The Shopping Mama

Extra Cash Back Shopping at ShopAtHome.com

by Kate on March 13th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Shopping

ShopAtHome is at it again! Get lucky with the Lucky Day Extra Cash Back Event and save big at some of your favorite online retailers. Until March 18, ShopAtHome.com is offering extra cash back when you purchase from over 50 popular stores.

Lucky Day Extra Cash Back event highlights include:

Piperlime – 20% Cash Back
Barnes & Noble – 16% Cash Back
Nike.com – 15% Cash Back
The North Face – 15% Cash Back
Disney Store – 10% Cash Back

Facebook Sweepstakes

ShopAtHome.com is hosting an awesome giveaway for its Facebook fans. In the “Share Your Luck Sweepstakes” one person will be randomly selected to win a $200 Walmart gift card for themselves and $100 Walmart gift cards each for FIVE friends who also entered the sweepstakes. (Don’t forget that awesome friendly blogger who referred you to the sweepstakes. *cough, cough*) You can become a fan of ShopAtHome.com and enter the Share Your Luck Sweepstakes on Facebook at ShopAtHome.com Sweepstakes.

About ShopAtHome.com

Founded by Marc and Claudia Braunstein in 1986, ShopAtHome.com is one of the Web’s longest running and most trusted coupon and Cash Back sites. This year alone, more than 31 million consumers have used ShopAtHome.com’s Cash Back and coupon services to book hotels and flights or purchase computers, gifts, business supplies, toys and more.

Connect! For more information, visit www.ShopAtHome.com, become a fan of Facebook coupons page, follow them to get Twitter coupons, and check out the Coupons Blog – where you can read some posts from yours truly!

Disclosure: I am a compensated member of the ShopAtHome.com Blogger Advisory Board. I was not compensated for or required to write this post and opinions are my own.

TGIF: Sales, Coupons, Discounts & News

by Kate on March 12th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Deal & News Roundup, Weekly Features

Bravado Spring Sale

Use the code MB-182 for 25% off your entire purchase at Bravado! Designs. Shop quickly, code expires Monday at midnight. Thinking of buying? Check out my recent review of the Allure Underwire Nursing Bra.

Zoolu! Discount Code

To celebrate the awesome Zoolu! giveaway on The Shopping Mama, I have an exclusive discount code for you. Use TSM2010 for 10% off your purchase. This code expires Sunday – so get over to ShopZoolu.com and get shopping.

Make a Monster

Visit CurlyQ Cuties to design your own plush monster. The code FRIEND will save you 5% until March 31.

Sales

LeapFrog: Friends and Family Sale. Save 25% off everything with the code FAFSPRING.

The Land of Nod: Save up to 70% off! Check out the sale items.

giggle.com: FREE shipping on baby essentials and all Bugaboo strollers.

Hartstrings: Weekend SALE! 25% off regular price orders + Free shipping on ALL orders $75+ more. Use code SUNSHINESALE to save.

Exclusive Discounts

dadoo kids: 20% off with code SHOPPINGMAMA20.
The Crazy Dazy: 10% discount off your purchase with code SHOPPINGMAMA.
SleepyWrap.com: Use the code shoppingmama for 10% off your order of Boba Carriers and SleepyWraps.
Beba Bean: The Shopping Mama readers receive 20% off with code SM10/07/09.
The Studio: For $10 off your purchase use SHOPMAMA at check out.
Belle’s Biscuits: Get 10% off your purchase with the code BELLES10.

Amazon Baby Toy Deals

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Shopping sponsors and affiliates is a great way to support your favorite blogger’s shopping habit.

Pennies for Penny

by Kate on March 12th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Blogging

As much as I love the internet for the ability to connect with people and friends and moms, sometimes I find it terribly depressing. I read stories of loss and it’s almost too much. The latest example? Layla Grace passed away on Tuesday, just days after the awesome auction to raise money to help pay for her treatment.

Sadly, I have another story to share with you. My friend Rhea (from Mommy 23 Monkeys) has a young family member who only weeks ago was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma – the same form of cancer as Layla Grace. Today, Rhea’s family is doing everything they can to spread the word about Penny, a little girl with a big fight on her hands.

You Can Help

Visit Pennies for Penny for more information
Share Penny’s story on Twitter using the hashtag #pennies4penny
Mark your calendars for an online auction next Friday, March 19th

Thanks, everyone. If nothing else, let this be a reminder to hug your little ones extra tight today.

aden + anais Cozy Sleeping Bag Review

by Kate on March 12th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Baby, Reviews

We may live in Florida, but I have to tell you the aden + anais Cozy Sleeping Bag couldn’t have arrived at a better time. The comfy sleep sack arrived a couple of weeks ago in the middle of a cold spell and it was just what my little one needed to help secure a good night’s sleep. And, she has slept in it every single night since it was delivered.

About the Cozy Sleeping Bags

aden + anais cozy sleeping bags are four layers of muslin, making babies comfortably warm during cold, wintry nights. aden + anais sleeping bags are designed to be worn over a baby’s pajamas, ensuring a safe night’s sleep by eliminating loose crib blankets, which can be dangerous. Muslin’s light, open weave allows a baby’s body temperature to regulate itself naturally helping to prevent overheating. aden + anais sleeping bags offer the ultimate in breathability and softness, as the more the more you wash them, the softer they get.

Our Experience

First things first, the Cozy Sleeping Bag is so stinking soft, but not in the traditional baby fluffy soft way. The muslin material is just so breathable and light that it feels extremely soft to the touch. After getting my hands on this Sleeping Bag I can see why aden + anais added the Issie security blanket to the collection. The styles are modern and simple. Toddler Girl’s been snoozing in the baby cakes design with pink and grey fairies.

So in addition to being soft and comfortable, the Sleeping Bag is smart. It zips from the top down so that when you need to change a diaper you don’t have to take the whole thing off – you just unzip a bit from the bottom. The top of the zipper is covered, too, so nothing but soft muslin touches baby. An added benefit is that I think my daughter knows when the Sleeping Bag goes on, it’s time for bed. It’s just part of the routine and another signal to her that it’s time to sleep.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I love that even when it’s chilly at night, my little one’s feet are warm and she’s nice and cozy when I go to her in the morning. Of course, for babies the use of the sleeping bag is important because it replaces the need for a loose blanket which is a risk factor in SIDS. The Sleeping Sack is comfortable, well made and a must have for babies.

Or Not to Buy… The season for the Cozy Sleeping Bag is nearing its end in Florida and other parts of the country. (But, first, I’ll put her in short sleeved pj’s so she can wear it longer!)

Shop! The aden + anais Cozy Sleeping Bag is $39.95. If you’re thinking spring, the Classic Sleeping Bag is a single layer of muslin, with the same features as the Cozy, for $29.95.

Disclosure: Thank you to aden + anais for a sample product for the purpose of this review. Opinions are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.

Little Bed Invader

by Kate on March 11th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Life, Parenting

A few weeks ago I wrote about my son’s night terrors and mentioned it’s not the only sleep issue we’ve got going on. (The past couple weeks have been okay on that front, by the way.) Since early January, Preschool Boy has been crawling into bed with my husband and me. Every. Single. Night.

I don’t even remember the first night it happened or what was different about that night, but I do know that the habit started while my husband was out of town. I just recall that one night I heard my little dude run down the hall and was barely awake as he stood next to the bed and asked if he could cuddle with me. Clearly at this point I had two options: 1) get out of my warm bed, walk him back to his and tell him to go to sleep or 2) pick him up, cuddle his sweet little self and go back to sleep. I don’t think I have to tell you what I did.

He’s returned to my bedside every night since.

I have to admit that the nights when my husband is out of town I actually kind of look forward to waking to the sound of my son running down the hall to my room. (And his does run – who has that kind of energy at 3 am?) But, I know it’s a habit that we need to break. At some point.

One of these days I’ll get out my trusty and worn copy of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child to see what good the good ol’ sleep doctor recommends. Until then, I’ll enjoy the mid-slumber cuddles and know hope that my son outgrows it on his own and I don’t have to deal with what I imagine will be a struggle to break the habit.

Do you (or did you) have a little bed invader in your home? What do you think about a child going to sleep in his own bed but spending part of the night with parents? If you had to break the habit, how did you do it?

Zoolu! Winner + Exclusive Discount

by Kate on March 11th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Giveaway Winners, Shopping

Congrats to Sarah G, the winner of the Zoolu! $100 Shopping Spree!

To thank The Shopping Mama readers for the awesome support and giveaway response, Zoolu! is offering an exclusive discount! Use the code TSM2010 for 10% off your entire purchase. But, hurry, the code expires Sunday, March 14. So, head over to www.ShopZoolu.com and get shopping.

Design Your Own Monster: CurlyQ Cuties Review + Discount

by Kate on March 11th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Reviews

curlyqcuties CurlyQ Cuties is, quite possibly, the coolest plush toy company ever. You design a monster – and pick everything from color to belly button – and they make it quickly and send it to you. Seriously cute (for a monster) and seriously fun.

About CurlyQ Cuties

We make your custom designed product specifically for you.

All of our products are made by hand in the United States of America.

You can embroider a name or message onto your purchase.

Our products are baby-safe–all details are permanently affixed.

Each product has its own unique serial number.

Our products are washable.

Design A Moggin

curlyq cuties moggin design I have to tell you that designing your monster is half the fun of CurlyQ Cuties . We designed a Custom Moggin and got to select 10 attributes including body shape, body color, face position, eye shape, eye color, nose shape, nose color, mouth shape, belly shape, and belly color. Yes, all of that! My son asked to do it over and over and over again and refers to the CurlyQ Cuties website as “the monster game”. We designed his Moggin, and then we designed a Moggin for his sister, and then he designed a Moggin for me… I think you get the idea. It’s really quite fun and extremely easy to do.

I let Preschool Boy have full creative control so he literally picked every detail of his Moggin. Isn’t it hysterical? I love that he picked the “Diva” eye for his monster. I think the Diva eye has a different meaning to a 3 year old because he just says his Moggin is “sweepy.”

Quality Plush Monster

We didn’t have to wait long to see my son’s creation, and, indeed, all monsters arrive within 10 days of being ordered. When the Moggin arrived it looked exactly like the image we created on the computer and the quality is top notch. Like all CurlyQ Cuties, our Moggin is made of anti-pill fleece and each embellishment is made of fleece and felt which are affixed and embroidered onto the monster. Preschool Boy loves his Moggin because he designed it and I love it because it truly is great quality and it’s certainly not your ordinary stuffed animal.

curlyq cuties moggin monster As you can see from the pictures, the Moggin is the perfect size for the kids. He’s great for taking on walks, cuddling and sleeping.

curlyq cuties custom made monster

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… CurlyQ Cuties are a great buy. The Basic Monster starts at just $25 – a terrific price for the ability to completely design your own, high quality plush toy. I think it’s a great option for a birthday gift and you can give a gift certificate so the recipient has the fun of designing their own.

Or Not to Buy… It’s hard to find fault with CurlyQ Cuties. The process is fun and the product exceeds expectations.

Shop! CurlyQ Cuties offer custom made to order monsters, Moggins, and adorable tooth fairy pillows. The Basic Moggin is $30, for more customization options the Deluxe Moggin is $40 and you can create a Double-Sided Moggin for $50. Use the code FRIEND for 5% off until March 31.