The Pioneer Woman, a ticket shortage & a great idea

So last night was a girls' night out we had planned ever since we heard The Pioneer Woman (aka Ree Drummond) would be in Salt Lake City as part of her The Pioneer Woman Cooks book tour. Vanessa (@inevergrewup) and I had our books in hand and were ready to head up there for the 7pm book signing. Just before we left Vanessa read the super fine print and discovered we would need tickets in order to get our books signed. Yikes! So we rushed to The King's English Bookshop in east Salt Lake, making our way down car-lined streets. Were all those cars here for Ree? Yes, yes they were.

We finally found a spot about two blocks away, parked and made our way to the store...only to overhear someone say they were out of tickets and weren't letting anyone else in. In where? The gallery a couple doors down where Ree would chat for a few minutes before she put permanent marker in hand and geared up for adoring fans. Standing outside the gallery, Vanessa and I hoped we might be able to simply wait until all the ticket holders had gone through the line and then they'd let us bring up the rear. And then we heard they had given out 360 tickets. People were there at 1pm just waiting for their golden ticket to see Ree face to face. (Yes, they really were a golden yellow color--how appropriate!)

Fortunately I hang with some truly amazing and inspired women, and by "hang" I mean they recognize me and are nice enough to let me hang out with them. Janet (@newspapergrl), Joanie (@JoanieAtwater) and April (@sweetlifeinthe) were there with a plan--and a gift basket. The three had put together some local Utah goodies complete with card we could all sign in hopes it would help us wade our way through the Hollywood-like sea of adoring fans to meet Ree. Yes, I absolutely love these girls! The gang was joined by Carol (@cherishbound), her friend Jeanette and Becky, who had picked up cupcakes and cake bites (pure heaven) from The Sweet Tooth Fairy.

After Ree moved from the gallery to the very-cool-yet-oh-so-tiny bookstore, we gathered as a group behind the shop hoping our gift basket bearing local goodies including cupcakes from The Sweet Tooth Fairy, would buy our way into a photo op with Ree before the wee hours of the morning. And the wait was well worth it as we made our way from the alley way into the toasty bookshop (ignoring the looks of death from those "legally" waiting in line) and caught our first glimpse of The Pioneer Woman in all her fabulous glory. Okay, maybe not glory since that's not what she's all about, but she was fabulous and kind and wonderful and very "real." Hopefully she saw past our scheming and took it for a group of Utah bloggers who are also huge fans.

Back, from left to right: Vanessa, Becky, April, Ree, Joanie, Carol, me
Front: Janet

While there we also met up with Allison (@petit_elefant), Marie (@makeandtakes) and Carina (@Jet_Set) who didn't sneak go in with us but did have just as much fun chatting with Dooce (yes, THAT Dooce), Marlboro Man's mother-in-law and Ree's sister-in-law Missy. I even had a chance to chat with Missy while inside the bookstore and she was just as genuine as could be. I think I'm in love with that whole family!

The night ended with a group of us hitting The Pie Pizzeria for the state's tastiest pizza in the coolest location (basement restaurant complete with graffiti on the walls and real candles on the table) and my losing my voice due to good conversation, good food and standing in a cold alley wondering if I too would have my own golden ticket. It's a night I won't soon forget. Thanks, gals! --Emily

P.S. You can read Janet's take on the night here: Me, The Pioneer Woman, Dooce & Jason Gough

P.P.S. Here's what my carpool buddy Vanessa had to say about meeting Ree--and receiving an extra "heart" in her book: Best Girl's Night Out of All Time

P.P.P.S. And in true Allison style (a style which I LOVE), you can read her post about the book signing here: pioneer woman book signing.

P.P.P.S. These just in: Carina's post (grab a tissue; you'll laugh so hard you'll cry); Becky's post (if you love cupcakes you'll LOVE this blog); Maria's post (subscribe to Two Peas and Their Pod NOW!) and even The Sweet Tooth Fairy's post. Love you all!

The great escape!

Thanks to Rachael I was tagged...time for a meme!

This is contest entry for those crazy folks at TodaysMama and Cricut. Be sure to check out Cricut's cool new cartridges and the chance at $30,000 in travel for you and your friends at the Great Gypsy Escape site!

1. If you could escape to anywhere in the world where would it be? It would probably be on a deserted shore of the most beautiful beach in the world, pina colada in hand (virgin, of course).

2. What song do you play when you are by yourself in the car? Whichever one makes me sing the loudest!

3. If you had a night to yourself, and money was no object, what would you do? I would grab a girlfriend, go out to the most fabulous restaurant (okay, so maybe just go crazy at Five Guys), do some shopping, hit a movie and then top it off with a hot chocolate or double chocolate frappuccino at Starbucks.

4. What is your guilty pleasure? The chocolate I keep hidden from my family.

5. What is the farthest place you have traveled away from your home? Probably Acapulco, but it will be the eastern Caribbean next week!

6. Last book that you couldn't put down? The Book Thief

7. When you want to escape into another time, what movie do you watch? Something like Some Kind of Wonderful or Say Anything.

8. What is your favorite local escape? The aforementioned Five Guys Burgers & Fries and a good movie.

9. How do you escape on a budget? Head up the canyon for a good hike with friends, take a picnic lunch to the park, or put the kids down to bed and curl up with a good book.

10. Best food you've ever had while on vacation. A coconut shave ice during our trip to Kauai.

Now it's my turn to tag a few friends!

Lauren
Evonne
Jen
Holly
Joanie
April

Ready, set, meme! --Emily

Happy School Year's Eve!

Celebrating New Year's Eve is, well, a yearly tradition in our home. Though we're not in Times Square with the rest of the world, we enjoy good food, family and some serious game playing to celebrate the new year. But for most families the "new year" really comes around the middle or end of August when the class lists go up and school shopping begins. The first day of school is truly a "new year" for kids and families alike.

So in true party fashion, Cookie magazine and PTA have teamed up along with GAP, KinderCare, Children's Zyrtec and Hot Moms Club, the celebrate the newest school holiday, School Year's Eve! This new holiday was created to help get families ready and excited about the new school year. (We could use some help with the excitement some years more than others depending on the outcome of those class lists!)

Who's invited to the School Year's Eve bash and when is it? Everyone is invited--families, schools, and PTAs all across the country are encouraged to celebrate. Cookie and PTA will ring in the new school year (and the new national holiday) on August 30th. What if your school starts earlier or later? Just celebrate whenever school begins for your children and do whatever works best for you. You can have the party at home, put together a larger block party or even check with your school and ask for help from your local PTA and principal to host it there!

For party planning tips and ideas you can check out the Party Planner section of the School Year's Eve site for ideas, links and downloads. The site also has a Style File for cool back-to-school looks, resources for parents with advice from Cookie, PTA and parenting experts and recipes for yummy School Year's Eve party treats!

And to make your School Year's Eve party truly fabulous, Cookie and PTA are offering partygoers the chance to win $1,500 for their school or PTA unit. Just post pictures from your School Year's Eve bash after August 15th for your chance to win!

Oh, and the site also has some great money-saving coupons from companies like momAgenda, Y WATER, Birthday in a Box and Sharpie.

With only 17 days and counting until August 30th you'll want to start planning your School Year's Eve party now! For more details visit the official School Year's Eve site here. Happy countdown! --Emily

Darling, can you hear me? SOS!

My good friend Jyl from Mom It Forward recently wrote a post titled "10 Tips for Raising Service-Oriented, Giving, and Charitable Children" (a must-read for every parent). The post got her thinking about how "one of the best ways to teach your children to be service oriented is to model the behavior for them." That thought led to what is now the Summer of Service (SOS) Challenge. What I love about this challenge is that it's not only easy and fun but it will make a big difference in the quality of our family's summer. Here are the details:

The SOS Challenge

Every Sunday from now through Labor Day you will find a new SOS Challenge of the week on http://momitforward.com.

Simply click on the SOS Challenge post and read the details and 10 suggested ideas on how you can make a difference related to the week's theme. The goal is to do one act of kindness a week. (If you have other ideas that fit the topic, feel free to share them on the site.)

Once you have completed the week's challenge, post on your site about your experiences and/or leave a comment on that week's post.


The Giveaways

The fun part? Each week a different company will sponsor the challenge and they come bearing gifts! You can enter to win one of the giveaway prizes every week. This week's giveaway includes a popcorn bowl, three boxes of Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn and Kathy Peel’s most recent book, The Busy Mom’s Guide to a Happy, Organized Home. Click here for details and to enter!


The Button

The more people involved, the more lives changed. If you'd like to help spread the word about the SOS Challenge, please copy the image above and paste it in your blog or site's sidebar with a link to http://momitforward.com.

What's hot this summer? An aden + anais giveaway!

I would normally wait until a that's hot! thursday to post such a "hot" giveaway, but the sooner the better when it comes to giveaways I say!

In April we featured aden + anais' Winter Warmth Swaddles and Dream Blankets. It is no longer snowing in Utah and we're heading for warmer weather. With 80's and 90's around the corner (and I'm not talking decades...the hot pink and yellow pants currently at PacSun scare the crap out of me) you'll be looking for a different option for bedtime than that fleece or flannel baby blanket you're currently using.

aden + anais has a wonderful line of muslin sleeping bags perfect for summer because they are lightweight and breathable. I found that even those lightweight cotton receiving blankets made my baby sweat during her summertime naps. I wish I'd had another option for helping regulate her body temperature while sleeping, one as cute and functional as the Pink Stars Muslin Sleeping Bag!

aden + anais muslin sleeping bags are made from the same 100% cotton muslin used in their swaddling blankets. They offer six layers of waffled cotton, which provide a layer of cushioned warmth "produced from only the most natural of fibers allowing babies and toddlers to feel warm and toasty without overheating." Newborns and infants need all the help they can get regulating their body temperature, and these muslin sleeping bags are a great way to help them do so. They are available in sizes ranging from small to extra-large and at only $29 they are a truly affordable option compared to other infant sleeping bags.

I also love aden + anais' collection of organic muslin wraps, and even though my daughter is almost two I'm considering buying one for her since she still takes about a two-hour nap, and her south-facing room can get a little toasty. And when the A/C is on, she can get a little chilly; a muslin wrap would be the perfect solution!

Giveaway!!! To kick off summer aden + anais is giving away one sleeping bag, winner's choice! Here's how you can enter to win:

• For one entry, visit aden + anais and leave a comment telling us your favorite blanket and/or sleeping bag; include a valid email address in your post.
• For one extra entry, tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the link to your tweet; again, include a valid email address for our drawing.
• For another extra entry, blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your blog post; don't forget that email address just in case!
  

The deadline for this giveaway is midnight, June 16th. We will use Random.org to draw the winner from the comments and notify her via email. The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!!! --Emily

MomDot's "31 Bloggers in 31 Days" blog party!

What's hot this that's hot! thursday? A huge blog party from MomDot. MomDot knows how to throw a party and their upcoming one for May is going to be HUGE! Trisha, MomDot's resident blogging femme fatale, is turning 31 and to celebrate the big 3-1, 31 bloggers are hosting 31 giveaways. That's one giveaway a day for every one of Trisha's 31 years. And the grand prize is this ginormous, fabulous swingset:

For more details on 31 Bloggers in 31 Days you can check out the blog party post here. You can also show Trisha some birthday love by snagging one of the banners and posting it on your site or blog. By the way, the main banner featured in the blog party post (pictured here in this post) is one I created for America's Next Top Blogger. Of course it's my personal favorite but I will let you decide which one to post on your site without the fear of eviction.

So join in the fun, make some new blogging friends and enter for your chance to win some fabulous prizes. What I want to know is, who gets to give Trisha her 31 spankings?!?! Guess we should leave that to her husband... Party on! --Emily

Anne Taintor is my kind of humor!

It's been a while since I've done a that's hot! thursday post but my recent Daily Dish review on Anne Taintor's vintage-style, humor-infused products gave me the perfect excuse to do another one. Haven't heard of Anne Taintor? Then let me fill you in! Below is my review of what will soon be your go-to gift for female family members and friends alike. Say hello to Anne Taintor!

To be honest I wouldn't know if it's actually better than Prozac since I've never taken the stuff. Apparently I should be on it or something similar since Utah is the nation's top offender when it comes to prescription medication abuse...but I digress as I usually do. My point is, if you're an overworked, overstressed, over-housewifed, under- appreciated or occasionally disenchanted woman (or all of the above) then you'll totally get--and love--the Anne Taintor humor. And yes, this laughter is better than any medicine!

Anne Taintor "is the Original Vintage Humor Company"--and I believe it! The products feature a collage with a Taintorette (based on old black-and-white vintage photos of women) and a smart and sassy (and sometimes naught) phrase. I received one of their eco-friendly shopper bags (not yet on the site) and a note set. The shopper's tagline? "The secret ingredient was resentment." The punchline on the note set? "Stop me before I volunteer again." Now THAT one is one of my favorites--and I'm sure you're smiling by now too!

The Anne Taintor product line includes everything from compact cases, luggage tags and pill boxes to notepads, sticky notes and file folders like the one I have on my desk: "The day was in dire need of a Ctrl+Alt+Delete." If you want to laugh for ten minutes straight, pick up an Anne Taintor catalog. I kid you not, I read that thing like it was a Far Side book! And every time I laughed out loud I'd have to tell my husband the latest Taintorette who had me doubled over. (I think he tuned me out after the fifth TV interruption but I kept on reading!)

One of my favorite features on the Anne Taintor site is "Find Your Favorite Taintorette." It's an easy way to see which products are available in your favorite laugh-out-loud sayings. Pretty much every Taintorette has a special place in my heart (I swear I could be BFFs with most of them) but here are my top five:

• "I believe we have an opportunity to make some extremely poor choices"
• "Together, we will own your grandparents"
• "If by 'happy' you mean trapped with no means of escape...? Then yes, I'm happy"
• "Male refrigerator blindness claims another victim"
• "Damn straight I keep score"

And those are only five out of about 100 different Taintorettes! What a really love about Anne Taintor is the universal humor. I'm sure you can relate to at least a dozen Taintorettes and know sisters, moms and girlfriends that can relate to another dozen or so. With so many products from which to choose, you have a gift perfect for every woman on your list! Mother's Day is just around the corner, and nothing says motherhood like a "Remember sweetheart... Mommy loves you, but she doesn't have to like you" magnet! --Emily

aden + anais: winter sale & giveaway!

Normally you wouldn't think "winter sale" in April, but if you live in Utah you can pretty much have a winter sale any month from October through May. (In fact, it's snowing as I write this post.) But aden + anais' winter sale has nothing to do with what month it is but more with what products the sale features: Winter Warmth Swaddles and Dream Blankets. And a sale on baby blankets is definitely worthy of a that's hot! thursday post.

aden + anais is known for award-winning swaddling blankets made with super soft cotton muslin. Muslin "is a unique cotton fabric first introduced into England in the late 17th century." This fabric has a soft, light weave that enables an even airflow, which means your baby’s body temperature can adjust naturally. No chance of overheating or discomfort, yet the soft cotton muslin still ensures warmth for your little one.

aden + anais’ line of muslin swaddling wraps and blankets includes designs for boys, girls and a handful of unisex designs. You’ll find zoo animals and camo along with flowers and polka dots. Right now their 2-Pack of Winter Warmth Swaddles (scroll down; they are the last six products on the page) are on sale for $29.95 and the Dream Blankets are on sale for $39.95.

To receive the discount, visit adenandanais.com and enter promo code "wintersale" when checking out.

*** GIVEAWAY! aden + anais is giving one of our freshly baked readers their fabulous Lime-Brown Winter Warmth 2-packs (a $50 retail value)! Please leave a comment on this post and include a valid email address for our drawing. For 5 extra entries, mention this giveaway on your blog. To be eligible for the extra 5 entries, leave a comment below with a link to your post. The deadline for this giveaway is April 8th, 2009 (midnight). Good luck! --Emily

* The winner of our giveaway was chosen using Random.org, and the winner is Vicki! Congratulations!

Win a ticket to BlogHer from Z Recommends!

What's hot? Blogging. What's hotter than that? Blogging conferences, especially those like BlissDom and BlogHer, which are all about the female blogger. I missed BlissDom and am still kicking myself for not looking into it earlier in the year. I'm already planning to attend next year (my husband doesn't know yet, so don't tell him).

Though I missed BlissDom there is still BlogHer. The four previous BlogHer conferences were sold out and this one is sure to do the same. "BlogHer '09 will bring bloggers from every corner of the blogosphere together for hands-on learning, rich discussions, opportunities to meet with the brands that support them and plentiful networking opportunities." The theme for this year is "In Real Life." The conference will be held at the The Chicago Sheraton & Towers July 24-25.

Here's the exciting (i.e. giveaway) part! Z Recommends, a blog all about parenting, product reviews, and consumer advocacy and research, is giving away a ticket to BlogHer--a $300 value!

Z Recommends and PRIZEY have teamed up to offer a ticket to BlogHer to one lucky blogger! This ticket covers admission to both days of the conference, on-site child care if you need it, breakfasts, lunches, and a cocktail reception. You'll still need to cover your hotel (the Sheraton the conference is being held at has a $199 per night special for attendees) and flight (unless you're lucky enough to live in the area).

By the way if you love giveaways and aren't familiar with PRIZEY, then let me open up a whole new giveaway-world to you. It is THE site for up-to-the-minute parents' giveaway and sweepstakes info. If a blog or site is giving away a Svan high chair or Kids Konserve lunch set, PRIZEY will know about it and point you in the right direction to enter.

But I digress...if you'd like to attend the annual sold-out blogging conference, visit Z Recommends to learn how to enter to win a ticket to BlogHer '09. It takes a little more work than just commenting on the post, but it is well worth it!

Though I'm not an A-list blogger...yet...I have had a lot of fun writing for freshly baked, our georgie tees blog. A few of my favorite posts from the past are "Even a 17-month-old can make a point" (short but very sweet), "Better than an SNL skit" and "The secret life of a soccer mom." I'm all about making it real!

Now wish me luck! Hope to see you at BlogHer '09! (And my husband doesn't know about these plans either, so let's just keep it between you and me...) --Emily

P.S. I know it's actually Wednesday and this is a that's hot! thursday post but I couldn't wait to tell you about this awesome giveaway!

The elemental side of social media

If you do the Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Digg or Twitter thing (or anything similar to those popular sites/applications) then you're involved in social media. What is social media? According to Wikipedia social media are "Internet- and mobile-based tools for sharing and discussing information among human beings. The term most often refers to activities that integrate technology, telecommunications and social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio." That pretty much means most everyone online these days is involved in social media in some form or another.

People can get pretty serious about this whole social media thing. Me? I try not to underestimate its power but I do tend to take it a little more lightly than others. I focus on the "social" aspect of social media rather than its far-reaching effects. For those like myself who look on the "light" side of social media you have to check out eyecube's "The Periodic Table of Social Media Elements." Even if you know nothing about this medium you'll still be able to appreciate the ingenuity behind this unique periodic table. It has just enough humor to make you laugh out loud and yet is nerdy enough to appeal to even the most technical of social media experts.

If you want to understand just what each element means you'll have to read the entire post. Rick, the post's author, provides a key for every element and shaded area on the table. My favorite are the elements that make up the list of social media practices. I guarantee you'll be familiar with and have done at least half the practices on that list!

Though I would never have the time, energy or brainpower to create an original periodic table I am really glad some guy named Rick did or I might never have suffered from high-school chemistry flashbacks with a social media twist. I can think of no better way to spend a that's hot! thursday! --Emily

More boutiques & more press--we're feelin' the love!

Even though Valentine's Day has come and gone (and so has the chocolate), we are still feeling the love here at georgie tees. We've added a few new online boutiques to our list of locations and had some great press. We kind of think all this love makes for a great that's hot! thursday post so check out the new boutiques and latest press coverage below. And if you don't think it's a great that's hot! thursday post, we have our fingers are in our ears while loudly saying "la la la la la la la" (i.e., we're not listening).

"Fresh" boutiques

"Hot" press

"Can you imagine being pregnant when maternity clothes consisted of bows, giant polka dots and oh....the mumu dress?! GAH! Thankfully, maternity clothes have come a long way since then, and georgie tees makes maternity clothing hip with their cheeky t-shirts."


"georgie tees specializes in 'freshly baked style for bellies and babies,' which translates to super cute maternity and infant t-shirts, and is owned by friends Emily & LeShan."


"Tired of the same uninteresting tee shirts? Are your maternity clothes giving you the blues? Add some humor to your wardrobe and your baby’s too with numerous entertaining fashion and selection from georgie tees. ..."


EA: "What has been the greatest success you’ve had so far in your business?"
Emily: "For us it is when we hear complete strangers comment on our tees–or complete strangers wearing our tees!"

To view our entire list of locations you can visit our locations page on our website. For past press coverage or to view our press kit (it still needs a little updating so give us a few days), visit our press page. Thanks for letting us toot our own horn once again. We promise not to do it too often! --Emily

my interview on Ecopreneur Avenue

A little while ago we featured Tees for Change on one of our fashion trend tuesdays. Andreea Ayers, the founder of Tees for Change, discovered our little post, discovered our tees and then asked us for an interview. We couldn't have been more flattered! We love her company and her new blog Ecopreneur Avenue.

Ecopreneur Avenue is a way for Andreea to "share her experience of being an eco-entrepreneur and a mom-entrepreneur." The blog provides business resources, interviews, product reviews and a wealth of info for entrepreneurs. We were really excited to see my interview on such an awesome site! I was asked questions about why we started the business, the challenges of owning a business, what advice we have for other entrepreneurs and what a typical day is like for me ("typical"...now that's funny!).

I'd love for you to check out Ecopreneur Avenue, and not just to read the interview. The site really is a wonderful one and provides a great resource for mompreneurs. She even has links to DIY PR resources--when you're an entrepreneur on a budget, it's all about DIY! I am not surprised Andreea has done such a fantastic job with it; she's doing a fabulous job with Tees for Change! --Emily

from prom date to exhibiting artist

When an old (okay, we're not that old...yet) high school friend turns out to be a fantastically amazing artist, I find that the perfect subject for a that's hot! thursday post. Though I was looking far from hot in our prom picture David Lindsay looked rather dapper in his tux...and we did have a really fun time. Over sixteen years later we have reconnected via Facebook, and after a couple wall posts I discovered my good friend now has exhibits from Oregon to Italy.

When I first browsed some of his work online I was left speechless--and that's happens only rarely. I wish I could speak intelligently about his artwork and exhibitions but art was never one of my strong subjects. (Actually, it was never really a subject at all.) For those who know a bit about it, here is David's take on his work:

My work focuses on the interaction between images of the human form and the structured, three-dimensional surfaces upon which the figures are depicted. ... This visual relationship speaks of the push and pull between perception/identity of the individual perceived. Creating this type of metaphorical relationship allows me to explore ideas about how we depict and perceive ourselves within a vast, complexly structured society.

I would love to say more about his work but I could never do it justice; you'll just have to see it for yourself. --Emily

Parents Everywhere: strengthen family connections

Suzette Boyette, one of the women behind The Madness of Motherhood show (LeShan was a guest on the show in 2007), filled us in on a new-to-us website called Parents Everywhere. The site strives to strengthen family connections by utilizing an incredible group of experts who provide you with timely parenting tools.

The network of shows includes everything from children's health to family vacations to living green. Though you can listen any time, you might want to register. Membership is free and benefits include:

• Finding out how to boost your child's self-esteem
• Learning techniques to prevent sibling rivalry
• Learning the top 5 things you can do to avoid a cesarean delivery
• Knowing the pros and cons of epidurals for you and your baby
• Discovering the things to avoid to have a healthier pregnancy
• Learning how to encourage independent thinking and problem solving skills

You also receive free attendance to informative parenting tele-seminars and can listen to exclusive recorded interviews with top experts in parenting and family issues. Plus when you register at Parents Everywhere you will receive Suzette Boyette's Top 3 Parenting Secrets, an 18-minute audio show where Suzette shares secrets to creating "magical moments" with your children.

Though you wouldn't normally think of a parenting site as worthy of a that's hot! thursday feature, but in this day and age families are more important than ever. Parents Everywhere is striving to strengthen family connections and that is (not as Paris Hilton would say) hot! --Emily

almost better than an SNL skit

What's hot for today's that's hot! thursday? It's the buzz about the recent interview with Vallese from the CPSC regarding the CPSIA. If you've been keeping an eye on the CPSIA issue via blog posts, news headlines or even Twitter than you've probably already heard about the "enlightening" WBAL TV interview with Vallese, (former) spokeswoman for the CPSC. If you haven't watched it yet, it's a must-see for even those not involved in the CPSIA issue.

After you've watched the video, perhaps you can tell me if I'm wrong when I say Vallese never really answered any of the questions asked during the interview. She talked and talked and talked but never said anything. She went from stating resellers of used children's products don't need to worry about testing to saying in not so many words (actually, many, many, many words) that testing may be the only way for a business owner to have the "level of confidence" she needs to sell those used products. By the way, the phrase for the day is "level of confidence" so wonderfully utilized throughout the second half of Vallese's interview.

I just wanted to say thank you to Vallese for clarifying the CPSIA for me. Now everything is crystal clear: The CPSC is just as confused as I am about the new legislation. Just as entertaining as the uncut interview are the various blog posts from those same "mommy bloggers" Vallese referred to so affectionately in her interview. You will find of my favorites listed below. Perhaps SNL should consider having Vallese host an upcoming show...

• National Bankruptcy Day: Alert the media! The CPSC has a sense of humor (love the "transcript" from the interview)
• From Cribs to Car Keys: When Will They Learn...
• MomDot: CPSIA Insults Mommy Bloggers (a little PG-13 but worth the read)
• Business Is Personal: CPSC's Vallese interview review re: CPSIA

This is probably the first day in a long time I've smiled when talking about the CPSIA. Hopefully it won't be the last time. Better laughing than crying, right?!?! --Emily

Blue Q: white elephant gifts, anyone?

December is quite possibly the busiest month when it comes to exchanging white elephant gifts. (If you don't know what a white elephant gift is, Wikipedia has you covered.) One of the best white elephant's I've ever seen was a gift box full of classic 80's earrings, from bright yellow plastic hoops to disco-ball-size fuschia discs. But what do you do when you don't have an old wedding gift on hand or a stash of 8-track tapes? Why, Blue Q of course!

Blue Q has offered the "very best quality" in gifts that are "life-improving, joy-bringing, mind-altering, universally praised since 1988." Their very first item--the gift that started it all--was the Flat Cat, a 14.5" x 11" die-cut cardboard with stand-up easel. Touted as the perfect pet and effective at scaring mice, Flat Cat should give you a pretty good idea of the types of items you'll find on Blue Q's site.

From the Instant Rehab Breath Spray to their very own Mullet Body/Car Wash (yes, body and car wash) Blue Q has the perfect something for every white elephant gift exchange you'll attend this season. And after the holidays you can shop Blue Q for a unique, unforgettable wedding shower (love the Dream Wedding Tin Bank) or 40th birthday gift (try the Mental Case Mid-Life Crisis Soap).

Though you'll find a lot of fun products on Blue Q, a few of their products are PG-13 and definitely not for 13-year-old eyes (some might not even be for legal-drinking-age eyes). If you're worried, steer clear of the Gum under Sweet Shop, some of their Stickers and their Festive Holiday Coasters (not so festive).

If you can avoid some of the more tasteless items you'll find a great selection of "treasures" for your holiday gifting. And their About Us page is rather entertaining. I think more companies should take such a lighthearted and fun approach to business. Of course it suits Blue Q perfectly! Happy white elephant hunting! --Emily

Project Angel Food: celeb-signed Trina bags on eBay

Though it's almost 3:00 p.m. MST it's not too late to post a very hot that's hot! thursday so listen up (or read through...).

This year at Divine Design, the West Coast's premiere fashion and home shopping event, 100% of proceeds from sales will directly benefit Project Angel Food, an organization whose mission is to "nourish the body and spirit of men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses."

At the event, leading designers donate fabulous fashions, furniture, beauty and gift items that are sold 50%-90% off retail. Trina, a line of luxury cosmetic bags, is donating close to $20,000 worth of product for the event but will also be raising additional money for Project Angel Food in a special auction on eBay starting December 5th. These auctions feature Trina bags signed by an impressive list of celebrities!

I absolutely love Trina--I was lucky enough to review Trina's Weekender bag on Boutique Cafe's Daily Dish. If you're looking for a new cosmetic bag or travel case, read my review.--you'll fall in love too! And if a higher retail price makes you hesitant about purchasing one, the following eBay auctions give you the perfect opportunity to own one at less than retail (unless of course the bidding gets out of control...a great thing for Project Angel Food, a not-so-great thing for you).

Here are the don't-miss eBay auctions of celebrity-signed Trina bags:

• John Mayer
• Adam Sandler
• Neil Patrick Harris & cast of How I Met Your Mother
• Vanessa Williams, Eric Mabius, Michael Urie & Ashley Jensen from Ugly Betty
• Ryan Seacrest
• Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill & Judd Apatow, producer of Step Brothers, Superbad, and 40 Year-Old Virgin
• Cast members from LOST

The auctions end December 13th so add them to your "watch" list. Just don't go watching the one signed by cast members from Ugly Betty...that one is SO mine!

If you have a blog or other website where you can post updates, please pass the word along. The auctions are for a very worthy cause. You'll be supporting Project Angel Food and crossing off an item on someone's wish list. I love win-win situations! --Emily

georgie tees BFCM sale!

Today's that's hot! thursday is short and sweet. First, Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you're enjoying the smell of roasted turkey already and wearing your elastic-waist pants.

Second, here's our contribution to the Black Friday & Cyber Monday (BFCM) craziness... we have a special BFCM code for the biggest discount ever offered and here are the details:

Use code HOLIDAY08* in the Comments section when checking out at georgietees.com and receive

25% off and
$5 Priority Mail shipping!
Plus, spend $50 and receive a free gift with purchase!

This offer is good Friday, November 28th through Monday, December 1st (midnight) and is only good while supplies last. We're just trying to do our part to help boost the economy! --Emily

* Discount reflected once order is processed. Offer good on in-stock items only and while supplies last. Additional charge for Express Mail shipping.

RetailMeNot.com: coupons, coupons and more coupons!

Though I'm not a frequent coupon user I am a frequent coupon code user. Yes, there's a difference...at least to me. Coupons are those little things you have to clip from the newspaper ads whereas coupon codes you can simply enter in a tiny little box at checkout. (Can you tell I do most of my shopping online?!?)

Today's that's hot! thursday is brought to you by my good friend Jen, who just introduced me to RetailMeNot.com. This site has coupon codes for more than 20,000 stores--yes, 20,000! You can search RetailMeNot.com by a store's website address or keyword. Or just browse the homepage for the most popular stores and coupon codes. The process is pretty simple but if you're a bit wary of using RetailMeNot.com, they have a nice little video tutorial you can watch.

I thought I was a pro when it came to using online coupon codes but apparently I have much to learn. That's okay; when it comes to online shopping I'm happy to practice until I'm perfect! --Emily

MomDot's "Christmas of Dreams" giveaway!

Today's that's hot! thursday is all about MomDot's super hot Christmas of Dreams giveaway! georgie tees is one of a very cool list of companies sponsoring the giveaway, which includes over $1,000 in prizes. (We're giving away a tee of the winner's choice!) On November 28th MomDot will be drawing the name of one winner, who will win prizes from each sponsor on the list. With all those prizes how could it not be a Christmas of Dreams?

To be eligible you need to submit your entry no later than November 26th. Don't confuse the Christmas of Dreams giveaway with MomDot's blog party, which you can read more about here.) Here are the requirements for entering the giveaway:

• You MUST be a blogger. MomDot is all about supporting mom bloggers and what better way to do so then to do a ginormous giveaway!
• You must post about the Christmas of Dreams on your blog and include all the sponsor links and link back to MomDot. (It's all about the linky love, baby!) When you post, pick your top five favorite sponsors and tell the world--and MomDot--your favorite things from those sponsors' sites.
• Add a MomDot banner or link to your blogroll.
• Answer the question: "Why does your family deserve a Christmas of Dreams?" You can answer as creatively as you'd like (post a comment, vlog, YouTube video, etc.)

That list is nothing when you compare it to the prize value of the giveaway, so hurry and get your entry in before the deadline. This year dream of more than a white Christmas, dream of MomDot's Christmas of Dreams giveaway. Good luck! --Emily