A Latte in the morning

See Kai Run giveaway

There's a giveaway for a pair of See Kai Run's over @ Two of a kind, working on a full house.

I went to a Play Boutique yesterday with Abby (the place has been in my town for 3 years, never knew about it till this week). One of my friends invited me to come along. It was fantastic, Abby immediately ran off and went and played on slides, cars, played with balls,...up until I heard a scream and Abby was crying.

I wasn't sure what had happened, I thought she had banged her head until she looked up and was bleeding under her nose and on her cheek. The girl that was with her had scratched Abby in the face! Not a little scratch, 2 big ones.

I just grabbed Abby, and calmed her down. The manager of the place gave me some ointment to put on there and then Abby continued playing.

The little girls mom came over to apologize and then told me the little girl had done this before at another place. The reason the little girl scratched? I think Abby didn't go quick enough down the climbing frame.

The little girl was in a time-out for a long time and then came over to apologize to me.

Well, Abby had a great time and we're definitely going again next week! A little scratch is not going to stop us.

Anybody had this happen to their kids?

Lisa Leonard giveaway: CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER ANNOUNCED

Thanks all for entering this fantastic giveaway! I wish I could have won this giveaway! I just love Lisa Leonard!

Random Integer picked my winner for today and this is:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:
36
Timestamp: 2009-03-14 01:12:58 UTC

The winner is Cool Crafty Mom! I already emailed you!

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I'm sure most of you have heard of Lisa Leonard. Not only do I love her name (my oldest daughter's name), I just absolutely love her jewelry!

For those who haven't heard about Lisa Leonard keep reading as you don't want to miss out!

Lisa has been making jewelry since high school but decided to get serious after her first son was born. She wanted to build a small business that would enable her to quit her job and stay home with her boys. Lisa's inspired by other artists--painters, scrapbookers, clothing designers and poets. She loves to soak up nature-the sky, the sea, the green hills. All these ideas and images swirl around in her mind and then she creates the most gorgeous jewelry!

Lisa has 3 collections:

Something Simple:

I just love this Bloom necklace!

The perfect piece to represent mama and kiddos. The larger flower represents mom and the smaller blooms are her children. Each piece is hand-stamped with a special word or your kids' names. The pendant is 1 1/2" long and made of genuine sterling silver. Strung on 18" sterling ball chain (you can customize chain once instead cart) with freshwater pearl detail. The center of each flower is a hole, hand-drilled. So sweet, so unique!

Something Inspired:

The above pictures are Feet, Riveted heart and Lovebird, aren't they gorgeous?

Something Extra:

I love this keychain.

A hammered square is hand-stamped with a sweet dandelion and your kids' names or a favorite phrase.

Every piece of jewelry is handcrafted with love and care!

There's so many gorgeous pieces, I couldn't put all of them on here so have a look and check them out.

Lisa also has a fantastic blog I love to read, check it out here.

Now you lucky moms out there, Lisa has very generously offered to do a giveaway for my fabulous readers!!!

I chose the Bloom necklace (see above picture) for the giveaway, I just love the simplicity, the story behind the necklace, I just love, love, love it!!!

There's several chances to win this necklaces:

1st entry: check out Lisa Leonard, have a look around and let me know your favorite piece in her store.

2nd entry: become a follower of A latte in the morning

3rd entry: fave me on technorati (link is above followers, top right of my blog), let me know your username in a separate comment.

4th entry: blog about this giveaway and link back to Lisa Leonard and my blog. Leave the URL in the comment section so I can check.

The deadline for this giveaway is 03/12/09 (my Lisa's birthday), the winner will be notified by email and announced on this post. Please leave an email address in your comment if you haven't got a public profile so I can easily contact you.

The winner has 2 days to get back to me or another winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is for US and Canada only.

Lisa, thank you so much for this!!!!

Too funny!

I had to write about this, this just happened to me this morning and I couldn't stop laughing!

So Abby has this habit of picking out the marshmallows of her Lucky Charms and then leaves the rest, either on the couch or on the floor. So this morning I was going to vacuum all the leftovers and got my vacuum out. Now when the machine says the vacuum bag is full, you should listen, it really is full!!!

But no, no, I'm trying to fit in as much as I can, so I continue to vacuum. We have a Miele with a brush at the end that "combs" the carpet so it stays all nice and fluffy.

I'm just vacuuming away and suddenly the rolling brush makes this weird noise. So I picked it up and turned it around while it's still going and what happens???????

The bag was full, so this brush was combing all the charms in the vacuum bit without sucking them up, so when I picked it up, the brush (as it's turning) is spitting out all these charms and they were now literally everywhere!!

I couldn't do anything else but laugh really hard while Abby is shouting "oh-oh"!!!

So moral of the story, listen to your vacuum, they really know best!

half wordless Wednesday

Where did those Lucky Charms marshmallows go to?

See Kai Run new Spring 2009 collection: review & giveaway CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER ANNOUNCED.

Wow!!! I had 204 entries for this contest! Thank you all for reading my blog and entering my giveaways!

I need to remind my readers to read the rules as I had to delete 5 comments, to keep it fair for the people that did follow the rules.

So with no further delay, the winner is.......

True Random Number Service

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

172
Timestamp: 2009-03-12 17:31:35 UTC

And this is "Mommyhood is thankless"! Congratulations, you're going to love See Kai Run!!!

I also send you an email to confirm.

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You know I love See Kai Run and I couldn't wait for their new Spring Collection to arrive.

We've had a couple of sunny days now and I love it, I can't wait for Spring and Summer to get here.

I was lucky enough to be able to review the Kaya shoes from the new collection.

They are handcrafted from butter-soft sheepskin leather and have a flexible rubber sole. What I also like about them is that they have a generous width and wide toe box so Abby has enough wiggle room! With the adjustable velcro closures, these shoes are so easy to get on. Abby keeps trying herself and has managed a couple of times already!

Abby doesn't like her shoes to get dirty so of course here we had a little problem! But we just wiped the dirt off with a wet cloth and voilà, no more worries!

I just love how hip and trendy the See Kai Run shoes are!!

Here are some examples of the new Spring collection I also love (I know, I'm going to try not to put the whole collection in here!).

How cool are these Mavericks?

How perfect are the Sofia sandals for the summer?

Now not only the See Kai Run collection has a new Spring line, also the Smaller collection has one. Here are some of my favorites!

I just love the color combo on these Chase shoes!

How cute and adorable are these Holly shoes?

I'm just really loving the new Spring collection! What about you?

See Kai Run has very generously offered to sponsor a giveaway! You can choose a style and size from the Smaller or See Kai Run collection!!

1st entry: Visit the Smaller collection and tell me your favorite style!
2nd entry: visit both Smaller and See Kai Run and tell me what style and size you would pick if you win. Please specify the collection they are from in your entry.
3rd entry: become a follower of A latte in the morning (current followers, just let me know you're already a follower)
4th entry: blog about this giveaway with a link to See Kai Run and A latte in the morning and let me know the URL in a separate comment.

5th entry: add my button to your blog and let me know the link.

6th entry: fave me on technorati (see top right above followers) and let me know your username.
Please leave separate entries in a different comment or it will not count.
Deadline for the giveaway: 03/11/09 midnight PST, the winner will be emailed and announced on this post on the 12th (my oldest daughters birthday, yipieee)
US and Canada only.

Current giveaways

Don't forget to enter my current giveaways!

PalPODzzz ladybug nightlight: deadline tonight midnight!

BellaLuAndMe earrings: deadline: 02/26/09

SafetyTats: deadline: 03/09/09

mhmmmm, where did my followers go?

I'm not sure but I think Blogger just had a hick-up or something cause I just lost 30 followers?

Not sure if they will get back, I need to look into this.

Anybody else having any problems with this?

Have you ever lost your child, even for a minute? SafetyTat review and giveaway!CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Thanks for entering this giveaway.

The winners are......

True Random Number Service
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
20 11 12
Timestamp: 2009-03-11 02:21:26 UTC

And the winners are:

Kristine

Dina

Nad

I've send you all an email to confirm.

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It's every parents worst nightmare, at least it definitely is one of mine! You're in a shopping mall or at the zoo, you turn around for a moment and when you look back your child is gone! I've had nightmares about this and we did actually lose Lisa when she was 2 for only a minute but it felt like hours!

We were in a zoo in Holland, Lisa was walking ahead of us, turned into the next path, which split in 2. We didn't know which one she had taken and she didn't immediately answer our calls. It was the most horrible, scary feeling I've ever experienced and one I hope will never, ever happen again!

This is why I can't wait to share SafetyTats with you!!!

Designed by a Mom of three kids, SafetyTat is a fun and colorful kids temporary safety tattoo that’s uniquely offered either customized with your mobile phone number or blank so you can write your phone number on them. When applied to the arm of your child or loved one, SafetyTat provides an immediate, highly visible form of identification that stays in place even when wet!

Original SafetyTats are the proud Winner of the iParenting Media Greatest Products Award!

I was lucky enough to review the original SafetyTat with my mobile number and the new Quick Stick Write-On. We went to a big State Swim Meet last weekend, lots of people, lots of kids and found this to be an excellent place to test out the Original SafetyTat, I had chosen Tessa for Abby (see below image).

The tattoo is really easy to apply, you remove the clear layer, press the tattoo on the skin, add water to saturate and remove the white liner. Gently wipe the top of the tattoo to remove any residual adhesive. The tattoos are waterproof and last from 1 to 5 days.

Now for the parents out there that are hesitant to use tattoos, these tattoos are acrylic-based and do not contain latex. They suggest to be cautious and to do a small test area with your tattoo prior to applying for long durations. If you're still not convinced on the tattoos I would recommend to use the Quick Stick Write-ons instead.

Although we had our eyes on Abby all the time at the swim meet, I just felt a lot more comfortable with the tattoo on her arm. What really surprised me was how many parents have asked me where I had gotten these tattoos, we got so many reactions. Yes, I know SafetyTats rock, that's what my 2 other kids said!

The difference between the Original SafetyTat and the Quick Stick Write-on you ask?

The NEW Quick Stick Write-On! SafetyTats are different...and pretty amazing! They are blank/non-customized "skin appliques" or "skin stickers" that you customize yourself with the provided tattoo marking pen. They require no water to apply -- simply peel and stick -- "Quick Stick!" They are made of a micro thin, durable elastimer that is opaque when applied to skin and provides an ultra-safe barrier so no ink touches your child's skin or bleeds through the tattoo when you write on it. Quick Stick Write-Ons last up to 2 weeks! And you remove them the same way you remove a band aid.

SafetyTats are a great child safety identification device for: Theme Parks, Amusement Parks, Shopping Malls, Airports, Fairs, Festivals, Traveling, Museums, Zoos, Stadiums, Playgrounds, Site Seeing, Field Trips, Drop-off Birthday Parties and Play Dates, First Day of School, Scout Trips...anywhere you have kids in crowds.

I wanted to show you some examples of what other SafetyTats are out there:

* for school trips:

* allergies:

* there's 2-line SafetyTats:

*new tween tats:

SafetyTats has very generously offered 3 of my readers their Quick Stick Write-On (6 pk for either a boy, a girl or a boy/girl combo pack)!

For a chance to win this, please visit SafetyTat and let us know something you learned on the website or what other design you would love to see for a tattoo.

For a 2nd entry: become a follower of A latte in the morning, let me know in a separate comment.

For a 3rd entry, fave me on Technorati (click on technorati button, just above followers, top right of my blog) and let me know your username is a separate comment.

For a 4th entry, add my button to your blog, let me know your url in a separate comment.

The deadline for this giveaway is 03/09/09 midnight PST. The winners will be notified by email and announced on this post. The winners will have 48 hours to confirm they've won.

If you don't win the tattoo, you're still going to be a winner as SafetyTat has also offered a 15% discount on all orders of $15 or more for my readers!!! Just use code ALatteInTheMorning09 (case sensitive) at check-out. This code is valid till March 23rd, 09.

Dawn, thank you so much for this opportunity!!!

so many plans, not enough time

Oh man, I had so many plans this weekend on writing reviews but we've been at a State Swim meet this weekend and after 2 very long days stuck in a pool, that was too small to hold that big of a swim event, I was done!

My oldest daughter swam fantastic this weekend, I'm so proud of her!!! She is such a trooper!!!

Well, as soon as Abby settles in for her nap I'm going to start my reviews/giveaways again.

Talk to you soon!

The Creative Individual Company to the rescue

As you have probably seen in my earlier post, Abby's room has been transformed!!

I know, my little baby has grown into a little "big" girl. I don't want her to be a "big" girl just yet!

We've been sanding and painting all last weekend, but her furniture is finished and her room decorated.

Here's the result:

Notice the cutest monkeys ever???

Well, they are from a company called The Creative Individual.

This is one of the coolest companies out there in my opinion. You are going to be amazed by some of the murals they have!

Ever since Lisa (my oldest) was born I wanted to have somebody come in and paint a mural on her wall, but I couldn't afford some of the prices and then ultimately I let it go. Well, in the meantime we've moved countries, so maybe better that we didn't do it as I couldn't have taken the wall with me.

So for all you parents out there that are thinking about getting a mural, but want something affordable and re-usable (yes, you heard it right!), check out The Creative Individual!

Here are some of their paste-up murals, I could have put a lot more examples up but there's too many, you need to look for yourself!

How fantastic are these finished walls???

CIC PASTE-UP MURALS

The custom painted look of CIC painted kids murals, are now available as CIC PASTE-UP Murals.....Now you can add that extra special touch of fun, color, and magic to your nursery and home....with the convenience of a print.
The"CIC PASTE-UP Murals" are printed on a textured canvas-like vinyl wall covering, which is very durable, easy-to-apply, vibrant, scrubbable, and will last for many years to come. They are removable and reuseable and will not tear.They also meet & exceed ASTM-E84 & NFPA286 Fire & Smoke certifications.

If you just want to add some accents to your walls but don't want something big, then the Pop-ups are the right thing for you!

Their "Popups" are only a peel and a stick away from making your wall that much more fun and imaginative! "Popups" are also a great way to get started on creating your own personal theme room! Here are some examples:

Steve send me the pop-up monkeys and brown dots to try! I was so excited when we received these.

Applying these on the walls was super easy. You just peel off part of the backing, stick the monkey on the wall, use your squeegee to take out any bubbles, peel of the rest of the backing and voila, the monkeys are all set.

Initially I was worried as the instructions say to apply them on a smooth wall. Well, we don't have smooth walls, ours are textured so I wasn't sure if it would work, but I shouldn't have been worried at all. Those monkeys are still hanging on the walls!

They not only have dots (in all kinds of colors), there's stars, hearts, rings, and a lot more...

If you're looking for a growth chart, yes, bingo, you're at the right place.

The Creative Individual is generously offering my readers a 10% discount. Just use the promo code 9449 at check-out. This code will expire at the end of March, so don't miss this chance!

Thanks Steve for letting me do this review! We're big fans!!!

A whole new bedroom

As you read before, we're finally done with all the sanding and staining.

We moved in all the furniture last night and I decorated the room today, in between Abby's morning and afternoon nap. Still one shelf to go but have to wait till my husband is home as it's a big, heavy shelf and I don't want to ruin my wall by trying to do it myself.

I promised you some pictures, so here we go:

Abby absolutely loves her room and loves to sleep in her "big" bed. We haven't had any problems and she doesn't come out of her bed (fingers crossed on that one).

Notice the monkeys on the wall? I have a whole review coming up on them, keep your eyes open for tomorrow, you will be amazed!

Well, need to start cooking dinner, talk to you soon!

I'm so excited!!!

Oh, I'm so excited!! All the furniture has been sanded, pre-conditioned and stained 3 times. I put Abby's "big girl" bed up in her room yesterday cause I really couldn't wait any longer! The rest of the furniture and some more accessories will be exchanged today and tonight.

I went to Ikea yesterday with all 3 kids and it was so much fun! I just love Ikea!!!

Abby was too young to go in the the playroom, Lisa too old so it was just Jamie in the playroom and the girls went shopping, and oh yeah, did we shop!!!

We got a little over excited but Abby's room is going to look fantastic when it's done!

So Abby had her first night in her new bed last night and apart from hanging upside down from the side of her bed at one point, her sleeping bag was stuck under the tucked-in sheets (saved her from falling out), it went great. Somewhere during the night she was giggling really loud, so she must have had a fantastic dream!

Here's a sneek peak of her new bed, I'll be sending adding some more before and after pictures later this week.

sanding, conditioning, staining

Just to let you know you'll not hear from me anymore till Tuesday. We've been sanding furniture yesterday (1 cupboard to go), I've just conditioned the wood of the furniture that was sanded, it needs to dry for half an hour. And then I can start staining the furniture.

What am I doing you ask? Well, we're getting Abby's furniture ready for her "big girl" bedroom.

It's Lisa's old bedroom furniture, Jamie used it too and now it's Abby's turn but I want to stain it with white pickle wash, it's going to look great! I'll show you pictures when the furniture is done and when the room is done.

Got to go, talk to you later.

Yokomono review

I recently had the opportunity to review the polopolo large tissue box cover in Yellow Mustard from Yokomono.

I know Kleenex and other tissue companies are trying their best to make good-looking tissue boxes so the box doesn't look awful and you have to hide it, BUT nothing they make compares to what Yokomono makes!!

The polopolo box cover just really fits in with our furniture and color on the wall. The cover looks fantastic. The printed fabric = Rayon/cotton & the solid fabric (side & inside) = Cotton twill. It has an elastic band on the bottom so when you move the box cover, the box doesn't fall out!

A little more info on Yokomono:

Yokomono studio makes 'mono' to make your life happier --various well constructed bags, totes, and home accessories. A bit modern, a bit retro, a bit japanese. Of course, every 'mono' & 'komono' (small stuff) is designed & handcrafted by Yoko herself. Yoko was born in Japan and lives with her husband, daughter and dog in the San Francisco Bay area.

Some more examples of what Yoko makes: