Shopping

I am a HUGE Serta mattress fan which is why I wanted to share a current Serta mattress special offer going on now through June 2nd, 2013. I am going on my third year working with Serta as a part of their blogger program ~ such an honor given the fact I could not be more passionate about sharing my love for their mattresses.

My husband and I were lucky enough to receive a complimentary iComfort Prodigy memory foam mattress from Serta two years ago, and have been experiencing a blissful night’s sleep ever since. In my opinion, it is the most amazing mattress.

You can read my previous iComfort mattress review here.

Last summer, as a part of my second year with their blogger program, my girls got to both select their own complimentary Serta mattress (lucky ducks) and they both sleep on the dreamy iSeries Merit mattress.

It is so comfortable I  have been known to doze off when putting them down to bed. Just happened last night in fact!

Memorial Day Triple Bonus Special Offer

With the purchase of a qualified iComfort or iSeries mattress now through June 2nd, 2013, you will receive:

~ Up to a $400 savings on a Serta Motion Perfect Adjustable Foundation. We LOVE ours. Read my review on this base here.

~ Free iComfort 2-in-1 Mattress Projector

~ 2 Free iComfort Scrunch Pillows

Check the Serta website here for participating retailers here.

If you have been needing a new mattress, now is a great time to get into a store, do your own rest test and if you purchase, receive some pretty cool incentives! When you test one out in the store you will see what I mean. So comfortable you will want to curl up for a nap right there.

Have a great weekend everyone! Happy Memorial Day to you!

 [Disclosure: My family received complimentary product to facilitate firsthand reviews of the Serta iComfort and iSeries mattresses as a part of their blogger program. Thanks to Serta we have all been sleeping very well for quite some time now!]

The calendar still says May, but we’ve had some beautiful, beach-worthy days here in Southern California. It’s got me thinking of restocking my beach day essentials and heading to the ocean with my kids. So, today I’m highlighting just a few of my favorite things to pack for a (stress free!) beach day with kids.

Beach Day Essentials for Moms

Brush on Block
I love this sunscreen for both my kids and myself. It’s easy to apply and not greasy and doesn’t get in anyone’s eyes. I usually do apply SPF before we leave the house and then take the brush on sunscreen for an easy, no hassle reapply when we’re out.

Melissa and Doug Sand Toys
We received this cupcake sand toy set a few years ago and it is such a hit with kids of all ages. The hardest thing is remembering to pick up all the pieces when I leave.

Baggu
Are you guys familiar with this great line of bags? They’re perfect to have in the car for running errands, and I always take some to the beach to wrap up our wet, sandy items. The bags are machine washable too so they’re easy to clean!

Turkish Towels
My dear friend was born and raised in Turkey and introduced me to these amazing, lightweight Turkish towels. They absorb water surprising fast and dry quickly, while taking up MUCH less space than traditional beach towels. I found these on Etsy, but Bed Bath and Beyond carry a similar style.

Cozy Kids’ Cover-up
J.Crew carries great beach cover-ups for kids and this one happens to be on sale right now. No matter how hot it seems when we leave the house I’m always disappointed if I forget to bring something cozy to wrap around my kids at the end of the day.

Folding Utility Wagon
My husband purchased this wagon two summers ago and we always get asked where we got it when we’re out on the beach. It’s very sturdy and we can put both kids and supplies in it for easy transportation on and off the beach. PS. Pulling it with two kids and supplies is also a great workout!

What are your favorite items for a day at the beach with your kids? Do you have any tips on how to make a beach outing stress free? I’d also love to hear your favorite local beach for kids, I’m always on the hunt for new places.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to share my favorite finds for unique Mother’s Day gifts. Isn’t it remarkable how after becoming a mother, you instantly appreciate your own mother that much more? Because if anyone deserves something special, it’s definitely mom!

Here are some of my favorite unique Mother’s Day gift ideas…

Mother & Daughter Letter Book

In a world filled with emails, texts and facebook messages, the gift of a hand written letter is more meaningful than ever before. I love this mother daughter letter book because along with the set of 40 cards and envelopes, it also includes hundreds of inspirational ideas that encourage you to share tidbits about your life that you may not have thought to include. It’s a perfect gift for any mom, especially one that you may not get to see everyday. $38

Morse Code Necklaces

How cool are these morse code necklaces by jewelry studio COATT? The dots and dashes make up a word of your choice such as “Love”, “Luck” or, “Mom”. Necklaces are available in three different lengths and six different colors. Also offered as a bracelet. I’m totally hooked! $80

Plan a Picnic Date

I’ve always loved to give (or receive) an experience rather than a material gift. With this Rattan Picnic Basket from Pottery Barn you can do both. Fill this picnic basket with your mom’s favorite goodies and head off on a picnic date. If you need some ideas on what to pack, check out our Tiny Oranges summer picnic board on pinterest. $89

The Gift of Cozy

Do you want to let the special mom in your life know she deserves to kick back and relax? These pajamas from The Marigot Collection are the perfect way to do it. The line offers luxury cotton and cashmere options. I’d happily spend my Sunday mornings lounging around in any of these pretty prints. $120

Something to Make Her Laugh

Last but not least, there’s nothing better than giving your mom a chuckle and I guarantee this funny mug will make her smile! $14

What do you think, would you like to give or receive any of these? Do you have any Mother’s Day plans or traditions you’d like to share? I’d love to hear them.

With Easter right around the corner, I thought it’d be fun to highlight a few of my favorite spring dresses for girls. The wonderful thing about there being so many beautiful options out there for girls is that you can really capture your little one’s personality. I know my daughter would love the butterfly dress from H&M  because she loves graphics and lots of color. Extra bonus … that adorable dress is only $9.95.

Here are the details on the rest of the dresses shown above.

from left to right Contrast Eyelet Dress from Gap, Dress with flower print from Zara, Gold Spot Dress by Seed Heritage, Colorblock dress by J.Crew, Lace Dress by Zara, Floating Floral Dress by J Crew, Blooming Lily Shift Dress by Tea Collection

Let’s Hear it for the Boy

But, we all know that girls are the easy ones! Finding cute, wearable clothes for our little guys is much more challenging. And, because I have one girl and one boy, I couldn’t do the easy part without also featuring some equally adorable picks for all the darling boys out there.

from left to right: Striped sweater vest from Tea Collection, Star shorts from H&M, Colorblock stripe tee from J.Crew, Linen white roll up pant from Old Navy, Rock N Roll long-sleeve t-shirt from City Threads, Striped yellow polo shirt from Zara, Chino style bermudas from Zara

My son is 6 and I can’t tell you how quickly he goes through his clothes (especially jeans/pants)! That’s why I’m always on the hunt for cute, unique pieces that don’t break the bank.

Do you have any favorite local or online shops you frequent to stock up on kid’s clothes? I’d love to hear about them!

Aimee

I don’t know about you, but my kids grow overnight. Literally. My “little” ones have always been on the tall side…frequenting one size for only a few precious months (or even weeks when they were babies!) before springing into the next, which is why I was so very excited to learn more about Oh Very Young children’s resale boutique in Long Beach – a family friendly shop run by a mom and her two daughters.

You can sell clothes, buy clothes and shop for fun accessories (hats or bows, anyone?) – all in fantastic shape and adorable. Oh, and browse lots of name brands.

Give these lovely ladies a call, make an appointment, and take your gently loved kiddo clothes in for their buy back program – they make it so easy and will work around your schedule. You can drop off your items and come back later for your total, or stay and chat if you have time, have a cup of coffee and go over each item (this takes about a half hour).

I say have a cup of coffee because when you talk to these ladies, it feels like you’re chatting with a fellow girlfriend.  Building community is one of Oh Very Young’s top priorities – whether it is supporting a local fund raiser or school, or participating in their business neighborhood “Art Walks” on the first Friday of every month (moms – take note…they provide free arts and crafts and snacks to your little ones in their booth).

They want their customers to feel like family.

Now, onto the topic of shopping…shopping by myself is a luxury at this point in my life. I usually have my two very active munchkins in tow…so I typically avoid shopping for my kids, with my kids. I know you understand.

But not at Oh Very Young! Fellow mamas, this shop is made for you and your kids to enjoy.

While you browse the racks and find great deals, they provide coloring projects, let the kids play with their toys for sale (Their motto? If it’s within a kid’s reach, go for it! It was meant to be played with!), and have even been known to dole out snacks (ummm, this is particularly helpful if I’ve run out of my granola bar/raisin/apple slices shopping combo to bribe my kids to sit still).

Now, throw in a “Mommy Happy Hour” every other month with complimentary hors    d’oeuvres, refreshments (sometimes even wine!), fabulous raffle prizes, and shopping for adorable kid stuff, and I am one happy mama!

So, take a little shopping trip and see for yourself – I am confident that you will find something here you that you love…whether it is a super cute kid outfit, a “new” toy or book for your little one, or even a homemade goodie bag for car trips.

And, let the kids play while you shop – enjoy!

What you need to know:

Oh Very Young     

Phone:
Call them at (562) 492-6200

Hours:
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (special event times may vary)

Address:
4378 Atlantic Ave.
Long Beach, CA  90807

*If you would like to sell your kid clothes to Oh Very Young, please call to make an appointment!

 [Images provided by Oh Very Young. Disclosure: This is a sponsored post to help spread the word about this amazing shopping experience for So Cal families!]