Chic Simple Moms

NearbyNow.com

Back-to-school is really upon us and with that, it's time for fullfilling school supply lists, looking for school shoes/clothes, and other items that may befuddle or escape us. 

NearbyNow.com has a solution: localized shopping guides based on zip code. Looking for a particular brand of shoes or jeans, simply enter a search term and of what you're looking for.  Once you've found something you like, you can actually request a stock search (they will email you back with an answer within 10 minutes) and if they have the item in stock, the store can put it on hold for you for up to 24 hours. 

What a great way to plan your shopping trips, with or without the kids and allow you to budget your time and money appropriately. Best of all, using NearbyNow is FREE! What a great idea, especially for moms on the run!

Additional note as of 08/11: I received an email almost 10 minutes later as the site promised letting me know they didn't have the exact item and what they did have that was close (Navy vs Red).

Fun with Frito Lay!

I was scouting Target this morning for the last few items on my son's Pre-K supply list when something caught my eye. A pencil case made of a recycled chip bag at the mere price of $1.00.

How cute, how quirky, how smart. How ECO-CHIC!

Frito-Lay has partnered up with TerraCycle to create cool bags that minimized waste and are made thru the collective effort, literally of schools and organizations that collect chip bags and get paid for doing it. Imagine making money for your organization by collecting everyday lunch items that will wind up in a landfill someplace, making money for doing it and then seeing what you've collected on a store shelf near you.

What a great way to teach kids how to recycle and have the opportunity to see an end product from their efforts!

To find out more about the complete line of TerraCycle's products and programs, visit them at www.terracycle.net.

Get Ready for Back to School! Getting Organized

Ok, back from our vacation to PA which was so much fun and time to get ready for the upcoming school year.

ALREADY?

In our household, that means getting for a new school as well with an earlier start time, earlier pick up time and different activities for both myself and the kids.  As a WAHM, getting organized is a challenge.  As a WAHM mom with ADD, it's even more of a challenge! But, there is hope in sight!

My (3) top picks to help get organized for the new year:

1. The Scoolio-Von-Hoolio school supply line at Office Max.

Brightly colored supplies that are easy to spot and reasonably priced.  $5.99 for a drawstring bag that is perfect for a change of clothes and snack in for an afterschool playdate or activity. Prices range from $.99 to $5.99. What more could a kid or mom ask for?

For some great organization tips, check out the blogcastfeaturing Peter Walsh, organizer extrodinaire. It aired this afternoon and featured real people with real organization needs.  Simple, straightforward.

http://www.officemaxsolutions.com/btsblogcastgcast

 

2.  For those of you who love your Moleskin journals, check out this MUST HAVE from my hometown, San Francisco. Rickshaw Bagworks has done it again with with their Moleskin Folio. I love my "Bottles to Bags" folio which holds pens, business cards and my Moleskin journal inside. (I have the exact pattern as the photo, Bottle Bank Thorn Apple). The "Bottles to Bags" line is fabricated from 100% post consumer water bottles on the exterior so that awesome print on the outside used to be a bottle of Evian at one point! Eco-friendly, great for travel and just a smart idea.

$50 at Rickshaw Bagworks. 

3.  The Fridge Grid. Keep track of EVERYONE'S schedule without having to hand out PDA's! (I admit, I have one, I love it but still haven't synched my Outlook Calendar with it yet! Guess what I use instead!)

 I reviewed this once before, but it deserves a repeat, especially before the school year starts. The Fridge Grid is undated, has space for (7) people which means the entire family, sitter, and the family pet can get on the schedule with their own space.  52 weekly pages, (3) hole-punched so you can put it in a binder and it's very reasonably priced at $12.95. 

To purchase, visit www.busybodybook.com and check out their other great school year organizers!

All Things Organic Show Spotlight: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

 

One thing that struck me about the All Things Organic Show here in Chicago last week was the common element in keeping things simple, real and functional and providing sustainable items for the everyday public.

The Southern Exposure Seed Exchange was there and I had the opportunity to meet Ira Wallace who is one of the co-managers.  She was very excited to be at the show it was obvious that she was very passionate about what she did.

The premise and mission of the Exchange is simple as stated on their catalog: "Saving the past for the future." They do this through educational programs and  providing garderners throughout the US and Canada with a source of heirloom seeds with a strict Non-GMO policy (genetically modified organisms).  In addition, they participate in the Hertiage Harvest Festival at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's estate in Charlottesville, Virginia, an event open to the public and worth checking out if you are in the area.

I took home a packet of Popcorn Seeds and hope to check out some of their herb varieties and other seeds soon. If you're interested in sustainable gardening, then definitely check them out. Their website has some great articles and ideas for both the budding and expert gardener.

All Things Organic Show

Happy Summer! This past week I had the opportunity to attend the All Things Organic trade show at McCormick Place here in Chicago. It was a much smaller show than the Housewares show but fun nonetheless and this time, I brought along my little guys to check things out.

There are some great food products out there that should be arriving on store shelves soon. These items are 100% organic, most are gluten & nut free which makes me very happy since my toddler has a nut allergy and the people behind these brands were passionate about their products.  I’ll be reviewing (6) vendors total over three posts.

Today’s Picks: Part 2 to follow tomorrow!

ORGANIC B.R.A.T

Yes, you read that right. B.R.A.T—as in Bananas, Rice, Apple, Toast, the diet that is usually recommended when someone has a stomach ache or the flu.  Rice based and enhanced with electrolytes, calcium and vitamins, this is the perfect alternative to Pedialyte.  My toddler is teething at the moment (ah those stubborn molars) so his eating habits have been a bit sporadic to say the least. He’s turned into a grazer and like most parents, I fear that a diet of Cheerios, carrots and organic milk will not sustain him for long.  The Vanilla flavor was an instant hit with him and we are slowly working our way through the other three flavors thanks to the generosity of the company’s owners Greg and Ilsa who generously sent us home with a stroller full of samples.  So far, from what I’ve tasted of them as well, they’re yummy!

Started by Greg and Ilsa Toepfer, who needed a solution when their two little ones were sick and couldn’t have any dairy and the traditional BRAT diet wasn’t keeping them satisfied, their products are gluten free, lactose free, casein free and made with a conscious. 10% of their profits go to support various children’s charities including Autism Speaks and Celiac Society.

Look for Organic B.R.A.T. at your local Costco store soon or ask your local Whole Foods or grocer to carry it.  For more information, visit their website at www.bratdiet.org.

YOGA CHIPS

The great thing about bringing kids along is the honesty you get when it comes to taste testing! We met the folks at Yogachips at the show who provided us with some samples to nosh on.  With my 4 year old, the Strawberry Apple flavor was an instant hit. The 2 year old loved the Caramel flavor. What are Yogachips?  They are organic fruit snacks produced by Yogavive whose company is committed to producing USDA Organic products.  These products are sourced worldwide which allows for a smaller carbon footprint through the manufacturing process and helps bring the awareness that healthy eating and organic farming is a global effort.

Best of all, their .35oz size bag is perfect for school lunches, travel and contains (1) scrumptious Fuji Apple. Great for birthday parties, especially for those who are allergy conscious (no nuts/wheat/dairy/eggs to worry about).

Yogavive, the producer of Yogachips is based in Napa, California and their products can be found in the Bay Area/West Coast.  They’re hoping to be in grocery stores nationwide by the fall so keep a look out for them. They’re sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike!

Visit www.yogavive.com for more information.

Mother's Day Giveaway!

Red Lobster sent me a $50 gift card to giveaway to one lucky winner in celebration of Mother's Day!  Use it for *Mother's Day,mom's night/girls night out--whatever your choosing! They are one of the larger restaurant chains that has made some great changes to their menu to help make eating out healthy. Check it out:

Red Lobster recently launched Wood-Fire Grills nationwide and has a great selection of fresh fish species flown in daily, in addition to the classic favorites and Cheddar Bay Biscuits served with every meal. Red Lobster also has a Lighthouse Menu for the calorie-conscious, ensuring there is something for everyone in the family. Moms can even calculate the nutritional information for a Lighthouse Menu item before arriving at Red Lobster by visiting http://www.redlobster.com/health/smart_meal/

And, for those nights the family is eating-in, the Red Lobster Chef Team offers an extensive collection of video tips, recipes and cooking demonstrations at http://www.redlobster.com/kitchen/

To enter, just comment below. Contest ends Thursday, May 7 at 3pm and the winner will be announced here at 3:15!.  Comment below and good luck!

*Caveat: Contest has been extended another 20 hrs so pass the word along to your friends. Need not need to be a mommy blogger to enter!The card will be sent via Priority Mail and I will need the winner's contact info by 5pm if it is to go in the mail tomorrow night!

Drum roll, the winner is: Laurie Siebert! Congrats and enjoy! Happy Mother's Day everyone! Winner was chosen using Random.org's random number generator.

Cooking for a Cure

There is a little one at my sons' school who was just diagnosed with stage 4 Wilms Tumor a few weeks ago. She has had surgery to remove the tumor, is responding very well to treatment and is back at school. 

The parents at school have gotten together and complied a cookbook called "Cooking for a Cure."  100% of the proceeds will go to CureSearch which is a national organization dedicated to raising funds for childhood cancer research. If anyone is interested in purchasing one (all the recipes were donated by school parents), please email me off line, chicsimplemoms@gmail.com .  Priced at $15.00, it makes a great Mother's Day gift and is for a good cause.

 

New Giveaway

Check out the Seagate FreeAgent Go giveaway I have posted on Multiculturalmama! Be back at Chic Simple Moms in a few days! 

Coming soon....

I spent the last two mornings at the International Housewares Show here in Chicago trying to jump back into work after spending the last few months working on the school fundraiser.  In a nutshell:

WOW!

I would suspect every major household goods retailer (and more) were present and I was giddy with sensory overload! Note to self for next year, go on Sunday when hubby is home and schedule a babysitter for ALL DAY on Monday instead of just for a few hours!

A few vendors I got to chat with who you’ll be seeing on this site over the next few weeks:

Lodge(www.lodgemfg.com): Known for their cast iron cookware, they’ve come out with a line of enamel cast cookware that rivals LeCruset and Chantal. They also have a collection of mini-servers that are perfect for entertaining and go from oven/cooktop/grill to the table.  Great price points & great products that will last a lifetime. What more can you ask for?

Curious Chef (www.curiouschef.com): Curious Chef is a spin-off from Tailor Made Products in Wisconsin. The idea is simple, to provide real kitchen utensils for the little ones that are safe and easy to use.  Their site just launched and products will be in stores in Early Fall 2009.

Sarah Smith (www.sarahsmith.co.uk): Featuring a range of eco-friendly, fair trade products for home, their booth caught my eye with brightly colored fabrics that would brighten up any kitchen.  Like myself, this was their first time at the Housewares Show and they were very excited to get the word out about their products. 

I loved being able to meet the people behind the brands and all three vendors listed above were just great people to chat with and were all very passionate about their products. They also recognized the importance of moms as consumers (and hence, didn’t mind talking to someone who didn’t have a BUYER’s badge) and I can’t wait to post more about them!

Stay tuned…

Play With Pictures (really, play with them!)

Today is the launch of Play With Pictures, a software photo editing software that allows your imagination to put Doggo in the Westminster Dog Show or your little one atop Mount Everest. Just in time for Valentine's Day, you can create the romantic, the quirky and the fun for classroom Valentine's Cards or something whimsical to send to Grandma.

The idea behind the software is to take the best of the tools in traditional photo editing software and present them in a format that is easy, not to mention fun, to use!

  

Even, better, to celebrate the launch, the first 10,000 people to download the software will receive a FREE license key to fully register the product.

To get your copy of Play With Pictures, click on:

http://www.playwithpictures.com/en/freetrial.html.  Once you've installed the software and launched it, go to the HELP menu and select "Buy Play With Pictures Now." You'll be prompted to leave your information (name/email) which will allow you to get your free license key.

It's THAT simple!