nerd alert

Oh man, you guys, something has changed my life and I'm so excited to share.

I got a new household appliance on Friday. I hesitate to call it that though, because I'm pretty much ready to make it an honourary member of the family. It's a Black and Decker Steam Mop.

I have been in the market for a steam mop for a while, but there are so many to choose from. Just about every cleaning brand has their own version, and they're all quite similar. I knew for sure though that I wanted one that boasts the ability to kill 99% of germs on your floors. With a baby and a cat who like to lick get up close and personal with the hardwood, the idea of cleaning without chemicals was pretty appealing.

I decided on the Black and Decker mop after reading a great review by Mag Ruffman in my newspaper's Homes section. I then read several blog posts recommending it, too. I was convinced, and I'm happy to say it's everything I hoped it would be.

Pros:

- It heats up in seconds. The light on the front changes from red to blue when it's ready to go.

- It comes with three washable pads — no need to buy any expensive refills.

- It runs on water alone. No chemicals.

- The swivel head rotates so easily around edges and in corners.

- I could instantly see how much cleaner it makes the floor.

Con:

- I really can't think of anything. If I had to say something, I guess it's that I now have another appliance to store, but it's still more convenient and cleaner than a traditional mop and bucket.

Plus, listen to this:

Me: Oooo it's awesome! Husband, do you want to try it?

Husband: [thinks about having to do another chore] No ... knock yourself out.

Me: [happily steaming the floor] Ahh this is so satisfying, and easy! Look how clean the floor is!

[Five minutes later]

Husband: OK, can I try now?

Any appliance that can make Husband ask to do an extra chore is worth its weight in gold, wouldn't you agree?

review: fisher price precious planet jumperoo

I think this picture says it all ...

When CSN Stores approached me to do a product review, I was thrilled that we could try out the Fisher Price Precious Planet Jumperoo. After several hours of fun, here are my thoughts:

Pros:

- It was pretty simple to assemble.

- I was told it would arrive by February 4, and it was here on February 2.

- I love the colours, lights and sounds. It's very interactive.

- It's more compact than I expected. It only takes up as much space as the Fisher Price My Little Lamb Cradle 'n' Swing. The Jumperoo was the perfect next-step for Jacob's development, now that he's uninterested in the swing.

- Jacob loves it! Even though his feet barely touch the floor on the lowest setting, he quickly learned how to hop around to make the fixtures light up and the music play.

Cons:

- The base didn't come together evenly. One side of the triangle-shaped bottom is higher off the floor than the others. We put the Jumperoo on foam play mats to help keep it flat which corrected the issue, but now we're going to need to buy more play mats for when he's playing on the floor.

I'm very happy with our decision — the huge grin on our little dude's face as he bounces and plays tells me he approves, too.