Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Happy Anniversary!

3 Years Ago Today...I married my best friend! 
Happy Anniversary A and cheers to many more years together!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Monogrammed Pillow Winners

Thank you to everyone who entered to win an Abbe' Designs monogrammed pillow or doorknob pillow. I hope you'll remember Abbe' Designs in the future if you ever need a great gift idea. Without further ado...our winners.

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:
57 68 
Timestamp: 2010-06-25 17:37:23 UTC

Congratulations to the winner of the monogrammed linen pillow: Little Miss Can't be Wrong-From How I Met Your Father

Congratulations to the winner of the monogrammed doorknob pillow: Tracy!

Please email me at magnoliasmarriageandmanhattan@gmail.com and I'll get you in touch with Abbe' Designs!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. A's cousin is getting married tomorrow in NYC so we have a BUSY wedding weekend. We also leave on Sunday for Newport, Rhode Island for our 3rd anniversary trip, so I'll probably be away from the computer for the next few days. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! XOXO

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Last Chance to Win an Abbe' Designs Monogrammed Pillow!

Want to win one of these adorable pillows from Abbe' Designs? Click here to enter. Contest ends tomorrow and 1 winner will be picked for a monogrammed linen pillow and 1 winner for a doorknob pillow. You can pick your colors and design!





Tips for Flying with Babies and Toddlers



A friend emailed me the other day and asked for tips for her first plane trip with her 11 month old. I get emails from y'all asking for tips pretty often, so I figured I would revisit the topic as my techniques have changed now that J is a full blown toddler. Feel free to comment with your own suggestions!


Here is my post I did on it awhile back on my blog when J was just 8 months, it is more geared to traveling with a baby.



Here are tips for an "older" baby now that I'm to the toddler phase:


Don't forget that shoes and jackets must come off before security. Save yourself the hassle and have them wear easy to take off shoes and perhaps take them off long before you get to the front of the line.



Don't forget to declare to the security agent that you are traveling with milk for the baby, juice, applesauce, etc. Put it in a clear quart size ziplock bag. If you are traveling with milk, be prepared that they may test it with a strip. They will not dip the strip in your milk, they just hold it above it. Some airports do this, some do not. It doesn't happen in LGA, but it does in PNS. Go figure. 
  
FOOD is key (gerber melts, puffs, goldfish, crackers, teddy grahams, sammie jammy, mish mash, animal crackers, etc, etc) Put TONS of different kinds in the mini snack ziplocks and he'll be interested in each new "flavor." Don't worry about stuffing him, it will keep him quiet. =)
Bring a juice box to encourage drinking on way up or down if you are done with bottles-we don't give juice very often so it's a treat and I know he'll suck so his ears aren't too bad for ascent and decent.
Board Books and toys (I always buy 1 new of each so it keeps his attention and I also bring 1 favorite of each) 


Bring the Foogo sippy cup that keeps the milk cold for 12 hours and Foogo food jar to keep fresh fruit on hand. (If you use the foogo, beware when opening it after take off, it will squirt you because of the pressure..I speak from experience.)


Crayons and paper or a Doodle Pro (or something similar)


Use what they have on the plane! J loves the delta biscuits! Also in emergencies (like my 3 hours on the runway in Atlanta on our last trip) ask for foam cups to stack and play with, small water bottles to shake, make the airsick bag into a puppet, let him tear out all the pages in the flight magazine...hours of entertainment!


We also take "walks" down the isles and look out the windows in the back of the plane. A change of scenery can sometimes mean a change of attitude if they are having a hard time.
Bigger planes have changing tables in the bathroom above the toilet. I've also sat on the toilet and changed J's diaper on my lap when there isn't one. Practice this move if you have never done it! 



Bring an umbrella stroller, so much easier then the big one! We always travel with our Maclaren and it does great! We just check it at the gate. Don't forget to ask your gate agent for a tag.



If you have to bring your carseat you can check it for free. Or, if you have purchased a seat for your toddler (under 2 can fly free on your lap), you can bring it on board. If you are bringing it on the plane, my friend that just traveled to Europe swears by this. We purchased this for one of our trips and it was a pain b/c it doesn't wheel very well. 


For those of you that don't have kids and see a Mom struggling. Help her out! We really appreciate it and have a hard time asking.  Please don't give us dirty looks when our child is screaming. Trust us, we want them to stop too and we are doing EVERYTHING in our power to make them hush. And, if you see a little face like the one in the picture above peeking at you...be a kid for a minute and make a few funny faces or play peek-a-boo. A good laugh might be good for you too! =) 




Good luck traveling Mamas! Leave your other favorite air travel tips in the comment section.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

SOS Save Our Shore

As most of you know, I am originally from the South. I grew up in Atlanta, but moved to the Gulf Coast of Alabama when I was in high school. My parents still live on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. The Gulf Coast is my heart. I spent my summers at our beach house on Ono Island fishing on the wharf and enjoying the Southern sun. Boating and water skiing in Ole River and Perdido Bay are a way of life. My parents now have a house in Perdido Key and they split their time between the Eastern Shore and the beach. Our beaches, bays, bayous, estuaries and rivers are in serious trouble. Oil is still spilling into our Gulf. I watch the news in NYC and I feel so far from home right now. I feel so helpless and so sad. If you follow me on twitter or facebook you know that I post any info I can, but I wish there was more that I could do. I want to pass along ways that you can help our Gulf Coast. I came across SOS Save Our Shore and they are selling some really cute merchandise.

I hope you'll Help Save Our Shore by buying and wearing one of these cute items! Click here to purchase.

All profits from sales on this website are donated to SOS Save Our Shores to help protect and recover our shores and wetlands from the BP oil spill. 






They are also selling art:




Please help support the Gulf Coast in any way that you can. If you know of a cause that I can help promote here, please let me know and I'll post it. I want my son to know the Gulf Coast like I do. I don't want to have to worry about him not tasting gumbo and delicious Gulf seafood. I want to teach him to water ski in our waters and I want him to build sandcastles in our beautiful white sand. This disaster is happening in our backyard. Please y'all...do something!









I'll leave you with an open letter that Lucy Buffet of Lulu's Restaurant (one of my favorite restaurants) wrote. I think she sums it up quite nicely! Sorry about the lines, it was a forwarded email and I can't get the formatting to change.



The following is sent from Lucy Buffet (Jimmy's sister and owner of LuLu's in Gulf Shores) She grew up on Mobile Bay and along our Gulf Coast. 


Dear coastal inhabitants everywhere and all who know the joy of putting their toes in the ocean:

I can’t remember when we have had a lovelier spring along the Gulf Coast . In recent years, we have gone from crisp, clear mornings in February to tropical 90s temps by mid-March. But this year, it finally seemed that we were getting back to normal — back to the easy, Southern rhythms of my childhood, with the winter season moving gently into a luscious spring.  Spring was taking its own sweet time unfolding before diving head-on into the desperate heat of summer.

Everyone could feel it. You couldn’t help but notice the majesty and color of the coastal foliage bursting with brilliant pinks and purples, sounding the calls that we wait for all year long: "Let’s go to the beach!" "The fish are biting at the Big Mouth!" "Let’s take a boat ride!" "Tadpoles are out in the creek.

That is how we live here on the Gulf Coast . Our love of the water — the Gulf, the bays, the rivers, the estuaries — and the way we enjoy it is absolutely holistic.

It transcends race, religion, socioeconomic status, age, gender and political affiliation.

The Gulf Coast is where the everyday person can play. We love where we live and are proud of it.
We get amused sharing it and seeing the surprise on folks’ faces when they realize that a little piece of unlikely paradise exists smack at the bottom of this magnificent country of ours.

So imagine our dismay, anger, grief and absolute heartbreak over the ongoing catastrophe of crude oil continuously and arrogantly flowing into our beautiful Gulf of Mexico. This is indeed a major challenge for us physically, emotionally, environmentally and economically. Personally, I prefer to remain positive about the oil spill’s impact, because I know mountains can be moved with a positive attitude. Why wouldn’t that work with a runaway well?
I do, however, live in a very real world, and I know that our corner of this world stands to be affected by the oil spill.

As we are called to action, we will respond with the dauntless spirit of coastal people, especially those born in the hurricane corridor. We will weather this storm as we have weathered the other monsters that have roared upon our shores in the past: by working hard, side by side, with dedication, compassion and a sense of community, and earning some fun in the process.

I am hoping that there will be little damage or interruption of beach recreation. Perhaps the oil spill will be just an inconvenience, much like too many jellyfish in the water or the occasional riptides.
If not, we are going to need everyone’s love, support and help. So I have a very special invitation for people to join us here in Gulf Shores - Orange Beach - Perdido Key and Pensacola .
Don’t cancel your plans or reservations. This could be one of the most memorable vacations you will ever have.

Most of you travel with children. What a great opportunity to teach our kids so many valuable life lessons — from the beauty of volunteering to the importance of helping your neighbor during a crisis, learning about the fragile ecosystem that created the remarkable Gulf of Mexico, and meeting new friends from all over the country with the same purpose of keeping our beautiful shores safe for our children and wildlife.

Recently, I asked a friend of mine’s 6-year-old if she knew how many oceans there were. "One, Miss Lucy," she promptly responded. Then with a little hesitation, she added, "Don’t they all touch?"
Out of the mouths of babes.

What is happening in our back yard could just as easily be happening in yours. But does it matter? We are all one. We all touch.

Am I outraged? Damn right! Is there a need for accountability? Damn right! But that is not my job. There are others who are trained and better equipped to master that task.
I’m a fry cook. I’m open for business. And so is the Gulf Coast .
We will take each day as it comes and make the best of it.
I am asking all of you who love this area as much as I do and love your own coastal areas to please not abandon us.

I promise you we will welcome you with open arms, some ice-cold sweet tea, an ocean of belly laughs, a plate full of scrumptious food and a humble, grateful heart.

Lucy

Toy Organization

I've found that keeping all the flashing plastic toys, trunks, stuffed animals, etc can be a challenge for any Mom. How cute are these toy buckets from One Kings Lane. Get them quickly, they are selling out! They are only $29.00!

If you aren't a member and need an invite, send me an email to magnoliasmarriageandmanhattan@gmail.com and I'll send you one.




Monday, June 21, 2010

Abbe' Designs Monogrammed Linen Pillow and Monogrammed Doorknob Pillow Giveaway!


Hello my fellow monogram loving ladies! I've got a really fun giveaway for y'all. I've teamed up with Abbe' Designs to offer one reader a monogrammed linen pillow. You can pick your design and colors! These pillow make great gifts for just about every occasion: births, baptisms, birthdays, graduation, sorority initiations, Christmas gifts, etc! You can design yourself a pillow for your little one, or to add to your own bed, or you can design one to gift to a friend. Here are the some of the adorable options that Abbe Designs offers:




























Oh and if these weren't cute enough. Abbe' Designs is also offering another reader a doorknob pillow! That's right TWO of you will win! Here are some of the adorable options for doorknob pillow designs. They would make also make great gifts for just about every occasion. Here are just a few of the cute designs they can make for you:

















Here are the rules:

1) Go to Abbe' Designs Monogrammed website.
2) On the left hand side there is link that says Pillows and Pillowcases. Click on that link and then click on Pillows to find the monogrammed linen pillow options. Then, go back and click on the link that says doorknob pillows. Pick your favorite designs from either or both of the categories!
3) Come back here and post your favorite design in the comment section.

For additional entries (and please remember to post each of these in a SEPARATE comment or the random number generator won't count it):

1) Become a follower of my blog or let me know you are already a follower in a separate comment
2) Blog about this contest or add it to your sidebar and let me know you did in a separate comment.
3) Become a fan of Abbe' Designs Hairbows and Monogrammed Gifts on facebook. Follow this link. Let me know you became their follower in a separate comment.
4) Tweet about this contest to @MrsMMMBlogger  and @abbedesigns and let me know you did so in a separate comment.
5) Join the Abbe' Designs Mailing List by clicking here and let me know you did so in a separate comment.


That is a potential for FIVE additional entries!! Good luck ladies! The random number generator will pick TWO winners on Friday!
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