Blog POP!: Awesome Xorbee Furniture Giveaway~ 4/6

Momma Told Me: *See: Bean Bags are for Time Travelers.

As a child, there are few things more exciting than 'fun furniture.' As a parent, one would lump inflatable couches, bean bag chairs, video game rockers, and see saws into this category. Things designed especially for youngsters, but with some very clear design flaws. That is, these things will delight children and adults of all ages, but fail to withstand the test of time. I've often wondered, myself, if there is a world record for longest period a bean bag chair has remained in tact upon deliverance to a 10 year old. And we can't put ALL the blame on the kids- how many times has a bewildered wife followed a trail of misplaced legos into the rec room to find Pop passed out on an abstract arrangement of play furniture? There's a reason air, water, and bean furniture exists; because it's comfortable. It's more than novel to sit on a giant piece of foam, a-la preschool mat style, it's oddly comforting to feel enveloped by these new textures and unconventional ideas.

We pass them on the street (yes, literally the side of the road here) all the time. I can feel my heart racing and my foot panicking on the gas pedal as I silently pray the light up ahead will turn green before the wandering eyes in my car notice. There is absolutely no way I would allow a 'bean bag' chair in my home. We have pets, 3 of them, and one child hearted adult, plus 10 year-old. My pockets, and patience, is notdeep enough to tolerate those pesky PVC pellets and the tears that would follow it's retirement. So, when I discovered Xorbee, I knew I would soon be trading my villan's cap for one of a hero. Not only does the Xorbee range of foam furniture rely on a 2 piece system that features a washable cover, but the inner foam shell is impressively durable. Because this memory foam like filling molds to the pressure of it's users, there will never be any stiff or sinking points. These products return to their normal shape slowly after the lounger has emerged, and hold their structure quite well for multiple modes of lounging. The foam will also compress under extreme weight or pressure, meaning no bursting seams or nasty tears.

We received our Xorbee Xquisite lounger just before Christmas and I was happy to promise it's release as soon as the (fake) tree had been dismantled and hauled to the garage. Once we again had our living room back I decided to toss our storage ottoman to the corner and give the giant, heavy, white Xorbee box a go. These loungers weigh upwards of 50lbs upon delivery and arrive vacuum sealed into a very swollen box. I highly recommend visiting the brand website to view an unpacking video prior to attempting this task at home. While the Xorbee does not expand as rapidly as I'd envisioned, you do have to be on your game to stuff it into the cover before it becomes unmanageable. Speaking of covers, Xorbee offers a multitude of colors in Twill, and easy to clean micro-suede materials. I love that the covers can be removed and washed, and even better, changed to match a decorating re-design.

The company also produces a unique range of foam based furniture and mats for young children, in addition to their wildly popular Big Pillows. Think of these big pillows as personal Xorbee loungers, 3' x 4' at the smallest size. I recall seeing these sell out all last holiday season (as I'd had in mind to get one for the other half). In my opinion, having seen one of these pillows in person at a neighbor's house, this is the Xorbee gateway product. Once you invest in a pillow, you'll end up with a wall of them for the entire family. Before long you'll be contemplating one of the loungers for parties and guests (we can fit about 4 children on our lounger, happily playing the Wii at once). Beginning March 25-29,  there will be a National Groupon deal for these unique Xorbee XL RelaXer Pillow (a retail value of $160), at just $69 with FREE Shipping. Stock up on these for holiday and birthday gifts now, you won't be disappointed.

So how has our Xorbee lounger stacked up over the past few months? It's certainly received daily and extensive use. After holiday break I moved the, very large, Xorbee to our living room corner, where it can still make it's way in front of the TV if needed, but serves as additional seating when not. Daily Sabrina arrives home from school and sets up 'base' on what she has called her 'world.' She will complete her homework, then begin her assigned reading (though she hardly ever makes it through her 30 minutes without dozing off, it is that comfortable). We pull the Xorbee out to play Wii together, spend lazy afternoons watching movies on Netflix, and even carried the monstrosity downstairs and across the street as a makeshift 'tattoo bed.' (I know, I know- but that particular artist swears she is buying one for home and shop; she was in love instantly!)

With it's big pop of bright and bold red, the Xorbee is without a doubt the first thing seen when guests enter our home, and the first piece of furniture they want to use. We have several friends with larger frames, which our couch does not accommodate, and this adds the added freedom of ample lounge space. As far as durability, I've yet to notice any tears or rips along the beautifully sewn seams, and am constantly impressed as to how easy the micro-suede material is to clean with a damp cloth and water. I would highly suggest the added investment of a micro suede cover; I've scrubbed everything from nail polish and paint, to food off of the cover and it is just as beautiful as the day it arrived! Save 15% on your next Xorbee order with code MOMMATOLDME!

What Daughter Says: If you're looking to move your home into a new century of modern lounge furniture, look no further than Xorbee!

One Momma Told Me reader will win an amazing Xpert Gamer with Twill Cover of choice!

Bean Bags Are For Time Travelers- Introducing @myXorbee

Momma Told Me: That's not furniture, it's a choking hazard!

I never owned a beanbag as a child. I once dated a full grown man who had 3 in his tiny 1 bedroom apartment, but I, personally, never partook in the craze. Growing up Momma had strictly forbid the pellet filled furniture in our household, though I was permitted a variety of 'inflatable' chairs and couches. I never understood the reasoning behind giving a young adult furniture that could pop or 'leak'  at the slightest introduction of a sharp object, but I could hardly complain; as that was what I had. At least it seemed to foster an acute sense of property ownership and maintenance, as I quickly became skilled at adhering patches, and instituting creative repairs. (The first lesson being that BandAids do not stop air based leaks.) But I digress, like waterbeds, bean bag chairs were the craze during my childhood, and still very popular among the gaming and casual furniture consumer today. Regardless of the filling, there is simply something comforting about 'falling' into a material that molds to your every nook and cranny.

Like most iconic concepts, even the classic beanbag chair has come into the 21st century; though the Xorbee might be a little offended to be compared to such a primitive concept. Similar to so many of my favorite home lounging comforts (bedding, pillows, etc) the Xorbee, line of Foam Furniture, relies on a filling entirely comprised of memory foam. There's a reason FOAM is now universally used in so many high end and luxury products; it's not only durable, but comfortable. Foam, unlike PVC pellet, water, and air based furniture, returns to it's previous state quickly while still providing unmatched support and comfort throughout the entire surface area. Xorbee's unique foam based material also naturally regulates temperature, proving a much better lounger, year-round, and even eliminating the need for heavy blankets and Snuggies. And, should this sack ever tear open you're not looking at water damage or millions of dangerous plastic pellets!

I first discovered Xorbee looking for therapy alternatives for an online friend with an autistic range child. I recalled seeing an amazing blog post about how a 'bean bag' style chair was one autistic child's sanctuary, providing the complete 'cradle' support the child needed to feel calm and in control. However, there provided to be a drawback to the bean based lounge, that never returned to it's form on it's own, and proved difficult for the child to get out of, as well as cold during the Winter nights. To me, this seemed like the perfect solution; but I wanted to get my hands on one of them for my own family! Available in Big Pillows to ginormous Loungers, the Xorbee range fits any budget or space, and outlasts ordinary alternative furniture thanks to the  'self resetting' foam and beautifully crafted. washable, covers. Sold in 12 modern decor colors, in twill or microsude materials, Xorbee covers are the key to ensuring your Foam Furniture investment outlasts even the rowdiest kids and guests.

We received an Xcaliber, Rounds, Xorbee with Cranberry Red Microsueade cover for official testing in our living room. At near 6" in diameter, this king sized lounger is suitable for seating 3-4 young children, or one 'Jabba The Hutt' sized adult (as the site brags). Twill covers are included in the initial investment price, though Microsuede proves easier to maintain and clean in the long run, and is much softer in my opinion (for the minor additional upgrade fee). Of course, when ordering your Xorbee furniture, you can always choose to invest in alternate cover colors and materials at a later date. When the Xorbee arrived I anticipated a fit from my UPS carrier; this took 2 men to haul up the stairs to our condo, well over 40lbs when compressed into a box 1/5th it's expanded size. Just looking at the swollen shipping container made me nervous to unleash the beast within. Thankfully there are several great customer submitted 'unboxing' videos to guide you through expectations and handling tips. You'll also find a simple visual guide for unpacking the foam material, and 'dressing' the interior sack with your cover.

At first glimpse, the Xorbee was a giant, medical blue, crinkled ball of material; all of the air carefully suctioned out of the containing wrapper for shipping. I was grateful the foam sack didn't expand as rapidly as I'd anticipated, once the exterior packaging was pierced. In fact, there was plenty of time to peel the plastic wrapper off and set the expanding ball into the cover prior to massaging the foam to relaxation. Once we'd zipped our Microsuede cover over the Xorbee it was easy enough to 'roll' the Xcalibur over, so the seam was against the floor, and continue massaging the clusters of foam pieces. During this process the once moderate sized ball seemed to expand like a muffin top over the rim of a baking tin, taller and wider every second. The excitement seemed to build every second, while the 'beating' of the foam clusters' wore out excess energy from all of the holiday sugar (I decided to unleash this monster just after Christmas). It should come as no surprise that I was, in fact, the last one to actually lay or sit on the Xcalibur, with one very enthusiastic adult, and wide eyed 10 year old promptly plopping onto the giant Red blob.

The Xorbee, for now, has replaced a giant 5" square ottoman we'd previously had in front of our couch. It's not the most design friendly (as it's width expands when occupied), but I've yet to convince anyone that it should be relocated- it's truly the highlight of our home when guests or children are over. Sabrina plops into the middle of if after school each day and does not budge until I (usually wake her up) after homework around 6. As big as the Xcalibur is it is also very versatile in use; I can reshape the foam structure into a giant lounge chair, or prop it up against the corner of the living room as a couch, when I need the space. Moving it is certainly easier with 2 adults, but also manageable on my own; and the microsuede has proven a wonderful investment with kids and pets constantly climbing on it. There are many fun uses and stories surrounding this unique piece of furniture I look forward to sharing with you, so look for more Xorbee posts soon, and keep an eye out at Spring Fling for a very special giveaway!

What Daughter Says: The Xorbee is modern alternative furniture perfected; with endless lounging possibilities and an extended life that justifies the investment! I wish these were around as a kid!

As Required By the FTC: We received a floor sample from Xorbee for the purposes of our review series. No other compensation was provided. Regardless, all opinions expressed are unedited and honest.