Adventures in Blueberry Pancakes

Awesome family meal deal this week at Winn Dixie supermarkets!

2011-02-03T16:18:00.000-05:00

Whether you're stocking up for the big game this weekend or just stocking up for your family, I can't resist making mention of the awesome deal Winn Dixie supermarkets has going on from Feb. 2nd through Feb. 8th! Buy two Red Baron pizzas (I believe they're 12", so they're a good size) and get:

a Tyson Any'tizers side (my store had Honey BBQ chicken bites or Buffalo Chicken Bites) - a 10-13 oz. box

a New York Dip'N Sticks (Garlic or Cheese) frozen breadsticks - a 11-16 oz. box

a 2 liter bottle of any Pepsi product

AND

a 48-ounce Bryers ice cream, any flavor

ALL FREE.

So, spend $11.99 for the 2 pizzas (total) and get the other 4 items FREE - We saved over $16 with this deal, which is enough for I would say a good 2 full meals for a family of 4. You do need a Winn-Dixie card (free) to get the deal - if you don't have one they will let you sign up for one on the spot like we did, as we hadn't been in Winn-Dixie before - and you can have one of this offer per transaction with your card.

Happy shopping!!!

Join the CoverGirl 50th Anniversary Celebration!

2011-01-07T19:47:00.003-05:00

Join the party on Facebook and you can win cool prizes including FREE makeup, a trip to the Ellen DeGeneres show, and more!

Mom Tips: Do you know about Ebates?

2010-12-05T21:06:00.000-05:00

Although I am definitely a bargain-hunter, I've never been big on reward sites when shopping online. I can't even begin to count how many I signed up for at some point or another, only to completely forget to use them, or find that they don't offer incentives for the retailers I like to shop from. And I don't want to even think about how many accounts I have that are just 5, or 10, or 100 "points" or "credits" or whatever random currency away from earning a $25 gift card, or cash back, simply because I've forgotten about them.

My no-rewards-shopping plan came to an end recently though, when one of my cousins told me about Ebates. Rather than earning some sort of proprietary points, you simply earn cash back when you visit your regular shopping sites through their websites. And they are supported by hundreds of retailers, including all the major ones. I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it out since I was getting ready to do my holiday shopping anyway - plus they were offering a $15 sign up bonus as well.

I have to say I actually REALLY like it. Most online stores offer about 2%-5% cash back when you shop through Ebates. Ebates keeps track, emails you when you've earned money, and the best best part - they automatically mail your check (quarterly) as long as you have at least $30 in earned money. If you have less than $30, it rolls over into the next quarter. Considering the $15 sign up bonus, I managed to get to the $30 fairly quickly by trying to specifically buy from stores with a higher cash back bonus - some at 10% and 15%. I definitely think Ebates is well worth a shot for any regular online shopper. It's proven to be far better than most of the competition.

Mom Reviews: Disney Pixar Color Changers Tex Dinoco

2010-09-02T22:25:00.000-04:00

Apparently, once you start buying these Disney Cars toys, it becomes a sort of addiction. Sure, one water-color changing car is fun, but why not a whole raceway’s worth? Such as become the case with my son - we went from one starter car, Mater, whom I previously reviewed here, to about ten so far. In a moment of parenting weakness, they’ve become somewhat of an end-of-the-week bribe for my son who is struggling with starting Kindergarten and being away from home for nine hours a day. Hey, you gotta do what works sometimes! Tex Dinoco is our newest addition.

Recently, Mattel Toys released a line of these cool color changing cars based on the most popular characters of the series. When exposed to cold water and then warm water, they change colors. After much searching, we were able to find Tex Dinoco, one of the more elusive and obscure cars from the movie. Boost, Sarge, and DJ also seem to be some of the hardest models to find.

As far as color changing goes, these are fairly simple to work with. You can use warm or cold water, of course, but also any other heat or cold source will work. My son has taken to putting his cars in the freezer when they aren’t changing color fast enough for his liking, and heat as simple as rubbing them in your hands for a moment will change them as well. There are only two colors possible - the “cold” one and the “hot” one, which on Tex Dinoco are brown and mustard yellow, respectively. There is no “neutral” color for room temperature - they will tend to stay in the “warm” color until exposed to cold again. A nice feature is that they are almost 100% plastic as far as I can tell without opening them. The only metal on these cars are the two screws in the bottom that hold the base and body together, which leaves little to no room for rust over time from being exposed to water.

Tex Dinoco is one of the better of all the color changing cars we have tried. He changes from a deep yellow to a very dark brown. You can even use a paintbrush or cotton swab dipped in water to give him details like racing stripes or polka dots - my son’s favorite choice.

All of Tex Dinoco‘s, as well as the other cars in the series, key features such as the headlights, eyes, and decals are all painted on or are molded plastic and seem to be durable enough to withstand even rougher than average child play. Tex features a white top and white side accents - similar to an old wood-paneled station wagon - that lends to his “retro country” style.

The downside to these cars, of course, is that your child will likely want to constantly have water on hand to make the color change. I’ve started setting aside some “water time” for my son, with two containers of warm and icy water, for him to specifically play with them - otherwise, I hear the sink running at rather inconvenient times. They aren’t particularly ideal for bath time as well, unless you set aside a separate container for the cold water change.

This series of Cars toys is a little pricier than the normal ones at about $6.99 each. The regular plastic or die cast ones are typically about $3.49. We have been able to find them at WalMart, Target, and Toys R Us so far. Overall, I find that my son really enjoys them enough to make them a good value.

You can also see my review at Epinions.

Mom Reviews: Disney Pixar Color Changers Mater

2010-08-31T18:33:00.000-04:00

What little boy (or girl) doesn’t love playing with cars, or playing with water? Disney / Pixar’s new Color Changer Cars - based off the hit movie - is a hit for playing with both at the same time.

Recently, Mattel Toys released a line of these cool color changing cars based on the most popular characters of the series. When exposed to cold water and then warm water, they change colors. We first picked one of the most popular characters - Tow Mater, the tow truck.

As far as color changing goes, these are fairly simple to work with. You can use warm or cold water, of course, but also any other heat or cold source will work. My son has taken to putting his cars in the freezer when they aren’t changing color fast enough for his liking, and heat as simple as rubbing them in your hands for a moment will change them as well. There are only two colors possible - the “cold” one and the “hot” one, which on Mater are green and turquoise, respectively. There is no “neutral” color for room temperature - they will tend to stay in the “warm” color until exposed to cold again. A nice feature is that they are 100% plastic as far as I can tell without opening them up - which means no rusting even after the constant in-and-out of water.

One of the disappointing features of Mater, to my son, was the color shade change. The normal color is turquoise, and you can hardly tell the difference to the bluish-green when he “changes” color. This happens with the other Cars from this series that are the same color combination as well. A dark green or just another color altogether would have been a better choice.

All of Mater’s other key features - like the headlights, eyes, and decals - are all painted on or are molded plastic and have been very durable on this particular car. Mater has taken a lot of falls and general kid abuse and he still looks great… for a tow truck, that is.

The downside to these cars, of course, is that your child will likely want to constantly have water on hand to make the color change. I’ve started setting aside some “water time” for my son, with two containers of warm and icy water, for him to specifically play with them - otherwise, I hear the sink running at rather inconvenient times. They aren’t particularly ideal for bath time as well, unless you set aside a separate container for the cold water change.

This series of Cars toys is a little pricier than the normal ones at about $6.99 each. The regular plastic or die cast ones are typically about $3.49. We have been able to find them at WalMart, Target, and Toys R Us so far. Overall, I find that my son really enjoys them enough to make them a good value.

You can also read our full review at Epinions!

Find us on GiveawayScout!

2010-08-25T19:59:00.000-04:00

You will soon be able to find out about our giveaways and contests - and thousands more - via GiveawayScout.com. I invite all of our readers to stop by and check them out - I found tons of great offers there myself!

In other news, new posts, reviews, giveaways and more coming soon. We finally got settled in our new place and just managed to get some decent internet back, so thanks for your patience!

Let's Hear It for Amazing Customer Service!

2010-07-12T19:32:00.000-04:00

If you've read my blog, well, ever, you'll know that I am always highly recommending the Skechers brand because of their durability vs. price. I've said a million times over that they are one of the few brands where I really feel like I'm getting excellent value for my spending money, as both my and the rest of my family's shoes are usually outgrown long before they are worn out. In fact, we've never in ten years had a problem with Skechers ever.

I was significantly surprised when a pair of Skechers Shape-Ups - their premium priced "fitness" shoe - split on me right down the side seam. I had only gotten them in December and I don't wear them on a daily basis. We have a Skechers store not far from our house, so when I stopped in there to pick up a casual summer sneaker, I figured I'd ask if there was any potential warranty at all. They were very nice about it and suggested I contact customer service to see if I could send them in. Of course, I promptly forgot to do this for another two weeks.

Eventually I did, in fact, remember to contact customer service. As usual, I remembered at around 3 am so I figured the easiest thing to do was send an email. I received a prompt response the next morning with an address to mail the sneakers to, and instructions to include a short note explaining the problem, and that it could take 4-6 weeks for a response.

Now, my biggest problem was this: I received these shoes as a gift from my mom who lives in another state. I had no idea what date or from what store they were purchased, just that I received them in December. I contacted my mom to ask, but she said the receipt was long gone. I sincerely did NOT expect anything, realistically, back from Skechers at all. These were six month old shoes that I didn't know where or when they were purchased. But still, I figured taking a chance spending the $8 to ship them, on a small chance of replacement, was better than throwing away a $150 pair of shoes.

So, off they went, the first week of June. I sent a letter explaining the whole situation, and made notes of where the flaw was. I included an email address and contact number (as well as my mailing address) in case there were any questions. I gave specific instructions not to return them if they couldn't be fixed, as it wasn't going to be worth shipping both ways plus a fee to have them repaired locally. Weeks went by and I heard nothing, but again, this was as expected really.

You cannot imagine my complete shock when today, a brand new pair of Shape-Ups arrived from Skechers in the mail! An exact replacement of my originals, factory packed and just perfect. I sincerely feel that they went above and beyond for me, and I will say they definitely have a loyal customer for life now.

Updates on the terrors of moving with kids...

2010-06-30T14:26:00.000-04:00

Moving day is very fast approaching at less than 30 days out. If you saw my previous blog post, this has been an absolutely nerve-wracking experience, however the closer the deadline gets, the calmer I'm actually becoming.

My biggest fear was Bug being upset about moving. We've lived in this house for pretty much his whole life, and I was afraid leaving would be a terrible shock to him. And he didn't even find out the way I had planned. I had wanted to sit him down and talk to him about the changes, and was prepared for him to be very upset. What actually happened? I was on the phone with moving companies trying to get quotes. As the woman asked, "well, where are you moving to?", Bug burst in the door as I was saying "We're moving to Florida from New York." As soon as he heard me, his eyes lit up and he yelled, "We're moving to FLORIDA?!?! I'm gonna go pack my stuff!" And the rest is history. He's spent the last few weeks telling everyone about how we're getting a new house with new rooms and a playground. All I'm waiting for is to find out whether we actually GOT the house, which hopefully I'll know in a day or so.

So, that's one colossal obstacle down, only, oh..... a hundred or so more to go.

My kid likes Top Chef better than cartoons....

2010-06-30T14:10:00.000-04:00

In a "haven't had my coffee yet" haze at 6:00 this morning, I plopped on the couch with my wide-awake five year old to wake up with a short burst of television while he played with his dinosaurs nearby. Giving up on finding any quality programming at the early hour, I started browsing our cable's On Demand listings to try to find something that, at best, just didn't suck as bad as being out of coffee.

When I failed to find something that was at least marginally interesting to me while still being family-friendly, I vacantly suggested watching a little Dora the Explorer to Bug. I was more than a little surprised when he answered, "No, I wanna watch the cooking show!" I momentarily racked my brain before realizing the only cooking show we really watch is Top Chef, which I did find is On Demand right now. I checked with him again before putting it on - "You're really sure this is what you want to watch?"

"Yup." he answered smartly. "I like when they make the amused butts!"

He was referring to the episode where they have to make an amuse bouche from a breakfast buffet. Either way, my kid is more of a culinary master than I will likely ever be.

I despise making really difficult decisons.

2010-06-07T21:32:00.000-04:00

*Heaving a big sigh*

We are, inevitably, moving clear across the country in only a few weeks. We've spent the last several years living with my in-laws (more for their benefit than our own). Then, my husband's father passed about 5 years ago, so we continued to stay, helping along my mother in law, who was (with good reason) devastated by the loss.

But now, she is moving on and so shall we, with our best option being moving to Sunny Florida, as I have my own family there. I am excited to be, finally, out on our own, as our OWN FAMILY for the first time ever, just myself, my husband, and our son.

At the same time, I am terrified.

I am still waiting on confirmation as to whether or not my employer will relocate me, and even still that doesn't have the most positive outlook. So I am seeking out a new career, but playing the waiting game for a response is slow and painful, and does not leave me feeling all too hopeful. And I can't even begin applying for our apartment until my job is secure, so really I'm a total mess.

Add to this the fact that I have not yet explained to our son what is going on. I feel like it's still too soon, with so many things up in the air. I want to wait until I can show him pictures of where his new home, new school, playground, etc. will be, before making his life any harder than it already is. He's already worried about starting Kindergarten this year.

So, again I sigh, and turn back to my coffee and the sanctuary of my desk for an hour's peace and quiet, telling my husband I need to "unwind" even though I'm secretly actually still poring over pages and pages of online job searches, hoping that the next click will bring me some peace. At least, for now.

Mom Reviews: Step 2 Sand And Water Table

2010-05-21T21:50:00.000-04:00

It is definitely the time of year to start thinking about how to keep the little ones fully occupied for the summer! Although my son is almost six now, I had to give a review of the Step2 Sand and Water table set that we've had for the last almost three years.

Step2 is known for making quality children's products, and this one is really no exception. And, apparently, it's currently on sale at Amazon (down from the almost $100 we paid for it back in the day). You can see my full review here at Epinions as well, but we give it 5 out of 5 stars.

If you have a child or grandchild ages 18 months to preschool age, this is a very worthy investment as you're bound to get several years of use from it, and I guarantee, it will keep the little ones busy -and outside- the whole season.

Mom's Internet Finds: Custom Boutique Pettiskirts and More by Magical Attic

2010-05-21T20:22:00.000-04:00

Come on Moms, you all know you want one too! I became quite envious myself, when I stumbled across these adorable Custom Boutique Pettiskirts made by Magical Attic. She makes them in your choice of a wide variety of colors as well as specially made designs in prints as well. I originally found them on Bonanzle but when I contacted the designer she also provided her Etsy Store in which I found even MORE awesome treasures!

She offers these really cool custom Superhero Capes as well, suitable for your little boy OR girl and fully customizable with colors and themes. And they are a steal at under $20! If you're in the market for a sweet customized gift without being overindulgent, I definitely urge you to visit Magical Attic!

All photos borrowed with permission from the owner. :)

Mom Reviews: Bath and Body Works Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Soap

2010-05-18T18:43:00.000-04:00

A good soap for the whole family can be very hard to find! I'm a big fan of Bath & Body Works Wild Honeysuckle Anti-bacterial Moisturizing Hand Soap because it both moisturizes your skin as well as leaving you fresh and clean. All parents know, when you have kids, constant hand washing is inevitable - both your hands and theirs. You can read my full review here but we give it 4 out of 5 stars!

Mom's Internet Finds: Cute Custom Cupcake Outfit

2010-05-17T21:22:00.003-04:00

I keep hoping some day I'll have a girl, so I can indulge in super-sweet finds like this Custom Pink Cupcake Skirt and Halter Top Set by lilbugclothing, available at Bonanzle. (If you're not yet familiar with Bonanzle, it's all the fun of shopping on a site like Ebay, without the auctions. You see an item you like from a seller, and you can buy it or make an offer. You should definitely check it out!)

lilbugclothing is offering this cute set on sale for $25 (and accepting offers, currently). It is custom made in your size choice from 12 months through size 6. I can see this being just the perfect birthday girl outfit! And the price is right too - I think $25 is more than reasonable to spend on a really special outfit. If you like the cupcake design but don't necessarily want a halter-style top, she offers other styles in a similar pattern/print as well.

Mom Review: Batman Band-Aids

2010-05-15T18:23:00.001-04:00

If you have kids, you know that regular bandages sometimes just don't cut it when your child gets a scrape or cut. Sometimes the overwhelming reaction of ohmygodthere'sblood from your little one just can't be soothed by a kiss to make it all better. That's when you bring out the big guns - the fancy character bandages.

Moms and dads, you know which ones I mean - the marginally overpriced box of not nearly enough bandages to get you through a month that are right at your kids' eye level in the store. They have bright colors and fancy graphics and all their favorite characters, and are seemingly magic in their ability to calm any reaction to an injury. My five-year-old evil genius conned me into this box of Batman Band-Aids.

At least if I'm going to be talked into buying special bandages for just one person in our house, they're really cool. These are Band-Aid brand bandages (there's a mouthful!) by Johnson & Johnson, not a knock-off generic. They come packed 20 to a box in assorted sizes.

The box advertises these as being 100% waterproof and that they shield out dirt and germs. They are sterile unless the individually packaged bandage is opened or damaged. There is also a warning that this product contains natural rubber latex and should be avoided by those that are allergic.

Now, by "assorted sizes", closer inspection of the box reveals that this is apparently just two sizes. There are five square bandages measuring 1.5" x 1.5" and fifteen strip bandages measuring 1" x 2.5". It is extremely important to note that these measurements are the size of the entire Band-Aid, not the actual padded area that you would apply over the wound. The actual padded area is very small, only approximately 30% of the center of the adhesive area in total.

The one nice feature that I like, regardless of the size, is that the padded bandage area is completely surrounded by adhesive. You know how on regular bandages, you have a center padded area, with two adhesive strips on each side? And how no matter how you apply it, water or dirt always sneaks in that non-adhesive area? Well, not with these. Because the adhesive covers the entire surface, you get a nice protective seal around the bandaged area that keeps liquids and dirt out nicely. Therefore, you aren't replacing the bandage every hour because it's falling off.

The downside to so much adhesive area is that these are impossible to remove. Getting them off skin is moderately bad - if you soak it in warm water or rub the edges with baby oil it will begin to loosen. Do not, ever, try to yank one of these off with one quick pull - thy are stuck on skin strongly and are semi-painful to remove in this way. However, you do not, under any circumstances, want these to get stuck to something other than your skin. My son got a hold of a handful of these bandages and went wild, plastering them on his furnature, carpet, and the outfit he was wearing. Eight months later, I still cannot get them off! Even through multiple washings, the adhesive part of these bandages are clearly visible on the clothes he was wearing - which have since been relegated to permanent playclothes - and shredded remnants remain stuck into the carpet fibers. I eventually got the one on his bedframe off with some sticker remover.

My son enjoys these bandages because of the graphics, which show Batman in various "action" poses in several designs. I believe there are six total variant designs in this box, although the quantity of each design will vary. Rather than the "yucky" skin-tone shade of a regular bandage, these are printed on a clear background with vibrant colors.

Overall, I'll say these bandages are worth the purchase. Although slightly expensive at about $5 a box for only twenty, it's not so bad when you save them for only the truly traumatic injuries like removing a splinter, and not just every little bump or bruise. They make my son happy, and that, as a parent, makes me happy. Just don't let your kids use them as an alternative to stickers.

Recommended:
Yes

You can also check out this review at Epinions!

Back from a very long break!

2010-05-14T22:04:00.002-04:00

The holidays are always an exceptionally difficult time of year. I work in retail, so I have a tendency to "disappear" for a few months between October and February while the calls of the 70-hour work week keep me pulled in another direction. I hate it. I get away from everything I love, and I don't just mean my family - my hobbies, writing, having a normal schedule....

Anyway, that doesn't matter. I am rededicating myself to my blog (among other things) so hopefully those of you that still follow along, desperately awaiting my next update (hey, I can pretend!) are happy that I'm back.

Promising new reviews, new stories, and more, soon. Glad to be back.

Mom Reviews: Glade Sense and Spray Air Freshener

2009-10-20T20:19:00.003-04:00

Time for a (long overdue) Mom Review!

As a member of BzzAgent, I was given the opportunity to try out one of Glade's Sense and Spray air freshener systems. Having a house full of kids and pets means that, well, something's always a little stinky - so I was more than happy to give it a go.

The idea of the Sense and Spray is great - a motion detector on the front of the sprayer only releases scent when someone comes into contact within a 5-foot range, and it has an automatic shutoff that keeps it from releasing fragrance any more often than twice an hour. If you need more scent, there's a button on the front you can use to release an extra burst. This keeps waste to a minimum. I've been told that one canister will last approximately a full month - right now I'm on week 2 and still going strong!

The Sense & Spray starter kit I received included a white, hard plastic pod that stores a small aerosol air freshener spray. The whole thing only stands about 6" tall so you can stash it just about anywhere AND it won't clash with your decor. The front pops open to change out the scent canister when it's empty.

The fragrance that was included for me to test was the Clear Springs scent, which has a light, slightly fruity smell. It's not too sweet or too overpowering, and is just enough to handle about one full room with scent.

I tested my Sense & Spray in the toughest of all stinky spots - near the litter box. I placed it on a low shelf just over the litter box doorway - low enough that the cat could set off the motion detector. This way, after kitty does his business, the Sense & Spray lets off a light burst of fragrance that helps to conceal those difficult pet odors, at least until I can take further care of it myself.

The Glade Sense & Spray retails for $11.99 - a reasonable price for the starter kit which includes the pod and one scent canister. Refills are available for $3.49. Refills are available in six pleasant scents - Clear Springs, Powder Fresh, Clean Linen, Apple Cinnamon, Country Garden and Hawaiian Breeze. The Hawaiian Breeze is definitely our next pick!

And of course, with this Mom Review comes a Giveaway! You can win a Glade Sense & Spray starter kit for yourself. Just post here and tell me what scent sounds most appealing to you, and where you'd use your Sense & Spray! You can also get additional entries (once per day) by Tweeting about this giveaway on Twitter, and posting a link back here. A winner will be picked using random.org on Friday, November 6th, 2009.

2009-10-15T14:28:00.000-04:00

2009-08-26T14:03:00.003-04:00

We love Sketchers shoes for kids! A perfect wardrobe essential for all ages.

Beating the Mid-Summer Blues

2009-07-31T13:06:00.003-04:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been hearing choruses of "I'm boooorreeeed" and "There's nothing to dooooooo" now that we are halfway through summer (and close to Back To School for some of you!). So, to break up the boredom, we've got some suggestions for inexpensive (or free!) activities to creatively use up some of that free time. (Most of these activities are advised for ages 10 and under - teens will have to fend for themselves or tag along!)

Go to story time at your local library. Most libraries have a calendar of events that are free. If you've never done this before, it really is a great way to spend an hour or two! And while you're there, sign your child up to get their first Library Card if they don't already have one.
Plan a slumber party! Whether you invite one child or ten, or make it a family slumber party in the living room, it's a guaranteed hit. Added fun? Try making your own pizza or have a "crazy popcorn" contest - pop some plain popcorn, and see who can make the yummiest toppings using the fridge and pantry. Top it off with homemade Bisquick pancakes in the morning in fun shapes or flavors.
If you don't already own one, go out and buy a sprinkler to run through. We never had one before, and I finally picked up an inexpensive one about 2 weeks ago - Bug has been consistently entertained every sunny afternoon since. Total cost - about $20.
Paint birdhouses. Michael's and other craft stores sell pre-assembled plain wood birdhouses for under $5 that can be painted with acrylic craft paint, which is also very inexpensive. Once dry, they can hang their creations outside.

Squeaky Clean Kids Giveaway Winners Announced!

2009-07-25T00:09:00.003-04:00

**UPDATE** All winners have been notified by email. Thanks to everyone who participated, and look out for our new giveaway starting VERY soon!

Just wanted to pop by and let everyone know that the winners of the Squeaky Clean Kids Giveaway will be announced later in the week. Between LittleBug's 5th birthday tomorrow, and an emergency tooth extraction for me earlier this week, I've been a little swamped, a little distracted, and a LOT out of it. Oops. :) I can't wait to pick the lucky winners!

We Have A Winner! Mom's Summer Reading Giveaway Winner Is.....

2009-07-02T17:43:00.002-04:00

The winner of the Mom's Summer Reading Giveaway is......

Susan K.

A big congratulations to Susan, who we have already been in contact with - your book will be arriving shortly. Please come back and let us know what you think!

Busy Summer Days

2009-07-02T17:40:00.002-04:00

Sometimes you just need a break from the normal pace of things, so I took the last week "off" from blogging and working on the website (aside from filling orders) to just enjoy as much of the gorgeous weather as possible. I limited all exposure to "technology" of any kind - including turning off my cell phone when I was off from my other job (if it's an emergency, they have my home number), limited my online time to responding to only critical emails, and actively tried to keep the television off as much as possible.

Sometimes a technology break is very, very good.

Awesome Deal of the Week: Free 2 Year Subscription to PARENTS Magazine

2009-06-24T21:21:00.003-04:00

We couldn't resist passing on this awesome deal! Get two full years of Parents Magazine totally free - no bill, ever! Yes, this deal is so great that we signed up ourselves. We originally found this offer at Grocery Price Blog - stop by there too and give them some love for sharing! Parents is America’s leading magazine devoted to serving people who are raising children. This magazine is designed for women ages 18-34 with growing children. Its editorial focus is on family formation and growth including the daily needs and concerns of modern mothers. It also regularly features information about beauty, food, fashion, home, age specific child development, health, pregnancy, marriage, finance, child care, education and discipline.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

Super Sweet Giveaway At Mammalicious Finds!

2009-06-23T18:39:00.004-04:00

One of our fellow mom bloggers is hosting an AWESOME giveaway! It's so great that we just had to share. Mammalicious Finds is giving away an 8 ounce Ice Cream Party Sugar Scrub and 1 ounce Ice Cream Party Shea Stick from The Bath Project.

Also, while you're at it, check out The Bath Project - they have tons of sweet treats for your body that won't break the bank. These are a great way for moms to pamper themselves a bit.

The Perfect Fit - Helping Your Teen Find Their First Job

2009-06-19T22:13:00.003-04:00

Summer is upon us, so this seems to be just the right time to tackle a tough subject. Chances are, your teen (or possibly even tween) is contemplating looking for a summer job - whether they're saving for their first car or just some spending money for the movies.

So, I'm going to help you to help guide them in the right direction, because honestly, so little job advice is given out these days until you're graduating college. By that point it's too late - it is a million times harder to snag your first job experience at 21 than it is at 16.

Welcome to The Perfect Fit: Helping Your Teen Find Their First Job. Part One: Expectations.

The hardest part of the first job is that -quite frankly- it probably won't be your ideal job. In fact, you may downright despise it but keep at it for the paycheck that comes on Friday. Please repeat this as needed until you're sure you've accepted it: "My first job is probably not going to be the greatest job ever. I may hate the work I am given, but I will stick with it and do my best."

This is the toughest of the Expectations to deal with. It's hard at that age - ok, at any age - to keep plugging away at something you don't enjoy. However, this is a realistic scenario in the working world!

The other Expectations are much easier:

1. How much time will I invest at this job? Consider this very seriously before proceeding. If your child is only available for the summer, it is extremely important that they make prospective employers aware of this when they apply. If, when September comes, they can no longer work afternoons because of the basketball team, cheerleading, chess club, or simply too much homework, an employer needs to know this up front. Some jobs will have a training period of two weeks or more - which means by the time we're done training you, you're going to be leaving. This doesn't work for anyone involved. And please, just be honest about it - if you fail to tell us just so you're more likely to be hired, if we find this out later when you suddenly resign, trust me - you're not getting a positive recommendation in the future!

2. What type of job is best for me? I'm going to tackle this more in Part Two, but basically this means you and your teen should sit down and evaluate their skills and what jobs are best suited to them. If they're fabulous with their younger cousins, perhaps a Camp Counselor position would be a good start. Good with animals? Your local shelter probably needs some help attending to all their needs.

3. What jobs do I want to apply for? This is crucial. If your teen is dead-set on not cleaning the cookware at the local fast food place, then face this right away. Rule out the places that are simply out of the question to you. Then, make a list of your ideals - your fashionista daughter loves the local teen boutique, so that becomes top on the list.

4. Research the jobs you want before submitting an application. This is so very simple, yet I rarely see it happen. Want to know what type of hours they need to fill? Check their Open sign to see what times they operate. If you shop in this particular location, note how the employees act - are their counterpeople just cashiers, or are they required to do other work as well? How big of a staff do they have? Do they have a Now Hiring advertisement up?

5. Be ready to accept rejection. You may not fit into the job that you really want due to your availability or lack of experience. Accept this graciously and do not continue to nag at a place that has given you a "no".

I speak all of the above from experience. Not from the parenting side - as most of you know, our little one is not even school age yet - but from a hiring manager side with 15+ years of retail management experience. My "real" job is a very desireable place for teens - I can't reveal the name but I will say that I deal with some super cool cutting edge technology - and at this time of year, every year, I receive over 75 applications a week from teens age 15-18. I've seen some very good, some very bad, and some extraordinarily ugly.

Want to learn more? Come back and visit us for Part Two: Job Options later this week!

Squeaky Clean Kids Suave Summer Giveaway

2009-06-18T18:36:00.004-04:00

To tie in with our Mom Review of Suave Kids Shampoo, we here at Bunnies & Buggies are sponsoring a Squeaky Clean Kids giveaway! Summer is great for lazy days in the pool or sprinkler, building sandcastles at the beach, or tackling the biggest slide on the playground, but at the end of the day a bath is usually in order before bed. In order to make this part of your routine a little more fun and kid friendly, we're giving away FIVE Suave Kids gift packages to our readers!

How you can enter to win:

Visit the Suave website and tell us which of their kids' products that your kids would like to try the most. This is required to be considered for winning!

How you can get additional entries to win:

1. Blog about this giveaway OR about our online store, then post the link to your article here. (You can get two entries this way - one for blogging about the giveaway, and another for blogging about our shop!)

2. Tweet about this giveaway OR about our online store - make sure you put @bunniesnbuggies in your Tweet so I can find it!

3. Grab our store logo from the sidebar with either our store or blog link (the pretty plaid one) and post it on your blog or website - then come back here and let us know where we can find it.

This contest will begin on June 18th, 2009 and will end on July 18th, 2009 at 11:59 pm. Winners will be selected via Random.org and winners will be announced on or before July 31st 2009. Must be 18 or older to enter.

Mom Reviews: Suave for Kids 2-In-1 Shampoos

2009-06-18T18:32:00.003-04:00

I have to say, honestly, that I did not anticipate giving this review! I am totally blown away by the quality that I never expected from a kid's shampoo, let alone one at this price. I picked up Suave 2-in-1 Shampoo Smoothers for Kids in the Coconut scent on a whim for my four year old son, as I got tired of going through my more expensive shampoo at an alarming rate considering that he's got a super short hairstyle. This shampoo is definitely kid-friendly - the bottle is a bright white and green squeeze style with a cute monkey on the label. The other scents that were available at the store included cherry, dragonfruit, watermelon, strawberry and mango, but I'm really glad we went with the coconut - it's definitely perfect for summer, and the scent is sweet without being overwhelming. I also love that this is a one-step hair washing product - the conditioner is built in so we only have to go through the dreaded wash and rinse routine once, rather than twice. My son despises getting his face wet so anything to shorten the hair process is greatly appreciated from a mom point of view!

A few claims off the bottle..... Well, for starters, the full name of this product is 2 in 1 Shampoo Smoothers for Extra Softness. It is also said to be detangling and tear free. I'm always a bit leery of shampoos that claim to have a built in conditioner, because usually it just doesn't leave you with the same level of softness that you would get from a separate conditioner. Not the case here! In fact, this is probably the best conditioning shampoo I have ever tried. My son's hair is soft and untangled after washing and drying. And, after at least 20 washes using this product, I can definitely agree with the claim of tear free, as there have been no tears (or battles) during scrubbing here! The back of the bottle says "opthamologist-tested formula is tear free and easy on eyes" and we wholeheartedly agree. Also, no one in our family had any sort of skin reaction or irritation at all - a difficult claim in a family full of insanely allergy-prone people.

Now for the surprising news....
After running out of my own usual hair products last week, I started using the Suave Smoothers shampoo. I have to say it is a million times better than my (admittedly overpriced) normal choices! It leaves my hair, which is very long and on the very dry side, sleek and smooth with no extra products needed! I have actually converted my entire family over to just this one shampoo now. The other great part? It's incredibly inexpensive! At only $2.49 for a 12 ounce bottle, I bought 10 bottles and put them in the closet, just in case Suave stops making this. I really hope they don't, because I have yet to find a better all-around choice for hair care.

How I outsmarted my stubborn preschooler. Part One: Cleaning

2009-06-17T17:52:00.003-04:00

Something really baffles me about Bug sometimes. This kid loves doing chores - washing dishes, folding laundry, cleaning windows and tables, vacuuming, you get the idea. But for some reason, the request of "put your toys back in your room" is like a completely foreign concept, which is always met with the whining battle cry of "I don't waaaaaaaant to!" or "Can't you helllllllllllllp me?" (Parents, I know that you know how the emphasis lies on exactly those words!)

Some parents say the timer method works for them. You set a kitchen timer for, oh, five to ten minutes, and everyone scrambles to pick up the stuff. Ok, those of you who find that this method works, raise your hands. Damn, I knew that would be most of you! I don't mind the "timer scramble" for big messes, but honestly now - why should I be scrambling for ten minutes to pick up Bug's stuff? He's almost five! He can pick up the fifteen Matchbox cars and bring them to his room by himself, it's not that much stuff!

Well, after a few months of the aforementioned back and forth battle, I finally realized what the problem was. It's not the amount of stuff to be put away - it's that his hands are small, thereby requiring him to make 15 trips through the house for 15 toys. So, I had a moment of Mom Genius. Bug really, really, really likes shopping of any kind - especially clothes, but that's a whole 'nother topic - so on our last shopping excursion I had him pick out his own reusable plastic grocery tote bag. He chose one with a lion, disappointed in the lack of dinosaurs as an option. This is officially his shopping bag and no one is allowed to mess with it.

And basically how it goes now is like this: the official lion bag hangs on the doorknob to his bedroom. At the end of the day, or any time the mess has just overflown too far into the rest of the house, I announce "shopping time". Bug goes to town "shopping" for all of his toys to take back "home" to his room, and when he gets back to his room he just has to dump the bag back into the toy box, and hang it on the doorknob for next time. Clean up now takes under five minutes, and everyone is less frustrated. I highly recommend this if all else has failed for you so far too!

What's new this week?

2009-06-14T21:44:00.003-04:00

I've decided to add a little weekly (or perhaps bi-monthly) feature article on what's new at Bunnies & Buggies Boutique. I have to say, we've been expanding much more rapidly than I could have ever dreamed and we are just positively ecstatic about it!

This week's new additions:

Our biggest feature - the opening of our new SALE department, where you can snag tons of great deals that won't break the bank!
Tons of new summer dresses for girls were added this week.

Stay tuned, and make sure you pop back weekly - we also have new giveaways coming here to the blog, as well as a new product launch coming soon! Also, make sure you enter our Summer Reading Material giveaway for moms, the cutoff date for entries is June 30th!

Mom Reviews: First Years Smart Serve Suction Bowl With Lid

2009-06-10T20:44:00.002-04:00

Finding adequate tableware for a two year old boy who now wants to do everything himself is a headache in and of itself. I admire my son’s desire to feed himself with a fork and spoon and use his own “big boy” plate. Our kitchen, however, was starting to resemble an elementary school cafeteria after a food fight after every meal, as my son would inevitably throw his plate across the room as soon as he declared himself “all done” with his food. With the intention of saving the paint on the kitchen walls - and my sanity - I picked up two First Years Smart Serve Suction Bowls while shopping.

What it is...
The First Years Smart Serve Suction Bowl with Lid is basically exactly what it sounds like - a bowl, a suction cup, and a lid. The bowl is hard plastic and is proportioned just right for a toddler-sized meal, about the same size as a standard soup or cereal bowl. Attached to the bottom of the bowl is a large rubbery suction cup, and also included is a hard plastic lid that snaps securely to the top of the bowl for travel. The set comes in a variety of color combinations - I have a red/blue and green/yellow. Many others are available, including more feminine combinations if you have a little princess rather than a little prince. There are two small handles on either side of the bowl which help when you are trying to get the suction cup to grip the surface.

The bowl...
As I mentioned earlier, the bowl is just the right size for toddler meals. While it doesn’t have a divider, it does have a little ridge in the center to somewhat divide the foods. The bowl comfortably holds several cut up chicken nuggets with carrot dices and applesauce - a favorite combination in our house - with no problem, and the little ridge keeps the applesauce from seeping under the chicken. The bowl is a very sturdy hard plastic and is dishwasher safe. It has been used for many other things by my adventurous two year old, including a mini stepstool, a hat, a drum, and a frisbee and it has held up wonderfully.

The suction cup...
The suction cup on the bottom of the bowl holds it reasonably in place. I usually have to wet it slightly to get the initial grip onto the high chair tray, but it holds well. On an extremely stubborn day, my son has been able to yank it from the tray, but it takes him long enough to do so that I usually catch him before it goes flying. If the surface underneath is wet, he is also sometimes able to scoot the bowl around without losing the suction as well. Overall, it does its’ job. It holds up well from the dishwasher as well, and the rubber has not dried out at all, even after several months of frequent use and washing.

The lid...
The lid is made of an identical hard plastic as the bowl and snaps securely to the top for travelling. While I do not recommend travelling with a full bowl of food, as tupperware holds up much better, the seal is tight and it has not leaked, even when accidentally tipped sideways in the diaper bag. Affixing the lid to the bowl also makes for a good toddler-sized drum, should you need emergency entertainment.

Overall...
This bowl has been a lifesaver on many occassions. It is an absolute necessity for restaurants, where plastic dishware is often nonexistant - nothing says “Time to leave the restaurant!” like a couple of broken salad plates. Cleanup is a snap - when travelling the parts can be wiped clean with baby wipes, and all parts are easily cleanable by hand or dishwasher. I would be happier with a slightly stronger suction cup, but this one does get the job done 90% of the time, which is good enough for me. The price is reasonable at an average of $1.99-$2.50 depending on where you buy them, which is cheap enough in case you accidentally leave one somewhere. I feel that I have more than gotten my money’s worth out of them, and I never leave home without it.

Price $1.99 to $2.50 (varies by store)
Available at.. Target, Wal-Mart, Babies R Us, many others

What do you do when your parents are getting divorced?

2009-06-10T19:12:00.003-04:00

And I don't mean this for the kids. I mean for us, as parents ourselves - what do we do when our parents decide to split up?

My own mom recently divorced her husband (my step-father) after almost 20 years of marriage. There was a big age difference, and a big difference of opinion on aging. She worked, he had been retired for 15 years already. Her job was moving five miles down the road, he complained it cost too much in gas. He criticized everything she did, and she finally had enough. There were other things too, that I won't get into. When she announced she was filing for divorce, I said "Good for you!". Her friends said the same thing. Her co-workers even said the same thing.

Honestly I never liked him in the first place. They married when I was eight - I'm now 28 - and this is the same man that single-mouthedly caused my eating disorder that I still can't shake 16 years later, caused me to move out at 15, and numerous other things. And of course, my mom is aware that I didn't like him. I found it very hard to conceal my complete elation at the news that they were splitting up.

So how do you be supportive of your adult parents divorcing, especially when you're not impartial? I've always kept it friendly with my step-father, despite my actual feelings for him, out of consideration for my mother - and I'm actually kind of hurt that I haven't heard a word from him since he moved out of my mother's house almost three months ago. At least mom is taking it well - she's got a real "I'm just fine on my own and I will survive" spirit (and a few shopping sprees probably didn't hurt) but I just can't find the right words to say.

Anyone been there done that? Any words of encouragement for me or her?

Mom Reviews: Summer Reading Material - The Chosen One by D.L. Mains

2009-06-07T18:05:00.006-04:00

Summer is here - or almost here, depending on where you live - and hopefully that means you can catch some rays and relax with a good book. So, from now through August, we're adding Summer Reading Material reviews to our Mom Reviews section!

First up on our list is the new Sci-Fi/Romance/Fantasy book The Chosen One by D.L. Mains. This is Ms. Mains first published novel and she was kind enough to send us a copy to check out!

A little briefer: The Chosen One combines futuristic science fiction, Harlequin-esque romances, and a hint of fantasy. Even if you're a fan of only one of these genres, or have never tried any at all before, I guarantee this intriguing piece of fiction will suck you right in.

The Chosen One tells a tale of a post-apocolypse setting based in what we (now) know as New York. The human race has nearly been wiped out by an alien race known as the Venturians. A long and brutal war has been waged between the races and the humans are struggling to regain control of the Earth. Within this main theme, the stories of the three main characters will unfold before you. There is Jesse Sullivan - co-commander of the human uprising against the alien force. Jesse is strong-willed, a natural leader, and -of course- gorgeous. I loved being able to relate to her inner thoughts and tribulations as a female as they unfold. It is a refreshing change from the typical male protagonist. Next, there is Davros of Manderlay - a Venturian noble desiring peace between themselves and the humans, and who seeks to find the answers of a prophecy laid before him. The third perspective is that of Gar, the cruel, heartless, and vindictive leader of the Venturian armies against the human race. All of this is wrapped in a tale that is intense and passionate, and a hint of seriousness because it relates directly to the world in which we live - not just a world that we have conjured based on Ms. Mains eloquent words.

This book is a great summer read because the chapters, while numerous, are short and are typically from the perspective of just one of the main characters at a time. For instance, Jesse's story begins in the first chapter, where you learn of her mission and a brief history. Chapter two switches to the introduction of Gar, and so on. You can digest a portion of the story and put it down if necessary - but you won't want to. The tale of this epic battle is compelling and you will not just want, but need to know what happens next at each turn.

I would love to write more about the plot but I would also hate to give away any twists or turns. The details of this novel of love and hate is best contemplated on your own. And so, we here at Bunnies & Buggies Boutique are giving you the chance to see for yourself! We are going to be giving one lucky winner a copy of The Chosen One for free to kick start your summer literary adventures! And if you're not our lucky winner, her book IS available at Amazon.com as well!

How can you win this awesome book? Here it is:

Leave a comment below telling us why you want this book! (one entry)
Tweet about this contest on Twitter, and leave a post with a link to your Tweet (one entry per day)
Visit Ms. Mains' website, and leave a comment at her guestbook - then come back and let us know you did! (one entry)
Write about this contest on your blog or website, then post the link here! (one entry)

This contest is open from June 7th, 2009 through 11:59 pm. June 30th, 2009. Winners will be chosen via random.org and a winner will be announced by July 15th, 2009. Winner will be contacted via email for shipping information. Must be 18 or older to enter.

Babysitting is not my day job.

2009-06-06T20:13:00.002-04:00

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE kids. All kids, not just my own. I've worked for preschools and summer camps, and I would let my kiddo have twenty friends over a day and not blink an eye. What I don't like though, are parents who like to leave their little darlings unattended in public places.

Now, moms and dads, this seems like a no-brainer, right? I have an (almost) five year old myself, and I would never, ever in a million years, leave him in a public place with total strangers, and just leave! And seriously, this happens to me every. Single. Day.

My "regular" job happens to be a retail store that does attract kids. We carry some products for kids. Most normal parents come in with their kids. However, we're also located in a big shopping center (strip mall, for those of you familiar with that term). There's a bank, a Chinese restaurant, a pizzeria, a nail salon, a clothing store, a coffee shop, and a major supermarket. A certain amount of kid-only traffic is expected from the tween and teen crowd of course. What baffles me though, are the parents who drop their young kids - age 10 or younger! - at the door, then head to the supermarket for two hours to do their grocery shopping!

Parents, PLEASE! This is not safe! Although I try to keep an eye out on these unfortunate littles that are unattended, if there are twenty other customers in the store that I need to attend to, I cannot babysit your child for you! This includes the well behaved ones - they may not be causing any harm, but honestly I don't know that the adult they walk out the door with is their parent or guardian. On the other hand you have the little troublemakers, who spend the entire time ripping things off of racks, shoving to get in front of other people, and generally causing mischeif. What am I supposed to do with them when their parents aren't there to handle them?

Case in point: One Sunday early afternoon, a child about 5 or 6 years old comes in at the same time as a group of teens and adults. An hour and a half later, I realize the child is still there - except now there are no adults in sight, and there haven't been for a while. Another 45 minutes passes, customers come and go, and the child is no longer there. I figure the parent came back to retrieve them (finally). Well, all of a sudden, this child's mom comes in, asking where her son is. I respond that I have no clue who her son is. (I didn't put two and two together until later on.) She proceeds to scream at me and I tell her that I'm sorry, but no one has been in the store for at least 15 minutes. She leaves and calls the police, reporting her child missing. The police come, and I tell them the whole story. An hour after THAT, they finally find the child - he had gone to the supermarket to look for mom because he was bored!

Of course, all's well that ends well. But, what if that child had been bribed out of the store by an adult and abducted? I cannot fathom ever leaving my child alone somewhere! And this happens at my job not rarely, but actually multiple times on any given day, and moreso on the weekends.

So, moms and dads, I put this to you: am I expecting too much? Would you leave your child in a kid-friendly store and just assume that they will be safe? Or would you never dream of leaving your child alone somewhere? Tell me your thoughts!!

Mom Reviews: Sketchers Shape Ups - Save or Splurge?

2009-06-04T19:56:00.005-04:00

MomReviews are seriously my favorite types of posts! A long time ago, I wrote product reviews for another site and loved doing it. Maybe because I tend to be a little opinionated?

ANYWAY - up for review today are the new hot thing from the Sketchers shoe brand: their Shape Ups line. Sketchers touts these shoes as "helping you get in shape without ever setting foot in a gym". Well, I had the pleasure of trying these out for 30 days now, and I'm sure you're all waiting on edge to hear my thoughts - because a life without having to go to the gym seems like a heck of a good idea to me!

About these shoes:
Sketchers says that these shoes will help promote weight loss, tone your muscles, reduce cellulite, reduce stress on knee and ankle joints, and improve your posture. Some other brands call this style of shoe a "rocker" - I priced them out not long ago and most companies were charging $300 or more for this "technology" in their shoes! So I was surprised -and maybe a little skeptical- that Sketchers Shape Ups are only a bit over $100. For me, that's expensive for shoes. My sneakers usually cost about $50 or less and I was reluctant to double my shoe budget. However, I had a nasty knee injury last year and I find it hard to find shoes that I can wear all day without my knee acting up. They pretty much lured me in with "weight loss" and "reduce stress on knees".

How these shoes work:
From the Sketchers site, because honestly, they can explain the technical aspect better than I can! We have turned hard surfaces into comfortable ground through revolutionary technology designed into the framework of the shoe. The core of this technology is in the dynamic rolling bottom, the soft foam insert under the heel, and the dual-density midsole. These three elements work together to give you the feeling of walking on sand or luxurious pile carpet – regardless of the actual surface. Walking on softer, uneven surfaces forces you to engage muscles not normally used when walking on hard ground. Not only does this strengthen your muscles, but it also increases blood flow and reduces the impact on your joints and lower back. I find this to be VERY true. You know that feeling in your legs that you get from walking on the beach due to the lack of resistance from sand? The way you really have to push from your toes to keep momentum? Well, these shoes use those muscles! I definitely felt it in my muscles for the first two weeks - it was like I had never used them before now. I had some sore buns for a few days!

It takes a bit to get used to wearing these. They're a bit wider than your average sneaker, so they will fit best if you wear a normal or wide width. Sorry narrow ladies - these probably will not be a good choice for you! I honestly can't speak for weight loss because I kind of fell off the wagon with my workout routine. I CAN say though that these have greatly improved my posture - I don't slouch anymore. Also, they are great on problematic knees, ankles, and joints - I wear these for my full ten hour work shifts (in retail, on my feet all day) and I still feel great at the end of the day. I also do feel that my calves and rear are starting to become more toned - I promise I'll come back and update after another 60 days with these.

Shape-ups are offered in a few different styles. Three of these are sneakers (I chose the "Strength" model shown above), one is a casual Mary Jane style with a crossover strap, and one is a work style shoe.

So - spend a little on yourself, or save for something else? I vote a big SPLURGE on these shoes! I definitely think they're worth the investment (and I had to buy my own, Sketchers did not comp me or know that I'm writing this review, so I'm totally writing this from the heart). If you can't get to a Sketchers store, you can order them online and they are great about returns for size or fit. If you'd like to find out more than what I could fit here, I've added a link to them in our left sidebar - definitely go and check them out! Your feet (and legs) will love you for it!

Open advertising spots available!

2009-06-03T17:41:00.002-04:00

We are now offering highly affordable advertising spots here at Adventures In Blueberry Pancakes! Sidebar spots start as low as $5. The only thing we need from you is an image no bigger than 200x200 px. Interested in advertising with us? Email us at bunniesnbuggies@yahoo.com for more details!

Mom Reviews: Birch Soaps

2009-06-03T10:28:00.003-04:00

I cannot resist a new bath product, ever! So, of course, when Birch Soaps gave me the opportunity to try one of their awesome handmade bar soaps, I jumped at the chance.

Some of the fragrances I had to choose from included Island Coconut, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Lemon Poppy, Mango, Morning Star (a tropical/citrus blend), and even more. I elected to go with PearBerry, a favorite scent by a certain big-brand bath and body store that they no longer make.

Within three days, the bar arrived at my house and I could smell the yumminess right through the envelope. I ripped into the package to find a nicely wrapped bar in the same size as your average bar of soap - about five ounces.

The first thing I did was dash into the bathroom to wash up my hands (even though they weren't dirty) because, well, like I said, I'm obsessive over bath products! The bar lathered up with a rich, luxurious lather and the scent was strong but not overwhelming. I rinsed off and dried up my hands, and I loved how clean they felt. There was no sticky feeling or residue after rinsing - something that is actually fairly common with both store-brands and handmade soaps. Plus, I still had a hint of fragrance on my skin for several hours afterwards!

I have to say that I am beyond pleased with this soap. We've also used it as a full-body soap in the shower and in the bath with Bug. The scent was pleasant all the way through the bar, and there were no adverse reactions on anyone in the family. We would totally recommend them to anyone!

In fact, we like them so much that we'll be carrying them in our store later this summer! So, keep your eyes out for a forthcoming giveaway at the launch of Birch Soaps at Bunnies & Buggies Boutique, coming between late July and mid-August.

Do your kids grandparents try to out-parent you?

2009-06-03T09:37:00.002-04:00

Maybe it's your parents. Maybe it's your significant other's parents. Either way, you've decidedly reasoned that they are just messing in the wrong territory right now - deciding what's best for your kids.

This is apparently some sort of parenting fact of life. In fact, years from now, you'll probably put your own kids through this proverbial hell once they have their kids. It's a grandparenting syndrome.

Now, if you're lucky, this is mild and/or tolerable. If your parents or in-laws are relatively sane, they're not doing much worse than slipping some cookies to the kids before dinner, buying that expensive gift that you refuse to buy, or sneaking them a few dollars for "spending money" at the candy store. This is ok. This is normal. This is how most grandmas and grandpas spoil their "little angels". (You, of course, may feel differently when they're bouncing off the walls like little banshees hopped up on sugar at one in the morning, but bear with it.)

No, what I'm really talking about here is when your own parents/in-laws try to supersede your firm, concrete rules for your kids knowingly and, possibly, somewhat maliciously. They feel the need to re-exert their parenting authority. This is what makes you want to rip your hair out and refuse to ever visit again.

Take this example (always my favorite) - Bug is four. He sits in the middle row of our minivan in a toddler booster seat. This is a RULE for his SAFETY. For some reason, one of his grandparents feels that he should sit in the front seat so he can "see better". I tried to put my foot down on that and they snapped back, "Well it's our rule that he sits in the front! You sat in the front as a kid and you turned out just fine!"

Ummmm NO. I DON'T THINK SO. A desire to overindulge a four year old with something that could endanger him is not a "rule", it's you being stubborn, possibly of the mind that you know best because you've been there done that before. But the reality is times, and our knowlege of safe vs. unsafe, good vs. bad, evolves over time.

Do your parents or in-laws try to out-parent you? Do they think that only they know best? I'd love to hear your stories. And, if you're a grandparent that does this with your kids, this is a plea to please, let us make our own parenting decisions. We'll love you that much more for it.

Splashdown! Summer memories....

2009-06-02T20:08:00.003-04:00

Today pretty much was the definitive first day of summer for us - the first time the outside temperature peaked over 80 degrees by 10:30 this morning. Being off from work to enjoy it, I urged hubby to break out the kiddy pool, the one thing that LittleBug has been eyeing longingly all winter.

So, a bit grudgingly, hubby gets the pool out, hoses it down, and we get ready for the first fill up. Except - oops! - no one has the first clue where we stashed the plug at the end of last summer. Thankfully, hubby is a bit of a McGuyver type, and one Ziplock bag and loads of duct tape later we were good to go.

I could only restrain Bug for so long - every 30 seconds a chorus of "is it time NOW?!" echoed through the house. I was hoping we could hold off until the water had a chance to warm a bit in the scorching sun, but that was really a bit of a pipe dream, right?

Now, the first round of the Summer Ritual begins. I lather Bug up with SPF70 sunscreen. Half a bottle later I decide we're good to go, since he's looking a bit albino at this point. Then on goes the white t-shirt, the swim trunks (that are a size a little too small, because I wasn't quite ready for it to be pool time yet!), the sun hat, the sunglasses. The hat and sunglasses are promptly pitched on the patio table as he bolts for the pool.

I managed to snag a few pictures - just before the first slide in, and then right as the shock of the burst of cold water set in. I stuck a toe in the pool and promptly pulled back. As I stood there watching my little water monster, splashing and bouncing around without the slightest concern of temperature of water, I was reminded of myself at that age. How I would have dove into the chilly waves with the same sort of abandon, and basked in the too-hot-for-mom sun.

Oh, to be four again!

Laundry Cat likes fabric softener....

2009-05-28T20:39:00.002-04:00

Yes, this is actually our cat, Shadow. Just wanted to share a little picture of him being cute - I was trying to fold laundry on our bed, walked away for a minute, and came back to find him snuggling in the warm, fresh from the dryer goodness.

RunningMoms Twitter Group - join us!

2009-05-25T20:10:00.004-04:00

We now have a mom's running group going on Twitter! Basically we're a group of moms that have committed to supporting each other in doing a 30 minute run (or walk) every day in an effort to get in shape, stay in shape, and keep each other on track (forgive the bad pun!) If you want to join, simply hang out with us, and use the #runningmoms hashtag in your Tweets so we can stay connected. Walk alone, with a buddy, or with your kids - just WALK!

I have to say, I just got back from my first walk today and it felt GREAT! My half hour takes me from our house, which is at the far end of a 1/2 mile stretch on a dead end street on the water, up to the short crossover block, then up two blocks. Next I head back towards the house, taking the back way which is a 3/4 mile back through a park with a walking path. I took my Ipod, listened to some upbeat tunes, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. So come on and join the runningmoms party!

Win A Mom's Mini Vacation Package from Bunnies & Buggies!

2009-05-20T22:18:00.005-04:00

To kick off all the new stuff we have going on, we're offering up a super special! You can win a Mom's Little Vacation package FREE from Bunnies & Buggies Boutique!

This mystery gift package I *guarantee* will make ANY mom happy and will be packed full of summery items with a total value of over $50! Some of the included goodies will be beauty treats, some relaxing treats, and some edible treats!

There are a few ways you can win this awesome gift:

Make a purchase at our store at www.bunniesnbuggies.com between now and June 30th - each purchase is an entry to win!
Follow us on Twitter and Tweet about either this contest or our website - make sure you put @bunniesnbuggies in your Tweet as I'll be looking for them daily!
Write about our contest on your blog, and link it in the comments below

You do NOT have to make a purchase to be entered, it's just one of the ways you CAN be entered!

This contest will run from May 20th through June 30th - so tell your friends, shop with us for great deals, blog, and Tweet!

Go Green! Raising Greener Kids

2009-05-19T20:00:00.002-04:00

Spring is an ideal time to start teaching young kids about being just a bit more environmentally conscious, and to learn some simple earth science as well. So, for our first Raising Greener Kids blog post, I'm going to suggest a simple activity for some easy, green Spring fun.

Growing plants is a great learning experience - even the youngest child can grasp basic concepts of earth science, the greenhouse effect, and the basic task of caring for a living thing. This project can be done with a group of children for easily under $15 - so consider inviting some friends over to join the fun!

What you'll need:

Clear plastic cups - at least 16 ounce size is preferable
Potting soil - we use Miracle Grow Moisture Control with plant food incorporated into it
A small shovel (optional)
Seeds of your choice - some good starting seeds to work with are marigolds, sunflowers, or green peas. These are hardy seeds that have a high bloom rate, begin growing quickly so your child can see the results of their work faster, and are difficult to accidentally ruin.
Rubber bands that will fit around the cups
Plastic wrap

Depending on the age group you're working with, talking about the basics sometimes helps - just that plants need soil, water, sunshine and care to grow. We suggested the use of clear plastic cups as it allows the child to see the plant as it is growing, and the cups can be washed and reused for later planting. Have your kids fill the plastic cup halfway with the soil, without packing it down tightly - you'll need to leave some breathing room for the roots to expand downwards. Place a few seeds into the top of the soil. If you're working with a larger seed like a sunflower, only put 3-4 seeds in the cup to prevent crowding as they grow. Gently cover the seeds with a light layer of soil - your cup should be just under 3/4 filled at this point. Lightly water the soil with 3-4 tablespoons of water - soil should be damp to the touch but not saturated. Cover the top of the cup with a piece of plastic wrap, securing it around the rim with a rubber band. Place the cups in a warm, sunny spot, only watering again when soil becomes dry to the touch - usually every three days or so - the plastic wrap creates a greenhouse effect, keeping valuable moisture in the container.

When plants start to sprout and form at least one full set of leaves, remove the plastic wrap. Continue to water every few days as needed, just a few tablespoons at a time at most. When plants start to reach about 2" tall, have your child brush the blooms gently with their hand to encourage strong stem growth.

If you have room, once the plant becomes about 6" tall, you can transplant it to an outdoor garden, or move it to a bigger pot.

Our son LOVES this project - he's going to be five soon, and this is our third year at the indoor potting project - a little later in the season I'll post pictures as we move ours out to the garden!

Is there a double standard for stay at home parenting?

2009-05-19T01:54:00.001-04:00

I'm really curious to hear your thoughts and feedback on this - from both moms and dads, stay-at-home, work-at-home, or work outside the home, please!

My husband is a Stay At Home Dad (hereon referred to as SAHD, thanks!). I work full time outside the home, a 50 hour work week, plus I (primarily) run bunniesnbuggies.com by myself. Yes, he helps with that, but he is one of those guys that doesn't know taffeta from tulle, satin from silk, or which end of a dress is up, so I take on the bulk of the work with that. :)

Whenever this comes up in conversation, generally with other females, this is how the conversation usually goes:

"So, what does your husband do?"
"He's a stay at home dad to our preschooler"
"You mean he doesn't WORK? How do you pay the bills?"
"Well, *I* work."
"So, is he LOOKING for a job?"

*sigh* I wish I was kidding here folks. If the roles were reversed, and I was the SAHM, no one would question it for a second. So why is it so odd that my husband is the stay at home parent?

I LOVE my job. I love working. Yes, it's exhausting, but I do have a fun "real" job, I like working with the people and customers that I do, and I like the constant change of scenery so to speak. My husband doesn't just watch our son - he also does all of the laundry, cleans the house, cooks for us, makes sure our son is happy, healthy, and well attended to. They do fun boy stuff while I'm gone all day. Honestly, sometimes I secretly think he's a little better at it than I am anyway. This arrangement works for us - we're a happy, harmonious family because of it.

So why is there a social stigma to the SAHD? Has anyone else ever come across this before? Please share your insights with us!

Our Ebay Store Has Moved....... to off Ebay

2009-05-11T20:59:00.001-04:00

If you've been to the ebay store lately, you've probably noticed things are thinning out quite a bit. Regretfully, because of the policy and fee increases at Ebay, we will no longer have a store there. We WILL still run auctions at times, however the store has moved to our new independent website at www.bunniesnbuggies.com. This was the best option to continue to keep prices down for our customers and allow us to stay in business - because no way was I about to close down the virtual doors after 10 years! So please, visit us at the new site, and let me know what you think!

New Life, New Home, New Office

2009-05-11T20:46:00.001-04:00

This year will be the year of change.

We're moving, definitely - leaving New York and basically all I've ever known. My mom is starting a new life this year as well - newly divorced (for the better, really), and wanting a family again in all of us. No more tiny NY apartments - clear across country, heading to sunny Florida, to have a real family and a better life.

We're expanding Bunnies & Buggies Boutique - hoping to include a full-fledged office or even *gasp* a retail location finally (post-move of course).

This probably makes no difference to you - heck, it's likely you hardly know me. But if you'd like to contribute to our cause (anything - some spare change, a dollar, whatever) we have a Twitter pool set up for the cause.

And, 25% of all money we get will be donated to the Child's Play charity - of which I am a strong supporter.

I thank you in advance for any Tweet-gifts :)

From all of us at Bunnies & Buggies Boutique.

We're Growing!

2009-04-03T18:48:00.001-04:00

We reached our 100th item today at the new store! Please check it out and let us know what you think! www.bunniesnbuggies.com

Bunnies & Buggies Boutique is on Twitter

2009-03-28T18:16:00.000-04:00

Join us on Twitter! Find us under username BunniesNBuggies and follow us for exclusive Twitter-only offers and news!

Bunnies & Buggies Boutique Is Open!!

2009-03-28T18:12:00.002-04:00

We are beyond pleased to announce that Bunnies & Buggies Boutique is fully open and running! We have to give a huge hand to BISIDesigns, who designed the site for us as well - it looks great and it's fun and funky! Please stop by and check us out, and leave us some comments with your thoughts!

Back from the holiday break.....

2009-01-09T22:48:00.003-05:00

Hope you all had a Happy New Year! And here is to hoping (as always) that this year will be better than the last.

We here at Bunnies & Buggies (meaning mostly ME of course!) have been busy prepping for 2009 as well - in fact, as of Jan. 1st, our independent upscale consignment and resale shop, Bunnies & Buggies Boutique is OPEN for business at We sincerely hope you'll visit! In that shop we are carrying new and gently preowned clothing for infants through children's size 16 (with juniors sizes coming later this year), as well as Maternity clothing, gifts for new moms, dads, babies, and their siblings, toys, decor and more!

And I'm offering a little bonus - use the coupon code BUNNYBLOG at checkout on our site, and get FREE SHIPPING on any order over $20! This offer will be good until June 30th of 2009. Just a little thank you for reading about us here and visiting our shop.

I'll be back soon to post more, but for now I will wish you all a happy and healthy new year, and all the best from us!

The price of nostalgia......

2008-11-08T18:19:00.003-05:00

Is roughly $10 plus shipping.

Well, at least for me it is. In a moment of brilliance the other day, I decided that if I had a lunchbox, perhaps I would actually remember to take my lunch to work for once. And that if I couldn't make it fit in the lunchbox, I couldn't EAT it, therefore helping me stick to my diet.

Like I can't cram a lunchbox full of Twinkies.

Anyway, the quest for the perfect lunch box began. I decided I wanted something retro from my childhood (the 80's) and it had to be real retro, not a reproduction. Of course, the 80's were the high point of the plastic lunchbox and thermos combo, so I started my quest on the site of all-things-you-need-to-have, Ebay.

After about 3 hours of searching, I found it - a REAL vintage She-Ra Princess of Power lunchbox with matching thermos, in good condition. This was the lunch box I really really wanted as a kid and never got. It arrived today, better than pictured, and I really am beside myself with happy childhood memories at the moment. And plans for what I can pack inside this week.

So, dear readers (as few of you as there are! LOL), what's the one thing you really wanted as a kid but never got? Did you ever get one later in life? If not, maybe if you're really good, Santa will bring you one this year. :)

A little early holiday spirit

2008-09-22T23:29:00.003-04:00

Yes, I know it's maybe a little too early to start thinking about Christmas. (Can we get past Halloween first, please?) But it's never too early for a little holiday spirit! I'm quite flattered to have my gingerbread house ornament (above) be featured in this Etsy Treasury by MedleyofCreativity. Please check out their shop as well!

What's new with us?

2008-08-14T22:55:00.003-04:00

We're getting ready for fall!

Just added this week in our Etsy shop - some great new jewelry for girls, made to match the newest Gymboree lines for back to school! You can grab our great new Classroom Kitty charm bracelet, seen here. Also, more made to match coming just in time for fall! Keep your eyes peeled!

Doing some early holiday shopping? In our Ebay store we've got some great new collectibles and toys - including some My Twinn doll dresses!

Also being unveiled this week - our official website, which you can find at www.bunniesnbuggies.com! It's long overdue for us, and I'm so happy to announce the opening! From here, you can find links to both our stores, some company information, links to our blog (here) and our affiliate's sites. Please, go give it a peek!

Dead Tired.......

2008-08-05T18:43:00.002-04:00

Want a wardrobe that is just to die for? Check out Patricia's Upscale Resale on Ebay. Photo is also courtesy of her!

Etsy Seller of the Week

2008-07-14T16:28:00.006-04:00

Etsy Seller of the Week - Teaman

My apologies for being behind on the Etsy Seller of the Week feature, but I've been super busy lately! (See previous posts - LOL) BUT, this week, I am featuring the super awesome Teaman on Adventures In Blueberry Pancakes. I have had the pleasure of ordering from Teaman several times now, and it's always a wonderful experience. Aside from the super fast shipping, the prices are fabulous - 50 teabags for just $4.00 or, if you can't make up your mind like me - samplers for $5.00 to $7.50!

Also, the flavors are *to die for*!! The chai tea is spicy without being overwhelming, with hints of pepper and vanilla - I consider myself a chai tea connoisseur of sorts and this is the perfect chai. The peppermint is a great soother for sore tummies, and the orange spice has made a great iced tea for the summer.

So, stop in at Teaman's Shop on Etsy and pick some up for yourself or the tea-lover in your life!

Ready for back to school?

2008-07-14T14:59:00.004-04:00

Are you outfitting some little ones for the upcoming back to school season? If so, check out our shops! HUGE back to school deals in our Ebay store - search "BTS08" for our Back to School 2008 specials! Tons of new and gently used clothing, including Gymboree, Mini Boden, The Children's Place and more!

Also, check out our brand new E*Crater Store for new offerings for infants to adults!

I've been a busy girl!

2008-07-09T01:34:00.002-04:00

Really, I have!!! So I haven't been posting.

I got a new workspace.... well, not "new", but it's on the other side of the living room in a private corner with all nice shelving and organization and everything. I'll post pictures of the new "office" later in the week.

We also got new furniture, and I've been busting my butt cleaning and reorganizing.

AND.... I now have my THIRD store on the internet! You can now shop Bunnies & Buggies at:

Ebay - for great deals at auction
Etsy - for our handmade goodies
E*Crater - our "full" online store

It's that time......

2008-06-21T01:23:00.003-04:00

For a new treasury!!!!
I'm such an Etsy Treasury Junkie!

This weekend's theme: the great beyond - to the moon and back. Please check it out, there are some amazing artists here!

Tedious days

2008-06-19T17:53:00.002-04:00

Yawwwwwnnnn........

It's just one of those days and all. Problems with the knee doctor (um, how can I go to work when I can't walk for more than 15 minutes or drive? hmmm?), kiddo is bouncing off the walls hopped up on marshmallows, and we have to put our poor old kitty to sleep this week. She bit the mother in law on the wrist yesterday - right in the big vein - and now we have to get rid of her because she's a potential danger to the kiddo. Poor, poor kitty. So it is a sad, tired, frustrating day. And I have gotten nothing accomplished so far.

Well, it's only 6 pm - still a few more hours to try and get *something* done!

Today's Treasury

2008-06-17T01:59:00.003-04:00

I was lucky enough to snag a new Etsy treasury on Treasury West today. Please visit it - there are some amazing artists exploring the boundaries of the universe!

Today's Treasury

Featured Etsian Of the Week: KeepYourBabyClose

2008-06-16T23:29:00.005-04:00

Featured Etsy Seller of The Week KeepYourBabyClose

Kicking off the newest article in my blog - the Featured Etsy Seller of the Week!

This week I'm featuring the fabulous Keep YourBabyClose - designer of some of the most gorgeous baby carriers around!

Besides doing beautiful work, she is also an absolute darling to work with, and her carriers are of only the top quality!

Her shop has a variety of Mei Tais, slings, nursing covers and wraps guaranteed to suit any mama! So whether you're shopping for yourself or for a gift for the new mommy in your life, be sure and check her out!

Woohoo! I'm in a competition!

2008-06-15T00:27:00.003-04:00

This bracelet, my Berry Sweet Charm Bracelet is in a jewelry maker's competition on MKSupplies Etsy Blog. Please stop by there and cast a vote - even if it's not for mine!

Etsy Discovery of the Day

2008-06-14T18:29:00.003-04:00

Where I post something I like so everyone else can like it too! :)

Super Mario Tutu Skirt by XPoppysWickedGardenX

I love this! I had bedding made from that fabric when I was a kid. And when I was a kid, was just the right time when the Nintendo was released. So, thank you XPoppysWickedGardenX, for the awesome trip down memory lane!

Feeling uninspired.

2008-06-14T12:18:00.003-04:00

Yes, that's my actual workspace. Well, a partial view anyway. You can't see the catastrophe UNDER the table.

I think the TV remote right in the center says it all.

I am *not* inspired today. Or motivated. Or anything.

No, I do *not* need to take a day off. In fact, I think I've taken one too many days off and now I can't get back ON. It's also kind of dreary today which doesn't help.
I'm trying to find inspiration in my new Etsy treasury. It's bright, it's colorful, it's beyond creative, and it is inspiring.... please give it a click, and please pass the cup of creative juice.

Six freakin' thirty.....

2008-06-13T06:36:00.005-04:00

Anyone see what time my last blog post was?

Yeah, like three hours ago. At three freakin' thirty.

Now it's six freakin' thirty. Daylight = kiddo wide awake and bouncing off the walls like Tigger on crack.

:Yawn:

So, to comemmorate the fun of six am... I bring you my favorite coffee, fresh from the pot, off Etsy ;)

Vanilla Swirl Gourmet Coffee from PMSMITH55 on Etsy - So YUMMY!!!

Mmmm... pancakes

2008-06-13T02:51:00.002-04:00

So, it's a new blog, and a new me.... and I get a lot of questions like, "Adventures in blueberry pancakes? WTF?"

It's pretty easy really.

When the kiddo (who is now almost four) was two, one day he said to me, "Mommy, want to make grueberry panplates" (Ahem... blueberry pancakes)

"Ok......"

"We need 2 cups flour, 2 eggs, and 2 milks, and grueberries"

"Um, sure we do, kiddo... let mommy find the Bisquick"

So I get out the box, and what does the recipe say?

2 cups bisquick (flour, essentially)
2 eggs
2 cups milk
Blueberries (well, blueberries optional)

I was stunned. I think we had made pancakes ONCE at that point with him helping. I have no idea where he picked it up from. But I was shocked, that my kid new something more than me already!

And so it began.... Adventures of Blueberry Pancakes - because every day, he teaches me something new.

Shipping for Newbies!

2008-06-13T02:46:00.000-04:00

BEFORE you start selling anything, you need to consider this: HOW WILL I GET MY ITEM TO MY BUYER?

For starters, you need the following:

A scale of some sort - either digital or mechanical. These can be purchased online (I got my digital from Ebay), in Walmart (in the stationary dept), Staples, OfficeMax, or anywhere else that sells shipping supplies. A scale is crucial to shipping well!

Appropriate packing supplies - depending on your product, this may mean bubble mailers, boxes, bubble wrap, packing peanuts or any number of other things. It must be both DURABLE and SECURE. If you are going to ship via USPS Priority Mail, you can order FREE boxes online for this!

A measuring tape - you’ll need this when you’re figuring out your postage

HOW to ship - it’s not all tape and pretty ribbons!

I strongly recommend learning to use an online shipping service to print labels from home - this saves you TIME and MONEY. You can ship through Paypal, the USPS website (Click & Ship), Endicia, Stamps.com, or any number of other places. It is very very simple to use now that you have your shipping scale! Your postage prints from your printer, tape it to the box and you’re done! You can even have your mail carrier pick up the packages from your door - go to USPS.com and use Schedule A Pickup for this service - it’s FREE!

An important thing to consider when shipping is PROOF OF DELIVERY - so that your buyer can’t claim they didn’t receive something to get a false refund. This is called DELIVERY CONFIRMATION and it is only $0.18 when you purchase your postage online, and it is FREE when you ship Priority Mail. Use it, EVERY TIME, to cover your butt!

Shipping services - what to use, and what NOT to use!

For domestic (US) shipping, you have a few options:

USPS First Class Mail - if your item is under 13 ounces, use this option - it is the cheapest AND the fastest
USPS Priority Mail - for anything of any weight - can be expensive if your package is large, but fast
USPS Parcel Post - for anything over 13 ounces that doesn’t need to arrive too fast - can take 2-3 weeks to arrive

Of course you also have UPS, FedEx, and others, but for most things these options are too pricy to really consider.

For International shipping:

USPS First Class International - anything up to 4 lbs - cheapest to use. You need the GREEN customs form for this and you MUST pay for the postage AT the post office
USPS Priority Mail International - anything at any weight - can be VERY expensive - can print postage online

Please, do NOT use UPS, FedEx, or other carriers internationally! Your buyers will have to pay BIG brokerage fees on these and will NOT be happy!

How much do I charge for shipping?

Get your postal scale. Take your lightest item, and heaviest item. Package them like you would to ship - box and all, and weigh them. Go to USPS.com and use “calculate shipping” from your zip code to the furthest state from where you live. This is your minimum BASE shipping charge. Now, add to that the cost of your mailing supplies (usually around $1 or so) and if you want, a small handling fee. That is your PRIMARY SHIPPING COST.

You can choose to offer a discounted rate for buyers that buy more than one thing, or not - it’s up to you. Most people charge a certain percentage of the first rate as the additional item charge. This is your ADDITIONAL SHIPPING COST.

How do I need to pack my stuff?

Your item needs to be packed to withstand a 6 story drop and 70 lbs of weight on it. It will go through many conveyer belts, machines, planes, mailbags and more and will hardly be handled by humans that read, rather than machines. You really do NOT need to write “fragile” on your items - but you MUST pack them well!