Goodbye to Little Window Shoppe
May 18, 2009 by Emily · 62 Comments
My Dearest Window Shoppe Readers and Friends,
This post has taken me over a month to write - partly because this is my last post on this blog. I am so sad to announce that as of today, Little Window Shoppe is closing for good.
The decision was not taken lightly and was really hard to make, but a combination of factors came together that brought me to this post…very much wanting to spend more time with my family (I have a very busy two year old who needs more mommy-time), 
getting ready for baby #2 in November (I’ve been out sick for two months! But it’s totally worth it as we’re so excited to have a new baby come to our family), and finally getting ready for a move to a new state with my family this Summer (my hubby is starting a new job).
{Photo source: Wilson Library Reserve}
I have learned so much from blogging at Little Window Shoppe and will be forever grateful for the kind friends I have made and the amazing experiences that I have had here!! Thank you so much for taking time to make Little Window shoppe a part of your lives and for being such a fantastic community. And also, thank you for all of the nice emails and inquiries about how we are doing.
Before I say goodbye for good, I want to thank a few people who helped me along the way:
First and foremost, my husband Scott. He is an incredibly supportive husband and friend and was the first person to listen to my every idea and concern throughout my blogging adventures. He has also been Superman at my house and has cooked, cleaned, taken care of our two year old and helped me out while I was sick over the last seven weeks! I couldn’t ask for a better man in my life and I love him so much!!
I also wanted to thank Holly of Tutus and Turtles. She is so cool and listened and talked to me for hours on the phone as I worked out how I would end my Window Shoppe blogging days. Her blog has been an inspiration to me from the beginning and I think that her blog ideas rock!!
Finally, I wanted to thank each of the writers and contributors for Little Window Shoppe. Each of them had creative and beautiful ideas to share and I’m so grateful and honored that they wanted to be part of this blog with me. They have become some of my dearest friends and were the best group of writers a blog ever had! They even sent me tulips when I was sick (just about made me cry, I felt so loved).
Please visit each of their blogs to keep up with their cool ideas!
- Vanessa - her blog: I Never Grew Up
- Lauren - her blog: Supermom Central
- Michelle - her shoppe: Sweet Mady’s Paper
- Michaelle - her blog: Monkeys Momma
- Cassie - her shoppe: Madison Envy
- Kelly - her blog: Albany Mommy
Also, I wanted to leave you with a few additional recommendations of blogs I love - in case you are looking for new places to subscribe:
- www.simplemom.net - this is my absolute favorite blog to follow…it has the best family tips and ideas that make sense, the ideas are easy to follow and I just can’t get enough of its coolness.
- www.howaboutorange.blogspot.com - artsy, tons of crafts, diy ideas, printouts, and the best time-wasters ever.
- www.thepioneerwoman.com - recipes, photoshop tutorials, photography 101, down-to-earth life.
- www.makeandtakes.com - the coolest (and most creative) kids crafts ever!
- www.metropolitanmama.net - and for all you contest lovers, this Metro Mama has excellent giveaways all of the time - and she writes helpful articles with tips for parents. Love it.
There are so many more…but I think this is a great start.
If you want to stay in touch with me, you can follow me at a few sites:
- www.emilyjune.com (I’ll still be designing blogs and websites - starting again this fall).
- I’m also going to be checking in and updating my facebook page and my family blog regularly. They will have weekly updates of my family life and the cool fun things we are doing.
**If you want to stay in touch with me at my family blog or on facebook, just email me or leave a comment letting me know and I’ll send you the links.**
Thank you again for making this the best blogging experience I have ever had!!
Always,
Emily
The Perfect Baby Handbook Giveaway
April 1, 2009 by Emily · 155 Comments
Contest Update:
We have five winners!! The randomly chosen winners for this contest are: #93 Jenny M, #72 Meg T, #123 Beth S, #112 Devon, #65 Christian - Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who participated!
Finally…perfection made easy! Can I just tell you how much I love The Perfect Baby Handbook? Seriously, it’s hilarious and had me laughing from the start. This book is a comic relief for anxious new parents and it makes you laugh at the pressures you may feel when trying to become the “perfect parents” and trying to raise the ”perfect children.”
This book will teach you important things like how to help your infant develop a signature walk, what to include in the perfect nursery, secrets to immortalizing your miracle on film, which baby names are flawless from places like IKEA and Ralph Lauren, how to baby-proof everything on earth and more…
I actually had the opportunity to interview the author Dale Hrabi himself! I really liked his cool and down to earth perspective - here are a few excerpts from our interview:
Me: What inspired you to write this book?
Dale: “Well, the idea started about three years ago, when all my three best female friends got pregnant at the same time in their early 30s, and, being a nosy, supportive friend, I wanted to know everything, and was told more than I bargained for. One friend in particular got me thinking about the pressures of modern parenthood. The books were freaking her out with their wildly contradictory advice.
Meanwhile, in the hothouse of Manhattan’s competitive parenting culture, she and my other friends were, by their own admission, falling prey to pretty irrational anxieties. Should we, in fact, invest $1000 on a stroller? That woman has four strollers…does she know something we don’t ? How can woman B do it all?
I used to try to tease my friends into laughing about it all, and tell them jokes to help them regain perspective. As someone who’s learned that anxiety is often the root of comedy, I began to see the material for a book that might provide comic relief for other parents going through the same thing.
As I began my research in earnest (about two years ago), I put together a massive file of news clippings, read books like Carl Honore’s UNDER PRESSURE: Rescuing childhood from the culture of hyper-parenting (or maybe that came later), The Price of Privilege, The Three Martini Playdate, and others. It became clear that my friends were just part of a much larger phenomenon, sometimes called “super-parenting” or “over-parenting.”
My book also, I think, satirizes the whole idea of giftedness—and, since I was kind of a gifted wanna-be as a kid, I’ve always been fascinated by concepts like identity, originality, precociousness, uniqueness. So the opportunity to work through that fascination was another incentive, too.”
Me: What do you hope parents will take with them after reading the book?
Dale: “Well, it is a humor-book, so I hardly expect it to be life-changing. Ideally, though, I’d say that I hope parents get at least a couple laughs, and maybe a little perspective on their more relentlessly over-achieving friends, or even themselves.
The ‘excessive motivation’ I talk about starts with love and concern–it’s just incredibly easy in this culture and especially the current economy to become anxious that your baby will ‘fall behind.’ So those Mommy & Me classes start to seem crucial…but then, it can escalate to the point where parents are running themselves ragged, driving their kids to 19 different activities every week without stopping to ask themselves: ‘Is this what we really want? Is this what our kids really need?’”
Win It:
Five Window Shoppe Readers (that’s right, FIVE!) will win a copy of this funny baby book! You know you want it, it’s brilliant!
To Enter:
Simply check out www.perfectbabyhandbook.com and leave a quick comment letting us know that you want to win. This giveaway ends on Tuesday, April 7th at midnight PST. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced at this post Wednesday, April 8th. Good luck, everyone!! (Please feel free to read our contest rules for additional details - this contest is currently open to U.S. residents only - we promise to have more great contests for everyone else coming up!)
(Optional) For an extra entry:
- Are you a Subscriber? Just let us know you’re subscribed to Little Window Shoppe in an additional comment.
Show Me How and Other Awesome Books
November 10, 2008 by Emily · 43 Comments
Contest Update:
*We have a winner!! The randomly chosen winner for this contest is: Marci. Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who participated, please stop by again as there are new contests each week.*
When I’m not working, blogging or spending time with my family, you’ll probably find me reading books either for myself or with my toddler. I love to read all kinds of books, whether it’s a book about how I can improve some aspect of my life, a captivating novel or a book that is just for fun and teaches me something new.
Show Me How - is simply STUNNING. This ultimate “how-to” book has only been on the shelves for a few weeks and ”is a revolutionary re-imagining of the reference genre, one part how-to guide, one part graphic art showpiece, and one part pure inspiration.”
We LOVE this book! It will teach you everything from how to Perform CPR or how to dance the Tango, how to construct a bamboo fence to how to make a tomato flower, how to master juggling or how to tell time with a potato clock and much, much more. We seriously can’t get enough of its awesomeness!!
I’ve always been impressed with Immedium’s book collection - their stories and artwork are unforgettable. Monster Isle looked like a fun book to read and with a character named “Finnegan” how could you go wrong?
I was also recently introduced to Great Fun Books. Their collection of colorful, interactive and educational books help get children to want to read. They also sell cool cloth books - which are {thankfully} chewable and washable for your tiny readers.
This book came HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by Laura C. {Thanks Laura!} - it is a tool that every family should own. Written for children ages four through eight, The 7 Habits of Happy Kids teaches children “how to take charge of their life, prioritize, have a plan, listen before speaking, create win-win relationships, work together, and develop balance - all in a fun, creative way.” It has wonderful illustrations for kids and also draws upon the original 7 Habits book so that parents will gain a lot from reading this too.
Proud Parents’ Guide is a book that helps build confident kids and gives practical advice on how to help your child excel in health, school, sports, music and art. It also includes more than 200 games parents can play with their kids to jump-start their fundamental skills, self-confidence, and sports potential while building a lifestyle of family fitness. Isn’t that great? I think it’s a super book full of ideas about how to interact with your children.
Win It:
One lucky Window Shoppe reader will win a copy of the Proud Parents’ Guide by Karen Ronney. To enter, all you have to do is leave a quick comment or send an email to contest@littlewindowshoppe.com (with “guide” as the subject of your email). (That’s it! Easy huh?)
The winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday, Nov. 19th and will be announced here, so be sure to check back to see if you’re the winner. Please feel free to read our contest rules for additional details.
Journal Jars & “Between Me and You” Journal Giveaway!
October 13, 2008 by Emily · 126 Comments
I love starting out the week with a great Giveaway. A few years ago for my mom’s 50th birthday, we gave her a journal and a “journal jar” with all kinds of questions that she could answer in her journal along the way. It was a fun gift to give and we really look forward to reading her entries someday to get to know her even better.
While we’re on the topic of journal jars, I found a splendid little post with pretty journal jar pictures and great question ideas for making your own at The Jelly Journals Blog. Isn’t this a creative gift idea?
Journal Giveaway:
Sand Dune Books has a Family Journal Series that is really similar to the “journal jar” called “Between Me And You™ a few things I’ve been meaning to ask”. It is sure to become a family keepsake that you will cherish.
Inside each are fun, non-sappy, sometimes humorous questions and journal space for a handwritten response. They make PERFECT gifts that you can share with people you love and there are different books designed for each unique relationship, such as “mom”, “dad”, ”daughter” and more.
Discount: Save 10% on each journal until October 18th with code: LWS
Win It:
One lucky Window Shoppe reader will win their choice of any 2 journals! To win, all you have to do is check out Sand Dune Books and leave a quick comment or send an email to contest@littlewindowshoppe.com (with “journal” as the subject of your email) letting us know which 2 you would like to win. The winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday October 22nd and will be announced here, so be sure to check back to see if you’re the winner.
P.S. If you haven’t seen all of our other giveaways we have going on at LWS, check out our Current Giveaways link…we have quite a few you can still enter and we are adding even more to it throughout this week!!
Contest Closed *CONGRATULATIONS TO ”TobyeDavid” ~ HE IS THE RANDOMLY CHOSEN WINNER FOR THIS CONTEST! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED - PLEASE STOP BY AGAIN AS THERE ARE NEW CONTESTS EACH WEEK!*
Fresh Ideas for Modern Living
October 9, 2008 by Cassie · 8 Comments
In the last couple weeks, I have loved finding new Halloween décor ideas while surfing blogs, all of the creative people out there amaze me. I came across Matthew Mead from another blog and really liked his clean, fresh, and modern ideas. You can take a look at more of his entertaining tips on his web site Matthew Mead Style.
He also has two awesome books that you can find at Barnes and Noble and Borders Bookstores. Tricks and Treats is his Halloween book and recently Matthew wrote an entertaining book called Entertaining Simple.
The best thing about Matthew Mead’s ideas are that they are simple and easy that won’t take going out to the store to buy all new items, they are meant for real people like you and me!
What are your favorite Halloween décor ideas that you have discovered this year?
Cassie’s shoppe: Madison Envy - offering the latest items in fashion.
Kelly Ripa’s 10 Secrets to Happiness
September 12, 2008 by Emily · 2 Comments
I don’t really have a favorite celebrity, but if I did I would probably be a HUGE fan of Kelly Ripa (OK, maybe a few actors from The Office would rank high on my list too). In addition to being an incredible TV Host, she’s also a wife and mom of three. Even though she’s super-woman in many aspects, she’s also down to earth about her daily life and comes across as very relate-able.
You may have caught a glimpse of her on the cover of First Magazine this month at the grocery store, but just in case you didn’t, she opens up about parenthood, happiness and how she manages it all. Here are a few quotes from her featured interview:
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On her traditional family life: “Marriage and having kids really agrees with us. Mark helps with homework, while I’ll do a baking project for school. We look at each other and think, if our friends could see us now, they wouldn’t believe what we’ve become! We really enjoy what our life has developed into. I try to do it all, and I don’t do any of it particularly well. But at least I try. Sometimes the cookies get burnt, but what are you going to do?”
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Her favorite rainy day activities with her kids: “With my daughter, we’re really into fairy house. They’re lots of fun. You gather sticks, weeds, toothpicks, seashells and any other materials you have lying around, and you build a house for a fairy. People actually build them and leave them in the woods. You can stumble upon them if you know where to look. The boys aren’t so much into organized rainy-day activities. They’re more into bartering for video game time—I’ll take out the trash if you let me have 10 minutes of video game time. We also do a lot of tie-dye outside in the garage.”
Do You Keep a Journal?
August 19, 2008 by Emily · 9 Comments
I remember my very first diary in elementary school, it had a lock and key on it so that potential diary thieves (my brother) wouldn’t get to it. As years passed, he definitely found his way through one or two of them, but that didn’t stop me from continuing to write.
I loved to write in journals to express my daily and deepest thoughts about life. I now have a stack of journals from childhood through marriage that my family and I cherish. We read through them from time to time and laugh (especially at my funny artwork), learn from my experiences, and re-live memories.
A new book that recently caught my attention called Note to Self, is all about journal writing and how it’s worth every minute. It helps us to really check in with ourselves and learn to express what’s inside. It also motivates us to see that when our thoughts come alive on paper, they become both meaningful and profound.
I’ve recently had the opportunity to interview the author, Samara O’Shea and wanted to share with you just a few things that she had to say:
……….
Me: “What inspired you to write this book?”
Samara: “My love for the written word inspired me to write this book. My first book was all about letter writing and how pen and paper can help you communicate with others, and I thought a book praising journal writing and how pen and paper can help you communicate with yourself should be the next step.”
Me: “What is something you hope that readers remember most about it?”
Samara: “I hope readers walk away with a strong desire to get to know themselves better.”
……….
How about you… Do you keep a journal? Have you noticed that it’s been a worthy pursuit in your life?
Pregnancy Worries? No Problem…
July 21, 2008 by Emily · 5 Comments
My husband’s primary profession revolves around Health and Fitness and we have always considered ourselves healthy when it comes to food, nutrition and our general lifestyle. But when I took on the pregnancy adventure, I found myself having a lot of new questions about nutrition and health. I’m pretty sure that my doctor really got her money’s worth out of me!
Sometimes there is so much to worry about you know? Is this safe? How about that? I seemed to scan every item in my house and I often double checked to see if a food was on the “OK” list. I think that we’re allowed to be a extra careful when it comes to our pregnancy!
This is why I like The Complete Organic Pregnancy by Deirdre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu. This book will talk you through everything from the safest laundry detergent to which crib mattresses contain toxic flame retardants. You’ll find out how to choose the right face cream, plastic water bottles, household cleaners and which types of fish are best to eat.
Find it at Amazon
What were some of your favorite books or resources to refer to when you were pregnant?
An Instruction Manual for Children
June 26, 2008 by Michelle P. · 1 Comment
The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids, $15
This book is great for busy parents who are looking for some quick but true advice on how to help their kids become good decision makers and genuinely happy kids. It is broken up into chapters for quick reference on topics such as picky eaters, having pets, participating is sports, and sibling rivalry. This is one that I will refer to again and again as my children grow and face new challenges. Available at Barnes and Noble.
Summer Reading
June 21, 2008 by Emily · 3 Comments
School’s out for most - but that doesn’t mean that learning has to stop just yet! Help your children join a Summer Reading club so that learning can stay fun and meaningful all summer long. Summer Reading clubs may also help children who do not like to read as they promote fun reading and sometimes offer reading rewards.
My brother, sister and I loved being a part of the local library’s summer reading club growing up and looked forward to each new book. I remember earning points and prizes too for each book I read. Summer reading can be fun, constructive and a great way to keep skills sharp.
Barnes and Noble is offering a free book to children who read 8 books this summer! This is just one reward you can get started with right away - Check out all of the details here.
If you are not close to a local library and still would like a few book suggestions, ideas and tips for readers of all ages, may I suggest these links: Family Education, Scholastic, Reading is fundamental, Reading Rockets, Read, Write, Think and PBS Parents (summer tips).
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