new misha lulu

we have developed quite a following here at pretty little pumpkins for a HOT line!!!

misha lulu

check us out in the next few days...new items are on their way as we speak!!!

pretty little pumpkins

reduce, re-use, recycle

i have such a hot little tip it amazes me that it took so long to hit me!!!

it involves frozen juice containers...



here's how it works:

reduce: we are REDUCING the amount of plastic used for our juice by buying concentrated frozen juice. what's the difference in frozen as compared to ready to drink? besides the size of the plastic containers, the ready to drink juice has the water already added!!! how hard is that for me to add my own tap water? BONUS...i water down my kids juice by cutting it with water anyway so now i just save myslef some time in the long run and add extra water while making it

re-use: if your making juice chances are you have kids, how many times do your kids ask for a bowl or bucket or cup to play in the sandbox, pool or even when rinsing off in the bath...RE-USE those cute little juice cups for just these purposes

recycle: when your child is finally done using the cup...after about 6yrs!!!! just pop them into your weekly RECYCLE bin!!!

see...quick no brainer tip. and besure to look for 100% and organic juices...they can be found ;)

trumpette and mullin square on sale!!!

come and visit us at pretty little pumpkins and save 25% off ALL trumpette and mullin square items!!!



new markdowns are now in effect and items are arriving daily!!!

word association

i found this fun little word association at lady banana

1. Thug :: bully
   
2. Slurp :: annoying
   
3. Alley :: dark
   
4. Sweater vest :: winter
   
5. Targeted :: audience
   
6. Snazzy :: sharp
   
7. Oy! :: oh no!
   
8. Jury duty :: YUCK
   
9. Low fat :: no flavor
   
10. Responsibility :: i need a vacation
    

check out Unconscious Mutterings for more fun things!!!

my new toy

yay me!!!

every year for my FABULOUS birthday my in-laws give me money...yay them...so i can pick the perfect gift for myself. this year i took part of it and bought an AWESOME bike trailer. this may seem like a strange thing to by for my perfect present but consider this...



christmas 2006 my dear husband got me a great mountain bike so i could ride on the tow-path along the delaware canal, well a year and a half later the bike has sprouted cob webs and the tires have deflated!!! all because we have 3 little girls who cannot ride a bike for more than a house. not that that is a bad thing but they are to little to go any distance, so we are STUCK! we love, love, love the jog stroller but lets be honest some times you just want something different.

this puppy seats 2 (up to 100lbs) and handles like a dream (did i really say that?!?!?) we hooked it up to my bike today and babies 2 and 3 hopped in and away we went.

oh the freedom!!! of course daddy still needs to be around to keep an eye on one of the kids, but it was so nice to be able to get some exercise, and have 2 of the girls out in the fresh air!!!

it really was a pleasure to use and very simple, i never wanted one of those bike seats...they scare me and even more since two summers ago i was driving down the road and saw a woman with her bike on the ground and a toddler in the seat, i stopped because i was so worried about them and she had apparently lost control of the bike and crashed, thank god the little girl had a helmet on!

maybe if i ever get the chance i can pop up some hot little pics of me and my crew out for a cruise!!!

have a FABULOUS friday!!!

strawberries, raspberries, blueberries...oh my!!!

Yay!!! I am so looking forward to this weekend...though the weather people keep saying rain, the last 2 days the temperature has been in the mid 70's and today was HORRIBLE...the sun kept hiding here and there!!! :)

The pumpkins and I are planning our gardens and plantings for this year, we decided that because we love fresh fruit so much and the farm market stands are sadly disappearing quickly in our area that we would try our hand at planting some of our favorites to pick fresh.

Last year Quentin and I put in some strawberry plants and we were lucky enough to have quite a few berries sprout. Sadly though we would see plump, round, white berries on the vine excited to have edible berries awaiting us the next morning only for him to awake every time, run out to pick the fruit and GONE! The (rein)deer (as the girls call them) did it EVERY time. I cannot even begin to tell you how many flowers we have lost to the deer and bunnies, a drawback of living in such a beautiful area. So needless to say a topic VERY soon will be regarding safe, all natural deer deterents...be on the look out.

This weekend we are planting some blueberry bushes and red raspberry bushes.

As well as adding to the beauty of our yard, we are looking forward to some natural barriers to keep the girls out of the neighbors yards and enjoying the healthy, organic, tastey fruits...HA!...of our labor.

If any of you have natural recipes for jams, spreads or various other uses for these fabulous berries please send them right over, we may not have enought this year but we are looking forward to in the future

A few great places to find fuit as well as many plants are:

Cottage farms (I buy through QVC)

Spring Hill Nurseries

Have a FABULOUS week!!!

fun horoscopes...

if you are on the cusp of another sign you most likely will have features of both signs...which may lead you into total confusion......


CAPRICORN - The Go-Getter (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Patient and wise. Practical
and rigid. Ambitious. Tends to be Good-looking. Humorous and funny.
Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimistic. Capricorns tend to act
before they think and can be Unfriendly at times. Hold grudges. Like
competition. Get what they Want.

AQUARIUS - The Sweetheart (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Optimistic and honest.
Sweet personality. Very independent. Inventive and intelligent. Friendly
and loyal. Can seem unemotional. Can be a bit rebellious. Very stubborn,
but original and unique. Attractive on the inside and out. Eccentric
personality.

PISCES - The Dreamer (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Generous, kind, and thoughtful.
Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague.
Sensitive. Don't like details. Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and
loving. Kind. Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful.

ARIES - The Daredevil (Mar 21 - April 19)
Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic.
Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short
fuse. (Easily angered.) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing.
Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and
assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic.

TAURUS - The Enduring One (April 20 - May 20) Charming but aggr essive.
Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers. Warm-hearted.
Strong, has endurance. Solid beings that are stable and secure in their
ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Take pride in their beauty. Patient
and reliable. Make great friends and give good advice. Loving and kind.
Loves hard - passionate. Express themselves emotionally. Prone to
ferocious temper-tantrums. Determined. Indulge themselves often. Very
generous.

GEMINI - The Chatterbox (May 21 - June 20) Smart and witty. Outgoing,
very chatty. Lively, energetic. Adaptable Bu t needs to express
themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Likes change. Versatile. Busy,
sometimes nervous and tense. Gossips. May seem superficial or
inconsistent. Beautiful physically and mentally. 5 years of bad luck if
you do not forward.

CANCER - The Protector (June 21 - July 22)
Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome.
Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative.
Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily
hurt, but sympathetic.

LEO - The Boss (July 23 - Aug 22)
Very organized. Need order in their lives - like being in control. Like
boundaries. Tend to take over everything. Bossy. Like to help Others.
Social and outgoing. Extr overted. Generous, warm-hearted. Sensitive.
Creative energy. Full of themselves. Loving. Doing the right thing is
important to Leos. Attractive.

VIRGO - The Perfectionist (Aug 23 - Sept 22)
Dominant In relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word.
Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager.
Hardworking. Loyal. Beautiful. Easy to talk to. Hard to please. Harsh.
Practical and very fussy. Often shy. Pessimistic.

LIBRA - The Harmonizer (Sept 23 - Oct 22)
Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind. Have own unique
appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone.
Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful. Flirtatious. Give in too
easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible.

SCORPIO - The Intense One (Oct 23 - Nov 21)
Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive.
Hardworking. Great kisser. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds
grudges. Attractive. Determined. Loves being in long Relationships.
Talkative. Romantic. Can be self-centered at times. Passionate and
Emotional.

SAGITTARIUS - The Happy-Go-Lucky One (Nov 22 - Dec 21)
Good-natured optimist. Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome).
Indulges self. Boastful. Likes luxuries and gambling. Social and
outgoing. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient.
Fun to be around. Having lots of friends. Flirtatious. Doesn't like
rules. Sometimes hypocritical. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces or
even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted. Beautiful inside and
out.

green laundry

My sweet little princess...okay so that MAY be a bit of a stretch...is suffering with a recurrent bout of eczema. No matter what i cut from her diet or add with minerals or herbs the poor little monkey just keeps scratching. I have always washed the girls clothes seperatley from their big brothers', fathers's and mine and even used the special "baby brands," though I recently switched to the arm and hammer natural detergent for the entire family.

This week I decided to test run some new brands and would love to share them with you...of course they are all green, contain no phosphates and I always go for unscented.

I am currently waiting for my sample of these cute little "dropps" laundry detergent pellets but I really like the info I read on their website regarding their philosophy:

"Healthier for the planet:

Their footprint: Because dropps eliminates all water from our detergent pacs — the same water that’s already in your washer — our formula saves millions of gallons a year.

Green and friendly: dropps keeps your clothes as clean as your conscience. Letting fish breathe happily, aquatic plants bloom and high-efficiency washers do their thing. How very low-impact."

These are just 2 of the statements that caught my attention on the dropps website

Another brand that I currently use for my fabric softerner (as well as countless other household cleaners) and love, love, love is the method line of products. Along with their commitment to keeping our planet healthy their mission statement really wowed me...you can read it at "method humanifesto"

There are SO many more brands out there and thankfully more of the "mainstream" lines...ie clorox, are coming out with their own now also, however my favorite brand so far is the Shaklee line.

You may have seen the Oprah show which touted the family and earth friendliness of this product, and having been a user for awhile now I can totally agree, there is no chemically clean smell what so ever, things are clean and I am over the moon with how the products are all condensed!!! With 4 kids and a husband you can imagine I have very little room to store cleaning products, but REALLY need to keep a stock of them. Shaklee has it covered, for instance one bottle of their "Basic H2TM Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate" is used to fill a bottle for windows and mirrors, a degreaser bottle and even an all purpose cleaner. Being the skeptic that I am I knew the mirror/ window cleaner would be the greatest test...well I have to tell you after cleaning every window and mirror in my home with no troublesome streaks I am SOLD!!! I even LOVE it for my stainless steel appliances!!!

This week I also found a discussion on Posh Mama from Posh Mama Kimberly offering a free membership so check her out!!!

Hope you all have a FABULOUS green week and feel free to send me some tips...I am ALWAYS on the lookout!!!

happy birthday to me!!!

hi all!!! just for my friends i am offering a special coupon code for use at pretty little pumpkins!!!

from now until

april 22, 2008

use code "april21"

to save 21% off ALL orders of $100.00 or more...that INCLUDES sale and clearance items!!!

mark you calendars and pre shop so you don't lose out...tons of adorable items will be flying out the door!!!

kiddie picnic

potterybarn kids

Well last week i talked about how we have been bringing out our "good" china for regular dinners, even for when we barbeque and my husband liked it but...then he asked about all the really cool everyday plates, bowls and cups i use for the kids normally. So I have to tell you about the great melamine items we use and you can find, we pick these awesome sets and pieces up wherever we see them, the foodstore, potterybarn kids, etc. and they are great because they dress up the table, are (usually) unbreakable, and they are RE-USABLE!!! When any of our four kids has a party, we use these in place of traditional paper plates and such.

The only real draw back is the clean up, but we have learned if you have the sink emptied except for water with some dish soap, most people will toss the dishes right in and the major work (soaking) is done while you enjoy the party.

Then we have the plasticware, but not just any, we have these awesome little animals...zoo pals, the kids love them and they are again washable to be re-used.

hefty zoo pals


As far as drinks, I stay away from juice boxes and I am even buying more frozen juices for less waste, i make the juice in a great container from rubbermaid and use adorable little tumblers...these are from crocodile creek

and for the baby we use the first years take and toss sippy cups (we don't toss though) and i am happy to say these are BPA-free

Most of the time the kids will pick a theme for their party, we will buy the party ware to match and then we use the cups, plates and utensils as part of the childs "goody bag", they LOVE it!!!

I really wanted to mention the cloth napkin thing here also, we are begining to use them here, with four little ones I'm sure you can all understand how much laundry this is now producing!!! This is such a great idea because they are re-usable, you can change them up for the seasons and holidays, and they make every meal feel special...just like at a grownup restaurant!!!

let's shop...

maybe it's just because i love, love, love this boutique SO much, ;) but i had to let you all know pretty little pumpkins has new sale items!!! we are so happy to tell you our FAVE line...misha lulu is one of the many FAB lines marked down along with appaman, knuckleheads clothing and even sckoon organic baby...some items as low as 65% off!!! check out the delicious deals at...

pretty little pumpkins

breast cancer petition

See link below to sign up for the petition. I just did it and it only took about 1 minute.

From a nurse:

"I'll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the doctors to keep these women in The hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies.

So there I sat with my patients, giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank You they muttered.

A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in order to remove cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a Mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure.


Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important .. Please take the time and do it really quick!


Please share this link with everyone you care about. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require Insurance Companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on."


PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the Web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.


http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php


PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family, and on behalf of all women, THANKS.

spring dining

Although we have had a spring set back and the temperatures have fallen again i am still dreaming of spring. Oh the fresh fruits and veggies, the barbequeing!!!

Sadly most people associate their grill and picnics with disposable flatware, plates and cups...BREAK THE CYCLE!!!! Not only is it so much better for the condition of landfills to use our everyday china but think about using your beautiful "good" china. We love to dress up our dining room with our seldom used wedding place settings, the kids get a kick out of being able to use wine glasses (no alcohol included!!!) and lighting candles for an uneventful tuesday night dinner of takeout chinese or daddy cooking steaks on the grill!!!

checkout some beautiful settings to brighten up your spring at :

pfaltzgraff

lenox

add some beautiful stemware with:

Orrefors

and finish off with your flatware!!!

oneida

Have a FABULOUS week!!!

growing green

Spring is FINALLY in the air...in the northeast anyway.

Flowers are starting to spring up out of the empty mulched beds, trees are sprouting those perfect little green buds that will in no time be wide, shading leaves and now my home seems...stagnent. It is still a little to chilly most days to throw open all my windows, but believe me I do until I hear "mom, my toes are cold!!!"

I am trying to green up our lives in case you didn't know, and this week my mission is to freshen the air in our home without having frost form on our tables. The best way to do this is plants!!!

Now I have the FARTHEST thing from a green thumb but these little guys seem to be durable enough to survive even me, the girls "picking flowers" and, inevitably the cats chewing on them.

Not only are houseplants an easy decorating option, they bring in vibrant colors, warm up a space but they also filter the air we breath, everyday items in our homes such a carpets, bedding and wallpaper produce mold and release toxins into our enclosed rooms that we breath in all day everyday.

Check out this list of common, beautiful houseplants that will improve the quailty of air in your home or workplace:

Gerber daisy

Bamboo palm

Spider plant

Areca palm

Reed palm

Dwarf date palm

Boston fern

Janet Craig dracaena

English ivy

Australian sword fern

Peace Lily

Rubber plant

Weeping fig

Have a Fabulous week...

and remember to stop and smell the flowers ;)