Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts

July 16, 2009

Keeping Your Pool Safe

We have an above ground pool and it is one of our favorite places to hang out in the summer. Sunny summer days bring groups of neighborhood kids over to our yard for a fun afternoon of swimming and popsicles. We also host many summer barbecues/pool parties. You have to make the most of summer days since they go fast and before you know it, school will be starting again and the days get colder.

One thing that's been on my mind lately is pool safety. As a mom, I always put the safety of children as a top priority. Kids in my pool are directly supervised by me, lifeguard mom. Even if I have other moms over, I am always keeping my eye on them, especially the smaller ones who can't touch the bottom (they wear life jackets) and older ones who may not be the strongest swimmers.

It's also important to keep your family safe when not using the pool by making sure to use a pool cover. Not only do they protect your own children, but also every child who may happen into your yard. Every time I hear a story about a child drowning in a family pool, my heart breaks and I think how fast it could happen and how important it is to keep the pool covered when not in use. During the summer, you typically use a mesh net, but during the winter, you use a cover especially made for harsher weather. Above ground pools need to be winterized just as below ground ones, and it's important to take the time to do it correctly, so you can maximize the life of the pool. Yes, it's the middle of July and we're not quite ready to winterize yet, but if you plan ahead, you can save money. Pcpools.com is having a sale on their winter pool covers right now, you can save 33%. If this is your first year as a pool owner, or you need to replace your cover, definitely check them out.

July 12, 2009

Tacori Jewelry

I love jewelry! I am a such a girlie girl and will always be a romantic at heart. When we go on vacation, usually I choose a piece of jewelry as a souvenir to remind me of the trip. I have collected jewelry from everywhere. I love finding beautiful pieces at antique stores or estate sales and always have my eye out for a beautiful piece. What is my favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring, of course!

I still remember my engagement and choosing out my ring as if it were yesterday and not 15 years ago. The giddiness, excitement and all the fun of choosing the ring you'll wear every day for the rest of your life is a big part of planning the perfect wedding. Even though I'm happily married and love my own beautiful ring, it's still so much fun to look at all the beautiful new designs out there. Tacori engagement rings are beautifully crafted rings. I really like this design:





If you are a single mom who is ring shopping or if you know someone who will be soon, Tacori rings are beautiful as well as being a great value. They have other beautiful pieces for us married ladies as well. You can find them at JR Dunn.

March 3, 2009

Disney Shopping Deals


Well, since I am recently home from a Disney vacation and I love to shop online at the Disney Shop to remind me of my trip, I thought I'd share some great deals that I found there. They have some adorable kids t-shirts on sale, 3 for $20. They also have a $5 shipping deal on a shipment of $89 or more if you find other things you want to buy with code SHIPTODAY.


They have a lot of styles to choose from, here are a few examples:
This adorable Winnie the Pooh one is so sweet.



This cute Belle tee is one of MANY Princess t-shirts they have.



And for the boys, there are Cars, Power Rangers, Toy Story and Mickey t-shirts.

Go check it out, you can stock up on some cute shirts for summer or for an upcoming trip. They also are having a half-off sale on all of their beautiful snowglobes, so if you are a collector or a Disney fan, they are definitely worth checking out as well. Hope you have a great Disney Day! :)

December 30, 2008

Baby Center Store Closing-Save Up To 80%


Babe Center online store is closing on January 6th and they are having a huge blowout sale to clear out their merchandise. Besides getting the discounted prices, you can also use the code FREESHIP49 for free shipping on orders of $49 or more. They have toys, clothes, gift ideas and lots of stuff for expecting moms-maternity clothes, strollers, nursery furniture, pregnancy and parenting books and many other items as well.


Some examples of deals you will find:


This convertible diaper bag from Fanci-Free was originally $89 and is marked down to $18.





This adorable Kate Spade rocker from Maclaren was originally $119 and is marked down to $48.



They have a lot of book deals, such as this one for Growing Up Green, a guide to raising healthy families that was originally $15.99 and is now marked down to $4.80.







They also are having a huge sale on Carter's clothing-you can save up to 75%.




Check it out now, they will be closing Jan.6 but will still be honoring their 30-day return policy for your purchases. Please feel free to link to this post to spread the word about this great closeout sale.

December 21, 2008

Happy Day for Procrastinators!


It looks like those who put off their shopping til the last minute are getting rewarded! If you still have shopping to do and don't want to fight the crowded malls or if you're snowed in this weekend, there are some unbelievable deals online for free 2-day shipping so you get your gifts in time for Christmas. There are many online stores that are doing this, my email box is flooded with free shipping and last-minute specials. Keep in mind some of them have a minimum purchase in order to get free shipping, so check out the site for details.


Here are some of them:












Amazon (you can do a trial of Amazon Prime to get free 2 day shipping-I did this last year)


There are many more out there, if you have a specific store in mind, it doesn't hurt to check it out. But stop that procrastinating and do it now, most of these offers are for today only!

December 18, 2008

Holidays=Matching Jammies


I know some think this lame, but I LOVE matching holiday jammies for the whole family. Seriously, they make the cutest Christmas photos. You can get pictures on Christmas Eve of the excited kids leaving cookies for Santa or the whole family in front of their stockings and of course all the festivities on Christmas morning. It's one of my favorite traditions. However, I do not have a teenager yet, I don't know how well this would go over if you have teens in the house.

But for those of you looking for some cute family pj's, The Company Store has a lot of cute styles to choose from, Christmas Plaid, Snowflakes, Candy Canes, Penguins, even Hanukkah jammies for those that celebrate Hanukkah and can wear them for 8 nights! They are having a sale on them right now, so check it out and next year when you have the cutest Christmas pictures ever, make sure you send me one!

December 16, 2008

Laura Mercier Flawless Face

I am a SUPER HAPPY mom today because of this incredible deal that I just ordered from Sephora (please tell me I'm not the only one who buys herself stocking stuffers).

Laura Mercier cosmetics are best known for their fabulous foundations, they are a celebrity favorite. This kit is perfect for someone new to the line.

It comes with:

Foundation Primer (Step 1)
Tinted Moisturizer (Step 2)
Translucent Loose Setting Powder (Step 3 and 4)
Undercover Pot Shade #3
Secret Camouflage Brush
Camouflage Powder Brush
Velour Puff
Egg-shaped Sponge
This all comes in a travel cosmetic bag and is a $159 value for.....$65! The brushes purchased individually would be worth more than that. I'm most excited to get the concealer pot-I LOVE their concealer, it's the best, but it's so expensive, I rarely buy it. It is GREAT for covering dark circles if you've been up all night reading blogs ;).

It's shipped free and you also get to pick out 3 samples with your order, I picked 2 perfume sprays and a facial peel. Check out all the holiday gift sets at Sephora, whether buying for yourself (guilty) or someone else, they have a lot to choose from.

December 3, 2008

eToys Deals

etoys.com (The Parent Company)

eToys is offering some promotions this week that might interest you if you have some toy shopping to do. I love finding free shipping deals for online stores, since shipping costs can add up quickly. They also have a 2008 Holiday Toy Guide to help you find great toys for thes kids on your list. Hope you can use some of these!

eToys: Great Gifts Up to 60% Off on Select Items. Shop Now! (ends 12.8)

eToys: Free Shipping On Select LeapFrog Items! (ends 12.8)

eToys: NFL Lockers 20% Off All NFL Lockers (ends 12.8)

eToys: Select Dress-Up Outfits Buy One, Get One Free! (ends 12.8)

eToys: Special Holiday Offer, Get $5 off $100. Shop Now!

November 30, 2008

Cyber Monday Strategy


I'm back from my Thanksgiving weekend just in time for some Cyber Monday shopping! Last year my family was in Disneyworld for Thanksgiving so I missed all the great Black Friday deals, but I found that on the Monday after, I actually found much BETTER deals online. Plus, you don't have stand in the freezing cold, waiting for a store to open at 4 am just to find they're all sold out of what you came for!

There are many deals to be had, but where to start? My advice is to make a list of what specific things you're looking for and then use a Cyber Monday deal site that contains categories of all the deals available throughout the day. My two favorites are:

1) CyberMonday.com This is the one I turn to when I want to find deals for everything on my shopping list. It's considered the "official" site of Cyber Monday.

2) Dealio.com is another great one. They have deals and coupon codes for tons of retailers and also great shopping tips.

Another piece of advice I have is that if you don't have a specific item in mind for a person on your list-write down how much you spend and shop by that. There are so many great deals that it is easy to spend over your budget and also buy things that weren't even on your list because it's a "good deal". Shop with caution! :)

Are you a Black Friday girl or a Cyber Monday girl? And if you're shopping today, what deals have you found?

November 26, 2008

Personal Shopper Deal


As some of you have probably figured out by now, I love to shop. I love scouring the malls and online shopping sites for new products and the best deals . However, I know that not everyone is the shopaholic that I am and that it would be a luxury to have someone do the shopping for you. Using a personalized shopping service can do exactly that.


PersonalShopper.com is an online personalized shopping service that can do your shopping for you. They are offering a special deal for the readers of The Happy Mom Blog. For today only, you can take 20% off your purchase of PS Direct items when you become a member by simply signing up for PersonalShopper.com and entering code PSFF20 at checkout. Also, starting today PersonalShopper.com is offering free shipping for PS Direct products. Free ground shipping runs all the way through December 15th. They also offer a free service, the new My Gift Budget Planner. It allows you to set your master gift budget as well as spending limits for each person. It then sifts through hundreds of thousands of products, so you don’t have to, and helps you find gifts they'll love in record time, without breaking the bank. A great service for busy moms who don't want to waste time at the mall or pour through online websites finding the perfect gift. But remember, this offer is for today only, so maybe you can get a little shopping done before Turkey Day!

November 25, 2008

Christmas Pettiskirts



Aren't these adorable? These Christmas pettiskirts would make stunning holiday portraits. I know I've said it before, but I am a pettiskirt lover, they are just so feminine and happy, and it's so cute how little girls love to twirl in them. If you want to get one of these, they are $69.99 and are from Pink Taffy Design children's boutique. They are selling fast, though, so grab one while you can. (I want that zebra chair, too, it would look awesome in my daughter's room.)

November 24, 2008

Designer Linens Outlet Deal


Designer Linens Outlet 40% Off

I know many of you are planning out your shopping strategies for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it's an exciting time of year for us shopaholics! Here is a great deal from Designer Linens Outlet- they have a Black Friday discount code that you can use now through Dec.8. The code is FF08 and you can click the link above to check out the deals there.



They have a great Designer Kids section, with adorable sets like this Eric Carle one. As a former teacher, The Very Hungry Caterpillar was one of my favorite books and I think a room with this theme would be super cute.

November 22, 2008

Hottest Holiday Toys


According to the National Retail Federation 2008 Top Toy survey, Barbie and video games top the list for the hottest toys this holiday season. The survey polled 8,758 consumers this month to gauge this year's shopping trends among consumers. Here is the list of what they found to be the Hot Toys of 2008:

Top toys for girls

1. Barbie
2. Disney Hannah Montana
3. Dolls (generic)
4. Bratz (dolls)
5. Nintendo Wii
6. Video games
7. Elmo
8. Disney High School Musical
9. Disney princess (dolls and themed items)
10. American Girl (dolls and themed items)

Top toys for boys

1. Video games
2. Nintendo Wii
3. Lego
4. Cars (generic)
5. Transformers
6. Elmo
7. Star Wars
8. Hot Wheels
9. Remote-controlled vehicles
10. Xbox 360

What are your kids asking for this year? Are you planning on buying any of the toys that made the list?

November 21, 2008

Gift Ideas for Your Little Star

Do you have a little diva or divo (is that the correct term for a male diva?) in your house?
If you answered yes to that, here are some great gift ideas to help your little star shine:


You can set the stage with this Star Performance Theater. Whether they want to sing, act or walk the runway, this will put them at the center of everyone's attention.





This karaoke system is fun for moms and dads, too. That is, if you are able to get the microphone away from your diva (or divo).




If your star dreams of being the next American Idol, a great idea would be this American Idol Encore bundle for Wii.



If your whole family loves American Idol, the American Idol - All Star Challenge DVD game looks like a lot of fun on family game night. You complete challenges like singing, dancing and trivia and it features video clips from the first five seasons.
Does anyone have any other great finds for a little one who craves the spotlight? I'd love to hear what you've found!

November 20, 2008

Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving

If you are playing the role of hostess this Thanksgiving (one week from TODAY-can you believe it?), Williams-Sonoma has a ton of great tips on their website. I'm a huge fan of Williams-Sonoma. When I go into their store, I imagine it's how my daughter feels when she walks into American Girl Place.


WS can help you pick the perfect wine.





They have a video you can watch on setting the perfect table.




They have this beautiful Thanksgiving platter to put your turkey on.
They even have the organic turkey. They sell Willie Bird organic turkeys, which are fresh and can be delivered to you on Tuesday. There is a video on their site to show you how the free-range Willie Birds are raised*.

*I shouldn't have watched this. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about buying organic. However, does anyone really like to give a first and last name to something that they will eat? I also don't like to look at home movies of it surrounded by it's family, knowing it will soon meet it's demise. They look so happy at the farm......maybe we'll have pizza this year.

November 14, 2008

Finding Your Signature Scent

Do you have a hard time trying to find your signature scent? If you like trying different perfumes but don't want to pay a lot of money for full bottles only to discover it gives you a headache or the scent doesn't work for you, Sephora has a Scent Sampler to help you find your perfect scent.

When you buy the Scent Sampler Bestsellers for Her(the cost is $50 but it's an $80 value), you get 10 samples of Sephora's bestselling perfumes. They're good ones, too. They include:


Aquolina Pink Sugar, Bulgari Omnia Crystalline, Calvin Klein Euphoria, Givenchy Very Irresistible Givenchy Sensual, Gwen Stefani L.A.M.B., Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Philosophy Amazing Grace, Stella McCartney Stella, and Vera Wang Princess.


Along with the samples you get a gift voucher to redeem at a Sephora store for a full-size bottle of your favorite. You still get to keep all the sample sprays, which are a great size to stash in your purse.
So my question for today is: do you have a signature scent or a few favorite perfumes that you rotate?

November 12, 2008

Everybody Has A Twin

There is an age-old belief that every one of us has a twin somewhere in the world-someone not related to us who looks just like us. If you have a little girl who loves dolls, you don't have to search the world for her doppelganger, you can BUY her one. MyTwinn makes dolls that are customized to match a picture of your daughter so she can have her very own twin. If you have ever seen their catalog or been to their website you know how amazing these dolls look, down to their matching freckles or birthmarks. You may even mistake the doll for your daughter! (ok, maybe that wouldn't happen :), but they are remarkably close).

If you've started your holiday shopping, these would make a wonderful gift for any little girl. They are expensive but just like American Girl dolls, they can become an heirloom for her to pass on to her own little girl. They have some specials right now that you can get this week. You can get 50% off girl and doll matching outfits as well as holiday outfits.

My Twinn: Up to 50% Off Select Girl & Doll Matching Outfits. (ends 11/17)


So, have you found twin in life? Or have you been told that you have a celebrity double (think Sarah Palin and Tina Fey)?
*Edited to add cool site you must try*
I totally forgot about this but I wanted to add it here because it goes perfect with this post. MyHeritage is a genealogy site and they have the coolest Celebrity Face Recognition program-it is so much fun! You upload a photo and then it scans it and tells you what celebrities you look like. The results come in a little montage that you can even post on your blog for fun! Go try it and tell me who you look like!



Parent Reviewers

November 10, 2008

Countdown to Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is going to be here before we know it. I'm really looking forward to it, it's one of my favorite holidays because I love traditions, good food and families getting together. However, I realize for most kids it's not something that they're too excited about. It's a little blip between the "cool" holidays of Halloween and Christmas and you get a couple days of no school. Well, here are some ideas to rock the kids' table at Thanksgiving this year from Pottery Barn Kids:
The fine china is boring and overrated. These super cute turkey plates make the kiddie table THE place to be this year.

And it's not a party until you add these adorable turkey headbands. How fun are these! They crack me up-I think they have the potential to be used at the adult table after enough wine has been served. :)


Also, keep a basket of fun Thanksgiving books like these ones for kids to read:

Thanksgiving Is... by Gail Gibbons
Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross
Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters
(this one is a favorite of my daughter)
I'd love to hear how you celebrate Thanksgiving with kids-special crafts, recipes or traditions that you have!

November 8, 2008

Fall Yankee Candle Sale

I love Yankee candles. If I am somewhere that sells them, I will spend an hour standing there smelling each and every one. Now that I think about it, it sounds a little ocd, but honestly, their candles smell SOOO good, how can I resist? I like using their seasonal candles-I love smelling the Spiced Pumpkin one this time of year. They have some great fall scents that are on sale right now-you can get all of their fall gift sets for 50% off. My favorite is this set with 3 small jar candles. It includes Spiced Pumpkin, Fall Festival & Autumn Leaves. It's regularly $25 but is now marked down to $12.50. They make your whole house smell like how fall should smell. :)

November 6, 2008

LL Bean Travel Organizers-LOVE Them!


LL Bean makes the most wonderful personal organizer bags, they come in 8 colors and you can even get them monogrammed with your family name (that's what I did). They come in 4 different sizes-small, medium, large and family size. If you are looking for a travel bag just for yourself then go with the small, but the family size is awesome because you can put in SO much stuff-like full bottles of shampoo when you go on trips. We have a smaller family so I bought the large and it has room for all of our stuff for a week long vacation. Everything is neat and organized and it can fit on a bathroom counter or hang from the door. I have used ours on cruises and it works perfectly because if you've ever been on a cruise you know that Barbie has a bigger bathroom in her townhouse than the tiny closet they call a bathroom. Even when we've had larger cabins the bathroom is always itty bitty. The bags have a rust-proof hanger that you can hang from the back of the door. There are separate compartments for things like medicine and toothbrushes and the bags are waterproof too. Ours has been from Hawaii to the Bahamas and everywhere in between! Now is the perfect time to get one because LL Bean is offering a $10 gift card with a $50 purchase. You can get one for yourself or for someone you love-they make great holiday gifts!