Zulily

One word for you mamas out there  -- Zulily.  Some of you are saying "Girl, yes!" while some of you haven't gotten a chance to check it out yet.  If you haven't been there yet, what are you waiting for?  Awesome stuff, awesome prices.

When it comes to clothes, accessories, shoes, etc., I don't do full price.  I'm a couponer (not the crazy kind -- though I secretly wish I had time to be) and a person who looks for the best deal all the time.

So when I found out about Zulily, I was in awe.  LOVE.  I recently bought spring clothes for my little one -- bishop dresses, jumpers, my husband bought her a pair of shoes (he likes the site, too!), and I'm going to browse their books soon.  Yes, they have deals on books and toys as well as stuff for mama.

So, what's the negative?  Well, this is relative, but you typically won't get your get stuff in just a few days.  In a nutshell, this it how it works:

1. Sale opens.
2. You order from Zulily.
3. Sale closes (usually within 72 hours).
4. They submit their order to the brand/manufacturer.
5. The items are shipped to Zulily.
6. Then the items are shipped to you.

So common sense will tell you that your order won't be shipped to you in the same week.   And with that being said, you shouldn't order something you need quickly.  But other than that, no real negatives.  When I had questions about the process, I emailed them and someone responded promptly (which is the source of the information above).

I'm very much in love with Zulily now.  If that changes, I'll be sure to come back and update.  If you're a mama, soon-to-be-mama, future mama, or have kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, etc. get on over to Zulily, check out the awesome selection, and save yourself some money!

Oh! One last thing (how could I forget?) -- the stuff sells fast!  Early morning shopping gets you the best selection!

Overstock.com Discount

There are a few things I've been scoping the Internet for the past few weeks, including a "mom" necklace that isn't old-fashioned, but chic, and a nativity set to put up during Christmas (I actually don't have one and I want a good set to pass down to my daughter and her daughter and so on...).  I'm always looking for a good price, and I thought three months before Mother's Day and two months after Christmas would be a great time to look for these items.  When doing both of these searches, I ran across Overstock.com.  I've actually never ordered from Overstock.com, so I thought it was ironic that I was contacted by the company's marketing team a few days later.  They're offering a discount to my blog readers.

At first, I didn't want to do this because of the obvious reason: I have no experience with Overstock.com.  Second, because I never planned to "go there" with this blog.  But then I thought about it -- what's the harm in passing along a discount?  That's one of the reasons I'm here.

Plus, I'm sure they're contacting many other bloggers, so hey, why not?  In case you didn't know, Overstock.com is an online retailer that offers brand names at discounted prices.  I've browsed everything from girls clothes to handmade jewelry to their Christmas decorations.  They offer so much!

Enter the discount code 121745 for 10% off your order (excludes movies, books, and electronics -- sorry). This code never expires, but can only be used once per email address.  And if you are ordering electronics, use this code for free shipping:  202234. 

The 10% may not sound like much, but it's better than other Overstock.com discounts I've found online that require that you order about $350 worth of products to get the discount.  If you use the code provided here, there is no minimum purchase.  Now that's what I like to hear.

Check it out!

Disclosure:  All the ideas and opinions expressed are my own. No monetary compensation was received for doing this post.  However, I was provided with a discount code.

Image:  baltimoresun.com

One Way to Introduce the Meaning of Christmas to Your Toddler

I love the Christmas season and I hope M will grow to love it, too.  More than anything, though, I want her to know and appreciate the reason for the season.  And for a while, I've been looking for a way to introduce that to her.  She's just two, so I thought including her favorite thing (books) would be a great way to do it.

I searched for a Christmas book that was toddler-friendly (rhyming words, good pictures, etc.).  Most of the  books I found were funny and interesting and had rhyming words and all that stuff I know M would like.  Yet many focused on a Christmas tree...or a snowman... or a reindeer... or Santa...

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not against Santa or snowmen or any that stuff (in fact, they're all in my house during Christmas) but they don't convey what I want her to know and understand.  No, I don't expect my two-year-old to fully understand the meaning of Christmas, but I do want her to know that it isn't Christmas because of Santa or Rudolph or the Jingle Bells song (she loves this song, by the way).  

So I searched online and ran across this little treasure:

Author:  David Meade;  Illustrator:  Chris Sharp
JOY TO THE WORLD celebrates the birth of Jesus and introduces little ones to his universal message of loving, giving, and caring. This interactive book features a glow light and an instrumental rendition of the carol, which makes it easy for you and your child to sing along. Simply open the cover to hear the joyous sounds and take part in the deeper gifts that Christmas brings.

Board Book with lights and sound chip, 6" x 7", 16 pages – Ages 2 to 6

When I got this book, I knew M would like it.  The words in the book are written in rhythm with the lyrics to "Joy to the World."  They're very kid-friendly and talk about the birth of Jesus, love, family, and thinking of others.  You can either read them or sing them to the tune of the sound chip embedded in the book.  I sing them (with my awful voice) and M loves it.

Just this morning, she wanted me to read/sing it over and over (and over and over).  It's so funny because when she reads it, she starts it off with "Joy to the World," then breaks out with "The babies on the bus go wah, wah, wah!" from the the Wheels on the Bus song.  Where does she get that?  She sees Baby Jesus in the book.  And all babies go wah, wah, wah, right?! :)  Haha!

So, anyway, if you have a toddler and want a fun little way to talk about the meaning of Christmas, consider this little treasure.  We're having a ball with it.

Image and Synopsis:  BN.com