a fabulous new site!

the amazing jamie over at All Things Avery has launched a new site/web biz selling her fabulous card designs. go check her out--she's got invitations, announcements, cards. and she does really cute stuff. www.weelittledesigns.com.

she's doing a giveaway for her Grand Opening! join in!

we have a winner!

CONGRATULATIONS to Jen at The Mom Chronicles! She won the onesie or tee of her choice from my shop--www.bubbleandsqueak.biz as part of the Dog Days Giveaway!

Thank you so much to everyone who came by and entered. I was truly surprised by the response! It was wonderful! And thank you for all of your nice comments on my shirts. It really made my day(s) to hear.

I hope to see more of you--i'll be hitting your blogs and I hope you'll come back to mine!

: )

Dog Days GIVEAWAY is Here!

It's too fun to resist! Shannon at rocksinmydryer is doing this fabulous bloggy giveaway carnival. I'm SO in. Here's what I am giving away--a ONESIE or TEE from my own biz; Bubble & Squeak Baby Wear. The winner will be able to specify which size s/he would like, but the design choices are limited to the ones you see below.

Hit my website for size options and info about the clothes. This Friday before noon (EST) I'll randomly choose a winner. How do you win? Just post a comment saying you want in!
Have fun!

reasons to limit TV - they are many.

it's a struggle for me to know what to say to other parents about my son's lack of TV watching. i feel really strongly about it and the older he gets the more i feel it, but given my fear of being judged about it, i get all tongue-tied and rambly when i try to explain why it matters so much.

here's a great resource posted by The Not Quite Crunchy Parent. she gives quick, easy answers--all things i think and feel, but have a hard time saying in the moment. maybe it'll help untie your tongue, too!

The Not Quite Crunchy Parent: Reasons to Limit TV - What to Tell the Relatives!

stories on CD--a must for the long car ride.

bb loves a good story on CD. he has all the Curious George ones and he got so into them that we had to back away. just a little *too* into the G factor. However, he does love stories, so we went in search of some other/ new CDs to listen to--especially since we've got a 3 hour car ride coming up in August!

and the kid's got a birthday soon, too (he's THREE!), so we're thinking about what to get. we're not a big toy family. we keep it minimal. partly because of space and partly because, well, he just doesn't need a lot. we try to keep with the philosophy that the less the toy does the more the child does. and the less toys he has the more he uses is creativity, so, he's got mostly very simple, plain, use-your-imagination toys. and a *few* more complicated ones, but just a few.

anyway, i think these CDs are a great gift idea for anyone with kids or for you if you have kids who like stories, so i'm passing them on! got a long car-ride this summer? let the imagination take over and keep trucking along!

I'll be participating!

come next monday to see what i'm giving away! it's fun! it's free! it's a bloggin' good time!

good sites.

steph is at again with a great giveaway! this time it's for kangaroodle.com and they have some super, super cute stuff. and functional. my favorite combo! we mommy's need practicality in a cute polka-dot print, you know?

and for more really great ideas, definitely head over to mamaspeaks.com for cool products and useful info. love it.

a cd to recommend

i'm sure i've blogged about them before. i know i have. but it needs to be said again that if you haven't checked out The Innocence Mission, you really should. they offer wonderful, heartfelt, poetic music that is wholesome without being. . . dorky.

the lead songwriters are a husband and wife team--karen and don peris. they are religious, but it comes across in their music as spiritual more than religious. at least to me. i'm not christian, so i appreciate this. karen is the lyricist and she writes about the most everyday things, really. but she does it in such a way that you're like, "man. i wish i could have said it like that." she puts words to feelings and. . . moments that pass most people by. yet, she celebrates them. i love that about her.

not too long ago, they put out an album of lullabies. it's mostly cover songs, but also a couple originals that they wrote for their kids and it's just beautiful. whenever we are in the car and we need some chill time, i put this on and everyone mellows out. it's dreamy and sweet and i am thankful to have it . . . and all their music!

i heart coupons.

now, i love a good deal. and really, who doesn't. when i became a parent it was clear to me that expenses would rise. there's gear to buy and diapers and clothes. given that hubby and i don't bring home tons of cash (yet) we have to be frugal.

here is a great site where you can find 100's of online coupons. i was dubious at first--would i find anything that i could really use? but then when i investigated and found so many opportunities to save at online stores i already shop at, well, i was, psyched, of course!

my favorite discovery is the coupons for babyage.com. i love babyage. not only do they offer many things i have needed over the years, but they have often offered $5.95 shipping on ANY order. so, this mommy got her new car seat in the mail without have to pay a mint in shipping that heavy thing! sweet!

with baby number 2 on the way, i'm all over keepcash.com for coupons because even though i have a lot of what i need from the first baby, there's still always something. i encourage you to take a look around because you may be surprised to find coupons or offers that are truly useful to you and your family.

*this is a paid post.*

my new blog

i've got a bit of fun news to share with the blogosphere---i'm a "pro" blogger! i've recently been hired to write a food/recipes blog over at contentquake.com. i'd love for you to blogroll me if you are a foodie at all. i promise it'll be great fun and chock full of recipes!

you can find me at www.recipes.contentquake.com

come on by and check it out there are some other great blogs in the Content Quake network as well.

cheers!
kate

growing pains

this weekend hubby and i went to a wedding. (woot for adult time!) we asked hubby's dad to come and sit with bb. bb did not want us to leave. he's never had a problem with us leaving before. being compassionate parents, we, of course felt bad about it, but we knew that he'd be fine. still, there was that lingering feeling. . .

did we push him too hard by sending him to camp? do all kids just go thru this at some point? or is it a too-small-view to see it as a direct response to camp? i guess what i mean is he has a lot going on right now for a little guy. he's learning to use the potty. he's about to 3 (later this month). mommy's got a gi-normous belly containing his baby sister (to come in september). he's going to camp, then SCHOOL in the fall (coinciding with baby). that's a lot for a little guy. it's no wonder he's needing some reassurance and extra lovin' from us.

if any of you had experienced something similar, please, pass on the encouragement or ideas of how to get a little one thru it. and how to get the parents thru it!!