Apples n Oranges blog

{Apples n Oranges SuperKid}

2012-03-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

Superkids, giving us their view on life, family and the world around them.

Whats your name? Lily

How old are you? 6

What’s your favorite food? Macaroni

How do you like to help others? When they are hurt I help them get to a supervisor at school, like when my friends always helps me.

Do you like hugs or kisses better? Kisses.

Whats the toughest part about being a kid? When I'm busy and my mom says to do something right away.

When you flush stuff down the toilet where does it go? Underground? Under the house?

When you’re feeling sad what cheers you up? When my friends make funny faces at me.

At what age do you become a grown up? In a hundred years.

Whats in outer space? Moons, stars and planets.

Whats the most fun things you do with your friends? When we are in the school field playing tag.

Whats you favorite book? The pop up books and Fancy Nancy

What makes you so special? Because I have a hamster.

Whats the funniest thing you ever did? When it was a weekend I called it a perogy day.

* Would you like to feature your child as our Apples n Oranges SuperKid? Drop me an email at applesnoranges@shaw.ca and I will email you the instructions on how we can make that happen.

{Dabbling... in art}

2012-03-02T16:10:00.000-08:00

I LOVE doodling, especially on the computer and over the last 2 years I created these super cute prints that I really haven't yet done anything with. They are just hanging around my desktop in my graphics folder waiting for me to figure out if and what I should do with them. I lovely them dearly, and Lily thinks they are really cute but I have never produced art prints before and love the creative side of it so much that I keep doodling and doodling and leave them to pile up in my folder. So, after much contemplation, I have had some professionally printed and will be putting them up for sale in the shop. There are quite a few to choose from, and ofcourse I couldn't just offer one 8x10 size... I also had to create a larger 11x14 size (just cuz I like to keep things complicated for myself!) Anyhow, watch for the full collection to arrive in the shop this week. Until then, here's a sneak peek of the new collection from Marching Ethan Prints...

{7-UP}

2012-02-28T22:07:00.000-08:00

Here's a great way to help bring old-fashioned independant play back into our children's lives. Does anyone remember the 7-Up game? The one you played with tennis ball? This was a fun challenging game that could be played on your own so it was perfect for those days when your friends weren't around. I played this a lot when I was young and it was probably one of my most favorite games besides Red Rover, Dodgeball, Tether Ball, and Blind Man's Bluff (such cool games... wish we adults could get together and play these again... I'm sure it would be pretty weird to witness all these adults running around playing Blind Man's Bluff in a park. Perhaps someone should step up and orgazine this...haha!!) . Anyhow, I have many fond memories of playing 7-Up quite often at my Nonna's house in her basement which made the perfect place to play with its shiny smooth cement floor. Once you were down there for a bit you kinda got used to the sweet smell of home-made wine in the big wooden barrels and the rows of hung salami coming from the Cantina. Funny, the things we remember from our childhood. So all you need to play is a tennis ball, a wall and preferbly a hard smooth surface like concrete or wood floors... making this great game for either outside or in. And now that Lily is a bit older and ready for games like these I'm so excited to finally pass this one on to her and hopefully she will enjoy it as much as I did, except we don't have home-made wine, salami or a Cantina in our house.

So grab your tennis balls, your kids and give it a try. Here's how it goes:

Find a safe space to play. Outside, you need a flat area where you can safely bounce a small ball, such as a tennis ball or a rubber ball. The 7-Up game is traditionally played against a smooth wall or even a garage door. Brick or concrete works better than aluminum siding, and a broad space without windows works best. But you can also the play 7-Up game against the ground if you don't have a good wall to use.

The object of the game is to bounce the ball against the wall a set number of times while performing a skill in between bounces. The skills are as follows (but your memory may vary!):

Sevensies: Bounce the ball against the wall seven times. Catch it on the seventh time.

No-wall version: Bounce the ball against the ground seven times.

Sixies: Bounce the ball against the wall and then allow it to bounce once on the ground before you catch it and throw it again. Repeat six times.

No-wall version: Throw the ball up in the air 6 times (no bounces).

Fivesies: Bounce the ball on the ground five times.

No-wall version: Bounce the ball on the ground 5 times, but throw it hard enough so it bounces up over your head. Catch on the way down.

Foursies: Bounce the ball from the ground to the wall and then back to you (this is the opposite of what you do for Sixies). Repeat four times.

No-wall version: Throw the ball up, let bounce, then catch. Repeat 4 times.

Threesies: Bounce the ball on the ground first, then use your palm to bat the ball against the wall, then catch it before it bounces on the floor again. Repeat three times.

No-wall version: Bounce the ball, then hit it down again before catching. Repeat 3 times.

Twosies: Toss the ball under your leg and bounce off the wall, then catch. Repeat.

No-wall version: Bounce the ball under your leg, twice.

Onesies: Throw the ball against the wall, spin around completely (360 degrees), then catch the ball before it bounces.

No-wall version: Throw the ball up in the air, do your spin while it falls and bounces, then catch.

Want to keep playing? Repeat the whole process, but add in a clap of the hands between each throw/bounce. Then add two claps, and so on.

Have fun trying this game out. Let me know how it goes. Do you remember your favorite childhood game? Share it with us, we would love to hear it.

{Birthday outing with Mom}

2012-02-26T21:00:00.000-08:00

We celebrated a very special birthday over the weekend, and we had an absolutely perfect time.

The day was filled with family a delicious brunch, our favorite Italian coffee, a little downtown shopping, strolling through the art gallery, an intimate dinner, great conversation, friends and family.

Happy Birthday Mom, hope you had a perfect day.

{Happy Valentine's Day}

2012-02-14T20:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day to everyone. Hope you all had an enjoyable fun day with your little ones and shared lots of laughs and hugs.

Here's a quick rundown of how our day went... kids wake up to special Valentines surprises from Mom and Dad, Lily to school for her class Valentines party with Ethan and I volunteering at one of the craft stations, lunch, Ethan to preschool for his party, pick up Lily and send her off to her play date, pick up Ethan, deliver Valentines Day treats to my niece's, pick up Lily, check mail to find Valentines cards from grandparents in Arizona, home for dinner, surprise visit from local Grandma with more special treats, surprise family outing for frozen yogurt and then major meltdowns on the way home from frozen yogurt, kids immediately in pj's, hugs kisses and off to bed.

Make every day special!

{Valentines printable}

2012-02-12T13:43:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is just around the corner and at our house there is nothing but love in the air. And we would like to share it with you, so here's a little coloring page for the wee ones. Enjoy!

Click HERE to download your free printable

{an exciting day!}

2012-02-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

{Walnut Boats}

2012-02-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

Another amazing craft idea found on Pinterest (you just gotta love Pinterest!). I came upon these sweet little walnut shell boats and thought this would be fun afternoon activity to do with Ethan. We had the walnuts already, the candles and we just used card stock for the sails. So off we went with our coats and boots in the backyard to search for twigs, moss, leaves, pebbles and whatever else we could find to use as the setting for our boats. And here's what we came up with, which ended up being more like a mini rain forest/jungle with animals and all:

Here was our inspiration from the amazing crafting/art blog of Lilla A Design of Copenhagen:

Photo courtesy of Lilla A Design

{excitement is building!}

2012-02-05T11:41:00.001-08:00

It's down to the last 24 hours (approximately) before the new Peekaboo Beans Spring collection will be available at Apples n Oranges! I know... super exciting right!! So are you all scrambling to get your pencils ready to make your wish list? We can help with that. View and print your exclusive Apples n Oranges handy wish list created especially for this season's Peekaboo Beans and stay organized to ensure you don't miss any favorite pieces. Click HERE to download your free printable wish list:

And here's another BONUS sneak peek (just because we like to tease you!):

{Chatting with Traci}

2012-01-30T20:02:00.000-08:00

I am a huge, HUGE fan of comfortable, stylish, easy to wear, simply-designed clothing for my kids. Having owned a baby boutique in the past I had the opportunity to carry many high end private labels and feel I know well made, high quality clothing pretty well and there's not much you can get past me even if it's covered in extra cute bows, tons of embellishments or ultra trendy packaging. So after years of knowing the difference between a great children's clothing line and a not so great clothing line I soon began to refer to the good ones a SMART clothing.

Smart clothing is when its done exactly right. When the company looks at the whole package and not just the cuteness or trendiness of the brand. Its when comfort, style, flexibility, small details, simple branding, simple message and strong values all come together perfectly... and there is no better company out there that has done this better than Peekaboo Beans.

And as a Mom it makes me truly pleased to know that there will be one less hairy argument every morning because the kids are happy when I've gone and laid out their Peekaboo Beans outfits for the day. And trust me, its hard to get anything past them! I know they will stay stylish and comfortable during their entire active day. Its perfect for school, for play dates, for the playground, for soccer practice, for watching movies, for crafting, for dinner out, for wrestling... the list is endless. It's perfect design... it's smart clothing.

Apples n Oranges was super excited to have the opportunity to interview the Super-Momprenuer Traci Costa of Peekaboo Beans a few weeks ago. She was gracious enough to take the time out of her busy schedule and chat with us for a short while. Here's what we talked about...

What inspired you to create Peekaboo Beans?

After years of infertility and then success through IVF, I was inspired to create something for my little bean that fostered her to Play in comfort and Style!

Where do your get your inspiration from for each collection?

I get my inspiration from my children and childhood experiences in my life that shaped me. Whether it be my heritage, memories of Summer at the Cottage with my grandparents, or like this season, my girls were going through a really silly monkey phase so we named it appropriately “Cheeky Monkey” and it is full of polka dots, silliness and fun!

Do your daughters play a part or have a say in the design process?

Absolutely, children are the biggest and most honest critics, so we completely value what the children say. Our motto is we design through the eyes of children – their opinions are critical. Each phase my daughters goes through sheds light on what they love at that age. Plus my eight year old loves to design and create her own inspirations!

How do you balance career and family?

I am not sure perfect balance does exist. I think the Peekaboo Beans organization embraces mommy and work life. No one misses a field trip here! Also I think if you love what you do, and have gratitude in your life for all you have, everything else seems balanced!

Whats your idea of a perfect day?

I take pleasure in simple things – my perfect day involves, definitely snuggles with my beans, an extra hot ½ sweet toffee nut latte, possibly an InStyle magazine, definitely time with my team at the Playground (our office), a nice dinner with friends and family, and some bubbly! If the day were extra long, I would add in some shopping and time at the spa too!

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A dancer (grew up in the Fame, Dirty Dancing and Flash Dance era)!!

What does the future hold for Peekaboo Beans?

In the near future, launching our amazing Play Revolution initiative, which I am so excited to share with the world. Long term – the sky’s the limit, all I know it will be playful fun and completely inspiring.

A BIG thanks to Traci for the great chat! Looking forward to sharing the Peekaboo Beans new Spring 2012 collection... Cheeky Monkeys. Only a few more weeks to wait!

{Weekly Menu - freebie}

2012-01-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

I am a big advocate of planning out my dinner menu for the coming week and after I do I write my plans down on a cheap dollar store magnetic wipe board that's stuck to the side of my fridge. And after doing this for nearly 2 years, finally... a light bulb went off. And here's what I have come up with:

My gift to you:

Choose from 3 fabulous designs (of course I couldn't create just one!) All you need is an 8x10" frame and a dry erase pen. Download the design of your choice on regular 8.5x11" paper and then trim to fit the frame. Hang on the wall or display on your counter top. So what are you having for dinner this week??

Yellow Chevron Menu - PDF

Turquoise Menu - PDF

Grey Menu - PDF

** I'm pretty new at loading documents into blogger so if for some reason you have a broken link and cannot complete the download then contact me and I can easily email you a copy.

Pin It

{home made playdough}

2012-01-19T20:47:00.000-08:00

I have been dying to try a home made play dough recipe... which is just right in line with my only new years resolution of continuing my ongoing quest of "clean living". So Ethan and I had some time earlier this week to give it a shot. My handy little helper was the perfect assistant for measuring the few easy ingredients, the few minutes of mixing and stirring and a few more minutes of quick clean up. I have to pass on this great recipe and urge you to rid your cupboards of the name brand "play dough" and give this one a try. You will be very happy with the smooth soft squishyness of it!

We made 4 beautiful colors and even added silver glitter to the purple for that extra bit of sparkle Lily is always after. We ended up storing them in 4 separate little containers and will have to see how long it lasts before we have to make another batch. Hmmm... which colors shall we do next time?

For the recipe visit the site How Does She?. And be sure to poke around for more of their awesome tutorial and craft ideas. Be forewarned... you can spend a lot of time on this site!!

{project happy - 100 things}

2012-01-10T14:05:00.000-08:00

Ever think that you have it pretty good in life? Or maybe, not so good? Either way, I have compiled a list of 100 simple things you can do now to happy-fy your life. These items are pretty simple and won't take much time or effort but still offer maximum reward. Not saying I'm a guru, I guess I'm just always on the quest to slow down, be a bit more patience and the find good in everything. The world could use a little bit more happiness don't you think. Here's your second 10:

11. Get up 20 minutes early and enjoy the peace and quiet

12. Throw out (or recycle) 10 useless things in your house

13. Do 2 minutes of mediation while you wait in a line-up

14. Watch a sunset

15. Look up something you don't know on the Internet and learn about it

16. Organize a kitchen cupboard

17. Buy a coloring book just for you... and get to it!

18. Leave a thank you card for the postal carrier

19. Do a 500 piece puzzle

20. Treat the person behind you in the Starbucks line-up to a coffee

Did you get any of last month's project happy items completed? We would love to hear!

{The Perfect New Years Day}

2012-01-04T11:35:00.000-08:00

Nothing was better than a nice quiet day with the family. The hubby woke up early with the kids while I slept in and then he made us a HUGE breakfast before he left for his round of golf. The rest of the day was spent outside in our unusually warm weather doing yard work, playing in the sand box and jumping in the many piles of leaves. Lasagna for dinner, hot baths and to bed early. Perfect. HAPPY 2012 to you all.

{New Year Sale}

2012-01-03T10:13:00.000-08:00

{Holiday Open House}

2011-12-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

Busy setting up for our Holiday Open House. Will post some fabulous photos this coming week!

{Apples n Oranges Superkid}

2011-11-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

Superkids, giving us their view on life, family and the world around them.

What's your name? Jaxson

How old are you?   6

Whats your favorite thing to do? My favorite things to do is play sports. And my favorite sport to play is soccer.

What makes you sad?   When people aren’t being nice and they hurt my feelings.

Where do think the Easter Bunny lives?   I think he lives really close to where the leprechauns live.

Why is the sky blue? Because the rain is blue.

How big do you think the world is?   I think its bigger than we think it is, like more than 230 feet.

Why do you think babies cry so much? Because they have dirty diapers.

If you could have any pet you want what would it be?   A goldfish because I have never had one as a pet before.

Why do people have hair on the top of their heads?   So people don’t laugh at them

What does love mean to you? It means when you care about people

If you could have 3 wishes what would they be? 1) That the whole world be made out of candy, 2) To be the best soccer player in the world and my last wish is go to Disneyland again.

{stocking stuffers}

2011-11-26T09:02:00.000-08:00

We have the perfect stocking stuffers for the kids. Any one of these little wood sets offer hours of creativity, enjoyment and fun. And coming next week... we will have our Holiday themed wood toys for you. Stay tuned!

{Weekend Sale!}

2011-11-25T07:17:00.001-08:00

Sharing the joy with you! This weekend only, all Fall 2011 Peekaboo Beans is 25% off.

Enter code at checkout: blackfriday

Happy Shopping!

Sale ends Monday Nov 28, 2011

{making eggs}

2011-11-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

My little scrambled egg chef! He insists on making his own scrambled eggs a few times a week and I must say... they are pretty tasty!

{project happy - 100 things}

2011-11-14T20:32:00.000-08:00

Ever think that you have it pretty good in life? Or maybe, not so good? Either way, I have complied a list of 100 simple things you can do now to happy-fy your life. These items are pretty simple and won't take much time or effort but still offer maximum reward. Not saying I'm a guru, I guess I'm just always on the quest to slow down, be a bit more patience and the find good in everything. The world could use a little bit more happiness don't you think. Here's your first 10:

Take the dog for an extra long walk
Buy yourself some fresh flowers
Take the stairs instead of the elevator
Take a few moments to just breathe in some cool fresh air
Tell a family member you love them
Donate $20 to your local animal shelter
Don't be afraid to apologize when you know you should
Weed your garden
Get a manicure
Say good morning, good afternoon or good evening to 3 strangers today

Now lets see if I can get all of these done this coming week. Coming up next week - items 11 thru 20.

{a new room for Lily & Ethan)

2011-11-11T10:23:00.000-08:00

Lily had a beautiful pale turquoise and pink nursery when she was born. Ethan on the other hand had to share his big sister's room and never had a nursery of his own. The first 3 years of his life was spent staring at now dingy pale turquoise walls which were once Lily's fancy baby room but was now bland with a brown area carpet and mossy green curtains (my pathetic attempt to neutralize the shared space). I had had enough and it was FINALLY time for a change.. I could no longer take it. Especially when Lily would start crying to me that all her little friends had pink fluffy rooms like Fancy Nancy and asked over and over why her room was not like that? I was totally engulfed with Major Mommy Guilt!!! So, in order to get rid of this terrible feeling and finally give my little ones a space they can be proud of, we shipped them off to the Grandparents house for 3 days and not knowing what was going on at home I gave their room a complete surprise overhaul. I managed to pull it off for about $350.

I needed to address a few problem areas in this room: 1. its tiny (12x11), 2. needs organized toy storage, 3. needs more play space, 4. needs to be gender neutral and all of this done on another tight budget. So we decided on bunk beds which I was unsure of since Ethan had only just turned 3, but we figured if we laid some ground rules it would work (thank goodness it did!). I ended up purchasing the plain pine Ikea bunk bed and painted in a muted light grey. It was the perfect fit for 3 reasons... it wasn't very high, it was cheap at only $150, and at the time Ikea was having their bedroom event so it ended up being 15% off. Bonus!

Next, we had a bunch of mix n match Ikea storage units and one cute retro side table that I really wanted to keep. Sooo, how the heck was I supposed to make all of this work? Go neutral eclectic of course!

I found this amazing cotton 5x7 rug at Urban Outfitters that was a beautiful deep turquoise so I used this as my starting point.

Next was the curtain fabric which I found online for less than $10 a metre. The little black and white tree print was adorable against the soft grey walls.

The room also had to have an area to fit Lily's Pottery Barn chalk table & chairs set. It was currently in our living room which was handy but figured it was time to get it back into the bedroom and create a space for her to draw, craft and paint. And this led me to the idea of creating a space on the wall where she could hang her completed artwork. I had saved a bunch of old wood frames that I picked up second hand and knew they would be perfect for the display area. I painted them all, took out the glass and hung them securely to the wall in a grouping with some of her other canvas paintings. Now she was able to tack up her current pieces and change them as she wished. I love the fact that from the hallway this is the view that we get to see when passing by their door.

Another idea I had in mind that I had seen from my many Internet travels was to use wall mounted Ikea spice racks as individual book racks. This was perfect for our nightly bedtime stories. The kids were thrilled to have access to their books and be able to change them every so often so it housed the ones we were currently reading. To complete the little reading nests I hung each of their flashlights from tea cup hook beside their pillows.

A few other things I added were new throw pillows for their beds in fun prints which I sewed myself and a new cozy blanket for Lily since she had outgrown all her baby blankets. I created it out of all my fabrics scarps and you can see it folded and hanging off the top bunk.

Oh and I forgot to mention that the first thing I did was paint the banged up pale turquoise walls to a fresh light grey which works perfectly as a clean neutral backdrop for all the fun colors and prints I brought into the space. And now the unsightly bland Ikea pieces don't look so bad. Somehow... it all works and they were absolutely thrilled to see their new space. Its been 7 months since I redid the room and they are still enjoying every corner of it. I'm still a little obsessed with keeping it organized and clean, but that's just me. Can't help that! Here's a few more photos of the finished space:

And here's a little recap for you:

Have a great nursery or kids room? Share them with us! Email your photos to applesnoranges@shaw.ca

coming soon... Rachel's room makeover & Sarah's nursery makeover

{kid friendly recipe - salami & brussel sprout pizza}

2011-11-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

When my hubby saw me chopping up the brussel sprouts for these little pizza's I think his exact words were "Na huh... no way are they going to eat that!" And guess what, he was completely wrong! The kids had no idea what they were eating and gobbled it all up like it was Kraft Dinner! Now I'm thinking of what else can I sneak onto their pizzas!

Here's the link for this yummy and easy recipe: Real Simple Salami & Brussel Sprout Pizza

Special note: instead of the store bought pizza dough I just used whole wheat Greek pita bread and I threw on a tiny sprinkling of feta for a bit more saltiness (just to help hide the brussel sprouts!)

{I'm a giant}

2011-11-07T21:41:00.000-08:00

Has anyone heard of the I'm a Giant challenge that's going on right now? If not then you better listen closely... for all of us out there who have always had the dream of building and decorating your very own dollhouse just the way you want it well then I've got the scoop for you! I was inspired by challenge put on from Emily of Secrets from a Stylist to purchase a plain dollhouse, get creative and decorate it from top to bottom just they way you have always dreamed of.

Another one of my favorite bloggers Nicole, from Making it Lovely, has joined the challenge too and so far I am loving the progress. Makes me want to jump in and give it a go... however, I just have too much on my plate right now to do so. But I am taking note and will hopefully get around to do a full house with Lily one day soon. In the meantime, still inspired to tackle the challenge but on a much smaller scale I gave Lily a mini 2 level house (sounds better when we call it a loft) to decorate on her own. We painted a bunch of the little peg people and wanted to give them a trendy little space to live. Its still a work in progress but we are in no hurry and enjoying working on it bit by bit. We just installed the all white minky carpet on both levels... this was obviously not my first choice for flooring!!

After first reading about the challenge I immediately jumped onto Pintrest to starting searching for some inspiration and stumbled upon this house from Megan of MouseHouse. If I were to do a house... would it be weird of me to do exactly like this?? It is so sweet, I absolutely LOVE it! Anyhow, check out the challenge and get inspired! If you decide to join in, let me know, I would love to hear all about it.

See the full dollhouse tour here

{handy muslin bag}

2011-11-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

Now available! When you purchase any of the little wood toy sets from the shop it will now come with a handy plain cotton muslin draw string bag. Perfect accompaniment to keep the little toys all together so the little pieces won't get separated. And since its plain, your little one can decorate it any way they like with markers or fabric paints.

{peg people}

2011-11-02T09:05:00.002-07:00

Last year I gave Lily, as a surprise gift, her very own pocket sized family... our family. See that's me in the yellow dress, looks just like me, huh? I also sewed her the cutest little owl draw string bag {from a pattern bought here} to hold them all in so she wouldn't loose them. She was thrilled and has been playing with the little wood dolls every since.

And it didn't take long before she was asking me if she could paint her own. This was a great little craft project for us... easy set up, simply supplies, focused concentration , attention to detail, affordable and hours of enjoyment. She has made many many little people and now has a whole extended family of them. See her latest designs... {she's getting better and better every time}

We have also been working on another little project. All these little people need somewhere cute to live too, right? More to come in my next posting but here's a sneak peek for you.

Have a look at all the amazing patterns Winter Peach has to offer.

I also made a little owl bag and family of peg people for each of my niece's for gift. Get crafty and create your own family as a gift for the little ones in your life. Purchase our peg people here.

{All children are artists}

2011-10-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. - Pablo Picasso -

Wise words. Its amazing to watch children create and use their imagination without any filters or fear. As a 30-something woman... I'm very envious of this.

{Grand Opening Weekend wrap up}

2011-10-25T08:58:00.002-07:00

A HUGE thank you to all those wonderful people who took the time to visit the shop over the weekend and to all those who expressed their kind words of encouragement and congratulations! I am just thrilled to have this opportunity to share with you the many fantastic products that are near and dear to my heart and share with you my passionate journey of being a happy mom and momprenuer.

{Apples n Oranges SuperKid}

2011-10-24T08:43:00.002-07:00

Let me introduce you to our very first SuperKid!

Superkids, giving us their view on life, family and the world around them.

Whats your name? Rachel

How old are you? 4

If you could be invisible for a day what would you do? Sneak into your bed & be invisible

Why do people have eyebrows? Because that's how they see

Whats your favorite thing about your Mommy? Love

What’s your favorite thing about your Daddy? Love

If you could be named anything you want what would it be? Rachel, that's the one I want

What do you want to be when you grow up? Umm, a mommy

Where do think the tooth fairy lives? At Disneyland

Whats the most fun part about being a kid? Playing. No, watching shows

Why doesn’t McDonald’s sell hot dogs? Because they don't have hot dogs

Where’s your most favorite place in the world? Hawaii!!! No, Disneyland. Do you have to drive a car to Disneyland?

{website launched... mission completed!}

2011-10-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

Whew, what a week. Exciting week more like it. And an exciting moment... I think I just need to sit here for a moment and take it all in. Just emailed out the grand opening email to our clientele and so excited that finally this moment has come. However, I feel there is still so much to do:

In the weeks to come I will be adding more new products which will include

toys

vintage items

books and

extra fun things.

Also be sure to check in on the blog for some fun free activities for the kids and free downloads. And for all those moms out there, keep on the look out for our upcoming book club that's in the works {more on this in an upcoming newsletter so be sure to get on the email list} and this weekend I will be launching our first Apples n Oranges "Super Kid" feature!

And before you go, don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook for your chance to win a $100 gift card for Apples n Oranges. Happy Shopping!

{$100 Giveaway}

2011-10-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the re-launch of Apples n Oranges, the blog and facebook we are giving away a $100 Gift Certicate to be used towards any of the awesome goodies we will have in store. All you have to do to enter is just LIKE us on facebook. What are you waiting for? Here's the link... Apples n Oranges

{fanged pumpkins}

2011-10-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Love this idea from Martha Stewart. Looks super easy and fun.... I definitely will be trying it.

{just listed}

2011-10-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

What would bring a big smile to any girls face, well besides ice-cream, dolls, kittens and cupcakes? Jewelry. You must check out the new collection from September Lily of little girls jewelry. Sparkly, colorful, sweet and delicate... just in time for the Christmas shopping season. Here's a peek:

{welcomed rest in Maui}

2011-10-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

Lily and I travelled to Maui a few weeks ago for a beautiful family wedding. Its was such a joy to spend this time with her, just me and her with the rest of my family. It will be forever treasured in my mind. What a wonderful way to end the summer. Now, back to work...

{top ten list}

2011-10-09T22:24:00.002-07:00

When your little monkey's outgrow their naps I still believe that some quiet time is needed mid day... and not only for their sanity but for yours as well. Here are some of Apples n Oranges favorites...

memory games - this is a great game to be played alone or with a sibling.
coloring - if your kids color constantly like mine do I create a little numbered color chart for the coloring page so my little one can follow my color choices. This mixes it up a bit for them and gets them to try different colors or patterns they wouldn't normally choose.
read along CD books - another one of my favorites and a good way for the kids to hear some classic stories.
eye spy bag - make your own or purchase online. This is the perfect toy for alone time or even better for in the car.
crafting - best to lay out all the supplies to make it easy for them to create and set them up for success.
puzzles - another great old fashioned one to do alone or with a partner.
sorting beads - try sorting by colors, by shapes, by sizes. into little cups. Give them a pair of tweezers to make it a bit more challenging. Or try buttons instead of beads.
paint a canvas with watercolors - get all the canvas' you need at the dollar store... paint away. And don't forget to frame the best ones to hang on the wall. Its amazing to see what works of art they create.
lacing cards - these can be easily made at home with a cereal box, single hole punch and either shoe laces, yarn or twine... get creative.
water play - probably my most favorite for the kids. Give them a large baking dish full of little cups of water, eye droppers, pouring cups, little sponges and don't forget to use a little bit of food coloring to change the water. And don't be shy to throw in the play mobile men and the little sharks so they can all go swimming! Keep a hand towel handy to help keep things dry.

{sneak peak at the new wood toys just listed}

2011-10-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't resist sharing with you the new products I have just listed in store. Getting so much closer to opening day... can't wait to crack the champange!

{getting closer}

2011-09-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

Almost done and ready for the launch! Can't wait to share the exciting changes with you.... I know you are all going to love it.