US Japan Fam

Family Fun @ Wild West City in NJ

7/26/2021

Looking for a great kid-friendly getaway from NYC? What about traveling back in time!? Then you've gotta check out Wild West City in NJ where we went yesterday for the first time, just under an hour and a half drive from up here in Hudson Valley. For the full experience and all the details, check out our fun highlights reel here:

At Wild West City you are transported back in time to the 1800's Wild West! With live action every 15 minutes on the Main Street - we're talking shootouts (with powder blanks, don't worry - no danger here!!), cowboy horse riding competitions, stagecoach holdups with audience participation, can can dancers and more!)

The Main Street also acts as a living history museum where you can go into each building and explore - bank, jail, saloon, saddle shop, post office, barber shop, one room school house, chapel, and more!

There are a few dining options, including the Golden Nugget (with the usual fast food i.e. not historically accurate LOL, great live music, and booze options for the adults), a confectionary with cotton candy, ice cream and sno-cones, and a pizza parlor (they only space with AC).

Seeing animals in the barn and panning for gold are also included in the admission fee. Fun extras include $6/person stagecoach ride, $5/person train ride, $5/person mini golf, $5/person pony rides, and more.

We honestly had such a fun time!! They keep it "historically accurate", with words that are not PC in today's world ("Indians" for example), and yes, they do shoot, and kill, and the guns are loud (but fake - firing blanks), so consider if your kids will be ok with this. After gloriously and often hilariously dramatic shootouts and "deaths", the actors jump back up and wave, so your kids will quickly understand it's all just playing, of course you should discuss this before, during, and after to make sure they understand it was acting, and how dangerous real weapons are! Safety first!!

LOCATION: 50 Lackawanna Drive Stanhope, NJ
TICKETS: $29.50 for adults, $24.50 for kids, $22 for seniors.

Visit their website for more details.

For more like this from us, visit:

Our "Best Day Trips & Weekend Getaways from NYC With Kids" roundup
Our "Best of Hudson Valley with Kids" roundup

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Lalaloopsy is Back and So SEW Cute!

7/22/2021

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Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by MGAE but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Who doesn’t love a good come back, am I right? Well, if you’re a fan of cutie patootie dolls and cartoons then this one is for you. After an incredibly successful #BringBackLalaloopsy campaign, Lalaloopsy will be coming back to the shelves with a brand new line of dolls on August 3!!!

If you haven’t heard of Lalaloopsy, let me catch you up quickly so you can jump on board with our excitement! Lalaloopsy are rag dolls who magically come to life when the last stitch is sewn. They’re SEW CUTE, wholesome, and their whimsical world of characters inspire kids to develop their own creativity and imagination!

Their last doll release was back in 2018, and we are SEW excited for our favorite Lalaloopsy characters and a whole batch of new friends to be available at Walmart, Amazon, Target, and other toy retailers in just a couple of weeks!!

The two dolls we received are fully plastic, not fabric as you might expect of a “rag doll”, but it’s a relief for me because they seem incredibly durable (my kiddos get pretty rough with their toys!!)!

US Japan Fam reviews Lalaloopsy - twins love their dolls

With black button eyes, a “stitched on” sweet little smile, a circle of rosie cheeks, simple ragdoll-esque bodies, and fingerless hands - they are not realistic dolls, and they’re not glammed up like many of the dolls out there these days. They’re cute and innocent and help your kids explore their creativity and imagination! Lalaloopsy are truly a refreshing and incredibly unique doll and we’re SEW psyched to welcome them into our family!!

Each doll has a unique personality and look, with pets and accessories to match! Designed for ages 3+, each package includes a reusable house playset, uniquely expressing the personality of each doll. With the box becoming the playset, we’re talking practically zero waste, we LOVE that!!! We did find the house a tad difficult to set up, but it’s part of the fun - you have to read the instructions, fold, insert and build their homes!

I love how each character has a very specific personality and interest, so any child can find one that they can connect with! For example, Storm E. Sky is a punk rocker chick with a cool electric guitar, while Mittens Fluff ’N’ Stuff is into knitting, Dot Starlight is a science buff, and Crumbs Sugar Cookie loves baking!

US Japan Fam reviews Lalaloopsy - Sweetie Candy Ribbon Doll

We got the full sized Sweetie Candy Ribbon, with bright neon pink and orange hair, wearing a matching tutu dress (made of tulle), and an adorable yellow dog with coordinating neon pink and orange ears and bow! Sweetie is too floppy to stand (they’re supposed to be rag dolls, after all) but does sit nicely and I love the way her legs flop around when you carry and play with her! Her house is super bright and exciting, filled with candy decorations of course that’ll have your mouth watering, if you have a sweet tooth that is! There’s even an extra cardboard set that you fold and insert into the side of the house that turns into a cute little doggy door!!

US Japan Fam reviews Lalaloopsy - Sprinkle Spice Cookies Lalaloopsy Littles Doll

We also got the "Littles" smaller sized Sprinkle Spice Cookie. The first thing my kids noticed was the little smudge of chocolate on her cheek! HA! Little details like this are so special, am I right!? She’s got a fabric bib that says “yum” on it, and itty bitty bloomers under her dress. What a cutie!! Her accessory is a cookie, of course, with a bite taken out of it. And her hair, with thick bangs and tiny pigtails, reminds me of my twins when they were toddlers!!!

Both Sweetie and Sprinkle have removable clothes and shoes, which is a fun touch!

US Japan Fam reviews Lalaloopsy - collect all 25 dolls

There will be a total of 25 characters available, both full size and minis, and you can even connect their fences to create Lalaloopsy Land in your own home!!

There are some fun collections as well, such as 3 Silly Hair dolls with, you guessed it, silly hair you can bend and style, 4 Sew Royal Princess Party dolls, and 2 Celebration dolls, each one coming with a pet, of course!

Lalaloopsy’s adorable cartoon premiered in 2017 on Netflix, where you can still stream the original 13 episodes, and they’ll be releasing a new “We’re Lalaloopsy” original series soon! You can also get excited for new goodies over on their YouTube channel, including ”We’re Lalaloopsy” animated shorts (3 minute versions of the Netflix episodes - new every Friday at 1PM), a new “Lalaloopsy Girls” sing-a-long video (embedded below - beware, it's SUPER catchy!), and starting July 24th, the new original show “Lalaloopsy: Let’s Create” with real kids cooking and doing crafts! Over on Amazon Prime & kidoodle.tv you will be able to stream “Lalaloopsy: Band Together” movie!

Sewwwww which doll(s) will you be buying first!?? Let us know in a comment below!!

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How to Waterproof your Phone with CaliCase

6/22/2021

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US Japan Fam reviews CaliCase Waterproof Phone Pouch

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by CaliCase but all thoughts are my own and completely unbiased. In fact, I reached out to them because I was so interested in the product, which is often the case for our reviews. I'm no sell out :) I got you! That said, affiliate links follow - we receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking, cuz ya girl gotta eat!

Remember back in they day, those little single use Kodak underwater cameras?? They still exist, and most of you probably believe to take photos or videos in the water you need that or a $500 GoPro. But what if I told you that you could just use your own cell phone. We pay a lot of money for these phones that have amazing cameras, so why not use them!? But how to protect our phones while at the beach, pool, lake, or waterpark?? I'll tell ya how - CaliCase Waterproof Phone Pouch (it floats, too)!!!

Watch my full unboxing, demo, and review video here and read on for more details:

In a nutshell, I LOVE our CaliCase waterproof phone cases! They're an amazing bang for your buck and allow you to safely use your phone in and around the water - you can make calls, send texts, take photos and video, everything!! I'll go into more detail about the phone by answering some of the burning questions I had going into this, which you probably are wondering about as well:

Are they really waterproof?

Yes. Yes they are!! To 100 feet! They do recommend testing with a paper towel before using with your phone, just to be sure. Also, please do make sure all data is backed up, regularly. You never know when an accident can happen, related to the case or not! This is coming from a girl who has had TWO phones and a camera stolen...

US Japan Fam reviews CaliCase Waterproof Phone Pouch - under water

How's the sound and camera quality?

Far better than I anticipated, quite honestly!!
Audio output is great, mic pickupup is great - both are a tad muffled but not nearly as bad as I thought they'd be. Still perfectly fine for taking phone calls and recording videos with sound. Actually in a windy situation it's probably better than your phone on its own which would probably pick up terrible wind sound more. Also, take care not to hold your phone near the mic or it'll pick up the rubbing sound which is quite irritating.
If you keep it clean, photos and video will be great - same quality as without the case in my experience. I was shocked even going in and out of the water, getting splashed etc, I didn't have water marks or drops of water on my footage. It was fabulous!

Any other standout features?

They come with a neck lanyard that has a safety lock so it won't accidentally come unhooked.
They FLOAT!
Some are glow in the dark.
They're padded to help protect your phone.
There's clear plastic on the front and back so all your cameras work.
The front plastic allows your screen to still be sensitive to your fingers i.e. you can use all the features.

US Japan Fam reviews CaliCase Waterproof Phone Pouch - glow in the dark

Any problems?

I found the water often triggered the record or shoot button, so if I started filming out of the water and then dunked my phone into the pool, it turned itself off, and vice versa coming out of the water. It's frustrating, and if you don't realize, you could end up with zero footage for the day! The hack I found was simply to not go in and out of the water while recording. If I wanted to shoot my kids swimming under water, I'd go underwater with the camera and then hit record. Really not an issue except on the waterslides where you are face down on the mat in the water. I couldn't figure out a way to shoot there cuz the splashing water was endless LOL! I guess a GoPro strapped to your head is the only solution there.
It's a bit hard to access side buttons on the side since there are no indicators for where they are and you can't feel them through the padding. Just know where the key ones are like power, etc.
My photos and videos from the end of the day were super fuzzy. I thought maybe it had fogged up but when I took a closer look at the case, it had a gross film on it... Turns out I got my case super dirty from my sunscreened hands!! Oops!! So take care to make sure your plastic is clear or else your data will not be.

US Japan Fam reviews CaliCase Waterproof Phone Pouch - sunscreen dirt

My takeaway: Get it. Get it today! You can have your phone close by without having to worry about it getting splashed or dunked. You can even throw a credit card in there, which is what we did at the water park so we had everything we needed right on us! The universal size fit my phone (Motorola G Stylus) and my husband's (iPhone 11) only if we took our regular cases off, the extra large size fit them with cases on, which is easier, so I recommend that bigger size.

BUY YOUR CALICASE on CaliCase.com (affiliate link) - use code "japanfam" to get 20% off!!

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SplashDown Beach Water Park - 2021 Review

6/21/2021

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US Japan Fam reviews SplashDown Beach Waterpark in Fishkill NY - 2021 Summer

Disclaimer: We were provided tickets in exchange for sharing our experience, but all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We moved from Brooklyn to Hudson Valley a year ago, but last summer was pretty much a wash for any kind of theme park experiences. Thankfully everything is opened back up now and we are HERE. FOR. IT!!! Yesterday we ventured half an hour up to Fishkill, NY to spend the day at SplashDown Beach Water Park and had the best day everrrrrr!!! Be sure to watch our highlights video here, and read on for details!!

We arrived at 11AM, got our bags checked, tickets scanned, rented our locker for the day (you get a handy wrist band you simply scan to open the locker), and rented our Cabana, which is an extra splurge but I highly recommend it - it was so nice to have a quiet shaded spot to come back to for a break. There's a buzzer so you can easily call your waiter and order food and drinks to be brought to you. You need a special wrist band to enter the private cabana area, so we felt safe leaving our clothes and water bottles and sunblock and other non-valuables there with no worries, just putting wallets and keys in a locker (in another area). We had a cheese pizza delivered for lunch and it was delicious!!!!

US Japan Fam reviews SplashDown Beach Waterpark in Fishkill NY - renting a cabana

Those 48" and above can do all the rides, though 42" and above can do pretty much do everything, sometimes solo and sometimes needing to pair up with an adult. There are some HUGE and terrifying slides (like Humunga Halfpipe and Megalodon), some medium thrill ones (like Bullet Bowl and Arctic Plunge), and some super chill ones safe for babies and babies at heart (like the lazy river, regular pool, and wave pool), and even some areas just for smaller kids.

US Japan Fam reviews SplashDown Beach Waterpark in Fishkill NY - kiddie pool area

One of our 5 year old twins was too scared to do a solo ride at the start of the day, but after doing several rides with a partner she was ready to try again at the end of the day and SUCCESS! She loved it and begged to ride again and again!!! So, my tip, if you have a more nervous kid like her, do parter or group rides first to get their confidence up a bit, and avoid any potential tears and inner conflict!

US Japan Fam reviews SplashDown Beach Waterpark in Fishkill NY - tube water slides and thrill rides

They have complimentary coastguard certified lifejackets available throughout the park - for adults (over 90 pounds), youth (55-88 pounds), child (33-55 pounds), and infant. Our kids can't swim yet so having them wear these helped me feel more reassured.

US Japan Fam reviews SplashDown Beach Waterpark in Fishkill NY - life jackets

I was really impressed with the lifeguards, too. At the pool, you can see them scanning in very strict grid patterns - each line up and down the pool from one side to the other, the perimeter, and back to start - they obviously have very detailed training and when one of my kids had trouble exiting from a water slide at one point that lifeguard did not hesitate to blow her whistle, jump in, and rescue my little one who had been sucked back to the corner by the current (you can see the action in our video). While she luckily hadn't been in any real danger, it was amazing to see how confident the lifeguards are in knowing exactly what to do. So so so important at any water park, and this was the first time I ever got to see their training in action!

US Japan Fam reviews SplashDown Beach Waterpark in Fishkill NY - water slides

They have changing rooms, bathrooms, lots of dining options inside and outside. We left when they closed at 6pm, after a full 7 hours there, and honestly, still hadn't had enough LMAO!!! It is a SUPER FUN day out and I can't recommend it highly enough!!

US Japan Fam reviews SplashDown Beach Waterpark in Fishkill NY - fun in the sun

LOCATION: 16 Old Route 9 W, Fishkill, NY

TICKETS: from $29.99 - $49.99 per day (half day, weekday, weekend/holiday rates vary), infants 2 and under free (but first visit you must purchase their reusable swim diaper cover for $9.99), $129.99 season's pass.

Quick shoutout to some items that made our day in the sun even better:
(affiliate links):

CaliCase floating waterproof phone cases (review coming soon)
UV Skinz UPF 50+ rash guard shirts (my kids always wear, but it was my first time and WOW it was such a relief not to have to worry about my shoulders and chest/back burning!!!)
Contigo Insulated Spill-Proof Water Bottles - kept our water ice cold all day!
ThinkSport SPF50+ Water Resistant Mineral Sunblock - we applied at 11am and 2pm and were in the sun and water for 7 hours. Our twins got a tiny "sunkiss" on their cheeks but no one got burned - this stuff is amazing!

For more NY / NJ area reviews and recommendations, be sure to check out our roundups:

Family-Friendly Day Trips & Weekend Getaways from NYC

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Win at Gifting with oNecklace Personalized Jewelry

5/26/2021

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US Japan Fam's How to Win at Gifting - Personalized Jewelry and Name Necklaces by oNecklace

This post was sponsored by oNecklace but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

When shopping for a gift for a loved one (or yourself), you can't go wrong with something that is both meaningful and beautiful. Look no further than oNecklace, with a wide selection of stunning personalized jewelry and name necklaces!

US Japan Fam reviews oNecklace name necklace and three toned mother's necklace

For Mother's Day a couple of years ago, I gifted myself a name necklace I'd been wanting for a while, oNecklace's Three Tone Ring Engraved Mother Necklace with all 3 of my children's names engraved in it. I love it so much, and my kids love knowing I'm keeping them close to my heart (quite literally) when I wear it! This year I decided to treat myself again, going for their Rose Gold Classic Name Necklace. I think these necklaces look so beautiful, both apart and together!

US Japan Fam reviews oNecklace's Classic Name Necklace

My husband isn't big on jewelry but I wanted to get him something different and equally meaningful for his Father's Day gift this year. By different I mean something other than a handmade card by the kids LOL! Shhh don't tell him, but he's going to be getting this personalized braided leather bracelet. You can customize it with between 1 - 5 names, so I had our three kids' names and mine added to it (in order of age). Isn't it beautiful!? Err... I mean manly! And sexy! Ha!!

US Japan Fam reviews oNecklace's personalized Father's Day Gift - men's braided leather name bracelet

Speaking of Father's Day... it's coming up SOON!! Check out oNecklace's "Men's Collection" for some great ideas!! Some other collections of great personalized jewelry they have are:

oNecklace uses sterling silver with purity levels of up to 92.5% (no nickel), 24 karat gold plating over sterling silver, rose gold, and 14k gold. Additional customizations are available for necklaces with box or rolo chains in lengths of 14 - 22" and spring-ring or lobster clasp. You can even add a gift box & bag and personalized tag at clasp! And last but not least - FREE SHIPPING!

So go on, get shopping! Let me know what you buy!!

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BSHTI Futon Sofa Bed Review - So Easy!

5/25/2021

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US Japan Fam reviews BSHTI Futon Sofa Bed Futon

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by BSHTI but all thoughts and opinions are our own. Affiliate links included below, you won't pay more but we'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.

I grew up with sofa beds that weighed a ton (i.e. difficult and expensive to move) and were a lot of work to convert to bed and back to sofa (i.e. a bunch of cushions to be removed, hauling the heavy metal frame out from within the sofa, etc). The traditional futon sofa can be a simpler option, but generally quite an eye sore. Which is why I'm excited to introduce you to the best of both worlds - the BSHTI Tilden Twin 75" Wide Tight Back Convertible Sofa is a hella sexy couch that converts to a bed just by pulling the back rest forward to unlock and letting it flop down backwards! Literally ZERO EFFORT! Even my 5 year old twins can do it! Can I get a hell yeah!? Watch our unboxing, assembly, and review video here and read on for more details:

Because of how attractive this sofa is (it's modern and sleek - it doesn't look like a traditional futon or sofa bed!), it's a really fabulous piece of furniture for any room you'd like to turn into an occasional guest room (office, nursery, rec room, basement, etc), or anywhere you may take an impromptu nap. I can't think of a better living room sofa for a studio apartment either! Or even to add an additional sleeping option in an AirBNB / VRBO rental home!

Now that we've established how much it rocks, let's get into the details, shall we??

This sofa, coming in navy, dark grey, light grey, or yellow, features a split back meaning you can have both backs up as a sofa, both down as a bed, or allow one guest to sit up and one to lean back or lay down. It has an engineered wood frame, solid wood legs, 4.78" thick foam/polyester mattress, and is upholstered in 100% polyester linen-look fabric. The sofa weighs about 62 pounds, has a weight capacity of 600 pounds, and is 76" long but the mattress part is 67.3" long, so if you're taller than 5'8" you'll have to lay diagonally or sleep a bit curled up.

US Japan Fam reviews BSHTI Futon Sofa Bed - Picture

It comes in two boxes, with everything wrapped up nicely protected. Don't be nervous (as we were at first) when you can't find the arm rests, pillows, feet and hardware - they're zippered up inside the bottom of the sofa (see above right image)!!

We found it fairly easy to assemble, one person assembly is no problem though a second person is handy when it comes to flip the entire couch upright. The wooden feet come with protective felt pads already on the bottom and screws already inserted so you just screw them right into the bottom of the sofa! The two middle feet have a long metal piece - this is what connects the left and right side of the sofa. Finally, you insert screws into the arm rests, insert them into the side of the sofa, and tighten from within (that zippered compartment where you pulled the arms out of originally). Flip the sofa and you're done!

US Japan Fam reviews BSHTI Futon Sofa Bed - Assembly

To convert the sofa, you remove nothing, this is what's so easy about it! Just pull the back seats forward (you'll hear a couple of clicks releasing the lock) and let it fall backwards to the bed position. Just pull them back up and they'll click into the seated couch position. The "bed" part is about 67.3" long and 40" wide, so traditional sized twin bedding will work fine (skip the fitted sheet and go with a flat sheet on top and bottom).

US Japan Fam reviews BSHTI futon sofa bed - our twins on a twin bed!

It sits high off the floor meaning you can fit some storage boxes under there if needed, and quickly divides into left and right half (just 4 screws to undo), making moving it not a big hasstle.

US Japan Fam reviews BSHTI Futon Sofa Bed - for kids and adults

Comfort wise, the material is nice and durable, and the cushions are firm. My husband loves it. I prefer more cloud-like sofas and beds that you totally sink into, but I know they're not good for you... This one is firm but quite comfortable and it seems to promotes much better posture than our main living room sofa (I think that one's bottom cushion is too long and the back is too short making us scoot forward and lounge back in an awkward position - it's so bad for our backs!!). This one is really supportive and encourages us to sit properly.

So what do you think? A beautiful addition to any home, in my opinion!! You can find all the specs and purchase the sofa here, don't forget to use code "XBV33KRXM3N2" at checkout for 10% off!

US Japan Fam reviews BSHTI Futon Sofa Bed - great convertible couch

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SKL Adjustable Size Inline Skates & Gear Review

5/13/2021

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US Japan Fam reviews SKL SKL Adjustable Size Inline Skates and Protective Gear for Kids

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by SKL but all thoughts and opinions are our own and unbiased. There are some affiliate links below, you don't pay more but we'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.

There's no denying that kids grow like weeds. You blink and they have gone from infant to toddler. Blink again and they're going off to school! If you want to save time, money, and product waste for Mother Earth, consider items that grow with your child. We recently were introduced to SKL, who sells a great line of sports gear for kids and adults on Amazon, with one of those products being adjustable size inline skates and protective gear, which we are so excited to be reviewing for you! Watch our unboxing and demo video below then read on for more details!

These SKL Inline Skates come in two sizes, the Small adjusts from size 10 - 1 and the Medium adjusts from size 1 - 5, both are available in pink and blue. I was really impressed with how easily they adjust, it's literally just a button you push, then you pull the toe out or push in to adjust! Boom! Done!!

To further make sure they're nice and snug and supportive, they have laces at the bottom, a velcro strap in the middle, and a plastic ski-boot type strap at the top. All 3 of my kids needed help getting them on the first time (my 8 year old didn't do the top strap tight enough and as a result his ankles were turning in when skating - when I noticed, I tightened it for him which had him standing straighter, so just be sure to step in to help your kids understand how they should properly fit).

The rollerblades seem to be great quality, and really supportive! They took quite a beating on my kids' first time inline skating - you can see the above left photo from afterwards, they got a bit scuffed from being dragged around on the pavement but I think they'll do great as they grow over the next couple of years, and my oldest's pair will eventually be a hand-me-down to his sisters! And did I mention, light up LED wheels (no batteries required)!!

The SKL protective gear is great, as well!! The set comes with elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards (they also have a set that includes helmets, but we didn't need as we already had helmets we've been using for biking, scooters, and skateboarding).

They are easy for the kids to put on themselves, with quality velcro straps and very strong PVC shell plastic to protect their little knees, hands, and elbows from getting scraped (or worse). In my son's medium set (ages 7-13 years), the knee pads were larger than the elbow pads, however in the small sets (ages 2-6 years) they were the same size so perhaps interchangeable? I couldn't figure it out.

We found the elbow and knee pads rather snug, even though our kids are on the younger end for the sizes they got, but better snug than too big! And they have nice breathable liners between their skin and the velcro straps. They also come in a great storage bag and come in 4 color options: black/grey, light blue/green, blue, and pink/purple.

SKL has tons of sports gear for kids and adults on Amazon! From snow tubes and snorkels to water backpacks and agility training equipment! Be sure to check them out on social, as well: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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Kozy Couch Play Sofa Review - A Must for All Kids!

5/11/2021

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US Japan Fam reviews Kozy Couch foam openn ended play sofa for kids!

Whether you have an itty bitty toddler, rambunctious kiddos constantly taking apart your sofa, a roly poly gymnast, or creative builders - I'm SO glad you've come across my (sponsored) Kozy Couch review cuz guys, this thing is AWESOME!!! Watch our super fun unboxing video below, featuring my hilarious and uber energetic kiddos coming up with some seriously inspiring Kozy Couch builds, and read on for more details about the couch and the parents who built it!

Most simply put, Kozy Couch is a play sofa for kids. For the littlest kiddos, it's a soft and safe place to lounge. For older kids, it becomes anything they can imagine - a fort, teepee, house, you name it! We've also found it great as a tumbling mat, a crash pad for under our gymnastics bar, and a comfortable bed for sleepovers!

US Japan Fam reviews Kozy Couch kids play sofa

One Kozy Couch set retails for $119 (shipping included!) and consists of 1 long mat (about 67" long, 33" wide, and 5" deep) that folds in half, and a 90 degree triangle wedge (i.e. it can sit flush against the wall!). We got 2 sets which gives you enough "building blocks" for endless creations! Currently they offer 2 colors: pebble (the nice and neutral grey we got) and rose (also nice and neutral), but will be releasing blush pink, mint green and sand in June!

They come vacuum packed but poof up quickly and are ready to use within a couple of minutes of unboxing (wrinkles work themselves out within the first day or so). They're Low VOC with no weird smells or off-gassing, hoorah!

Kozy Couch seems extremely durable, we've only had ours for a few days but our kids are jumping on them and being their usual rough selves, and I'm really impressed with the cushions! They're nice and soft material, which can be spot treated or you can simply unzip the covers and throw them in the wash (be sure to air dry to avoid possible shrinkage). They have handles making them easy to tote around (even our 5 year olds can manage getting them up and downstairs), and store super compactly due to the fold - great if you're a part time caregiver or grandparent who wants to whip them out when the kids come over. But ours get used all around the house throughout the day, no storing for us!

The cushions are made from CertiPUR-US certified foam, which means they are made without ozone depleters, PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP ("iris") flame retardants, mercury, lead and other heavy metals, formaldehyde, or phthalates. Additionally, Kozy Couch pulls units from every production run to independently test materials for safety, quality, and compliance with Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations.

I love watching my kids play with them, seeing how creative they can be, not to mention how much energy they get out when building and playing with them! On top of that, my husband has started using them for his PT floor work - he used to take cushions from our sofa which drove me bonkers LOL! And I've found they work great as an ottoman as well, which is something we'd been planning to buy but now don't need to!

US Japan Fam reviews Kozy Couch play sofa for kids and the whole family!

They're honestly really comfy and have no weight limit, so I've been joining the kids in sofa mode on the floor and find them great for doing situps (the hard floor hurts my back bone!).

Kozy Couch is a brand new small business that just shipped their first orders this past week! Born during the pandemic when mom and dad Danielle and Brian were looking up the Nugget couch and joked that they could create and ship their own couch before the Nugget's 8 month long back order passed by. That joke turned into late night research and product development and tweaking what was already a great product into something they saw as even better, using a softer, more durable and comfortable fabric, using a 90 degree triangle wedge that allow it and the couch to lay flush against the wall to be used like a regular sofa, and selling it in single units that would be better for those with smaller homes or budgets. To top it off, customers receive their Kozy Couch about 5-8 DAYS after ordering it!

Be sure to go and show them some love on their growing Facebook and Instagram platforms where you may be lucky to catch a giveaway or special discount code!!

And here are our reviews of other great products featured in photos and video above):

Our Kids' Gender Neutral Bedroom Makeover (with review of the fabulous bunk and loft set from adultbunkbeds.com)
Joli Moli 3D Toddler Blankets
Kids' Gymnastics Bar

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UIN Footwear for the Whole Family - Review + GIVEAWAY!

5/10/2021

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Ultra lightweight, comfortable and supportive canvas shoes for men, women, and children that are quite literally like wearing works of art on your feet?? Yep!! Say hello to UIN Footwear, who sponsored this review and giveaway!!

Watch our fun uinfootwear unboxing video (of 5 beautiful designs including men's, women's, and kids shoes), read on for more info about their art paint shoes, and enter to win a pair of UIN shoes in the Rafflecopter box at the bottom of this post (US residents 18+)... or just grab our discount code and start shopping!

UIN footwear has the most artistic shoes you have ever seen, I guarantee it. The only downside of shopping is how incredibly difficult it is to choose which ones to buy - each design is beautiful and so unique, you'll want them all!! You can shop by collections, with themes by countries and regions, art travel shoes, animals, fairy tale, modern / graffiti / abstract art, and more. You can shop by men's, women's, and kid's sizes. You can even shop by "couple" or "family shoes" if you want to get matchy matchy or coordinating pairs (as a mom of 3, this option always lures me in). Hello happy shoes!

We wanted to showcase as many designs as we could, so chose 5 different ones in their classic styles (slip on for adults, velcro strap for kids), but they also sell microfiber leather, knitted, ballet flats, backless/clogs, boots, flip flops, and socks! We found their website quite laggy, but hang in there, it's worth the wait, I promise!

US Japan Fam reviews UIN Footwear mens and womens shoes

The men's and women's classic canvas slip on is true to size. I typically wear a women's 9 - 10 depending on the brand and went with a 41, which fits perfectly with and without socks. My husband usually wears a men's size 9 and the 42 fits him well. They feature an elastic wedge and heel pully thingy (what is the actual term for that??) making them easy to pull on. The sole is super comfy - nice and thick and soft, with a decently sized instep artch for support.

US Japan Fam reviews UIN Footwear kids shoes

The kids' canvas shoes are designed slightly different, with a large velcro strap that opens up completely, making them incredibly easy to put on. I've dealt with plenty of kids shoes that didn't open enough to stuff my kiddo's wide feet inside, and thankfully you won't have to deal with this frustration with UIN!!

I should note another great feature...
These are MACHINE WASHABLE!!!!
YASSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

You can shop on their website uinfootwear.com and get $5 off with code USJAPANUIN

US Japan Fam reviews UIN Footwear family shoes

And now it's time to...
enter to win a pair of UIN shoes!!
Only a comment is required to enter (be sure to let the Rafflecopter know you left one, that's your official entry) but every action you take within the app will earn you more entry points i.e. a better chance to win! Remember, you must be a US resident 18 or older. Our winner will be notified by e-mail (we will tag you on social if possible to give you a heads up) and will have 48 hours to confirm, then will be able to choose one pair of men's, women's, or kid's shoes - size and design of your choice (subject to availability).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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In the Book Personalized Children's Books for the Perfect Gift!

5/7/2021

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US Japan Fam reviews in the book personalized childrens books

Books make a great gift, but one way to level up that gift is to personalize it! I'm so excited to introduce you to In The Book, who sponsored this post, but I kid you not, they blew my expectations out of the water. Watch my unboxing below and you'll see what I mean - the quality of these, it's just above and beyond!! I love them, my kids love them, I simply cannot recommend them highly enough!! Watch this quick fun video and read on for more details!!

If you are a parent or spend time with children, you know how giddy kids get when they see themselves - in the mirror and in photos and videos on your phone, and with In the Book you can see how excited they get when they see their name and photo in a book!! Even I get a kick out of it!!

In the Book has tons of stories to choose from, including entire lines of Disney Princess books, Marvel superheroes, and more!

After you choose the book you want, you input the name you want to appear (it'll go on the cover and throughout the book - as part of the story!!), a personal message to go in the front, and even a photo of the child which will go at the end of the book. I'm saying "child" but you know what, this would make a great gift for an adult as well!! Great Father's Day gift for a superhero collecting dad, great Mother's Day gift for a Disney loving mom, you get the drift! They actually have tons of books geared toward grown-ups, such as recipe books, bibles, history, etc!

US Japan Fam reviews In the Book personalized story books

You can upgrade from paperback to hard cover and I recommend adding on the "luxury gift box" which takes it to the next level of gifting and collecting!!

The stories are wonderful, the illustrations are beautiful! You simply can't go wrong with In the Book, guys!! I can definitely see a collection growing in my house - what a fun tradition to get a new book for each birthday, and with an updated photo each year, a really cool keepsake for parent and child!!

Shop for a personalized In the Book Children's book here and books for grown-ups here!!

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