Shopping Archives - Page 10 of 19

Back to school with Gymboree – Let’s Color Together

You know how all kids go through various stages and it’s easier to connect with them at certain times? About two years ago my sweet girl was going through a stage that left me frazzled by the end of the day. What I realized was that we needed something for just the two of us, and it was going to be even more crucial as she started school full-time. There were three main criteria I needed to address: 1) The activity had to have no rules that I needed to enforce since I was the enforcer the rest of the day. 2) It had to be something that wasn’t extra work for me so I didn’t have to plan, execute, and then deal with clean up. And 3) It had to be something we both enjoyed that allowed us to reconnect so that we could weather this stage we were both going through.

One day it hit me that the answer to reconnecting with my daughter was through art. We both love just about every type of art and we both find it relaxing, so it was the perfect solution for getting us both to enjoy each other’s company and rediscover how much fun we have together. Since that day we’ve worked side by side to draw, paint with water colors, sew, and even build together on our doll house we’re renovating… and it has been amazing for all of us.

Celebrate the power of play with the Gymboree Hop ‘N’ Roll collection

I know play time for children is vital as it helps them learn about the world around them in ways I can’t teach them in a book, so I always make play time a priority. From unstructured playtime to working together to create a talent show, a fairy garden, or a circus, we fill our days with as much play as we possibly can. So, I was a little taken aback the other day when I told my kids I wanted them to wear play clothes if they were going to be out digging in our backyard and they both looked at me like I was crazy. “Do you mean dress up clothes?” my daughter asked. Clearly, they aren’t of my generation where we had two categories of clothing: play clothes and fancy. To my kids, everything is play clothes, even if they really shouldn’t be. We’re talking fancy holiday dresses year-round at the beach and white button-up shirts and dresses while gardening. After looking through their closets it became really clear that they could both use some new “play clothes” for summer that would allow them to swing on monkey bars, skip rope, and do all the other things kids should be doing all day without worrying about restrictive clothing getting in the way.

Update those winter wardrobes with Carter’s Babies and Kids #SpringIntoCarters

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Carters. I received a complimentary gift card to facilitate my review and thank me for my participation #SpringIntoCarters

Spring is finally here in the Pacific Northwest and that means we're purging our bulky sweaters and looking for bright colors and warmer weather wear. But, while I can wear most of my clothes from last spring {hooray for not being pregnant anymore!}, the kids have grown so much that shopping is a necessity, which I'm not going to complain about now that I've got a new little one to shop for as well. Naturally, I turned to the company that I've relied on to outfit my kids since they were born: Carter's Babies and Kids. I absolutely love shopping at my local Carter's store because every season it is restocked with an awesome mix of adorable, cute, hip, practical, and truly fun pieces for newborn on up to kids size 12.

No time for car maintenance? #DropShopAndOil makes car care easy

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DropShopAndOil #CollectiveBias If you saw under the hood of my car, you would never believe it is 15+ years old. This isn’t just luck, I’ve got a secret weapon on my side when it comes to taking care of my car: Regular maintenance. This may sound too simple to be considered a secret, but you would be surprised how many people neglect regular maintenance and then wonder why their engine parts are failing after only a few years.

Relax, Hammacher Schlemmer has you covered this holiday season

Every year I look forward to the Hammacher Schlemmer holiday gift guide. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Hammacher Schlemmer is America's longest running catalog, and their aim is to offer the Best, the Only, and the Unexpected since 1848. Each year their gift guide is filled with all sorts of new items that range from ultra-practical (The Only Automatic Cordless Tire Inflator) to novelty (The Talking and Dancing Disco Robot) and everything in between.

Are you looking for unique gifts that your recipient won’t ever forget? How about the Personalized Bobblehead, or maybe the 3D Writing Pen? You can shop by recipient or just browse their full guide for unique gifts for everyone on your list. Whether your recipient is incredibly hard to shop for or someone who gives you a specific wish list, you are sure to find the perfect present to wrap up for the holidays.

Holiday shopping made easy at Northgate Mall in Seattle

Every year I swear that the holidays sneak up on me, but this year it definitely is true. With vacations, a crazy amount of doctors appointments, and all the hooplah that having children in two different schools can bring, it seems like fall just flew by. I know I'm not the only one because my Facebook feed is filled with friends lamenting the fact that they have but one or two presents purchased and no idea what to get everyone else on their list.

Hey friend, why don't you head to Northgate Mall and cross off everyone all at once? With three major department stores, a food court, a play area, and over 130 stores to choose from, it's easy to find something for everyone on your list. I envy those people who can seemingly shop for everyone they know in one afternoon, but I can totally see doing just that if I was left kidless and husbandless at Northgate Mall for a few hours so I could sneak presents for them while shopping for extended family and friends.

Shopping Best Buy for the latest cameras and camcorders

I may not be the expert on designer handbags or power tools, but I can hold my own when talking about cameras. With a fine arts degree in photography and lots of experience with different camera brands, I am the person family and friends come to when they are looking to purchase or upgrade their camera equipment.

Back in the days before Google, I was the one everyone brought to Best Buy to help them find the perfect camera or camcorder for their needs. And, even now with Google on every phone and thousands of online reviews at your fingertips, sometimes you just need someone who can help you navigate so many options and guide you through playing with rows and rows of name brand cameras in a place where the sales staff is always willing to let you play with everything. And, when you think of it, buying a camera or camcorder is a really big deal. You are trusting that camera with your precious memories, and it makes sense that you would want one that has all the features you need and even some to grow into.

This year my new favorite feature is built-in Wi-Fi since everything is electronic these days and waiting until you are home at your computer before connecting, downloading, and then sharing your images online just seems so clunky. These three featured cameras from Nikon, Sony and Samsung come equipped with Wi-Fi so you can share amazing photos with ease. Upgrade now and you can share those holiday pictures with family and friends near and far easily.

Loyal Hana offers maternity clothing that goes well beyond pregnancy

I haven’t bought any traditional maternity clothing this pregnancy. Not because I’m so small that I can wear my old clothing and not because I saved all my previous pregnancy clothing, but because I’ve simply gotten smarter this time around. Why would I spend a ton on poorly constructed maternity clothes that barely make it through the last few months of pregnancy when I could get good quality clothing that lasts throughout pregnancy – and beyond?

Introducing my new favorite non-traditional maternity clothing brand, Loyal Hana. Not only is it fashionable and fun enough to make you forget you’re carrying around a few extra pounds that aren’t entirely baby, it also is designed for wearing after the baby arrives when I still have a few extra pounds. That’s right, Loyal Hana isn’t just about maternity clothing, it is also post-natal wear that even makes breastfeeding your baby easier while still remaining stylish. Awesome, right?

Corolle 2014 Holiday Gift Guide

Do you have a doll-loving little one like I do? If so, you are going to want to bookmark this page filled with my favorite holiday picks from Corolle Dolls. With prices from $20 on up and for every age and stage, you are bound to find the perfect gift for the holidays.

Magicforest’s favorite European toys inspire play for all ages this holiday {Moulin Roty wooden toy box set review}

They say that the best gift you can give your child is the gift of your time, and I wholeheartedly believe that is true. I give my children that gift in staying home with them so I can be with them all day long, in cooking for them, cleaning for them, packing their lunches, and trying to include them in many of the things that I do each day. But, the truth is that I could do better about stopping what I’m doing and taking a nature walk or two, swinging at the park, or starting projects with them that they are excited about, and my goal is to simply get better about playing with them at least a few times each day. It’s for this reason that I love Moulin Roty, a French company that makes toys that will inspire kids and adults to play together. How could anyone not want to play with these shadow puppets and stage or these adorable Les Mask’ottes masks?

Brought to the States by European toy importer, Magicforest, the Moulin Roty catalog is the kind of thing childhood dreams are made of. From pretend play and dress up to cuddly friends to snuggle with, as well as imagination inspiring toys that can teach everything from science to making your own toys, the Moulin Roty collection never disappoints.