Every store is having a sale. Every stinking one of them. Places like Ann Taylor Loft are offering buy one, get one half off. Then there’s Paiva, who is offering, spend $100, get $50 off. Ann Taylor has 40% off cashmere. Foot Locker had a sale on all boots. Even the department stores got in on it–at least 15% off coupons were just sitting at the registers, not to mention how many things had red signs above them at Macy’s and Lord and Taylor.
I am so darn proud of my “damage!”
First, I bought these boots. Okay, mine must have been mismarked, but they had a whole bunch of boots out on a table. I suggest going to your ATLoft and checking it out, or calling. Because this pair, while listed at $119, were marked down to $29.88! That alone made the obnoxious drive worth it. To boot, er go with it, I bought the Crochet Lace Skirt. Still ticketed $69, its now down to $39.99 (in store and online). 
Next, I stopped at Paiva, a new store to our mall. Loving the look. Their slogan is “energy within” and they have a variety of fitness and fashion gear. And they mix it up, too. Loving the look of this prAna set. My son was hungry, so we didn’t stay long, but I did pick up these cute leather starfish sandals for my upcoming trip to Mexico.
Shopping Spreeeeeeeee!
Keeping it clean with the Pacifier Pod
Here’s a little anecdote that says it all about the difference between a first time Mom and a second time Mom: with Nate (my first son), I was compulsive about the cleanliness of his binky. It always sat in a bag or ziploc in my diaper bag, and anytime I was out, I’d wash it obsessively to make sure it was germ free. If it fell on the ground and I only had one with me, forget it, he’d have to cry until we got home or until I found a sink to wash it in.
The other day, I realized how much I had changed. Cole (the baby) started crying. I went to reach into my diaper bag, where I knew I had just randomly tossed in a binky right before leaving the house. Of course it had found it’s way to the bottom of the bag. I fished it out from the bottom of the bag, where all sorts of crumbs and unidentified objects reside.
So what did I do? Brushed it on the side of my jeans and shoved it into Cole’s mouth. And to be honest, I didn’t even really think about it as I merrily went along my way with a subdued and pacified baby. Oh, how times have changed. As a second time Mom, your standards lower – simply because you don’t have the time to be any other way.
Of course, I later realized that I didn’t have to give my poor baby a dirty binky, if I had actually been using the JJ Cole Pacifier Pod that we have. (Which is now been placed in my diaper bag, holding a clean pacifier.)
The Pacifier Pod is a cute and affordable little accessory that you can tuck away in your bag to keep your child’s pacifier clean. It has a little strap/handle that you can even velcro to the outside of your bag for easy access. Heck, you can velcro it to your belt loop if you’d like it that close to you…
You can find them at Babies R Us, but you can also get them online at Chit Chat Baby for 10% off. Use coupon code “travelpod” to receive 10% off.
“The Box Girls”
Looking for a special way to spend your family holiday this season? Look no further! The “Box Girls” have the perfect solution. Cece Feiler and Heidi Haddad were scrambling to entertain their restless and hungry families one evening while they waited for dinner to arrive. Cece and Heidi began improvising and asking questions that made their children and husbands think. The result was a successful evening and the idea for “The Box of Questions” was born. Part of each sale of “The Box Girls” products goes to charities for children and families. “The Box Girls” mission is to raise money for charity and donate all proceeds after operating costs to charitable causes.
“The Box Girl” products are available in several versions: “The Girlfriends Box of Questions”, “The Thanksgiving Box of Questions”, “The Christmas Box of Questions”, “The Hanukkah Box of Questions” and “The Shabbat Box of Questions”.
My family loved spending the evening sharing our answers to “The Christmas Box of Quesions”. The questions are so thoughtful . The enjoyment of sharing with each other and learning new things from people you thought you knew everything about was so much more pleasurable than yet another evening in front of the TV. Make your holidays special this year!
Products are available at “The Box Girls”. Or shop for “The Box Girls” at Saks Fifth Avenue, Whole Foods or Fred Segal.
Wholesale prices on entire inventory: Oh Boy Baby Boutique
Hey all – we just received word that Oh Boy Baby is selling its entire inventory – at wholesale prices. Oh Boy Baby Boutique sells fashion and accessories for infant males. Check out the sale – everything wholesale, great prices!
The sale expires December 31, 2006. In-stock merchandise only, use coupon code FS100 if you order over $100 worth of items to receive free shipping.
For Baby’s Goos and Coos: Kaloo
We love cuddling with our babies. Of course we do. We’re moms. At a certain point, though, babies need loveys. Soft, cuddly loveys. Not to replace mom–never! But a lovey is a security blanket. And shouldn’t that security be even softer and cuddlier than mom?
Kaloo plush bears are the epitomy of sweetness. They’re soft. They’re cuddly. They’re snuggly. They stay super close and they mold to baby’s body so that baby can give Mommy that quick break she needs so much. Packaged in an adorable hat-box, Kaloo plush animals, blankets and clothing are a fantastic gift for a new baby (and new mom). She’ll appreciate the sweetness, baby will appreciate the cuddles. Mom will appreciate that machine washing is recommended–hard to believe with something so cute. And celeb babies who cuddle with Kaloo include: Suri Cruise, Barron Trump and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt.
With so many Kaloo products, its hard to choose which is best. A few we love:
-Moonlight Bear is plush all around, with a soft light-up ball in the center (about the size of a baseball). It provides light during dark hours when you press the bear’s back.
-Lollies Collection has a swirlly belly, just like your favorite lollipops from the county fair.
-Lilirose Collection: Bears and Bunnies in pinks and purples, available as chairs, slippers, plush animals, hooded towels and more
-Dragee Collection: perfect for the prince or princess, these bears are dressed in a satin-y white
I’d also be leaving you out of a major loop if I didn’t bring your attention to the bedding and furniture. You can outfit an entire baby’s room in Kaloo. With darling crib decor, I’m so jealous I didn’t know of this French line when my kids were born. I don’t think they’d ever be moving to big-boy rooms had I decorated in Kaloo.
Shop for Kaloo at Oh Baby Gifts and use code MWS06 for 10% off your purchase on everything except Bugaboo and Petunia Picklebottom.Or shop at the variety of stores worldwide listed on the Kaloo site.
“Suburban Diva”
“Suburban Diva: From the Real Side of the Picket Fence“, is a hilarious look at life after love by first time author Tracey Henry. Fifty insightful stories are shared about so many of those aspects of being a wife and mother that we all know too well: trying to pull off birthday parties, dealing with fashion post-partum, interior car disasters, play dates, trying to go to the mall with our kids, dealing with the holidays, girls night out and so, so much more!
If you are looking for someone to laugh with about all the ups and downs and craziness of life with the kids, Tracey does a great job helping you find the humor and sanity in all of it.
“Suburban Diva: From the Real Side of the Picket Fence is available at Amazon.com and is eligible for free shipping when you spend $25 or more.
Shop Zutano by Dec. 21st, receive free toy
Sometimes I feel like I’m so busy reviewing all these cute, random sites that I end up missing the staple products in my everyday Mom life. Zutano is a company that falls in that category, as both of my kids have lots of pieces of clothing from Zutano that I just adore.
Anyway, I got an email from Zutano about a promotion they are having now – spend $50 and you receive a free plush toy. Plus, you can upgrade to 2-day shipping for the same price as ground through December 21st to receive your order in time for Christmas. Not bad for all us last minute shoppers!
Cuff Me, Baby!
Create your own stylized statement with Smoy PhotoCuffs . Hip and clever, these are the coolest way to show off your photos.
The cuffs come in a variety of styles and colors and they have clear windows so you can slide in photos. You can spotlight photos of family, friends, celebrities, pets, nature, fabric, and more! What a great way to share special photos of a family vacation, birthday party, or even pictures from a photo booth! You could even use the windows as a canvas to show off your artwork. 
My 13 year old daughter loves her Smoy PhotoCuff and enjoys personalizing it and creating different looks that show off her style. Whenever she wears her pink Soho PhotoCuff to school she gets so many compliments from the other students. My daughter has added pictures of friends, her favorite teen celebrities, her family, and even pictures of fabrics that coordinate with her outfit. She’s having a lot of fun with this chic accessory.
Smoy PhotoCuffs is continually adding new designs to their collection . I really like their new Kid Smoy PhotoCuff . I think these clever bracelets are hip and cool………Cuff Me, Baby!
Enter “mws” at checkout and receive free shipping on your order.
Another stocking stuffer: Barnyard
Barnyard is a new one out by Nickelodeon. Considering that we’re die-hard Nick Jr. fans here, I thought this one would be good for my son.
He saw this movie in Target and calls it the “movie about the pig with poo on his face.” (Pictured is a pig with what is presumably mud on his face.) He’s asked for it several times since, so I had to get it.
Check it out – you can still get it with free shipping TODAY ONLY on Amazon.com. (Free shipping will arrive by December 22nd so shop now for these and other items; two more days to order with two-day upgraded shipping.)
Last chance to enter the No Slippy Hair Clippy holiday giveaway!
Our latest giveaway closes today. Simply sign up for our newsletter by the end of the day, and you’ll be eligible to win several adorable hair clips from No Slippy Hair Clippy.
Click for the original post and more details.
Too good to pass up!
For today only, take 20% off your entire order including sale prices at One Step Ahead and Leaps and Bounds! This savings doesn’t happen often, so take advantage of this offer now by entering code ONESALE at checkout!
Make Your Case
Hop on over and check out an iFrogz case. 
We picked out a Tadpole and one of their Customizable Cases and they are fabulous and fun! Ifrogz features new and innovative products that offer protection and style for all your digital electronics (iPods, MP3 Players). Their Customizable iPod Case and their Tadpole iPod Case for kids are their signature products. Both are made of 100% polished silicone for superior quality.
The Tadpole quickly converts your iPod™ into a portable entertainment device for your child. This rugged case, available in several fab colors, has comfort grip handles that make viewing easy and fun! Download movies and educational videos and you’re set to go! We have the orange Tadpole and it’s great for my younger kids.
The three part design of the Customizable Case allows you to create a case that reflects your own unique style and personality. They have thousands of design options and you can play around with the different design combinations and see what each will look like. My teenage daughter had a lot of fun designing a case that shows off her individual style. She picked the Wavey design from the Artistic Collection for her Screenz. Then she picked the Purple Parade for the Wrapz and the Powder Blue for the Bandz. She thinks her new case is very cool!
If you want to “make your case” hop on over to iFrogz today and check out their amazing product line !
Slinging Baby
I am relatively new to the sling world, because I never used them with my son. And I can’t believe I didn’t. They are so easy. I have recently started using the Sweet Fletcher Designs sling with my 10 week old. It is a pouch type sling and we both love it! It packs up small so it’s easy to throw in my bag and it allows me to be hands free (key with a 2 ½ year old in tow). The Sweet Fletcher sling is so comfortable to wear and my baby snuggles right in. She seems to find it very comforting when she’s upset and I can get done what needs to be done while “holding” her.
This past weekend I took my toddler on a train ride with Santa and decided to sling my daughter. It worked perfectly. It was so easy to carry her that way and I could still take care of all my son’s very important needs, like opening his snacks. My daughter also found it so comfortable that she slept the entire time! And to top that off, it looked great in our picture with Santa! Sweet Fletcher Designs’ slings all come in great stylish fabrics with beautiful prints that reverse out to solid colors. I have the Madeline Blanc, a beautiful black and white print thatreverses to black so it goes with almost anything.
You can still order Sweet Fletcher slings in time for the holidays. Treat yourself to one to go with your holiday outfits. You can party, carry baby, and look great! Sweet Fletcher is offering a free upgrade to 2nd Day Air shipping for all MWS readers. To take advantage of this offer, just enter code MWS when ordering and the charges will be refunded when the order is processed.
Air Buddies Shoots and Scores
I’m not usually one to love a sequel. But with kids movies, particularly kids movies with talking animals, you have to really approach the sequel thing differently. Some of these films actually get better as they go along and make the sequels. Maybe the animals get better at reading their lines. Or maybe the special effects get better. Or maybe it is the litter effect. Because I have found that the second or third in the line usually involves a litter. And lets face it folks – could be Dalmations, St Bernards, Pigs or Hairless Spaniels (still waiting on this one) – baby animals are just adorable. And infinitely entertaining.
Air Buddies entertains us with the escapades of a litter of darling Golden Retrievers, tasked with rescuing their parents from evil breeders who would use the dogs unique sporty talents to get rich. Is it predictable? Of course. Entertaining? You betcha! My kids and their friends are in love with the baby Bud pups. Mud Bud, Bud-dha, Rosebud and Budderball got 12 thumbs up from our crew of six 2-10 year old test reviewers. And let me just say that they were hungry and cranky at the time. They reviewed the film at that witching hr. Right before dinner. And the pizza was a half hr late. But noone noticed, they were all too entranced.
I’d definitely recommend this film as a stress free way to bring home some golden pups this season. Sans shedding. Air Buddies is available on Amazon for immediate purchase.
Just released….High School Musical Remix!
The power of music explodes in this spectacular, show-stopping, two-disc REMIX EDITION of the Emmy(R) Award-winning HIGH SCHOOL MUSCIAL! The smash-hit Disney Channel Original Movie everyone is talking about now features hours of awesome new bonus features that will rock your world as it has ours! Take a front-row seat on the red carpet for the star-studded Hollywood premiere, and join the High School Reunion, where the cast reunites in an exclusive interview where they talk about how their lives have changed dramatically since being a part of this movie phenomenon. Plus, stand up and experience the Dance Along (as seen on Disney Channel), where Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and Ryan give step-by-step instructions to popular dance sequences “Get’cha Head In The Game” and “We’re All In This Together.” Hear two exclusive remix versions of some favorite songs and watch three new music videos.
We seriously have been asked by my daughter almost everyday to watch this DVD and we don’t mind watching it with her! She was lucky enough to see the play last month and hasn’t stopped talking about it since. When we received the video, I saw so much excitement on her face as she intently watched the entire movie while dancing at the same time. She now sings the songs off the top of her head and dances to the songs like no other. It’s a movie that the whole family will really enjoy watching! Pick-up a copy today!
The Cool One at the Coffee Shop
I had a sitter a few days ago. Granted, having a sitter usually would mean a hot night out. Or a luxurious day of shopping. And while my car tried desperately to veer in the direction of our famous King of Prussia Mall (Hello Nordstrom, Neimans, BCBG and Louis Vuitton! I hear you calling my name), given the time of year, I had to direct the car in a different direction. A coffee shop with free internet connection, to catch-up on my work, sans the endless distractions of my children.
Grabbing my laptop bag, I strode in, purchased “the usual” and found a quiet corner, about to get to work. Casually, I took out my computer. But I had “that feeling.” I’m a confident woman, but still, there’s that feeling that someone is totally staring. I looked up, and a woman quickly looked away. Huh? Are my glasses upside down? My shirt on backwards? Oh No! A quick check, and, phew, the fly is closed. So, what’s the deal? I looked back at the crowd. She wasn’t really staring at me anymore, but my bag. My laptop bag. Confidence returned, I caught her gaze. Then smiled. And, briefly scanned the room. Black, black, black. All the other bags were boring nylon black. And there was mine. Lavendar brocade. Ahhh. It feels good to be the cool lady at the coffee shop.
It wasn’t too long ago, I was gazing, too. While visiting a very busy trade show, the Abbi New York booth started screaming for me. From a few aisles away. Abbi caught my eye. She gazed at me. She said “you want me. you need me.” Heck yeah. I’ve had my share of laptop bags, but this one is just beautiful.
And so well crafted. Let me rave about the padded shoulder. We all know how heavy laptop bags can get, especially waiting in lines or running through the airport. And while many bags come with pads, this shoulder pad is luxurious. Of course, the bag fits my computer. Snugly, with generous padding on both sides. Additonally, there’s a large zip pocket, 3 pen holders (which is ideal–especially when working the tradeshows), a large pocket (which holds my slim wallet and business cards) and a cell pocket. On the exterior, there’s a pocket for all of your papers, notebooks, folders, etc.
I love my Sienna, but I still lust after Sabrina. The black faux leather bag is sleek, professional and dressy. She’s the one to use for business meetings. And check out Caroline, crafted of linear leather for a studious, serious “Coach-ish” look.
Designer bag? Yes. Designer prices? One might expect that. Prices generally range from $90-250. Oh ladies, I won’t let you down. Outlet prices are much lower. But note that there is a greater variety on the Abbi New York webpage, where you’ll find Caroline reduced by $100(!)for a fall sale.
Work finished, I packed up and, very casually walked over to the woman’s table. where I smiled and dropped my MWS business card. “I’ll be reviewing the bag next week.”
