The Daily Fuss

What the Fuss? Mercy Watson

We love pigs. Sassy little Olivia is a longtime favorite in our household.

Last year, as a gift for Mairin's Frist Birthday Book Party, she received two Mercy Watson chapter books from my friends.

Leighton and Mairin quickly elevated Mercy to Olivia status and we subsequently bought the four Mercy Watson books we did not have.

Mercy is a pig, the pet (nay, child) of the Watsons of Deckawoo Drive - born of the imaginations of author Kate DiCamillo (The Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn-Dixie) and illustrator Chris Van Dusen.

Although Mr. and Mrs. Watson believe that Mercy is sophisticated enough to drive a car, trick or treat or fight crime, Mercy's single motivation is food, specifically "warm toast with a great deal of butter on it."

Whacky hijinx ensue as the Watsons' expectations of Mercy as a "porcine wonder" remain far too high on six, distinct occasions.

Mercy Watson books are entertaining for all ages and wonderful for early readers. You can buy them individually, or as a set.

My only warning is that merely opening the book generally brings about a request for a snack of "hot buttered toast". I recommend having bread and butter on hand at all times.

 

What the Fuss? Screw Job (aka Goody Spin Pins)

I love to put my hair up: to smooth it out, get it out of my face, cool down, keep it from blowing about into a bird's nest, to give it a lift etc.

I may be inclined to take my hair up and down ten times each day.

However, pony tail holders, clips and the like leave an indelible kink in my fine, blonde hair.

When this happens, my hair is "stuck up" for the rest of the day.

The solution: Goody Spin Pins - the best hair pins EVER.

I randomly bought a package of three for my last stint as a bridesmaid in April.

I love them. I just wind up my hair and screw in one of these fantastic pins and I'm good to go. For thicker hair, maybe you use a few and lock them all together. I don't know.

For me, pony bands go the way of socks at a laundromat - I can lose up to a dozen a day. But, somehow, I still have all three of these precious little screws. Part of the reason is likely that they make noise when they hit the floor.

I bought mine on a whim at Walgreens for a few dollars and they're worth so much more.

Have you tried Goody Spin Pins? Please post a comment and share your fuss with us!

What the Fuss? 13.1

Nothing motivates me like new gear. The North Shore Half Marathon is three weeks out and I needed a boost.

Running in excessive heat with less-than-ideal, ignoring-technologically-sound-clothing, didn't-want-to-spend-the-money-unless-I-am-fully-committed clothes left me with rub marks EVERYWHERE.

So I went shopping.

1. Althleta Tempo Visor - $18

2. Lulu Lemon Marathon Singlet - $68

3. Lulu Lemon Ta Ta Tamer II - $58

4. Athleta Swift Zip Skort - $54

5. Lulu Lemon Run In the Sun Dress - $98

Ready to run in style, this new look will surely take the egde off the last 70 miles of training before running 13.1 on race day.

What the Fuss? Photo Carousel

For my wedding in 2007, I used vintage postcards in lieu of a guest book and bought this vintage-inspired post card carousel from Pottery Barn to display them.

Five years later, I use it to hold all of the photos I have printed of the kids, as well as my party invitations and holiday cards come December. Even my mini baby book is sweetly wedged into one of the slots.

The lower tiers are accessible by Mairin and so the beat up, dog-eared and much loved baby photos are all roughly knee-high.

Bother girls take daily trips down memory lane, asking questions about "who's who" in this photo and "why did Mairin wear that for Haloween" in another.

When family members come for parties, they take turns grabbing stacks they haven't seen before and when finished with a pile, they just tuck it back into its spot.

 

I'm not too particular about these photos - I want them to be loved and looked at. It's important to burn images of passing time and loved ones we've into our memory and brand our spirit life experiences. It just wouldn't work the same way for us without this accessory.

Pottery Barn recently brought it back in floor and tabletop sizes. They are $129 and $99 respectively.

Tip: When you shop PB, you can always receive a 10% registry discount and get another 10% back in rewards AND 5% cash back from UPromise.

What the Fuss? Fabulous and Affordable Loungewear

I love a good pyjama wardrobe. I hate when mine dwindles down to a pile of rags and I'm forced to sleep in mismatched tops and bottoms.

I love modal. I love the freedom to mix and match sleeve lengths to suit the temperature - open windows, air conditioning, travel, winter nights - my jammies need to be able to handle it all.

The most recent line of Gilligan & O'Mally Fluid Knit pjs at Target absolutely fits the bill.

I bought four short-sleeve tops (two black and two gray with a soft and stretchy detail at the neckline - $12.99 each), one of each color in the long sleeve top ($14.99 each), one of each color in the nightgown ($19.99 each), four pair of pants (two black and two gray - $14.99 each) and one of each color wrap (really a cardigan with a cute little elastic gather in the back - $24.99 each).

For roughly $200, I have plenty of mix and match sleepwear to get me through the next year or two. I got 5% off using my Target REDcard and another 5% back buying online with UPromise. Oh, and Target offers everyday free shipping for a minimum order.

I feel comfortable, look some combination of sophisticated, comfortable and even sex, while remaining mom appropriate. I highly recommend you check these out. You won't be sorry.

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What the Fuss? Sweet Lulu

I am a little bit obsessed with planning Mairin's first birthday party. I have combed the interweb blogoshpere for all things party with a certain appeal.

I am also fascinated with the sweet table trend and have spent hours poring over sugary baked images and the like.

I've decided to dip my toe in the insanity for Mairin's party. I found Sweet Lulu online to source the most fun, colorful and modern party items.

Everything Lulu stocks is relevant and displayed with intense appeal.

Enjoy the following images (courtesy of shopsweetlulu.com) of  some of the most charming inventory - much of which, I purchased.

I just placed this order today for a party next weekend. I chose Priority shipping from Sweet Lulu right here in Illinois!

Stay tuned from pics from the party. I am counting on Sweet Lulu to deliver.

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Smashed Fruit (and Veggies) Revisited

I've previously mentioned my love affair with baby and toddler fruit purees here and here and I thought it best to post my annual update.

We still love these innovatively-packaged wonders. And, we still have a giant wooden salad serving bowl filled with several different brands in our favorite combinations. It's stocked at all times.

It's worth mentioning that in the two years since I wrote the first post on what we affectionately refer to as "Mish Mash" no matter the brand, there are so many more options - more veggies - more combos - more fun!

We still hit the Plum Organics and Happy Baby pretty hard. We've also added Ella's Kitchen and some Earth's Best into the rotation. All have more stages and more vegetable combinations than ever before.

We do a lot of smoothies too with cow, soy, coconut and almond milk. Mairin needs a few alternatives because she's a bit sensitive to dairy all of the sudden. Fresh food is our first option, but we also blend in a mish mash when we don't have enough fruit or veggies in the house. Plus, it's winter in the midwest and selection of good fresh food can be limited.

To the companies who make these wonderful on-the-go treats.

Keep it up!

And, thank you!

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What the Fuss? WONDER!

It's a superstore! It's a play land! It's WONDER!

Imagine a 35,000 square foot baby and child emporium stocked with every toy, necessity and boutique find imaginable. It also has a huge play area where you can stay all day and try out the toys available in the store.

I like to shop online - almost exclusively. And luckily WONDER! offers that option too. Still, the store is so much fun, I can't resist the urge to shop in person.

 

 

WONDER! also has:

Nursing lounges for breastfeeding mamas

A custom "race" track to test drive wheeled vehicles

A fully stocked library area to test drive books and visit for story time

Private party spaces

Yoga, music, creative movement and art classes taught by amazing instructors

A fun-filled event calendar

Nursery and kid room vignettes

A stay-all-day or annual membership play area

Friendly and helpful staff

A kid-friendly easel at every checkout

 
 
Rumors of another store abound, but at this time, there is only one WONDER! 

This store is also the online distribution center. If it's in stock online, then I know it's in the store.

Fantastic!

WONDER! is located at 250 South Waukegan Road in Deerfield, IL.

All photos courtesy of WONDER!

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What the Fuss? Little Miss Austen

I love the Baby Lit line of board books (compact cardboard books, simple, small and durable  enough for drooling, babbling beebs) showcasing literary classics such as Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

We received Pride and Prejudice as a gift yesterday and (once I got over the fact that I should have produced this book) I marveled at the opportunity it presents for me to connect with my daughter.

Kids books are deliberately juvenile and understandably designed to promote certain types of behavior over others (for example: sharing and kindness are heralded; soiling one's pants is to be avoided). However, this cleverly written version of Jane Austen's masterpiece offers a vehicle for me to dish about a most-beloved heroine in terms that Leighton can understand.

I met the cheerfully illustrated pages with equal parts nostalgia and excitement.

  

I am a smelly english major. I took two Jane Austen and three Shakespeare courses in college. I enrolled in electives dedicated to Chaucer and Spenser respectively. I spent several semesters delving into these authors with an enthusiasm that still exists within me - buried deeply beneath a current lack of leisure and welcomed family obligation.

Apparently, board books are the best way for me to revisit some of my favorite stories. Who knew?

To Aunt Chris, thank you for sending Pride and Prejudice and for introducing us to Baby Lit.

To Baby Lit, (and ultimately Gibbs Smith) thank you for publishing an inspired and fashionable way for me to introduce classic literature to my precocious toddler and her paper page-destroying little sis.

To Elizabeth (Lizzy) Darcy (nee Bennett) thank you for your timeless complexity, idealism and sense of daughterly duty. And for being, in Ms. Austen's own words,"as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print."

Coming soon:

About the Authors:

Jennifer Adams is the author of a dozen books including Remarkably Jane: Notable Quotations on Jane Austen and the popular Y Is for Yorick: A Slightly Irreverent ABC Book for Grown-Ups. Jennifer works as a writer and editor in Salt Lake City. Her favorite baby name is Fitzwilliam.

Alison Oliver runs Sugar design studio. Alison's design portfolio includes everything from logos to packaging and product design for clients such as Chronicle Books, Citibabes, Aerie, as well as Gibbs Smith. She lives in Manhattan. Her favorite baby name is Lizzy.

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What the Fuss? Monkey Business

Last weekend, Grandma and Grandpa brought over the game "Five Little Monkeys" (from the creators of this children's book) and it was a hit. 

The game targets ages three and up. As we unpacked the pieces, I didn't believe my wee lass could follow so many rules. However, Lei, who just turned two and-a-half, had a blast following every last monkey-related directive.

Each player (up to four) has plastic colored monkeys. There is a big, plastic, pop up bed that sits in the middle of a board with spaces that direct players to do one of four pretend things when they land on them - take a bath, put on pjs, brush teeth, and go to sleep. 

Players take turns spining  to move around the board, act out the picture on the space they've landed on, place a monkey on the bed and then push the button on the spring activated bed. No one knows when it's going to pop.

Monkeys that fall off the bed remain off. Monkeys that simply tip over, but stay on the bed, are stood up again. The game continues until someone has four monkeys on the bed AND has acted out each of the four pretend scenes.

Leighton had no issues with patience.

 
Mairin, on the other hand, has yet to grasp the concept of "taking turns".

 
WE LOVE THIS GAME! What a great way to introduce small children to counting and strategy while developing fine motor skills.

We bought Five Little Monkeys for $20 at Toys R Us. It would make a fantastic holiday present for the little kid on your list.

What the Fuss? Skinny Girl

The final tastes of summer are some of the best. I was skeptical of the Skinny Girl margarita until August and I wish I would have discovered it sooner.

Made With Premium Blue Agave Clear Tequilia.

Lightly Sweetened with Agave Nectar.

100 Calories per 4oz Serving.

Delicious.

It's $13.99 at my grocery store, $11.99 at Binny's and ten bucks in Milwaukee. Perfect at any price point, sure to please and easy on the waistline - grab a bottle of Skinny Girl today.

What the Fuss? Vertical Chicken

I must confess I am not a chicken eater, generally speaking. Gun to my head, I do love a good, roasted thigh. You will not likely find me tossing a chicken breast into a pan. Bo-ring.

I do love a good rotisserie chicken, or a bird roasted whole. I've just never been interested in figuring out how to cook it myself.

Until I bought Ryan this chicken grill pan at Williams Sonoma. The label came with a recipe for beer can chicken. Of course, being a chicken novice, I had no idea that people pop the top on a cold brewski, sit a chicken on it and grill it.

This pan comes with two of it's own beer-can-type cones which can be snapped on to hold one large or two smaller (up to 5 lb) birds. It sounded like a wonderful adventure on which my husband should embark for his birthday. So, I bought it - along with two other fish and veggie grilling baskets and grill tools.

We used everything right away, except for that damn chicken pan. He was skeptical and I my hope was dwindling since the chance of me EVER touching a raw chicken was slim to none.

And so the pan sat for months. Until Mary (Mary Poppins, our nanny) found it in the cupboard and insisted we give it a whirl. We (by "we" I mean Mary) used Guy Fieri's beer can chicken recipe. Let me just say that it calls for the use of bacon as an alternative to enless basting. Yet one more reason bacon makes everything better.

I have never used it to cook more than one chicken, but have used the rest of the room in the pan to roast vegetables. This pan is $50, which is steep for a specialty item. In the alternative, Rosle makes what is basically a fancy beer can. It regularly retails for $25, but is on sale for $12.95 right now.

Or, you can certainly use a can of MGD. It's up to you.

Between the awesome pan, Penzey's spices and Guy's recipe, we have now made the most delicious chicken I have ever had in my life THREE times.

I even ate the white meat. And liked it.

What the Fuss? The Anti-Bottle

I love a good water bottle, but I don't always appreciate the room it takes up in my bag after the water is gone.

Problem solved.

Meet Vapur- the self-proclaimed "anti-bottle". Per the company website, Vapur was designed on the following premise:

At Vapur®, we believe that clean tap water is the best drinking water for you, your community and the planet, so we have set out to make tap water infinitely portable, readily available and ethically sustainable.

I drink tap water. We have a Brita, but when I became pregnant with Leighton in 2008, I found out that the Brita filters fluoride from tap water - a much-needed element for the formation of the little tooth buds forming in my belly. I stuck with it and have become a water bottle connoisseur.

The Vapur currently resides at the top of my list. It folds up to fit in your pocket or purse, has a carabiner to hang on your bag or pack when it's full and comes in an array of deliciously fresh colors. My mom gave me purple as a gift, but my next one will likely be blue.

The company has a great ideology behind its product, which will run you about $8 - far less than a Sigg or other heavier alternatives. Plus, a percentage of Vapur sales goes toward water-related causes.

What the Fuss? Kinderwagen

We lived in the city for all of Leighton's first year and the Bugaboo Cameleon got us everywhere we needed to be. We didn't use the car much, but the stroller went out with us every day.

I love the Bug. The bassinet is fantastically roomy and I could just pick up and put down my little babe with ease. It turns on a dime, has decent room in the under seat pouch, and has the perfect handle for hanging a bag.

SIGH.

Once Mairin came, I avoided all stroller discussion that culminated in procuring a dually. The last thing I wanted was a Bob or other dual jogger monstrosity. That's so NOT me. I basically wanted a new Bugaboo with a side by side bassinet and toddler seat. Alas, this does not exist.

Or does it?

We bought the Easywalker Duo (EW Duo) at Zulily a few months ago. And we love it for many of the reasons we love the Bug. We were on the fence between silver and red and ultimately chose red because we clearly like to draw attention to ourselves.

The EW Duo has the side by side toddler seat and bassinet (which converts into another toddler seat, or can be used with two bassinets or carseats).

  

Like the Bugaboo: The EW Duo has a ton of room for stuff, it turns on a dime, and it fits through all standard doorways.

Better than the Bugaboo: The EW Duo has loads of pockets and a cleverly designed shade flap that hangs down, tucks up or covers over the bassinet so nobody gets sun in her eyes. And, unlike the Bug, the bassinet pops off and the whole thing folds down with ease.

  
Pricing starts at $599 for the base. The bassinet and carseat adapter are sold separately. We paid $680 for everything on Zulily in April, but now that I have it, use it and love it, it's worth the full price of admission.

Perfect for the city, suburbs or anywhere in between. The Easywalker Duo is one sweet ride.

 

What the Fuss? Midnight Recovery

Stop blaming summer, your kids, your age or the fact that you just can't seem to remember to drink enough water for those days when your skin looks less than lustrous.

Two drops of Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate before bed revitalizes you from the neck up by morning.

Generally skeptical, I may not have believed had I not tried it. But it works. Some days, I wake up looking younger than when I went to bed.

And, at two drops per use, one $43 ounce should last months. 

We regularly buy Kiehl's moisturizers, men's shaving items, sunscreens and baby products - all of which come with amazing samples. You get even more bang for your buck when you split up the orders to meet the minimum free shipping and maximum free sample thresholds. Usually $50.

On my last order, I received three generous samples of Midnight Recovery Concentrate. I'm still making my way through them and I'm hooked. When those little bottles of magic run dry, I will gladly restock this liquid gold.