Tiny Prints

I love this image. Every time I see it, I smile and giggle. "I've arrived." Classic and so true. It's all about the baby.

I'm sure you need absolutely no introduction to the above image. It's everywhere. In Marketing 101 this company received an A+. But just in case you fall into the 2% of the population who hasn't seen this image, let me introduce you. It belongs to the genius minds at Tiny Prints - a must when ordering announcements, invitations, thank yous, and labels.

Recently, I received some cards from Tiny Prints. They are every bit as classy, fun, original and dynamic as the website claims.

As I'm scrolling through their website trying to pick out some paper to highlight, I honestly can't decide which ones to show you! They are all adorable. I am completely serious. Have a look for yourself.

Baby Girl announcements (click view all and get that scroll finger ready)
Baby Boy announcements (same drill)
Baby Shower announcements (gender neutral, they also carry gender specific)

Birthday Party invitations (some of my favorites: the pirate, the cowboy, the slumber party, and the pink castle)
Tiny Prints also carries invitations for almost any kid-related occasion you can think of, many thank you notes as wells as gift tags and labels.

The company is growing so fast they just launched Wedding Paper Divas to keep up with the demands from brides-to-be.

I'll go out on a limb and say if you can't find anything at Tiny Prints that suits you and your occasion, you might have a problem.

Tiny Prints - you will be totally satisfied (please try to say that without your Valley Girl accent).

Johnny Boden

It's time for my seasonal Johnny Boden post.
Right now the special is 15% off your purchase of $150 or more along with free shipping and returns.

Here are some of my favorite finds.

Fab Day Bag in Dalmation and Red, $218 - $240.

You can pull out your matching Fab Wallet from you Fab Day Bag, $74.

Are you in to having your bag match your shoes? Here's some funky dalmation wedges, $178.

Sassy Textured Cardigan, $108.
Hamptons Cardigan, $108.

Merino V-neck is good for layering, $78.

If you can wear knit, the Knitted Ruffle Dress is adorable, $98.
Love this Spot Coat, $278.

Tag, you're it.

Graffiti You'll Love

I love quotes. They can be clever, witty, sad, meaningful; and they can even inspire. I have a rock which reads simply, "Courage." But the box it came in reads, "Feel the fear and do it anyway." I love it!

Wonderful! Graffiti places all your favorite sayings, ideas, wishes, definitions, monograms, and expressions on a removable transfer. The words look as though you painted them on the wall. The transfer is made from a very thin piece of vinyl. I've seen it, you can't even tell it's vinyl.

There's an array of ideas to choose from, it might get a little overwhelming, in a good way. And you can create your own personalized graffiti. Be creative, let the juices flow. Use their ideas for inspiration.

Surprise your husband with this one in his closet or somewhere he will see it everyday. Even after a month if he doesn't "see" it anymore because he's so used to it, you can easily take it down and replace it with a new little message!

Someone needs to send this one to Obama since his campaign is based on the word Change.

If you love quotes, start here.

If you are a man reading this, do not, I repeat do not buy this one for the wifey.

If you have a daughter who has moved out on her own. Be sure to give her this. Subtle, I know.

All I can say is cool, cool, cool. I love this product. What an exceptional idea.

A Cool Job

How would you like to fly around our amazing country and blog about it?
Southwest Airlines is looking for someone to do just that!
Job Title: Blogospondant
What: Online casting call
For whom: Southwest Airlines
When: Now through August 31st.
How long is the assignment? One year.
For more details.

Go for it!

The Olympic Schedule

Watching the olympics is an amazing experience.

In case you are wondering what games are being played when. Or if you want a quick guide at your fingertips, you can check out nbcolympics.com. After plugging in your zip code, you receive a listing of times. Click a time and see all the sports listed at that time and what channel they are on (whether you are cable, DirecTV, etc).

Also on the left is a list of the sports. Click a sport you are intersted in and view the date and time of the games. I know my husband will want to watch (a.k.a. drool over) women's beach volleyball, for example. I found out the United States plays on 8/9 at 6pm. Simple!

BWCA

I'm baaaack! Honestly, I had all the intentions in the world to post while I was gone. I was up in Northern Minnesota, borderline with the BWCA (Boundry Waters Canoe Area) and right off the Gunflint Trail. My in-laws own a cabin up there and they have satellite internet. How sweet is that? In God's country with internet. They don't even get cell service up there, so the internet is like hitting the jackpot!
The scenery is gorgeous and relaxing. My husband absolutely loves it up there. I guess I got into relaxing a little too much in order to use the good old brain cells to post something credible for all of you to read. But I'll start up again on Monday. Thanks for waiting.

I'm excited for the Olympics to start tomorrow.

The Toadstool

The Toadstool table and chair set screams creativity. How cute is that? It's like an image you might find in a Disney Pixar fairytale movie. Can you picture your little girl sitting around having a tea party with the other neighbor girls. (And the boys in forrest steadily creaping up behind them ready to scare the daylights out of the little princesses!) But first your little enchanted princess needs to be sporting her Enchanted Forest Fairy Outfit. She will be the envy of all her little lady friends.

Another great find from Chasing Fireflies.

Bayfield, WI

Family reunions... you gotta love 'em. I just returned back from mine this weekend. Family from all over the U.S. came - from Washington state, Texas, Tennessee, California, Florida, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. We met at a resort in Bayfield, WI called Port Superior Rentals.

Bayfield is a quaint little town located in Northern Wisconsin on Lake Superior (one of the Great Lakes for those not from around here). If you like to sail, Bayfield is known around the world for it's pituresque waters and the Apostle Islands, located just off-shore from Bayfield.

If you live around the Twin Cities or in Wisconsin, I know you've heard of the town and maybe you have even been there. But, if not, I highly recommend it!

fabMap (TM)

I'm driving to Northern Wisconsin this weekend for a family reunion. I think I'll be bringing along my trusy new Rand McNally fabMap™. Oh, wait that's the Manhattan map. Whoops, that won't do me a lot of good. Hmmm... maybe I'll skip the family reunion and go to Manhattan instead. Right... better not. Ok, back to earth.

I thought fabMap stood for fabulous map, but it doesn't. The map is quite impressive actually. Get this, "It’s tear-proof, wrinkle-proof, waterproof, and requires no folding." Now try and get your brain around that for a moment. You can't can you. You are thinking to yourself, how do they make a map that doesn't have to be folded? And the image stuck in your head right now is you trying to figure out how to fold a map. No, the crease goes this way. No, the crease goes that way. Crease-no-more. The fab in fabMap stands for fabric. (Ahhh, ancient Chinese secret, eh.) Genious. A map made of fabric. You can just crumple it up or you can fold it however you want to fold it. (Not how the manufacturer thinks it should be folded.) Fabric and waterproof. Does it get any better than that? For maps, I mean.

And the 2008 Best In Show Award goes to fabMap™.

Oh and the family reunion is a whole other story. Which reminds me. I'm off for the remainder of this week. Tune in next week for more fabFinds. (And I don't mean fabric finds.)

Ickle, Pickle, and Tickle

Me: Ickle me, Pickle me, and Tickle me were sitting on a fence. Ickle me and Pickle me fell off. Who was left?
You: Tickle me (now picture my arms coming out of your screen to reach out and tickle you).

It's one of my favorite kid jokes. Yes, the ones they say over and over and over again.

The picture above reminds me of this joke. Ickle me because my first reaction is just plain ick. Pickle me because it's green like a pickle. And Tickle me because when you sit in it, I can only imagine the hairs would constantly be tickling you. Plus, I must admit, it reminds me of Mr. Snuffleupagus. Aside from all that, I will say it is funky and a bit fun.

You can find the Baby Hairy Bertoia chair at Genius Jones. And if you have $850 burning a whole in your pocket, it can be yours. I can't imagine there are many people in your circle that have this chair, therefore it would truly be a unique find for you.

Ahead of Their Time

The Social Security Administration revealed their annual Popular Baby Names list recently.
Guess which female name is number one?
Hey... you can't look! You already clicked the link, didn't you?
If not, here's a clue. Moi.
Yes, it is Emily again. Emily has been number one since 1996. I guess my parents were ahead of their time. And let me tell you how many times, as an adult, I have been at a store and heard, "Emily, Emily come here." I used to fall for it and turn my head wondering who knew little 'ole me. Now I'm clued in and know it's a parent's voice calling their daughter.

But enough about me :)

The number one boys name? Jacob. Followed by Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel.

And the following spots for the female names goes to Isabella, Emma, Ava, and Madison. I'm just going to take a wild guess here and say that Friends pushed the name Emma into the top 5!

On the other spectrum, Allyn didn't even make the list in the last 18 years! I guess Emily and Allyn is popular and unique.

I think Emily Allyn should start a Popular Baby Nicknames list. What do you think?
Well, that's easy and here it is!
1. Peanut
2. Sweet Pea

3. Monkey

4. Baby Cakes

5. Silly Goose

6. Pumpkin
7. Crabby Cakes

8. Wiggle Worm

9. Little Love

10. Girly Girl

Another Funny

For the weekend, I leave you with this...
You will laugh out loud at least 15 times, guaranteed.
I found this article on Cracked.com, 20 Baby Products Great For Traumatizing Infants. (Right click link and choose open in new window to read the article and my comments below side-by-side.)

#20 - Creepy
#19 - Gross to even think about having to do something like that, don't like the visual
#18 - Still doesn't look safe to me
#15 - As cracked.com puts it, "This is a great way to teach your children "I trust you exactly none."
#9 - OK, I understand they do this in other countries, fine, that is their culture and what they know. But that is in other countries people.
#8 - Think JonBenet.
#7 - I might just have to get me one of these.
#5 - Just plain wrong. Enough said.
#3 - So mean... yet so funny.
#1 - Well, Emily Allyn posted on this a loooong time ago! That's right, I guess we are just ahead of the game. Stick with us, we'll take you places.

Giveaways

Starting today, Emily Allyn is featured on Bloggy Giveaways. We will be giving away clothes, clothes, and more clothes!
Each day one new company posts a featured giveaway (Mon-Fri). The post lasts a few days and then a winner is chosen (or winners, in our case). They have great items too, not crap - or yours truly wouldn't have even thought about being affiliated with the site :)

And if you are one of those negative-Nelly's that says, "Oh, I never win anything," just try. If you can enter each day, you will have approximately 250 chances to win throughout the year!

We've Got Spirit Yes We Do. We've Got Spirit How 'Bout You?

What did I do on vacation, you ask? A number of relaxing and fun things, but one of them included reading a book I've been meaning to read for a while now.

Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents Whose Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, Energetic by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka.

Mary Sheedy Kurcinka describes a spirited child as a normal child who is more - more intense, more persistent, more sensitive, and more perceptive. "All children possess these characteristics, " she writes, "but spirited kids possess them with depth and range not available to other children. "

Does this sound like it might be one of your children? If not, scroll down and linger through my other posts. If so, I highly suggest you read Raising Your Spirited Child. If you are not quite sure yet, here are some characteristics Mary gives to each spirited child. She warns that not all spirited kids will bear each characteristic, but the characteristics they do display, they display with rigor.

1. Intensity: Loud, dramatic, shrieking, noisy when they laugh, play, and even walk. Or they can be intensely observant.
2. Persistence: The child "locks in" to an activity or idea.
3. Sensitivity: Responds to the slightest noises, lights, smells, textures or changes in mood.
4. Perceptiveness: They notice everything.
5. Adaptability: Uncomfortable with change, do not like surprises (and we don't mean surprise birthday parties!).

Do you find your days are like roller coasters? Do you use words to describe your "spirited" child like demanding, aggressive, stubborn, loud, manipulative, wild, whiny (well, ok who doesn't call their child whiny!), and argumentative?

See if you can relate to this story.
One minute I am snuggling with my son. We are reading together, giggling, and enjoying each other's company. He then gives me a big kiss, a bear hug, tells me I'm the "bestest" mommy ever, and runs off to the other room to find his older sibling. I am in hog-heaven.
Then out of nowhere you hear shrieks so deafening you think surely only dogs can hear them, but no you hear them quite clearly. You run to the other room to find your oh-so-lovable-one-minute-ago-son screaming, and I mean screaming, and hitting his brother. (The brother has his hands over his ears and is kind of retracting inward because of the noise. The hitting doesn't help either.) You need to know what happened and you start quizzing the older brother who says, "I don't know." You find yourself asking your son to calm down so you can get to the bottom of this, "William, can you please stop crying so we can talk?" He can't even hear me, you think to yourself. You raise your voice, "William, please stop crying. I want to talk to you." Still nothing but incredibly loud crying that is out of control and very annoying. You feel agitated and yell, "WILLIAM, STOP IT NOW. 1, 2, 3..." Now, either the crying escalates back to the shrieks or he stops crying only because he doesn't want to go to his room but he is still breathing like crazy and very angry.

This is just one example; an example that resonates with me, in fact - the shrieks, the uncontrollable crying, the hitting, the "not listening to me", not to mention my atrocious parenting style. After a few minutes of talking, I found out they were wrestling and the older brother hurt William.

This brings me to one of the most enlightening parts for me in Raising Your Spirited Child. Mary addresses this type of behavior. She explains, "Spirited children experience every emotion and sensation deeply and powerfully. Their hearts pound, the adrenaline flows through their bodies. There is actually a physical reaction that occurs more strongly in their bodies than in less intense individuals. They are not loud because they know it irritates people; they are loud because they really feel that much excitement, pain, or whatever the emotion or sensation might be. Their intensity is real. It is their first and most natural reaction. When you know your child is intense, you can expect a strong reaction and develop a plan to help your child express his reaction appropriately or diffuse it."

I can honestly say this was an epiphany for me. I now know this is his temperament. He's not trying to annoy me. He's not shrieking because he is over-the-top dramatic. Intensity is simply a characteristic which he has "more" of than other children. And it is real.

I realize this isn't meant to be an excuse. It is however an explanation, and in other chapters Mary speaks about how to handle the different temperaments. Though this is just one example for one characteristic, the whole book is devoted to sharing many, many examples and discussing ways to handle the temperaments.

Since this one post has become quite lengthy, I will end it here and post again in the near future with part deux. There is so much to say!

If you are chomping at the bit to know more, visit Mary Sheedy Kurcinka's website. She is a wealth of knowledge. Plus, she has written other fascinating books such as Kids, Parents, and Power Struggles (my next read), and Sleepless in America.

Amazing stuff.

The First Adventure

Books in general are great, but personalized books for children are amazing.

Custom Made For Kids is an online store where you can personalize stories for your little one. The First Adventures of Incredible You is remarkably colorful, cheerful, interesting, and fun to read to your new baby over and over again. If you would like to see for yourself, visit Custom Made For Kids and click Virtual Book Tour on the left. You will fill out your child's name, birthday, favorite zoo, and friend (or relative). Then you get to see a few pages of what your book would really look like. Smart!

A storybook made specifically for your little princess or prince. Your child(ren) will grow up and treasure this keepsake for sure. Oh, and did I mention it has won awards?

Currently, receive 15% off when you use the code Custom15 at checkout.

My Glass Is 1/2 Full

Summer is not half over. It's not. No way. No-how.
We still have half the summer left to enjoy!

While you think about that, here are some fabulous summer finds from one of my favorite sites, Spoon Sisters.

Everybody loves a tire swing. Well, how about a leaf swing or the ladybug rope swing? It holds up to 150 pounds, assuming the tree limb you attach it to can also handle 150 pounds!

For the ultimate sports enthusiast, there is the Why a Curveball Curves - The Incredible Science of Sports book.

It's summer. Get the kids away from Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody for goodness sakes. Instead invest a cheap $17 into this book: Unplugged Play – No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun. And you'll never hear, "I'm bored" anymore.

Or teach those kiddos a little bit about nature (hey, even if you're not chomping at the bit to discover nature, kids should be). Check out the Camp Out! - The Ultimate Kids Guide for the Backyard to the Backwoods book.

If you are a person who loves sunshine and blue skies (a few clouds are fine too), you will love this umbrella. Forget the rain, it's blue skies baby.

Take the kids to your favorite outdoor restaurant. While you wait your budding artist can practice her drawing with the Doodles at Dinner - Tear-Off Placemats.

Ok, so this next one really has nothing to do with summer. I just think it's clever. The Foot in the Door Door Stop is a new take on the whatever-you-can-find-at-that-moment to hold the door open. Heck, paint the bottom of the shoe red and pretend it's a Christian Louboutin.

Vaca

I'm writing to you from beautiful Northern Wisconsin. My family is taking in a little R&R at the cabin in Hayward. So far we have been golfing (twice). Let's just say the Par 3 course and I are much better aquainted than a "regular" course. Yesterday we went canoeing down the Namekagan (I have to look up the spelling on that one) River. With all the tubers, we felt like we were going down an obstacle course. Crazy. Much more to come this week!

In other words more Amazing Finds for Moms and Tots will be delivered to you next week. See you then...

Pathological Charmers

No, no, no I'm not referring to the Mr. Wrong we all seemed to find during our dating years (for some, over and over again).
In fact, this Charmer is the perfect follow up to the post from yesterday regarding the Lubber Totes...

These little charms, from Shoe Charmers, can decorate your Lubber Tote or any number of those rubber shoes you have strewn about the house. The pictures above highlight only a few of the many whimsical and adorable charms.

The upper left image is a glow in the dark skull. I can just see my boys spending hours in a dark room checking out each other's skulls. (For those of you who already think my boys are in the dark - well, take off, eh.)

Or you could buy all beach related charms and go with a beach theme, the sunglasses, beachball, sailboat, palm tree, seashell, flip flops. Heck they even have a coconut drink and suntan lotion bottle!

The boys can opt for a sports theme. They can fill their holes with basketball, soccer, football, baseball and tennis charms.

A little shameless self-promotion (hey, it's my blog): see the crab pictured above? It would match nicely with the Emily Allyn Crabby Cakes apparel. Picture the Crabby Cakes shirt and the adorable little crab shoe charmers; both on that "little character" of yours.

But alas my work is done. As if those aren't enough choices, you can visit Shoe Charmers to witness the mass of options.

Landlubber Minus the Land

For those of you in love with Crocs (or any rubber shoe), and I believe that covers about 1/2 the world, you will love the Lubber Tote. It's a tote that will carry almost anything with the look and feel of those special rubber shoes. Even the "footprint" of the tote is similar to the shoe!

"The clog tote can be taken to the beach, rinsed, and dried just as you do your clog shoes." Now that is convenient. Think how often the bag you take to the beach gets sandy and dirty. The lubber tote makes it easy - simply hose it off!

The Lubber Tote comes in an array of colors - perfect to match those clogs of yours. Just in case you need more ideas for things to do with your fun bright tote, the website lists several. All this and only $16.99.

Don't forget to decorate your new tote with the ever-popular charms.

Word Up

Smart, smart, smart. This is one of those "duh" products.

Word Lock has created combination locks using words instead of numbers. You pick the word from a minimum of 10,000 choices, and you can always re-set the word. Their collection includes bike/cable locks, padlocks, and luggage locks.

The padlock above sells on Amazon for only $9.99. No useless number sequence to memorize, no keys to keep track of (remember the really old padlocks?), just a simple word of your choosing. This is perfect for kids and adults.

As Word Lock says, "Easy to Set • Never Forget™, Wordlock®, Inc."

Thank You

Recently, Emily Allyn participated in a baby gift basket for Angela Kinsey from NBC's The Office. She was kind enough to personally thank everyone with a quick note.

She had a baby girl born on May 3rd, Isabel Ruby. Her husband is Warren Lieberstein.

It was fun to receive!

Thought I would leave you with this for the weekend. Yes, I moved the post!

Sigh of Relief

Talk about ingenious. These hip wrist bands, called Psi Bands and pronounced Sigh Bands, are a drug free solution for the relief of nausea. Most women who have been pregnant have dealt with some level of morning sickness, but it can also be used for motion/travel sickness, chemotherapy, and anesthesia. Now that is what you call versatile, plus it covers basically every human being out there.

The band uses acupressure by placing (you guessed it) pressure on a specific point in your wrist. You can control the amount of pressure by adjusting the colorful band. If you need a visual, you can watch a 17 second clip on the informative Psi Band website to see how it works and to answer any other questions you may have.

Next time your best friend tells you she's expecting you can buy her a Psi Band. She just might think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Never Out of Style

Animal prints will never go out of style.
I just bought a Dooney and Bourke Giraffe print leather handbag. I absolutely love it and I can't tell you how many compliments I've received in the past few days alone. I have to admit, I've never owned a Dooney and Bourke bag before. Their collection always struck me as bags for the older crowd. So either I've entered that older crowd or I'm wrong. They carry a ton of different style bags within the Giraffe print family. Dooney and Bourke also make a very fun Zebra print as well, if you are looking for something with more black. I've even seen some with some red accents.
Love, love, love this bag!

Where is Matt Now?

Here is a good reminder that we really are all in this world together:



I am a part of HARO, where Peter Shankman released this on his site. You can also find the video and more information about Matt at Where the Hell is Matt dot com.

I hope this video makes you smile so much your face hurts :)

10 Years and Counting

Today is my 10 year anniversary! I can hardly believe it. For the most part, I still remember that day pretty clearly - which is a feat in itself considering I can't remember much. Today I was doing some "preparations" like getting a pedicure and manicure. A wedding party came in for their appointments. The bride was so happy and so excited. I couldn't help but think to myself how lucky the bride-to-be is and what she has to look forward to for the next 10 years, plus. I've had 10 amazing years with my husband and we now have 2 wonderful boys. I'm thankful in so many ways and I can't wait for the next 10 years!

My husband and I are sending the kiddos off tomorrow to celebrate. One thing I'm excited for... waking up on my own, no kids pouncing on me!

Have a great weekend. I know I will :)

Windows Movie Maker

I know you are wondering just where in the heck I've been. I know you have spent many sleepless hours worrying whether I was ok or not. And I know you have been missing your weekly fashion fix a la me. Well... the wait is over and here is my story.

I can now add movie editor and movie producer to my laundry list of skills and credentials. (Remember my so-called geek squad days?)

I have found something amazing on my computer that I didn't even know was there. Windows Movie Maker. For Mother's Day, my brother made a "movie" for his wife. The movie contained pictures from their life together - their trips, their kids, their friends, their celebrations, etc.

So, I decided to follow suit. For Father's Day, I made a movie of my own for my husband. Only I included pictures from our childhood as well. It was a hoot! However, making it was not such a hoot. And that is what I was doing all last week, scrambling to get it done by the eleventh hour.

It is an amazing tool, really - The Windows Movie Maker. I know it automatically comes with Vista and some XP editions. (But if you don't have it you can download it here.) It's quite intuitive and very fun to make. I will say my two main complaints are:
1) For some reason, 90% of the time I added a picture or moved a picture or created a transition (from one pic to another), my Windows Movie Maker would pause in Not Responding mode. Very frustrating, actually, because it would literally take 1-5 minutes to come back. This is no exaggeration. It could be because I'm on a laptop, I have no idea. I'm sure it doesn't happen to everyone or this product would be out the window (no pun intended).
2) Once the movie is complete, if you want to create a DVD (as opposed to watching it on your computer), it's actually not that easy... unless you have Vista Home Premium or better. I have Vista Home Basic, so I had to go through some trial and error to figure out what was going on and then do a little research on Google to figure out how I could download this movie I had spent (no joke) at least 25 hours making. I wasn't going to spend that amount of time on something, only to have it work on my computer damn it!

Disclaimer: the hours do include me scanning older pictures, many of them in fact. But nonetheless, the process was very time consuming. I must admit it was worth every minute and I know my husband appreciated it very much. The movie is 20 minutes long. I added music to it, so the whole ensemble was so fun to watch. A walk down memory lane. I highly advise using the program, unless you don't have the time. Then pay someone to do it!

There are quite a few features. If you have a microphone for your computer, you can narrate (or you could pretend you are Ralph Edwards from This Is Your Life and go from there). There are effects you can add to your pictures like zooming, panning, fading in/out, a ripple, sepia, and many more. And there are transitions you add which are fun ways to get you from one photo to the next. And of course, you can add movies from your video camera or computer. I think you can even capture still moments from those movies. So, there is a wealth of possibilities for the novice movie editor.

Now the question remains, can I add movie star to my resume since I am in the movie? Right...

Kate Spade Private Sale

You heard that right! Private Sale. Well, how private can an internet sale be? But let's go with it people.

June 17-20, enjoy up to 60% off. I've checked it out and the prices look terrific.

Now you check it out!

As to what I've been up to the last week... that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Comfort After the C-Section? Yes!

Czela Bellies - Fabulous fun and flirty underwear for the recovering C-section mom!

Talk about finding a niche market. The owner of Czela Bellies has designed something I have never seen before - which is refreshing, to say the least.

New moms who have just gone through a C-Section can still feel fabulous underneath... even if their abdominal muscles are screaming. The design, which is patent-pending, provides comfort and style for the new mom. Comfort and style? You don't hear those two words in the same sentence very often.

I absolutely love this print pictured above. And if you are lucky enough to have a hubby who thinks pregnancy is beautiful, he'll be digging these little pieces of eye-candy too. However, depending how you feel (remember you now have a newborn and just underwent surgery), you might want to keep these little treasures your own secret... for a few weeks anyway.

In addition to all the cute boutiques and maternity stores that will be fighting to get their hands on these, we also hope to see these in hospitals across the globe.

Once A Year

I link to Creative Kidstuff quite a bit on this blog. The store is awesome and the people who work there are amazing. It's a wonderful concept. However, you don't need to live in the Twin Cities to get the perks. They have an online shop as well.

June 5-8, they have their "Once, and only once a year" sale where you can take 25% off everything in the store (and online).

What kid doesn't love the Parachute? It's a hit with all children. And this one even comes with balls to pop around. When you take the 25% off, it's only $37.49!
A take on Bocce ball, Boochie looks like it would be much easier for kids. Only $25.50 after your 25% off.
Rain, rain, stay here today. We have to paint our boots all day. $30 on sale day.
Simple toy. Great backyard fun. Especially if you have a hill! The See Me Tunnel. Will be $27.
Start the brainwashing young, is what I say. Maybe pretend play will turn into reality with this Breakfast in Bed Tray. This thursday only $13.75! Let the brainwashing begin.
Keep the Math fresh in the kid's heads this summer with these addition flash cards. Then it won't take them a month to get back into the swing of things. Also comes in subtraction, mulitplication, division, fractions, time, and money. Great concept. Each only $7.50 after 25% off.
And so, so much more.

If You Need A Good Laugh...

To All Mothers:
Check this out... OMG, love it!
I leave you with this chuckle for the weekend.

Unfathomable

Awhile ago my cousin sent me an email with a link by artist Chris Jordan, Running the Numbers.

Warning: the site takes a very long time to load, but be patient. Walk away and complete a task while it loads. I promise you will be blown away by these pictures.

I don't even know how to describe these pictures, so I'll let the artist do it for us: "Running the Numbers looks at contemporary American culture through the austere lens of statistics. Each image portrays a specific quantity of something: fifteen million sheets of office paper (five minutes of paper use); 106,000 aluminum cans (thirty seconds of can consumption) and so on... This project visually examines these vast and bizarre measures of our society, in large intricately detailed prints assembled from thousands of smaller photographs... I hope to raise some questions about the role of the individual in a society that is increasingly enormous, incomprehensible, and overwhelming." ~chris jordan, Seattle, 2007

I can not even fathom the pictures depicted on this website. For example,

Plastic Bottles, "Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every five minutes.

Cans Seurat (pictured above), "Depicts 106,000 aluminum cans, the number used in the US every thirty seconds.

Plastic Bags, "Depicts 60,000 plastic bags, the number used in the US every five seconds.

And it goes on.

Makes you think about the footprint we will be leaving on this amazing place we call home, Planet Earth.

Travel Light

Summer is around the corner and it's a great excuse for people to jet off to Grandma and Grandpa's house, take a trip to Disney World, head up to the lake, see Yellowstone, or whatever tickles your fancy. As a mom, I know full well how these preparations go. You pack everything from clothes to junior's travel Nintendo to snacks (oh Lord, do not forget the snacks) to books to more clothes to shoes to jackets to... you get the picture.

Packing is now easier with the Trunki. This special suitcase for little ones eases the stress of packing (and getting places for that matter). The suitcase is so cool maybe little princess will want to pack for herself for once. In your spare time (did I say that?), draw some pictures on index cards of what she needs and how many. For example, draw a picture of a short sleeve shirt and write the number 5. Little Miss Independent might want to travel more often.

Getting through the airport is now easier with the Trunki. You know the drill - walking as fast as one can walk with toddler in tow, trying desperately to get to the security line and make your flight. You are weaving in and out of people holding on to your toddlers hand for dear life. Somehow you juggle lugging your suitcase, purse, and your toddler's suitcase behind you. How do you do it? No more; the picture above explains it all. And I truly believe they will have smiles on their faces just like the picture shows. Who wouldn't be smiling when riding on their suitcase while someone else pulls them and does all the work? I would. And their little feet will be ready to run when you arrive at your destination.

Be sure to check out the Trunki website for other ideas to keep the kiddies busy. They have a holiday journal, a memory game, are we there yet tickets, and some fun postcards to download. It's all about keeping them busy. Your boy-scout-of-a-husband will be so proud with your new motto - be prepared.

How Lazy Have We Become?

I saw this so-called product today on Daily Candy. The Spinning Cone.
I can't believe someone even thought this product up. What's more unbelievable is that a store would carry it. I mean, come on. How lazy are the adults or children who use this?

If I'm going to reach for an explanation, I'll say it could be a white elephant gift, a joke gift.

And I love the description: "The answer for lazy lickers! This motorized ice cream cone will have your whole family fighting for them…" Fighting for them, really? Well, I guess if my family is wrestling each other to the ground for them that would involve some exercise and we wouldn't be considered lazy. Just lazy lickers.

Clarification: This blog is about Amazing Finds for Moms and Tots. I obviously don't think this product is amazing. I do however, think it is amazingly lame.

She Blinded Me With Science

Summer is around the corner and you are starting to think "Cr*p, I need some activities for us to do this summer." Here is an idea that is sure to keep the kiddos busy for hours. You like the sound of that don't you!

Howtoons. Now, how do I explain the world of Howtoons? I guess Amazon does it best: "Part comic strip and part science experiment, Howtoons shows children how to find imaginative new uses for common household items like soda bottles, duct tape, mop buckets, and more–to teach kids the 'Tools of Mass Construction'!"

Sounds like a good time, eh? Wait, did they say duct tape? You might want to rip that page out. No need to teach your little one about the skills of hazing - that pastime is fizzling.

Howtoon also has a blog with even more science experiments. Plus a library for their content.

Grab some activities, the necessary household items, and relax while your children go crazy with fun. (Editor's Opinion: You mght want to be within watching distance, just to keep that eye in the back of your head tuned in on them.)

Crazy Busy

I have a crazy, crazy busy week ahead of me.
I am going to take this week off from blogging, but I will be back next week!

Have a great week and weekend.

Winners from April Contest!

I'm happy to announce that Shelli from Oklahoma and Anna from New York are our winners from the April contest! WOO HOO. You go girls. Way to take those 2 whopping minutes out of your life to enter the contest and win, win, win!

We have the same contest going on during May. Go to Emily Allyn and click the contest image to find out all the dirty details... oh sorry, this isn't the National Enquirer, I guess the details aren't exactly dirty. I would describe the details as... easy. Yes, super, super easy!

Good luck.

Icy Hot

"What?" You are saying to yourself. "Icy Hot? How can something be Icy and Hot? Doesn't make sense, Emily. You have finally fallen off your rocker."

Not so fast there, Superwoman. It will make sense once you check out Icy Bag. As Paris Hilton would say, "It's hot." Sorry to disappoint you, I'm still rockin' away.

As a mom, have you ever reached for the bottle of water in your car only to find it all warm from sitting in the sun? Or when you've been traveling have you wondered how you are going to keep that Amoxicillin cold for baby Joe's painful ear ache? Icy Bag has the answer for you. A compact soft sided cooler-bag to keep those small items nice and cool.

It's perfect for a whole slew of things from cosmetics to snacks to medication to creams and lotions. "IcyBag is the perfect accessory for travel, the beach, golf course, mom's on the go, gym, car, shopping, anywhere you're heading where it's hot, hot, hot! Our bag is big enough to store all your essentials yet small enough to fit in your handbag, diaper bag or travel bag."

And they start at only $14.99. Bargain.

It's Polite To Share

I've finally arrived to the 21st century and added the Bookmark/Share button at the end of each post! Now it is easy for you to share the posts on your favorite social networking sites. And there is always the little envelope icon at the end of each post if you want to email the post to your friend.
Pssst... pass it on, please!

Athleta

Here is a picture of me during my morning routine.

And if you believe that, I have some real estate over yonder I'd like to sell you! I wish I could do that. For those who can, no need to rub it in. My yoga capabilities are getting much better, but still...

I have officially started my countdown to Mother's Day. My countdown doesn't actually include me counting down, it just means there's no holding back on purchases for myself - especially things I don't love spending money on. Wait, is there anything? Yes, yes there is. Workout clothes and beachwear. I like to buy workout clothes, it makes me feel better to wear a little something new, but I wouldn't put it in the love-to-buy category. And swimsuits... is there anyone on the face of this planet who has had kids that loves to buy swimming suits? Especially those of us who live in Minnesota where our thighs haven't seen sunlight in 6 months. Nice thought, eh?

If you have been searching for some summer clothing for the beach and Yoga, try this website, Athleta. I like that you can shop by sport (towards the top); it's not just for yogi's and beach-goers. And I will admit their suits are pretty dang cute. Their pitch - The Combinations are Endless. It's actually true. Wait until you see all the styles and prints. I think this Summer Shade Tee looks very comfortable and this Swim Coverup Crochet Hoodie is darling.

Going to a crazy pool party? Try this Printed Shoreline Skirt. Worthy enough to wear to the party and if you get thrown in the pool towards the end of the night, you won't care because it's made of swimsuit fabric, bonus!

You're it. Your turn to find some things.

Oh, and the picture above is from the Athleta website.

Cabins and Beaches

Here in Minnesota the weather isn't so great. It's the end of April and quite frankly, I'm sick of it. But I told myself I am going to start thinking summer anyway. Mentally, I'll be going up to our cabins and there are a few things I found in Pottery Barn Kids that would be perfect!

Adirondack Chairs - how dang cute are these with all those bright colors? Not only are they fun, they are "green". Made out of sustainable eucalyptus. Hmmm, interesting. Plus you can get a name printed on the chair. Perfect and only $69.

My kids are a little older (not toddlers anymore), so they can start hauling their own stuff around in these kids sized beach totes printed in whales or sharks. $34 (free shipping until May 22).

If your child is a sand-nut, she will absolutely love this oversized sandbox with it's own canopy for protection.

To spice up the mood and make sure everyone is having a blast, check out these games - the Beach Toss and SkeeBall (and really, who doesn't think SkeeBall is a hoot?)! $39 and $49 respectively.

Think summer. It is coming, I promise.

Anamalz Saving Animals

Even though Earth Day was two days ago, it's not too late to post about these cute little environmentally friendly guys called Anamalz. (Yes, that is how it is spelled.)

These wild anamalz, farm anamalz, and australian anamalz are one of the best toys I've seen in a long time. I love the fact they are "green" - made from renewable resources (like organic maple wood), non toxic glues and paints. Each piece is unique with it's own wood grain and markings. Not to mention they are all made by hand. Right, no machines involved, just people who give a damn about kids and the environment. Can you believe it? As their website says, "Give them the environment and the anamalz will roam." So true.

Anamalz Saving Animals is their giving back program: "anamalz has established its own trust fund committed to contributing funds to various wildlife organizations around the world." Tony.

I would be remiss not to point out that they spark the imagination of children of all sizes. Even adults find them fun to play with. Their legs are bendable, you can make most of them stand on one leg (see above pics), give them their own noises and voices, accidentally drop them from the counter (hey, they are wood), and now you can buy a CD to go along with them. The Anamalz music CD will get your kids grooving and moving. So, turn off SpongeBob (your kids have seen every episode 5 times anyway) and get your kids' imagination rolling with these "wild things"!

No batteries needed (even more environmentally friendly) and the price is right. For all this, each of these little anamalz costs only about $6 to $7 on Amazon. It just keeps getting better.

I think I could go on and on and on about this product. It is truly amazing and yet, so simple. After all you know the expression, Keep It Simple Stupid.

Anamalz. Go ahead, buy them all.

Laugh Much?

One of my favorite things in life is laughing... laughing so hard you almost pee your pants.

Christie Mellor does it to me every time. She is the author of The Three Martini Playdate and The Three Martini Family Vacation. If you enjoyed her books as much as I did, you will enjoy reading more of her on Mommy Track'd section The Three Martini Complaint Department where she writes about more hilarious situations. She is truly gifted, and last time I read the Three Martini Playdate, I swear a little pee came out!

Mommy Track'd has a few informative sections. In the upper left corner, click Features or Survival Guide. You will find tons of fun and practical information.

Want more Christie Mellor? She has a new book that just came out (literally, it was released April 8, 2008), Were You Raised By Wolves?: Clues To the Mysteries of Adulthood. Only $13.57 at Amazon. I'm looking forward to it, and I'm sure I'll love it enough to post about it.

Designer Diner

Admit it. There are only a few places you like taking your kids out for dinner. And you've been to those places so often, your kids could do their coloring placemats with their eyes closed. I mean, come on, spend the extra few dollars to mix up the maze once in awhile and make new copies. And who knows where those crayons have been if they aren't in a brand new box.

If this sounds like your story, you need the Designer Diner at Bella Tunno. It's a nice size portable placemat (18" x 11"). On one side you can wipe-clean the placement and on the other side there is a reusable chalk mat. "It’s a portable imagination station for little artists and a traveling table for little eaters! Includes a 12 piece box of non-toxic colored chalk and a detachable chalk pouch."

Have A Seat

If your child loves art projects or loves to build things (ok, that pretty much describes all children), check out the Elia Mini Chair at CreativeKidStuff. Your child will have a blast "building" and decorating their very own chair. Maybe just maybe they will actually sit during dinner if you let them use their new chair! What a novel idea.

The creator of the Elia Mini Chair had this to say about his product, "The fact that cardboard is ubiquitous in consumer culture and is the most recycled of all consumer products makes it a great vehicle for helping kids understand issues about sustainability and the environment. I think corrugated cardboard is a really brilliant invention. It was developed as a less expensive and lighter alternative to wood and plywood as a packaging material at the end of the 19th century. It has enormous structural strength given its light weight and this, of course, is a result of the way it is made - layers of fluted liner (paper) sandwiched between flat liner. The flutes are like roman arches in that that they resist compression and transfer load efficiently. Cardboard also behaves like a structural column when it is edge-loaded. So the Elia Mini Chair is also a great way to teach young kids about basic engineering and geometric principles like the arch, the triangle, compression, tension, beams and columns. And hopefully children will come away with an understanding that good design is a marriage of art and engineering."
(From CreativeKidStuff.)

Ya, right... or maybe kids will just have fun building it and decorating it. I'd like to meet this guys' kids.

Bronze

I saw this in a Posh Cravings newsletter and wanted to pass it on.

American Bronzing is offering up to 50% off in order to bronze your child's first shoes - for a limited time. Parents used to do this all the time and then the trend kind of faded. But now it's back! And to bronze your child's first pair of shoes for only $39.95 - how great is that? You can also choose to have them mounted for a little extra cash. Those cute, oh-so-tiny shoes will be remembered for a lifetime. And how many times will you say, "I can't believe you used to fit into those shoes at one time"? Uh oh, here come the crocodile tears, open the flood gates.

Everyone Loves a Contest!

We have some copies of The Baby Gizmo Buying Guide (see yesterday's post) to give away!

The lucky winner(s) will also have their choice of an Emily Allyn:
onesie and burp cloth or
toddler shirt.

Click here for contest details.

Pregnancy Through Preschool

You are pregnant and so incredibly excited to meet this little one growing inside you. In fact, you are positively glowing. You have waited to start creating that baby registry for a long time, so you bounce on down to the nearest baby gear store. You walk into the store and stop dead in your tracks. Feeling a little overwhelmed you automatically start practicing your Lamaze breathing.

"Oh my God" you think to yourself, "Where the hell do I start?" Crib, bassinet, moses basket, co-sleeper ("what's that?" you wonder), portable crib, crib mattress, bumper pad and sheets, glider/rocker, dresser, changing table... and those are just the items on your left in the front half of the store.

You start to walk around in a daze when you spot the stroller section: jogging, double, single, pram, light-weight, umbrella, all-terrain, luxury. "This is ridiculous," you think, "I just want a stroller. I can’t even think about jogging right now."

Wait there’s more. You round the back of the store to find car seats (infant, convertible, booster), seats that vibrate, bouncers, swings, safety gates, play yards, baby carriers, high chairs, booster high chairs, potties ("I think I'm going to hyperventilate. There are ten different potties. Who needs that kind of selection for a gross potty?"), baby monitors, bathtubs, and ("oh geez, there it is, the dreaded milking machine") the breast pumps. "I'm outta here," you say to yourself.

However, in order to get out of the store you must work your way back to the front, walking past all the toys, DVDs, clothing, and diaper bags. As you are now in a full out sprint for the front door, you catch a glimpse of a bright-colored book. You halt in your tracks to look at it. You are out of breath. Let's face it, these days you can't run more than 15 steps without getting winded. So, you pick up the book, The Baby Gizmo Buying Guide. You open to the table of contents and see a list of absolutely everything you just passed in the store.

You skim a few pages in the book. This book is amazing. It discusses all these gizmos in detail, what you should look for, why you need it, why the authors like or dislike it, things to consider, safety issues, and more. You close the book and proclaim out loud "There is a God!" Just then another pregnant woman opens the front door, walks in, and freezes. You see the look of horror on her face and shove a copy of the book in to her hands, "Here, you just won the lottery. Look at this book and then go shopping."

Epilogue: You read and re-read The Baby Gizmo Buying Guide in three days. You took grueling notes, flagged pages, and felt prepared to hit the store again. You knew exactly what you wanted and why. You felt confident in your choices and didn't pick one out of the twelve high-chairs because it was pretty. For the car seat, not only did you understand all the lingo, you knew which one fit your needs best. You also knew the main features you wanted in a stroller, so when you reached the store you narrowed your selection down to four and "test drove" those four to find your fit. You had your baby. You had all the gizmos you needed. And your baby grew up to be the well-adjusted, self-confident, driven daughter you are incredibly proud of... all because you bought The Baby Gizmo Buying Guide. Amazing how that works!

Emily's Note: This book is well worth the $11.55 at Amazon.com. You will finish it feeling like a confident, well-informed consumer. For those of you who like to read editorial comments and reviews on specific brands and products, have no fear. Although they are not found in the book (the book would be outdated before it was published), they are found on the BabyGizmo website. For example, if you want find out their Editor's Pick for Top 5 Strollers, click gear, click strollers, click the type of stroller you are interested in, and the Top 5 are on the right.

The best part: I have 4 copies to give away of this fabulous book! Check back later today or tomorrow for details. I'll give 2 away in April and 2 in May.

Food Fight

"That boy is a P-I-G, pig." Can you guess what movie that quote is from?
Answer, Animal House. Babs, the sorority girl, said this when John Belushi sat down at her cafeteria table and proceeded to inhale (that's a nice way of saying it) is food.

Maybe Babs would have been more impressed if John Belushi would have been using some fun construction utensils. Pictured above is the "Fork Lift" Fork, the "Front Loader" Spoon, and the "Bulldozer" Pusher found on Amazon. Belushi could have bulldozed his mashed potatoes around the plate before shoving them into his mouth and pretending to be a zit. I realize, if you've never seen the movie you are probably completely grossed out by now. So... go watch Animal House. You'll thank me for it.

Who's There?

Are you in need of a hilarious gift? If not, think of your best friend and just buy something from Knock Knock. It is a riot! No pun intended... then again who ever heard of a knock knock joke that was actually funny.

You might find these Psycho notepads more funny than your recipient; unless your recipient has a great sense of humor, that is.

Sex Flashcards. These will catch someone's attention. Site claims you can "move from 'vanilla' to 'tantric' in mere days!"

For the hypochondriac in your life there is the Things That Might Kill You book.

You might enjoy these files for your file drawer:
Do/Ponder File

Useless/Nothing Nosy File

Total Crap File
Daily Mood Tracker

Then there is the almighty My Top Secret Passwords pad. Feel free to leave this lying around right next to your computer so the kids can hack into your all your sites.

For the friend in corporate America who will receive this and think, "Why didn't I think of this? I could have done this!" The Corporate Flashcards, an explanation to those mind-boggling corporate jargon words.
I wonder if these are in there:
Seagull Manager - Definition: A manager who flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps on everything, and then leaves.
Blamestorming - Definition: Sitting around in a group, discussing why a deadline was missed or a project failed, and who was responsible.
Salmon Day - Definition: The experience of spending an entire day swimming up stream only to get screwed and die in the end.
Assmosis - Definition: The process by which some people seem to absorb success and advancement by kissing up to the boss rather than working hard.
Percussive maintenance - Definition: The art of smashing, whacking, kicking or punching a machine to get it to work.
-- these funny definitions are taken from this site.

My favorite buzz-word comes from my days at American Express Financial Advisors (now Ameriprise). Prairie-dogging. Any guesses? Definition: A phenomenon that occurs in cubicle-filled office buildings. [Workers] pop up to look over the walls to see what's happening. Co-worker conversations and team meetings may also take place via prairie dogging as an alternative to the water cooler or conference room. What makes this funny is it was actually listed in one of our handbooks, "there will be no prairie-dogging". The jokes were flying.

There, you can't say you didn't laugh at least once while reading this blog! Happy Hump Day.

Note to anyone who cares: I will be off until Monday.

Super-saurus!

What kid doesn't like dinosaurs? And what kid doesn't need the book How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? Chasing Fireflies sells a dinosaur book and PJ set. Slip on the PJs, snuggle in tight, and read the book to your child. The same dinos from the book are printed on the colorful pajamas. (The PJs are for the kids, of course. Not you, silly.)

If your child is so into dinosaurs, all his gifts include T-Rex this and Stegosaurus that, try one of these other fun gifts from Chasing Fireflies.
There is the dino clock with a friendly (yes, friendly) roar for a wakeup call.
Another good buy is the terrysaurus towel.
Puddles are a given this time of year and these crazy dinosaur boots will keep those little toes dry.
Lastly, my favorite are these fossil flip-flops (shown above). Check out the bottom of the soles. Your child will leave dino footprints where ever she goes - awesome! Just don't call her bigfoot, she might get offended.

Teaching Kids About Money

Here is an article from MSN.com, Can you teach your kids to be rich?
I thought it was interesting. We all want the best for our kids. For the record, I'm not saying your kids need to be rich in order to be happy.

The main belief of the article is summed up in the last paragraph, however the whole article is an interesting read.

For her part, Dr. Cora believes the best thing a parent can do to teach kids about wealth is to expose them to the habits of mind that lead to success.
"Teach them to think like an entrepreneur -- to create new opportunities, rather than to just think about money," she says.

More from Boden

I think I should start asking Boden for a little share of their profits for all the great finds I do on my blog! However, I will admit they do make it easy with their super cute clothes and right now don't forget they are offering free shipping and returns, plus 10% off your purchase.

If you want to put that great offer to use, here are some fabulous picks. (And you will have to follow this link to Boden when you finally find your goods, Boden.)

Knot Front Dress - $98.00 (shown above in green)

Washed Down Shirt Dress - $108.00 (this is quite the popular one, many colors are on backorder, big time)

Scallop Applique Top - $58.00

Chambray Pintuck Top - $58.00

Slinky Printed Henley - $58.00

Washed Skirt - $38.00
Washed Hoody - $68.00

Fancy Long Applique Skirt - $108.00

Canvas and Denim Skirt - $58.00

It's My Party...

Another site gushes over our little democrat and little republican shirts! These guys are just getting recognized everywhere.

Pinks and Blues loves our tees for toddlers so much they gave us their Pinks and Blues Approval Stamp next to their review, It's My Party at Emily Allyn.

Every election is important because it is our consititutional responsiblity and we have the freedom to vote. However, this 2008 election seems to be extra special to many people. So get out and show your support for your party!

Week Off?

Did I mean to take a week off from my blogging duties? Not exactly. However, like many, Easter completely snuck up on me. Before I knew it I still had to buy Easter baskets, goodies and gifts, think about Easter day food, do a ton of laundry, and pack us up to head to Wisconsin on Friday. Funny, when writing that, it doesn't seem like much. But when doing it, trust me, it took all week (on top of all my other Mom and Emily Allyn duties)!

We are back...