P.B. Loco: Bringing Kids Lunches to a Whole New Level

As the new school year starts around the country, moms everywhere are doing a sigh of summer relief. Before that first cup of post bus / drop-off coffee comes the scramble for missing shoes, empty backpacks, and school lunch making.

P.B.Loco is bringing the standard school lunch peanut butter sandwich to a whole new level. With flavors like CoCoBanana, Sumatra Cinnamon & Raisin, Raspberry White Chocolate, Cafe Mocha, and Raspberry Dark Chocolate, your kids school lunch is sure to rock. (The Raspberry Dark Chocolate gets thumbs up from all three of my hard to please boys.)


Made with premium ingredients like European chocolate and no trans fat, you can feel good packing up a peanut butter sandwich for their school lunch or make a quick and easy after school snack.

If you're really adventurous, check out their website for some unique peanut butter recipes.

Available online at pbloco.com.

Rachel Riley End of Summer Sale

It's time to make room for the fall collection at Rachel Riley so all the spring / summer designs are on sale. The collections by Rachel Riley are inspired by the fashions of yesteryear with classic styling and impeccable craftsmanship. Right now they are offering up to 70% off their spring / summer collections.

Some of our favorites:

Three Tiered Skirt

Was: $115
Sale: $34.50

Striped Halter Dress

Was: $135
Sale: $40.50

Bomber Jacket

Was: $110
Sale: $33

End of Season Sale at Style Kid

Today's end of season sale find is courtesy of Style Kid. Not only do they have a bunch of stylish fashions on sale on brands like Appaman, Tea Collection, Small Paul, and Skip*Hop, but they are offering an extra discount on top of the already reduced prices.

Just enter the code "Last20" at checkout and save an additional 20% off on all sale items. (Remember this is a Canadian shop so all prices are in Canadian dollars.)

Some of our favorites:

Little Miss Fun by Junk Food Clothing

Was: $34 CDN
Sale: $24 CDN
With Discount: $19 CDN

Green Camo Saddle Bag by Skip*Hop

Was: $46 CDN
Sale: $32 CDN
With Discount: $26 CDN

Cheeky L/S Layered Shirt by FC Verde

Was: $35 CDN
Sale: $20 CDN
With Discount: $16 CDN

Bella B: Pampering New and Expectant Moms from Head to Toe

When you're expecting your belly needs a little TLC.

Mother's Intuition, creators of Tummy Honey Stretch Mark Solutions, has come up with the line of bodycare products to care for all the changes that your body goes through when you're pregnant. The Bella B Natural Bodycare line was designed specifically for the needs of prenatal and postnatal moms to help pamper themselves from head-to-toe.



The Tummy Honey Butter and Stick has long been a favorite of moms everywhere (including Gwyneth Paltrow) to help prevent and fade stretch marks. The soft, non-greasy butter is the perfect after shower belly rub and the fresh scent is invigorating!

To help ease the effects of pregnancy on our faces, Bella B has created two products - Glowing and Bright Eyes to minimize the dreaded "pregnancy mask" and ease dark circles and puffiness that is sure to occur in the third trimester.

Post-natal moms are not forgotten because the effects of baby definitely don't end with delivery. The Nipple Nurture Butter and Nipple Nurture Cleansing Pads have been created to help breastfeeding mothers. The Nurture Butter is a special blend of shea and cocoa butter that heals and soothes sore, cracked, and dry nipples. The Nipple Nurture Cleansing Pads are perfect for cleansing before and after breastfeeding. (I had my best friend test both the Butter and Cleansing Pads and she loved them.)



The best part of the entire line is the subtle scents and natural ingredients. The products leave you feeling clean and refreshed -- not greasy or overwhelming.

In addition to Gwyneth both Carnie Wilson and Tori Spelling are fans of the fabulous Bella B products!

Check out the entire line and find a retailer near you at http://www.bellabbodycare.com/

Vincent Shoes Summer Sale: 50% Off

Check out Summer Clearance Sale now going on at Vincent Shoes while supplies last. Up to 50% Off select summer styles of Vincent’s fun, fashionable and functional shoes for stylish toddlers and kids.



The Summer Clearance Sale features a wide range of Vincent fabulous styles, from sporty sandals to stylish dress shoes and much more!

Modern Seed Introduces New Fall Fashions

Modern Seed is always on top of finding the latest and greatest modern inspired baby products. I was surprised to see a message in my inbox today that they have added an enhanced fashion section to their website.



The collection is an assortment of well-designed and high-quality wardrobe basics that are intended to be mixed and matched to represent your own child's personal style. Designers contributing to the collection include Dagmar Daley, Small Paul, and Jen Jen.



It is evident that careful thought went into the selection of pieces to be mixed and matched. The collection has an air of classical play that is inspired by retro charms.



Check out the entire collection at http://www.modernseed.com.

Gap Jeans: Buy One, Get One Half Off

Every kid needs a new pair of jeans. They've either just outgrown them, just about to outgrow them, torn a whole in them, or just plain need another pair.

Right now you can stock up on jeans for the school year and cooler months at Gap.com. For a limited time only, Gap is offering a buy one pair, get one pair at 50% off

Whether your a traditionalist who likes the classic "original" style or are looking for something more trendy for your little one, now is the time to stock up on this wardrobe necessity. (Sorry kids styles only.)
Gap is now offering a flat $6 shipping rate for all standard online orders.

Check out all the styles here.

Cupcake Courier: Keeping Cupcakes Pretty

If you are a soccer mom, a ballet mom, a hockey mom, or whatever activity your child chooses mom, it is inevitable that sooner or later you will be asked to participate in the mom dreaded bake sale. These requests often get tossed in the bottom of your child's backpack only to be discovered mere hours before the baked items are due to be delivered to be sold to the hungry public.



One of the bake sale favorites are the beautifully decorated frosted cupcakes, but keeping them looking good during transit is nearly impossible. That is it was nearly impossible until the introduction of the cupcake courier.

The Cupcake Courier is an ingenious new product designed to transport your baked goods and keep them looking good at the same time. The courier is a rectangular, translucent plastic container that holds three stackable cupcake trays -- allowing you to transport 36 cupcakes or muffins with ease in a great looking container!



Currently available in 4 translucent colors: Petal Pink, Lemon Grass, Saffron Yellow, and Soft Blue Sky.

Buy yours today at http://www.cupcakecourier.com and be ready for all those fall and winter bake sales to come!

Skip*Hop Playspots: A Funky, Playful, Playmat

If you are a fan of quality baby products, you have almost certainly heard of New York based Skip*Hop. While they are best known for their innovative diaper bags -- the duo, dash, and double -- they have just introduced a new playmat system that is stylish, comfy, and safe for today's babies.

The Skip*Hop Playspot is the modern parents answer to those snap-together plastic floor grids that you find at the discount store. Available in three stylish color combos: pink and brown, blue and gold, and brights. The Playspot is the perfect accessory for your child's play area or nursery. I bought one for our playroom in the basement and the colors are amazing!

The Playspot is designed for easy assembly with a unique connector system. The system comes with 20 tiles that can be configured in whatever way meets your size and space requirements.

It is constructed out of a innovated EVA foam surface which is cushy for little unstable bodies on the go. Skip*Hop has developed the system to be used for children of all ages (many other systems can only be used for kids 3+ due to the choking risks) and has tested the Playspot to the most rigorous safety standards.

With its modern design and grown up style, the Playspot will be at home in the playroom, bedroom, or even in the family room.

Available online at http://www.skiphop.com/ or at select retailers.

LED Flashlights: A Thunderstorm Necessity

Last weekend we had a horrible thunderstorm that left trees and power lines down throughout my neighborhood. We were one of the lucky ones and we only without power for three days -- just across the street they were down for six days. The day after the power went down, we realized it was time for a long overdue trip to Target to re-stock are emergency supplies. A cart full of flashlights, bottled water, bandaids, batteries and beef jerky and we were good to go.

That night the boys decided that the flashlight was just about the best toy ever. Oooo.. look mom if I turn it off after telling ghost stories, I can make my little brother scream. Shadow animals on the wall. Big fun. Don't get me started on the fact that it was 95 degrees and we had no air conditioning for THREE DAYS!!!



So anyway, I was going through the vast backlog of email and was delighted to see this find from Coochicoos. A flashlight that can really be used as a toy without draining the batteries. These adorable LED pig flashlights don't use batteries, you just squeeze and pump the side lever for about 20 seconds to charge its batteries for 8 minutes worth of light.

Only $16 at Uncommon Goods

Patagonia Summer Sale!

It's time for the summer sales and first up is the end of season sale at Patagonia. Through August 21, you can save 30-60% on select summer products at www.Patagonia.com.

A few of our favorite selections:

Girls' Boardie Shorts
Was: $34.00
Now: $23.80


Kids' Capilene® 3 Crew
Was: $29.00
Now: $14.00


Kids' Baggies™ Shorts
Was: $26.00
Now: $13.00


The Kids' Rain Shadow Jacket
Was: $99.00
Now: $68.60

Attention New York Shoppers!

Calling all New York Shoppers! One of our favorite online boutiques, Pink Olive Boutique, has opened a brand new store in Manhattan's East Village.

Pink Olive specializes in more than just baby items and has amazing gifts and getaway items for mom too - keep reading to see some of their selections.

Location: 439 E. 9th St (between 1st and Ave A), New York , NY 10009 , 212-780-0036.


Pink Olive Boutique is the perfect match for Manhattan ’s hip East Village. Its location is nestled in a friendly neighborhood with an eclectic mix of shops for locals, young families, college students, and visitors


Pink Olive carries a selection of popular brands Blabla, Eberjey Mini, Minilabo, Trumpette, and Zid Zid. If you are looking for a special gift, shoppers can choose from Bonnie’s Style Press, Cat Fish Greetings, Kenneth Jay Lane, Lollia, Snow & Graham, and more. The getaway collection (think bikinis and wraps) includes, Cool Change, Geodesis, Gianna Rose Atelier, Milly Cabana, and Malie Kauai .

For those of you who can't make the trip to their new location, check out their entire selection at www.pinkoliveboutique.com.

Zeichen Press: Funky Cards with a Retro Flare

There is something incredibly nostalgic about the feel of the cards from Zeichen Press -- that is until you read the funny, funky messages that put a modern twist on a retro look.

The cards, coasters, and cd cases created using an antique letterpress complete with vintage printer blocks, wood type, and antique lead for a truly vintage finished product. The use of the vintage method gives the cards a layer of texture and depth that today's printers just cannot capture.

The witty messages are sure to bring a smile to your face.

A sampling for new moms include: "Eat, Sleep, Poop -- Repeat", "I'm Glad You're Having a Baby -- And I'm Not", and "Hey I Wasn't Born Yesterday - Just Kidding I Totally Was". They have a complete line with cards available to mark just about any cardworthy event. (They even do custom design work if you want something really, really unique.)



Founded by two sisters-in-law in Minneapolis. Jen and Fran have an easy rule for their messages: "I write something and if Jen laughs, we use it," says Fran.

Available at select retailers.

Plain Mary: All Tees on Sale for Back to School

Adorable rock and roll styles for back to school are on sale at Plain Mary. Their guitar tee is perfect for the little rocker dude and the skull & bows tee will please your little pop princess.

These stylish 100% cotton shirts were recently featured at the 2007 Golden Globe Boom Boom Room.

These back to school basics are on sale for the month of August. Just enter coupon code "aug10e" at checkout.

Bellybars: Yummy Pre-Natal Snacking Treats

When I was expecting I couldn't stomach those huge pre-natal vitamins. I literally had morning sickness around the clock and the vitamins were one of the things that was sure to send me running for the bathroom. The only solution that seemed to work was to take two Scooby-doo vitamins to make sure I had the nutrients my body needed in a way that my body could tolerate.

Today there are more options available to make sure expectant mommies-to-be get all those precious vitamins and nutrients that they need. One of the

A new snack designed just for expectant mothers called Bellybars aims to give moms-to-be a healthy, all-natural nutrition bar designed for women's specific nutritional requirements before, during, and after pregnancy. Each pair is packed with essential pre-natal nutrients including protein, iron, folic acid, calcium, and vitamin B-6 in a much tastier variety than the standard pre-natal vitamin pill.

Currently available in four flavors: Mellow Oat, Berry Nut Cravings, Baby Needs Chocolate, and Burstin' Chocolate.

Bellybars have found their way into the snacking hands of Celebrity Moms or Moms-to-be including Marcia Cross, Tori Spelling, Bridget Moynahan, Lauren Ambrose, Brooke Shields and Melania Trump.

The bars retail for $1.99 each and are available at at Whole Foods and Babies R Us and online at target.com.