what are you going to be for halloween?

It's about that time when the prevailing question of the day is, "So, what are you going to be for Halloween?" Me, I don't do the costume thing. Instead I throw on my favorite graphic tee from Forever 21 complete with skulls (with hearts for eyes so it's not too creepy) and call it good. Fortunately my kids still have the Halloween spirit and this year here's what we have haunting our home:

• One female vampire: I finally caved and let her be a vampire but less creepy and more stylish. We found a great cape and spiderweb choker from BuyCostumes.com (one of our fave sites) and she's reusing her gothic witch costume from last year.
• One black cat: I love this costume choice because even I can throw it together. We purchased some cute ears and tail from BuyCostumes.com and I'll hit Target for a long-sleeve black leotard and tights.
• One pirate: G is already practicing his "Aaaargh!" all around the house. With a 20% off coupon this pirate costume from Old Navy was a great buy--and should keep him from getting frostbite on Halloween.
• One like-mother-like-daughter costume: In other words, I bought L a cute little onesie from Old Navy with some cute matching socks and called it good. She's usually asleep by the time the trick-or-treaters arrive and it was easier on the costume budget.

Do you dress up for Halloween? Do you make your own costumes? What are some of the craziest/scariest/cutest things your children have dressed up as for Halloween? We'd love to hear! --Emily

do you BUD?

Daria at Boutique Cafe just turned me on to a new email service from Boutique Up! sure to change how buyers and mompreneurs do business. For mompreneur monday I bring you Boutique Up! Daily (BUD for short), a new weekly email where you can showcase your products or view new lines that might be perfect for your new boutique.

Here are the details from Boutique Up!:

Retailers, merchants, the media, review bloggers and other venues ... can either post a query looking for new products, or they might just browse to find a product that catches their eye. Those interested in finding new products can email me at info@boutiqueup.com with BUYER in the title.

Sellers can respond to retailer's queries if they have a product that matches what the retailer is looking for. Sellers can also post to BUD about products they have available for wholesale, dropship or mutual arrangement. Simply email me at info@boutiqueup.com with SELLER in the title.

I also like the post, Boutique Up! Daily is here!, which adds in a few more important details. The best part about this fabulous new service is that it's FREE! I have seen a lot of great sites attempting to match buyers and sellers but very few, if any, do it without a fee or commission.

We subscribed late last week and are anxiously awaiting our first weekly "tradeshow" courtesy of Boutique Up! I've heard that in just one issue two businesses have placed products and three more are negotiating. Now that's cool! If you want to receive your own BUD email (and who wouldn't? hello!) you can sign up on the Boutique Up! website. Just look for the bright green box in the top right corner of the page. You can't miss it--and won't want to! --Emily

t.g.f.f.! (thank goodness for french toast!)

It's not that late but I'm exhausted with still much to do before bed ("miles to go before I sleep...") so for today's food for thought friday I'm sharing with you a French toast recipe my good friend Kim just sent me the other day. Perfect for Saturday breakfast, Sunday brunch or even Christmas morning you'll find this make-ahead recipe a great way to enjoy dessert before noon. ;)

Decadent French Toast a la Kim
4 T corn syrup
2 c brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 loaf Texas Toast
5 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1 T vanilla

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Set aside. Heat corn syrup, sugar and butter, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Pour into prepared pan. Nestle bread slices into the syrup, making 2 layers. In a large bowl mix eggs, milk and vanilla. Pour over bread, covering all pieces evenly. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, heat oven to 350. Bake for 45 minutes (30 minutes covered; remove foil and cook for another 15 minutes). To serve, loosen edges and cut slices in half. Invert the pan onto a plate so the caramel is on top and drizzling over edges. (Best served soon after you remove from oven.)

Serving suggestions: top with sour cream, berries or homemade buttermilk syrup (recipe below).

Buttermilk Syrup
1 1/2 cubes butter
1 c sugar
1/2 c buttermilk
2 T white Karo syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda

Heat first 5 ingredients to a roaring boil. Reduce heat; add soda. Heat thoroughly. Store leftovers in fridge.

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.
--Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

Lilly Bean play food looks so good you could almost eat it!

Today's that's hot! thursday features another great find I discovered through Boutique Cafe's Daily Dish. Lilly Bean Market is a whimsical, tempting and tasty (if you like wool felt) collection of lifelike artisan designed playfood. (Now that's a mouthful!) Here is an excerpt of my take on this fabulous food from my Daily Dish review, "Lilly Bean play food tempts tiny tastebuds:"

It’s a good thing I know better than to eat felt or my children’s Lilly Bean Market meal sets would have disappeared long ago. You might think I’m exaggerating a bit but once you lay eyes on the Deluxe Pizza or Market Fruit you’ll understand.

Lilly Bean Market was started by Hilary Seabolt, a mother who created her first 'market-fresh' food when her four-year-old son’s stuffed animals needed something to eat. ... Our play kitchen now offers family and friends the Perfect Sandwich with a side of Market Fruit and a Super Sandwich Cookie for dessert. I’m thinking Christmas will be a great excuse to expand our menu with Lilly Bean’s new Deluxe Chocolate Strawberry Cake, Bag of Chips, and even Sushi.

Today I found the juicy (i.e. stuffed) red apple and was reminded of the beautiful craftsmanship and detail. With prices ranging from around $5 for individual items to $35 for complete meals Lilly Bean Market is an affordable (and fun for Mom) way to invest in your child's creativity. --Emily

P.S. Visit the original Lilly Bean review for a chance to win a Brown Bag Lunch Set!

the Nie Nie Dialouges--it's no longer virtual

I had never heard of the Nie Nie Dialogues before I read on StartupPrincess.com about the tragedy that struck the Nielsen family. Stephanie Nielson (author of the Nie Nie Dialogues) and her husband Christian, parents of four children under the age of five, were in a tragic plane crash a few weeks ago. Though the couple survived (the pilot did not) Stephanie and Christmas are suffering from third-degree burns covering most of their bodies (80% for Stephanie and 30% for Christian).

The couple is still in critical condition and will receive months and months of treatments. The children will live with extended family while their parents remain in the hospital. The cost of medical treatment is expected to reach the millions, and to ease the family's burden the online community has come to the Nielson's aid.

People all around the world are coming together to show their support for Stephanie and her family and to help raise money for their rising medical costs. I've heard of a variety of online auctions and fundraising efforts on numerous seemingly unrelated blogs, something which tells me there is great power in community--online and off.

I love "After Blogger's Plane Crash, Virtual Becomes Personal," an article by the New York Times that shows just how personal the virtual world can be. And here's an interview from The Today Show with Matt Lauer I think is definitely worth a watch:




If your heart has been touched by Stephanie's story I highly recommend you check out Nie Recovery for a list of ways you can help. The site includes buttons you can add to your own blog or site and a link to the Benefit Blog listing current online efforts. You can also read updates about the patients on Stephanie's sister's blog, c jane enjoy it. If nothing else, send a few prayers their way. Every little bit helps because in the end, it is personal. --Emily

engage your mind, body and spirit with a little yoga

Today's take it off tuesday highlights the growing trend of incorporating yoga into your fitness regimen. I have done yoga off and on for the past few years and love, love, LOVE it! Though Wednesdays are currently my power yoga days, I ought to do it more often and not just because it feels good once I'm done. When I practice yoga regularly I find I am more aware of my posture, my flexibility increases along with my confidence, and though it may sound a little cheesy I do feel more centered (i.e. I have more patience with my kids).

Yoga is gaining in popularity for those same reasons and more. I love the recent article Yoga Your Own Way from Fitness magazine:

...Experts say yogic breathing techniques can help insomniacs sleep better and ease anxiety and depression. Still other research shows that people who practice yoga lose weight and maintain a healthy weight more easily than those who don't practice yoga. And if that's not enough to make you do some sun salutations, a consistent yoga practice can also lead to a healthier heart in just six weeks, according to a Yale University School of Medicine study.

I had no idea about the healthier heart or the insomnia. Perhaps my husband should start a little yoga so I don't have to serve as his "woobie" at bedtime!

I am a big fan of power yoga, preferring to break a sweat after countless downward dogs and warrior poses. I have two favorite power yoga DVDs. The first is from Bryan Kest, and not just because he's good looking. ;) His 3-DVD set, Power Yoga 1/2/3 Series, gives you a variety of skill levels and poses. Just don't be discouraged by the pros in the background. I had no idea that kind of flexibility existed! (Note: check ebay for a great price on this set.)

My other favorite (thank you, LeShan) is from Kristin McGee. Her Power Yoga DVD definitely makes me sweat and it gives a great burn for the butt and thighs, though it is lacking in abdominal moves. I rotate hers in with Bryan's so I never get bored and my body is always trying to guess what's coming next.

If you'd rather use yoga as a great way to relax before bed or before you head to work, you'll find a variety of wonderful DVDs on Amazon.com. Whether you're practicing yoga to drop a few pounds or decompress after a long day, your mind, body and spirit will thank you! --Emily

help our friend Bethany from The Polkadot Platypus!

Today's mompreneur monday is an extra special one because it gives us all the opportunity to not only support a worthy cause but also support a fellow mompreneur. Bethany, the woman behind one of our fave boutiques, The Polkadot Platypus, is in the process of adopting a little girl from Russia who has Down syndrome. Bethany's youngest also has Down syndrome and is the family's inspiration for this adoption. To help with the adoption costs Bethany and her husband have held a garage sale but it will take much more than their weekend earnings to bring their little girl home.

Here's how you can help: The women over at The Mom Crowd are holding a raffle to help raise money for this wonderful cause. Over $1,500 in prizes have been donated and all you have to do is purchase a raffle ticket or two (or more) at $5 a piece. The more you purchase, the more chances you have to win. It's actually a pretty good win-win situation if you ask me!

They will close the raffle on Wednesday, September 24th at midnight EST and announce the winners on Friday, September 26th, 2008. You can learn more about the raffle by reading Help Bring on Orphan Home on The Mom Crowd website. To read more about Bethany's adoption, feel free to read her adoption blog Dreaming on an Angel. She even has a post with a cool slideshow highlighting all of the awesome prizes. --Emily

if you have picky eaters you'll love Picky Palate!

Okay, so I'm still feeling the effects of a week in Kauai and just don't have the brainpower to sort through my extensive collection of recipes and find a super stellar one I haven't yet shared for this week's food for thought friday. But no worries because I have a super stellar site to share with you instead, and if you have picky eaters at home (aka kids) you'll want to bookmark this site ASAP.

Picky Palate is in the business of "creating and finding delicious recipes for even your pickiest eaters" and I'd say it's a success so far. How can it not be when your audience is overworked, overtired parents who just don't have the energy to figure out creative ways to help their kids get their RDA of everything nutritious under the sun (or find new ways to hide butternut squash in desserts).

With recipes like Warm Peach Berry Bagel Crisp, Shredded BBQ Chicken Sliders and Funky Frozen Banana Bites how the heck can you or your little ones resist? Everything looks super yummy (lots of great photos which is helpful for Type A chefs like myself) and the ingredients can be found at your local market rather than your local specialty--and often pricey-- food store. Picky Palate indeed...how can anyone be picky when it comes to Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls on a Stick? --Emily

Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying. --Fran Lebowitz

splash in style with boots from DLL Rainwear

For that's hot! thursday I have another Daily Dish find from Boutique Cafe, and it's super fitting considering we're getting some good rain here in Utah this week. If you have a thing for puddle stomping and a thing for keeping your feet dry (a good thing when stomping puddles in winter) then you're going to love the selection of stylish rain boots from DLL Rainwear. Here's an excerpt from my August review, DLL Rainwear lets you 'puddle stomp in style':

DLL Rainwear offers more stylish puddle stompers than the weatherman has cold fronts, from the cutest styles for women (check out the Jeffrey Campbell Rainbow Gray ballet flat) to dashing pairs for men (Chooka’s Dueling Skulls could take on any size puddle) to a seemingly endless selection for children. ...

Their non-slip sole was a big plus (when you’re jumping in water this is an important feature!) and the pull handles are perfect for little hands. With boots as cute as these you know your little one is going to wear them 24/7 so they better be easy to take on and off! DLL RainwearDLL Rainwear even has a few “Mommy & Me” sets, my favorite being the Orange Squiggle set.

If you've hesitated before about splashing around with your little ones, hesitate no longer. DLL Rainwear's got you--and your feet--covered! --Emily

BlogCoach helps you grow your blog

It's wonderful web wednesday and today's site is for fellow bloggers out there trying to turn their seedling of a blog into a full-grown redwood tree (complete with growth rings). BlogCoach is a wonderful resource for bloggers of all ages, experience and backgrounds. Here's an excerpt from on of the site's first posts, What is BlogCoach:

Been thinking about starting a blog? Just start one? You may have questions. Wouldn't it be great to get the advice of expert, experienced bloggers who have been there? At BlogCoach, you'll find helpful, informative articles about blogging, blogging resources, and a whole community full of friendly folks eager to help you grow your blog.

From featured blogs to interviews to a required reading list you'll find enough information to get your seedling well on its way to sapling stage and beyond. (Not sure where the gardening references came from but I do have a great view of my neighbor's sunflowers while typing...)

One of my favorite posts are Critique This Blog where members give a fellow blogger their feedback about everything from the blog's layout to tone to usability. As much as I have a hard time accepting constructive criticism (just ask my husband) I would love to put our blog out there for a little critiquing. When growing your blog some growing pains are to be expected!

Whether you're new to blogging or a seasoned pro BlogCoach can help you grow your blog...no weeding required! --Emily

Touchpoint--the Startup Princess conference for women entrepreneurs

Yes, I'm back from the sunny shores of Kauai. I'm still trying to adjust to life without gallons of sunscreen and sand between my toes (and down my swimsuit--dang, those surfing lessons!) and I'll be honest, it's not an easy adjustment. But I'm glad I'm back if only to tell you about an annual event you won't want to miss, especially if you're a women entrepreneur or would love nothing else than to start your own business.


Touchpoint, Startup Princess' annual event, is a one-day conference bursting with information and networking for women business owners. For nine hours (8am to 5pm) women come together for one-on-one mentoring, workshops, small-group networking, interactive panels and even an elevator pitch competition. The keynote speaker of the event is Heather Madder, author and broadcaster (I originally posted about here here).

The one-on-one mentoring (space is limited so register NOW) lets attendees ask Startup Princess Fairy Godmothers their most challenging business questions and brainstorm about their business plans, marketing strategies, and more. You will be able to choose two of the following workshops:

• "Communication that Conveys Confidence"
• "Creating a Realistic and Successful Business Plan"
• "Bootstrapping and Leveraging ALL your Assets"
• "The Power of Developing Business Partners to Expand Your Visibility and Reach"

Workshop speakers include Shauna Kelly-Ward, Nicole Toomey Davis, Carol Rice (Founder of CherishBound), and Rachael Herrscher (Founder of Today’s Mama).

Panel discussions (did I mention I'm one of the panel speakers?) and the elevator pitch competition (cash and prizes) follow. The day wraps up with a boutique where you can discover great services and products while supporting fellow Startup Princesses.

Lunch and conference materials are included in the registration fee. The first 50 attendees will receive 1 hour of one-on-one business mentoring at the event. Early registration for Touchpoint is $99 but ends September 9th at midnight. After that the price will be $119 through the 22nd and $139 after that. If you want to attend then early registration is a wise choice for your business' budget! The event is being held in Sandy, Utah at the Miller Innovation Center (SLCC campus).

aloha from kauai!

Okay, I'm not in Kauai yet but by the time you read this post I will be. ;) As a mompreneur we don't get sick days or vacation time unless we force ourselves to do so. And force yourself you must or you'll not only start to burn out but also quite possibly go insane. The outlook may not be that bleak but as a mom and business owner you do need to take some time off. When you do you will find yourself rejuvenated with enough energy to run your business and run enjoy your family.

So aloha from Kauai! This vacation has been a year in the planning and it's finally here. Thanks to help from my mother-in-law we headed to Hawaii without the kids and with a few bottles of sunscreen. With no access to the Internet (yes, they have Internet but I'd rather not incur that business expense) it's a forced--though welcome and much needed--vacation. I'm looking forward to a little R&R, a little sand between my toes, and a little sun on my shoulders. When I return in a week and have adjusted to the reality that is my life I will be back online and ready to take on the world once again!

Because we won't have a new post for about a week, take those extra few minutes when you would normally be reading freshly baked and do something for yourself. Read a chapter in that new book, paint your nails with Maybelline's Express Finish polish (dries in less than a minute!) or just step outside for a minute and take a few deep breaths. Then get back online and plan a real vacation! --Emily