Simply Paige

Be Back Soon

2012-02-08T12:44:00.005-05:00

Life has been very busy for me the past couple of weeks which is why posting has been a bit light. It will continue to be light for next week or so but I wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you. I am busy working on items on my goals list and have even completed a few. I will be back with your regularly scheduled programming soon!

Happy Birthday Aidan!

2012-01-31T13:02:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe that you are already 5 - it doesn't seem that long ago that you were born.

You are tall for your age at 45 inches. Many people assume that you are older when they meet you.

You love Star Wars, Ben 10, Batman and other superheroes.

You have made lots of friends in your new school and have a hard time leaving at the end of the day. When asked, your favorite thing at the new school are the bikes on the playground.

You like to meet people and meet new friends.

You have a lot of energy and love to play.

You love being a big brother and you help out with Gavin.

You really like keeping him safe and holding his hand while you walk down the sidewalk.

Your favorite "special drink" is lemonade.

You are very good at building and you love legos.

You often build sets for 7 years old with minimal assistance from me.

We love you Aidan!

Gavin's 1st Birthday Party - Blue & Green

2012-01-18T14:57:00.003-05:00

It has been a while since we had Gavin's 1st birthday party, but I wanted to make sure to post the details. I love sharing parties and I also enjoy going back to look over the day. I decided not to have a "theme" for the party as I think turning 1 is enough of a theme. I picked out invitations from Tiny Prints and used the colors in the invite as my inspiration.

First Candle Invitation by Tiny Prints

I made Divvie's egg free chocolate cupcakes that I have mentioned previously and the were a hit. I made the cupcake tags to coordinate with the invitation and I used those colors throughout my other printables. I also love paper straws and used green paper straws from Shop Sweet Lulu for the kids.

For the decorations, I decorated Gavin's highchair using scrapbook paper pennants that I cut out and taped to the tray. I also purchased the large green balloon from Shop Sweet Lulu. I didn't even have it inflated all the way and it was very big! The balloon was popular and the boys loved playing with it during the weeks to come.

My favorite decoration is the photo banner I created. I hung one photo from each month of Gavin's first year on baker's twine using clothespins. I used the same scrapbook paper on the clothespins for a uniform look. It was a fun way to see Gavin's progression throughout the year and it looked cute too.

I had a large blank space above our couch, so I purchased a canvas poster from Paper Coterie that sticks directly to the wall (like a huge sticker) that matched the theme and had fun facts about Gavin at a year old.

For favors, I had a kid version and an adult version. I always think it's fun for the adults to receive a favor at a first birthday party. For the adult favors, I used an idea I found on pinterest and bundled honey sticks with divine twine from Whisker Graphics and made the coordinating labels. For the kids, I used striped brown paper bags, again from Shop Sweet Lulu, and made the coordinating sticker labels.

I had a few party games for the older kids and one of them was "Pin a Party Hat on Gavin". I think this was Aidan's favorite game. I took a photo of Gavin and had it blown up at Staples. I made the party harts using the same scrapbook paper and numbered stickers by Martha Stewart. I attached a bit of curly ribbon at the top. It was a fun game and definitely something I would recreate for other themes. I also had a wish bowl and invited guests to leave a wish for Gavin's birthday.

Finally, I had to find a matching shirt for Gavin to wear. I found a cute shirt that had his name above the number one at Flyduds. It looked cute on and also looked great with the balloon. We had a really fun party and Gavin had a great time on his first birthday!

{Simply Paige is an affiliate of Tiny Prints}

2012 Goals

2012-01-17T13:43:00.002-05:00

I usually use the first few weeks of the year to come up with my new year's goals. I find with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I don't have the time to think about it before January 1. I used to make resolutions and I realized they were harder to quantify and therefore to keep. I thought I would share my goals with you and I plan to check back in through the year so that I can be held accountable!

Run another 1/2 marathon
Try 2 new recipes each month
Sell our Albany house
Find a job
Keep up to date on family photo albums
Plan one fun outing/adventure each month
Learn how to curl my hair
Fit into my skinny jeans
Renew my yoga practice
Take a photography class

2012 Calendars

2012-01-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

Have you already purchased your 2012 calendar? I just purchased mine and I was very excited to receive it yesterday! I use an Erin Condren design from Tiny Prints and the weekly format plus custom cover works perfectly for me. If you are still looking for a 2012 calendar, here are some great options.

Tiny Prints Day Planner by Erin Condren

Custom Planner by Blurb - receive 15% off with code AFFILIATE15OFF

Flashcard calendar by Whisker Graphics

Monthly & Weekly Planners by Paper Coterie

{Simply Paige is an affilicate of Tiny Prints and Blurb}

Paper Chains

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

While the boys and I lived apart from Larry, Aidan would have a difficult time understanding the number of days until Larry would be back again. We created paper chains every time Larry was home as a way to count the days until Daddy came back again.

We simply cut construction paper into strips and then Larry and Aidan would tape them into a paper chain. One link per day that Larry would be away. Each night, before Aidan and I read books, we would take one link off of the chain. It worked great for Aidan. He could visually see the chain becoming smaller. He would practice his counting and count the links every day and it helped him with simple subtraction. It was a great tool to help measure the time and one we now use for other events. What tools do you use to help your preschoolers measure time?

image via Paper Source

Aden & Anais at Layla Grace

2012-01-10T09:53:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite baby items for Gavin has without a doubt been our Aden & Anais muslin blankets. They are a great size for swaddling and they become softer with each wash. I have also used them as a nursing cover, a stroller cover and a play blanket. Love them. After I fell in love with the blankets, I tried some of the other products and they are all outstanding. We currently use the lovies (two come in the pack, such a smart idea), washcloths and sleeping sack. I can't say enough good things about Aden & Anais.

Making a good thing even better, you can receive 15% off Aden & Anais through January 31 at Layla Grace with code ADEN15. Time to stock up on baby gifts.

{Simply Paige is an affiliate of Layla Grace}

Table 310

2012-01-05T14:01:00.000-05:00

Part of the excitement of moving to a new area is being able to try all of the restaurants. A few weeks ago, my husband and I had the opportunity to dine at Table 310 on Short Street in Lexington. I loved it! Table 310 is a small restaurant downtown and the decor is fabulous. It looks very modern industrial with very high ceilings and has a great paddle fan. My favorite feature is that instead of napkins they use tea towels. So much more practical to clean up those messy fingers.
We started our meal with a cheese plate. We choose a Camembert from Colorado and a sheep milk cheese from Kentucky. Both were excellent. The cheese came elegantly plated and was served with dried fruit, figs and a citrus chutney. Next, we shared the feature salad, a winterberry salad. Both my husband and I loved this dish and want to recreate it at home. It had a nice crunch followed by sweet goat cheese and tart cranberries and citrus. It was very good. For our entrees, we both choose the special five spice ribs and we were not disappointed. The meat fell off the bone (which I love) and the allspice created a very nice flavor that was different that your traditional barbecued ribs. The ribs were served with a fennel salad which was a nice compliment.

Finally, for dessert we had the eggnog panna cotta (another special). While not something I would regularly order, it was also very good. The panna cotta was very smooth and had a great flavor. Table 310 is an excellent restaurant and I am looking forward to our next visit!.

Tea Collection Semi Annual Sale

2012-01-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year for the Tea Collection Semi Annual Sale. What's even better is that until January 8, you can save an additional 25% off sale with code 25OFFSALE. As you know, I am a huge fan of Tea clothes. They are very well made and very soft. The designs are great so that my boys love to wear them and I love the way they look. Plus with an additional 25% off, now is a great time to stock up. (there is even summer stuff for sale as well!)

Simply Paige is an affiliate of Tea Collection

Good Deals for Christmas 2012

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

As we start the new year and pack away the last of the holiday decorations (I'm still working on mine), here are a few items on sale that would be great to pick up now for the holiday season 2012.

Restoration Hardware Star Snowflake - starting at $5.99

West Elm Felt Tree Skirt - $20

Pottery Barn Natural Bay Leaf Garland - $39.99

Pottery Barn Kids Advent Calendar - $39.99

Happy 2012!

2012-01-02T08:32:00.000-05:00

I'm back! The past few months were very busy organizing for our move, finishing up work, helping the kids transition to our new city and the holidays. Phew. I'm happy to be back blogging. I have made a few layout changes and will be making a few more over the next several weeks. I wanted to freshen up Simply Paige for 2012.

I also will be blogging more regularly about our move, discoveries in our new hometown and adjusting to life in Lexington. Thank you all for reading Simply Paige and I wish you a happy and healthy 2012!

Halloween with Cat in the Hat

2011-10-20T16:13:00.001-04:00

Just in time for Halloween, I recently had the opportunity to review NCircle Entertainment's new DVDs for fall including WordWorld Kooky Spooky Halloween and The Cat in the Hat Knows a lot About That! Tricks and Treats. Aidan was very excited to receive the DVDs and could not wait to preview them for me. He says both of them are great and gives them an enthusiastic two thumbs up. They are currently available for a SRP of $6.99 from many retailers.

You can also win your very own copy here! NCircle will generously be giving away a set of the two DVDs to one winner. To enter, please leave a comment with your favorite Halloween tradition by Monday, October 24 at midnight. For additional entries, you may:

Like NCircle on facebook http://www.facebook.com/NCircleEntertainment
Like Simpy Paige on facebook http://www.facebook.com/SimplyPaige14
Visit NCircle Entertainment's new website http://www.entertainmentthateducates.com/ and leave a comment with your favorite program.
Follow NCircle on twitter https://twitter.com/NCircle
Follow Simply Paige on twitter https://twitter.com/SimplyPaige14 and tweet about the contest

Good luck!

Congratulations Kirsten! Enjoy your DVDs!

Sakura Bloom Fall Silks

2011-10-14T16:06:00.002-04:00

Sakura Bloom just released the fall silks (and they have a few new linen slings too!) My favorite is sangria - absolutely gorgeous.

Minted Holiday Cards

2011-10-12T08:06:00.000-04:00

I admit, I am usually not very prepared and I rarely think about ordering my holiday cards in October. Although, I do love the idea of crossing that item off my list and leaving more time for family fun over the holidays. This year's holiday collection at Minted has definitely caught my eye. They have unique designs developed by a community of independent designers and their paper quality is gorgeous. Right now, you can receive 15% off holiday cards with the code EARLYBIRD15. You have to hurry as it's only active until October 15. I hope to cross of one thing on my list a little earlier this year.

{Simply Paige is an affiliate of Minted}

Happy Birthday Gavin

2011-10-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

Gavin is one!

It's hard to believe that our little guy is already one.

You love to eat, especially watermelon.

You didn't like your birthday cake at all.

You love your big brother, Aidan. Everything he does is hysterical.

You crawl everywhere and pull up on everything.

You love music and dance and sing whenver you have the chance.

You are a big cuddler and haven't met a stranger.

You weigh 23.5 pounds and are 30.5 inches tall.

We love you!

Big Move

2011-10-07T10:08:00.003-04:00

Although I have never been great about posting regularly, lately it seems to be even more difficult. All for a good reason as we are preparing for a big move to Lexington, Kentucky! Later this fall, we'll be leaving our home in New York and embarking on a new adventure in Kentucky. We are in the process of trying to sell our New York house and prepare for the move and transition. If you have any suggestion on selling a house or moving, I would love to hear them. We are excited to explore a new region of the country and hopefully have some warmer weather!

Minted Mommy Cards

2011-09-15T09:07:00.000-04:00

For a limited time, Minted is offering 25 free mommy cards featuring many new designs. I love the Minted community and the fresh designs they offer. These are just a few of my favorites.

{Simply Paige is an affiliate of Minted }

Serena & Lily Pajamas

2011-09-14T20:52:00.003-04:00

Serena & Lily just released new baby pajamas that are simply adorable. The beautiful prints are matched with Hanna Andersson's incredibly soft pajamas. Swoon.

Styled

2011-09-09T14:33:00.001-04:00

Victoria of A Subtle Revelry just released the second issue of Styled magazine. It is beautiful and contains so many wonderful ideas. I guarantee you will find at least one idea to use this fall. You can curl up with a cup of coffee and view a digital issue of Styled here or buy a copy here. Just beautiful.

Casual Labor Day Party

2011-09-08T12:04:00.001-04:00

I love to plan parties, read blogs about parties, scour magazines for party ideas and of course pin them on pinterest. So many clever party ideas are out there, that at times, I may feel like every party needs to be perfect and magazine beautiful in order to have it. For labor day, we wanted to have our friends over for dinner and we needed it to be low stress. The party was just as much fun had it been magazine perfect even though it was low key. We had great food and most importantly good company.

To keep the party simple, I sent evites on pingg about a week before the party. We provided the main dish and asked our guests to provide the sides. For appetizers, we served hummus with pita chips and carrots. For dessert, I simply had ice cream sandwiches and sherbert cups. It was perfect. Sometimes less really is more.

{image via Martha Stewart}

More Tea for Fall

2011-08-31T11:53:00.000-04:00

I was browsing online at Tea Collection the other night and I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you. I am especially fond of the women's collection this fall. Take a look for yourself at the beautiful new line.

Simply Paige is an affiliate of Tea Collection

More, please!

2011-08-29T14:58:00.000-04:00

Gavin is into much more that Aidan ever was at this age. He loves opening the CD/DVD cabinet and pulling everything out. I caught him in the act and told him no and put everything away. He laughed at me and signed "more." I should just digitize my collection.

Back to School Party

2011-08-25T11:41:00.000-04:00

I know many schools across the country are already in session but we don't start in New York until after Labor Day. I love this Back to School Party idea from One Charming Party. I think it is all of the new school supplies.

Kite Party

2011-07-27T08:24:00.000-04:00

I love this realy party feature on Birthday Girl - Let's go Fly a Kite! It's a perfect spring or summer theme and easy to coordinate. I think my favorite detail from this party are the pinwheel cupcake toppers. Beautiful colors and a fun party.

Blurb Winner

2011-07-26T14:23:00.000-04:00

We have a winner of the Blurb contest! Alyssa, please email me your contact info for the gift certificate. Congratulations and have fun making your book! Even if you didn't win the giveaway, you are still a winner. Receive 20% off your next order at Blurb with code BLURB20.

Blurb Giveaway!

2011-07-14T16:33:00.000-04:00

Our Family 2009 | Make Your Own Book

Last week, I previewed the recent book I made with Blurb. This week, I have included a link to show you more pages of my book and the lovely folks at Blurb are offering a $75 gift certificate to one of my readers! I'm really excited about this giveaway and I know $75 could do some serious damage on their site. You will have until Sunday, July 24 to enter. A winner will chosen at random on Monday, July 25. There are a few ways to enter:

Leave a comment and let me know how you would use your gift certificate
Like Simply Paige on facebook and leave a comment
Post about the giveaway on your facebook wall and leave a comment
Tweet about it including @SimplyPaige14 and leave comment with a link to your tweet

Good Luck!

Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

2011-07-13T16:16:00.000-04:00

I love the colors of these cherry limeade cupcakes and they look absolutely delicious on a hot summer day. You can find the recipe here on Birthday Girl.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies

2011-07-11T12:22:00.000-04:00

A favorite book at our house is Rhyming Dust Bunniesby Jan Thomas. Ed, Ned and Ted rhyme all of the time and Bob doesn't seem to catch on. He is the most observant of the bunch though and warns the other dust bunnies when they are about to be cleaned by the broom! The book has very bright illustrations and is funny for both kids and adults. It's definitely one that I don't mind reading again and again.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies can be purchased at Amazon, an affiliate of Simply Paige.

Blurb Photo Book

2011-07-08T15:20:00.000-04:00

One of my goals this year (I set goals instead of resolutions) was to bring our photo albums up to date. I have been good at digitally cataloging our photos but I haven't been very good at putting those photos into albums. I have been slowly working backwards and I just finished our 2009 photo album. I made it with the help of Blurb.

It was my first time using Blurb, and I was very impressed. The software was very easy to use and the layouts are very clean and help make the photos pop. I received the book last week and the quality is outstanding. My photos are clear and the pages are a nice weight. They have several cover options including hardcovers with dust jackets and image wrap covers. Overall, I was very impressed with Blurb and I will definitely be using them again in the future.

Take a look at the site and you will see many of the different options that you can make with Blurb. In addition, you can receive 20% off at Blurb with the code BLURB20.

Simply Paige is an affiliate of Blurb

I Do

2011-07-07T09:15:00.000-04:00

I love today's feature real wedding on The Sweetest Occasion. The colors, location and styling are all beautiful. I am swooning over her dress! You can see more photos and all of the details here.

4th of July Fun

2011-06-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

Photo by Nicole Hill Gerault for One Charming Party

Are you looking forward to the holiday weekend? Do you stay at home, host a BBQ or travel out of town? I think a bike parade would be a lot of fun and decorating bikes would be a great activity to do with the kids. Here are a few other 4th of July inspired things I have found for you this week.

Free 4th of July printables from Twig & Thistle

Mason Jar "sippy cups" from Two Shades of Pink

4th of July star garland from Martha Stewart

Berry Trifle from The Food Network

Stars and Stripes

2011-06-29T10:30:00.000-04:00

I love Bright Star Baby's new stars and stripes cloth diaper. She makes excellent all in one (AIO) diapers that have 100% bamboo/organic cotton fleece soakers that are Oeko-Tek Standard 100 certified. They are very trim and come in many cute colors and prints. I just receive the stars and stripes in the mail and can't wait to put it on Gavin this weekend!

Modern Pop on Zulily

2011-06-23T15:16:00.000-04:00

I know I have mentioned it before, but I love ModernPop's colorful wall art. Currently, ModernPop is being featured on zulily which means you can purchase a fun piece for your children's room at up to 50% savings. I have my eye on the American Racing Cars Driving print.

Social Media for Good

2011-06-21T14:31:00.006-04:00

Thank you to BING Social Search for sponsoring my post about social media. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

I often feel overwhelmed by social media. I feel that I don’t post enough on my blog, I don’t participate enough in twitter and I don’t engage enough on facebook. However, I try to take it with a grain of salt and I am very thankful for the new connections that social media has brought to my life.

Simply Paige – I enjoy connecting with my readers as well as creating new content for the blog. Simply Paige is a great creative outlet for me and a connection to new people and ideas.

Facebook – I moved away about 10 years ago and facebook has allowed me to keep in touch with family and friends from all over the world - really! I love that I can more easily keep up and communicate with friends. I have even been back in touch with people that I haven’t spoken to in a very long time. I love the community around facebook.

Twitter – I am always learning something new or finding great content to read on twitter. Sometimes, I can spend too much time being distracted on twitter. Ahem…

Discussion Boards – In the past year, I joined the boards at Babycenter and I am part of a private group of 42 moms. I have never met any of my online friends in person, but I feel a close connection with the women and I love having that aspect and friend group in my life.

How about you? How do you feel social media has changed your life?

Summer Citrus Party Inspiration

2011-06-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

I love summer parties and I love refreshing lemonade. I had a bit of fun coming up with an inspiration board for a summer citrus party. It would be perfect for a bridal shower, girls' lunch or just a Sunday afternoon.

Whisker Graphics, Martha Stewart, Shop Sweet Lulu,

Tiny Prints, The Sweetest Occassion, Birch and Lily

{Simply Paige is an affilicate of Tiny Prints}

Gavin at 8 Months

2011-06-13T16:41:00.008-04:00

You have so many funny faces. You scrunch up your nose and laugh. You also have a great fish face.

You are a ferocious eater. Don't mess with your food. Although you'll tolerate purees, you would much rather feed yourself.

You love to eat Mum Mums, puffs and cheerios. You don't mess around with food.

You really want to crawl. You haven't figured it out yet but it doesn't stop you from going where you want to go... you just roll.

You will roll over to play with Aidan's toys. You really like the piano.

Aidan is still the funniest and best big brother on the planet.

You love baths.

You are not such a great sleeper. We're working on that.

Your top two teeth have cut through the gums to join your bottom chompers.

You will eat anything: grass, mud, pine cones, sand... did I mention that you like to eat?

You love blowing raspberries and now you will sing while you do it.

You are very ticklish, especially right under your arms.

You also love going for walks either in the stroller or the baby carrier.

Happy 8 Months Gavin!

Tea Collection Semi-Annual Sale

2011-06-08T20:09:00.002-04:00

In case you weren't able to take advantage of the recent Tea Collection coupon, don't worry, the semi annual sale is here. Shop now for up to 40% off your favorite styles.

Ice Cream Cups

2011-06-07T21:17:00.002-04:00

Shop Sweet Lulu has new jumbo ice cream cups in her shop. Pop on a lid, you have a sundae to go. With all of the fun colors, I see an ice cream party in my future.

National Doughnut Day

2011-06-03T14:32:00.002-04:00

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Amy Atlas has fun information about doughnuts on her blog today.

Kids' Car Wash

2011-06-01T14:19:00.002-04:00

I love this kids' car wash. It looks like so much fun!

{image via the San Francisco Chronicle via Hip Hip Hooray}

Little Giraffe Coupon on Layla Grace

2011-05-26T15:55:00.002-04:00

One more coupon code for you this week! Layla Grace is offering 15% off the entire Little Giraffe collection through May 31 with code LG4LG. Little Giraffe offers very soft and luxurious baby blankets which are a hit with many moms including celebrities. In addition, orders over $50 ship for free. Enjoy!

2011-05-25T19:20:00.003-04:00

I recently discovered Pinterest and I have been having fun exploring people's boards over the past couple of days. Here are a few fun items I pinned this week:

via Design Dust

via Style Me Pretty

via Martha Stewart Weddings

Tea Collection Sale Coupon

2011-05-24T16:46:00.003-04:00

Tea Collection is having a sale!!! It's a great time to stock up on summer essentials. Through May 30, receive an extra 20% off sale merchandise with the code MSALE20. I looked earlier today and they have some great styles on sale. Hurry, as the quantities are limited and won't last long. A great way for me to start posting again - with coupons! I have one more coupon to share with you later this week.

Blurb Photo Books

2011-05-20T17:05:00.002-04:00

As I promised, coupon codes! Blurb is an online bookmaking tools that allow to create your own professional looking book. I haven't tried it yet but I have heard that the books turn out amazing. Through May 31, receive 20% off your order with the code NEWBLURB.

Simply Paige is an affiliate of Blurb

Absent

2011-05-20T16:58:00.003-04:00

I apologize for not posting much in the past few weeks. My day job had been terribly busy and I was having a hard time feeling inspired. It also happens that when I stop posting for a little bit, it makes it that much harder to come back. What do I say? Do I mention I was gone? Thanks for being a reader and I hope to have some new, fun posts for you soon! (and a few coupon codes!)

Royal Wedding Party Printables

2011-04-27T09:09:00.004-04:00

If you didn't receive an invitation to the royal wedding, you can download one of these FREE fun party collections and throw your own wedding party at home. Cheers!

The TomKat Studio

Design Editor

Fuzzibunz Earth Day Diapers

2011-04-22T17:50:00.006-04:00

Fuzzibunz has released a limited edition diaper for Earth Day. They are available in limited quantity at Kelly's Closet. Happy Earth Day!

Click here to visit Kelly's Closet

{Simply Paige is an affiliate of Kelly's Closet}

Bunny Tails

2011-04-19T08:08:00.000-04:00

How adorable are these Bunny Tails by Eighteen25? They would be perfect as favors at your Easter Egg Hunt, on the kids table at your Easter Brunch or even in an Easter basket. You can find all of the directions and templates on Eighteen25.

Great Cloth Diaper Change

2011-04-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Have you heard about the Great Cloth Diaper Change? Cloth diapering has come a long way and this international event aims to have the most babies every changed into a cloth diaper at one time. The change is happening on April 23, 2011 in support of Earth Day. Gavin and I are participating in our local event sponsored by Sonrise Diaper Service. They are also having a natural parenting expo and activities for the kids. I am very excited to be a part of this event and meet other moms! You can find a location by you here. Are you participating in the Great Cloth Diaper Change? Join now to make history!

Styled Magazine

2011-04-15T11:47:00.002-04:00

A beautiful new magazine has recently launched called Styled. It's full of inspiration and spring celebrations. Take a peek if you haven't already, I guarantee you'll find something you love.

Tea Collection - Free Shipping

2011-04-10T19:58:00.003-04:00

Tea Collection is offering free shipping today through Tuesday. It's the perfect time to buy pieces from the Catalonia collection. Ready. Set. Go!

Simply Paige is an affiliate of Tea Collection

Tiny Prints Mother's Day Cards

2011-04-08T13:01:00.008-04:00

You may remember how horrible I am at sending out timely cards that I posted about here. I started using the Tiny Prints Greeting Card Service and it has helped me tremendously! I can easily personalize great greeting cards and Tiny Prints will send them directly to the recipient. No extra trips to the post office needed. I can even include a gift card to popular stores such as Starbucks, Amazon and Target. I included a gift card last week and it was very easy.

Now that I am thinking about Mother's Day, I am again browsing through Tiny Prints collection of cards. In a matter of seconds, you can create personalized Mother's Day cards and have Tiny Prints mail them directly to your recipient. No more scouring the racks at the local store, Tiny Prints has you covered.

As an extra bonus, from April 6th through April 12th, all Mother's Day greeting cards will be $.99 cents and you can also sign up for a free greeting card membership giving you three FREE cards to use right away, as well as discounts on future cards. It's a win-win for everyone!

What are you waiting for - it's time to pick our your Mother's Day cards!

Simply Paige is an affiliate of Tiny Prints.

Olive Manna

2011-04-07T08:30:00.001-04:00

I recently discovered the adorable shop, Olive Manna. The shop has been featured in over 1000 treasuries and to celebrate, Olive Manna is offering 40% off many items for a limited time. I think the wood tags would look adorable on a package.

Tea Collection - Catalonia

2011-04-06T08:30:00.000-04:00

I think everyone who knows me (or reads the blog) knows that I love clothes from the Tea Collection. Yet, I am still surprised when I open a new package and feel the softness of the cotton. Unbelievably soft.

Tea Collection clothes are so well made. They retain their shape and color even after multiple washings. I recently purchased a couple of pieces from the Catalonia collection for boys and I was very impressed. I bought the painter pants for Aidan and I love that they are a lightweight cotton and that they can be worn up or down. What I really love is that the edge of the elastic on the adjustable waist is sewn into the pant. No more loose edges! If you haven't checked Tea out lately, you must take a look at the Catalonia collection.

Disclaimer: I received $50 in store credit towards my recent purchase of clothes.

Ergo Baby and Petunia Pickle Bottom - Match Made In Heaven

2011-04-05T15:39:00.003-04:00

Have you seen these gorgeous new Ergo carriers? They will be available in May 2011 and are 100% organic cotton in beautiful Petunia Pickle Bottom prints. I don't need another Ergo right now, but I love these!

Paint Chip Easter Garland

2011-04-05T09:21:00.003-04:00

I love this Easter Garland made out of paint chips by Modern Parents Messy Kids. It looks like an easy, fun and cheap decoration to make. Have you made anything fun with paint chips?

{via Amy Atlas}

Divvies Bakery Cookbook

2011-03-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

I mentioned in my post about Aidan's birthday party that we made delicious egg free cupcakes. I owe it all to The Divvies Bakery Cookbook: No Nuts. No Eggs. No Dairy. Just Delicious! I have tried many different cupcake recipes some with egg substitutions and some that are vegan. Nothing tasted just right and so for the past two years, I have made birthday chocolate mousse pie instead. (which is also delicious)

This year, we tried the chocolate cupcake recipe from Divvies and it was perfect. Very moist and delicious. Many of the adults didn't even know that it was an allergen free recipe. Aidan was thrilled to have cupcakes at his own birthday party as he is so used to not being able to enjoy them. This recipe is now my go to recipe for cupcakes and is quite easy. If you have anyone in your family with food allergies, or even if you want to make sure you have allergen free food at your next event, I highly recommend the Divvies cookbook.

bareMinerals Skincare

2011-03-23T13:42:00.004-04:00

I am a huge fan of Bare Escentuals and I almost exclusively wear bareMinerals make up. I love that you can apply to the coverage level you desire, that it is paraben free and safe for your skin. I was thrilled when I found out that bareMinerals skincare launched earlier this month.

The proprietary 100% pure RareMinerals ActiveSoil complex used in the skincare line is a new generation of active minerals. What does that mean? Their formula will work with your skin to promote cell turnover and protect against environmental stressors. I am looking forward to trying the new skincare line for myself, especially the purifying facial cleanser. You can read more about the new line here, which product would you like to try?

Sparkles Kitchen Macarons

2011-03-22T20:54:00.003-04:00

I spotted these macarons on Etsy today and they look delicious.

I need to order them. right. now.

{image via Sparkles Kitchen}

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T08:20:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Amazon Mom Coupons

2011-03-10T21:50:00.003-05:00

Amazon Mom had a few great coupons right now. First, use code SEVCLEAN to save 15% off on select Seventh Generation items. Sign up for subscribe and save to save an additional 15%. Second you can save up to 40% off on Baby MumMum products by using code BABYCRA4 for 25% and subscribe and save for 15% off.

Starbucks Cake Pops

2011-03-09T23:06:00.002-05:00

Starbucks has jumped in on the cake pops trend. March 10-12, if you purchase a hot beverage, you will receive a new petite dessert free. They look yummy!

Aidan 4th Birthday - Pirate Party

2011-03-04T09:53:00.011-05:00

Aidan loves all things pirate at the moment, which made planning this year's birthday party pretty easy. We held the party at our house and everyone had a great time. My menu didn't go quite as planned because my slow cooker BBQ chicken wasn't finished in time for lunch, but delivered pizza filled the gap nicely. And the kids (and parents) were very happy with pizza.

I started my design ideas around the Meri Meri pirate supplies I found and the invitation suite I ordered from Tiny Prints: High Seas by Kate & Birdie. I made the party hats using scrapbook paper and white circle labels. I originally used elastic on the party hats but I think in the future, I would punch holes and string ribbon. The elastic just kept slipping. I also made chocolate marshmallow pops and covered them in red and gold glitter. The gold glitter was my favorite and definitely showed up better on the chocolate. The marshmallow pops were a hit with both the parents and kids!

Because of Aidan's egg allergy, this is the first year that I made cupcakes for his party. I found a great recipe from Divvies that is delicious! I used the Meri Meri cupcake liners and toppers on a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting. Aidan loved the cupcakes and he really liked the cupcake toppers. Having cupcakes for his birthday was a special treat.

I decorated the party tables with matching banners from Meri Meri. The menu included simple snacks and of course we had Pirate's Booty. In addition to the game prizes, we gave books again this year as favors. I love books. This year we gave David Shannon's How I Became a Pirate. I wrapped the book in brown paper, tied a red gingham ribbon and finished it with a matching label from Tiny Prints.

For the games/activities, we did the following:

Arrival activity - coloring cut out pirate ships

Pin the flag on the treasure map - after each child took a turn, s/he received an eye patch. Aidan liked wearing two eye patches and flipping them up to see.

Treasure Hunt - we held a treasure hunt that included 4 clues. Aidan's godfather was the pirate captain and read the clues to the kids. At the end of the treasure hunt, they found treasure which was a personalized muslin bag for each child from Perideau Designs filled with gold coins.

Present Hot Potato - The present was passed around the circle while the music played. When the music stopped, the child holding the present unwrapped the outer most layer to claim his prize.

Aidan's pirate party was a success. Everyone had a great time and he had a fun 4th birthday!

{Simply Paige is an affiliate of Tiny Prints and Amazon}

Mardi Gras Party Circles from TomKat Studio

2011-03-03T16:37:00.003-05:00

Kim at The TomKat Studio is offering free printable party circles just in time for mardi gras. A dinner of pancakes and cupcakes on Tuesday sounds just about perfect to me.

Sakura Bloom Pixie Collection

2011-03-02T12:21:00.001-05:00

Sakura Bloom has launched their limited edition pixie collection this year. The pixie collection features slings with either a single or double layer of sparkly striped linen. These are great ring slings and perfect for spring!

{Simply Paige is an affiliate of Sakura Bloom}

Dr. Seuss on Zulily

2011-03-02T09:17:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! You can snag all things Dr. Seuss at a discount on Zulily today.

Oscar Party Cookies

2011-02-25T14:38:00.000-05:00

Eleni's has a great collection of cookies to celebrate the Oscars. Featured above are the cookies representing Best Picture. Can you name them all? These would be a perfect addition to your Oscar Party Sunday night!

Let it Snow Party

2011-02-25T09:12:00.001-05:00

For Aidan's 3rd birthday, I decided to embrace winter and have a "Let it Snow" party. Of course, that was the year we didn't have snow on his birthday. Although we couldn't do our outdoor activities, we had fun indoor winter crafts planned and everyone enjoyed a little bit of snow.

1. The shirt is from Handmade Jig. I had it personalized with Aidan's name and a snowflake. The birthday crown was purchased from Oh Sew Sweet Creations. It was a nice alternative to a birthday hat and now resides in our dress-up box.

2. I made the birthday banner using circle cards and circle labels from Paper Source.

3. I designed the invitations using coordinating materials from Paper Source.

4. For the adult favors, I put together hot chocolate kits. I packaged Ghiradelli hot chocolate along with locally made marshmallows from Dream Puff in take out containers. I made the labels with instructions for the perfect cup of hot chocolate.

5. Since we couldn't go outside, the kids played with balloons inside. Having a few balloons to bounce around was a lot of fun for the kids and an easy party activity.

6. The kid favors were books related to snow. We gave out The Mitten, Snowy Day, and The Snowman. The books are wrapped in brown postage paper, tied with a blue gingham ribbon and a thank you label.

7. For our craft activities, the kids made snowmen and snowflake picture frames using foam stickers .

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

2011-02-24T20:20:00.005-05:00

Dr. Seuss is very popular in our house. Aidan loves reading the books (current favorite is Green Eggs and Ham) and his favorite show on PBS is Cat in the Hat. I was looking for cute treats to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2 and found the adorable cupcakes and marshmallow pops above on goodLife {eats}. The marshmallow pops are very cute and would be a quick and fun treat.

In addition, as part of Read Across America, local Target stores will be having a Dr. Seuss story time on February 26 from 9 - 11 am. Through March 15, all Dr. Seuss books are 2 for $10. We have a busy weekend planned but I hope to stop by on Saturday morning for a little Dr. Seuss!

image via goodLife {eats}

Babywearing Positions

2011-02-23T20:15:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned before, I didn't wear Aidan very much when he was a baby. I have been wearing Gavin much more frequently. I currently have 2 Sakura Bloom ring slings and an Ergo and love them both for different types of trips.

When I was carrying Aidan, I did learn from my step-mom that I shouldn't face him out due to development reasons. I never understood the whole reason why but I definitely had heard reasons that made sense to me. I recently read an article on Ergo Parent on the science of facing in or out and I really enjoyed reading it. I wanted to share it with you as I find many parents just don't know that one position is better than another. When major carrier manufacturers constantly advertise with the baby facing out and you always see the baby facing out in the media, why would parents think that there would be a reason to not face the baby out.

I know that everyone leads very busy lives and it can be hard to research and find out information in order to make the best decision as a parent. I hope this information is interesting and that it gives you more knowledge on babywearing.

{image via Sakura Bloom; Simply Paige is an affiliate of Sakura Bloom}

Happy 2nd Blogoversary!

2011-02-21T17:26:00.002-05:00

It's my second blogoversary! I had been hoping to increase my blogging this past year but I was pregnant with Gavin and then Gavin was born and well I'm full of excuses. I hope this next year is as fun and fruitful as the last two. Thanks for sharing with me!

{image via Martha Stewart}

4 Years of Aidan

2011-02-18T08:58:00.004-05:00

Now that you're 4:

You love to play in the snow. You tried snowshoeing and didn't like it very much. You love to go sledding. We go sledding almost every weekend.

You are in Bethany's Pre-K class and learning so much every day. You can write your name.

Your favorite shoes are your sneakers.

You love Gavin and give him hugs and kisses every day.

Gavin adores you and you are the only one who can always make him laugh out loud.

You are a pretty good eater. You love pizza now (you didn't before) but you don't like tomato sauce on your pasta (you did before.)

You love to dance. You have great rhythm and make up dances all of the time.

You love to build. You make very imaginative cars from legos and really enjoy doing it.

You are also very good at puzzles and rarely need help from mommy and daddy to complete them.

You also love playing with your playmobil pretend play toys.

You test your boundaries and often use the reason "I'm 4, I'm bigger now so I can do this" as a way to get what you want.

Your favorite movies are Toy Story 3, Jungle Book and Peter Pan.

You really like Norah Jones especially the song "Chasing Pirates".

You are 42" tall and 41 pounds and your smile lights up a room.

We love you! Happy Birthday!

Fringe Streamers

2011-02-17T16:14:00.003-05:00

I love these fringe streamers that Jordan made for her son's party. The birght colors are to die for and they look easy to make. Find the full instructions at Oh Happy Day.

Handmade Valentines

2011-02-11T11:42:00.005-05:00

Maybe I'm the only one, but I need to figure out what I'm doing and make valentines for Aidan's classmates this weekend. If you're like me, here are a few ideas to help you get started.

Don't Go Changin' Valentines

Bubble Valentines

Monster Valentines

Valentine Party

2011-02-11T11:22:00.002-05:00

A fun Valentine party that can be customzied for children or adults.

1. Bake it Pretty - Paper straws with red hearts

2. Inkspot Workshop - Love Bug Printable Party Set

3. How About Orange - Fabric Heart Garland

4. Whisker Graphics - Cotton Candy Divine Twine

5. Ticket Kitchen - French Dark Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Ticket Kitchen

2011-02-10T11:18:00.000-05:00

I first heard of Ticket Kitchen on Stephmodo. Chocolate on a stick? Yes, please. These would be perfect for a girls' night, birthday party or even a Thursday night at home.

Tiny Prints Greeting Card Service

2011-02-03T21:48:00.002-05:00

I remember birthdays. Really, I do. However, I am not very good at sending cards out on time. Not good at all. Every year, I resolve to be better about sending out cards and undoubtedly within the first few weeks of January, I'm late again.

Not anymore! Tiny Prints has a new greeting cards service that will *hopefully* help me send out my cards on time. In a matter of seconds, I can personalize a greeting card and Tiny Prints will send it out for me. You even have the option of adding a gift card. I have already inputted several birthdays and I just need to send out my first card!

Simply Paige is an affiliate of Tiny Prints.

Sucre Hot Chocolate

2011-02-02T07:57:00.003-05:00

I would love some drinking chocolate from Sucre on this cold snow day. Marshmallow? Yes please!

Tiny Prints on Zulily

2011-01-27T21:15:00.003-05:00

Zulily is celebrating its 1st birthday and they are featuring Tiny Prints this week. I love Zulily and Tiny Prints! For $20 you will receive a $40 voucher for Tiny Prints that expires December 31, 2011. Great Deal!

Fabulous Bloggers I Love

2011-01-25T09:45:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Trop 50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 fabulous wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to help grant a friend's wish!

I started regularly reading blogs about 2 years ago and there are a few bloggers that I read all. of. the. time. They are fun to read and worth spending time during my week to see what they have to say. As I continue to work on my writing, I love looking to these fabulous woman for guidance and inspiration. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Petit Elefant - Allison has a magazine style blog and I love her affordable style and travel reviews. She seems so down to earth and someone I would love to chat with over a yummy cake.
2. Mom 101 - I love, love, love Liz's writing style and I really enjoy reading her posts on current or cultural events. I often agree with her but even if you don't agree with her political views, her poignant writing style is guaranteed to make you think.

3. Hip Hip Hooray - A new to the scene party blog, they feature great ideas and real parties. I find a lot of inspiration from these fabulous women.

4. Design Mom - Many people know Gabrielle's great writing and fabulous design sense. She was one of the first bloggers I found and read and I still read her regularly.

5. Stephmodo - I live vicariously through Stephanie's french adventures. I love her sense of style, her parties and her home design. She is a super mom.

Here are a few of my favorites - please let me know about your favorite bloggers!

Don't forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to support a friend's wish. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.

Best Baby Gift

2011-01-24T16:28:00.004-05:00

One of our favorite baby items for Gavin are our Aden + Anais 100% Cotton Muslin Swaddle
blankets. They become softer the more you wash them and are the perfect weight. They are great swaddling blankets due to their large size. In addition, I use them as a nursing cover and as an extra cover over the buckles in his car seat. Muslin is SO soft and I wish I had known about them when I had Aidan. If you need a baby gift, you can't go wrong with Aden & Anais.

Aden + Anais 100% Cotton Muslin Swaddle are available at our affiliate Amazon.

Cupcake Holders

2011-01-10T22:32:00.005-05:00

I love sales. I also love finding cute items marked way down, especially after the holidays. I picked these Meri Meri cupcake holders up for $2.99 in store at Williams-Sonoma. I can't wait to use them next year! They also had an exclusive Star Wars collection which would be perfect for a birthday party.

The Best Gift I Ever Gave

2010-12-20T08:23:00.004-05:00

SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.

For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000.

Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

A friend of mine was pregnant with her 2nd child after experiencing many difficulties to reach that point. She had several miscarriages and we were thrilled that she was expecting again. Shortly after her 1st trimester, her daughter was diagnosed with a rare and fatal combination of congenital heart defects and heterotaxy/left atrial isomerism. Her daughter was born living on April 17, 2008 and went to heaven 14 minutes later. She had been just under 30 weeks gestation at the time.

I wanted to give a gift that recognized her daughter's birth, her life and her passing. At first, I thought of sending a flowering plant that she could enjoy in her home and than plant in her yard as a living reminder of her daughter. Then I realized that many things can happen to plants, the plant could die or she could move and it wouldn't have the permanent effect I was looking for.

I also thought about sending food but I live a thousand miles away and it also didn't feel like the kind of recognition I wanted to give her daughter's memory.

I thought for a long time and finally found the perfect gift... a donation to the Alpha Phi Foundation. Alpha Phi is where I met my friend and where our friendship grew. The Alpha Phi foundation supports women's cardiac care. Since, Alpha Phi was an important connection with my friend and her daughter passed away from heart defects, a donation in her name felt like the perfect way to honor her daughter's life and memory.

At times, I find it hard and place to much pressure on myself to find the perfect gift. I know that it doesn't matter how much I spend, or that I spend anything at all, if I have put thought and love into my choice. That is the best gift.

Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.

North Pole Street Light

2010-12-16T16:12:00.002-05:00

This would be a great project to repurpose the solar lights that I bought in June that never made it into the garden.

Tiny Prints

2010-12-14T16:00:00.002-05:00

I love sending out photo gifts for the holidays and this year, I sent more than usual. It was my first time using Tiny Prints and now I know what all the buzz is about. The quality is outstanding. I ordered photo books, personalized note cards, mounted photos, gift tags, address labels and even a day planner for me.

My favorite aspect of the photo book is the cover. It's a beautiful suede and you can even add imprinted text for free. Beautiful. Tiny Prints carries a high quality of merchandise and I am very happy with the personalized gifts I ordered this year. If you haven't finished your holiday shopping, order a gift from Tiny Prints.

Disclaimer: Simply Paige is an affiliate of Tiny Prints.

Tea Collection Private Sale

2010-12-09T16:32:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite brands, Tea Collection, launched a private sale today and you can snag clothes for up to 70%. I picked up summer shorts, pants and a couple of t-shirts for Aidan all for $7.50 a piece. A great price for outstanding quality. I also picked up a few things for myself as I have been wanting to try out their women's clothing. Shop soon as selection is limited. The sale ends Sunday, December 12 at 11:59 PST.

The TomKat Studio Gift Guide

2010-12-07T16:58:00.002-05:00

I love looking through gift guides at this time of year and enjoy finding unique gifts. I love, love, love The TomKat Studio gift guide. She put it together like an ezine and it is so much fun to flip through. She has gifts for everyone on your list guaranteed - pet lovers, entertainers, cool dads, you name it. Take a look - you won't be disappointed.

Black Friday Deals

2010-11-25T09:08:00.002-05:00

I feel like each year there are more and more Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. I find it difficult to keep track of them all. I thought I would post some of the deals I receive here and I hope you are able to cross something off of your list!

*Check Back for Updates*

Ann Taylor Loft - 40% off purchase, in stores & online, code ENJOY (all weekend)

Gap - 50% off in stores until 10 am Friday

Banana Republic - 25% off in stores & online, BRTHANKS (all weekend)

Bare Essentuals - spend $50 receive $20 off a future purchase in stores & online, MERRY (until Dec. 5)

Land of Nod - free shipping through Monday, REINDEER

Oompa - $10 off $100, BLACKFRI10, $30 off $200, BLACKFRI30 (Friday only)

Tiny Prints - 10% off $49+, 15% off $99+, 25% off $199+, TPNOV25, they also have Deals of the day, Wed 11/24: 65% off address labels and gift tags, Thu 11/25: 50% off Thank You cards and stationery, Fri 11/26 - Sun 11/28: 50% off Calendars, Planners, Photo Gifts & More

Pottery Barn Kids & Pottery Barn - In store, spend $100 receive a $20 coupon, Also at Pottery Barn Kids, save $20 off the Anywhere Chair and receive free personalization

Crazy 8 & Gymboree - Everything 30% off until noon, 25% for the remainder of the weekend

Groupon - $10 for $20 worth of photo books or photo cards at Kodak Gallery plus

4 free accordian calendars.

Pediped - 12 styles for $25 each all weekend

Capital Region

Bellini's - Buy $50 in gift cards and receive $20 free (Friday only)

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T15:04:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

{image by Amy Atlas}

Monogram Mugs on Design Mom

2010-11-24T12:00:00.003-05:00

If you read Design Mom, you know that she and her kids make great handmade gifts for Christmas each year. I saw her tutorial for Monogram Mugs yesterday and I LOVE them. My head is now spinning with possibilities and I need to focus in on my gift list. You can find her tutorial here. What is on your handmade gift list this year?

{image by Design Mom}

Aidan's Transportation Room

2010-11-18T13:53:00.008-05:00

As you may remember, this summer I was working on Aidan's "big boy" room. It's finally complete! (for now) We ended up going with a very basic rug just to help with insulation but I like how the rest of the room turned out.

1. We went with a transportation theme and the use of bright colors with blue being the primary color. His sheets and quilt are from Pottery Barn Kids. The sheets have bright colored cars on them and were on sale. They are unfortunately sold out now. I wish I had purchased another set this summer!

2. The growth chart is from Tiny Sprouts. I love her work and the quality is fabulous. The thread is blue and green and the brown ribbon coordinates wonderfully with the rest of the room.

3. We were able to move his train table into his room which was a space saver for the downstairs. We are currently using an old dresser of mine and I would love to eventually update it with fun drawer pulls for a little boy. The curtains were purchased at Marshalls and block out light and also help with insulation. (His room is over the garage so I need all of the help we can get!)

4. The artwork on the shelves was purchased several years ago at a local art fair. The hot air balloon model was a gift from his Pops.

5. I created his name using transportation themed scrapbook paper and hung it using mini clothespins on green divine twine. To make the letters, I found a font I liked and printed out the letters. I cut them out and used them as stencils to trace onto the scrapbook paper. I had a lot of scrapbook paper left, so I framed two pieces in frames I already owned for instant art.

6. I loved the addition of the blue lantern and purchased it from The Land of Nod. I also purchased a khaki and navy soft bin for his laundry and stuffed animal storage. The red beanbag chair is a car that he picked out at Target.

His room was a lot of fun to put together! Now, I need to work on Gavin's room.

Tea Collection - Free Shipping!

2010-11-17T08:50:00.002-05:00

As you know, I love Tea Collection clothing for my kids. The quality is outstanding. I love it even more when there are sales or free shipping. Well today through Friday, Tea Collection is offering free shipping! What are you waiting for - hurry!

Simply Paige is an affiliate of Tea Collection

Gavin's Birth Story

2010-11-11T19:09:00.000-05:00

Gavin's birth story actually begins with the birth of my first son, Aidan. My first son was induced at 41 weeks 3 days and I had every intervention short of a c-section. It was a horrible experience and I felt very detached from my son, myself and the miracle of birth. At the time, my OB said that if he had been even 2 oz bigger (he was 9 lbs 5 oz), I would have needed a c-section because I couldn't handle it. All I had known from family and friends was a medical birth and I believed that I wasn't able to birth my large babies. At my 6 week check-up, they told me if I was pregnant again, they would induce by 39 weeks so that I would not have too large of a baby.

When I found out I was pregnant in January 2010, I started receiving prenatal care from the OB practice that delivered Aidan. I didn't think much of it, but after a few appointments, I wasn't feeling very happy with my care or connected to the process. I had a lot of questions and I felt that if I stayed at my current practice, I wouldn't receive the care I wanted and deserved. At 16 weeks pregnant, I switched to a practice that had midwives and it was definitely the best decision I could have made.

As I was preparing for the birth of my second son, I was preparing my body and mind to have a natural childbirth experience free of interventions. Because of the troubles I had with Aidan, I wanted to have a different experience this time. And a different experience is exactly what I had.

I woke up Friday morning, October 8 at 2:30 am with contractions that kept me awake. After about 20 minutes, I realized the contractions were about 5 minutes apart. I didn't want to arrive at the hospital too early and since I didn't go into labor on my own with Aidan, I wasn't convinced this was the real thing. I sat on my birth ball for a long time playing on the computer and breathing through contractions. I had been studying hypnobabies and although I didn't enter hypnosis during early labor, I found the verbal cues to be very helpful and feel they helped me handle the contractions.

Around 4:00 am, I decided that this was the real thing. At that point, I decided to take a bath. The warm water really helped ease the pain and it felt great!

At 4:45, I woke up my husband asking if he could bring my birth ball upstairs. I was too tired from labor to walk down and up again. I was trying to convince him it would still be a while and to go back to sleep, but he decided to go ahead and shower and get ready. (this turned out to be a very good thing) I labored some more on the birth ball and at 6:00, I decided we needed to call the midwife at the hospital. This is also when Aidan woke up and my husband was arranging for a friend to come and pick up Aidan.

I spoke to the midwife at 6:10 and was still talking comfortably between contractions. Aidan came to sit with me and suddenly at 6:20, I had to throw up, that's when transition hit. The contractions were suddenly one on top of each other and luckily Aidan was picked up by our friend shortly thereafter. My husband was loading the car and I was standing in the driveway telling him that I needed an ambulance because there was no way I could sit in the car. (granted we live 1.5 miles from the hospital) He made me get in since it's only a 5 minute drive.

He dropped me off at the ER and I walked up to labor & delivery. Everyone was coming in to start the 7:00 am shift. They were staring at me and offering a wheelchair but I felt better walking. Once checked in, they hurried me into a room and when I was checked, I was already complete. My husband had told the nurse that I wanted my labor to be med-free, and she informed him that I was definitely to late for medication. I naively thought that since this was my second, pushing would go quickly and I would have a baby by 8:00 or so (we arrived at 7:00.)

Nearly three hours of pushing and Gavin was finally born. Pushing was very challenging but my midwives were great. I was really lucky that day because as I arrived, one midwife was going off shift and the other was coming on, so they both stayed for Gavin's birth. My water broke early in the pushing and it startled me. I changed positions frequently during the pushing stage and relaxed when I needed to relax. When Gavin finally made his entrance into this world, I felt the rush of endorphins as they placed him on me. I had done it and had proved that my body was capable of birthing my babies. I could also feel how big he was!

Everyone was commenting on his size and we thought he would be about 10 lbs. Everyone in the room was completely shocked when the nurse weighed him and he was 12 lbs 24.5 inches! I couldn't believe it. He was also posterior which explained the back pressure during pushing and why it took a bit longer for him to make his entrance. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Gumball Party Board

2010-11-10T18:59:00.000-05:00

I enjoy looking at and finding ideas for possible parties and thought it would be fun to share some party boards on here. This party was inspired by the cute little Gumball machines at Beaucoup and would make a perfect birthday party for a boy or a girl.

1. Mini Classic Gumball Machines

2. Mason Drinking Jars with Paper Straws

3. Bumble Gum Birthday Invitations

4. Monogram Dot Sugar Cookies

5. Izze - Oh Happy Day!

6. Swirly Cupcakes by Martha Stewart

Knuffle Bunny Free

2010-11-09T12:46:00.004-05:00

Several weeks ago, we took a trip to the book store (a favorite pastime on a rainy Sunday afternoon) and as I looked at the new children's books, I was overjoyed to see Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion on the shelf. We love Mo Willems (who doesn't) in our house and we really enjoy reading about Trixie and her adventures with Knuffle Bunny.

In the latest installment of the Knuffle Bunny series, Trixie takes Knuffle Bunny on an international trip and that's where the adventure begins. The book contains Mo's great black and white photographs overlaid with his illustrations and this time the photographs are primarily in Holland. The book is beautifully done and it may have just been my pregnancy hormones, but I actually teared up at the end. Really, I did. You may too. Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion is currently on sale at Amazon for $10.52. And if you purchase it through Amazon, you'll help out this little blog. Thanks.

Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion is already on our favorites list for bedtime reading.

Shutterfly Your Holiday

2010-11-03T17:23:00.003-04:00

Each year, I spend a lot of time finding the perfect holiday card. In fact, I obsess over it. From finding the right photo, to the right color and size card, to the perfect layout, to finding the best price, I spend a lot of time working on our holidays cards. This year, I know I can go straight to Shutterfly for my holiday cards for a high quality product at a great price! I have used Shutterfly in the past for photo albums and I am very impressed by the quality of their product.

Shutterfly has great new designs this year to help create the perfect holiday card. You can easily upload your photos and try them out in different layouts. These three are my favorites so far, which one is your favorite?

Seasonal Chic 2010

Paper Snowflakes

Joy Sage Story

I also create calendars and photo books each year as a way to record past milestones and have great personalized gifts for family. Do you have photo gifts that you like to give each year? Check out Shutterfly for great holiday cards and gifts this season. Now I am off to capture the perfect photo for our holiday card. Wish me luck.

Disclaimer: I am being provided with 50 holiday cards from Shutterfly.

Fall Party

2010-11-02T10:13:00.005-04:00

Last year, we held our annual fall party and microbrew tasting. It's always a fun event and we ask each guest to bring his/her favorite microbrew to participate in the tasting. I keep the food simple and serve chili with a green salad along with a few yummy treats for appetizers and dessert. I never had a chance to post our party details last year, so I thought I would post them now as people plan for dinner parties in November.

To keep it simple and eco-conscious, we used biodegradable plates and utensils. I placed the utensils in mason jars tied with a simple brown ribbon and then put all of the items in a woven basket. It was an easy way for guests to help themselves. The decorations were also kept simple and in the fall theme with yellow flowers and red berries. I also used apples in my decor and placed them in apple baskets around the house. It was a very easy decoration and yummy too.

For our appetizers, I made spicy nuts that I divided into single portions into cupcake liners. That way, they were easy for guests to take and eat without spreading germs from a communal bowl. (and cute too!) I also had a cheese plate, my favorite. On my cheese plate, I always try to include a hard cheese, a soft cheese, a blue cheese and fruit. You can see that this year we included two domestics and two foreign cheeses. Guests enjoyed the cheese signs so that they knew exactly what they were tasting.

Dessert was also kept simple and we served an apple tart and had a chocolate tasting. Small portions of dark chocolate were put into cupcake liners for guests to try after dinner was finished.

We had a great time and I look forward to hosing another fall party!

Phil & Ted's Explorer

2010-10-31T16:28:00.003-04:00

While I was pregnant with Gavin, I started researching double strollers. Although Aidan doesn't need a stroller most of the time, he still enjoys riding on long walks and we definitely need a stroller when we travel because we walk a lot. I really liked the Phil & Ted's line of strollers because of the double options that it had but yet it stayed on the footprint of a single stroller.

Lucky for me, I was selected as a Propeller Head (product tester) this summer for the newly released Explorer. I was beyond excited. Being a product tester meant that I could purchase the stroller at half price. I was so excited to receive and it didn't take long to put it together. So far, we have tested it out with Aidan alone, Gavin alone and both of them together. It steers/rides like a dream!

When we first started using it, we had the front wheel in the fixed position. It was very difficult to steer with Aidan in the stroller and I knew it had to be easier. Luckily, a quick post on facebook and helpful hints from other users showed me how to release the wheel for easier steering.

In the photo above, we took a walk to see Halloween decorations and Gavin is laying flat in the stroller in the infant position. Aidan is sitting in the double attachment which is attached on top of the stroller. Once Gavin is bigger, he will sit in the double attachment in the back and Aidan will sit in the main part of the stroller. We are already enjoying our new Explorer and I just know it will be used for many year's to come.

Halloween House

2010-10-27T20:59:00.002-04:00

This is what mommy guilt looks like...

Meet Pocoyo

2010-10-22T12:15:00.006-04:00

Our family was first introduced to Pocoyo as an extra feature on another one of our NCircle DVDs. We instantly fell in love with the cute preschooler and his animal friends. The animation is very simple and clear and the stories are great for our preschooler. Aidan loves to follow along, answer the narrator's questions and laughs as Pocoyo and his friends go on their daily quests.

Pocoyo is already an international sensation but it recently started airing on Nick, Jr. this summer. In addition, they have released the Meet Pocoyo DVD in the United States this fall. I highly recommend it as it's a nice and simple show geared towards preschoolers in this age when many shows are complex and over stimulating. Hooray for Pocoyo!

Purchasing Meet Pocoyo through the links above will take you to Amazon, an affiliate of Simply Paige.