Gone Fishin'

Your son loves to fish and your husband is over the moon with delight thinking of all the male-bonding times they are going to have. You are tickled pink because you are thinking of all the me-time you will get while the boys are out! To keep that interest alive with your little guy, the Fish Tales furniture from PoshTots.com is a must... not to mention down-right cool.

The armoire is amazing and probably the most unique piece of furniture I've ever seen.
Don't forget the nightstand and the tables and chairs. Though quite honestly, if your child is old enough to really love fishing, he might be a bit old for the table and chairs. Just a thought.
And you can round out the room with the remaining accessories, some art, the lamp (this picture does not do it justice, a rug, more art, and even more art.

Truly a wild and magnificent catch!

There Was An Old Woman...

Who lived in a shoe;
She had so many children,
She didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth,
Without any bread;
She whipped them all soundly,
And sent them to bed.

If you have $49,000 lying around and you would like to buy your little princess one damn nice piece of furniture for her bedroom, here is the ulitmate idea. The Whimsical Shoe Armoire sold at PoshTots.com. Seriously though, how cool would this be? It would be even better if it was a play house, not just storage for clothing. At 9 feet tall, it certainly could be.

You might enjoy Ann Landers version better:
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children she ran out of names to call her husband.

Lifetime TV and BCA

Breast Cancer is no laughing matter. However, it is ok to have a little fun while sending out an important message.
Lifetime TV put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. All you need to do is fill out your name, email, state, and zip. Easy as 1-2-3-4.

Their campaign is: be my support. be my strength.
be my bra. Love it!

After you fill out the short petition form, you will find yourself on a Thank You page where you can create your very own own character and add her to the growing list of women wanting to find a cure for this dreadful disease. My character is shown above, in the middle. (Just to be clear, you only have certain styles to choose from. I would never actually wear this top, but I love the shoes. Then again, we aren't really focusing on me in this post, are we.)

Spring Break Preparations

Spring Break is coming; hopefully you have some plans to get outta dodge sans your adorable ankle bitters. Even if Spring Break isn't the excuse, just get away from the little ones for a long weekend. I promise, you will thank me. Is it hard the first few times to leave your child(ren)? Yes. Is it worth it? Definitely. Will you be ready to come home after a few days? Probably not. In fact, you might even make a pact with your hubby - next trip, longer!

When you do finally pack those bags, newer moms will find this Journal for the Babysitter quite handy. Presumably your kids will be left in the hands with familiar faces while you jaunt down to Mexico or over to Italy for the week. Mother-in-law may act like she is a pro (after all she did raise your significant other and maybe more), but she isn't remembering that was 30+ years ago, and she doesn't get to hand the kiddos back to you after one night of babysitting this go-around. So, she just might find this journal a god-send. And for only $24, you could afford the feeling of doing something right for a change in your Mother-in-law's eyes, couldn't you?

There are tabbed sections for meals, favorite activities, sleep routines, phone numbers, and more. Also included is a blank notepad to jot down other notes/details you think are important for the Sitter.

Time Is On Your Side

Itzbeen. Finally a gadget for new moms to ease their minds. If you've been a new mom, you know. You are thrown into the depths of remembering everything:
from what time you last fed the baby
to what time baby's last nap was
to when you last changed baby
to when you last gave her the medication she needs
to where you left your keys
to when you and your husband last had sex (I'm guessing "itz been" a long time)
to when you last had your glass of wine.
You get the picture. Let me reiterate, new moms have to remember everything.

Itzbeen was designed for that new mom. A tiny timer that keeps track of all this for you... well, ok maybe it doesn't know where your keys are. However, there are buttons for diaper changes, feeding, sleep or awake, and more. The more button is for all those extra instances mentioned above, like timing medication or your last glass of wine. Hey, I'm just saying. And get this, there's even a way to keep track from which side you last nursed. And (yes, there's even more) there is the ability to set an alarm for each timer.

The whole gadget is quite clever, really. It's one of those, why didn't I think of that? Many timers on one little device, smart. For those green-wise individuals, it saves trees too. No need to write down all those times anymore. Though in all honestly, those were your sleepless daze and confused months where you forgot to write down half the times anyway and you were forced to make random guesses. But that won't happen anymore with this handy-dandy timer.

For those of you who didn't get the Blackberry you wanted for Christmas, there is a black clip. You can clip it onto your pants or diaper bag and just pretend it's your Blackberry. In other words, it's portable. Take it to the park or bring it to Grandma's... because we all know Grandma can use a little reminding at times.

Itzbeen. Every new mom needs one.

Fakes Are Never In Fashion

I was on ebay one day looking for a fabulous new purse. I came across an incredible authentic Gucci. I starred at the description, looking for anything that might be a clue if it was fake or not. I couldn't believe it, it seemed legit. I bid on it! But the whole time, I just kept wondering, "What if it's fake?" Then I told myself, "If it is, so what. I'm probably the only one who will know it's fake." I felt better.

Then, I won it! Part of me was thrilled. Part of me not so thrilled. It was an odd feeling. The bag came in the mail. I ripped open the box and just gazed at my new authentic Gucci. I placed it on a chair in my office. Something just didn't seem right. That handbag sat on my chair for a few days. The thoughts going through my head were all over the place, "This is crazy, you just paid good money for this bag, use it will you?!?" and "It's fake, I know it is. I won't feel right carrying it. Even if nobody knows, I know".

So, I hopped on the trusty internet and did some research. I couldn't believe what I found and neither will you.

Here is an article on ebay everyone should read, How to Avoid Counterfeit Purses and Handbags. Incidentally, this is how I discovered my purse was probably a fake, a pretty good one at that. However, here is where it gets interesting. Within this article is a section titled, What's the big deal about buying counterfeits anyway? And here's the quoted answer:

According to the International Anticounterfeiting Coalition:
1. Counterfeiting is illegal and purchasing these goods supports illegal activities.
2. Counterfeiters do not pay taxes, meaning less money for city schools, hospitals, parks and other social programs.
3. Counterfeiters do not pay their employees fair wages or benefits, have poor working conditions and often use forced child labor.
4. The profits from counterfeiting have been linked to organized crime, drug trafficking and terrorist activity.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Numbers 2 and 3 made sense. Sadly, I just never linked people buying fake purses and those problems. But number 4 blew me away. My first thought, "Ok, this is one source. You need to find more before you believe it." But I knew it was true. And, yes, I found many sources.

There was a reason that "authentic Gucci" sat on my chair without being used. In the back of my mind, I knew something wasn't right. If you care how the story ends, read on. Otherwise, go get rid of all those fakes right now!

I contacted the seller and stated that I was pretty sure this was not authentic as she claimed. If she could provide proof to me that it was authentic, I (of course) would keep the bag. However, if she could not provide proof, I wanted to return it. By the way, sellers know it is illegal to sell fakes on ebay, so she knows she would have been in big trouble. Sure enough, her reply only stated where I could return the bag, nothing else.

I learned my lesson.

Harper's Bazar magazine is devoting a whole site to Fakes Are Never In Fashion. There is a fashion contest and information on fakes. If nothing else, it is quite interesting.

Ouchies

We've all been there. You get to Target, get the kids situated, get your list out, and you are off... only to be stopped at one of the first isles. Your child needs those Spider-Man, Dora, or Cars band-aids. Next time try Ouchies bandages. Your budding little artist can create whatever kind of bandage she wants with their Make Your Own-Ages. There's 20 bandages in 5 colors. The tin comes with a pen, so your little Monet can design-away. That should keep the tot interested for a few minutes anyway. And for the boys and girls who are a little above that, they do offer "boy bands" and "girl bands". Clever.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I found this post the other day. We can all use some good tips on how to better our marriage. This article lists 100 Ways You Can Love Your Husband His Way. (Click for original website; author unknown.) Although we'd like to think so, life can't always be about us... or the kids. Dad needs some lovin' too.

So, read away and try a few out today - Valentine's Day!

By the way, there is one titled, 100 Ways to Show Love to Your Wife HER Way. Just in case you want to leave it up on his computer some day.

1. Communicate with him respectfully.
2. Regard him as important and let him know he’s important to you.
3. Purposefully try to understand his feelings—even when you disagree with him.
4. Show interest in his friends giving him some time with them if they’re trust-worthy.
5. Ask for his opinion and let him know you value what he says.
6. Tell him you both love him AND like him.
7. Let him feel your approval and affections.
8. Protect his dignity on a daily basis.
9. Be tender with him realizing he has feelings also.
10. Foster an atmosphere of laughter in your home. Look for ways to laugh together.
11. Avoid sudden major changes without discussion giving him time to adjust.
12. When you go out on a date together don’t bring up problems—have fun instead.
13. Focus on what he’s doing right, instead of focusing so often on the negatives.
14. Show interest in what he feels is important in life.
15. Correct him gently and in private.
16. Recognize that the first few minutes after a spouse comes home often sets the stage for how the rest of the evening will go. So try to make the first few minutes of seeing him a positive experience. (And then ease into the negative if it’s necessary.)
17. Make special time available to him apart from the children.
18. Don’t allow any family member to treat him disrespectfully. Be the one to defend him to any family member that dishonors his place as your husband.
19. Compliment him often.
20. Be creative when you express your love, both in words and in actions.
21. Talk with him about having specific family goals for each year to work on to achieve together so you will both feel closer to each other as a marital team.
22. Don’t over commit yourself. Leave time for him.
23. Extend God’s grace to him and be forgiving when he offends you.
24. Find ways to show him you need him.
25. Give him time to be alone. (This energizes him to reconnect at other times.)
26. Admit your mistakes; don’t be afraid to be humble. Peel away your pride.
27. Defend him to those who disrespectfully talk about him. Remember that love protects (1 Corinthians 13:7).
28. Respect his desire to do well—not his performance.
29. Rub his feet or neck, or scratch his back after a hard day.
30. Take time for the two of you to sit and talk calmly (schedule it when necessary).
31. Initiate going out on romantic outings (when he’s not tired).
32. Email him when he’s at work, telling him how much you love him.
33. Surprise him with a fun gift of some kind that he’d really enjoy.
34. Express how much you appreciate him for working so hard to support the family.
35. Tell him how proud you are of him for who he is (giving him specific reasons).
36. Give advice in a loving way — not in a nagging or belittling way.
37. Help your husband to be the Spiritual head at home (without “lording” it over him).
38. Reserve some energy for him so you’re not so tired when he wants you sexually.
39. Don’t expect him to do projects beyond his natural capabilities.
40. Pray for him to enjoy God’s best in life.
41. Take special notice for what he has done for you and the family.
42. Brag about him to other people both in front of him and even when he’s not there.
43. Share your feelings with him at appropriate times (but keep it brief when he’s tired—sometimes men can feel “flooded” by too many words).
44. Tell him 3 things you specifically appreciate about him.
45. Honor him in front of the children (differ respectfully in private when necessary).
46. Give him time to unwind for a little while after he comes home from work. Arrange ahead of time to take your “time out”, giving him a few minutes with the children.
47. Get up with him, even when he gets up earlier than you want to and pray with him. (Hopefully you can go back to sleep afterwards. If not, it’s a sacrifice worth making.)
48. Be his “help-mate” in whatever ways you sense he needs it.
49. Do some shoulder-to-shoulder activities with him (like watching a movie or taking a drive together) without talking. Sometimes men just like to BE with you and not talk.
50. Be a student of his ways so you show your love in ways he best comprehends it.
51. When your husband is in a bad mood give him time to recover. Don’t crowd him.
52. Help him to finish his goals, hobbies, or education when your see he needs it.
53. Treat him as if God has stamped on his forehead: “Handle With Care.”
54. Work to get rid of habits that annoy him.
55. Be kind and thoughtful to his relatives. Don’t make him choose between you.
56. Don’t compare his relatives with yours in a negative way.
57. Thank him for things he’s done around the house. (It means a lot to men).
58. Don’t expect credit for all you do for him. Do it as “unto the Lord.”
59. Make sure he agrees with everything important that you’re planning to do.
60. Do little things for him—an unexpected kiss, coffee in bed, etc.
61. Don’t belittle his intelligence or be cynical in your words with him.
62. Initiate sex periodically. And respond more often.
63. Sometimes let him enjoy his day off work without having to “work” at home.
64. Get to the point in your discussions. Spare him details unless he wants them.
65. Discover his sexual needs.
66. Surprise him with a 15 second kiss when he gets home from work.
67. Wink at him from across the room when you’re out at a group function.
68. Give him the benefit of the doubt when he mis-speaks.
69. Don’t quarrel over words.
70. Be kind and courteous with him. (Don’t be kinder to strangers than to him.)
71. When things go wrong, instead of assessing blame, focus on how to do better.
72. As a kindness, don’t say, “I told you so.”
73. Try not to argue over money. Peacefully discuss future expenditures instead.
74. Take him out on dates—pre-planning all of the details ahead of time.
75. Hold his hand and snuggle up close to him at times both at home and in public.
76. Praise his good decisions; minimize the bad ones.
77. Tell him you love him more often.
78. Put love notes in his pockets and brief case.
79. Sit with him while he’s watching TV—even if the program doesn’t interest you.
80. Don’t expect him to read your mind. (Family’s are spared grief when a husband isn’t required to read their wife’s mind despite the fact that the wife thinks he should.)
81. Periodically, give him time with his family alone.
82. Check with him before you throw away his papers and stuff. (He may view them as more important than you realize.)
83. Work to keep yourself in shape in every way.
84. Let him express himself freely, without fear of being called stupid or illogical.
85. Carefully choose your words. Remember to “speak the truth in LOVE.”
86. Don’t criticize him in front of others—keeping his dignity in tact.
87. Visit his childhood home with him.
88. When you’re angry, express it in respectful ways. Don’t give the silent treatment.
89. Pray for him.
90. Make him homemade soup when he’s sick.
91. Look your best—dress to honor him and make him proud to be seen with you.
92. Support him when someone tries to put him down. Be his best cheer leader.
93. Don’t disagree with him in front of the children.
94. Take him for a weekend get-away without the children.
95. Cheer his successes whether in business or in other areas of everyday living.
96. Graciously teach him how to demonstrate his love for you.
97. Give him coupons to redeem—maybe for a back scratch or a shoulder rub.
98. Buy him a gift certificate to his favorite lunch spot and put it in his wallet.
99. Hide notes for him around the house where only he will find them.
100. Thank him for just being himself.

And if none of these seem too important to you, you could always jump out in front of him, naked, do a little a dance and sing, "Will you be my V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-E? If you will, you surely know how happy I will be." Yup, that's what I thought... those 100 things aren't looking too bad now are they?

Endless Enticements

Have you heard of Endless.com? They carry shoes and handbags.
I have been searching for a pair of shoes for a wedding this weekend (not to mention a dress, but that's another story). Let's just say I spent quite a bit of time on the internet comparing shoes at Zappos, Piperlime, Shoes.com, Nordstrom, and Endless.com.

Zappos - four little words: rip off, big time
Shoes.com - a tad better prices than Zappos
Piperlime - a tad better prices than Shoes.com
Endless.com - best deals (by far), plus free overnight shipping and free returns. And for a limited time they are deducting $5 off your order when you use overnight shipping (which is already free).

I have been so impressed with this company, I can't stand it! First, I love free shipping. Like many of you, I have a hard time paying for shipping. I have the Mall of American and tons of little neighborhood shops not too far from me. But there's a but. But with kids, as you all know, it's not easy to get to those stores. And of course being able to shop at 10pm or 8am is huge.

One thing all of the above online shops have in common is free shipping and free returns. Which is great, however with lower prices and free overnight shipping Endless.com is the clear winner.

I ordered 5 pairs of shoes from Shoes.com and Endless.com. The packaging by Shoes.com was rather sloppy. The packaging by Endless.com was neat, looked like the shoes had never been tried on (a.k.a. returned), and included a little bonus. Right now, when you buy shoes from Endless.com, you also receive a little package of Godiva chocolates. I'm assuming it's a Valentine's Day thing, so I don't know how long it will last.

How cute are the shoes pictured above?
Joan & David, $115.
Go ahead, buy a little something for yourself. It will arrive in time for Valentine's Day. Just be sure to check the countdown clock displayed toward the top of the page to order in time.

Endless.com - Tony.

Wax Be Gone!

Have you ever blown out some decorative candles on your dining room table only to spill wax onto your table cloth or runner? If you have wax on something and you can't get it out, I have a trick for you!

I found this idea on the web because I performed the oh-so-graceful scenario above at Christmastime. And I'm sure someone out there will perform this chic move on Valentine's Day when you are trying to be all romantic by candlelight and then you blow wax on your hubby's clothes.

First, if there is quite a bit of wax on the fabric, put an ice cube to the wax. This will harden it even more. Then try to scrape it with a butter knife (don't use a normal knife because you might tear the fabric).

Second, grab two clean paper bags (or cut one in half). Warm up your iron to a medium setting. Place one bag under the fabric. Place the fabric on top of that bag so the wax is facing up. Place the second bag on top of the fabric/wax. Iron on top of the bag. You will see the wax "grease" on the paper bag. Slowly it is moving from the fabric to the paper bag! Once you think you have removed all the wax, you might want to treat the stain before you wash it.

How cool is that? I did it and it worked!

Grammys

Two amazing singers finally sing together.
Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban sang, "The Prayer" at the Grammys (last night) dedicating it to all those the music industry lost this past year.
Here is a YouTube Clip.

If you've never heard of either of these singers, you must! They have incredible voices. Even if you don't "like" this type of music, I bet you will get goosebumps.

Just in case you are wondering why Andrea Bocelli looks like he is looking down or closing his eyes, it's because at age 12 he became legally blind when a football hit him in the head.

Unbelievable talent.

Party On...

Look at the amazing blogs and sites that featured our Little Democrat and Little Republican clothing on Super Tuesday! Every review talked-up our clothing like it was the coolest thing since your 80's feathered hair do. Come on, you know you thought you were stylin'.

A big thank you to each and every one. It makes me so happy to know that so many people absolutely love, love, love our clothing... WOO HOO!

Celebrity Baby Blog: Never too Young

Mama's Like: Rock the Vote

The Trendy Mommy: Super Trendy, Super Tuesday

Baby Luxe {daily} (link to main site)

Classy Mommy

If you think the Emily Allyn clothing is worthy to feature on your blog, please contact us! We would be honored.

Nightmare Snatchers

Those pesky nightmares scare every little child half to death. Which leads me to my other favorite products from Crankypants (see below), the Nightmare Snatchers. These cute little furry guys will help take those bad dreams away.

Inside the monster you will find 50 pages to write and/or draw on. Your little frightened angel can journal about his darkest fears or draw a picture of what he sees in his nightmare. Then the monster snatches them tight and traps them inside. One word, clever.

Choose a monster, Mugwump, Crubbly, Lomper, Fribble, or Swampmop. And for $20, it's a steal if it helps your child in any way!

Crankypants

No need for a creative title on this posting. The name of the company is extraordinarily fun, Crankypants.

Without a doubt these are the most creative, most entertaining pants I've ever seen - and I've seen a ton of pants in this business. One look at these pants and you smile instantly, right? These would be great for your tot to be wearing when she throws a temper tantrum. Maybe just maybe you can look at her bum and just laugh and laugh and laugh through it all. Just don't laugh so much you give her a complex about her butt!

Evidently, I'm not the only one who thinks these are the coolest pants around. The company has had so many orders, they are now partnering with a business in Nepal to help with the knitting and meet the consumer demands. The downside is they are sold out. The upside is you can put your name on a waiting list.

Crankypants make happy faces.

Born Identity - Emily Allyn Style

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?

Go ahead, start little Johnny young and impose your values upon him. Groom little Johnny for your political party by buying him Little Republican or Little Democrat clothing from Emily Allyn. Flaunt it and demonstrate to the world, there is yet another addition to your beloved Party.

In the political world, today is Super Tuesday. A day when 24 states are up for grabs. Start your politicking now. Show your political spirit this election year by buying your little one a little democrat or little republican... or both if you and your significant other happen to cancel each other's votes!

Bullseye

When you see a red bullseye, what do you think of?
Yes, Target. It's all about the marketing. And Target just keeps getting better and better at marketing. They now carry Dwell Studio baby products. Can you believe it? I can. And the designs are adorable.

The Olivia collection is so damn cute. Fresh, modern, not baby-ish, and pink without being in-your-face pink. This bedding, which includes a bumper, a fitted sheet, and comforter is on sale for only $65. Just in case you are wondering, full price is still only $79.99. Bargin, people, bargin.
The crib skirt, on sale for $16.99.
Fitted sheet, on sale for $8.49
Window panel, on sale for $12.74
Decorative pillow, on sale for $7.64
Cribs are around $260.

You can't go wrong with Dwell.

More on Sale

Bloomingdales.com.
Through February 4th, there is an extra 50% off all sale prices! Deduction is taken when you add the item to the shopping cart. So, that price you see listed - take another 50% off girl!