Taco PopTarts   School is coming up soon, and so are those back to school lunches!  Finding fun and nutritious things to pack in a lunchbox can be time consuming.  Here's a recipe to get you started.  And--it makes 12, so you can freeze them for future use--and the little "pop tart" will act as an ice pack! Taco Pop Tarts

What's Trending... Speaking of lunch—what are you going to put all that goodness in?   Bento style boxes are perfect for everyone.  It's easy to keep food separated (for those picky eaters--I know--I was one!), keep the dry stuff dry, and the keep the mustard off the grapes.   Two, three and four section containers are great for sending small amounts of multiple kinds of food—how about a little salad in one section, hard boiled eggs in another, and some almonds in the third spot—sounds like a good lunch!  Do your kids like to take yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit—our leakproof rounds and thermal containers are just the trick for “leaky” foods. Stop in to see the whole collection of Eco-Friendly Lunch Box Solutions we have at Childish Things.  And don’t forget the ice packs!

Who's That Lady??? This is Katherine Knezo who hails from the beautiful state of Georgia!  Katherine moved to Boulder in 2008, and while she misses the green forests of the Appalachian Mtns., Katherine loves the Rocky Mountains and all the opportunities for outdoor living here.  This girl is not afraid of what nature holds, creepy crawlers and all!  Having three brothers also helped with that! Katherine LOVES to bake!!  Learning from her mom as a young girl, Katherine would spend hours watching cooking shows and tweaking recipes.  Her favorite chef is Ina Garten, and her next project to tackle is the family recipe for Baklava! Katherine is a huge fan of Harry Potter, and having read all the books would someday like to visit the countryside of Scotland/Ireland --taking in the small towns along the way, visiting local pubs, sampling local foods and partaking in her favorite ice cream--Strawberry with big chunks of berries! Katherine is the assistant manager here at Childish Things and has been with us for 6 years!

What we're taking now It’s  back to school time—so think warm days, cool mornings.  We’re taking short and long sleeve shirts, pants, dresses, cardigans, hoodies and light jackets.  Toward the end of this month, feel free to start bringing in winter clothing.  Remember, consignments last for 2 months, so we don’t really want short sleeves coming at the end of August as people have stocked up on all they need until next spring.  We won’t be taking short sleeves after August 14th.  Halloween Costumes!!  Bring them now—they are already selling and people are looking for them!

Green Earth Kids Hey kids--you can help keep the earth green too!  Here's a little tip--when you go to the park, or on a hike, and you're having a snack or two, be sure you don't let any trash fall on the ground, and if it does--be sure to pick it right back up! "Litter Free Says Mr. Tree" Here's a fun project to do and reuse something at the same time!  Collect some egg cartons and make some building blocks! Egg Carton Building Blocks

What's in a name?

Mommy, Daddy, Mama, Pops, Mom, Daddy, Dada, Dad—what name do you go by?  We’ve all heard names that children make up for their parents, grandparents and siblings. Some of them are pretty inventive.  My grandfather was “Be-Bop!”  A great friend of mine is “Farmore.”   I recently was reading a Facebook post about what children should call adults who may be friends of their parents, and is it OK to call them by their first names, or will children lose respect for that person.  Who knows??

About 6 ½ years ago, when our daughter was pregnant with our first grandchild, (which made us VERY happy), we were discussing what we wanted to be called.  I always knew I would be Nana.  After all, I had a Nana, and when we had kids my Mom became Nana and my Nana became Nannie.  So it was just natural that I would now become Nana.  My husband Michael had different ideas about being called Grandpa.

While he was very, very happy to become a grandfather, he did not want to be called Grandpa.  Every time someone asked him what he wanted the grandkids to call him, he would respond with, “Just Mike.”  No matter what anyone suggested, he always went back to, “Just Mike.”  And so—when this precious little baby was born, on Michael’s 50^th birthday no less, he began the “Just Mike” stage.

For a while, we were all calling him “Just Mike,” but it has since been shortened to “Mike.”  He is only called that by our two grandsons.  Very few other people call him Mike—he has always been Michael.  The boys’ other grandfather is Grandpa.

Mike and the boys are best of friends.  They enjoy each other’s company immensely and love spending time together.  They have built sand castles for hours, played chase for longer than I could describe, they built a super cool Go Kart together, and are already planning what to build their Mom and Dad for Christmas next year!  In short—the love they share is incredible.

Once, when describing his grandfathers, Austin said, “I have Mike and I have a Grandpa too.”  Sometimes, when we are out with the boys, and they call us “Mike & Nana,” I feel like Mike must be my boyfriend or something—it’s kind of funny actually!  Oliver has recently taken to calling my husband “Mikey” when he really wants something—or—if he can’t find him while looking for him, he will yell, “Miiichael.”   Pretty cute.

I don’t think the respect for an adult, or any other person for that matter, comes from what you call him or her.  It comes from your relationship and interactions with that person.  It comes as a mutual understanding between people.

So what’s in a name you ask?  I see LOVE!!

Be Bold

We recently had the 34th Bolder Boulder with somewhere near a cool 50,000 participants! If it wasn't so much fun, I'd think all those people are crazy for wanting to run a 10K. But a fun day it is! There is a mix of the serious runners looking to get a personal record, some just there for a good time, and everywhere in between. Can you tell which ones we were??

The Bolder Boulder is such a great day to remember all those that have served and are serving our country. We have a lot to be thankful for, so thank you everyone that has served this great country! Thanks, Bolder Boulder for giving us a proper tribute after the race!

Motherly Love

"A Mother"

A Mother is one who

understands the things

you say and do

Who always overlooks

your faults and sees the

best in you

A Mother is one whose

special love inspires you

day by day.

Who fills your heart with

gladness in her warm

and thoughtful way.

A Mother is all these things

and more - the greatest

treasure known.

And the dearest Mother in

all of the world is the one I

call my own.

-Anonymous 

How adorable (and true!) is this pillow? Thanks Francesca's

for the great gift idea!

Take this weekend to celebrate a Mother's love and the beautiful 

relationships that come from that special bond. 

Tulip Time!

Spring is here and it's arguably one of the best seasons to be in Colorado. All the outdoor activities like hiking are in full swing. Word is that this Saturday Downtown Pearl Street will be flooded with little fairies and elves helping ring in spring! Join us this Saturday, April 28th, at 3:00 pm on Pearl Street to stroll the streets with magical company. Check out this page for a few more details.

Get your little ones ready for the occasion at Childish Things! They have plenty of tutus, wings and wands perfect for the Tulip Festivities! 

Spring has sprung! Then it snowed.

Colorado is a funny place. Eighties and sunshine all weekend then it turns and we get a few inches of snow. Yes, snow. As quickly as it switched from hot to cold, the forecast for later this week is back up to the 70's in Boulder- just in time for Easter! Stay in the Spring spirit and grab the kids to dye some Easter Eggs! Visit here for a recipe for making dyes from natural ingredients! 

http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Other/Easter-Eggs.aspx

Use wax or a crayon to draw a design on the egg before you place it in the dye. The dye won't stick to the egg shell where the design has been drawn. 

Check out these locations for some Easter Egg Hunts in Colorado!

Childish Things can help you out with last minute outfits for your little ones! 

President Pop Culture!

They are the leaders of our country, Commander in Chief, Head of State, our Presidents.. and today we celebrate them! Why not celebrate Presidents past and present with a little trivia?  

Test your knowledge on inaugural facts. Let's just say I bet you can score better than I did.. 

http://www.allstaractivities.com/general/Holidays/Presidents-day.htm

Some other fun facts thanks to National Geographic Kids:

• The 11th President, James Polk, was the first President to have his photograph taken. 
• Theodore Roosevelt was the first President to ride in a car while in office and his fifth cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the first to ride in an airplane. Maybe another Roosevelt will be the first President to ride in a spaceship??
• Our Presidents have also been known to have some strange pets that also called the White House "home". 
• John Quincy Adam's wife had silkworms
• Herbert Hoover had an opossum 
• Calvin Coolidge had a pet raccoon- that walked on a leash!

Stop by Childish Things today and spend $20 on Melissa and Doug and get a President Write-a-mat placemat FREE! Hurry, while supplies last!

Pinterest has the answer to everything.

If you haven't heard of Pinterest yet, don't worry, now you have! It's an amazing site that is organized by "pinboards" where people can post images of things they want to share; be it images found online, pictures taken, or recipes that are delicious! It's addicting, I will leave it at that.

Valentine's is no lacking subject when it comes to Pinning (the act of posting a picture to your Pinboard). I came across this little craft that looks so simple its almost unfair. It doesn't even need directions!

 

It gives you the temp for the oven and the time and the rest of the directions are pictures. Could it be easier?? And we all know that your crayon bin is PACKED with the nubbin end of the crayon that broke. Why not put them to adorable use?!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Puzzle practice

We have the left-brained people and the right-brained people. My brain seems to prefer sitting on the couch and watching the House Hunter marathon on HGTV. It is those moments I feel guilty for not reading or doing something a bit more stimulating. Brain teasers and puzzles are such a great way to keep the mind sharp. We all know we should be working out and keeping our bodies in good health, but lets not forget about our brains. Who has the time for that though, right? Why not grab your fancy new Ipad that you got for Christmas and bring it to breakfast and pull up this website to do a morning puzzle. Actually, I'm sure "there is an app for that" so everyone with a smart device, download one! Don't leave your little ones out of this; there are plenty of websites with kid friendly sudoku (that is printer friendly!) Or if you the old fashioned pencil and paper type, grab a book of puzzles at your book store and keep it in your purse. 

Do it at breakfast, on your lunch break, with a cup of coffee or right before bed. Any time you have a tiny escape is perfect to spend exercising your brain.

Happy puzzling!

 

2012, This will be a good year.

We've all had a few weeks to get used to writing "2012" instead of "2011" and with every new year are new resolutions. 

Resolution: Stay organized. Easy to set, difficult to execute. 

If you're anything like me and you take an inventory of everything you've got, you are shocked at just how much stuff you've obtained and begin to understand why it is your closet can never be as organized as you want. It's like the junk drawer threw up and has cluttered up your house. How rude. 

Having kids multiplies the amount of stuff you have infinitely. If you type "toy organizer" into Google the most common hit is this guy:

Good news! We sell these at Childish Things! Since the name of the game is consignment, they aren't always in the store, but lucky for you we have a Wish List where WE will call YOU when we get one!

Stick it in the play room for toys and games.

Put it in the mud room or entry way for shoes, gloves, hats and the like.

Stand it in the closet to keep your kids wardrobe in order. 

To add your name to our wish list for shelves like this or any other shelving unit click here and you'll be hearing from us soon!

Small Business Saturday!

Amidst all these crazy holiday sales is Small Business Saturday! It's one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year and almost everywhere is running some sort of deal. The big department stores opened at 10pm- on Thanksgiving! If anyone else thinks that's starting to get a bit excessive should pledge to support the small businesses in your community.

Tomorrow Childish Things is having a fantastic sale to help you get ready for the holidays!

15% off Melissa and Doug items,

20% off consigned clothing and shoes,

20% off Trunkis (perfect for holiday travel!),

50% off all books!

If you aren't around Boulder, CO stop by your local shops and support small businesses!

"When we all shop small, it will be huge."

Food for thought.

As you know tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a great day to spend time with the family and slip into a well worth it food coma. While some of you maybe be taking in some extra calories to gear up for Black Friday, it might be worth taking a look at this and see that shopping at midnight this Thursday might be something you can afford to skip. It really spells out a few of the Black Friday shopping myths. 

Why not turn this:

http://lauraburciaga.com/shopping/black-friday-shopping-tips/

into more of this: 

http://www.granitetransformations.com/blog/1032/8-great-tips-for-a-perfect-thanksgiving/

Come in to Childish Things (at a decent time) and shop our great holiday items!

Candy Coma, Anyone?

Did you know that according to the Huffington Post online Colorado searches the most out of any state for organic candy? It's not really all that surprising, but fun to know!

image from: http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/09/21/best-halloween-candy/

Whether or not your little trick-or-treaters gathered pillow cases full of organic candy or the old classics like Reese's, a ton of candy is a ton of candy. Why not let them go through their candy, keep whatever amount you think is appropriate then have them donate the rest! There is a great local option for rewarding your child for practicing some self control. Dentists in Boulder and Lafayette are offering a Cash 4 Candy party on Friday, November 4th from 3-6 pm! The deal is that you bring your extra candy and get paid $1 per pound! The candy is then shipped to the troops overseas. Why not make a dollar and show our troops how much we appreciate their service to our country? There will be door prizes and the school with the largest representation will receive a donation!

Check out their website and flyer for more information on the event!

Added bonus- you won't be tempted to eat the candy yourself!

Last Minute Costume Ideas!

Did October sneak up on you too?? I'm not sure how this happened, but Halloween is just about a week and a half away! I know you all have the internet so you can just as easily google "last minute costume ideas", but here are a few of my favorite ones.

I know, at first glace it looks like this would take a while, but check out the directions. It doesn't look all that bad.

http://alphamom.com/family-fun/holidays/last-minute-kids-owl-costume/

The instructions say to sew on the feathers, but I say grab the hot glue gun and get it done even faster!

This looks SO easy! It's a bubble bath! Check out the directions here! (Cartoon bathroom not included) This website in general is a jackpot for last minute costume ideas. I might just steal some and keep them in mind for myself.

http://www.parenting.com/gallery/no-sew-halloween-costumes-for-kids?pnid=114914

These not doing it for ya? Come on in to Childish Things and find one of our costumes left over or search the racks for a plaid shirt for a cowboy or a tutu for a ballerina- the possibilities are endless! Come in and get creative!

Egg Carton Planter!

Here is an easy craft for making an egg carton planter!

 

Step 1: Eat some eggs!

Step 2: Cut off the top of the carton to make compartments for the seeds. If you want to decorate it be sure to use non-toxic markers.

Step 3: Fill the compartments about 3/4 full of soil, place a seed in each spot and top it off with soil. Give it sun and water and watch it grow!

Step 4: Once the plants are popping up through the soil you can plant them in the ground! The beauty of this project is that the biodegradable egg cartons make it so you can plant the whole thing in the ground!

Since we're rounding out the summer months, planting in the ground might not be the most practical option, but you can do the exact same thing in a big planter and keep the plants year round!

Thanks to parentsconnect.com for this idea- full text here

Beat the Heat!

I sure don't have to tell you that it's hot out- take one step outside past 9 AM and you'll probably start to sweat immediately. All you mothers-to-be out there have it even worse. Pregancy is a beautful thing, but no one likes to be overheated. Here are a few tips to "beat the heat", as they say.

• Stay hydrated!! Sounds so simple, but it's so important. Along with drinking plenty of water, try freezing some of your favorite lemonade or juices into icecubes to give you something to snack on. 

• Go to your local water hole! Swimming is a quick and easy way to cool off. Maybe even just a cold shower would do.

• Do activities where there is AC. Go shopping, go to the movies. Yes, I'm telling you to go shopping!

• Stick your head in the freezer. Seriously.

• If swelling, or edema, is a problem (and sometimes, unfortunately, it's worse due to heat) try proping your feet up. Another tip is putting aloe or a mint-infused lotion in the fridge and applying to you legs and feet.

Tips, brought to you by Toronto4kids.com and Maternitique.

http://www.mommyposh.com/2011/07/25/beat-the-heat-while-pregnant/

Recycle your old t-shirts into a hula hoop rug!

Sometimes we have old t-shirts that have too much sentimental value to get to get rid of or are just a little bit too stained to be able to consign. Well, here is a fun project that is super simple and gives you a great new rug for your kids room! With just a few supplies, and I mean just a few, your youngin' can weave themself their own rug. You'll need a hula-hoop, scissors and a bunch of t-shirts!

Here is some weaving jargon for you to use to impress your friends; because we all know everyone is impressed by weaving knowledge:

warp- set of lengthwise yarn (in this case t-shirt) that is held in tension on the frame

weft- the material inserted over and under the warps to create the weave

Check out this link, courtesy of Family Fun, to get all the instructions.

This is seriously a crazy easy project to make a fun, colorful, handmade rug!

Who said dressing boys isn't as fun?!

Mixing and matching what you've got is crucial in stretching your dollar while still making sure your little guy looks stylish.
Here are some cool outfits we've got from 3 shirts, denim shorts and 2 pairs of shoes:

The plaid shirt is by Jacadi and can be $25 and up- but is just $6.95 at Childish Things.

The brown shoes are by Morgan and Milo and retail regular price at $40! CT has it for just $16!

The Denver Brocos tee is from Gap and is $20.. Not at CT- we have it for $6.95!

So remember, shop consignment and save yourself a bundle!

And for crying out loud, how cute are these shoes?!

Throw on him a pair of Wayfarers and you've got yourself a regular hipster.

Do you remember these?

Working in a consignment store, we see a lot of things come through- clothes, toys, books, you name it. And even though I'm all grown up I still remember a lot of the same things from when I was a kid. I get the most nostalgia when I see books come in that used to be my favorite. These were some of the best ones:

Maybe I had high levels of empathy as a kid. Maybe I just like happy endings and was glad Alexander didn't end up moving to Australia. But either way I always enjoyed this story reminding me things were not so terribe, horrible, no good or even very bad.



And of course, growing up in a house with two brothers made a book called The Stinky Cheese

Man very appealing. This collection of stories is a compilation of traditional fairy tales rewritten with a silly spin.

 

Then I remember every night before I went to bed I would not fall asleep until one of my parents read me this story; reassuring me that they will "love me forever, like me for always, as long as their living, their baby I'll be."  



Happy reading!

Happy Father's Day!

Take some time today to spread the love to the great Dads of the world today. The best gift you can give is creating memories that will last forever. (Especially when sometimes they are hard to buy for!)

This is my Dad and I'm one of the luckiest daughters ever. I look up to him so much and never stop learning from him. Dad, you really are the greatest and I love you so much!

Happy Father's Day, Dads!