Countdown

Tomorrow, Roo turns five! She's having a party with all her friends from preschool and I am fully entrenched in goody bag assembly and present wrapping and cupcake baking…



Look for a zillion trillion giveaways and reviews in the next week– I have a lot of bloggy catching up to do and there are some exciting prizes you'll want to be on the lookout for!

Spring Is In The Air

The chill in the air is starting to wane, which can mean only one thing… new shoes! That's right, it's about time to be thinking of retiring the winter weather gear and lightening up. Eleven Collection has just unveiled their spring 2009 line and, as usual, everything looks comfortable and effortlessly stylish. The only big dilemma? Whether Roo should get the Laura mary janes or the Nadia sandals.




I'm leaning toward the Lauras, they're more in keeping with Roo's palette of pink, pink, pink. But I do love her in pale blue…

What do you think?

WW- We ♥ Robots, Flowers, Fishing, Math, Baths and the Backyard

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

I know, I know. Everything she does is fabulous. But this time, Kathleen's gone and made a fluffy Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt and I really, really think Roo needs it. Her birthday is on Sunday. The big 5. It might hurt mommy less if Roo looked like a living cupcake…

Out of Sorts

It's been a rough week. A friend's husband took his life, leaving behind two young daughters and one due in June. I can't begin to imagine what they are going through but it has made me take a couple of
steps back to re-evaluate what is important in my life...so blogging will resume soon, but for now I'm watching the kids play and trying to appreciate the everyday.









-- Post From My iPhone

WW- WV Cousins, Freezer Drawer, Nature Center

Back to Normal

Bob and Roo got back! I missed my girl and Jasper missed his big sister. Oh, yeah... Daddy, too.



-- Post From My iPhone

It's Easy Being Green

Nimli is the eco-friendly equivalent of a department store. They offer almost everything you could possibly imagine, from high fashion and furniture to kids' gear and pet accessories, but with a twist- everything is produced in an environmentally responsible manner, most with organic and sustainable materials. Along with a fabulous shopping experience, Nimli seeks to offer consumers information about making educated choices. Their Green Zine Eco-Glossary is a great resource to learn what all the green buzzwords really mean. All of their inventory is drop-shipped directly from the manufacturer to further eliminate environmental impact. Here's a quote from their website:

Nimli is an online marketplace devoted to providing natural, organic, and sustainable lifestyle products while embracing style and aesthetic. Nimli offers clothing, accessories, home décor, beauty products and much more from independent designers who combine their effortless creativity with our environmentally conscious ethics. We offer an array of ecologically friendly products that are natural, organic, recycled, sweatshop-free, and cruelty-free. We are firmly aligned with a lifestyle that cultivates a green conscious mind, body, and soul.

I received a few items to try and get a gist for what Nimli is all about. The Maternity Salon Luscious Shampoo is a rich concoction that leaves your hair bouncy and soft and smelling like cherries and almonds. I wasn't planning to use it myself but it leaked in the mail so I got to play guinea pig and although I am not currently pregnant, I appreciated its moisturizing qualities and lovely scent.



The Scrubz Flowerz Sugar Body Scrub is less greasy feeling than other scrubs I've used and the fragrance gave me a crazy sense memory flashback to the record store I used to haunt when I was in junior high. Evocative of a dusty record shop that also sells "smoking paraphernalia" in Hawaii… I hope that doesn't turn anyone off because it's actually a really great scent, sort of a tropical floral but slightly musky instead of sweet or perfumey. And it really did a great job of exfoliating and moisturizing without leaving an oil slick behind in the shower.



The Azuri Pashmina Scarf is a beautiful plum color and it is wondrously soft. The silk/pashmina weave has a subtle sheen that could be dressed up or down. I love the knotted tassels!



Although Nimli has a huge selection of natural goods, my favorite of their site is the incredible array of cutting edge designer fashions for men and women. They truly show how far green goods have come from the crunchy hippie stereotype. And many of the great items are on sale right now, too. I am really in love with this Prairie Underground Angel Slouch Tunic:



I am also loving this Panda Snack Gansvoort Jacket and Majorette Skirt, although my sweet-talker husband tells me they look too young for me. What do you think?

This One's for the Ladies…

Kathleen from Grosgrain has outdone herself, once again, and she's passing her sublime handiwork on to a lucky reader: visit her blog for a chance to win The Conservatory Overcoat GIVEAWAY!!!!

Spirit of 77

***77 Kids is offering free shipping for one day only on President's Day- Monday, February 16th!***



77 Kids is the online-only kids' collection from American Eagle. If you're familiar with AE (and who isn't, these days?), then you can probably imagine the quality and style inherent in 77 Kids: the clothes are cute and comfortable, fashion-forward without being overly trendy or too sexy for their age group. (I am not a prudish person, by any means, but there is a slutiness abounding in little girls' clothes these days that freaks me out! I want Roo to look like she's going to the playground, not to the club!) I was given a $50 gift card to shop the line and give y'all my impressions.

First off, I was impressed with how far $50 can go. 77 Kids' prices are already pretty good (items typically range from $10-$30), but their clearance pages feature some serious bargains. They tend to sell out quickly, though, so if you see something you should snag it ASAP. The second thing I noticed is that their boys collection is just as cute as their girls line, and doesn't resort to huge logos or sports motifs, which is rare. I love that they offer the cute skinny stripe tee in so many colors, since there is nothing more adorable to me than boys in Brady Bunch-esque shirts, whether they're 3 or 33.



The purple one is my favorite and it's been marked down to $5 since I bought it for Jasper… and Roo promptly stole it. It is definitely hard to beat $5 for short sleeved tees and $10 for polos and long sleeved tees, especially when they are so soft and durable. I also got him a pair of go-with-everything 77 signature khaki shorts. They are simultaneously cuddly soft and really tough, with really precious subtle stitching details. I suspect he will wear them for a long time, once it gets warm enough for shorts!



There are plenty of great options for girls, too. My very favorite top is this gingham smocked top that would make Roo into the cutest bumpkin this side of them thar hills. Seriously, though, I love a swingy, spaghetti-strapped top on her in the summertime and this one is available in black gingham , red gingham and a pretty blue floral.



I also got Roo a pair of black wear-anywhere stretchy flare ruffle pants to go with the top. The waistband folds down with the sweetest ruffle and flocked birdie detail and the underside is pink for a flash of color. I wish I had a pair of these for myself! Roo's favorite 77 Kids purchase is the blue flowery circle skirt.



It's cool, comfy cotton with a peekaboo lace hem that makes it ultra girly and twirly. Roo loves it so much she wanted to wear it every day. I gave in and let her wear it to school two days in a row. Even though she "matched" it with Jasper's purple tee in this charming manner:



Okay, I went over my $50 at 77 Kids, I'll admit it. But there wasn't a stinker in the bunch. There was only one thing I returned and it wasn't for lack of cuteness. The silk twirl skirt is gorgeous and a bargain at the sale price of $9.95, but it's also 100% silk and dry clean only which doesn't really fly in our household. The website mentioned the washing instructions, of course, but I was blinded by the pretty flowers.



Luckily, the return policy at 77 Kids is very customer-friendly. All orders include a free return shipping label, or you can return things at your local American Eagle store. Easy peasy.

Right now, 77 Kids is running a fabulous contest: one winner will receive a $500 77 Kids shopping spree and five other winners will get $100 77 Kids gift cards! Enter now for your chance to win!!!

***77 Kids is offering free shipping for one day only on President's Day- Monday, February 16th!***

Special K(eurig)

***WINNER PICKED 2/26 WITH RANDOM.ORG***

***CONGRATULATIONS, Sherri419 (private blogger profile)!!!***

her comment...
I am the only coffee drinker in my house so I know how you feel. I hate making a whole pot of coffee just for myself. My fave is French Vanilla DECAF Coffee by Green Mountain. Sound great! Thanks!


It's Valentine's Day and two of my sweethearts are out of town, so I thought I would write about my NEW love, the Keurig Platinum Brewing System.



Bob hates coffee, so I stopped making it at home, which has led to a freaky Diet Coke addiction that I would really like to kick. When I started seeing the Keurig brewers all over the internet, I was intrigued. They use proprietary K-Cups in lieu of grounds or filter packs and the variety of beverage choices is astronomical. Keurig Brewing Systems are coffeemakers, first and foremost (their parent company is Green Mountain Coffee) and their coffee selection is impressive. You can select from hundreds of different K-Cup varieties, including blends such as Light, Medium, Dark, Extra Bold, Flavored, Decaffeinated, Half-Caffeinated, Fair Trade, Organic and Kona. You can also choose your K-Cups by favorite brand: Caribou, Diedrich, Emeril's, Tully's, Gloria Jean's, Green Mountain, Newman's Own Organic, Van Houtte, and Coffee People*. If you're more of a tea person, you can choose from a vast array of flavors, from venerable brands such as Twinings, Celestial Seasonings and Bigelow. There are also several cocoa options, including Ghiradelli. I tried many of the different coffees and teas and they were all delicious, although my favorites were definitely the darker roasts. Thrifty readers will be pleased to note that it is possible to re-use the tea K-Cups more than once, too, with no weakening of flavor.



I really love the Keurig Platinum Brewing System (ours is pictured in location above). It allows you to choose from five beverage sizes, from dainty teacup to gigantic travel mug. It even has an option for drinks that are to be iced down- it brews a concentrated 4 oz. cup, perfect for iced coffee or tea. The water reservoir holds ten cups and keeps the water heated and ready to brew with the touch of a button, which is super convenient. And it looks awfully pretty on the counter. I must admit that I am still in lust with the all-stainless Keurig/Breville collaboration brewer:



But for $130 less, the Keurig Platinum Brewing System is just as full-featured and probably sexy enough for me! My sole complaint is that the K-Cups are not yet recyclable, so there is a bit of waste involved, which is problematic since we're trying to recycle and compost whenever possible. However, Keurig acknowledges this and the company is working on making K-Cups more environmentally responsible. For now, the company offers a reusable My K-Cup filter assembly that allows you to use your own coffee, which I am planning on ordering ASAP.



In honor of Valentine's Day, you could win a cherry red Keurig Mini Brewer, which features convenient 8 oz cup brewing in a sleek, compact body. To enter, please comment on this post with your favorite K-Cup.


Entries will be accepted through February 25th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. US readers are eligible. Only one entry/comment per person, please.


For an additional entry, post my button on your blog, follow my blog, fave me on Technorati or subscribe via email or subscribe via reader and leave an extra comment letting me know.



Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a site that compiles winners in one convenient place:

***Click Giveaways on my sidebar to see what else you could win!***

*Coffee People offered "Office Politics" K-Cups for the election and they are on sale at Amazon for $9/per 24-ct carton. Choose McCain or Obama or cross party lines and get both…

Commenter Luv

5 Minutes for Mom has started Say It Forward, a new Friday carnival to honor loyal commenters. I am a haphazard commenter, in general, so I am totally impressed with those of you who can not only keep up with the fast-paced blogosphere but actually comment on everyone else's blog. Pertinently, even!

I am blessed with quite a few lovely commenters but I am going to spotlight two who are incredibly smart and funny… and prolific, both on their own blogs and everyone else's, too!

Jennifer at Rundpinne:



and Erin at Mrs. Cox's Slice of Heaven:



I'm not going to say too much about these ladies other than they are wonderful people to get to know and seem to have unimaginably sweet and blog-friendly husbands (unlike my own crankypants spouse) and infectious positive outlooks on life. You must visit them to see what it is that I am writing about, I will go no further.

And did I mention they give me stuff? True. Erin gave me this award, so here are my five reasons why Life Is Grand:



1. Jasper sleeps through the night these days. Hallelujah!

2. Roo is the smartest, funniest, most confident girl I know.
(Mrs. Farinola says I am so popular, all the boys want to marry me… What does "popular" mean?)

3. Jasper got ahold of a marker just now while I was on the phone. It was a Crayola washable, not the Sharpie I ripped from his grasp earlier this morning, so it came off (the kitchen cabinets and appliances, coffee table, Jasper's face) with baby wipes. Yay!

4. Wichita is almost always sunny, with blue skies. Today it's about 53º and clear. Good for the psyche.

5. Our trash company has started offering biweekly recycling with a 96 gallon can. We no longer have to sort AND they are taking virtually everything now (it used to be cans and #1 and #2 plastics, and they did not recycle ANY glass)! I can't emphasize how thrilling it is to not have to cart all of our recycling to different places.



Jennifer has bestowed me with the Hooked on Your Blog award, so I shall tell you six things that make me happy.

1. Chocolate, in general.

2. Digital cable and DVRs.

3. Apple products, in general.

4. Hearing from long-lost friends on Facebook. (Yes, it's annoying at times but overall it's so great to reconnect, isn't it?)

5. Finding a bargain, no matter how big or small.

6. Having a parent conference and coming away with the feeling that the teachers really, really like my kid. Parental pride ROCKS, y'all.

If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged. If you play along, please leave a link in the comments. And don't forget to visit Rundpinne and Mrs. Cox's Slice of Heaven to say hi!