’ll wrap up the car seat portion by saying I LOVE how extended the length of it is. With the car seat we currently have, baby girl’s feet are already at the edge. You can see here that she clearly has a few more inches to grow in this one before she reaches that point which is awesome to me.

The stroller came in a few pieces. Like everything that comes into our home needing assembly, I asked Andrew to put it together. He said it was super easy. Snap a few things here and then and it’s ready to go. It took him less than 5 minutes to do from the time he took it out of the box until it was ready to go out on the town.

Just like the car seat, it has a TON of great features all on its on. It has nice big wheels with a locking mechanism not just on the back two wheels, but also on the front wheel as well. The foot rest actually extends down to the top of the wheel which I love because as our baby grows it will keep her legs from not dangling and I don’t have to worry about them getting caught up under the stroller. There are 3 strap adjustments to grow with your baby. The cup and snack holder are very deep.

The stroller is easy to take down with just a quick slide and push of the button. I can do it with just one hand. There is a great covered tray for the parent to hold a snack and also has a small slot cut out so wires don’t get cut off. There is an easy push together clip system on the back of the stroller seat to adjust to sitting straight up or reclined back for a nap. The stroller basket is a nice size as well.

The car seat easily fits into the stroller and creates a deep seat. The canopy from both the car seat and stroller come up nicely to meet and protect the baby from the weather (or just pesky strangers).

Out of the tons of amazing features described above, there are a few improvements I think could be made. When the stroller is completely folded up the child’s snack tray hangs over. While it does just snap off and can easily be put right back in, I wish there was a way for it to just bend down without having to remove it.

I also wish there was a chest clip to go across the baby. She fits great inside the stroller at just 3 months old, but I would feel more comfortable if there was a clip across her chest. Lastly, when you adjust the straps on the stroller, it just hangs there. This isn’t a big deal, but I just don’t want the baby grabbing and chewing on the strap. It would be nice to be able to roll it up and clip it so baby would be less likely to chew it.

None of these are deal breakers and don’t take away from the amazing features that I do love about this system.

This is an outstanding travel system that any parent would be lucky to own.

I love the durability, easiness of use, quality of the entire system, and the amazing attention to detail that Eddie Bauer has put into this system.

It comes in red, blue, or gray and is available exclusively at Target for just $249.99.

What are you waiting for? Order today.

Overall Specs:
Stroller

3-wheel design for superior maneuverability
Adjustable handle
Parent Assist tray with two cup holders and covered storage
Child tray with cup holder
Multi-position seat recline
Large storage basket
2-section adjustable canopy
5-point harness
One hand fold and stand
Accommodates child up to 50 pounds

Infant Car Seat

Rear-facing: 4-35 pounds and up to 32″
Side Impact Protection
Removable infant head support
Adjustable, stay-in-car base
QuickClick™ attaches car seat to stroller with one click: no extra parts required
Easy-to-read level indicator for quick and simple installation
LATCH equipped
Meets or exceeds Federal Safety Standards

Assembled Product Dimensions (L x W x H in Inches): 37.3 x 25.0 x 38.5
Airplane Ready: Yes
Fashion: Cardinal
Rear-facing Weight Range: 4-35 lbs
Rear-facing Height Range: Up to 32″
Side Impact Protection: Yes
Center Front Adjust Harness: Yes
Adjustable Base: Yes
LATCH Equipped: Yes
5-Point Harness: Yes
Recline: Yes
Child Tray: Yes
Parent Assist Tray: Yes
Storage Basket: Yes
Canopy: Yes
Weight Limit (pounds): 50.0
Carton Weight (lbs): 40.6
Carton Dimensions (L x W x H in Inches): 18.1 x 22.4 x 34.7

Isn’t she just adorable in it? We love this travel system! Go get yours now!!

Eddie Bauer is generously offering One VERY lucky reader the opportunity to

WIN this entire travel system and get their choice of red, blue, or gray color!

Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway will be up until 3/23/13 at 12:00am EST.

This giveaway is open to US residents only.

GOOD LUCK!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out all open Strolling Into Spring Giveaways brought to you by

The Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network by clicking on the button below!

CatBird Baby Soft Structured Carrier Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

Baby Roues Letour Stroller Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

Onya Baby Soft Structured Carrier Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

City Grips Stroller Handlebar Covers Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

Eddie Bauer Trail Hike 3-Wheel Travel System Review & Giveaway #strollingintospring

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