Big Sale at J.Crew!

If you haven't already heard, you can take an additional 25% off all sale prices at jcrew.com! The red sale price you see on jcrew.com is not the lowest price; it's still another 25% off. How great is that! I've been to the sale and there are still some nice cashmere and cable sweaters left. Don't forget to check out their Crew Cuts for those little ones in your life. There are some great deals.

Not Just for Air Jordan Anymore

You say your feet are tired from all the running around and shopping this holiday season? Here are some shoes for you. Cole Hann has been teaming up with Nike Air for awhile now, but it seems they have expanded their "Air" line. I have a couple pair from their casual line, and I absolutely love the shoes. They are incredibly comfortable and even though they are casual, they are stylish (stylish is Cole Hann's middle name). And now they have some super cute air dress shoes.

Cole Hann has a sale going on with up to 40% off tons of styles of shoes, handbags, coats and accessories.

Le Chef Tot Extraordinaire 2

Remember this post from awhile back? The play kitchen that is painted to look like stainless steel? (I'm still wondering if I could paint my appliances to look stainless steel?) Pottery Barn Kids now has this whole set (it is sold in pieces) on sale. If you buy the stove and fridge together, you can save about $140! That's basically what you could save when buying a stove and fridge at, say, Sears! Amazing how the little tykes' toys can cost almost as much as the real thing. Well, ok, it's not real stainless steel, so it's not that expensive!

Take Out Made Even Easier!

The festivities are over... at least until this weekend when we celebrate the New Year! "What to do for dinner?" you ask yourself, "I'm so tired and I'm so sick of eating. I can't possibly think of food anymore."

If you are smart you will buy the Take Out Menu Box from Tatutina. Then next time this feeling hits you, you will be prepared. And let's face it, it won't be next holiday season this feeling comes around again. It could be next week! Collect the menus from all your favorite take out places and put them in this cute little box for easy access next time you are too tired to think about what to make for dinner. Dinner has just gotten a whole lot easier! Open box. Take out menus. Pick restaurant. Pick food. Call to order. Pick up. And the best perk (as we all know), there is no mess to pick up and no dirty pans to clean!

Give it up for the Take Out Menu Box.

Last Minute Cookie Ideas

Presents? Check. Christmas dinner menu? Check. Relatives know what time to come for Christmas? Check. Cleaning? Well, it's getting there, I still have time. All my cookies are baked? Yikes, no, I still need more cookies. We have the in-laws coming on Saturday. We are going to relatives on Sunday. And we are having relatives over on Monday. Plus we have a holiday dinner party tonight. (Actually, it's more the Packers vs. the Vikings dinner, but I since I turned 30, I don't feel like I need to pretend that I actually like watching the sport. So, the girls will be drinking wine and asking for the occasional score.) I will need cookies for all the occasions. Plus, I will want to horde some for myself. I mean it is the holidays and all!

Cookies. Lucky for you I have a couple of awesome recipes for last minute cookies you are sure to love.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies (everyone loves these):
8 oz white baking bar
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes, though I use unsalted, just my preference)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 oz. white baking bar
1/2 tsp. shortening

Melt 4 oz. of the white baking bar over low heat (or follow package instructions for melting in microwave). Set aside to cool.

Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with for about 30 seconds or till softened. Add the sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat till combined. Beat in the eggs and melted white baking bar till combined. Beat in as much of the flour till combined. Chop remaining 4 oz. of white baking bar and stir/mix into batter.

Drop batter by rounded spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool for a minute. Move cookies to wire rack and cool.

You can do the following step when cookies have cooled or right before serving. Heat and stir the jam in small saucepan over low heat till melted. Spoon about 1/2 tsp. of jam onto top of each cookie. Heat remaining 3 oz. of white baking bar and shortening (I do not use the shortening). Drizzle each cookie with some of the melted white baking bar. Refrigerate about 15 minutes to firm chocolate, if necessary.

Makes about 48 delicious cookies.


Christmas Wreaths (good one for the kids and adults)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 bag large marshmallows
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. green food coloring
4-5 cups Corn Flakes (I use Special K)
Red Hots

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add marshmallows, stirring until melted and blended with butter. Add almond, vanilla, and food coloring (might need more food coloring, I remember using more). Stir until mixture is a uniform green color. Add Corn Flakes, mix well but gently.

On sheet of wax paper, form heaping tablespoons of mixture into wreaths. (I do not try to form these into wreaths with holes in the middle, I just drop a heaping chunk down on wax paper.) Decorate with red hots (to make them look like red berries, I group 3 together). Cool completely.

Makes 2-1/2 to 3 dozen.

Last Minute Gift Ideas

You have your list. You have checked it way more than twice. And now you are in need of some last minute gifts. But what? Here are a few ideas.

For your kids, Back To Basic Toys has some wonderful options for gifts. In some states, you can still order from this website today (by 2pm EST) and still receive your package. And better yet, in some states it doesn't even have to be expedited Fedex. Tell me any kid wouldn't have fun on the Fun Ride Deluxe. I would love to have this! They have 2 other versions for smaller kids and bigger "kids."

From MSN, I also found a list of stores from where you can still order online. It's worth checking out, they have the shipping information for great stores like Red Envelope, Target, Brookstone, Williams Sonoma, etc.

Also on Gifts.com is a section for the Last-Minute Holiday Gifts. It's an easy website to follow.

And of course, if you wish to give an Emily Allyn gift, you can still order it today by 4pm CST and get it by Saturday, the 23rd. That "One-of-a-kind" Snowflake shirt is calling your name!

Still need more ideas? Here are some of my favorites I've posted thus far. Maybe you can find these items at your nearest Target or book store.
Books
If I Build a Car
Dinosaur Stomp
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
Three-Martini Playdate
The Mommy Chronicles

General
Red from Gap
Soccer Guys, Football Guys, Baseball Guys
Puzzles for kids
The Safe Side (video)
Zingo
Cranium Games

If you are still stumped, there is always the gift certificate option. Like I always tell my husband, you may not know specific items I love, but from the credit card bills you know the stores I like, so you can't go wrong!

Blast from the Past!

This post is two-fold. It's a message to remember those this holiday season who are less fortunate and it's a little PR for an amazing organization.

This isn't a new find, but none-the-less it is still amazing... even after 22 years! Remember Band Aid? The music group that is. Remember their song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" I bet you are humming it to yourself now. Just in case you forgot the words, here are the lyrics. When you read them (as opposed to listening to the song), you realize how dismal the words and therefore the situation was... is. For example, "And it's a world of dread and fear where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears," "And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom," and "Where nothing ever grows, no rain or rivers flow." However, the words I would like to focus on is an important line, "The greatest gift they'll get this year is life." It reminds me how precious life really is. When you are down on your luck, it's hard to remember this. But it is worth remembering.

This brings me to another amazing organization that Emily Allyn has given to in the past, save.org. SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) believes that by recognizing and treating depression in children we can improve the chances a young person with depression can live a longer, healthier, more quality life. If you have experienced depression yourself or know someone who has, I urge you to check out this website. The information is plentiful and there are opportunities to help.

The Band Aid song ends with an upbeat repeat of "Feed the world. Let them know it's Christmastime." A pretty important message this time of year. Remember those who are hungry and/or less fortunate. Teach your kids empathy and show them at a young age how to give.

I can't end this post without reminding you of the other group/song that was similar to the Band Aid project. If you are like me, you are thinking, "I know there is another song just like that one. What is it? How did it go?" I won't leave you hanging. It was "We are the World" sung at Live Aid. The concerts were actually a spin off from the success of Band Aid. You know us American's we always have to get our hands on something that is successful world-wide! But hey, I'm not going to knock it when the money is going to an amazing cause.

If you would like more inforamtion about donating to Band Aid and Live Aid, check out Bob Geldorf's website. He is one of the creators who started it all!

Elf on the Shelf

Every family has traditions. But you can never have enough traditions. Well, if you are the daughter- or son-in-law coming into the family, you might think differently!
The Elf on the Shelf is a tradition Carol began with her family when her kids were little. The children were very curious how Santa could possibly be watching them along with all the other children of the world. Carol found an elf from her childhood and the story of how Santa watches all the little boys and girls easily unfolded.

At our home the elf would arrive around the holidays, usually at Thanksgiving. His sole responsibility was to watch my children's behavior and report it to "Santa" each night. The next morning after the children awoke, they discovered the elf had returned from the "North Pole" and was hiding in a different place. My children would race each other out of bed to try and be the first to spy him in his new position.

Carol pulls out the elf at Thanksgiving to kick off the holidays. Personally, I'll be keeping the elf out all year long. I've noticed as soon as I use the old line, "Remember Santa is watching you. If you continue to act like this at Target, he might not bring you presents," the kids are whipped into shape. While I understand this is a bit cruel and some parents are not as mean as I am, I do find out of desperation it works like a charm!

The website provides some advice and smart tips on how to use the elf. Plus there's even a few fun things to do for the kiddos. Check out your state to see which stores carry The Elf on the Shelf. It is only $24.95 for the Elf, the book, and a certificate adopting the Elf into your family. However this is also a clever idea for a school teacher. Every teacher could use an extra "hand" keeping the kids in line!

Please note: image above is copyrighted and is used with permission.

Sale at Boden USA

Beat the rush! Boden is having a sale. Starting today, receive up to 50% off many pieces of clothing for Men, Women, Boys, and Girls. They say the USA sale has launched 3 days prior to the UK sale, so get shopping before it's all gone!

Reality Book

Even if you don't enjoy reality T.V. (though I would like to know who that is because I bet there is at least one show in the last 5 years you have been hooked on!), you will like this reality book. The Mommy Chronicles by Stephanie Triplett and Sara Ellington is a reality check on motherhood. Stephanie and Sara share their experiences as first-time mothers in a way that sheds light on the true daily events without scaring the bejesus out of you. After all, if you are already pregnant or just had your baby, it's not like you can return him or her, but Stephanie and Sara understand there are days when you might have that feeling! They come from opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of their mothering ideas and that is what makes this book unique. Each perspective is shared. I wish all moms understood that everyone has their own parenting style. New moms know everyone is giving them advice on how to do things. While, at times, it is needed and appreciated, sometimes people don't know how to give advice without sounding like "You do what? No, no, no. You need to do this..." If you are the advice-giver, my advice to you is to say something more delicate to moms like, "I know this technique isn't for everyone, but what worked for me to get little Johnny to sleep was..." If they are interested, they will ask you questions. OK slight tangent, sorry!

Back to the book. You will find yourself laughing and crying while reading their stories. I also appreciate the talk about postpartum depression. While the stigma has decreased, I think we still have a long way to go before moms can admit it and dads can deal with it (without thinking something is wrong with their wife).

The Mommy Chronicles website has a load of information. Stephanie and Sara also host a radio show every Friday where they find experts and ask questions every mom is wondering. These women are seriously busy because they also do podcasts and a blog.

Here's to taking different perspectives of motherhood and putting it down into fun-to-read stories. Amazon sells the book for only $11.66.

Mom Replaces Pluto

Now that astronomers have decided Pluto is no longer a planet, they need to look at Planet Mom. I'm pretty sure those same scientists will soon reveal that planet Pluto has been replaced by Planet Mom. Rest assured there will still be 9 planets in the solar system... just in case you were losing sleep over it.

Planetmomshirts.com - apparel with an inside joke and you're in it - has a playful sense of humor. The sayings are sure to grab the attention of people walking by while you sport one of their shirts. And if you are also wearing the pants, be assured people will be staring at your bum as you are walking away!

The shirt above, Secretary of Transportation, will put a smile on any moms face.
From my other posts, you may have guessed that I have a little thing for wine. So, the Whine? No. Wine? Yes. is one of my favorites!
I'm also quite fond of the Because I said so shirt. I believe all moms would frame this shirt.

There are a slew of sayings to choose from. Check them out and allow yourself a few chuckles during this busy time of year. The only thing to be aware of - they use American Apparel shirts which tend to run small; "the shirts have a youthful fit." Definitely order a size up from what you normally wear.

I love these shirts. I wish the women owners/founders much success!

Creative Kidstuff

If you live in the Twin Cities area, you have definitely heard of the store, Creative Kidstuff. It rocks the pants off any other kids toy store in the Metro... and may I dare say, possibly the nation! I have visited this store on multiple occasions, and it is no exaggeration to say I have never been disappointed - never. They test and review each toy before buying it for the store. They also write up a little blurb about many toys and why it stands out. See their Holiday Catalog for examples.

Their tagline, "We Know Kids, We LIKE Kids, We Know What Kids Like!" is genuine and perfect. I can't tell you how many times I've strolled into the store and said, "Can you show me some things I could give to a (insert your prospective age and gender here) 9 year old boy? I'd like to spend about $30." Without missing a beat, they travel around the store showing you things until you are satisfied.

Now, this is all great when you can actually get to the store. (Check out their store locations. They are not only in the Twin Cities, they are in many airports as well). However, lucky for you they also sell their items online! The best part about the online experience is you can call with your questions. So, you can easily pick up the phone and ask, "Can you give me some ideas that I could give to a 4 year old girl? I'd like to spend about $30." And they are more than happy to help you out.

Put simply, Creative Kidstuff:

Has superior customer service,

A selection of toys where there is literally something for everyone,

Finds cool toys you can't find in the big stores,

Has won a mountain-load of awards,

And best of all, you can't go wrong. The kid will love the gift!

As if I haven't talked this company up enough - you should also consider their gift wrapping. This is where the kids (especially those 2-5) go wild. It is a fun and crazy wrapping job.

This One is for the Girls

Remember when you were really little and you thought it would be cool to have braces, a broken arm or leg, and a twin sister? You had the braces and quickly found out how not cool it really was. You may have broken a bone and found out how uncomfortable the cast was. But I'm guessing you never received the twin sister you wanted so badly.

If your little girl feels the same way you did, you can actually give her that twin! My Twinn personalizes dolls to look like your little angel. All you need to do is upload a photo of your little bugger and an artist from My Twinn will create another little bugger resembling her.

What a concept! You can have your twin, but she will never talk back to you and she will never steal your clothes or boyfriends!

They do offer rush delivery if you want this in time for Christmas.

A Little Pizazz for the Holidays

Physically, I am back. Mentally? Well, that's another story. After the Junior League Winter Market lasting Thursday through Sunday, I am dog tired and my "dogs are barkin'." For those who didn't see Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, John Candy said that - referring to his tired feet while taking off his shoes and socks on the airplane. Just for the record I did not take off my shoes at the show!

The woman next to me at the show creates amazing gifts. She started her company, Pizazz-Ware, in 2003 and has grown ever since. Her pieces can be found in stores around the Midwest or you can contact her for more information. Once you see these items, you will be hooked! One of my favorites is either the martini or wine glasses. You don't need wine charms with these because it is built in. You won't believe your eyes when you see the hundreds of ideas that flow from this woman's brain. She is truly gifted.

Utensils
Glassware
Barware
Keepsakes
Serving Pieces (perfect for wedding gifts)
Bowls/Baskets
Acrylic Ware
Pampered Pets
and plenty more