Crafts, Fashion & Food

Fashion Friday: Spring Fashion for Kids at Gymboree

by Alissa on February 22, 2013

Gymboree

Our winter has been the weirdest winter this year (weather-wise, at least).

One week it’s in the 50s. Then the 20s and back up to the 50s. To be honest, I can’t keep track anymore.

I can tell you, though, all these regular glimpses into spring? I’m SO ready for spring clothes shopping! I can’t wait to break out all those short sleeves and bold, bright colors. Fashion for kids this spring is looking fun!

Gymboree is one of my favorite places to shop for kids’ clothes. There are so many choices, which makes shopping there fun, but more importantly, their clothes are incredibly durable. With two active kids? That’s priceless.

Here are a few of my favorites that I’m thinking for spring:

Blue plaid boys shirt

This short-sleeve button-down shows off my favorite color combination. I love blue and green together, especially the different shades of blue here. My son is going to look sharp in this, whether he’s playing outside or dressing it up for Easter.

I’m going to grab this great airplane graphic tee for him to throw on under the plaid shirt, for a more casual look.

plaid shoes

And these awesome blue-green plaid sneakers are awesome! So cool. And no laces to worry about, either!

Though, once I stopped in the store, I couldn’t help but fall in love with these two outfits for him, too:

The mix-and-match concept that Gymboree offers makes it easy to shop for the kids. I like that he can wear either khakis, jeans, or cotton pants with these to switch up his looks depending on what he feels like wearing that day, too.

And there’s no shortage of sweet outfits for girls, either.

Here’s what’s on the list for my daughter:

purple girls tee

Purple, yellow and white. Three of her favorite colors. This sweet purple tee will be great under a little cardigan on colder days and paired with either a fun skirt and leggings or jeans.

daffodil purse

Oh my goodness. She is going to LOVE carrying this adorable purse, in the shape of a watering can. Adorable.

Great deals on kids clothes

Of course, I always appreciate a good sale. So I’m happy to share that there are a few great deals going on at Gymboree right now, too!

Readers can receive a free bodysuit (with complementary shipping) with a $10 purchase and details can be found here (http://bit.ly/XD2526)
When you sign up for Gymboree’s email newsletter, you can receive 10% off and free shipping with any online order over $50.
Through April 7, with every purchase online or in-store of $50, you are eligible to receive $25 Gymbucks (http://bit.ly/Gymbucks) that can be redeemed starting in April 2013. For purchases over $100, you receive $50 Gymbucks, over $150 receive $75 Gymbucks, etc.

Note: Thanks to Gymboree for being a sponsor!

Tagged as: Fashion Friday, Gymboree, kids clothes

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How to Make Your Own Minnie Mouse Cupcakes

by Alissa on February 19, 2013

How to Make Minnie Mouse Cupcakes

Make Your Own Minnie Mouse Cupcakes

The one thing my daughter wanted for her birthday? Minnie Mouse cupcakes.

That’s it.

So we came up with these sweet (and simple) Minnie Mouse cupcakes. They totally fit the bill and were so quick to put together.

How to Make Minnie Mouse Cupcakes

Bake your cupcakes. I generally opt for a box mix, mainly because I like to focus on the homemade frosting and decorating and less about the cake itself.
Frosting. I make my own. It’s super simple and generally easier to spread than store-bought and easy to tint to the color you need.
Minnie Mouse ears. Mini Oreos made great Minnie Mouse ears. I cut them in half, scraped out the middle and just used the cookie portion.
Pearls. I used these white pearl sprinkles for a little added fun on top!
Minnie Mouse bows. The bow was the trickiest part—and it ended up being a lot easier than I expected. My first thought was to try fondant for the first time to make the bows. In the interest of keeping things simple (and inexpensive), my husband took a stroll down the candy aisle. And scored. Big. He found a bag of gummy hearts (on post-Valentine’s Day clearance, nonetheless!). And the best part? The bag was a mix of our daughter’s favorite colors: pink, purple and both. My husband got to work cutting the bottom of the heart into a bow shape.

Do you know any Minnie Mouse fans who would love these cupcakes at their next party? Be sure to pin this post!

Our Minnie Mouse cupcakes were a big hit!

Tagged as: Minnie Mouse cupcakes

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Holiday Entertaining with Udi’s Gluten Free

by Alissa on December 20, 2012

Udi’s Gluten Free

Udi's

the review

Holiday entertaining can be tough.

We’re no strangers to the need to accommodate various allergies and food preferences over the years. We have friends and family members who are vegetarian, for example, so it’s second-nature for us to have a separate pan of something going at every family gathering.

More recently, though, we’ve started having some gluten sensitivities in the family, both our immediate and our extended family. This is the first year we’ll have to take those sensitivities into account as we plan our holiday meals.

Enter Udi’s.

Hmm. Maybe it won’t be so difficult after all.

We had the opportunity to try a few products that will be just perfect for holiday entertaining… once we get back to the store and replace what we’ve already eaten, that is. They didn’t stick around here long. They were that yummy. Even to those of us who have no gluten sensitivity at all.

Take, for instance, the Snicker Doodle cookies. These were so soft and delicious that my husband (not a gluten-free eater) tasted one and immediately asked to see the package. He did not believe they were gluten free. The kids both enjoyed theirs and asked to take one in their lunch the following day as well. They would be a perfect alternative to the standard cookie tray. Though I’d probably buy a few packages, if I were you. They’ll go quickly, even among the non-gluten-free party attendees.

The vanilla granola from Udi’s will be used in a healthier (and gluten-free) dessert option for our guests: a fruit and yogurt parfait (see our taste-test below):

Fruit and granola parfait

We’ll also try a homemade stuffing, made gluten free with the help of Udi’s bread.

What I love about Udi’s most of all is that their products are so delicious that you could easily make these dishes take center stage for all the guests at your party, not only the gluten-free eaters.

And isn’t that what the holidays is all about? Coming together, sharing delicious food and making memories to cherish with family and friends? Udi’s makes it easy for everyone to be in the mix.

Do you have allergies to accommodate for during the holidays?
What’s your go-to recipe?

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Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review. I received product samples from Udi’s to facilitate my review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.