We've added something totally NEW in our Etsy shop!

Part of being away for a year included finding some limited time to really explore more hobbies, crafts, interests, etc. Although I had done soapmaking in the past, it was always something that was too time AND space consuming when we lived in our much smaller place in New York, and honestly it's a bit pricey to start up with. Last year though, I decided to get back into it, and we (me, my husband, and Bug) have all really taken it and RAN! Now we're at the point where we are adding 3-5 new fragrances to our shop every single week. Crazy, right?

Well, we went beyond that this week, and introduced a totally new product. It's a bath puff soap on a rope, and it looks like this:

Bath Puffy Soap on a Rope!

I tried one, on a whim, and as soon as it was ready, I ran around the house quite literally screaming, "OH MY GOD IT'S JUST AS AWESOME AS I IMAGINED!". Hubby treated me like I lost my mind a bit, but oh well.


I had considered trying to do a classic soap on a rope, but that left me thinking, "Well, what the heck is someone going to want a leftover rope for? There's got to be something better than this." I was able to find nylon bath puffs for a good price, and it all sort of clicked.

There is an ENTIRE bath "pouf", "puffy", "scrubby" - whatever you might call it - completely embedded and submerged in a solid soap bar. I left the top rope piece out, because really, you should hang or shelve a soap to dry after using it. (It will help the soap last longer.)

I've been testing one for the past month, and really, I know I made them but they're just THAT GREAT! They're awesome for kids because everything is contained - it's a combo soap and washcloth in one, and it doesn't get easily lost in the tub. They're HUGE - at just a hair under 10 ounces - double the size of our regular soap bars, and triple the size of a normal retail soap bar - and can last for over a month (depending on frequency of use of course).

We're introducing these in the shop in Fresh Picked Blueberry, Strawberry Soda Pop, and Good Morning, Sunshine scents, but we can actually make them in custom fragrances as well if requested. And, here's a secret - stop by our Etsy store, and if you want to purchase one, send me a message that you saw it on our blog first, and we'll give you $1 off as well!

Mom Reviews: PokePark 2 for Nintendo Wii

It's been a while since I posted a product review, so I'm going to lead off with one that I had already prepared for PokePark 2 for the Nintendo Wii. This review was originally featured here at Epinions as well, click for the full version! The version below is edited for the sake of brevity, if you really need more details please stop and read the full 500+ word version above!

Parents of little ones who are into Pokemon have probably heard such requests as, “I wish I could really have a pet Pikachu” or “Hey, Mom, can we go to the Pokemon theme park in Japan?” As a mom of such a child, I can say that the new PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond game for the Nintendo Wii makes a valiant attempt at filling the void between traditional Pokemon video games and a child’s desire to interact more with the adorable little creatures. For the basis of this review, I have to assume that you have some familiarity with Pokemon in general, lest you wouldn’t likely be reading this. I’m also going to assume based on personal experience, that you have a child at home clamoring for this game.

The premise is fairly simple: you get to play as either Pikachu, Snivy, Oshawatt, or Tepig - a pleasant change from the original PokePark which allowed you to only play as Pikachu. As a Pokemon, you will need to befriend other Pokemon in the world, approximately 100 of them, by winning short battles, race events, or completing simple quests for them. There are also “Attractions”, playing off of the amusement park theme, which include simple games such as Pokemon trivia, Whack-A-Mole style carnival fun, and hide-and-seek. As you complete these games, you also unlock them in multiplayer mode, which will allow friends, or mom and dad, to jump in for a few minutes in games designed for two to four players. Overall, the game is a collection of minigames, wrapped in a pretty Pokemon-world called Wish Park.

Your character is given a “Pokepark Pad”, or diary of sorts, to keep track of who you’re helping and where you need to go next. The more of these missions you complete, the more Pokemon you will unlock upon your journey.

Thankfully, the controls are simple, as the game only requires the basic Wii remote, and most functions are completed with only the “A” button, which allows even the youngest of players or those not so gaming-inclined, to join in the fun. A relatively basic reading ability is required to play, as you will need to follow some directions that guide you on your journey. However, if your child is already reading well enough to play other games from the Pokemon franchise, it should pose no challenges.

The graphics are well done, with bright, colorful, engaging worlds and accurate rendering of the Pokemon that your kids know and love. And, thankfully, the music and sound effects are mild and pleasant - unlike many other children’s games where I just want to hit the mute button after about ten minutes.

Now for the down side: This game is only going to appeal to the very youngest of Pokemon fans. The game rides the line constantly of being almost too easy and is overall very short, as you can complete the bulk of the game in under 8 hours. As a parent of a 7 year old, it’s at just the right speed, with certain minigames requiring a little practice to win, but never getting so frustratingly difficult to turn him off from the game entirely. However, if you’re an adult Poke-addict or the parent of an older Pokemon fan, you’ll likely be disappointed. From a parent point of view, this game is probably best left to the 10-and-under crowd. A bit more entertainment can be drawn from the game with the feature of taking pictures along your adventure - something my son greatly enjoyed, as it allowed him to catch quick snapshots that he could show me and his friends later.

Simplicity aside, I still maintain that this is a winning purchase for the younger set. It is one of the only games that allows you to take on the role of an actual Pokemon, which based on my experience is what many kids enjoy the most. And for the older kids and parents, the game allows you to jump in for a few minutes of playing together through the use of the multiplayer minigames, so that you can still get some “gaming together” time.

Overall, this may be considered a pricy buy at $50, but the amount of enjoyment my son gets out of it, and the fact that he continues to return to it although he’s already finished the core game, makes it worthwhile. I would definitely recommend a rental first, or borrow it from a friend, if you have children on the older side as mentioned above. But in the end, this is definitely a worthy journey at a different perspective through the world of Pokemon.

Updates on the terrors of moving with kids...

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....

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.

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

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

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!

The Perfect Fit - Helping Your Teen Find Their First Job

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!

How I outsmarted my stubborn preschooler. Part One: Cleaning

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!

Mom Reviews: First Years Smart Serve Suction Bowl With Lid

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

Babysitting is not my day job.

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!!

Go Green! Raising Greener Kids

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?

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!

Bunnies & Buggies Boutique Is Open!!

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!

Mmmm... pancakes

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.