WishGift concept meets the Dodge Dart

Personally, I LOVE the idea of contributing towards an item that is truly desired. Life is expensive and busy so when I can give the perfect gift by simply contributing an amount of my choice, I'm grateful and appreciative.

If you were asked to contribute towards a high-ticket item, would you:
	Be happy to do so
	Be insulted
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KidKraft Magestic Mansion Post-Play Product Review

Average Price in Canada: $215.00

We once lost my daughter!  She was 3 1/2 years old, we are at a birthday party, all the kids were playing outside and she was gone!! We couldn't find her in the group of kids and she wasn't with the adults.  (Obviously, this wasn't the panicky lost-my-child scenario and we found her easily by checking indoors).  There she was; quietly sitting in her friend's room completely enamoured by her friend's dollhouse.  Just watching by the doorway as she played, I knew that WishGifting a dollhouse for her fourth birthday would be the perfect gift!

We chose to WishGift the Majectic Mansion Playhouse by KidKraft due to its high review ratings, wood furniture and because it was available at Costco.ca at a competitive rate that included free shipping.

Assembly:

My husband, who is super handy and patient, assembled the dollhouse and his feedback was:

- Took about 4-5 hours
     -approximately 1 hour to sort all 46 pieces and 136 hardware pieces.
     -approximately 1 hour to figure out the structure and organize the structure.
     -approximately 2.5 hours to build.
- All pieces fit together easily and everything lined up


When Done:
- The dollhouse measures close to 4 ft. tall.
- The house is super solid, sturdy and beautifully decorated
- The moving doors and elevator work perfectly and are easy to move.
- Looks adorable when the solid wood furniture is placed.



Assembly Instructions:

KidCraft Majestic Mansion Dollhouse

KidKraft Customer Service:

Two furniture pieces came broken in the box; the bathtub was cracked and the chandelier was missing an arm.  I sent an email message to KidKraft customer service and they immediately sent the replacement pieces.  Customer service was courteous, efficient and hassle-free.

Post-Play Review:

Aliah has had her dollhouse for 9 months.  It has held up perfectly and has absolutely no signs of wear or damage.  The elevator still goes up and down smoothly and none of the furniture is chipped or broken.  This is quite surprising since the furniture pieces have been dropped and thrown lots by my 2- year-old son.  She still loves the house and plays with it often, especially when friends come over.

Complimentary Add-ons:

-The best part about the Majestic Mansion Dollhouse was its compatibility with Barbie and other toy dolls.  Barbie easily fits and can be maneuvered around the house.   Although she fits in the elevator she is too big to lie down on the bed or fit in the bathtub.  Regardless, other smaller dolls fit perfectly and it doesn't affect playtime.

Final Thoughts:

- This dollhouse is incredible and has everything!
- My daughter LOVES the Majestic Mansion Dollhouse and often plays with it.
- It takes patience and time to build.
- It's quite large so make sure you have the space.
- It's compatible with most toy dolls (so all those toy dolls in your daughter's future, WILL be played with).
- High quality structure and furniture. After 9 months of play, the dollhouse and furniture still look brand new!

**All content of this review is solely my own. My opinion, my experiences and my thoughts.  All about being honest to help you choose the right product.

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A Broadway Camp Birthday

"Where has the time gone?" is the classic statement made when a child's birthday rolls around and this week I can't believe that a special little girl is turning six-years-old.  She's not my daughter, nor my niece but is the first baby I ever held, fed or babysat!  She's a beautiful, intelligent, mature and extremely animated child!

So...what do you get for a child who's over dolls, dress-up and most of the toys in her playroom??

Luckily, her mom thought of "us" (those racking their brains for gift-ideas) and registered the MOST perfect gift and experience for this little drama queen.  The specialized 10 day Broadway Camp focuses on dance, theater, vocals and art.  Although the program comes with a hefty price tag, group-gifting makes it an affordable, sure-to-be loved gift and I'm just hoping to get her reaction on video!

What's up with camp prices??

I attended city camp for most of my upbringing.  The $400 a summer price tag was an affordable way to keep me occupied, active and safe and has left me with awesome memories.  Obviously I didn't think camp prices were the same and was anticipating a higher cost but was shocked to hear that the average price of city camp (with extended day) was $1700...for 1 child!!  Would love to hear how parents of 2+ children afford that??

2013 Swingset Presale + 20% off from Toys R Us Canada

An awesome WishGift is a truly desired gift but with a price tag that makes it impossible for one person to get on their own.  The #1 registered WishGift for kids has been the SwingSet and it's not hard to see why.

Whether it's cause we want to encourage outdoor active play or want them out of our hair, a swingset gets kids active and outside.  It keeps them busy for long periods of time and wears them out...double positive!  The major downfall is that the cost of a swingset is equivalent to a monthly mortgage payment and makes affording one difficult for the average household.

A great sign that Spring is on its way is the release of the new 2013 swingset models.  For the month of February, you can pre-order and receive 20% off all wooden swingsets $799.99 and up from ToysRUs Canada.

Although swingsets are available year round from various stores, taking advantage of the Swingset promo coupled with a registered WishGift for your child's birthday is the easiest, most convenient and most affordable way to get one for your home.

Steps:

1- Find your favourite swingset
2- Register it for FREE on WishGift.ca
3- Invite guests to contribute towards it (in lieu of a wrapped gift)
4- Use the funds received to buy the swingset

Happy Shopping!!

http://www.toysrus.ca/

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Melissa and Doug Wooden Workbench: Post-Play Product Review

Average Price in Canada: $115.00

My two-year-old son is a real man's man!  He loves his trucks, climbing on furniture and eating!!  He also loves his daddy's tools so choosing to WishGift a play workbench and tools for this 2nd birthday was an easy decision.

There are many pretend play workbenches for kids on the market.  Choices include companies such as Little Tikes, Step2, Black and Decker, Home Depot and many others.  Our decision to go with the Melissa & Doug model was due to its high review ratings and because it's made out of natural wood.

Since there are already so many blog reviews on the product, this blog will focus on the post-play handling of the workbench against my not-so-delicate tot.

Assembly:

My hubby assembled the set and his feedback was:

- Took about 1 hour
- All 20 pieces were clearly labelled
- All pieces fit together easily
- Everything lined up

**Hubby is very handy!  Has a room full of tools, knows how to use them and can build and renovate himself.  Probably would have taken me double the amount of time. **

When Done:
- Structure was super solid (no shaking, wobbling or creaking).
- Will definitely stand-up to a rough housing tot with little chance of breaking or toppling over.


Assembly Instructions:
002369 Workbench Assembly Instructions 20121128

 

2-Month Post-Play Review:

Scott's been enjoying the Workbench for over 2 months and it's still his go-to toy in our playroom!  His favourite tools are the saw and hammer...most likely cause of the sounds they make.  He loves the vice and sawing the guide.  He equally loves hammering the pegs (or anything else that's within his range).

Minor Downfalls: 

-Although a solid wood structure, the Workbench and pieces dent fairly easily.  There are marks on the table top, on all the pegs and guide.  Although we have no intention of keeping it looking new, the set is constructed from pine (a soft lumbar) and looks worn fairly easily (NO splinters though :)





 

Wooden Model Instruction Booklet:

- At two-years-old, my son is too young to take advantage of the awesome building guide included however, the manual has awesome projects designed for older toddlers.

Complimentary Add-ons:

- Although my son keeps busy with the nuts and bolts, hammer, saw, screw driver and wrench, all the tools in the Wooden Project Workbench is natural coloured with red handles...kinda boring.  When he received the  Melissa & Doug Take-Along Tool Kit, he was definitely taken with the bright, attractive colours of the kit.  It's a great addition to the Workbench, is completely compatible and has vibrant colours that is definitely appealing to toddlers.

Final Thoughts:

- Scott loves the Wooden Workbench and often plays with it.
- Hubby loves how simple it was to assemble.
- I love that the bench is solid and can with-handle my son's roughness.

- Could be improved by having more colourful tools
- Dents easily

Price Range and Where to Buy

Charitable WishGifts

This is the season of giving and celebrating.  Many people embrace it with the exchange of gifts to uplift and put smiles on people's faces.  During this joyful time, we must also remember that there are many worthy causes and contributing to a favoured cause is a great alternative to receiving traditional gifts.  

I continually hear about ways people are helping in and around their community this season.  Whether it be a food or toy drive, collecting and donating old clothes and toys, or organizing the assembly of gift baskets for the needy, there are many ways everyone can come together during the holidays.  

One of the simplest and easiest ways to help out is by choosing a charity or fund to contribute towards. 

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Starlight Children's Foundation :

 

 

Information about the fund: 

"Starlight programs are designed to create laughter, fun memories and a welcome distraction at a time when seriously ill children and their families need it most. Your support will fund in hospital fun (toy filled rooms and gaming centers) and out-of-hospital escapes (family fun events and adventures)."

Ways to contribute:

http://www.starlightcanada.org/ways-to-give/

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Food Banks Canada :

Information about the fund:

"Food Banks Canada is the national charitable organization representing and supporting the food bank community across Canada." Their membership and their respective agencies serve approximately 85% of people accessing essential food 

programs nationwide.

  

Ways to help:

http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/Get-Involved

Ways to contribute: 

1 - Individuals: www.foodbankscanada.ca/Get-Involved/Individuals
2 - Corporations: www.foodbankscanada.ca/Get-Involved/Corporations
3- Text HUNGER to 30333, and your $5 donation will be added to your next mobile phone bill.

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Canadian Cancer Society :

 Information about the fund:

A national, community-based organization of volunteers, whose "mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer."  

Ways to help:

http://www.cancer.ca/Canada-wide

Ways to contribute:

http://www.cancer.ca/Canada-wide/donation

 

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Sandy Hook Elementary School :

The events that took place on December 14th 2012 in a small town in Connecticut has definitely left it's mark.  The shock and disbelief has hit a global scale and stories of it's littlest victims and educational heroes continues to make waves.   For those looking to reach out and help, there have been several funds created to help the Sandy Hook Elementary victims' families.

The Emilie Parker Fund:

Information about the fund:

"The funds will go to support Robbie and Alissa, in taking time off work to be with family, any medical expenses, in flying to Utah to arrange and plan a funeral. Thank you to everyone for this outpouring of love. Your kind words and prayers are so needed and appreciated."
https://www.facebook.com/EmilieParkerFund

 

 

Ways to contribute:

1 - Use the email " brookeprothero@yahoo.com " when setting up a WishGift and all donations will be directly deposited in their account.

2 - Check donations may be mailed to:

Sandy Hook School Support Fund
c/o Newtown Savings Bank
39 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470

You can find more information and donate using cards at:
https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/

Friends of the Engel Family Fund: 

"Thank you to everyone that has liked this page and donated to the fund. In the immediate term, this fund will help the family cover Olivia's final expenses, as well as allow the family to take the time to grieve and love each other. 100% of all donations will go straight to the family to help them in their darkest hour."

Information about the fund:

https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfTheEngelFamilyFund

Ways to contribute: 

https://www.paypal.com/OliviaEngelFund

The Sandy Hook School Support Fund:

The Sandy Hook School Support Fund, set up by the United Way of Western Connecticut, will provide support services to families and the community. All donations to this fund will go directly to those affected: 

 

Information about the fund and ways to contribute:

https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/ 

Know of a great organization 

dedicated to helping others? 

 Share it with us in the comments below.

  

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Holiday WishGift

 

I don't have decades of parenting experience but I've been a mom long enough to know what happens at holiday time (or birthdays).  My children get showered with toys or books from family members and close friends!   One year it was Mega Blocks (or cars) for my son and Barbies (or princesses) for my daughter.  Although all given with the best intention, the toy and book collection is out of control.  I'm lucky enough that my relatives and close friends understand that WishGift was founded to make things easier for all involved in the gifting process. For them, it eliminates knowing, searching and buying a gift. For us, it eliminates toy overload and wasted money from kids losing interest and never picking up the gift.  

This year, I decided to make holiday shopping simple and WishGift'ed a LeapPad 2 for my daughter and son.  I initially hadn't planned on registering a gift for the holidays since we've been WishGift'ing for their past birthdays.  The plan was to let the gift-giving run wild!

But when my mom let me know that she purchased a Barbie for my daughter, I thought "uh-oh"!  It's not that my daughter and I dislike Barbie, it's that she has 15 dolls and I'm already cycling them to keep the excitement going of playing with a "new" doll.  

Then came the gift idea questions from my relatives and I really didn't know what to answer.  Since I'm extremely sensitive to family and friends spending money and my children NOT playing with the item,  registering the LeapPad2 really helps solve my problem.  For my relatives, they don't have to decide and shop for a gift and I feel great knowing that they're putting money towards something the kids won't get enough of!

Can't wait for this gift under the tree to be unwrapped!

** Shipped to my house, wrapped and ready thanks to www.mastermindtoys.com (obviously quicker than I am given my bare tree)!  Can't wait for them to explore the LeapPad 2 :)

What's the best gift your kids ever received?

  

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