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Are you of the lucky few whose kids have grandparents that give the best gifts without any prompting or hint dropping? Good for you because the vast majority of us have parents and in-laws who are clueless when it comes to gift giving.

My mother has to be the worst gift giver ever. She tends to buy my kids gifts that she wanted as a kid. She insists my daughters should have a collectible Barbie for every occasion even though my oldest daughter has made it quite clear that she has never liked to play with Barbies. This is the same daughter who will need therapy as an adult when she starts having flashbacks from the days when grandma made her wear stiff polyester pinafore dresses trimmed in itchy lace.

Sometimes my mother does choose a great gift or toy for my kids but they are not age appropriate. She seems to think her grandchildren are much younger than they are. Maybe that’s her way of preventing them from growing up too fast. The sad thing is my kids have figured out what a lousy gift giver grandma is but are learning how to graciously accept her gifts. I actually role play with my kids on how to not let grandma know that her gift sucks since she tends to get her feelings hurt easily. Why is it that the worst gift givers are always the most indignant that you must love their gift and tell them often just how wonderful their gift is?

My kids have perfected the art of telling grandma that her gift is their favorite.

I’ve lost all hope that my mother will get a clue and assure my kids that one day they will be able to laugh about grandma’s gifts.

This post is a part of the Parent Bloggers Network’s latest Blog Blast, sponsored by the Grandkids Gift Guide.  Post anytime this weekend- Friday, May 16 through Sunday, May 18.  Then email the link to your post at parentbloggers@gmail.com.  You could win a fab prize!

Things are getting bad. Real bad. I just spent $100 to fill my gas tank and I’ll have to fill up again in five days. If that isn’t bad enough my grocery bill increases $10 each week and my family isn’t eating anymore than we were a month ago. Money is tight so more than ever I have to find ways to save wherever I can. This is why I prefer to shop online. I tend to spend a lot less than if I go into the store with all the things on endcaps that I didn’t know I needed until I saw them. All too often I go to Target for a bottle of shampoo and walk out $100 poorer.

The only drawback to shopping online can be the shipping and handling charges. Many times I have deserted my online shopping cart when I saw the high shipping cost.

Recently I came across a site I must share with our spend thrifty readers. Freeshipping.org is a free shipping resource that is committed to helping shoppers save money online by listing trusted online retailers who offer free shipping coupons.

The website is easy to navigate with a huge list of free shipping offers all in one place. The most well known retailers and their logo are visible at the top of the page such as Target.com. One click on the logo takes me to a page of Target free shipping offers and codes.

I can also browse the site by store name or category. I can find a huge list of toys free shipping codes by clicking the toys category. I wasn’t even aware that so many of my favorite retailers offer free shipping.

Thanks to freeshipping.org I can save money on gas and shipping. I have the site bookmarked and I check their site first before I shop. Chances are very good that I will find the free shipping code I need.

 

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I am thrilled to share our latest product review for a personalized storybook from custommadeforkids.com.

I was sent The First Adventures of Incredible You which was customized by me filling out an order form that contained 17 questions. The questions are generic enough that they can pertain to just about any family but felt specific to my family when I read the finished product. It feels like the book was written just for my family with specifics such as my youngest splashing in the tub with her sister or how everyone comes running when daddy makes brownies.

I created the book for my youngest who is two. She absolutely loves the book and how could she not with such colorful illustrations and her name along with personal details written into the story?

I have given and received many personalized books over the years and must say that this is by far the best I’ve ever read. The quality of the book is superb right down to how my child’s name and other personal information is integrated into the story. It truly feels like it was written just for us.

I’m not the only parent who feels this book is the bomb. The First Adventures of Incredible You is the winner of the iParenting Media Award for Outstanding Product in the Gift category. This award winning book is the perfect gift for keepsake baby gifts, baptism gifts, birthday gifts, or holiday gifts for newborns and young children. Not only is it a great gift for children but also for grandparents and expecting parents.

Take the virtual tour yourself to see how beautifully crafted this book is.

A big thanks to custommadeforkids.com for providing us with such a treasure to review. Not your ordinary personalized storybook indeed!

Say the word Hanes and what do you think? Hanes products….all the important basics…underwear…tees…etc. I must say how pleasantly surprised I was to receive an assortment of kid clothing and accessories from Hanes. Who knew? My 5 year old and almost 3 year old happily “tested” out the various products- graphic tee shirts, jackets, sweatshirts, scooter skirt (yes, they make really hip and stylish kids garments!), boxer shorts, and a very innovative cool polo shirt. My first thoughts were how well made the products were- fine quality cotton, super soft to the touch and all stood up to outdoor playing and repeat washings. My daughter the comfort band fit of her “fairies” underwear and my son loved the thick and soft zip up jacket- perfect for the chilly mornings common here in Northern California. I was really impressed with the Hanes® StayClean® Cotton-Blend Kids’ Polo Shirt. Features include:

• Cool cotton-blend jersey looks and feels soft and smooth.
• Details add durability: clean-finished placket with two wood-tone buttons; two-needle topstitched hem.
• Built-in protection resists spills, releases stains, so shirt stays new-looking longer.
• Ribbed cuffs and welt collar keep their shape wash after wash (thanks to knit-in spandex).

Great for school uniforms and you will love the price- 2 for only $15. You will be hard pressed to find any item over $10. Hanes for Kids is ideal for the busy, cost conscious mom- affordable quality gear for your kids. What more could a mom ask for? Well actually- how about a $50 gift certificate to spend at Hanes.com. Visit their user friendly site and tell us how you would spend $50.

This giveaway is only open to US residents.

Deadline to enter giveaway is Monday, May19th at 11:59 pm central time. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org.

Winner will be notified via email and announced on this post. We’ll also be posting the winner’s name to PRIZEYWinners, so if you don’t want to leave your email address, just check there for the winner announcement after this giveaway closes.

If the winner does not claim prize by May 23, 2008 they will forfeit their prize to alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

Mother’s Day is less than a week away so PBN and Johnson’s have teamed up for a Blog Blast to promote their new charitable giving site, Johnson’s Baby Cause, powered by Global Giving.

To participate write a post on your blog about how you want to be recognized this Mother’s Day. Post anytime between now and next Thursday, May 8 and include links to http://www.babycause.com and http://blog.parentbloggers.com. PBN is donating $25 on the behalf of 10 winners and Johnson’s is hosting a celeb Ebay auction that’s worth checking out.

Personally I don’t necessarily want to change anything about how I’m recognized on Mother’s day. My family does a great job of making me feel like a queen. The whole day is about me. We eat brunch at our local botanical garden and then spend the afternoon walking around the garden. My husband and I were married in the Japanese garden so our kids love visiting where “mommy and daddy got married”. I get a ridiculously expensive gift from my husband and sentimental gifts from the kids. Of course everyone is on their best behavior.

In a perfect world everyday would be like Mother’s Day but I would be willing to settle for a “Mother’s Day” once a month!

I have always loved accessorizing my daughters’ outfits with matching head bows and clips. Now that I have a curly red headed daughter bows and clips have become a necessity to keep her unruly hair in place.

I feel that raising three hair bow wearing girls has earned me the title of Hair Accessory Connoisseur. I have learned that alligator clips and headbands are best. Bows that are attached to barrettes or clips that require two hands to put in and out snag and tangle hair. All it takes is one painful hair bow removal for your two year old to refuse ever wearing anything in her hair again. Save those types of hair bows for when your daughter is a little older!

I recently received some clips and a headband from Oopsie Dazie. The professional packaging and superb quality of what I’ve received has earned my seal of approval. Best of all, their prices are very affordable. Who wants to spend $12 on a bow that may end up lost or is only needed for a special occasion outfit? Oopsie Dazie clips are only $2 and bows are $3-$4. You can stock up on enough bows to match every outfit.

Finding the perfect clip to match an outfit is easy with Oopsie Dazie because of their large assortment of ribbon to choose from. You also can choose to embellish your clips with gems, buttons, or flower. The construction of the clips is very secure and professionally crafted. I like how the entire alligator clip is covered with ribbon so no metal is showing.

If your baby girl doesn’t have enough hair then Oopsie Dazie offers stretchy knit headbands to attach clips and bows. The headband is only $1.50 so you can afford to buy one in every color!

Oopsie Dazie offers so many options that it is easy to create one of a kind clips, pony holders, or headbands. I especially love the trendy and fun fabrics they offer for their pony holders. They are truly unique pony holders.

Head over to Oopsie Dazie and let us know what you think.

I admit it. I’m a shoe snob. Not so much about my own shoes although I do own a pair of Jimmy Choos that I covet but about my kids shoes. I love Target knock-offs but when it comes to shoes I’ve learned that it’s best to go with the best. Their shoes don’t hold up that well and the three pairs of Target tennies I bought last fall for one child cost me more than one pair of good shoes.

This is why I love Vincent shoes. They are a little pricey but you definitely get what you pay for. Not only are they durable but also very adorable.

Vincent Shoes came to fruition when a Swede and his partner couldn’t find a suitable shoe to gift his nephew, Vincent. They started designing their own shoes and within a year they opened a store in Stockholm. Nearly ten years later they are still designing fun, fashionable, and functional children’s shoes. I have bought several pairs of European shoes for my kids over the years and I have always been impressed by their quality and durability.

Recently I received two pairs of Vincent Shoes to review. The Rolf style in pink for my eight year old daughter …

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and Orvar in blue for my two year old daughter. They both LOVE their Vincent Shoes.

I asked my eight year old to share what she loves best about her Rolf shoes. She very enthusiastically replied that she loves the colors, especially the pink and that all her friends want a pair just like them. She loves that they are easy to put on and take off because of the stretchy elastic on the sides. She also loves how the bumps on the bottom keep her from slipping and she most definitely runs faster when she’s wearing them.

She could sell shoes!

My two year old is too young to tell me how much she loves her Orvar smiley face shoes but her wearing them to bed the first week is a pretty good indicator that she likes them a lot. I love them too! I’ve always been a big fan of Swedish clogs not only because I like the look of them but also because of how easy a toddler can put them on and off. If you are a mom of a toddler you know that toddlers like to put shoes on “all by myself”.

The Orvar clog boasts:

• All-leather upper
• Real-wood platform with thin rubber sole for traction
• Decorative silver rivets for a retro look

The smiley face is quite charming and she received compliments on them everywhere we went. It’s hard to be in a bad mood with such happy looking shoes.

Both pairs of shoes have been worn daily since we received them a month ago and they both still look new. The Orvar clog cleans up easily with a damp cloth and I washed the Rolf pair in the washer after an accidental step in a mud puddle. You would have thought she had hurt herself with how my eight year old overreacted about her muddy shoe. Thankfully they came out of the washer looking new again. Machine washing is not recommended but luckily the shoes and I survived the mud puddle ordeal.

Vincent Shoes are in European sizes but their shoe fitter guide, an intuitive and innovative online shoe sizing system acts as almost a personal shoe fitter so you can feel confidant in your shoe size selection.

All Lipstick to Crayons readers can take advantage of 20% OFF coupon code “SPRING-DEAL-8″ that is “valid for all full-price item purchases at www.VincentShoeStore.us through April 30, 2008 and free shipping for orders over $75.

*This review was brought to you courtesy of Parent Bloggers Network*

We are excited to offer a giveaway for a Mod Mum baby sling which are the Cadillac of baby slings. Constructed of beautiful, trendy fabrics and a sturdy construction so you can feel confidant that baby is safe and snug. With five sizing options you are sure to find the right fit. Mod Mum even offers a black fabric for the trendy dad or the reversible slings can be turned to the less feminine pattern.

Mod Mum slings retail for $54 or $64 depending on choice of fabric

To enter the giveaway, visit Mod Mum then leave a comment with the name of your favorite fabric.

Comments without a design name will not be entered in the drawing.

This giveaway is only open to US residents.

Deadline to enter giveaway is Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 11:59 pm central time. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org.

Winner will be notified via email and announced on this post. We’ll also be posting the winner’s name to PRIZEYWinners, so if you don’t want to leave your email address, just check there for the winner announcement after this giveaway closes.

If the winner does not claim prize by May 5, 2008 they will forfeit their prize to alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

Check out our other giveaway and many more giveaways at Bloggy Giveaways!

Congrats to our winner, Macy Fron!

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