Have you ever wondered how I can talk about being frugal and then in the next picture have my boys dressed in Ralph Lauren and Baby Gap? Don't worry, I'm not being two faced. I have a secret I'd like to share with you... about 95% of my boy's clothes is used. I love, love, love a good bargain, and will search high and low for finding the best deal that will allow me to dress my boys super cute. Thankfully I don't have to look that hard. Wanna know why?
Right before Brayden was born a friend of mine told me I just HAD to go to a Rhea Lana's, a local consignment sale that occurs twice a year. 3 years later, I now consider myself a Rhea Lana's seasoned vet and one of their biggest supporters. Do you like name brand children's clothing? Rhea Lana's has it. Need baby gear? Rhea Lana's has it. Want to get some fun toys for your kids? Rhea Lana's has it. Need... well, you get my drift. Anything to do with children's clothing, toys, baby gear, etc., they have, and it's all in GREAT condition at GREAT prices. They even offer furniture!
For the past 2 years I have volunteered with the sale, either by distributing flyers, a yard sign, a car magnet, and even working a shift. I have to say, working a shift for the sale is my fave, as I get to meet other moms and have a good time. And volunteering is a win-win because not only are you able to enjoy the company of other mom's, but you also earn a pass to get into the sale before the public!
The fall 2011 sale is coming soon to the Frisco Station Mall in Rogers. The sale dates are August 21-27. If you are looking to consign your kid's clothing or gear, I don't think there's a better way to go than Rhea Lana's. And if you are looking for a great way to dress your kids cute and at a fraction of the retail cost, then PLEASE check out the sale this year! You'll be glad you did, trust me!
If you're interested in consigning, volunteering, or finding out more information about Rhea Lana's of Northwest Arkansas, you can visit their facebook fan page or their website for more information.
Yesterday, if someone hadn't told me, I would have thought it was Christmas morning. Or Christmas evening really, since the UPS man came during bath time. I wasn't really sure who was more excited: Drew, who was the one who got the package, or B, who was told about the package at bathtime.
Wanna know what was delivered?
Why, it was Brayden's new balance bike of course!
You may remember my recent post where I told you about a balance bike we were able to review for CSN Stores. In case you missed it and aren't familiar with balance bikes, basically the theory is that a child has a hard time cognitively learning how to peddle and balance at the same time. Thus, the need for training wheels. The balance bike eliminates this problem by removing the pedals and allowing the child to learn how to balance first. It develops self confidence, it allows them to go at their own pace (from tottering to actually balancing) and it sometimes even eliminates the need for training wheels once they transition to an actual bike.
The original bike we got was OK, but there were some issues with the size of the bike. Brayden loved it, but we were left to wait until he got tall enough to reach the ground when he sat on it. Enter the Strider PreBike.
After seeing my post, the Strider Sports company contacted me to let me know they wanted to see Brayden on a bike now, not when he grew a bit more, and wanted to send B a Strider bike to try out. We were more than happy to take them up on their generous offer, and have waited patiently during our blizzards last week for the bike to arrive. It showed up last night, and Brayden (and Drew) could not have been happier.... CLEARLY...
It was SO easy to put together.
Once it was together Brayden hopped right on. He EASILY touched the floor, and acted as if he'd been riding the bike all 2 years of his life.
He even spent some time tuning his new bike up for a ride :)
(crazy biker dude!)
Today he's spent a majority of the day either riding the bike around the house, or talking about it. We skyped my mom this afternoon so that she could see him ride. He was so proud. The cutest part is when he comes up behind something and says "beep beep!" as he's passing by. SO funny. I love how light the bike is; Brayden is easily able pick it up and carry it around on his own. It looks and feels like a real bike though, and Brayden has often said "like me Daddy" today as he rides around the house.
A big thank you to the Strider Sports company for making Brayden's bike dream come true!
PS-- if you're wondering why Brayden is only wearing a diaper in these pictures, it's because when he found out his new bike was in the living room, he bolted out of the bathroom from his bath. It was all we could do to get a diaper on him while Drew put the bike together. Be thankful... you almost got pictures of him naked with his new bike... haha!
Disclosure: The Strider PreBike was given to our family as a gift from Strider Sports Intl. Inc. All opinions and views in this post are my own, and I was in no other way compensated for this post. To view my blog's complete disclosure, click HERE.
Remember this post, in which I listed a couple of things on my want list? Well, guess what? I got one of them!
CSN Stores was gracious enough to allow me to review one of their many products from one of their 200+ stores. Drew and I had been talking about getting Brayden a balance bike soon, and so we took the opportunity to purchase and review the Prince Lionheart Balance Bike.
First off, let me just say that any mention of the word 'bike', or the sight of a bike, Brayden immediately starts stuttering the word "Daddy" because he gets so excited. He has correlated that Daddy has a bike, and so he wanted a big boy bike like Daddy. A friend of ours had purchased a balance bike for her 4 year old daughter for Christmas and swears by it. Basically, the theory is that a child has a hard time cognitively learning how to peddle and balance at hte same time. Thus, the need for training wheels. The balance bike eliminates this problem by removing the pedals and allowing the child to learn how to balance first. It develops self confidence, it allows them to go at their own pace (from tottering to actually balancing) and it sometimes even eliminates the need for training wheels once they transition to an actual bike. The concept is genius really, and since Drew is an avid biker, this was a no brainer for us.
I had a few problems with my giftcode going through, and as always I had the great help of a CSN Stores representative to help me through my transaction. That's what I like about CSN... it's not just a website where you have to search high and low for contact information... they have phone numbers that you can call and talk to REAL people, and you can even complete your transaction on the phone! I've always had great service through their customer service center. ALWAYS. Once I placed my order, I was happy to find out that they UPGRADED my shipping for me, and shipped it THE SAME DAY! WHOO HOOO!
It only took 4 business days for the bike to arrive. And when it did, Brayden was BEYOND excited. We had to wait until Daddy came home to unpack and put it together.
So excited to open his new bike!
helping daddy put on the wheels!
All ready to ride his new bike!
So here's the lowdown: the bike says it's for ages 2-5. Brayden is a bit tall for his age (he'll be 2 in April), and still is not able to touch the floor at the lowest seat setting (there are 3 settings in all). We were (Brayden included) a little disappointed. It's ok though because I know he'll grow into it. On the flip side, the seat has 3 settings, so we know it's something he'll eventually grow into and be able to use for quite a while. The bike is made out of quality birchwood. While I think it will be OK, Drew is a bit worried about the seat having a piece of wood that is only screwed into the seat, not the actual body of the bike. He's worried it won't hold up with two boys, but all of the reviews I've read online make me think that we shouldn't really worry about it too much. The tires are REAL bike tires, so it makes the bike seem more like a big boy bike, which I know B loves. Overall, I think this bike is a GREAT concept, I think we probably just shot the gun a little early on it. If you have a 2 year old (or older) I would definitely recommend the bike, especially if they are interested in a big boy (or girl) bike... it's a great alternative to having to deal with training wheels. And if you're looking for a place to purchase it, I'd DEFINITELY recommend CSN Stores.
Disclaimer: In exchange for this review, CSN Stores provided me with a giftcode to go towards the purchase of the bike. I was in no other way compensated for this review, and all opinions expressed in this post are my own. To view my blogs full disclosure policy, please click HERE.
Perhaps it's because it's the New Year, and everyone has organizational items and new home decor out, but I really have the desire to redo our living room. More so, the floors than anything else. Our carpets are disgusting and since all of the traffic goes through the living room, wooden floors would be nice, perhaps with a nice modern rug to top it off?
In dreaming of my new living room floors, I hopped on over to CSN Stores. I mean, you do realize that they offer virtually everything under the sun? Floor coverings are no exception. They have a fabulous selection of modern rugs... Look at this beautiful rug that they carry:
If you've read my blog for long, you probably know by now that I LOVE Red. It's an accent color throughout our house, so this would flow perfectly-- with those nice wooden floors of course ;o) Believe it or not, they offer wood flooring too. I am a sucker for the distressed flooring look (because we all know having two boys means it will look distressed whether I want it to or not!) Check out these beauties:
As I was looking at rugs and thinking of flooring, I came across these cute chairs:
They offer other colors too, and the print is so adorable!
Of course, while perusing all of the cute modern stuff that CSN Stores offers, I thought about how one day I'd love to have a playroom. I thought this rug would be so cute in a gender neutral playroom:
And what's a playroom with awesome new toys... CSN Stores carries some of the coolest modern toys I've seen. One of my new faves is the balance bikes they carry.
Some friends of ours got one of these for their little girl for Christmas and she LOVES it.
I really could go on and on about everything I WANT. But for now, I guess I'll keep dreaming over at CSN Stores. Perhaps you should go and dream too ;o)
After my last CSN Stores review, you didn't think I'd go and leave you, my loyal readers out of the fun did you? I sure hope not. I mean, it's Christmas season, and I intend to spread the joy. And for the online shoppers, CSN Stores definitely spreads the joy. With over 200+ stores, they pretty much offer anything you'd ever want to give your loved ones (or gift yourself!). On top of all of the great things that they offer, their customer service is outstanding, and their shipping is SUPER fast, so you really don't have a reason NOT to shop with CSN Stores! Right now, they're running some awesome deals for the Christmas season. Deals like:
Are you obsessed with kids shoes? I am, and I have literally spent HOURS browsing the shoe selection at CSN Stores. I think these loafers would be SUPER cute on my little Connor:
So, I guess you want to know how I am going to spread the joy. Well, I have some CSN Stores joy to spread your way. That's right, this post is a CSN Stores giveaway! Up for grabs is a $65 promotional code to use on any of the 200+ CSN Stores. I know you're dying to know how you can enter in this awesome giveaway, so here's the low down:
There are several ways to gain entries (you MUST leave a comment for EACH entry that you are eligible for): 1. MANDATORY ENTRY (this entry must be met before you are eligible for any other entry): BE/BECOME A FOLLOWER OF MY BLOG. (1 ENTRY) 2. Visit CSN Stores and tell me what you would use the gift code for (1 additional entry) 3. Add my blog button to your blog (1 additional entry) 4. Add me to your blog roll on your blog (1 additional entry) 5. "Like" A Dollop of My Life on Facebook (1 additional entry) 6. Blog about this giveaway (1 additional entry. Please be sure to leave the permalink to your blog post-- I WILL check the links!).
This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only.
The giveaway will run from Wednesday, December 8, 2010, until Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 7:30am CST.
The winner will be chosen using random.org and announced on this blog.
The winner will also be notified via email, so please leave an email on EVERY entry if you do not have your email attached to your blogger profile.
The winner will have 48 hours from the time of notification to respond with their information. Should the winner not respond within the given 48 hours, a new winner will be picked.
Disclosure: In exchange for this post, CSN Stores has provided the promotional code for me to giveaway to one of my readers. No other compensation was received, and all opinions in this review are my own. For my full disclosure policy, please click HERE.
If my life wasn't such a whirlwind of events and holidays, I might have gotten this review up earlier. But better late than never, and I suppose with a review it's good to have a good amount of time under our belt to test out the awesome new products that we received from CSN Stores.
When CSN Stores contacted me to do another review, I was beyond thrilled. I LOVE CSN Stores, and I love being able to shop with them. They have such a great selection of products, and for people who love to shop online, they're the best place to go for one stop shopping. For this particular review, I decided to pick out two different items... one for B-man and one for myself!
Brayden had been showing great interest in basketball (well, really anything that has to do with a ball, but basketball is definitely one of them!), and we were wanting to get a basketball goal set for him. We were hesitant to purchase something that was too big, considering (at the time) I couldn't really lift him to score every time. This set really is the best of both worlds for us. It allows Brayden to score on his own, but also gives us a bit of flexibility by growing with him. The set adjusts from 2.5 feet up to 4 feet. It comes with a soft basketball, and a real net, so it looks and feels like a real goal. Brayden absolutely LOVES it. We keep the set in the house right now, and it really doesn't take up much room. I think once it gets pretty outside again in the spring we'll move it out there for him to play with. I accidentally deleted the pictures of him with his goal before Connor was born, but I do have this cute video of him when the goal was delivered to our house. He was SO excited about it!
Of course, CSN Stores came through again with the basketball set, as I actually had looked for this set at other retailers online but they were always out of stock. Not CSN Stores! They even upgraded my shipping for me, so from the time we ordered it to the time it came to the door was only a span of a few days! If you have a toddler that loves sports, this set would make the perfect Christmas gift. And CSN Stores is offering guaranteed shipment by December 24th on this set, so you really don't have an excuse not to get it!!!
This time I wanted to get something for myself as well, considering the past couple of things I've either won or reviewed have been for the little man. I had actually been waiting for CSN Stores to stock up on the Baby Jogger Belly Bar for my Baby Jogger City Mini Double.
Luckily, they got it in stock around the same time I was picking out things to review. I had read several reviews on the CSN website that said the belly bar was good for toddlers in the City Mini. It allows them to ride in the stroller and lean forward a bit in the seat. We haven't used the double stroller that much yet since we just had Connor two weeks ago. The belly bar is installed though, and it fits perfectly. One thing I am concerned about is that it's a bit taller than I expected, so I am not sure how much it will help out Connor until he's more in the toddler stage. For Brayden though (who's 19 months), I think it will help him when he wants to have a better look and not be so reclined. I'm hoping to get the tray sometime soon to accompany the belly bar so that Brayden has somewhere to put his cups and snacks when we're out and about. Overall, I think it's a good attachment, and can't wait to use it more!
Of course, CSN Stores did great with both customer service and shipping. I really can't say a bad thing about my experience. It went smoothly, from the time I called customer service to make the order to the time both pieces arrived on my doorstep. If you're looking for an easy way to Christmas shop this year, I DEFINITELY recommend CSN Stores.
Disclosure: In exchange for this review I received a CSN promotional code to go towards the purchase of both the basketball set and the belly bar from CSN Stores. No other compensation was received, and all opinions expressed in this review are my own. To view my full disclosure policy, please click HERE.
Well, this is a first for me... the original winner of the Kix Giveaway didn't respond to my post for the winner. SO, I had to select a new winner. Obviously I've been a bit preoccupied with our new little mister, so I apologize for the slight delay in re-running the numbers. Without further ado, I give you the NEW results.
Congrats Jess! Please email me at lifesdollop at gmail dot com with your address and phone number so I can get it submitted for redemption! And thanks to all who entered into the Kix Giveaway!
