Gifts for Kids: Belles Bowtique

Blessed be are little girls. Any mother who says "I am happy with all boys" have not experienced the joy, rapture, love, and excitement that is all girl. I used to be an all boy fan, only because hey....no temper tantrums, fits, boyfriends, bows, dress-up, make-up. Do you know how boring life would be without all the aforementioned?

My Little Bitty is just awesome, not only because she is my daughter but she is a truly magical creature and very much a girlie girl. She loves everything pink (I promise! She wears my pink peep toe Dior pumps), bows, hats, and of course, her new tutu.

What is a little girl's wardrobe without a tutu?!

For Christmas why not give your little girl, daughter, grand-daughter or niece the gift of her very own tutu. I was so pleased when we were granted the special opportunity to receive our very own handmade tutu from Belles Bowtique. A stunning, hand crafted "hot pink" (fuschia) and pale pink tutu for my little girl to prance around, spin, dance, and to feel just like a princess. Sara even received a baby soft crocheted beanie with a "Daddy's Little Girl" bow.

She loves her hat....if only she could wear it long enough for me to take a picture. I was lucky enough to catch her with the tutu and take a golden photo of her posing. Every princess needs a tutu and what fun she and I had playing around with her tutu. Her beanie comes in handy too because the weather has been chilly lately in Arizona and with what little baby fine hair she has the hat keeps her sweet little head warm.

But Belle's Bowtique has goodies like tutus, beanies, girl's clothing, personalized tooth fairy pillows, jewelry for girls and moms! So for a one stop shop for your little princess (and even the queen) spend some love at Belle's Bowtique.

Gifts for Mom & Baby: Gaga for Mama Babywear ::CLOSED

Gifts can be so universal and interchangeable, who says "rules" have to be set for gifts, the way they are given and the way they are received. I personally enjoy gifts that can be given to multiple people which is why I want to share with you Gaga for Mama Babywear for babes and their mothers.

“Thank you, Mom.”

Have you ever wished that your baby could tell you just how much he or she appreciates everything that you do? Your wish has just come true with Gaga for Mama babywear!

“Thank you” is such a simple, yet powerful phrase. And, I bet you would agree with me when I say that as mothers we sure don’t hear it as often as we would like. Well, now you can! Gaga for Mama baby-wear features high quality bodysuits, printed with inspiring sayings, that will make you feel appreciated and loved every day. They also offer coordinating pants, bibs, and sun hats to make a complete outfit for your baby.

The Gaga for Mama baby-wear line is sold at http://www.DoubleUpBooks.com. Double Up Books is the only bookstore that specializes in books for and about twins, triplets, and multiples for parents and children. Double Up Books will be giving away 2 Gaga for Mama bodysuits to 1 lucky winner. [DoubleUpBooks.com, 2009] *The Five Fish did not receive any products in conjunction with this giveaway.

MANDATORY ENTRY:
Visit the babywear store within Double Up Books by going to http://bit.ly/3aXL7 and tell me which 2 bodysuits you would like if you were the winner (please include size and color info).

EXTRA ENTRIES:

• Follow Double Up Books on Twitter and tell me you do
• Sign up for the mailing list for awesome money saving deals, new arrivals and MORE!
• Follow my blog, or tell me you do
• Follow me on Twitter, or tell me you already do
• Tweet this giveaway (daily RT's available)-  I'm going Gaga for Mama with @DoubleUpBooks & @KariewithaK http://tiny.cc/RFnJz
  
• Fan The Fish on Facebook, (widget to the right)

CONTEST ENDS  DECEMBER 10TH 

@ 11:59 ARIZONA TIME

Best of luck!

*Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency. Click HERE!

Gifts for Her: Shade Clothing :: CLOSED

As women become mothers and as we age our style still for the most part remains the same. We want to be stylish, we want to be "hip" but our style more or less evolves with our age and with our bodies. I have found that I still love to wear beautiful clothing that accentuates my body, but that does not make me look like Michelin Man. I have a few bumps and rounds here and there from having children, but nothing too bad. But I cannot pull off my hipsters and a tee showing my navel like I could just a few short years ago. However, I can sport my jeans and a fabulous top that accentuates my curves and my fabulous style.

With that being said I found Shade Clothing. They are fantastic! I at first was a bit skeptical on the clothing, very stylish, but would it be "MY" style.

I was so glad I proved myself wrong when I received a piece of clothing from Shade to review. Fabulous! Absolutely FABULOUS! The timing was perfect and terrible all at once as I received the top a few days before my grandfather's funeral, but I looked great! I had so many compliments on my shirt, coupled with my Michael Kors trousers and Ralph Lauren Amaya Pumps.

I chose to review the Dolman Tunic which was a great choice because of the 3/4 sleeves where the top is not too hot and not too cold, literally just right for the fall weather.

The tunic has snaps along the left shoulder and down the sleeve. I was afraid the snaps would be heavy and binding and to my surprise they were very unnoticeable when I was wearing the top. The fit is awesome you can ruch the bottom as seen in the photo, or you can wear the shirt completely I was also afraid that the scoop neck would either be too low or too high causing an eye sore at my neck line and the scoop is perfect, especially because I am a bit more leveraged in the bust area so I like shirts that do not make me look like "Holy Boobs Batman." Shade Clothing claims to be clothing for modest women, but I hardly consider myself modest, I consider myself more classic, stylish, a mom by all means and have no intentions of dressing like an escort or looking as if I stuffed myself into my clothes or dressing in a MooMoo.

Shade Clothing was founded by Chelsea Rippy, who like the rest of the shopping women of the world, could not find clothing that was stylish and not revealing. The clothes were either teeny bop or your grandmother's line of clothing. And so Shade Clothing was born to supply a fashionable line to women that they look super in and feel great. Shade Clothing has stores in UT and AZ and of course you can shop online.

Now do you want to feel great in some fabulous and super clothing? I know I was ecstatic! Here are your details to enter to win a $30 Gift Card with Shade Clothing:

MANDATORY ENTRY:  Tell me your one thing about clothes shopping or clothes in general. (Mine...the sizes are never the same for any designer...sizes all over the board!)

EXTRA ENTRIES:

• Follow Shade Clothing on Twitter (tell me you do)
• Follow my blog
• Follow MOI` on Twitter
• Tweet this giveaway be sure to add @KariewithaK and @ShadeClothing to your tweets so we can see them!
• Blog this giveaway
• Enter one of my other giveaways (for each giveaway entry come back and leave me a comment for example: 3 giveaways, 3 comments)

 CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 1ST @ 

11:59PM ARIZONA TIME

Best of luck!

*Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency. Click HERE! 

Don't forget to DOWNLOAD your Copy of the catalog
HERE and all the fabulous participants, savings, and giveaways!

Gifts for Kids: Sweetie Pies Kids Boutique :: CLOSED

Christmas has been so much fun for me last year and this year because of the twins. I was so blessed with one of each that now I have a mini-me to dress up, do her hair, we can do girlie things in a house full of boys. While on my quest to find the sweetest girl gifts and ideas I stumbled upon Sweetie Pies Kids Boutique and seriously if they are not the sweetest boutique ever!

Look at that cute outfit! I could not believe that is handmade. Yes, you heard me correctly. HANDMADE with love from one of the most talented women I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with via email. I actually ordered this dress for review sight unseen. You see a picture was not posted and if I did not just have the most awesome luck! Can you believe this dress? Honestly totally cute and great for all seasons. Do you see the cute bow (that I was so lucky that my Little Bitty did not yank out of her hair)? Yes the bow matches that adorable dress.

So the dress is a fabulous light corduroy feeling fabric. Most people cringe at corduroy, but I embrace it and just love the soft velvety feel and the rough texture. Kids are fabulous candidates for corduroy because it is so tough and rugged for their playing. The pattern is awesome with the bright colors and Sara was losing her mind when she saw the dress. She is such a girlie girl at heart, if it is pink.....she now has possession, so beware.

Sweetie Pies Kids is more than just girls clothes. Boys clothes are also available, as well as an assortment of adorable bows, tutu's, monogrammed cups, frames, crayon rolls (which are great for travel!), and lots of totally cute baby gear like bibs, blankets, passy clips, they have it all. Of course, the best part is the handmade. I love to support mom and handmade so Sweetie Pies Kids is a no brainer.

Want to know where to find Sweetie Pies Kids Boutique clothes, well you can shop online with their fabulous site and if you happen to be a resident of North Carolina and in the area of Kernersville and Youngsville you can see all of their great products at Barabara's Cottage in Youngsville and Emma Jane's in Kernersville, but of course you can check out the Sweetie Pies Kids Boutique site for your one stop shop if you are not in the area.

If you have a boy or girl in your life this year that you want to buy them something completely unique and away from the ordinary that you find at your standard box stores or maybe you want to customer order...they take those too, well this is the place to read on, because the owner Kristen Holmes of Sweetie Pies Kids is offering The Five Fish readers a $20 gift certificate to her site to shop for some fabulous gift items this year. And if you are not a winner for this giveaway, that is still okay because if you mention that you saw Sweetie Pies Kids on my blog you get 10% off your purchase! How fabulous is that!

So you want to know the fabulous deets on how to win? Alright:

MANDATORY: Check out Sweetie Pies Kids and tell me who you would shop for and what you would want to buy for them.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

• Go Join the Sweetie Pies Kids Boutique Facebook Page to get all your updates for the shop.
• Stumble, Digg, or Delicious Sweetie Pies Kids and tell me you did (an entry for each)
• Buy something with your 10% discount from Sweetie Pies Kids (for 5 extra entries, let me know your info so I can confirm)
  
• Follow my blog and or tell me you do
• Follow me on Twitter or tell me you do
• Tweet this giveaway with daily RT's "Sweet as pie with Sweetie Pies Kids & @KariewithaK (put the link to the giveaway here)"
  
• Blog about this giveaway with 25-100 words linking back to The Five Fish & Sweetie Pies Kids (Worth 4 extra entries)
• Enter one of the other giveaways for an extra entry (each giveaway is an extra entry here, 4 giveaways, 4 extra entries! WOO)

DOWNLOAD your Copy of the catalog HERE for FABULOUS products to be showcased here on the blog throughout the month including giveaways and HUGE money savings just in time for the holidays!

CONTEST ENDS NOVEMBER 18TH @ 11:59 AZ TIME

BEST OF LUCK!

*Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency. Click HERE! 

Chonies

Last night Big G had a moment of clarity with Dad. I was very happy to later only hear the story and laugh till I about peed myself. I have to say that I am SOOO glad his Dad handles those situations because I...would give the poor boy a complex. I would laugh until I fell over leaving him perplexed and wondering when I would give him an answer.

Shortly after taking a shower Big G was getting dressed and for some reason outfitted himself in a different set of chonies (underwear for you gringos..HA!!). Not sure why he chose the pair he did, but I did find the selection odd when I walked in the door from my PTO Board/Margarita meeting. (Yes that is how we ladies in the PTO roll....a few margaritas, maybe a Dos Equis, some chips and salsa and we get to business.) So I walk in to see the hubs on the couch and the kids roaming through the house and Big G already dressed for bed....which consists of his white t-shirt and his chonies. As I said...interesting choice for underwear this evening.

After the hubs puts the boy down and we are left wrangling gnomes well into the late demonic witching hours, aka 9pm, I asked about the underwear situation. Here is how the whole thing goes down:

Me: So what's up with Grant's chonies tonight?
Hubs: What do you mean?
Me: Not his typical underwear....those are usually the "Last Ditch" Mama needs to get the laundry done pair. I have them at the bottom of his underwear pile.
Hubs: Oh yeah, he just picked them out. And then he figured out they were different.
Me: Um yeah! (My best DUH impression rolling eyes and all)
Hubs: Yeah but it was funny because he got all "Dad, why are these shorter than the rest?" and he began pulling them down and fidgeting with his package.

The package...the penis....as if their "tool and jewels" were the beloved and sacred genitalia of all the world. Okay moving on......please enjoy the eye candy. Yum

Me: Giggling uncontrollably now.
Hubs: Grant was telling me "Dad and they are.....well they don't feel right."
Me: Laughing still
Hubs: I told him "Well buddy those are Tighty Whities" and he was like "Huh!? What are tighty whities?"
Me: Cackling!!
Hubs: "Buddy, well they are tight....and white...so they are called Tighty Whities." Grant then tells me "What are the other ones called that aren't tight and white?"
"Bud, those are boxers, you can move in those."
"Yeah Dada these ones don't really squish my penis."
Me: I am falling over ready to pee myself.

So glad the hubs deals with moments like those. I couldn't keep a straight face let alone handle the penis comment I would be cackling like an evil witch the moment he said "squish my penis" about his underwear, I know I am such a mature mom.

Summer Reviews and Giveaways!

I was contacted by a pair of lovely PR ladies the other day. One of whom wants my gnomes to test out some really cool summer products! I am ecstatic to review them because my gnomes will be spending a lot more time outside now that the weather is warmer and school is out. Not to mention that my pool is already a tepid 83 degrees! In addition to the review.....GIVEAWAY!! So stay tuned for that great stuff.

I also have the opportunity to catch up on my much needed reading! All the reading I have been doing for the last three years are text books. So I am happy to announce that my nose will be pulled from the text books and shoved back into some much needed, much appreciated, much loved novels, books, and short stories. These items will be reviewed and shared with you all as well, which will be super fantastic! Some great reads for mom by the pool....multi-tasking and reviewing multiple products at one time....bring on more!!! I can handle it....I have twins HEAR ME ROAR!!

Here is a glimpse of the summer products! Based on my these for the elementary school so I am super excited!! Make sure you Digg, Stumble, or Technorati these sites, I know I did.

MFS Eyewear

Sun Protection Zone

You know life is rough when...

Life is rough when this conversation takes place between a five year old kindergartner and his parents:

Me: G, you need to go get dressed baby. Since you are done eating you need to get out of your Jammie's and get ready for school.

DH: Yup buddy, you have school today. Listen to your mother and go get dressed.

G walks into his room and then promptly turns right back around and comes out with this horrendous whine.

DH: Buddy...why aren't you getting dressed.

G: (mumbles something completely incoherent)

DH: Buddy, I can't understand you.

Me: Listening in like a hawk.

G: I can't get dressed.

Me and DH: Why can't you get dressed?

G: I just can't! (whining) There is just too much.

DH: What the hell is he talking about...too much what buddy?

G: There's just too much. I just have too much clothes...I can't get dressed.

Me: Well then just pick your favorite of what you want to wear.

Sheesh, I wish I had that problem at the ripe old age of FIVE!! So many clothes the kid can't figure out what to wear on a school day.