More Offers

Everyone loves a deal. Here are two amazing coupon codes for you!

Creative Kidstuff. You've seen me write about this store. It's one of my favorites. You can't go wrong with any of their items for kids. Here is a 25% off promotion code to use online, now through Saturday (December 1st): 25FCAT.

After shopping for the kids at Creative Kidstuff, pick up a little something for yourself at CocoCesca. Currently, there is 50% off everything on the site! They carry costume jewelry, handbags, hats, scarves, apparel, home decor. You name it. Use Coupon Code: 50HOLIDAY.

Go nuts. Then tell the husband how much money you saved "him".

Rockin' Rody

Red Rody, red Rody, send Charlie right over. Oh, maybe that's Red Rover, red Rover...

Everybody and their mother are buying these "horsies" right out of the stores. They come in a mulititude of colors and are super for balance and coordination. The super strong (latex-free) toys are inflatable to adjust for the weight of the child. You can purchase a pump, if you wish. Another accessory you might want to purchase is a rocking base for about $30. Then you can sing, "Rockin' Rody". Oh maybe that's, Rockin' Robin.

Fun gift for only $39.99; ages 2-4 years. My only question, Where are the bigger Rodys for the older kids?

Howdy, the new giddy-up ride-on cow is now available for the same ages.

Boden Offer

Right now receive $15 off when you spen $40 or more at Boden. Valid until Friday, November 30th at 11:59 pm. Applies to Womenswear, Menswear, and Childrenswear, however sale items are excluded. You must use the link above.

If you haven't checked out Boden, do. They have some great pieces. Happy Shopping!

From Mom the Elf

Giving is a great feeling. Giving to yourself is just as great! So, don't forget to get pick up a few items just for you this holiday season. (There's no question you deserve it, Mom.) While I was in bed for four days, I memorized the J.Crew catalog... lucky you. Here are a few picks you might not want to pass up.

Cashmere Slipper Socks. Do I need to say more than just Cashmere? If you have a catalog, flip through it to find these slippers. They are incredibly adorable on. I would say this online picture does not do them justice. $225.

Merino Alice sweater jacket (pictured above). Let's see who can beat me to buying this one! The color choices aren't the greatest. I would need to go to the nearest J.Crew to see if I can pull of the dark poppy one. $158.

Shawl-collar fleece popover. One word. Comfortable. Sale $49.50.

Luxe cashmere Bristol sweater. This open neck sweater is adorable. $350.

Catching Up

Hope everyone had a fun and relaxing holiday weekend! I, however, did not. From Wednesday night to Sunday afternoon, I spent my time in bed with a severe case of strep throat. Some people might say, "Oh my, relish the time alone, milk the sick time by getting waited on." Unfortunately it wasn't like that. Let's just say I was really sick and couldn't enjoy any of it. On the plus side, I did catch up on some TV shows!

I watched the two episodes of this season's Project Runway.

I also caught quite a few entertaining episodes of The Real Housewifes of Orange County. Heard of it but had never seen it. Can someone please tell Bravo to mix up their commercials? I know they are in it for the money and there is some statistical information out there that says, "Show this commercial 50 times during one show and the consumer won't forget it." The problem is, I am now completely annoyed. I get it already. Real Housewives has a new show this Tuesday night and Project Runway has a new show Wednesday night. TiVO the shows and skip the ads. As if that needs to be said anymore!

Lastly, I caught Stacy London's (from What Not To Wear) Fashionably Late premier. I think she's pretty damn funny! You can catch this one on Friday nights. For the most part, it's a witty show, but I don't think I'll be spending my Friday nights watching it... unless I'm sick.

Elf on the Shelf

Immediately after Thanksgiving everyone moves into holiday mode. If you celebrate Christmas, don't forget to bring out your Elf on the Shelf (see my review from last year). If you don't have one, you need to buy one! The little elf enables you to manipulate your children into thinking you can communicate with Santa every night... so they had better be good. Genius.

Sale Siren

No need to get pulled over for speeding to sales at the stores, just speed-type your way online to these great sales.

I would be somewhat impaired if I didn't mention my own sales first. Emily Allyn has a lot to be thankful for when it comes to saving you money.
We have premium organic clothing under $20.00. Now that is hard to find.
Our baby tees are marked all the way down to $15.95. Hurry though the selection is dwindling.
We, of course, have our overstock sale.
And we have free shipping for orders over $50.00. That's easy to do this time of year!

Janie and Jack.
Save up to 50% off select items. And free shipping for orders over $100, enter FREE100 at checkout.

Posh Cravings & Babystyle are teaming up.
Receive $10 off plus free shipping on orders of $75 or more at Babystyle. Use code POSH10 at checkout. Offer expires December 3rd.

Brotherly Love

It's 4:30 pm. The boys are fighting and wearing you down. You find yourself yelling at them in order for them to hear you. They are hungry. You are hungry. And it's been a long day. A typical day, that is.

Buy this Brothers piece from Posh Tots, and maybe you can will the sibling rivalry to a minimum. Afterall, it would be a little weird to have kids that didn't fight. How would they learn to defend themselves verbally and physically?!!?

It's a big piece of art, 24" x 36", for $180.00.

Can't Go Wrong

It's the perfect gift. You can't go wrong when giving a silhouette. It's classic, and now Simply Silhouettes has added a modern twist to the black and white versions. You won't believe all the ideas.

Stationery items
Great gift ideas like jewelry, journals, aprons, and more
Innovative room decor any child would absolutely love, love, love
Wonderful items for the holidays - cards, stamps, address labels, cards and even wrapping paper!
Get a load of all of that, people!

The room decor with the kid jumping, the little princess, and the baseball boy might be my favorites. I can just see those items hanging on any kid's wall. Simply Silouhettes has outdone themselves with some truly unique ideas.

Quick get your order in now for the perfect Christmas present! Something the receiver will cherish for a lifetime.

You can tell I love silhouettes from my silouette logo of Emily & Allyn. Like I said, classic.

Santa's Helpers

Who needs Santa and his elves when you can have your very own Toy Shop in the convenience of your own home? OK, I'll venture to answer my own question. I need Santa. I need him for the sole reason so I can threaten my kids with the almighty, "You had better be good, Santa is watching." What am I going to do when they are old enough to know the truth? That's a whole other post.

I think this toy shop is adorable. It even has a toy shop quilt and tote to match. It's a nice size too, measuring 51"L x 43"W x 63"H. Heck you could build toys in there! It's $448.00.

For a more manly tent, there is the Garage Play Tent - Stan's Garage - same size, same price, also available with matching quilt and tote. The Retro Race Car is a perfect accessory for the garage. Maybe your son will grow up and take over the Garage Logic Radio Show.

Cheeky Chic Car

The Plasma car is still a hit. Every kid loves it. But this isn't the Plasma car. This is the next popular ride-on in line, the Cheeky Chic Ride-on.

The most important part of the description reads:
"Cheeky Chick is ready right out of the box, no assembly required! Plus the whisper quiet, non-abrasive PVC wheels make Cheeky Chick great fun, indoors - and out!"

You have to love that feature when little Molly opens it up, you won't have to listen to her for the next X-many hours asking you to put it together. And whisper quiet wheels! This is an advantage over the Plasma car. While my boys love it, it is very noisy on our hard floors.

The Cheeky Chic is also small, it folds, and comes with a carrying strap. You just know it was a parent who invented that feature - the parent who has the kid who likes to go on a "bike rides" while you walk. Half-way through the ride, he decides he wants to walk and not ride his trike anymore. Instead of you having to wrench your back over and awkwardly pull the trike by the handle bars while you are side-stepping the wheels, you can now fold and attach the carrying strap. Perfect!

It's also an award winner from Dr. Toy and iParenting Media.
Ages 18 months and up with a weight limit of 44 pounds.

Zip It!

If I were 8 years old again, this is the toy I would be begging for. I think it looks like so much fun. Now, as a parent I am a little more hesitant. I can just see all of my son's friends trying it out, getting crazy, and going smack right into the tree it is attached to. However, I saw one the other day and the owners had a piece of heavy-duty foam on the end of the cord. The zip line just bounced right off and the kid wasn't able to smack his face into that tree. Clever. Now I'm board again, but on one condition. I get to be the first one to try it! Think how fun it would be to fall into raked leaves or a big pile of snow.

For ages 8+ and holds up to 225 pounds.

Back to Basics

Amazon

The company also makes shorter lines for younger kids.

Born Identity

Election 2008 is coming. It is now less than a year away. Emily Allyn is preparing for the craziness by introducing not one, but two new designs! This is your sneak peak at the little "guys". They will be available to order online soon! Sign up on our email list if you would like to be the first to know when they are available.

Little Johnny is too little to make decisions for himself. As a parent, it is your duty to step in and teach him the ways of the world. And let’s be honest, it is impossible not to influence little Johnny’s decision-making skills in some way or another while he is growing up. So, why should his political views be any different.
That’s what parents do. It is their right.

Go ahead, start little Johnny young and push your values onto him.
Groom little Johnny and show him the way into your political party by buying him little republican or little democrat clothing from Emily Allyn.
Flaunt it.
Demonstrate to the world, there is yet another addition to your beloved Party.

If You Give A Mom A Muffin

The story below was in a forwarded email to me from a friend. I think it is worth posting! The author is not noted. So I apologize, I don't know who took the Laura Numeroff story lines and created a humorous tale for mothers.

If you give a mom a muffin...
If you give a mom a muffin
She'll want a strong cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll make herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee
She'll wipe it up.
While wiping the floor she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer, she'll trip over boots
and bump into the box of Goodwill items.
Bumping into the Goodwill items will remind her that she has to
get these boxes out of her basement and into the car.
When she puts the boxes in the car, she'll find a bag of
groceries and this will remind her she has to cook dinner.
She will get out the chicken defrosting in the fridge.
She'll look for her cookbook, "101 Things To Do With Chicken"
The cookbook will be sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the Netflix movie she's meant to send back and the
phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
The checkbook will be in her purse that is being dumped
out by her one-year-old.
As she bends down to rescue her purse,
she'll smell something funny.
She'll change the baby's diaper.
While she is throwing away the diaper and searching for the hand
sanitizer, the phone will ring.
Her three-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to call a friend -
not for coffee, but for a very strong drink.
Thinking of drinking will remind her that she was going to have a cup of coffee in order to stay awake for the rest of the day.
And chances are....
If she finds her cup of coffee (which she has to reheat by now),
Her children will have eaten the muffin that goes with it.

Doodle Dice

A friend of mine told me about this one, Doodle Dice. I think I'll buy it just because it's fun to say the name! Doodle Dice. It's labeled for kids 6+, but she said her 4-1/2 year old boy is easily catching on to a slightly modified version. Players roll the 6 dice and use them to create the doodles on the playing cards. You can also block opponents and take their cards away (perfect for siblings). The first player to create a doodle from each colored deck, wins!

Spoons!

Flashback. 1986 slumber party. My house. About 1:00 am. Eight screaming girls. Why were we screaming? Well, there were lots of reasons, just ask my dad. Uh oh, another flashback, "Emily, will you be quiet down there?" And it wasn't exactly a polite question as it was a furious demand.
Back to why we were screaming. Well, as I said, there were lots of reasons, movies, funny stories, ghost stories, and spoons. Yes, spoons.

Do you remember the game? It's back! Actually, I'm not sure it ever left. I just didn't exactly play in college. Although I suppose it would have been a good twist on a drinking game. I digress.
It's a simple, yet very fun concept. You need to get four-of-a-kind. Once you do, you secretly snag a spoon. If you see a spoon is gone, they are all up for dibs and you want to get one before they are gone or you, my friend, are done. Some may say, "I don't need to buy that game. We have a deck of cards and we have spoons." But I ask you, do you really want to be washing your spoons constantly? Do yourself a favor. Slap down the $10.00 for the Giant Spoons game and save yourself the headache of not having a clean spoon the next time you dig into that Ben and Jerry's.

Hide and Seek

This one is for all ages, however there is a twist from the traditional hide and seek game. I've seen these little safari guys all over this year. It's an award winner from National Parenting Center.

Admit it. It gets a bit old to be "seeking" your 3 year old that can't stop giggling because she thinks her same hiding spot for her last 10 turns is somehow magically sneaky this time around. Yes, it is cute and funny the first hundred times, but honestly it does get old.

Bring on Hide and Seek Safari animals. Kids can play with these animals alone or use them with the other Hide & Seek animals. "The Monkey's curved tail allows him to hang upside down indoors or out. Use the Seeker wand to track down and catch this elusive Monkey. Lights flash to show you're getting warmer and the Seeker will sound when the Monkey is near!"

There is also a Tiger and T-Rex. Amazon prices start at $27.95.

I Spy 3D

One of my sons loves I Spy books. He can't get enough of them. So, I figure this will make a great gift, I Spy 3D. You've gotta love any "board" game that comes with super fashionable cardboard glasses. By "board" game, I mean tiles. There are 40 tiles. You could place 15 down at once (see above picture). Then you slip on your nifty glasses and the "board" jumps out at you while the objects on the tiles seem to float. What's cool (besides the glasses), is the tiles will always be in different spots, so you can't necessarily remember where all the objects are - like you can in the books. My son will love it!

Ages 5+.

Amazon, $20.15. Eligible for free Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.

Sense of Touch

Think back to when you were growing up. Did you ever go to birthday parties where you had to stick your hand in a brown paper bag and feel for a certain small object? If so, I'm guessing someone we grew up with took that idea and ran with it, bringing it to modern times. The New Touch Game sold at Young Explorers is exactly that idea. For kids, it's actually harder than you might think.

This family game includes 49 detailed play pieces such as a turtle, football helmet, or hamburger along with 20 game cards. Within a designated time, you must place your hand into the dome and blindly feel for an object on your card. If you absolutely love the game, you can add up to four expansion packs and you won't get bored with the same old pieces.

The New Touch Game is a multiple award winner from Dr. Toy and Best Product of the Year awards. Ages 5+. Priced at $34.95 and $9.95 for each expansion pack.