Hope You had a Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! On Christmas Eve we went over to the neighbors and re-enacted the story of the birth of Jesus, it was a great reminder to them of what Christmas is truly about and I would have to say that baby Cooper played his part perfectly...wink!


Highlights included seeing their excited faces as they were getting ready to come downstairs (see pic), baby Cooper rolling in the wrapping paper piles all morning and cooking Christmas Dinner with my mom all afternoon. Memorable moment....Jonas getting a "shiner" when his cousin got over zealous with the Wii remote....ouch!!!!

I am slowly starting to put the house back together and get back to normal life. I have so many great new products to add to the store now I just need the time to do it! I also need to find a way to simultaneously finish off all the fudge and truffles in my kitchen while I start losing the holiday pounds I have been putting on! Have any ideas, feel free to share!

Don't Forget to Track Santa on Christmas Eve

One of our favorite activites on Christmas Eve is to track Santa online as he makes his deliveries! A great website to do this at (although you can probabbly find a few others) is at http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.htm

Beginning at 2:00 am MTN on Christmas Eve, you can track Santa Live as he makes his historical journey around the world! They even have photos of Santa and his reindeer as they work their way around the world! Also a great motivator to get them to get in bed before Santa and his reindeer arrive!

There is also a way to reach Santa's voicemail (this is a San Diego number, not toll free) at (858) 560-6994 in case (like me) you didn't mail Santa your Christmas list in time!

From the 11 year-old's archives

One of my all time favorite stories is from when my eldest son Jonas was just six. I recently told him this story over dinner and he laughed so hard I was worried he might pass out....that means it must be "blog worthy"

We were moving and my husband was trying to come up with games to entertain Jonas in the U-Haul. He came up with the "how many game". How many toes are in the car...how may ears, etc. Jonas has always been quite a know-it-all so my husband had to step up his game a little to how many appendices, how many kidneys.....to that Jonas blurted out "TWO"!

My husband and I looked at each other, puzzled, and asked how did you get two? And then he says (completely serious), "well you don't have kid knees and mommy doesn't have kid knees but I have kid knees"

Have a great weekend!

Today Felt Like Christmas To Me!

Today I have a list of chores a mile long that I have barely put a dent in BUT the mail came and the UPS man has been here and I am in absolute heaven.......

Today our "Ooga Boogas" arrived from Australia and they are irresistible! I love how friendly she was able to make the monsters for us and now my 4 year-old wants to keep them all. The next package had the first four bags from our upcoming C Berry Baby Line of diaper bags and purses.....all the agonizing over which fabrics and which styles really paid off! Suzanne from Bella Boutique Creations did a beautiful job!

Just when (in my world) I thought it couldn't get any better, a bulk of fabric showed up (I know it is on the floor in the picture but that is okay because I still have to wash it before I sew). Now all I want to do is get inspired and start some more sewing! I haven't decided whether I am going to start with shopping cart covers or kimono baby booties....my favorite part of the process is ironing the beautiful fabrics after the wash and seeing the patterns jump back to life! ahhh.....I love the little joys in life, they are everywhere! Now I have to get back to my chores.....ugghhh.....

Get it in time for Christmas!

I have just added the option for overnight delivery in order to ensure delivery in time for Christmas.

Keeping a stock of customized products in stock has really helped this year! Several items that take 2 weeks for the manufacturer to create are here in stock and they have been sending their customers to us. I almost completely out of Nursing Necklaces but we have a few left that can ship in time!

Just as a note, we do have some already customized, ready to ship, Ellie Bellie Superhero Reversible Capes with the following customization:

Lightening Bolt: available in Black/Aqua Dots and Diamond/Red

Letter "A": available in Black/Aqua Dots

Letter "C": available in Black/Aqua Dots

Letter "I": available in Black/Aqua Dots

Letter "M": Available in Diamond/Red

Letter "S": available in Diamond/Red

You Can Donate Your Ponytail too!

Those of you who have known me a while know that every few years when my hair is unbearably long, I donate it to Locks of Love that creates real life hair wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer! I went in and donated yesterday and, as always, it felt great!

While I was there I learnt about a new hair donation program called Pantene Beautiful Lengths that donates real-hair wigs to woman fighting cancer to help them regain a sense of normalcy in their life.

Both charities are wonderful causes. If you are thinking of donating just keep in mind that Locks of Love has a 10" minimum and Pantene Beautiful Lengths accepts donations starting at 8 inches. 2 inches may not seem like much but when you are talking about how short your hair will end up, it makes a big difference.

Just thought I'd share and maybe try to inspire and remind you of the little ways we can offer a BIG help to others!!

here is my "after" shot..............

"Chase-isms"....a 4-year-old's world

My 4-year old Chase can talk anyone's ear off, just ask our friends, neighbors, the UPS man and the 911 operator (that's a whole other story). It's not just how much he talks, it is the things that come out of his mouth that make him so hilarious! I thought I'd share a few of what we lovingly call "Chaseisms"..............

Whenever he tells a joke (which only make sense if you are 4 too) he asks, "Did I make you laugh all the way to Africa?"

Today in the car when one of the 6th graders in our carpool asked him when he had made the picture on his shirt, he replied "Oh, just about fifteen hundred years ago."

If he gets hurt instead of a kiss he claims , "A cookie will make it feel better"

If he really wants something he tells you that it will make his heart soooo full of happiness if you give it to him but if you don't his heart will be so sad.

He has officially re-named his little brother "Cooper the Pooper Spitter-Upper"

He asked my mom once (the Nana) why she was short like ET

He thinks his phone number is 2 and tells people to call him all the time.

Once when he...uh...how do I say it politely, passed gas, he said, "I burped out my butt".

Even more potty humor (can you imagine if he reads this one day when he is a teenager) once he was grunting and groaning on the potty and all of a sudden he moans out "E......T.........phone........ home....." my husband and I were actually crying we were laughing so hard!

Hope you got a chuckle out! Have a great day

Make Your Own Marshmallow Shooters

These marshmallow shooters are simple, quick, inexpensive and best of all......not messy to make! They will guaranty hours of family fun (especially when stuffed in every one's stockings for Christmas morning).

Materials Needed:

PVC Pipe from your local home improvement store cut into approx. 10 inch length

White Vinyl Covering (can also use fabric, contact paper, wrapping paper, use your creativity)

Decorative items (ours were made with electrical tape in red and green wrapped like a candy cane but yarn or ribbon works fine as well)

Mini marshmallows

sandwich baggy and ribbon to attach

Directions:

Simply wrap the PVC Pipe with decorative paper and apply a strip of electrical tape at the top and bottom to secure in place. Next wrap PVC Pipe with electrical tape. Place mini marshmallows in a sandwich bag and secure with ribbon. For fabric, you can also paint glue on the pipe and roll onto the fabric and trim edges.

A mom hint: on Christmas Eve, hide a secret stash of mini marshmallows so you have extra "ammo" on Christmas morning

Ooga Booga for you to love!

These adorable monsters are on their way all the way from "Down Under". I worked with the creator to make a Ooga Booga line for our store that would be free from buttons and have a friendlier face (minus scary teeth) and I couldn't be happier with the results!

We have Orange Spikey Oogaboogas, Green OogaBoogas and Yellow Two Eyed Oogaboogas. If you have any ideas for fun names for the Ooga Boogas, please feel free to post a comment!

BabyLegs Shipments are coming in now!

I know today is wordless but.............I know a lot of you have been waiting for new shipments of BabyLegs to get here and I am happy to say the first (of three) shipment arrived today and the inventory has been added to the site. The next shipment will be in tomorrow!

I have been getting a lot of emails asking about BabyLegs on girls 3 and up so I thought I would post a few model shots to show how they can be worn as your baby grows!

HINT: The Organic BabyLegs actually run longer than the regular BabyLegs so I prefer them for older kiddos!

Wordless Wednesday

New Blog Poll

Our new Blog Poll is up, what do you have marked off your Christmas List.....please tell me I am not the only one who can't mark them all off!!!!

C Berry Baby Monthly Contest

Our C Berry Baby of the Month is....................Princess Harmony!

Harmony turns 1 on December 24th and is wearing one of our Pink and Green Reversible tutu by Ellie Bellie Kids in Pink and Green and a interchangeable headband! Congrats Harmony on winning a FREE pair of BabyLegs!

The Monsters Are Here!

Finally, I have the NissaLisa Monster Onesies, Tees and Monster Fun up on the website....thanks for your patience! NissaLisa products are hand made by two sister-in-laws that have 8 kids (no, that is not a type-o)between them! As you can imagine, one thing they do not have a lot of is time so we are so excited that they were able to supply us with a line in time for the holidays!

Each Monster is made of terry cloth making it washable & durable enough to outlast your "little monster". Check them out quick as we won't be restocking any of their line until after the New Year and they are bound to go fast!

Just some inspiration..........

Simplify life, magnify living

Enjoy the little things in life for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

Love is not a matter of counting the years it's a matter of making the years count.

Shoot for the moon! Even if you miss you'll land among the stars.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

Thanks for your support and patience!

The holiday time is always a fun but hectic but add the "business boom" into it and I feel like a crazy lady! I am having a hard time keeping a lot of items in stock but I am trying to place reorders as quickly as possible to be sure to meet all of the holiday deadlines. All of our "mom-preneurs" that make the products we sell are experiencing the same "crazy-lady syndrome" and are having a harder time getting their orders out to me quickly. Because of this, I have taken the ability to order items that I don't have in my possession (with the exception of personalized items) off of my website so people aren't stuck being nervous about their gifts arriving in time. If you see anything you want showing as "out of stock" please feel free to email me to see when they are expected to arrive. I will be happy to reserve one for you!

Good news is the popular Biscotti Style Secure2Me Blankets that were on back order arrived today just in time for our rainy weather! I have 2 shipments of BabyLegs "en route" including some new designs and we will be getting a new design of Mommy & Me Nursing Necklaces soon!

Also, I spoke with the girls over at Julian & Co aka Little Jules and their current turn a round time is 10 days so you still have time before Christmas if you get them in soon!

SNEAK PEEK-Our new Line of Purses, Totes & Diaper Bags

It is so exciting- after 6 bolts of fabric, numerous late night brainstorming sessions, and kids running at our feet- the first C Berry Baby Bags are being cut! Here is a sneak peek at 3 of the designs:

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas Traditions

With the birth of our 3rd child, my decision to open a business and stay at home, and my husbands career change all happening this year we knew that we needed to scale down our Christmas "gift giving" and try to refocus on the true spirit of the holidays.

I looked around for inspiration on new traditions that we could incorporate and I thought I would share a few and hopefully you can share some of your family traditions as well!

Instead of a standard advent calendar we created a "Christmas of Good Deeds Countdown". Each of my older boys had 24 strips of paper and a Christmas Tree cutout. On each of the links we wrote down a good deed for the day. My 4 year old kept it simple, give someone a big hug, be a helper around the house, etc while my 11 year-old came up with ideas like donating some of his toys to charity, teaching his brother something new and making breakfast in bed (my favorite). Each day they are so excited about seeing what their good deed will be that they have seemed to forgotten that it is also a countdown to Christmas Day!

This year on the night that we set up our Christmas Tree, we are going to lay by the tree huddled in blankets and read Christmas stories by the fire (even though it is still in the 70's in San Diego).

We adopted-a-family through our church that lost their home in the fires. The best way to teach our kids to be generous and giving is by modeling it. We have had a great time shopping for things to give to boys who are around their same age.

Please feel free to post a comment to share some of your family traditions!

C Berry Baby Monthly Contest

Did you know that each month we have a "C Berry Baby of the Month" Contest? The winner's picture is posted on our website on the Contests and Specials Page. The winner receives a free pair of BabyLegs!

Taggee Blankee

My shipment of the minkee fabric arrived and I can't stop cuddling it! My poor husbands' "man room" has been overtaken with fabric!

I am finishing up a batch of "Taggee Blankee's" made with 2 layers of the highest quality of minkee fabric (example above). They are generously sized for a tag blanket (18" by 18") and are sure to be a favorite! I have top-stitched the blankees with a tight zig-zag stitch for extra security against pulling and tugging on the ribbons. You can also attach a plastic link to the ribbon so you can attach a toy as well!

I will have several color combos but there will be a limited number of each style so grab them up quickly! They should be up on the site by next week but feel free to email me to reserve one in advance!

Wordless Wednesday

Cooper just got his first two teeth last week! Here he is showing them off

Making Crayon Cookies

I must have Crayon's on my mind from sewing crayon caddies all weekend but here is a great way to recycle all of those broken crayons! I used to make these when I taught preschool and they are great for toddlers because of the size!

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

2. Remove all the paper labels from crayon pieces.

3. Use an old non-stick muffin pan or put ¼ teaspoon of vegetable oil into each muffin pan cup, no cup liners needed (If you are still worried about ruining your pan, line cups with foil)

4. Place broken crayons into the muffin pan. Mixing up the colors makes it fun, you can also use a lot of "like" colors for a neat effect (also try silver and gold hues)

5. Place into the preheated oven and watch carefully, they melt quickly!

6. Bake crayons for 8 minutes or so.

7. Let the crayons cool completely (recommend overnight).

8. Once cooled, pop the crayons out of the muffin pan by tapping on the backside of the pan. Crayons should fall right out.

Gifts For The Holidays

With all of the recent recalls and news coverage on lead and other safety hazards found in children's toys, it can be confusing to keep up and to find a toys that won't be effected! Our selection of toys are unique, educational and completely lead free and best of all, we have just added more toys to our store! Also, be sure to check out our superhero capes and reversible tutus, they make great gifts for your preschooler and I have several types of capes in stock if you are worried about the time frame. Just email me at debye@cberrybaby.com for more information!

Now is the time to place your order for you Julian & Co. "Little Jules" birth necklaces. This keepsake jewelry will be treasured forever. If you have any questions on ordering, please just ask and I will be happy to walk you through it!

HINT: Our laminated chalk mats, teething jewelry and crayon caddies make great stocking stuffers!

My New Sewing Endeavor-Mei Tai Baby Carriers

I wanted to be able to offer an affordable but unique and stylish Mei Tai Carrier in our store so I decided to make them myself. I have been working on a fully reversible style with an internal harness for extra security. This was my first "draft", look for them to be coming soon along with kimono style baby booties, crayon caddies and more!

Have any design ideas for these Mei Tai's while they are still in the design process? Feel free to email any suggestions to debye@cberrybaby.com or post your comment on this blog I would also love your input on what you love more, fully reversible or minky lined

Wordless Wednesday

Product Spotlight of the Week

I had my eye on Smart Mom's Teething Bling for awhile. It seemed like such a great idea but I wasn't sure what type of stone was used or why it was truly unique from regular jewelry besides just be labeled as "teething".

I finally gave in to my curiosity, called them up and placed an order for myself. Boy, did I feel silly when I opened it up! It isn't a hard stone at all, it is a soft silicone material that is used in most teething toys. Even in person, I have to make people feel my pendant in order for them to realize it isn't real stone....why didn't I think of this?

Cooper (my 6 month-old) took to it immediately, especially the bangle. Within an hour I knew I had to carry these in our store and now they are here. They come packaged in jewelry gift boxes and will make a great stocking stuffer or baby shower gift (if you can part with it, I dare you to try). They are great for Grandma's and Caregivers and it gives baby something to chew on and entertain themselves with while you are at church, the store, or catching up with friends over a cup of coffee!

This Teething Jewelry is made with the highest-quality, phthalate-free, federally approved silicone. The material is non-toxic, latex-free, food–safe, even dishwasher-friendly! Best of all it is 100% Lead Free! These necklaces come in a variety of cool colors (I have jade but have my eye on the coral) and don't forget the matching bangle that you can take off and hand to baby!

Special Offer- Give-a-Way

From now until November 30th, get a FREE Hankee Blankee with each order over $50. Remember to check out our Contests and Special Offers Page and be sure to sign up for our VIP Newsletter for exclusive offers!

Hand Made for the Holidays

Have you taken the handmade pledge for the holidays? At C Berry Baby, over 90% of our products are mom-made or invented and we also have a great selection of handmade items. So, if you are supporting local artists and taking the handmade pledge, we have compiled a list of some of our handmade products for you. Can't wait 2 weeks for a specialized item? I have stocked up on a wide selection to have at hand, ready for immediate shipment:

Hand-Knit Hats by Angie, a local SAHM. These hats are gorgeous in person and will make a great gift. You can purchase in infant, toddler and big kid sizes! Her Fuzzy Hats are plush and unlike anything you will find in a store.

The Hankee Blankee by Nana Bee Creations. This travel-sized blanket has all the luxury of a regular sized blanket with the convenience of a terry cloth backing for spit-up and drool. The key to the popularity of her "blankee" is the layer of padding that makes it so cuddly and soft.

Princess Monkey Bowtique Bows: I especially love the Marabou Puffs and the Cherry Surprise. Each bow is carefully handmade and her designs have been tested on Jane's two daughters.

Purses, Diaper Bags & Totes by Bella Boutique Creations: Suzanne cuts each of her designs freehand making them a one of a kind creation. I use the Full Moon Dahlia Tote and it is a great diaper bag "in disguise"

Embroidered Burp Cloths: Made by Melissa White, these burp cloths are simple and sweet, just like your little one!

Unique Baby Hats by Kensington Baby for Boys & Girls: These hats are sure to get attention everywhere you go!

Mommy & Me Nursing Necklaces: Beautiful for you and captivating for baby. Raelynn uses an assortment of sensory beads, which are designed to be both tactile and visually-stimulating. Packed with engaging beads, which are hand-selected by an early childhood educator, her nursing necklaces can help ease the stresses of breastfeeding or bottle-feeding and look great on mommies!

Reversible Tutus & Capes by Ellie Bellie Kids: They quality of these tutus and capes are impressive. My little superhero loves wearing his and the tutus have great color combinations and double sided ribbon.

Wordless Wednesday

WORD to your mom....

No More Time-Outs for Me, Mom!

As I am sure many of you have figured out by now, my four year-old is quite a character! He fills our lives with a lot of laughter but as you would expect with that much personality, he also has his challenging moments (to put it really mildly). Lately he has been an excellent helper and great big brother but he has been driving my eldest son intentionally crazy which has lead to some interesting tattle telling and a lot of sibling bickering.

I was very happy when he came to me the other day and told me he wasn't ever going to have any more time-outs! I loved that he was becoming so aware of his actions and was making a conscious effort to improve his behavior! Well, I should have realized something was up. I was cleaning the floors and found this under our dining room bench seat.......

He had hidden his time-out spot so he couldn't have any more time-outs! I have to give him credit for the creativity!

Reminder-Special Offer Ending

Just a quick reminder that our Featured Items Special Offer is about to expire on Thursday, November 15th (if you already have your 15% off voucher code, you can still use it through December 20th)!

Make sure to take advantage of the savings quickly and save money for your holiday shopping.......we have some great new items on the way!

Recipes for Family Fun

Homemade "Goo"

8 oz of white glue

Borax

Water

Food Coloring

Combine glue, food coloring and ¾ Cup of water in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix 1 tablespoon of borax and ¼ cup of water. Add this mixture into the glue mixture. Stir until a blob forms (will be pretty quickly). Remove the blob. Mix more Borax and water, repeat until glue mixture is all gone. Knead blobs. Tip: I knead my blobs over the glue mixture bowl so the excess water goes back in the bowl. Once kneaded, the mixture is more pliable and stretchy!

Kool-aid Playdough

1 c flour

1/2 c salt

3 T cooking oil

1 pkg. unsweetened Koolaid

1 c boiling water

Mix together flour, salt, oil, and Kool-aid. Add the cup of boiling water. Mix well. Knead the mixture until it forms a soft dough.

For a fun touch, add glitter to the finished playdough!

 

Midland Street Fair

Well, we survived our first Street Fair. Thanks to those who came to show their support (and shop), it was a long day but it was also a great success! I loved being able to talk with customers and get feedback on our line!

Some of my favorite moments were when a sweet girl who was 3 months pregnant, purchased her first items for her baby (a Mei Hip Carrier and a Diaper Clutch) and the sweet Schwans guy that snuck over to buy a Peanut Shell Sling that his fiancee had been wanting as a special surprise! I also got to see a lot of old friends, some old students (from when I was a preschool teacher) and I feel like I made a few new friends as well!

My mini "Cooper" is always my best advertising tool. He hung out in his Mei Hip Carrier for 5 hours (rocked out in his Buddah Belly Onesie, Fern Gully BabyLegs and his Football Kensington Baby Hat) and he never fussed.....he is such an angel! My 4 year old, Chase, definitely has a flare for sales as he asked everybody who walked by if they had a baby at their house because they needed BabyLegs. Jonas was a great help with handing out flyer's and setting up!

I always enjoy really getting to demonstrate and show off the great products we carry to people. There are certain things that need to be seen- like the Secure2Me Blankets. They are always such a huge hit in person but I have a hard time online truly portraying how useful, unique and luxurious they are. While other items, like the Vital ID wristbands, are better online where they are explained.

After 10 hours on my feet I was incredibly tired and lost my voice again but it was worth it, I had a great time! Thursday we will be at My Kids Clubhouse in Poway, Ca from 10 to 12 for a smaller holiday fair....hope to see some of you there!

SPECIAL THANKS to my BFF Trae, my niece Shea, and my trooper husband Shawn, for all their help! I could not have done it without you guys!