Sunday, August 30, 2009

Oh it's on!

This book was and still is one of my favorites. I loved the idea of food falling over the town of Chewandswallow, it's seriously about time this classic book was made into a movie.

I only hope Sony Pictures Animation brings justice to this utterly creative tale. With a 3D experience in the mix, I have my hopes up. Don't let the children down, dammit don't let me down.

Release date: 18 September 2009 (USA)

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Marshalls x Tax free weekend


So I woke up at the crack of dawn on a mission to find excellent used books at garage sales, this is starting to become a ritual of mine. However the ones I stopped at were total duds, and it dawned on me that it's tax free weekend. No wonder there isn't any kick ass garage sales happening. So I headed to the stores before the crowds became unbearable, and boy did I hit the jackpot.

At Marshalls (4440 N. Freeway) I found a pair of Michael Kors for $19.99 (reg. $38.00) and a bright pair of orange Adidas for $14.99
(reg. $30.00). The Adidas are destined to freshen up my daughters fashion regimen; not to mention perfect for Halloween. And to top the day off I did find the books I got up so early for. This location has several good titles, Don't sleep!


Friday, August 21, 2009

Target is holding it down


Target is notorious for having super cute clothing on the cheap. I just picked up these 3 fabulous items this morning. I was shocked I was able to find the size I needed because when there's something hot at Target it goes fast.

The Halloween shirts above go for $5.99 a piece, and the corduroy pink polka dot bubble skirt is amazingly only $11.99. If I where to walk into any modern child boutique store this skirt will easily be priced at $49.99. Lucky for me I walked into Target instead.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

This is a must buy

I've had several friends who told me the most random/hilarious things their kids have said, and all I could do was laugh my freaking head off. I can't wait until my daughter cracks me up with her "isms." I would probably need to buy two journals because for sure I'm jotting down her wackiness every chance I get so that I have golden material to embarrass her with in the future. Oh and also for a cute keepsake. What kind of mom would I be if I didn't add that in there. The damage is $14.95 at Chronicle Books.

Fun for days with these chunky wooden puzzles



When I think of great educational puzzles the first name that pops in mind is Melissa & Doug. Why you ask? Well for starters, they are durable, well crafted, and finely hand painted. I truly enjoy the multitude of brightness each puzzle brings, I can't stand bland.

However, what I like best about the chunky wooden puzzles is that they're able to keep the attention of my 21 month old daughter. She doesn't even need my help in putting it together since they come with full color pictures behind each puzzle piece to guide her. Some times I even feel like I'm in the way. These puzzles go for $9.99 and you also get smiles for days with that price, that's a great value.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

One of a slew of halloween shirts to come

Baby Gap is hitting it hard with righteous halloween tee's this season. I heart the Scare Crew graphic at front in lieu of scare crow on this tee, total cool kid fashion.

It's not easy being green

If my tot strutted around the house with this tee I would have to go the extra mile to reuse, reduce, and recycle. Momma can't be an enemy to the war on pollution, not with this hardcore message in my face.

This shirt totally captures the words of children perfectly. I can seriously hear any eco-friendly kid shouting "Don't be Trashy." And to add to the greenness it's made from 100% organic cotton, the cool graphic makes this shirt a win. Pick one up here.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Miller Outdoor Theatre x LUMA light show




LUMA is the world's first "Human Light Show" that has been seen on four continents, a dozen countries, and coast to coast in the United States. LUMA brings cutting edge illuminated technology to the stage fused to a wide variety of disciplines from dance, magic, puppetry, rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatics, and physics phenomenon. LUMA depicts a world of luminosity from fireflies to meteors from carnival rides to screen savers.

This is definitely something I would want to see and/or experience, seems like my kind of entertainment. For sure I will make my way down to the theatre to enjoy the show with the fam. All I hope for now, is for up close and personal seats along with a nice breeze, so everybody is comfortable.

The artsy fartsy action will happen at the one and only Miller Outdoor Theatre, August 28-29 at 8:30 p.m. For more information click here.



Sunday, August 16, 2009

Book Alert

It's pop art "with a twist"- a fun collection of works by such 20th century masters as Warhol that turns the art world into a touch and feel sensation. On every page there's something you can pull, rub, touch, or whatever else little fingers can do. These book are a blast to read, look at, and play with.

The two books I have from the Touch the Art collection are destroyed already from constant manipulation, we can't get enough of it. The best part of the book in my opinion is being able to touch Marilyn Monroe's towering eyelashes.

Fancy Nancy

J. Crew Kids is having a final sale on some of their summer items which means killer deals on exceptional style BUT you must be absolutely positive you want/need that dress or top because there's no exchanges or returns. On that note, I'm seriously feeling this silk flutter dress right about now, drop dead precious. On sale now for $29.99

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Etsy Gems

Sushi may not be my first choice of food when it's time for take out. I'm more of a pepper steak with spicy chicken fried rice on the side type of women. But I'm all for a Sushi take out set made of felt to liven my daughter's dramatic play time. The set includes:
1 Take-out box
1 set of chopsticks
1 piece of salmon sushi
1 piece of tuna sushi
1 salmon roll
1 tuna roll
1 fortune cookie
get all the pretend cultural yumminess here for $20.00


Nauga who?

I stumbled upon this little gal in a garage today, she's a Nauga. Exactly, what the heck is a Nauga? I wondered the same thing as I stared at her. So I found out, and she's actually pretty cool. It turns out Naugas have their own mythological history going on.

In the 60's a company named UniRoyal created a synthetic fabric called Naugahyde that is used as an alternative to leather. To help promote/market the product so it can stand out against the competition they came up with the idea of creating an imaginary creature ( hence, Nauga) to do so. The idea was that the Naugas shed their hide each year, and the result was Naugahyde, the leather-like material.

Today UniRoyal is still using the Nagua, over 40 years on, to promote Naugahyde. The original Naugas have become collector items. Although you can still adopt your very own creature here.
But, adoption doesn't come cheap at $29.95 a pop. It must have been fate between this ugly doll and I because she had the perfect price of just 10 cents. I scooped her up, and gave her a lovely home. The End.

Ode to Matryoshka

Baby Gap had to release a collection of clothing dubbed St. Petersburg in which the pieces are influenced by the uniqueness of Russian nesting dolls. Matryoshka dolls are a weakness of mine, why must you do this now Baby Gap, just when I told myself to stop purchasing clothes for my daughter? Only because she has outfits for every day of the year, by now. Jeez. I'm trying my hardest to stay away until they go on sale, but I'm pretty she'll have a few outfits by next week. Sometimes I hate the internet.

Back to school funk


Send them back to school in these brilliant funky sneaks from Puma. These shoes are definitely not easy on the eyes which make them all the greater. The velcro straps are excellent for the itty bitty ones. Step into a pair for $42.00 at Milkshop.

What to be for Halloween?

I already snagged my daughter's Halloween costume from Pottery Barn Kids. Yes, I agree, their prices are a bit too steep, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to have my little pumpkin guised as a panda bear this year. I know there's moms out there who shop super early for the perfect halloween getup, and I had to beat them to the punch before this beauty sold out.

When my daughter tried on the outfit, I knew then it was $50.00 rightly spent. It was absolutely perfect. Plenty of gorgeous costumes still available, stating at $29.00

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Rolling back prices

Your job as a mom is an important one, and if you're like me you don't leave the house without your trusty Clorox disinfecting wipes to protect your children from common household germs that can make them terribly sick. Usually a 7" x 8" container with 35 wipes will run about $2.54 at any store, but right now at Walmart you can pick up your one step cleaning sidekick for only $1.97, no limit. I usually try my best to avoid going to Walmart, but this is a deal I will battle the crowds for.

Cute to the max, bro

New from Misha lulu's upcoming fall collection is this adorable City Stroll frock with Mr. Raccoon and Squirrel made from 100% organic cotton. The bow embellishment on the hip tops off the cuteness, just look at that. This dress is ideal for a casual day around the city/park whilst keeping her fashionista status. I would definitely throw under my choice of colored leggings for that extra snap. Pre-order one here.

Disney's unforgettable characters under one roof with ice skates on

Baby bird and I were able to score front row tickets to Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic which has every potential to be spectacular, and sweet Nemo I hope it is. Dang, it's 100 years of magic it better be nothing less.

Use the pre-sale password BELLE at Ticketmaster to secure the best seats in the house before they go on sale to the public on 9/26/09. And if you don't care too much about premium seating the password can also score you unbelievable $14.00 tickets for opening night.

Now all I have to do is sit back, relax and save my money, because after purchasing a cotton candy, one drink, and a spinning gadget that lights up so that my baby girl feels cool, I will be broke. I just hope the Reliant Center doesn't fail me again with their lack of help. The magic begins November 11-15.

Friday, August 7, 2009

MFAH x Latin America

Thursday (free day) I took my daughter to the latest exhibition North Looks South : Building the Latin American Art Collection at the MFA's Caroline Wiess Law building. Needless to say we both had a remarkable time admiring the legion of talented Latin artists from past to present in every medium. I found myself in awe standing in front of Frida Kahlo, and Xul Solar. My 21 month old expressed her amazement in one word "wow" and that's exactly what it is.

The youngins' will appreciate the installations from the different artists who use a wide range of media to communicate their art, and there's plenty of multimedia to go around. The best part of going to the exhibit with your children is that you are contributing the growth of aesthetic awareness.

Disney is pulling all the stops

Say what? A Christmas Carol train tour is stopping in Houston for one day only to promote the new movie featuring Jim Carrey where we will be able to see Charles Dickens Museum artifacts and engage in other radicalness inside the train for free. WOW! I'm out of breath.

This is beyond awesome, having all these great elements coming together in Houston: trains, Christmas, Charles Dickens, FREE, and a sneak peak at the movie. I will definitely be there with my conductor hat on. Everything will happen Tuesday, August 11, 2009 from 9:00am-7:00pm at Houston's Amtrak Station.

Houston is not the same with out you Arne.

Seriously. I would pass by this huge hunk of brick after the disaster of Hurricane Ike and pout that it wasn't open for business. It's something about this place that makes me giddy inside. Maybe it's all the whimsical useless stuff you can buy, or the idea that every time I need to shop at Arne's the holidays are right away the corner, particularly Halloween.

Well get ready, because Arne's is making a comeback just in time for us to buy all our ghoulish needs to do Halloween right. I'm personally excited. If any store needs a ribbon cutting for their grand opening, it's this one. Doors officially open August 15, 2009.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Galleria Disney Store grand opening

Head on down to the Galleria August 11, 2009 to be part of the Disney Store grand opening celebration. The first 200 guests will receive a free Mickey Mouse lollipop, and with every purchase you will also freely receive your own pair of Mickey Mouse ears. Not to mention, you'll be one of the first to peep the remarkable deals Disney Store will most likely have.

So, round up the kiddos, and get ready to brighten their day because all the Mickey Mouse fun begins at 10:00 a.m. with a ribbon cutting to officially open the store.


Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Finishing touch

This distressed belt from WonderBoy is an awesome touch to any little guy's outfit. It's made out of 100% leather and has a nickel buckle to give the belt the ultimate urban kid look. Dudical to the max.

Ecotots Bonsai book caddy

This book caddy does a big job for such a wee size. It can hold dozens of your child's favorite books in a fun child friendly height while guaranteeing a lifetime construction from your kiddo's love and abuse. Sounds good to me, now the only mission will be keeping the books on the caddy with my reading loving tot. Land of Nod carries the caddy in cocoa or white finish.

A lark! A spree! It’s very clear to see that…

Mary Poppins along with all the magic she brings will be crossing through Houston, beginning Oct 22 until Nov 8 at Hobby Center's Sarofim Hall. If you pre-order your tickets now and use the access code KITE you can save $10 on selected performances. This offer ends August 8, 2009.

So don't forget to take the little ones to get their chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee on.

One for the road.

Does your kid really need this, probably not? But doesn't this crocheted beaded necklace make you want to pull your debit card out and buy neat little accessories such as this? I'm still holding out, on the grounds that giving your child a unique hip factor doesn't come cheap. If money "ain't a thang" for you, get yours for $30.00 here.

Lemongrass Freshness

I'm already preparing my tot for the outright wonderful weather fall brings to town with wonderful accessories such as this lemongrass buckle beanie stunner. I Instantly fell in love with the color, it's vibrant, fresh, and downright cool. Not only will this crochet beanie keep your child's head nice and warm, but they'll definitely be one of the coolest kids in the sandbox.
Get your hands on one here.