Maven Says: Lovin' Ryka Kicks

The nice people over at Ryka, along with the lovely ladies at Parent Bloggers Network gave me a pair of MC2 Walking Shoes to take for a spin and let you know what I thought. I received my new shoes and was thrilled to give them a spin. Unfortunately they were too small. They run true to my running/exercise shoe size rather than my regular shoe size. They moved me up into the next size right away. Ahhhhhhh, room for my toes! Just like clothes, forget about what size they are and find the one that fits you!
I have been a reasonably regular walker for the last 6 years. After PDQ was born I lost nearly 100 pounds and most of my exercise was walking. We lived near a lake with a walking path and PDQ and I did it religiously. One of the only problems was my feet and ankles would get sore. Fast forward 6 years, I have maintained about a 30 pound loss after having another baby and I am still walking and fighting to find a shoe that is comfy for my foot. I generally hate the look of walking shoes and have worn every running shoe on the face of the earth (that I could find in a size 11!) including several pairs of Rykas. The result was generally sore shins.

So I went out to try my new walking specific shoes. After 2 miles, no sore shins, comfy feet and no pain in my knees or ankles. Oh, I like these shoes! For the next several weeks I put around 10 miles a week on the shoes and continued to be pretty comfortable walking--both on the walking paths and in the gym on the treadmill. My knees, ankles and feet all held up pretty well. With my wider forefoot and narrow heel it is sometimes hard to find shoes that fit well. These shoes, and the other Ryka shoes I've tried, fit the bill. I love the idea that Ryka only develops shoes for women. We deserve to have good exercise shoes that fit our feet and aren't just whittled down versions of men's shoes.

What I liked:
Good support & cushioning
Comfortable in the gym and on the street
Good fit in the heel and forefoot
Lacing options around the ankle for good adjustment
What I'd do different:
Shoes are all leather and a bit hot when walking during hot weather
I still can't quite get over the look of walking shoes, I prefer the sportier look of running shoes (but these are the sportiest of the walking shoes I've seen/had)
Just another personal plug for the folks at Ryka. A friend started training for a triathlon last year and it just happened to be the Ryka Irongirl Triathlon in Columbia, MD. I went to the event and it was seriously first class. The race was well run and the go grrrrrrrrrl feeling was electric in the air. In fact, I was so inspired by what I saw there that I am now training to do it as well. Soon I'll be trading in my walking shoes for running shoes so that I can swim, bike, run to the finish line next year. Registration starts next week and I'm signing up, then I'll be totally committed (some days I already feel like I should be)!
Free shoes? Yep, you can enter to win your own pair of free shoes over at the Ryka website and enter their Good for Your Sole promotion to win one of 50 pairs of shoes or performance tees EVERY DAY through October 25! I told you these people rock. So get thee on over there and sign thee self up!

Maven Says: Books are Moovelous

My girls love videos, especially on long car rides. Along came Wilbur from my friends at Parent Bloggers just in time for our vacation drive. It was Boobah's turn to pick the first movie, she chose Wilbur. PDQ complained before it started that it was a baby video. Thankfully, once Wilbur and his friends Ray, Dasha and Libby started things quieted down. I even caught my thirteen year old stepson watching along with the girls. Although he didn't watch for long, anything that doesn't involve live action that can get his attention for a moment wins in my book. The girls stayed engaged with the show until the end and Boobah was crushed when it was over and PDQs turn to pick. Boobah picked Wilbur again later in the trip and insisted on sharing it with her toddler cousin once we arrived at our lake house. He enjoyed it while running around the room, as he generally enjoys everything!

Wilbur and his puppet animal friends were created by a group of Moms who noticed the limited TV programming for preschoolers. They do a great job of promoting early literacy skills, the calf Wilbur reminding us frequently that "books are moovelous!" I love that Wilbur reinforces my goal of having my children develop an early love of books and reading. I grew up with books everywhere and parents who always had a book laying around the house--sometimes more than one. My husband didn't have that same experience and rarely reads (for his own pleasure) today so I am very concious of reinforcing the value of reading with the kids. Its important to me that their other entertainment options send the same message so its not just something Mom wants me to do.

Two moos for Wilbur and his friends and their positive, entertaining reinforcement of the importance of reading! You can catch them on TLC or Ready, Set, Learn on the Discovery Kids Channel.

Maven Says: These things SERIOUSLY ROCK!

If you haven't already figured it out, I am a chocoholic! I love chocolate. About half the month chocolate and salt are my two favorite vices. Now Hershey's offers them together for only 100 calories. I've been sucked in before by the lure of 100 calorie snacks that weren't very good or if they were good, weren't very satisfying. Hershey's has won my undying devotion with this one. Two biggish pretzels covered in a thick blanket of chocolaty goodness. All wrapped up in a neat little package that fits nicely in my desk drawer. I thought the regular price at the grocery store was pretty ridiculous but at BJ's Wholesale Club I found them in 4 box pack--2 of the pretzels and two with chocolate covered wafers (think Kit Kat) for around $7.00. My local grocery store has had the boxes 2/$5 for the past two weeks as well. THAT I'd pay for this delicious treat. Find me on the right day, I'd even pay full price.

Maven Says: Style me up

My latest offering from Parent Bloggers Network is the new book The Little Black Book of Style by Elle Magazine Fashion Director and Project Runway Judge Nina Garcia. As a serious Project Runway fan I could hear Nina's voice with its Colombian accent as I read the book written as if I were having a conversation with her.

The most important (and probably hardest to carry out) piece of advice in the book was to edit your wardrobe. She challenges you to find the truly remarkable pieces in your wardrobe and pitch everything else. I know I've stared at a full closet only to feel like I had nothing to wear. Garcia urges to get rid of them advising "its much easier to be inspired when you see five remarkable pieces than when you see twenty-five pieces and twenty of them are unremarkable." Ouch, that is a story I know all too well! I've got some serious editing of my own to do! There were moments as I read that I felt a little like one of the fashion victims on What Not to Wear whining to Stacey and Clinton--thinking in my head, I can't get rid of that, its comfortable or has sentimental value. I am obviously in a suburban Mommy clothing rut.

Garcia waxes poetic about heels and the few times you shouldn't wear them. My general feeling about heels are they are lovely on other people and I'll wear them for special occasions. I did agree with her however on the philosophy of shoes, lots of shoes. My closet doesn't have a single pair of Manolo's or Jimmy Choo's but it does have lots and lots of other pairs. I am sure that Nina wouldn't approve of most of my low heeled, practical, comfortable shoes but I do appreciate the sentiment that shoes make the outfit and having LOTS of them is good, very good. Right along with shoes was her advice on accessories making the outfit. As someone who has been a "big girl" most of my life I can honestly say I am an accessory and shoe hound because no matter what size I've been I can always find shoes and accessories that fit!

The Little Black Book of Style is not a how to guide for dressing. There is no magic formula for putting piece A with piece B to come out with stunning outfit C. There are tips about how to take advantage of classics and suggestions for how to dress for various occasions. For the true fashionista there is a question and answer section in the back of the book with top fashion designers. Most importantly, the book makes you think about and how to develop one of your own. I'm off to try and edit my closet and think about what pieces are truly remarkable and which ones belong in the trash.