Five for You and Five for Me

Here are five things I'm currently loving: 

1) My fruit infusion water pitcher. It is such a great way to get you drink more water! You put fruit in the little tube and then you just refill the water. We've tried doing lemons, limes, oranges and cucumber and mint. I have really started drinking more water because of this pitcher.

2) New flash deal sites that are popping up! The latest I have found are Bitsy Bug and Little Bird for NYC and Atlanta Moms. I just love all the great deals I've been getting!

3) My Pottery Barn tissue cover. I gave these as gifts this past Christmas and everyone just loves them. I bought two for myself and they seriously have made me smile every time I've needed a tissue. They are GREAT gifts! Go get a few.

4) J's CARES harness has been getting some serious mileage. We just returned home from round one of our house search and I couldn't have done it without the harness. I highly recommend it for traveling with your toddler! I promise I'll do an updated travel post soon.

5) Running out of things to do with your little one? An old classmate of mine from Atlanta created this website for Moms. It is simply amazing, you must check it out!

Now Five Questions for YOU!

1) What is your favorite home or decorating magazine? I'm getting so excited about decorating our new home. I want to go ahead and start some inspiration files. I would love any tips you have!

2) One of the first purchases we'll have to make is mattresses. How exciting! We have our mattress, but J is still in his crib. We'll move him into a single bed and we want to upgrade our queen to a king. So we'll need 2 twin mattresses and a king and maybe another queen. What kind do you have? Any recommendations?

3) We're planning to go to Chicago in May. Do you have any recommendations on where to eat? We'll have J with us, so would love to know some family friendly sights to see. I've only been twice so I'm very excited. We are going for my SIL's graduation from seminary!

4) Atlanta friends, if you have recommendations on babysitters, house keepers, painters, inspectors, yard guys, etc, etc, etc. Send them my way! I'm starting my "can't live without them" file. magnoliasmarriage and manhattan at gmail dot com

5) Does anyone have any tips on saving money while renting a car? Our car rental bill was so high (as was our hotel bill). A simple house hunting trip costs as much as a nice vacation. Since we are going to need to go again, would love any tips you have to share!

Birthday Giveaway #3-Willow House Kensington Platter and Stand

Here are the rules to win the Willow House Kensington Platter and Stand:

1) Go to Callie's brand new Willow House website.
2) Pick your favorite item and come back here and post what is is in the comment section.
If you want, you can try 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 WillowHouse Mom on facebook. Let me know you became their follower in a separate comment.
4) Tweet about this contest to @MrsMMMBlogger and @Callie_Parker and let me know you did so in a separate comment. We would love for you to follow us too!
5)  Become a follower of the Willow House Mom blog or let me know you already are in a separate comment.

That is a potential for FIVE additional entries!! Good luck ladies! The random number generator will pick a winner on Thursday, August 19th so you have two weeks to enter this one, the online party will also remain open the entire two weeks!

Don't forget to sign up for Birthday Giveaway #1-Donovan Designs Monogrammed Vase Wrap from Prim and Paper and Birthday Giveaway #2-$25.00 to Doodle Bugs Paper. I will draw winners for those Birthday giveaways early next week. There are lots more giveaways to come to celebrate my Birthday Month so please keep checking in! I hope you ALL will win!

If you want to place an order with Willow House through Callie's website, I'm hosting an online party in addition to the giveaway for the next two weeks.

Here are a few of my favorite things:

Here is what you do to order:

1) Go to the site: Willow House with Callie

2) Click on: Shop Online

3) You can either choose to Browse the Catalog or Shop Online

4) When you Shop Online, you will choose the item (or items) that you would like, one at a time, and add them to your cart.

5) When you are finished, hit Finalize and Submit Order

6) You will be prompted to find a hostess, that's me, Mrs. MMM!

7) You will enter your information and hit submit.

8) Once you press "Submit," you will be brought back to the Shop Online page, don't worry! Your order went through if you pressed submit. However, Callie will then have to contact you to get your payment information. If this is just too confusing, email me Callie at willowhousemom@gmail.com to send her your order!

Also, don't forget, when you purchase something $39.96 and over, you automatically qualify for 50% off ANY item $40 and under. When you qualify, add this item to your order as well, and Callie will make sure it goes in with the correct price!

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.

Itzy Ritzy Wet Happened?

Check out my Itzy Ritzy Wet Happened Bag. I just ordered this little bag for J and I's wet swim suits. He's been taking swim lessons all spring and will continue into the summer (in the Advanced Water Babies class no less!) This bag is also great for when we hit the sprinklers in NYC and I need somewhere to put his wet swim trunks. It fits in my diaper bag and well, it's adorable! You really should get one for the beach! I ordered mine from Diapers.com. If you have not tried Diapers.com, then use my code MMMBLOG and get $10.00 off and free shipping off of your first order of $49.00 or more.

Get $10 off

your first order of diapers

use code MMMBLOG

$49 min. total order

pampers dry maxhuggies pull upsseventh generationluvs diapers

Apartment Improvements

For now, our little family plans to stay in our current apartment for the next year (I'll let you know if something changes.) If you are keeping track, it's been almost 3 years since we moved to NYC. Have you been along for the whole ride? If so, leave me a comment and let me know! Anyways, if you've been following you also know that our current apartment is our THIRD apartment. We really love our location and our space is great (for the city) and we want to stay put this time. Since I won't get the chance (insert a giant sigh of relief) to do my annual "moving clean up" and redecorating, I've been thinking of ways to spruce up our space. At this point, I only want to add things to our apartment that we can move with us later.

These are a few of the things I want to do:

1) Hire carpet/upholstery cleaner. WHY did I get a linen sofa? I know, I was a newlywed and I wasn't thinking about my little J walking around with sticky fingers and leaking sippy cups of milk. (I've resigned to the fact that they ALL leak.) I'm thinking a professional is the only one who can get pedialyte stains out of my carpet and milk stains out of my sofa, unless one of you has a better idea? Resolve only goes so far, we need the professionals. If you live in the NYC area, please send me your recs on the best steam cleaners.

2) Change some of the lighting fixtures. Buy a chandelier for our dining area and maybe an entrance light. Right now we just have the standard that came with the apt. For the chandelier, I want something simple that I can change the shades out when I get bored or when we move to a house someday. For the entrance light, I want something that is versatile and can be used again. I feel like both lighting fixtures would make an immediate difference and would improve the feel of our apartment. A good investment if you ask me...now off to convince my sweet husband.

3) Frame National Championship tickets and Baby J's birth announcement. (The announcement is finally at the framer, just trying to figure out how to lay out the National Championship tickets, cover of Sports Illustrated after Bama won and maybe a pic of us at the game...tips appreciated if you have ever framed something like this!)

4) Fabric cushions for dining/room chairs. Have you seen any good ones?

5) New bedding for our bed. I bought the PB stripe duvet last year and I want to go back to white. I'm bored of the stripes. It just feels cleaner and more crisp. I love white beds!

6) New desk for our room. I'm loving this one and this one. The one we bought 3 years ago from West Elm is a piece and we both hate it.

7) Send more stuff to storage. We got a storage unit last year and it has been a life saver for keeping things simple. Buy more storage containers for J's growing collection of balls, books and all things that light up and make noise and have a million pieces.

8) Sell J's monogrammed clothes (let me know if you have a little boy J and are interested.) I'm keeping the rest...you know just in case I have all boys. I'm pretty sure I'm destined to have boys since I'm such a girly girl.

9) Frame more recent photographs. (Change out others for a fresh look.)

10) New rug for J's room if number 1 doesn't work. At this point it needs to be able to either go in another nursery (no, I'm not pregnant just a planner), or it should be able to move to his big boy room when the time comes.

11) Clean closets and give clothes to goodwill and sell clothes "I just don't want" on blog or ebay

I think this enough to keep me busy. I've got a lot to do before my MIL arrives in a few weeks. She and my FIL are staying at our apt while A and I go to Newport so all drawers much be cleaned out. You know, just in case. =)

Let me know if you have any other ideas of ways to refresh your space.

Sunshine Paperie Sippy Cup Labels Giveaway

I've recently been on a search for sippy cup labels that do not fall off and rub off due to daily dish washing. Sunshine Paperie invited me to try out Cherry Hill's sippy cup labels and fellow Mamas...we have found a winner! Not only are the labels cute, they are well made and so far doing their job! You can find all of Sunshine paperie's  Cherry Hill sippy cup label options here. They also carry other sippy cup label brands including Kelly Hughs and Inch Bugs.

Here are a few of their adorable options:

Does your child have allergies? These are a wonderful idea to help give you peace of mind!

So want to win some sippy cup labels for your little one's stash of cups? Well, today is your lucky day! One lucky MMM reader will receive a set of vinyl sippy cup labels!

RULES:

1) Go to Sunshine Paperie and check out the cute designs for the vinyl sippy cups
2) Pick your favorite label
3) Come back here and post your favorite and tell us who you would give it to or why you need it for your little one

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 a follower in a separate comment
2) Blog about this contest and let me know you did in a separate comment.
3) Become a fan of Sunshine Paperie on facebook. Follow this link. Let me know you became her follower in a separate comment.
4) Follow Sunshine Paperie on twitter and let me know you are her follower in a separate comment.
5) Tweet about this contest and let me know you did so in a separate comment.
6) Join Sunshine Paperie's email list.

Be sure to check out Sunshine Paperie's blog too!

That is a potential for SIX additional entries!! Good luck ladies! The random number generator will pick a winner on Saturday!

GIVEAWAY-Monogrammed Wipes Case from Katiebug Boutique!

If you check out my post about my favorite baby items, you might have followed the link to Katiebug Boutique. Katiebug makes adorable monogrammed wipes cases. I LOVE my monogrammed wipes case and have enjoyed using the past year. It's so much fun to pull out something so cute on a daily basis. Are you expecting and would like your own monogrammed wipes case? Want to give a very thoughtful and adorable shower or baby gift to a friend? Here is your chance to WIN a monogrammed wipes case! If you have done one of my giveaways before you know the rules, but for the rest of you...here they are:

RULES:

1) Go to Katiebug Boutique via etsy and check out the cute designs on her monogrammed wipe cases.

2) Pick your favorite wipe case.

3) Come back here and post your favorite and tell us who you would give it to or why you need it for yourself.

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 a follower in a separate comment

2) Blog about this contest and let me know you did in a separate comment.

3) Become a fan of Katiebug Boutique on facebook. Follow this link. Let me know you became her follower in a separate comment.

4) Follow Katiebug on twitter and let me know you are her follower in a separate comment.

5) Tweet about this contest 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 a winner on Friday!

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In the meantime, have you checked out my Shrimp and Grits Online Trunk Show? You have until Friday to get your orders into me! They have tons of cute very well priced smocked outfits. Let me know if you have any questions. magnoliasmarriageandmanhattan@gmail.com

One Kings Lane Finds

Happy Monday! I just have to share with you these great One Kings Lane finds. A and I finally purchased 2 more chairs for our kitchen table this weekend (it only took us 2 years to find ones similar to the 2 we bought when we didn't have room for anymore than 2.) Anyways, A suggested I buy a nice tablecloth for our little table, so I spent the weekend checking out the beautiful linens at Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma. I was estatic when I saw that One Kings Lane had hemstiched linens on their site today! Check out the beautiful colors! they have 3 differnt size tablecloths, sets of 12 napkins and placemats. I bought the oyster white (classic) and the crimson red (perfect for crimson tide entertaining, christmas and valentines!) The prices can't be beat! If you aren't a member, rush on over there right now and join! Here's an invite.

While you are over there be sure to check out these adorable pieces! I bought the green and white one for my new coffee table. How cute and springy is that going to look on my table! I'm going to use it as a catch-all for magazines and "junk." But, I'm sure it will be used for drinks someday on our backporch. Treat yourself to one! The price is right! Click here to check them out.

HAPPY SHOPPING!