Family Photos and some great promos at Sears #SearsBabysRoom (Giveaway!)

Growing up, my family never had professional portraits taken (other than school photos for me). My mum was the family photographer, and thus was rarely in the pictures. I don't miss having stilted photos with fake backdrops (though those do get funnier as the years go by) - I loved her candid shots of our family. However, I do dearly wish we had a few of us all together.

Fast forward to now, and I am the family photographer, and thus am rarely in the pictures. I think I need to make more of an effort to get other hands on the camera, so that I can be in pictures with the kids (other than selfies!) - and maybe a few studio portraits are in our future.

Sears has an upcoming special in the portrait studio - from October 25th to November 7th, when you spend $50 or more on kids' fashions, you get a FREE photo shoot at Sears Portrait Studio and 10 FREE personalized photo greeting cards! You can book your session any time between October 25th to December 13th to have it done! So, pick out your photo-ready outfits for the kids and get to posing! I love it... I'm thinking family Christmas cards!

Lucky us, Sears is giving one of my readers one of these photo sessions and the greeting cards! Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Then keep reading to find out about KidsBucks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As you may know, Baby Days is also coming up at Sears from October 11-31 - that's 20% off everything baby! And there's a fabulous KidsBucks promotion going on as well. For every $40 you spend on kids' clothing, toys, children's furniture - basically any kids' stuff (except Carters/Osh Kosh, footwear and things with a price ending in .97) - you get $10 in KidsBucks which you can spend between November 1-12. This is good in stores and online, too! Hello, Christmas shopping!

I'm a bigger and bigger fan of Sears the more I learn about it... I always knew about the store, but I am realizing more and more they have great promotions and great brands. It's now one of my go-to stores for sure! I hope you are able to take advantage of some of these offers!

Disclosure: I am part of the SearsThe Baby’s Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Yes, I know my baby's crying.

It happens every week. A morning grocery trip turns into a spectacle as my three-month-old son screams. I know you've seen and heard babies crying at the store before. Maybe you're a parent and you've been there. Maybe you're not and you think you have something to offer.

I've had comments of all sorts from people who surely mean well and aren't implying that I don't know why he's crying or what to do about it.

Believe me, I KNOW he's crying. I do.

I've had people offer to unload my groceries onto the conveyor, pack my bags, random offers of help like that.  That's kind - and sometimes I do take people up on it - if it's gotten to the point where he's so upset I need to take him out of his car seat and bounce him to soothe him.Then, I don't have enough arms to get us out of there fast and hold him and unload groceries.

I've had the dirty looks too - like I'm a terrible mother for "letting" him cry and not doing something about it immediately. Or maybe it's for the way he's interrupting their blissful grocery shopping trance.  Or conflicts with their idea of what a mother should be doing.

Here's what I am actually doing:

I'm buying food to feed my family, just like you. I happen to like spending time with my husband on evenings and weekends, so weekdays it is. Afternoons are nap time for my toddler, so I'm there in the morning. I need to get out of the house and see adults - even if the only adult conversation I have all day long is a mundane exchange with the cashier.

You'll see me hastily shoving groceries into my cart as we make our way through the store, trying to get everything on our list while comparing prices and using coupons as I try to also save money for my family. You'll hear me talking to him, trying to reassure him that we're almost finished. You'll hear me asking my toddler to sing to him and make funny sounds to try to flip his mood. And you'll see the stressed-out look on my face as I try to manage a heavy cart, my coupons, my purse, my toddler and this crying baby. 

I'm making silly sounds. I've even nursed while shopping - one arm full of baby, one arm wrangling a big and awkward grocery cart down the aisles. So sorry if I got in your way.

And here's why he's crying:

He's tired. He naps in the morning, and while ideally he would sleep through a grocery trip, the store is so big that it takes me a while to get through it, especially with a toddler who is curious about everything she sees. I've taken the time to talk to her and answer her questions as we shop, showing her interesting vegetables, and discussing where food comes from, and the different kinds of things we eat, and how we try to save money with coupons and sales, and answering a thousand "Why?"s. Perhaps I should do that at home to speed up the trip. But, then how could she touch a dragonfruit, or wrinkle her nose at the spices? How could she see the crabs and lobsters in their tanks? Would we get into a random discussion about coconut jelly? So, I cross my fingers and hope he'll sleep most of the trip, that the motion of the cart will lull him to sleep and nobody drops a can or my little girl doesn't poke him awake.

He's hungry. Although I always nurse him before we leave the house, he's a little guy and he eats often. So I can bust the boob and try to steer the cart (near impossible, tried it, had the awkward convo-while-nursing with the bakery staff); I can steer my full cart back across the giant store to spend twenty  minutes sitting in the pharmacy waiting area and nurse him while attempting to entertain a bored and hungry two-and-a-half-year-old with a pen and a brochure (done it). Or I can rush through the check-out line - inevitably busy - while he cries loudly - and nurse him in the passenger seat in the parking lot, while my daughter reads one of her books in the back (that's what I usually do).

He's hot. Car seats just are hot. My daughter was always sweaty in hers, and he's no different. I can't do anything about that. Carrying him throughout the trip is just not on - he's too heavy, and it's too awkward. He can't sit up on his own yet. So while I can take off his blanket, I can't really solve the problem any other way. He's got to be in there. Yes, I will pull him out and bounce him in the parking lot before buckling him back in and driving away.

He's ill. My healthy looking, chubby and mostly happy little guy has tummy troubles. We've got a specialist, and we're giving him medicine for it. But the medicine doesn't completely solve the problem, and it's at home as it's a big bottle and needs to be measured out. I can't bring it in my purse. So if that's the trouble, he'll just have to wait until we're home. Home is less than 10 minutes from the store. And you can bet if that's what's wrong, I know - I can tell by his cry - and I'll be the one standing in the bathroom in the dark with the fan on, bouncing him and holding him up with his head back, the only combination of things that will eventually calm him down.

So yes, I know he's crying. Yes, I know why. Yes, I know what to do about it. One of the best things I can do is get out of there fast - but I still need to finish the job. Because we need to eat too. So if you don't mind - just be nice, don't say anything and trap me in a polite but unwelcome conversation, smile, and... get out of my way :)

Back to School with Sears (giveaway alert!) #SearsBabysRoom

Back to school at Sears

My kids are still too little to experience the joy of going back to school, but I remember it with delight! I always loved the fall and return to school - the excitement of seeing old friends and making new ones, the anticipation of who was going to be in my class, and of course the new clothes and school supplies! Nothing beats a new pencil case full of sharp new pencils and a fresh pink eraser.

I wonder if our kids will know that pleasure, with technology in the schools?

Anyway, that anticipation and excited feeling is so strongly associated with fall for me that I have never gotten over. I looooooove me some back to school fall shopping.

So with the only somewhat fictional excuse of the rapid rate of child growth and the need for new fall clothes, I was happy to do some "back to school" shopping at Sears for the kiddos.

 Our little guy scored a super cute outfit from the Carters section of The Baby's Room at Sears.

This three-piece set came with a sweet stripey onesie in cerulean and white, and the grey hoodie and pants. I adore the little hoodie - it has a turtle on the front, and a plastic zipper with a soft fabric pull (it boggles my mind that some companies put metal zippers on kids' clothes).

It's super soft, and I like the jersey weight for the hoodie - not heavy like a sweater, more like a t-shirt fabric - which I think makes it more versatile. It is perfect for a cool summer morning and for all-day wear in the fall.

Mia chose her own outfit, as usual. (I did manage to talk her out of a purple, orange and pink combination that was painful to look at!). She chose a Nevada long-sleeved shirt and some fabulous sparkly pink Osh Kosh leggings.

The shirt is a size up, so she's wearing it like a dress. I'm sure I'm not the only one who buys clothes one size up - you know they're going to fit for longer, right?! It's super cute, grey with tiny pink zebras (which she insists are horses) and polka dots.  The leggings are also the next size up, so she's got room to grow.

Another awesome thing about shopping at Sears - besides the prices (and price match guarantee), brand names, and the selection - is their Kidvantage Lifetime Wearout Warranty. That means if your kid wears out his or her clothing or shoes before outgrowing it, Sears will replace it (with your original receipt). Cool!

You also NEED to know about the great giveaway Sears has for the season: the "Back We Go" contest on Facebook. With 35 daily $50 Sears gift cards and five weekly draws for $500 in gift cards! What an awesome back to school shopping spree that would be! The contest runs until September 5th.

Disclosure: I am part of the Sears The Baby’s Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Staples - office supply bliss!

I am thrilled to be working with Staples Canada! I had the opportunity to visit my local Staples store here in Calgary after doing some virtual shopping online. Between the two I think I have managed to see just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the sheer number and variety of office supplies they offer.

Here are some of the fruits of my shopping excursion:

When you think of Staples you might think of the standard office supplies. Things like printer paper, pens and markers, scissors, tape and mailing labels.

Well, of course they have all that (and more... think of an office supply and you will find it there). I remember working in an office years ago, and being the person who ordered office supplies. Whenever we needed something specific, Staples was the solution to our problem.

As a small business owner myself, I know I can count on Staples to have what I need - if I run down the road 5 minutes to the actual store, or do anytime shopping online. So YES, you will find the office supplies you need at Staples.

But there is a lot more fun stuff in the office supply category as well! Did you know they carry the Martha Stewart line of office organizing tools and supplies? I got these great vertical files from that line to replace my shamefully battered, cheap-looking and falling-apart old ones (see picture).

Yeah. I needed those!


Our office looks a LOT more organized and tidy now that we're not storing the files we need handy in cheapo cardboard vertical files. The Martha Stewart ones have cute little labels and are a pretty faux leather. They're extremely sturdy and I know these will last ages and still look good.

This picture from Staples Canada

I was totally crushing on the Martha Stewart wall organizer - but I wasn't sure it would fit in our yet-to-be-renovated laundry/mud room, where I'd want to put it as a catch-all and reminder station.

It is modular, so you can pick and choose what format and functions you want - white board, chalk board, bulletin board, shelves and containers and so on! Is that not awesome?! Maybe once we get that room finished (sometime soon I hope... having an unfinished laundry room is making me crazy!) I will pick it up!

One of the things that has been on my wish list for AGES - I mean, YEARS - has been a label printer. They have gotten a lot more awesome in the years since I first saw them (remember those old ones that pressed raised letters into a plastic strip?).

I finally got this amazing Brother label printer. LOVE. Okay, it's pink and I have to say the "cutesy" design is not really my style - it's sold as a scrapbook labeller and I'm not a scrapbooker at all (though I do appreciate the acid-free labels). But it is so cool. It's really easy to use and I may just have to label everything, everywhere.

I started with some new durable plastic report covers with lots of pockets that I got to hold the kids' medical info. I'm always hiking it to appointments with them and these will make it easier to store and organize all the paperwork that goes along with that.

Next, I think the linen closet and kitchen need some labels.... hey, it's not just for offices!

The final thing on my list was something to keep my two-year-old occupied while I play with my new labeller. Okay, I admit it: I love shopping for art supplies for her. I love watching her explore and discover her creativity.

Staples has loads of art supplies! I picked up some washable paints, a pad of blank paper and some pipe cleaners for her to play with. Hours of fun!

So that was what was in my basket at Staples. It was so fun and easy to find what I was looking for. I love things to be neat and tidy, so it was also inspiring to see all the different tools to get organized in the office and elsewhere.

One last thing. This week I sold a painting (yay!) and we decided to get a new tablet for me to use. I settled on the Google Nexus 7 2nd generation after some research. And guess who had it in stock - Staples! So I picked one of those up as well. Lucky me! I really like it!





Disclosure: I received products to review from Staples Canada. My opinions are my own and honest, and I was not required to write a positive review.

Sears The Baby's Room - a tour for you (and a SALE soon!) #SearsBabysRoom

With one month to go before Baby #2 arrives, I'm really tuned in to baby stuff! That's why I am so thrilled to be part of the Sears The Baby's Room Ambassador program.

I've always shopped at Sears but over the past year have seen a remarkable transformation occur in their baby department. With the introduction of wider aisles, new clothing lines and new products, as well as attention to detail like budget-conscious nursery furniture as well as some fabulous higher-end products, Sears has impressed me lately.

The new and improved Baby's Room at Sears has five departments to meet your baby needs:

The Nursery section has beds and furniture, and decor items such as lamps and mobiles.

What I like about this section:

• The nursery furniture is set up with bedding, decals, lamps and gliders - so you can get a feel for a complete room. The Sears I visited at SouthCentre Mall in Calgary has 10 little room setups (most Sears locations have 5), so lots of chances to see the furniture in place and try it out. 
• The gliders come with ottomans - no surprise added cost! 
• There are LOADS of different furniture options to choose from! And, most come in a variety of colours, so if you like a design but not in white - just ask, it's probably available in a different finish.
• Most of the cribs are transformable - either into day beds or full beds. Nice to have a crib that grows with your little one!
• There are lots of glider options, with different designs and movement.
• The cute bedding often comes complete with wall decals - what a nice touch! And, there are "boy", "girl", and cute gender neutral options. 
• There's a sign in each little room which breaks down the cost of each furniture item AND provides a room total - so you can see exactly how much it's going to cost you for that setup. 
• They also have a great nursery monitor selection - lots to choose from!

The Travel section has play pens, car seats, carriers, strollers, and accessories.

 What I like about this section:

• Again, items are set up so you can examine them. Play pens, strollers, car seats and carriers are all out of boxes and assembled.
• There are many different options for price point and features in everything!
• They are now carrying Diono and Brica accessories
• I was happy to see lots of carrier options. I would have loved to see some more unstructured carriers (think Baby K'tan, Boba, or sling carriers), but it is nice to see babywearing featured at a national retailer!

The Feeding section has everything you can think of for feeding babies - think bibs, high chairs, bottles, utensils, as well as tools for making your own baby food.

What I liked here:

• Seeing fun and cute Boon products!
• The cute bibs - check out the cowpoke ones in the top row, so cute for Stampede! And the little 'tuxes' - perfect for wedding receptions! Aw! 
• I was interested to see they carry baby blenders and even yogourt makers! It looks like these products might be discontinued, so watch for some sale prices coming soon!!

 The Bath section has what you need for bathing baby.

What I liked:

• "Naked" tubs are collapsible, soft-sided, and even come with a hook to hang from the shower. Smart design.
• Boon frog and whale pods attach to the shower wall and scoop up and store bath toys. Practical and cute! 
• Lots of cute, fun bath toys as well. 

The Gift section has a good range of gifts for new babies.

 What I liked:

• Pretty picture frames
• Lots of stuffies and soft blankets
• Cloud B products (a favourite of mine), though I didn't see the larger Sleep Sheep and Twilight Turtle there (both on my must-have list for a nursery, we have loved those for our daughter - so much so I bought a second Sleep Sheep for the baby on the way).
• They also have sleep sacks, another must for babies! The Halo ones are very popular AND what is great about Sears is that they go on sale periodically - for around 25% off!
• I also loved that they carry reuseable snack bags and wet bags (for those of us who use cloth diapers, a good wet bag is a necessity!). 

They also have needed items like baby gates and bouncy chairs (the new Fisher Price Snuggabye swing and chair are super cute!).

I also can't forget my favourite section: the amazing clothing department. With the recent introduction of Carters and Osh Kosh clothing lines, the cute and well-priced clothing section at Sears just got better. I also love that they have widened the aisles without reducing the selection - there's just less of each item out on the floor. So, you can still see everything, but now you can get your stroller through easily! The bright, fun colours are so appealing and the prices are great.

What I like most about The Baby's Room at Sears is that there is lots of selection, and that the prices are good. Not only that, but Sears has regular sales on that make us budget-conscious parents even happier!

My crushes this time around were on some super sweet little Carters outfits. I can't wait to outfit our little guy in teeny, tiny shorts and shirts :)

What I'd love to see Sears carry next - and they are getting LOADS of new products soon (not that I know what's coming!) - cloth diapers, baby-friendly detergents and cleaning products, and tummy time play mats. I didn't see these things on my tour (though I forgot to ask - next time I will!). 

Now I know you are all excited for details of the SALE coming up! To celebrate the one-year anniversary of The Baby's Room, Sears is having a big sale from May 24th to June 5th! What to keep an eye out for: big discounts on product lines they are discontinuing to make room for new stuff, including bedding, feeding equipment and bright and colourful Sassy baby toys! Mark your calendars (I have) to visit while the deals are great!

Disclosure: I am part of the Sears The Baby's Room Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Hello, Free Shoes!

Let me guess - I had you at hello, right?

I discovered a store policy yesterday that I think you need to know about! At PayLess Shoes, if they don't have your size in stock, you can request a printout that shows locations nearby that have the shoe in your size. And, for the hassle of traveling to another store, you receive a $6 discount on those shoes (take the printout with you to the second store, that's your coupon). And, when the shoes in question are on sale for $6... well, that means FREE SHOES! For an eight minute drive (en route to where I happened to be headed anyway), I didn't even pay tax on these sweet ballet style shoes (regular price $19.99) for Mia.

A girl can't have too many pairs of shoes. And the price was right!

Please note, this was my experience with two PayLess shoe stores in Calgary. I haven't researched their national (or international, for that matter) policy. YMMV!

Shopping, and what retailers can learn from WalMart

With Christmas approaching, and being on most-time maternity leave still (I'm working very part-time), I've spent some time in the stores lately. Time with Mia in the stores, I should say - and her Big Enormous Stroller. I've learned a few things about shopping.
The only store I have found lately that has reasonable aisle widths, no aisle clutter to speak of, and requires no elevator... is WalMart. Now, I'm not really a WalMart fan. Sure, their prices are low, their stores are clean, they have reliable family washrooms, but it seems to be at the cost of small business, employees, and results in the homogenization of the world (I was going to say North America, but I saw a WalMart in Mexico a few years back. I suspect they're stealthily taking over the world, McDonalds style). Okay, Old Navy is pretty decent as well for stroller-friendly layout.

Here's the thing: I WANT to shop elsewhere. I don't like big box stores. I have money to spend on Christmas gifts and time to spend it at the mall, or wandering down main street and popping into shops. And I'm not alone.

So, dear retailers, please take a lesson or two from WalMart - you are losing customers left, right and center, I'm sure! Just take a look at the clientele at the mall on a weekday. Do you see what I see? About 70% mums with strollers. Mums with time on their hands and a yen to shop, and a very small person in a very big stroller who seems to "need" lots of stuff. Stuff that could be purchased at your store. Here's what you need to know. It's pretty easy. 

Your store needs to be stroller accessible. I'm not talking about the first three feet of the store. The whole store.  

If I can't get in to see your stuff, I'm not buying. If I can't reach the cashier, I'm not buying.

Worst offenders? Abercrombie and Fitch decided to give their store a porch of sorts at the mall near me: three steps up to get through the door, then three steps down to get into the store. I tried, really I did. We went up the first steps with the stroller, I saw the next set of steps, peered into the gloomy darkness of the store, and said, "Forget it!". Wrangled the stroller right back down the steps and walked away. BAD MOVE, A&F. The Children's Place, Gap Kids, and Gymboree - I spend more time trying to maneuver around the racks, which are scattered in some awkward non-grid system and placed way too close together, than looking at the wares. Even Toys R Us has aisle clutter issues. These are stores for kids! People who shop there pretty much all have strollers. What are you thinking?? Stores like Bombay, Pier 1, Benix (the worst!) - I get that your stores are full of non-child-friendly stuff. But they're so darn crowded I have to walk sideways when it's just me shopping. No way am I coming in with the stroller.

And this is why the big box retailers and online shopping are winning my money over the small stores. Not because I prefer them. Not because I support their style or ethics (or lack thereof). Not because I even particularly like the stuff they have. It's because I can't come in with my daughter in her stroller.

I also have to add... If I can't even get in with a stroller, it's clear that you all really suck in terms of wheelchair accessibility too. So uncool.

Am I the only one this bugs, or are others frustrated too?

Markham Mom to Mom Sale

I don't know if any of my readers are local (in the Markham, Ontario area), but there is a mom-to-mom sale coming up on April 9th at the Markham Fairgrounds.

I went last year before baby Mia was born and got some fantastic deals. It's kind of like a giant garage sale of all baby stuff, from other moms and some companies as well. I had a good time browsing. It was really crowded and last year I didn't even have a baby in tow - this year it will be a little more work with a stroller to push through the crowds, but I plan to go all the same.

If you are interested, they have a Facebook presence and the main website for more info is here.

Christmas and the Gift Dilemma

The thing with Christmas when you're all grown up is that you pretty much have what you need. And generally, you have what you want, too - at least, the people I know are the kind whose reaction to "want" is "go get". I can't seem to convince anyone to stop buying things they want for themselves in October so that they have a decent wish list by December!

Boy, does that make gift giving difficult.

Even the kids in the family are hard to give to. My nieces and nephew have wish lists, and two of the three (8, 5 and 3 years old) are asking for gift cards. Is that awful, or is it just me?

The last thing I want to give any of them is a gift card. Hey, let's teach them to be consumers and that plastic cards are the ticket to getting anything you want for free! Yeah. Great idea. These are the credit junkies of our future.

I was thinking of making the girls tutus (they like to dress up), but I've no idea what to get the 8-year-old boy. All he seems to do is play on one of those handheld video game consoles (for which he has all the accessories he could possibly want).

Hey! If you're a grown-up friend or family member of mine, better stop reading now!
I mean it!

I am giving mostly practical gifts this year. Things that I know people have worn-out versions of that need replacing. Things that will save my loved ones time doing un-fun chores. Sounds boring, I guess. Maybe it won't be the kind of delight that bursts out of the wrapping, but I hope that each time they use the gift they will find it makes their life easier or better in some way.

The other gift I am giving is treats from the kitchen - I really enjoy baking, and I know most people enjoy homemade goodies, but not everyone has the time (or inclination) to make them. So I'm going to whip up some batches and put them in holiday tins. These are such great neighbour gifts, and lovely to bring as hostess gifts. Some years I do preserves (apple cider or wine jelly is super easy to make, and always impressive), but not this year.

And the last thing I am going to say is that going shopping on a Saturday two weeks before Christmas, especially when you're 32 weeks pregnant, is absolute madness. Common sense, right? So where was my common sense this morning?! My feet are killing me and I can now say I have used every public washroom in the mall, as well as one at a grocery store (even though the lock was broken) on the way home. Desperate times...

Quick! Awesome deal on handmade soap!

I just wanted to let you guys know that Ellia C. Naturals seasonal soaps are buy one, get one free until 11pm EST tonight! Just add the bar(s) you want, then put a note in your paypal payment under "Note to Seller" to let Jen know which bar you'd like as your freebie!I have a major crush on these soaps. I've tried soaps, lip balm, and One Lump or Two Solid Sugar Scrub from Ellia C. Naturals and each product has been super quality and sooo luxurious. I also have the Natural Pine Soap Deck in my shower and it looks like new after many months, and keeps my soaps up out of the water so they last longer!

I just placed my order (Autumn Harvest with a Festive bonus)!

This isn't a paid review or anything, I just like her products and wanted to share this great deal with you!

Suckered or smart?

We finally did it. We bit the bullet. We bought a Costco membership.

For years I have been shocked at people who actually pay for the "privilege" of shopping at a retail store. Shocked, and secretly envious of the cool things they bought there. Like giant tubs of cashews, milk for 20 cents cheaper than our No Frills grocery store, lovely treats in gift packages, soft hoodies.

When my brother- and sister-in-law showed us the great big dog bed they bought at Costco for their puppy, for only $22... That was it. The bed that ended our stand not to pay to shop.

A little background - our chocolate lab, Cadbury, has been sleeping on two beds I made for him out of an old sleeping bag and some upholstery fabric (one bed in the kitchen, one in our bedroom). The sleeping bag must have been 20 years old. So it was pretty flat to begin with. And after three years on those, they were thin and lumpy. Poor guy! So we have been looking for a decent dog bed, but not prepared to pay the $80+ for beds we saw at the pet stores. And along comes this steal of a dog bed at Costco.

We hit Costco on Friday and left with a $55 membership and two fabulous new beds for the dog - one 'orthopedic' one that was a whopping $27, and one soft, cushiony one (that has cedar chips in it to keep it fresh!) that set us back $22. Both decent looking. Both big enough for our 85 lb dog. He is thrilled. And we were pretty happy with the price!

On Saturday, we were back at Costco, wandering the aisles, snacking on the promo items and gaping at the giant tubs of tuna, peanut butter and corned beef. We ate some delicious Brie (don't worry - cheese in Canada is made with pasteurized milk!), tortellini, herb crackers and ranch dip, Banana-Nut Cheerios, potstickers, grapefruit slices, fruit juice and cranberry almond cookies. We turned down Cadbury Twist samples, applesauce and more fruit juice. We could have skipped lunch, if only we'd known.

We left with strange and wonderful family-sized purchases. A big bag of Dentabones for Cadbury (best weekend ever, for him). An enormous bag of Italian cheese tortellini and a huge jar of Marinara sauce. A three-pack of my husband's favourite chai concentrate. A bakery box of 12 croissants. Two of the biggest potted chrysanthemums I've seen for the urns on our front porch.

The scale of the store and the products is so outrageous that I'm not sure we really knew how big these things were until we got home. We are a family of just two (for now) - and my husband is living in Calgary until Christmas with only alternate weekend visits. It is a bit overboard to be buying vats of pasta sauce and a dozen croissants. But, we have a big freezer and love to get a deal.

The croissants are now frozen - I can pull out one or two at a time and pop them in the oven for a quick breakfast. The tortellini is dried, so it will keep well - the marinara sauce is delicious (we had it for dinner tonight), and will freeze just fine in two-serving containers.

I'm hoping that this membership will not be a waste of $55 (we've already saved more than that on the dog beds, if you compare to pet store prices) but an incentive to try new things and make the most of our freezer.

I can't shake the feeling, though, that I've gone to the dark side. I am open to advice on making the most of this. We're going to revisit the membership cost after the year is up and decide whether it's worthwhile or not.

How about you? Does your family have a club store membership? Do you think it's worth the price? What have your best purchases been?

Two things you need to know about.

1: For my Toronto area readers (and online shoppers too!), the super fashionable store My Bump is having a 4th Anniversary Sale on April 17th!

This is really something to get excited about. My Bump carries some of my favourite mama and baby brands (yes, despite still being in the 'trying to conceive' stage, I have favourite brands - I've spent 18 months now researching and trying out products!).

Here are the details:

Saturday, April 17 & Sunday the 18th
25 % OFF All Spring/Summer Maternity & Breastfeeding Fashions
(sweet! They have gorgeous stuff from Boob Maternity, Momzelle and more!)

Door Prizes & Free cupcakes for first 50 customers.
Yes! Free cupcakes!

If you can't make it to the store on the sale weekend (it's at 944 Kingston Road, in Toronto), for the entire month of May you can still get 15% OFF all new spring/summer fashions.

And if you aren't in the area, online shoppers get free shipping in May!

That's #1.

2:EcoMom is having an Egg Hunt (on until April 15th! There's still time!) on their website with three prizes of a $25 gift certificate! Another great store with products for mom, baby and dad too. Just find the 12 eggs on their website, drop a quick email, and you're in. Details here. There are lots of eco-friendly goodies here that you could buy with $25!

And, a little heads up - I'll be doing a review and giveaway for EcoMom sometime soon!

For the record, I wasn't paid for this post or anything... These are just two cool stores I am happy to support.

Designer deals!

I just ordered some sweet lingerie by Deréon (yes, the line by Beyoncé and her mom) at Beyond The Rack. I got this cute bra and panty set for $15 CDN! Craziness.

I wanted to share because there are still two days & 22 hours left to take advantage of this particular designer event! They have a ton of really cute lingerie and that's a pretty sweet deal for a set.

Beyond The Rack is like an outlet store but with limited quantities and scheduled sales. These are big name, usually super pricey items (women's and men's apparel, handbags, shoes, jewelery, sunglasses & accessories, sometimes housewares). Each sale event is on for only a few days and it's first-come, first-served for however many of each item they have. Recently they had a blowout sale that was up to 90% off and there was such a huge response that there was a queue to enter the site and tons of things sold out. Just to give you an idea of how good the deals are!

Beyond The Rack is by invitation ONLY. So I'm inviting you to join! You can click this link to sign up. Just so you know, it is a referral link (that's the only way to join as far as I know) and if you do end up purchasing anything, I would get a small credit towards the store. Double happiness with one purchase - you get a deal and then I get a deal.

The current events are: Dereon Lingerie, Sari nail lacquer (sets of 3 high-end polishes for $15!), Pretty Ballerinas footwear, Pure & Simple - Whitney Eve - Jayn Simpson ladies' fashion (last week Jessica Simpson dresses were on, this just reminded me), Hype handbags, Toywatch watches, Antique Rivet men's and women's jeans. These all end in a couple of days and new events start with new big-name designers. I've seen some REALLY nice stuff, usually way out of my price range, at much more reasonable prices.

Just so you know, not a sponsored post or anything... just happy with the deal I just got and wanted to share. I don't think I've mentioned Beyond The Rack here before and I know you all love deals :)