Fashion Friday: What I Scored Lately

July 30th, 2010

Fashion Haul TJ Maxx Style! Check out our video to see the full details on our fabulous finds from TJ Maxx. Mommy & the kids scored big time on this trip.

The kids are most impressed by their lunch boxes – only $5.99 and perfect for lunch bunch as they head back to preschool. Love how my girly girl chose the Phillies over all the fabulous Hello Kitty and Barbie options.

But Mommy is gaga for her new designer jeans. Yep. Real celebrity style designer jeans. Unreal.  I found them at the Runway Style section of my local TJ Maxx at the Gateway Shopping Center in Wayne, PA. They had a huge selection of brands in every range of sizes. And for only $59.99 I scored a pair of 7 for all Mankind jeans.  It was such a deal I bought 2 pairs – 1 in dark denim and 1 in a regular lighter style denim.

And as you can see in the video I bought lots for myself. The other major finds for my kids were a fantastic Nike sweat suit for Kyle (top & bottoms!) for only $15.99 and a gorgeous plum sweater dress for Kenzie for only $14.99 for back to school.

Disclosure: I’m a spokesperson for TJ Maxx & Marshalls for the 2010 Back to School Season. As always, all thoughts, opinions, and shopping addictions are my own.

Jet Set Angelina Jolie

July 30th, 2010

Red carpet style photos from Moscow to Tokyo to Seoul show busy movie star Mommy Angelina Jolie has been non stop promoting Salt. Are you planning to see the movie? Do you like Angelina Jolie?

Posing on a hotel roof top in Moscow.

Actress Angelina Jolie poses at a hotel roof with the Kremlin on the background in Moscow on July 25, 2010. Jolie visits Moscow for the premiere of her feature movie Salt . UPI/Anatoli Zhdanov. Photo via Newscom

On the red carpet in Moscow.

American actress Angelina Jolie attends the premiere of Phillip Noyce's movie 'Salt', a spy thriller, at Oktyabr Cinema in Moscow, Russia, on July 25, 2010. Photo by Maxim Shemetov/Itar-Tass/ABACAPRESS.COM Photo via Newscom

In Tokyo, Japan.

TOKYO - JULY 27: Actress Angelina Jolie attends the 'Salt' Japan Premiere at Tokyo International Forum on July 27, 2010 in Tokyo, Japan. The film will open on July 31 in Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)

Actress Angelina Jolie attends a Japan premiere for the film Salt in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2010.   UPI/Keizo Mori Photo via Newscom

In Seoul, South Korea

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JULY 28: Actress Angelina Jolie attends the 'Salt' press conference at the Shilla Hotel on July 28, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. The film will open on July 29 in South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)


I am dying to see this flick given my celebrity crush on Liev Schreiber and the fact that this is a movie Mike will actually enjoy given the non stop action and stunts. We’ll get a babysitter soon and make it a date night.

Caping it up!

July 30th, 2010

Kenzie got to play model yesterday at a photo shoot for my friend Caroline’s Lina Bean product line. Caroline is a mompreneur who sells fabulous handmade goodies she designs herself – everything from capes to burps to charming matching ties for boys & headbands for girls.

Kenzie was most impressed with her first ever “modeling” debut. The kids had a blast running wild in these super hero style capes. They are so charming, whimsical and fun. $32 each and $38.

If she had her way, we would have stayed all day running around smiling and taking pics, however, I’ve been driving her hard this summer to learn to swim and we had our final private lesson today so had to leave after only 20 mins of fun. I feel like a helicopter Mom wanting her to learn to swim so badly but our hard core lesson approach this summer has worked (6 weeks of lessons 4x per week!!!)

Charlie St. Cloud Movie Review

July 30th, 2010

Ok, High School Musical enthusiasts, this is the moment that we’ve all been waiting for. Charlie St.Cloud hit theaters today, and I feel like every Zac Efron fan is dying to see him take on an entirely new role in this movie. Lucky for me, I got a chance to see a screening of the movie a couple weeks ago, so I’ve been anxious to talk all about it.

For those of you who’ve missed the trailer, this story is all about family and hope and the close bond between brothers. When Charlie loses his younger brother Sam in a tragic car accident, Charlie continues to play catch with Sam’s ghost every evening. When love comes into the picture, Charlie has to choose to continue living in the past or make the most of the life that he’s been given.

After watching the trailer for the movie, I thought it was the typical dramatic romance, but I actually thought the movie had a Sixth Sense feel to it. All of us were captivated in the plot the entire time. I tried to keep track and am pretty sure I cried unofficially three times during the movie. The main characters were great, and Zac has gotten several points in my “cool” book for pulling his role off so well. If I had to rate this on a 5-star ranking, I’d give it a 4. It’s a great movie to take the entire family to go see.

If you have high schoolers at your house, I’m sure they are probably all talking about this movie. I live with a family with two high school girls, so I thought I’d interview them to see how they ‘re feeling about the premiere. Do they sound a lot like some teens you know?

Mommy Bloggers and Zac Efron after movie screening in LA

What’s the Scoop with the Poop?

July 29th, 2010

What do you do when a terrible diaper explosion happens during inconvenient circumstances? Especially when you don’t have enough wipes nearby to solve the stinky messy crisis! I’d love to hear your Mommy confessions!

Here’s my poop confession.

And yes I admit it is a bit unorthodox and wasteful to cut up a perfect onesie but truly sometimes you just don’t have enough wipes in the diaper bag to handle the mess.

Not to mention getting poop in your babies hair when you try to undress them for an outfit change is no fun either! Sometimes scissors was my answer.

Disclosure: I am being compensated for my participation as an ambassador in the Poo Free Summer campaign by Huggies.  All of the statements I make regarding Huggies products are my honest opinions and not influenced by compensation.

Behind the scenes of Charlie St. Cloud

July 29th, 2010

We’ve got the inside scoop straight from the author & director!

I’ve always been a fan of books turned into movies. Twilight, The Notebook, and Dear John to name a few of my personal faves, and Charlie St. Cloud did not disappoint! It’s always intriguing to watch a director’s interpretation of a book. Getting to hear the story behind this book and learn how the book came alive in the movie was almost…almost…as cool as meeting Zac Efron during my What I learned about Zac Effron weekend. So I thought I’d share a few tidbits from Burr Steers (director) and Ben Sherwood (writer)from the movie to help us get a whole new perspective of the big screen.

And if you haven’t seen the Charlie St. Cloud movie trailer yet, check it out here.

Behind the scenes of the movie with Burr:

Q: What was one of the most challenging scenes of the movie to direct?

A: The sailing race. There was hardly any wind on the day of the shoot, so tow boats had to help pull the boats. A lot of editing helped turn bad sailing weather into an awesome scene at the beginning of the movie.

Q: How did they shoot Zac’s underwater rescue scene?

A: Even though none of would be surprised if Zac really did swim through dangerous waters to save his love, the scene in the movie was actually shot on a set in a large tank. Unsurprisingly, the underwater technician that trained him said he was the best he ever worked with.

Q: Why did you choose to have one of the characters, Florio, alive in the movie when he was dead in the book?

A: Burr went back and forth with this decision, but Florio’s role in the movie needed to be more immediate since his character did not need to explain things throughout the story like the character in the book.

Q: Why was the boy that worked for Charlie in the movie younger than in the book?

A: Burr made him younger because he was working for Charlie, so it felt more realistic that a younger person played that role. Also, just for fun and color, Burr made him a Russian immigrant. Interesting interpretation if you ask me…

Burr Steer and Mommy Bloggers

We also got a chance to talk to Ben, the writer of Charlie St. Cloud, and I have to admit that his interview was definitely my favorite. Ben is such a genuine guy, and he seemed awe-struck that his book was getting so much publicity. I could’ve listened to him talk about his book all day. Unfortunately, we only had 20 minutes with him, so I pulled out some of the good stuff to share with you.

Q: What does it do to you to have a book turned into a movie?

A: “I don’t know. I wish I knew the answer. I ask my wife that question all the time what’s gonna happen and we don’t know.”

Q: Why is Charlie much younger in the movie than the book?

A: Charlie in the book is an older, depressed guy that lost a lot. Charlie in the movie still has time and still has hope. It’s not too late for him.

Q: What do you think about Zac playing Charlie?

A: I heart Zac! (So do we, Ben!) Zac in real life embodies Charlie. They both have so much hope and potential.

Q: Were you surprised that Florio was alive in the movie but dead in the book?

A: Florio being alive in the movie helped maked the story more contemporary, but Ben told us that he and his wife didn’t know about that change in the plot until they watched the screening!

Q: How did you research for this book?

A: It  sounds crazy, but Ben actually worked in a cemetery and helped dig graves for an entire week to understand Charlie’s job in the book. He also went on site to a sail loft to become familiar with the sport. Who knows what’s next for this guy. Whatever it is, you betcha he’ll be on the scene doing some hands-on research to help make his next story come to life.

Ben Sherwood and the gang

Charlie St. Cloud Movie Trailer

July 29th, 2010

Check it out here – you will be impressed. Releases in theaters tomorrow.

Tips for Toddler Flower Girls

July 28th, 2010


Tips For Having A Toddler Flower Girl At Your Wedding

There is something adorable about a little flower girl at a wedding. Little girls are naturally adorable, but add to that with a sweet flower girl dress and the job of throwing flowers and you cold have adorable-overload. Unfortunately, not every toddler is right for the job of flower girl. If you plan on having a toddler flower girl at your wedding here are some simple tips to consider.

Walking Down the Aisle

Toddlers are still early walkers, and some may not be steady enough to really make the long walk. Consider how important it is to you to have her walking by herself. There are many simple alternatives that you could use instead. A decorated wagon would be adorable pulled down the aisle, or have someone carry her. If you have an older ring bearer, he could help guide her down the way.

You should also consider if she is secure enough to make it. Depending on the size of your wedding, and the age of your flower girl, she could become scared very easily. She may need a parent or older sibling to go with her, both to ease nerves and to help keep her on track.

Read more »

Fashion Hauling Ann Taylor Loft Style

July 28th, 2010

Check out this fashion haul vlog! Last Friday night a group of my Philly Mom Blogger girlfriends met up at my local Paoli Ann Taylor Loft store to get styled for our upcoming BlogHer conference.

The Loft is one of my go to stops for outfits each season as I strive to find a few versatile pieces that are trendy but can work either as a casual outfit or if I have to dress up for a conference, work event, or interview.

Thanks to Melissa from Girlymama for organizing this styling event, we all saved 20% on our entire purchase and got some sweet swag bags.  My favorite item in the swag bag by far was a pair of chandelier style earrings by Kendra Scott.  Here’s the deets on what are now one of my fave pair of earrings.

Kendra Scott Jewelry: Jeanine Dangle Earrings in Juniper From red carpet to real life, celebs are OBSESSED with Kendra Scott. These bright, fun andaffordable (starting at only $60!) earrings add a pop of color to any outfit.

Silly Bandz at Children’s Place

July 27th, 2010

Win it!  Did you know Children’s Place now sells Silly Bandz? These bracelets are so hot my kids can not get enough of them…which is hard to believe when they already have enough to put up half  their arm!  Kenzie is keen on this baseball style package and Kyle loves the dinosaurs best.  Perfect for little rewards for the kids too!

We’re giving one package away thanks to the Children’s Place. Enter to win by leaving a comment below by August 7th, 2010.

Disclosure: Children’s Place provided us with these samples to review, but like millions of other American kids, my children were already fans!

Related Posts with Thumbnails

on the blog
huggies
mexico