Zoom, Zoom, Zoom! We're Off with the @JoovyOO Zoom 360

Ever since I found out I was pregnant with my first child I've wanted a quality jogging stroller. Before finding out I was pregnant, I started running with a group of co-workers. I would run about 12 miles a week, up to 6 miles each run, in an effort to lose weight and stay in shape. When I found out I was pregnant I stopped running as much and eventually stopped all together.

I assumed that if I got a jogging stroller I'd be able to pick right back up and start running again. But life got in the way, I didn't purchase a jogging stroller, and the strollers I borrowed from neighbors and family just didn't make the cut.

So here it is,4 years later, and I finally have my jogging stroller, the Joovy Zoom 360. And boy was it worth the wait!!

As soon as it arrived in the mail, I opened it and had it assembled in less than 15 minutes. Then my daughter and I started playing with it. We've had a lot of fun testing it out!

What I love about this jogger is that I didn't have to purchase any optional accessories.

What the Joovy Zoom Includes:

• Parent Organizer - Includes a neoprene parent organizer that holds 2 cups and has a zippered storage container. 
• Rain/Wind Cover
• Wheel Pump
• 5 Point Harness
• Reflective 
• Safety Tether
• Shock absorbing suspension
  

That means that the Joovy Zoom 360 is not only very affordable at $269.99, you also don't have to purchase a lot of accessories after you purchase the stroller. They all come with it!

Weather Coverage 
The first thing I noticed about the Joovy Zoom after assembling it is the large canopy. None of my previous strollers have the coverage that this stroller does. Not only does it completely shade my daughter and son when they're in full sun, it's also adjustable to fit perfectly with any situation.

The Zoom also comes with a rain cover that easily covers your child from the weather and keeps them nice and dry as you enjoy your workout. That means no excuses! 

Easy Fold & Compact Storage
The Zoom is also very easy to fold. With the simple push and lift of two items, the Zoom folds compactly and securely together with the help of a latch. The Zoom fits perfectly in the trunk of my small compact car and our family station wagon.

The Zoom is also very light weight. It's very easy to lift up into the trunk of my car and to carry from one place to another when storing it. 

Swivel Wheel

This stroller is built for running, walking, and everything in between.

For serious runners, the front wheel has an option to lock the swivel wheel in a straight position. It's lightweight, steers easily with one hand, and includes a safety strap to wear while exercising. While walking around and more casual jogs, I'm able to unlock the straight wheel and use the swivel wheel for even easier mobility.

The Ride

As I'm running, I don't want to struggle with steering a stroller. The Zoom simply glides where I push it. I steer with one hand and hardly feel any resistance when I'm on the go. I can run at my own pace, change up speeds, and switch from one terrain to another without affecting the performance of the stroller.

When my daughter falls asleep on on walks and runs I can easily adjust the seat by pulling on the straps in the back. There isn't just one or two positions, I can recline the seat back as far as I'd like until I reach the fully reclined position. This is perfect for when I know my daughter is sleepy but she refuses to lay back when the seat is in the reclined position. I just recline it a bit so she doesn't even realize she's reclined a bit. Then 5 minutes into our jog, she's passed out!

Optional Infant Car Seat Adapter

Joovy offers 3 optional car seat adapters for the Zoom 360:

• Graco
• Peg Perego
• Chicco

And the cost of these adapters are very affordable! The fact that this is the only optional accessory you'll need to buy is amazing.

Her baby fits perfectly in the snack/cup holder

If you're looking for a stroller that will not only create a comfortable ride for your child as you exercise, but also act as your go to stroller for any occasion, the Joovy Zoom 360 is for you! We take ours everywhere! From the beach to the zoo to the amusement park, I've found the perfect stroller in the Joovy Zoom. And I have no excuses when it comes to exercising! 


Since my Joovy Zoom arrived in the mail I've used it 5 out of 7 days in the week. And I now run 3 days a week! I know that this stroller will be key in keeping me on track and making my way towards my goal weight.

Disclaimer: I received a Joovy Zoom 360 for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Failing Miserably at Weight Loss? Or Just Plain Unmotivated?

So I've been on my Weight Loss Challenge for 3 months now. And never in my life have I failed at weight loss when I really put my mind to it. So the fact that I haven't weighed in (or posted) and recorded my weight says one of two things; I'm finally failing at weight loss OR I'm unmotivated.

And sadly, I think it's the later.

I choose carbs over veggies, eating out over making meals, and letting my husband decide where an what we eat. Totally bad combos that have lead me to fear stepping on the scale since the Monday after BlogHer.

You see, when I got back from BlogHer life was hard. Not only had I been away for 4 days, I also had a LOT to do and catch up with. So all plans of "eating healthy and getting back on track after BlogHer" were gone.

In NYC feeling fabulous

What sucks is that I really didn't do too bad at BlogHer. With all of the walking I did I actually only gained 1.5lbs while away.

So why am I writing this? Well... I've gained my motivation back. I'm picking back up, getting on that horse, and riding towards success (how corny is that?).

How am I going to do it? With more fitness/health buddies! I'm going to commit myself to one gym day with my friend Janelle, will make Mariah hold me accountable (as well as hold her accountable) for moving my butt and making healthy choices, AND by not slacking on updating my dear readers.

And with the help of the tools I already have on board including my Weight Watchers membership, the FitBit, my Precise Portions dinnerware, Shakeology, and my new, beautiful Joovy Zoom 360 (review to come!!) I am turning corners and WILL get this disgusting 45 pounds off.

The new Joovy 360 ready for a spin

And as scary as it is, I'll be stepping on the scale this Friday to see what the damage is. And if I have more than 45 pounds to lose now.

Today is a new day. My breakfast is tracked, I went on a 20-minute run (which was probably quite entertaining for anyone who saw me), and I have plans for the gym on Wednesday. I am motivated. I will make time. I will be healthy for me.

If you want to join me (and remember... it's not just about weight loss, it's about getting healthy and being happy with your body) feel free to join in and link up to my monthly Weight Loss Challenge post on the first of every month.

Email me at simmworksfamily(at)gmail.com if you also want to participate in the monthly WLC giveaways! And check out this month's giveaway here for an Ozeri scale and Meet Me at the Dinner Table meal planner. 

Summer Party Playdate with @HonestTea

This past weekend was filled with fun and celebration as my playgroup got together for a Summer Party Playdate at my home. It was an event I had been looking forward to for a while.

For one, it's always a great day when my mommy friends get together, and second, when these ladies get together there's always bound to be great conversation, food, and entertainment.

This party was different from our normal playdates in one way... there were giveaways!

In an effort to stay cool and offer a refreshing drink, Honest Tea offered my guests a variety of Honest Tea, Honest Ade and Honest Kids juice drinks. These drinks were absolutely delicious! Each guest was able to choose what they wanted.

Everyone was able to easily read which options contained caffeine, which had antioxidants, and they were able to clearly see the calorie content in each bottle.

And everything was so pretty all lined up! While I enjoyed all of the varieties, I really loved the Pomegranate Blue Honest Ade. It wasn't too sweet and was absolutely delicious.

Along with the drinks I also made some egg cups and had some yummy snacks from Nabisco for my guests to munch on including Ritz crackers, Ritz bits cheese bites, and Chips Ahoy cookies. My awesome friends also brought over some delicious goodies to snack on as well including fruit, cheese, muffins, and more!

One of the best things about having the ladies over is that I can always count on them to save me if I forget anything. I made the mistake of enjoying the last of the creamer the day before without realizing that we didnt' have any more in the fridge. A quick text and it was there!

I also don't have to worry about asking others to bring food as well. Just about every get together we have is pot luck style and I love it that way. We are never going to get the exact same meal and the food is always over abundant.

As the party came to an end we decided to raffle off a few awesome prizes to the ladies in attendance. Being blessed enough to meet so many amazing companies and stores means that I have the opportunity to share what I learn and what products I use with my mom's group. So being able to let them try out a few of the items I've tried out is exciting!

Here are a few of the items I gave away:

• Joovy StepTool
• Perplexus Original
• Willow Store Dryer Balls
• Kiddie Antics personalized beach pails
• Boogie Wipes kit
• Method detergent
• Honest Tea Patagonia Bag & grocery bags

And a few other odds and ends that a few of the ladies showed interest in! Everyone who came was able to leave with something in hand to take home. I cannot wait to hear what they thought about the products they took home!

We're already planning our September My Favorite Things Party and the girls are excited to find a great item to share with us! We've decided to go with a Child's Favorite Thing where we introduce items that our kids love or that we love to use with our kids.

By changing the theme of the party every few months we're able to still enjoy the concept (and have an excuse to get together) while learning about new products and companies we might not have had any idea about beforehand!

So stay tuned for my next get together! I'm sure there will be a few awesome recipes, ideas, and products that I'll learn about from my mom friends.

Disclaimer: I received product for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Joovy Family on the Go Child Package {@JoovyOO Bicycoo}

The Noise Girls are excited to announce the Joovy Family On The Go giveaway event hosted by the Noise Girls!

For the family on the go this summer! Whether you're on a road trip to Grandma's house or enjoying a relaxing weekend at the campground, Joovy's latest products help make travel easy and fun! This event will run from July 9^th through July 30^th  and includes three amazing packages of Joovy products perfect for every stage of childhood.

Enter to win The Child Package Here

When you're on the go and your children need to burn off a little energy before bedtime just send them outside with a helmet and their new Bicycoo. In no time at all they'll be zipping around with the older kids and cruising in style!

Read what the Noise Girls have to say about these products:

The Bicycoo

7 on a Shoestring's review
The Maven's review
Going Crazy's review


And you won't want to miss these other amazing prize packages from Joovy:

Enter to win The Baby Package Here

Enter to win The Toddler Package Here

Joovy Family on the Go Toddler Package {@JoovyOO StepTool}

The Noise Girls are excited to announce the Joovy Family On The Go giveaway event hosted by the Noise Girls!

For the family on the go this summer! Whether you're on a road trip to Grandma's house or enjoying a relaxing weekend at the campground, Joovy's latest products help make travel easy and fun! This event will run from July 9^th through July 30^th  and includes three amazing packages of Joovy products perfect for every stage of childhood.

Enter to win The Toddler Package Here

Is your toddler in the midst of potty training or close to it? You won't want to go anywhere without their trusted StepTool to make potty training, washing hands, and brushing teeth on-the-go easy and fun!

With their sleek design, easy to clean surfaces, and slip resistant padding; your child will stay safe an secure when learning how to be independent. 

Read what the Noise Girls have to say about these products:

The StepTool

How Was Your Day's review
East 9th Street's review
FormulaMom's review

Don't forget to enter the other two amazing giveaways from Joovy here:

Enter to win The Baby Package Here

Enter to win The Child Package Here

Joovy Family on the Go Toddler Package {@JoovyOO Loo}

The Noise Girls are excited to announce the Joovy Family On The Go giveaway event hosted by the Noise Girls!

For the family on the go this summer! Whether you're on a road trip to Grandma's house or enjoying a relaxing weekend at the campground, Joovy's latest products help make travel easy and fun! This event will run from July 9^th through July 30^th  and includes three amazing packages of Joovy products perfect for every stage of childhood.

Enter to win The Toddler Package Here

Is your toddler in the midst of potty training or close to it? You won't want to go anywhere without their trusted Loo to make potty training on-the-go easy and fun!

With the Loo's sleek design, easy to clean surfaces, and slip resistant padding; your child will stay safe an secure when learning how to be independent. 

Read what the Noise Girls have to say about these products:

The Loo
Simmworks Family's review
Frugal Greenish Mama's review
FormulaMom's review


And don't forget to enter the two other amazing prize packages that Joovy has to offer:

Enter to win The Baby Package Here

Enter to win The Child Package Here

Joovy Family on the Go Baby Package {@JoovyOO Spoon}

The Noise Girls are excited to announce the Joovy Family On The Go giveaway event hosted by the Noise Girls!

For the family on the go this summer! Whether you're on a road trip to Grandma's house or enjoying a relaxing weekend at the campground, Joovy's latest products help make travel easy and fun! This event will run from July 9^th through July 30^th  and includes three amazing packages of Joovy products perfect for every stage of childhood.

Enter to win The Baby Package Here

This package includes two of Joovy's latest products perfect for any baby on-the-go! The Spoon makes cruising for baby fun and safe while providing a great area to play and eat.

Read what the Noise Girls have to say about these products: 

The Spoon
Fabulous Finds' review
The Maven's review

And don't forget about the other two amazing prize packages from Joovy found here:

Enter to win The Toddler Package Here

Enter to win The Child Package Here

Joovy Family on The Go Baby Package {@JoovyOO theBabaSling}

The Noise Girls are excited to announce the Joovy Family On The Go giveaway event hosted by the Noise Girls!

For the family on the go this summer! Whether you're on a road trip to Grandma's house or enjoying a relaxing weekend at the campground, Joovy's latest products help make travel easy and fun! This event will run from July 9^th through July 30^th  and includes three amazing packages of Joovy products perfect for every stage of childhood.

Enter to win The Baby Package Here

This package includes Joovy's latest product, theBabaSling, perfect for any baby on-the-go! Now whether you're out seeing the sites or enjoying a nice hike, baby can tag along comfortably and you'll stay hands-free!

Read what the Noise Girls have to say about these products: 

theBabaSling
The Frugal Greenish Mama's review 

And don't forget the other two prize packages found here:

Enter to win The Toddler Package Here

Enter to win The Child Package Here

Joovy Family On The Go {#NoiseGIrls Giveaway Event}

We are excited to announce the Joovy Family On The Go giveaway event hosted by the Noise Girls!

For the family on the go this summer! Whether you're on a road trip to Grandma's house or enjoying a relaxing weekend at the campground, Joovy's latest products help make travel easy and fun! This event will run from July 9^th through July 30^th  and includes three amazing packages of Joovy products perfect for every stage of childhood.

Enter to win The Baby Package Here

This package includes two of Joovy's latest products perfect for any baby on-the-go! The Spoon makes cruising for baby fun and safe while providing a great area to play and eat.

And how gorgeous is theBabaSling?Now whether you're out seeing the sites or enjoying a nice hike, baby can tag along comfortably and you'll stay hands-free!

Read what the Noise Girls have to say about these products: 

theBabaSling
The Frugal Greenish Mama's review


The Spoon
Fabulous Finds' review
The Maven's review

Enter to win The Toddler Package Here

Is your toddler in the midst of potty training or close to it? You won't want to go anywhere without their trusted Loo and StepTool to make potty training on-the-go easy and fun!

With their sleek design, easy to clean surfaces, and slip resistant padding; your child will stay safe an secure when learning how to be independent. 

Read what the Noise Girls have to say about these products:

The Loo
Simmworks Family's review
Frugal Greenish Mama's review
FormulaMom's review


The StepTool

How Was Your Day's review
East 9th Street's review
FormulaMom's review

Enter to win The Child Package Here

Sometimes trying to find the perfect place for a child to sleep when you're on vacation can be a challenge! Not every hotel has extra roll aways and sometimes those pull out couches are just plain uncomfortable. But with the Foocot your child will have a place to nap or sleep wherever they go!

When they need to burn off a little energy before bedtime just send them outside with a helmet and their new Bicycoo. In no time at all they'll be zipping around with the older kids and cruising in style!

Read what the Noise Girls have to say about these products:

The Foocot

Simmworks Family's review
Life as Leels' review
A Helicopter Mom's review


The Bicycoo

7 on a Shoestring's review
The Maven's review - coming soon
Going Crazy's review

Using the Loo {@JoovyOO Mom Review}

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Three weeks ago my son took it upon himself to start going pee pee on the potty "like a big boy" and boy were we surprised! When we realized what was happening we knew we had to jump into action. And that meant getting the proper tools in place to make things as easy as possible.

The first step we took was to look for other options for potty seats. 

We had a little potty we bought when he first started showing interest but we put no thought or research into the decision. We just headed to the store and purchased something.

Boy I wished we hadn't. 

You see... these potty seats can be a tad... messy. The "shield" really doesn't shield anything and the well does not hold a lot! Well, at least a not for my heavy wetter.  We were cleaning up more than we did when we changed diapers (and pull ups).

So the quest for a solution arose. 

When I received the opportunity to test drive the Joovy Loo potty chair I jumped on it!

Not only is the design of this product superior to what we have, it's also super comfy (or at least that's what my son tells me). As you can tell from the side by side comparison, the Loo not only has a wider seat, there's more cushion for the tush when sitting down. It's not as narrow and doesn't confine the user to the sea (there have been a few times my son has actually gotten STUCK in his old potty seat.

Funny... but not.

Cleaning out the seat is so easy that even my son does it without getting pee everywhere. Since the pee shield is larger than the average shield, the place where you pick up the seat  gives you enough of a grabbing area to assure that you aren't touching anything icky.

See the difference in the pictures above? What you might not see is how much deeper the bowl is on the Loo, and how much taller the pee shield is.

The watertight design and clean white color allows for a simple swipe of toilet paper in the bowl to clean it out. We see everything that's in there and there are no nooks or crannies for things to hide out in.

And when you dispose of anything in the bowl, there's no empty hole leading to your flooring underneath... there's actually a completely sealed inner bowl! So if your kid has to go again, or you have another child lining up behind the first, there aren't any messes on the floor underneath the seat.

My kids kindly tested this out for me without me even having to ask! 

My daughter may or may not have removed the bowl to let her dolls use the restroom in the playroom. She couldn't pick up the whole toilet so she just brought a piece of it.

Since my son began using his seat my daughter has begun telling us when she goes to the restroom as well! With a quick 'Poopoo' announcement she races to the bathroom, takes off her wet diaper and sits on the potty herself. She doesn't actually pee pee in the potty yet but she's getting the idea!

I may have my hands full over the next few months. But that was a given.

I just love that my son now runs to go use his potty and is excited about using it too! And over the past two weeks he's gotten quite good at doing everything all by himself. My little man is growing up! And just this morning he asked to pee on the big potty standing up. How awesome is that?

It won't be too long before my daughter is the one using the Loo. And we'll be prepared.

The Joovy Loo is also the perfect portable potty. Especially in the early weeks of potty training when a child doesn't have quite the control they need to hold it until a parent can find the restroom, keeping the Loo in the trunk or back of the car can prove to be a huge relief for a potty training child. And it's the perfect potty to take along when camping or traveling.

Ever been on a road trip? Those gas stations are NOT the prettiest places to pee.

The Loo is much prettier. And cleaner too! How awesome is the name? I find myself calling it the Loo whenever my son asks to go to the restroom. "Oh, you mean the Loo? Sure! Lets go..."

Where to Purchase

Do you have a potty training toddler at home? Or are you about to start the process? Head on over to the Joovy site and pick up a Loo of your own. You might want to check out their StepTool as well. Makes the perfect potty training companion to the Loo.

While your there why don't you sign up for Club Joovy? To find out more check out my Foocot Review and scroll down to the bottom. You won't want to miss the opportunities available to Club Joovy members!

And make sure to head on over to the Joovy Facebook page and like them today! Don't do Facebook and prefer twitter? They're there too!

Win a Loo of your own!

Joovy has paired up with the Noise Girls to bring you a very special event! Joovy Family On The Go will feature three amazing prize packages all geared towards the child in your life!

From infant, to toddler, to child; Joovy is your solution to travel gear this summer! Head on over to the Noise Girls page from July 9th to July 30th and enter to win one of these amazing prizes!



Disclaimer: I received a Joovy Loo for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

 

The Perfect Toddler Travel Companion {@JoovyOO Foocot Review}

Since we purchased our first set of Disneyland Annual Passes years back, we've been increasing our stays in hotels up on Anaheim every year. Adding kids to the mix just makes us a bit too tired to either wake up early and drive the 1.5 hours or stay till closing and drive home.

We've remedied this by mastering the art of fanagling an online deal for a hotel that usually ends up costing us $50-75 a night. Suffice it to say, we stay at hotels at least 6 times a year with the kids. And sometimes a set of doubles or a king bed just isn't enough.

So when we saw the Joovy Foocot Child Cot we knew we had our solution for beds for the kids during our hotel stays.

The Joovy Foocot is a very durable and easy to use child's cot that sets up and breaks down with little trouble at all. It even comes with it's own fitted sheet and carrying case!

It supports a child up to 48 inches tall or 75 pounds and is made of a sturdy steel frame with top grade 600D nylon fabric.

When you're done with the Foocot you simply fold it up and put it in the carrying case. When folded, it's small enough to store in your trunk, in closets, or even under beds! The compact size of the folded Foocot will take little to no room at all with all of your other travel gear.

We recently stayed out on the town for the night in celebration of our 5 year wedding anniversary. And since my daughter is still a bit too young to leave alone, we had her join us after enjoying dinner together.

Having the option of letting her sleep in the foocot made her feel as if she had her own toddler bed similar to the one we have at home. And since it fit nicely on the side of our bed, if she needed us at all during the night she'd just climb up and join us.

This cot is not only great for travel but will be the perfect solution to sleep overs in the near future! 

My son is already talking about having his cousin over for the night and since he's allergic to dogs we want to make sure we have a safe, dog free place for him to sleep (rather than right on the floor where there may be traces of dog hair even after we vacuum). The foocot is the perfect, simple solution to our problem!

And I'm sure we'll soon be purchasing the accompanying Foocot Quilted Mattress Pad to make longer trips more enjoyable for the kids. While the Foocot is not meant to provide a permanent place to stay, trips over a few nights might be a bit more comfy when using the Mattress Pad instead of just the Fitted Sheet.

If you're traveling anywhere this summer with little ones and are looking for a great solution to the roll out couch or sleeping bag on the floor, then I highly recommend checking out the Joovy Foocot Child Cot.

Versatile, durable, and very fun to use!

To see more photos of our Joovy Foocot fun check out our Joovy Facebook album on the Simmworks Family Facebook Page! Not a fan? Like us today!

Keep in Touch

To stay in touch with Joovy and keep up with the latest in products and promotions head on over and like the Joovy Facebook page or follow Joovy on Twitter. I am fairly certain that they have a few new items up their sleeves they they're just dying to share with the world and if you already follow them you are sure to hear first! I know I'm dying to find out if they'll be coming out with a Double Zoom in the near future!

If you own or are looking to purchase any Joovy product I highly suggest looking into Club Joovy!

Sign up today here! 

What the heck is Club Joovy?

It's a cool new club for anyone who loves Joovy and wants to be in on the inside track with new products, fun contests (like their current photo contest), specials & more....

Why should I join?

• Giveaways for Members Only!
• Free Shipping Always**
• Club Joovy Customer Service & dedicated 800 number
• Joovy celebrates your kid's birthday with special offers!
• Free Joovy T-shirt (while supplies last)

Wait, there's more!!!

Do you like surprises? Sign up and they promise surprises that will make you smile!

** Free Shipping is for all domestic orders in the 48 contiguous states

Win your own Joovy Foocot and much more!

Joovy has paired up with the Noise Girls to bring you a very special event! Joovy Family On The Go will feature three amazing prize packages all geared towards the child in your life!

From infant, to toddler, to child; Joovy is your solution to travel gear this summer! Head on over to the Noise Girls page from July 9th to July 30th and enter to win one of these amazing prizes!


Disclaimer: I received a Joovy Foocot for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.