[Spotlight: Gear] The Masculine (diaper) Bag

Whenever Erik, my husband takes the kids out, he brings his Patagonia Critical Mass® bag. He packs the necessities - water bottles, diapers, snacks, a sweat shirt for each kid and bandages (you never know), Benadryl and the Epi Pens. Then when he's done and out of the way, the kids pack in their own stuff - books, cars, stuffed animals and the ever important mini blankies for both of them.

I've never really had a traditional diaper bag per say but my chosen bags have compartments. Erik has veered away from the compartments all together. He says he has his own organizational thing going on in that bag. I look in it and see chaos, but hey, he's taking them out of the house so I'm not complaining any further. I didn't start to love his Critical Mass bag until I used it for the first time months ago. Yea, it's chaos in there but an organized kind of chaos.

Anyway, the moral to the story is - when he's done using this as a diaper bag, he's still going to use it. When I'm done using my diaper bag, I'm done using my diaper bag and getting one of these.

[Tags: Patagonia Critical Mass, diaper bag for men]

[photo credit: patagonia.com]

Eating on the Go

Ring Cutlery Set by GSI Outdoors

Eastern Mountain Sports is one of our favorite shops. We're not avid hikers, or bikers, or skiiers or climbers but our family has it's share of 'pro' equipment. The kids and I love EMS because they always have these really cool gadgets, most everything is so streamlined and sleek.

On our last trip to the shop for beach shorts (for me), I saw this cutlery set by GSI Outdoors. It's basically a fork, spoon and knife all kept together with a plastic ring. Sometimes it's just handy to have a set for the kids, keeps eating with their hands to a minimum. The two best things about this set? It's BPA-free and it's kept together so no losing a fork here or a spoon there. I keep their sets in a handkerchief, which sometimes doubles as a lunch napkin.

Not only are these cool, it's an eco-friendly way to eat on the go than using disposable flatware.

[Tags: Eastern Mountain Sports, GSI Outdoors, ring cutlery set, camping utensils, eco-friendly, BPA-free]


[photo credit: Smuppy Kids, GSI Outdoors]

There's a Shark in our House

Sandro and my father spent the morning painting and drawing. Pretty neat how my father took Sandro's abstract paintings and turned it into an underwater adventure.

[It's a Party] Part 1: Favor ideas

My kids' birthdays are coming up fast and furious. We have a mid September and a mid November and it's time to start the planning. I have been thinking about their party for months but haven't come up with anything solid. Maybe I should work less in a straight line: party theme, venue, invitations, decoration, food, favors and more in the way my brain normally thinks: invitations, favors, decoration, food, venue and lastly the theme... While researching I found these totally beautiful totally eco friendly reusable gift bags from Living Ethos...

These would be wonderful for the kids' favor bags. They could reuse them for little toys, snacks, etc. I am inspired! I love the eco-friendly aspect of reusable anything, especially with these being so stylish and modern, it's right up my alley!

Check out the sewing and trim details on these bags, I know how to sew and these are real time consuming details that are well thought out, big thumbs up, Living Ethos!

Dig It Fabric Gift Wrap by Living Ethos

All styles on their site are available in four sizes ranging from the smallest 3 x 3 x 2 inches to the largest at 15 by 11 by 13. You can order a set of four in the four sizes or just order one. 

Flora and Fauna Fabric Gift Wrap by Living Ethos 

Pocket Full of Posies Fabric Gift Wrap by Living Ethos

[Tags: Living Ethos, Fabric Gift Wrap, Fabric Party Favor Bags, Eco Friendly Gift Wrap, Birthday Party Favors]

[photo credit: Livingethos.com]

The Ultimate Wrapping Station

Gift Wrapping Station at our local Godiva Retail store

We were out shopping at Riverside Square in Hackensack, NJ this past Saturday and came across this awesome gift wrapping station at Godiva. I spoke with one of the staff and turns out you can customize your gift wrapping when you buy chocolate for a gift, how thoughtful!

I am so inspired to put a wrapping station in our studio. Would be nice to have a place where I can keep ribbons, trinkets, paper and fabric wrap all in one place. Over the years, I have amassed a collection of ribbon of various lengths, colours and textures. Right now it's in shoe box that I regularly forget about. Hmm...

While I was at Godiva, I also joined their Chocolate Rewards Club. I get a free piece of their yummy chocolate once a month and there's a free gift when you spend $10 or more at the stores. I am a big chocolate fan, thank you Godiva! Next time I'm in Godiva I will surely test our their custom wrapping station as well.

[Tags: Godiva, Chocolate Rewards Club, free chocolate] 

[photo credit: Smuppy Kids]

Wednesday: Book Reviews

We've been reading quite a lot lately. I'm a children's book junkie. My oldest memory of buying books was about 4 or 5 years old at my school's book fair. I still remember what I bought - Eloise by Kay Thompson and Paddle to the Sea by Holling Clancy Holling, which I will review in a future post.

I'm going to dedicate Wednesdays to reviewing children's books and I'll start with what's fresh in my mind, our bedtime reading from the beach house. Thanks to my addiction, they have over 200 books on their shelves and growing. I've been trying to design a custom book plate for their books but that's slow in coming... maybe for Christmas.

Kasie and Sandro have a good system for picking books at bedtime. Kasie picks 2 (usually the thickest ones she can get her hands on) and Sandro will pick 1. He's not picky, he just grabs one and jumps into bed...

Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall and illustrated by Barbara Cooney, published by Penguin Group USA

The story is about a New Englander and his family, how they make goods to sell throughout the year on their farm. The ox-cart man packs up his goods - the goose feathers from the barnyard geese, the shawl made by his wife, the mittens knitted by his daughter, etc. I don't want to give too much away ;) It is a wonderful story about living during simpler times and kids learn about an era where it was important for everyone in the family to work hard and help support the family.

Ox-Cart Man is a 1980 Caldecott Medal recipient.

[Tags: Ox-cart Man, Donald Hall, Barbara Cooney, Caldecott Medal, Penguin USA]
[photo credit: bn.com]

New Kids on the Block

Morris & Boris goldfish and new roomate Goldie, the snail

Couldn't believe the all the fuss last night with the two new Golden
Snails from the pet shop. The were put in the tank around 3pm and
didn't move at all until the kids' bedtime at 8. The snails acted like
they just had a surge of energy. With all that movement, kids were
fascinated and their eyes were peeled until 10pm...

Cute to see how something so small can give them such joy.