shopping

Heaven Will Have TJ Maxx, I’m Certain

December 30, 2009 By Blonde Mom 21 Comments

TJ Maxx Collage

My mother-in-law gave me a $50 gift card to TJ Maxx, which I used to frequent weekly when hubby and I were DINKS (Dual Income No Kids). Now I just don’t go as often but there was a time when my husband knew that on Thursdays (when our local TJ Maxx got in their weekly big shipment of merchandise) that he could call me between 5 and 6 p.m. and I’d be wandering aimlessly in TJ Maxx.

I’m probably going to admit what a loser I am when I tell you that I spent well over an hour looking around by myself and it was pure bliss. I even took photographs of things I liked I’m such a great blogger dork. God Help Me if it had been TJ Maxx Home Goods store. I probably would have killed three hours and been escorted out like some creepy stalker Internet weirdo. Unfortunately I have a fluorescent lighting store dressing room handicap when it comes to photography and I had a tough time capturing the cute. Psssst those little square Paris plates were only $2.99!

I ended up buying three really great tops with my gift card (with a $1.50 left on it…SCORE!) I bought the fuchsia ruffled top in the upper left corner, the purple Willi Smith sleeveless top in the center right, and a cute Willi Smith wrap black jersey knit top with a fun inset cream ruffled top that is smokin’ cute. I am really bordering on a Stacy and Clinton intervention since I tend to wear black boots, jeans, and some variation of a black cardigan or a solid t-shirt from Old Navy to work, the grocery, EVERYWHERE. My office is so casual that I could pretty much wear anything as long as I don’ t show up naked. So I tried to pick out things with a little more flair and sexay than usual.

Any way, the girls are at our parents for 48 hours and now I’ve got some cute new clothes to flaunt for my hubby (and for myself…yea).

Now I’m going to play my George Michael super model anthem for the evening while I unload our new dishwasher and hubby goes to the liquor store. This is married suburban soccer mom excitement in FULL FORCE.

Filed Under: Retail Therapy 21 Comments

Feel Good, Look Good, Do Good With KEEN

November 28, 2008 By Blonde Mom 171 Comments

Thanks to everyone who entered! The lucky winner is Colleen from The Delaney and Waylon Diaries.

Be sure to enter the Kohl’s $50 gift card giveaway I’m hosting at my review and giveaway blog, Savvy Housewife.

Welcome to my Snap Out Of That Turkey Coma, Mama Needs A Brand New Pair of Boots Giveaway!

To celebrate the opening of KEEN’s new online store, I’m hosting a great giveaway for one free item of the winner’s choice from KEEN! You could choose something for yourself. I love the Palermo Mary Janes from the women’s Market St. line:

I also love the Amsterdam pink (imagine that) Mary Janes for my girls:

I heart these toddler boots (me again, with the pink):

For the man in your life, I like the Wear Around Lace in the Torino collection:

They also have a wonderfully hip line of computer bags, day bags, etc. I am loving the Betty Bag, which has a lining made with recycled materials:

For you athletic outdoorsy types KEEN is a familiar brand, but their shoes are also fabulous for those of us (much like myself, cough) who want to look all athletic and Earth mama-esque but who think roughing it is eating a granola bar on a park bench.

You can also feel good about doing your holiday shopping at KEEN because they are donating $5 to local shelters and food banks with each purchase through December 25. KEEN is also donating the proceeds of all Marshall wallets (while supplies last) purchased at keenfootwear.com to 1 KG More, a China-based non profit organization that works to bring school supplies to remote, impoverished areas of China, including those displaced by the May 12 earthquake; they also donated monetary aid and 15,000 pairs of shoes to victims of the earthquake last spring. Doing good is not something, however, KEEN just flashes during the holidays.

To enter the KEEN BlondeMomBlog giveaway simply visit KEEN’s new online store and come back to this post and leave a comment about your favorite, must have item. A random winner will be chosen from all eligible comments left by midnight Thursday, December 4. For an extra entry either post about this giveaway on your own blog or Tweet about it. You don’t need a blog or website to enter but you do need to leave a valid e-mail address so I can contact you, should you win. Thanks and good luck!

Need something now? Use code BLONDEMOMBLOG for free shipping through December 17.

Filed Under: Reviews & Giveaways 171 Comments

Of Cookies And Commodes

November 20, 2008 By Blonde Mom 6 Comments

I risked entering the Retail Circle Of Hell yesterday, otherwise known as the grocery store between 5 and 6 p.m., with the girls. I’d been home with Miss C all day, who was sick, and we’d just picked Miss A up from daycare so it made more sense for me to hit the grocery for a few things for dinner than the hubby, who was on the other side of town.

A cookie from the bakery usually keeps them occupied until the frozen foods section and then I make a mad dash to get whatever items are on my list as fast as humanly possible before the sugar hits their blood stream.

Yesterday we made it to the checkout line in record speed but then Miss A spotted the restrooms and started doing the “I gotta go, I gotta go NOW” dance.

For the record, I hate that the restrooms at Publix are located at the front of the store in plain sight from all the checkout lines because as soon as Miss A and Miss C them they insist they have to pee. They could have peed right before we left the house, but there’s something about the Publix restrooms that’s as enticing as the play zone at McDonalds. I don’t know if they pipe in bubble gum scented oxygen or subliminal messages for free cupcakes with pink sprinkles but they can’t resist the restrooms there.

As I swiped my debit card I convinced Miss A she could make it the two miles home to pee, but then I remembered I’d forgotten an ingredient for the recipe I was going to make for her Thanksgiving lunch at daycare today.

CRAP.

I shoved our behemoth car cart full of groceries aside and we headed toward the dairy aisle when I realized I was down one child. Miss A was distracted by a Barbie and the Diamond Castle toy and was lovingly touching the fuschia box as if she didn’t have enough Barbies at home to start an Olympic volleyball team.

“Miss A come on, mommy needs to get unsalted butter. Come on! I can’t leave you there!”

Mommy I can’t. I need to look at this toy.

“Miss A I can’t leave you. Come on. I’m in a hurry. I want to get home and start dinner and it’s almost 6 o’clock.”

By now I was starving and I knew they were teetering precariously on the edge of child hunger freak out. We were running out of time! Must. Avoid. Grocery. Store. Meltdown.

Mommy, just a minute I need to look at this toy, okay?

“Miss A if you come here now we’ll go use the restroom!”

OK!

She came running toward me, I grabbed the butter, paid for it, and we headed to the restrooms.

I’ll spare you the details about how she can never figure out how to unlock the bathroom stall and refuses to let anyone help her unlock it but it’s why a 5-minute grocery run with the girls turns into 45 minutes.

Good times at the grocery store ya’ll!