Candy lovers unite! Peeps® marshmallow candies are being sold in record numbers all year long. That’s right! The nostalgic sweet treat that you enjoyed on Easter as a kid are now available for other holidays and special occasions too. Best of all, the festive marshmallow madness has spread to gift ideas and novelties that can be given any time of year.
Imagine the joy on someone’s face when they open a gift of Peep candles. What a unique idea! The scents are reflective of delicious Peep flavors and include sugar cookie, chocolate mousse, and strawberry crème. Yum!
I recently (no, it’s not Easter is it?) ordered quite a few items from the Peeps™ and Company store including marshmallowy treats, notepads, a t-shirt for my daughter, and snap hair clips.
While the traditional Easter shapes included baby chicks and bunny heads, you can now buy Christmas trees, snowman, and other themed shapes for Christmas, ghost and pumpkin shapes for Halloween, and other original creations during the remainder of the year. Why not capture the essence of each unique design by purchasing soft plush dolls for the home.
Kids and adults alike love the yummy goodness of a marshmallow Peep and their bright fun colors. Show off your love of an old classic with a trendy Peep shirt, sweatshirt, jewelry set, or other Peep gear. They are hip to wear, fun to look at, and available in all sizes.
For a truly unique experience, try gourmet marshmallow Peeps® that will wow the senses. Chocolate dipped Peeps® candy take your favorite sweet treat to a whole new level. And do not forget to try unique flavors including caramel, peppermint, orange, and chocolate. There’s a new world of Peeps® marshmallow treats waiting to be discovered, and they’re out there all year long!
Disclosure: I was engaged by Mom Bloggers Club to participate in a campaign for Peeps®. All opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced in any way.
I know, it’s hard to believe I was around in 1977. You know what has kept me looking so young? Probably all the Peeps® I ate and played with as a kid. Please don’t laugh. I have to make my self feel a little better somehow. The summertime blues are hitting me and I like to think that I still look a little younger than I am. Peeps® have been around since 1953 I believe so they have a few years on me.
Something that I remember getting every year for Easter is Peeps®. No, not the kind that our kids think of.. friends, but the delicious sugar covered, marshmallow kind. My sister and I weren’t allowed to eat many sweets as kids so imagine our excitement when Easter, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween came around every year.
I wouldn’t just eat the Peeps® though. Oh no. I got creative with Peeps®. I put on shows with the little Peeps® bunnies and chicks like you wouldn’t believe. “Quack” said the mommy Peep. “Hop to the Mulberry Store to get your school supplies” mommy Peep said as little Peep hopped off into my mouth. No kidding. I LOVED everything about Peeps®. The colors, the texture, the sweetness, the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of the little chicks. Goodness, those were good days. Then I went several years sans Peeps®. You know, the childless years. When my son was about almost 3 years old, I gave him his first Peeps® and what did he do? He played with them!
I’m sure you are saying something like, “Alicia, it’s not Easter. Why are you talking about Peeps®?”. Well, Peeps® are amazing all year round! Easter, Valentine’s Day, for Teacher Appreciation Day, Birthdays, Christmas, and just any ordinary day. You can order Peeps® online 24/7. Whatcha waiting for?
Disclosure: I was engaged by Mom Bloggers Club to participate in a campaign for Peeps®. All opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced in any way.
When my son (now 11 years old) was little, we bought him designer baby clothes (Ralph Lauren) at stores like Neiman Marcus. Talk about silly! Between his uncanny ability to stain an outfit in less than 5 seconds and how quickly babies grow, he didn’t wear an outfit more than a few times before it was thrown away due to staining or it was too small. I learned this lesson pretty quickly.. don’t spend a fortune on baby and children’s clothes! They simply grow too fast and the clothes usually get stained too quickly to justify spending $100+ on a designer outfit.
Learn to shop smart and save big by purchasing gently used kids clothing, baby gear, and toys from your local children’s consignment store.
At the consignment store you can get high quality, gently used clothing at low prices. With the rapid growth spurts of your kids, buying new clothes at each stage can be costly, making consignment stores a perfect resource that you should take advantage of. To ensure minimal spending when you go to your local children’s consignment store take a look in your baby or child’s closet first and make a check list of the things he/she needs.
Consignment stores are great places to get kids clothing and they are usually a lot cheaper but their clothing may be a little more used. They do however have extra discounts on some items on their sale days.
You can also visit yard sales where you have the opportunity to get a full wardrobe for only $10 but in order to get to these yard sales, it requires a lot of work on your part. For example, checking the papers and getting up early on Saturday mornings to ensure that you get the best buys at the best prices.
If you really must get new clothing for the kids you can purchase them at specialty stores where you can save some money. Think of the maximum length of wear time that each piece of clothing has before purchasing.
Hand-me-downs from family members and friends can come in handy and they usually have very little wear and are quite usable.
When looking at all the options given, the children’s consignment stores stand out with their low costs, brand names, clothing for special occasions, high quality, every day wear , end of season sales and their huge discounts.
Recommendations
You can find maternity and children’s consignment stores near you by searching Google for your city and “consignment stores”. You’ll also find great consignment opportunities online at websites including eBay, Gently-Used.com, and ThredUp.com.
ThredUp.com is a great concept.. you swap boxes of clothing with other moms and pay just $5 for shipping. You can see a list of what’s included in each box including the brand name in most cases. ThredUp.com shoppers can search boxes by age, size, and type of clothing making it very easy to find exactly what your child needs quickly.
Chevrolet, General Motors’ price leading brand, has brought to the increasingly fuel efficiency conscious American consumer three vehicles that are impressive in their diversity and mpg ratings. The Chevrolet Volt, Equinox, and Cruze Eco have rushed to the top of the coveted gas mileage rating guides in dramatic fashion. What is especially appealing is that the each model shows that Chevrolet is moving closer to future in terms of providing family oriented vehicles with frugal family economy.
Chevrolet Volt
Chevrolet Volt
The vehicle attracting the most media attention is the Volt. It is a hybrid sedan that offers the versatility of a lithium-ion battery pack and a four-cylinder engine. We found that if you plug it in at night you can go 50 miles at highway speed before the gas engine takes up the challenge. Thus is is very difficult to provide mile per gallon information. If you don’t travel more than 50 miles per day and plug it in daily, you simple don’t need to use the gas engine. If you are only using the gas engine you get about 34 mpg. So the Volt is one vehicle where there really isn’t a miles per gallon rating that is accurate for everyone. The Volt costs slightly over $40,000 and that does not include the $7,500 federal tax credit. Add to that the fact that if you want a faster charge you need to buy a special unit that enables the batteries to get a bigger does of your electric bill. We figure it costs us about a dollar a day, but rates vary significantly. We doubt that if you travel 50 miles you are going to spend much more than a buck for the charge. Using the same yardstick, even with the very efficient Chevrolet Cruze, you would spend over four dollars at today’s fuel costs.
With seating for four, a lot of standard equipment including automatic climate control, cruise control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, a Bluetooth, OnStar, a navigation system with touchscreen, voice controls and real-time traffic, and a Bose stereo with CD/DVD player with auxiliary audio jack, iPod/USB capabilities there isn’t much more you need in the Volt. However, we always recommend the rear camera and park assist package as visibility to the back is hindered by the high trunk. The Volt also has a steeply raked front hood that makes it difficult to know how close you are to an obstruction in front and large A and B pillars that can compromise visibility to the sides. Safety wise you get ABS, stability control, front side and knee airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Braking is good.
We like the Volt and its driveability. It was quick off the mark and kept pace with traffic with ease. The dash and readouts are easy to master, but the modernist layout takes a while to master, especially with the bright, white plastic that covered the center stack on our test vehicle. The Volt comes with a cell phone application that enables you to keep track of the vehicle.
The electric motor and 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine work seamlessly and are the best we have tested. The engine does sound strained at times, but one look at the miles per gallon read-out is a balm for those occasions. However, the engine does seek premium fuel. The Volt holds four adults and, although the doors shut with a reassuring solid sound, there are signs that some sacrifices were made in the interest of a weight reduction with the lack of power seats and a smaller back seat. The trunk is useful in size and the rear seats fold down to help when caring longer packages.
Handling is surprisingly good and the brakes don’t have that numb feel that some hybrids possess. In a nutshell, the Volt is a playful, practical, and pretty sedan and well worth a drive if you can afford the price and can benefit from its electric only range. If those attributes don’t meet your needs , climb aboard the Chevrolet Cruze Eco which provides 36 mpg in mixed driving and costs under $20,000. Learn more about the Chevrolet Volt on Chevrolet’s website here.
Chevrolet Cruze Eco
Chevrolet Cruze Eco
Finally, a smaller Chevrolet that is downright zippy, gets excellent gas mileage, and has enough room for the average family. The problem is that the Eco, with its six speed manual transmission, is so frisky people are going to think you are just practical,when the reality is that the Eco is a hoot to drive. The inline-4 engine is perky, a bit playful, and quiet enough so that you have to train yourself to shift into its overdrive sixth gear because if feels and sounds so right in fifth.
There is an abundance of airbags front, side, knee and rear, and the Eco has stability and traction control, ABS, daytime running lights, OnStar, and more. Crash test scores are excellent. Chevrolet went all out on this model and it gives the competition a real run for money. And, if you order the Cruze with the larger engine it is even more invigorating. Of course the competition is significant especially with the new Hyundai Elantra and Ford Focus, but neither are as fun to drive. There are a plethora of models and options in the Cruz catalog, but our Eco was probably the best choice with the connectivity and cruise package for $525.
The Eco’s turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-4 generates 138 horsepower and is good for slightly sub ten second runs to 60 mph. Initial acceleration really isn’t its forte. It comes alive when you need a little zip to pass. Just downshift a gear or two and let the turbocharger perk things up. Fuel economy ratings for the six speed model are 28 mpg city/42 mpg highway a couple of miles per gallon less with the automatic. If you commute a lot, the automatic is probably the better choice.
Interior design is modern and comfortable, but rear seat leg room is a bit tight, as it is for most cars in its class. The dash is covered in a material that isn’t easy to clean and the interior’s overall look is trim, not fancy. The trunk is very large and the entire car is larger on the inside than it looks from the outside. Easy to shift, fun to drive, and excellent fuel mileage make this a must test drive vehicle for those who feel that the Asian competitors build the best compacts. We think you are going to be surprised, and there are some great deals being made. Learn more about the Chevrolet Cruze Eco on Chevrolet’s website here.
Chevrolet Equinox
2011 Chevrolet Equinox
We liked the early model Equinox better because it was smaller and more nimble. But this plus-sized new one isn’t that hard to love if you like practicality and are willing to live with its reduced visibility to the sides.
The good news here is that the Equinox and its standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque is powerful enough to handle most daily tasks in the front wheel drive model and delivers great economy. Moving to the 3.0-liter V6 and its 264 horsepower and six-speed automatic isn’t necessary, unless towing or with the all wheel drive option. There are several models from the basic LS to the upscale LTZ and all are well-equipped, with power front seat adjustments, a sliding and reclining backseat, and optional equipment extends from audio goodies to a power lift gate. However, third row seating is not offered. The Car Family feels that if you need seating for six or more on a regular basis a minivan is safer.
The range and fuel economy with the base engine is outstanding. We averaged over 26 mpg in mixed driving and the driving range before refueling can reach well into the 400 miles category. The EPA gives the Equinox a top notch 32-mpg EPA highway rating.
A nice feature of the Equinox are large side view mirrors, which as very handy as visibility to the sides is restricted due to the large A and B pillars. There is ample room inside and the seats are fairly comfortable. The cargo space, center console are quite spacious and the various storage bins are numerous.
The ride is what you would expect of a SUV and the acceleration acceptable. But what sets the Equinox apart is its combination of economy, room, and attention to details such as the ability to program the height the power tailgate reaches. This makes it ideal for shorter owners. Overall, a well thought out SUV that provides good family values.
Family conference: If it doesn’t kill you it makes you stronger and General Motors recent battle with bankruptcy has indeed resulted in some better models. No longer lingering are the Bob Lutz Hummer H2 and the stink of ignoring the American buyer’s interest. These three are all worth a long look and, perhaps, a return to the USA for family vehicle buyers. Learn more about the Chevrolet Equinox on Chevrolet’s website here.
We’ve all seen it. Supermodel Gisele was back on the runway and looking like she’d never even remotely had that baby bump she was sporting 9 months earlier. Actress Milla Jovovich gained 70 lbs with her pregnancy and had about four weeks to lose it for her upcoming role in the movie ‘The Perfect Getaway’ and she did it. Salma Hayek had a beautiful baby girl and within an amazing amount of time she was walking the red carpet in a skin tight outfit looking like she did in her pre-pregnancy days. The list goes on and people are amazed every time at gorgeous celebrity moms who have babies and within weeks are back in public looking as tight bodied and beautiful as they were the day they announced they were pregnant or before . But how can they do it? Really if we thought about it common sense tells us that we are not celebrities with the amenities they have, the funds they have, nor have we ever truly witnessed how these celebs are doing it. Not to mention their bodies are what are making them the celebs they are. They have no choice but to get back to being “them” as the press and the fans know and love them.
Why is it that celebrities can seem to lose weight and get those perfect bodies when we “normal” people struggle for months, even years to lose just a few pounds of weight, let alone the entire amount we’ve gained after our pregnancy? Are we really that uncontrolled? Are we really so horrible and lame that we can’t do what it seems like every celebrity out there can do? If they can do it, shouldn’t we be able to? The answer to those questions is a firm and adamant “NO!” We are not lame, uncontrolled, horrible, or just not strong enough to get back to that pre-baby weight easily. Simply said, we are not celebrities and we do not have the time, resources, or money to achieve what they can achieve in the amount of time they achieve it. We are “real” humans. Let’s break it down.
They make their money because of their bodies and looks. When they don’t have that perfect pre-baby body they are basically “out of work” for the most part. You and I can gain 10, 20, 30, even 70 pounds and still show up for our jobs 8 weeks later to our former job and receive our regular, although it be much smaller, paychecks. Celebs that don’t have their bodies don’t have their job offers waiting, plain and simple.
Many celebs choose to have scheduled c-sections to deliver their baby. They choose this for two main reasons; reason one, convenience and scheduling; reason two as soon as the baby is delivered a tummy tuck is performed. Many doctors argue that this is an unsafe practice and that any additional surgery before your body has the chance to recover from the first surgery (c-section) can be dangerous; while other doctors, mainly those who cater to celebs say it’s perfectly safe. Then again, we’ve all seen many celeb doctors prescribe medications that have proven to be lethal too haven’t we?
Celebs spend their 6-8 weeks after having their babies much different than the average woman who has just had a baby. While we typical moms are spending those weeks often preparing to go back to work, lining up daycare, preparing bottles or breastfeeding, changing diapers, cleaning the house, doing extra loads of laundry (how many onesies can a baby dirty up!?), walking the baby, waking up with the baby when they’re crying at 3 am and rocking them at 8 am, and so on; but enjoying most every minute of it.
Celebs on the other hand generally spend their 6-8 weeks post-baby time with a professional trainer, plastic surgeon, nanny, nurses, doctors, cleaning staff, waiting staff, and in many cases medications that help them to lose weight and handle stresses, etc. They pick the baby up and love it and fuss with it and adore it when they want to, when the have the time to and when they’re not busy doing other things. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they don’t love their babies just as much as you and I, but they definitely aren’t inconvenienced by them unless they choose to be. They don’t have to “fit” a scheduled fitness class that only happens at 11am and 2 pm in between feedings and diaper changes, etc. because if they want to “work out” during those times their paid staff makes sure it happens. Their trainers are there, their chefs prepare their healthy meals, and their doctors give them whatever they need in terms of pain relief, appetite suppressants and whatever else is requested. They’re life simply is not the real life you and I lead and for that reason alone we need to stop comparing their instant pre-baby body look within weeks to ours which seems to stay the same post-baby look forever.
Think of it this way, it took 9 months to grow that little miracle. Take 9 months to appreciate that miracle and slowly, safely, enjoy taking care of yourself and your baby. Find times for walks in the park or meet new moms at gym classes targeted specifically towards “Losing The Baby Weight” or “Baby and Me” style classes. Local family gyms are not only affordable but often offer discounts to families who are having financial difficulties, especially now that the new mom’s not working or perhaps has decided not to go back to work. Do you remember how fast that 9 months went before you were actually having that little miracle? Okay, perhaps those last 4 weeks or so seemed like forever, but the truth is… that’s how fast their life is going to go by right before your eyes. Enjoy them and enjoy being with them. Schedule time for you, but don’t fret that you are not perfect or back to your pre-baby weight and body. The less you stress about it and the more realistic you are about it, the easier it’s going to come off. If you approach this as the beginning of another adventure of your life, one with a new child, new experiences, and a chance to start the entire family on a healthy eating trend you’re going to enjoy together. Long walks after supper, baby in the stroller and enjoying the fresh air is a far better way to spend time; as opposed to allowing your nanny to walk the baby while your fitness instructor gives you one on one instruction on how to tone that tummy quicker. You won’t remember your instructor’s name in 15 years but you’ll fondly recall every minute you spent with your child.
Having a baby is not a free ticket to not take care of yourself; it’s actually just the opposite. It’s the biggest and best reason to make a change in lifestyle for the best and become as healthy as you possibly can. But it’s also time to be realistic on yourself and in your comparisons to those who have lives that are nothing like yours and mine. Sometimes it sounds glamorous to be able to have that 24/7 fitness trainer, chef, maid; but remember that with that glamour comes expectations that often leave you feeling unworthy and empty. That glamour comes at a cost of losing time with those you love and truly want to be with. The new celeb moms who are coming back with the pre-baby bodies that are knock out to look at have probably lost precious hours with their babies that they can never have back. If you ask me, I’ll do a few extra crunches or Pilates classes for a few more months and enjoy those special laughs, smiles and kisses. I’ll enjoy time with my friends, laughter with the ones I love and working a typical 8-hour day if I have to in order to enjoy the miracle of life I was given the chance to embrace. Go out and get an outfit that truly fits, so what if it’s a size bigger, you’re still looking like a knock out in it and will feel better. Share your moments with friends, start scrapbooking together and you’ll be reminded why your life might not be like Jay-Lo’s but it sure is happy. Fit time for you, for you and your partner, for you and your baby into your schedule and you’ll soon realize that placing someone else in that position where you are isn’t really an option.
Every time you look down and notice a little pouch that you never had, glance over and see that smiling, gurgling little one that’s growing before your eyes. It’s a small price to pay and one that you can pay off in small steps while enjoying the life of a non-celebrity mom.
Candy lovers unite! Peeps® marshmallow candies are being sold in record numbers all year long. That’s right! The nostalgic sweet treat that you enjoyed on Easter as a kid are now available for other holidays and special occasions too. Best of all, the festive marshmallow madness has spread to gift ideas and novelties that can be given any time of year.
