Wedding Fascinators!?

Those things are expensive, may as well get a pretty one Eugenie and Beatrice!

Eugenie, Beatrice and Alice in Wonderland?

My Mom can pull it off far better!

Yeah, Mom!

I am royal.  Emily was saddened to be left out from today's big shindig across the pond.  My Uncle Bob traced our family tree a LONG WAY back on the Connelley side, and I am related to William the Conqueror, I'll have you know!  Is that why we can pull it off?

Anyway, we love weddings and we love weddings across the pond.  We love fascinators too.  We have  far better fascinator taste in my family.  

Yeah, Claire!

Did I mention I am ROYAL?

B.C.  (before Chris)

I cleaned up pretty nicely in the end!
ROYALLY!

WINNING

In the past 36 hours, I have won the following:

$2.00 on Diamond Bingo (Thank you MA. lottery)

2 tickets to AMC Theaters (Thank you Herb Connolly Chevrolet)

A Beginning Travel Kit (Thank you Maclaren Baby)

And a Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker (Thank you MomTalkRadio and Baby Brezza!)

Just sayin'.

Drool Baby Expo

Expecting?  Have a new baby?  Are you a hip grandma or uncle?  Then you should check out Drool Baby Expo, presented by my friends at Magic Beans.

Remember the cool Bugaboo Donkey launch party?  Hell, ya!  So if I were you, I would buy my ticket like, yesterday.  There sure will be some baby products to drool over.  And a luxe gift bag, I hear.  Who doesn't love a gift bag?  Word has it that the gift bags will be overflowing with products guaranteed to be worth AT LEAST 2x the price of the ticket!!


Purchase your tickets today!!!  Click here!

Musings From My 2 Year Old

"The sun didn't go down yet, so it's not bedtime."  (every day at nap time...always makes me laugh)

"You're not a bad Mommy, you're a good Mommy."  (Mommy is interchangeable with all family members' names)

Nana recently got back from winter in Florida.  She said Aidan got thin.  He said, "I"m not ten,  I'm four!"

"Mommy, you have nine fingers, right?"

"Who's coming to take care of me today?"  (Too darn cute)

"It's spring, right?  I'm going to summer camp now."

"Can you put on Bisney Junior?"

"Daddy, you're a warrior, right?  Warriors help people.  And Mommy's a teacher."

April Break: Part I

Elmo's Green Thumb

On Saturday morning, we headed into Boston to see Elmo Live:  Elmo's Green Thumb at Boston University's Agganis Arena.  Super cute show.  It was almost a no-go, thanks to UPS, who somehow managed to LOSE our overnight package of tickets?  Really?  But thanks to Scott T. at WCVB and one hell of a brother-in-law, we managed to get those tickets in our hands!

Oh, how I loved being a part of the Comm. Ave. scene again.  Totally crazy to be walking in front of Student Health Services and SFA with 3 kids in tow.  Even weirder to take them to T's Pub for lunch and have Aidan take his first public poop there!  Oh, the sands of time!  I had my first Sam Summer of the season and chatted with Carol, who used to work in the kitchen with Steve.  No Steve, but we had fun reminiscing about the old days.  I love that place.  T's will always put a smile on my face.  Parking ticket for expired inspection sticker on my Traverse, however, will not.

Falmouth Heights Beach

Teaticket Playground

On Sunday, we headed down to Falmouth to stay overnight with Nana and Pat.  I skipped my 26.1 mile run and opted for more Sam Summer (Are you sensing a vacation trend here?), but this time at Liam Maguire's in downtown Falmouth.  To think Owen has already frequented such wonderful bars at the tender age of 9 months!

I found the most adorable high-end clothing boutique in downtown Falmouth as well. It's called Caline and is chock-full of the most adorable little boys' and girls' clothing. I mean, to die for.  Pricey, for sure, but they have a clearance room in the back, with lots of good finds there as well.  Labels included Tea, Hartsrings, Luna Luna, Flowers by Zoe, Pinc Premium, and CR Kids - just to name a few.  The store is so worth a good browse the next time you are in Falmouth!  I got some really cute things for Em!

Today, we went to a free concert at the Thacher School in Attleboro to see the ever popular Toe Jam Puppet Band.  Emily loved it, Aidan was over-tired (as was Mommy) and Owen liked it up until he got hungry.  I will say, they are much more fun to see on stage at the Orpheum in Foxboro where the acoustics are far better than a school atrium!  If you missed it, they are playing again this Thursday morning at the Orpheum, but you'll have to pay for tickets there.  Came home and we all napped at the same time.  That's right folks, even Mommy got a nap in!

April vacation is off to a spectacular start!  Let me go crack open a Sam Summer.

DiaperBuds Giveaway!

Now it's your chance to win your own box of DiaperBuds and try them out for yourself! You will absolutely love the convenience and all that extra space in your diaper bag!! Here's how the giveway works:

1. Mandatory Entry:  Please leave a comment under this blog post telling us what size DiaperBuds you would like (sized 2-5 or a multipack), with your email address so that you can be contacted if you are selected as the winner. You must also go to DiaperBuds facebook page and LIKE them.  Tell them http://stowedstuff.blogspot.com sent you. 
2. You will receive an extra entry for following me and DiaperBuds on twitter and telling me you entered this contest (@anniestow)  Use hashtag #diaperbuds 
3. You will receive an extra entry for writing on the facebook wall of Queen of the Road stating that you entered this contest.
4. You will receive an extra entry for writing on the facebook wall of Annie's Traverse Travels stating that you entered this contest.  

So there you have it.  You have up to 4 entries!  Winner will be selected using random.org.  Contest entry period ends on April 22, 2011 at 9pm E.T.  Open to U.S. residents only.  Good luck!

This contest has closed.  Congratulations to Lydia!  Be sure to tell all your friends about DiaperBuds!

DiaperBuds

Congratulations to our Winners!

The Latest Commercial - A Year in the Traverse

Sitting Pretty Portraits Giveaway!!

Last Sunday morning, Chris and I hopped in the Traverse with all 3 kiddies and drove up 495 to Holliston, MA. to see Amy Lewis, or as my kids call her, "picture-taking Amy."  She is the owner of Sitting Pretty Portraits, and has been photographing my children since Aidan was about 3 months old.  Bunnies and chicks, or mass?  Yes, we skipped church on Sunday to have the kids portraits taken with chicks and bunnies.  Maybe that's the reason why Emily fell down the stairs in her dress thirty minutes before leaving the house.

Matching green polos (don't even get me started on the outfit contemplations and the trips to Wrentham.)  How it all came together was quite miraculous.  I bought about 32 Ralph Lauren polos of various sizes and colors and had no dress for the little miss.  But leave it to baby-sitter of the year to call me from Marshalls in Franklin to tell me she found a navy blue Ralph Lauren dress with green trim that matches the same green set of polos I bought for the boys.  Baby-sitter/personal shopper.  Did I ever mention how much I love her?  And yes, I have my receipts!

Amy did some amazing work, yet again. The chicks and bunnies were adorable and Owen only tried to snap their necks a few times.  Aidan was obsessed with the hard boiled eggs and the carrot.  We got some terrific smiles from all three. HALLELUJAH!

Amy works wonders.  She had my entire photo gallery up for viewing in less than 24 hours after the event!?  She is super dedicated to her clients, has a really sweet way of working with children and takes Mom's input and ideas seriously.  I remember when Aidan was an infant, she never rushed me.  She let me nurse him when he was cranky and really listened to me when I told her what types of images I wanted to capture.  She goes above and beyond communicating before and after the shoot.  She gives great advice and has a tremendous amount of patience.  It's why we keep going back!  Everything is always "custom."

And now it's your chance for custom!  Amy has offered an amazing opportunity for the readers here at stowedstuff.  Five lucky winners will receive a custom portrait studio session ($100 value) at Sitting Pretty Portraits in Holliston to be held on Tuesday, April 19th and Thursday, April 21st (school vacation week.)  Winners must be available for photos to be taken on one of those days.  Sessions are approximately 45 minutes long and Amy will consult with contest winners for wardrobe and backgrounds!  AMAZING, right?  Here is what you need to do for your chance to win:

1. LIKE Sitting Pretty Portraits on Facebook.
2. Leave a comment here about the most outrageous thing that your child has done/said, as well as how many children and their ages.  
3. Receive an EXTRA ENTRY after doing the above by LIKING Queen of the Road on Facebook and telling us you entered this contest on Queen of the Road's Wall.
4. Receive an EXTRA ENTRY for following me on twitter and telling me (@anniestow) you tweeted this contest using hashtag #sittingpretty.

Entry period is between Thursday, April 7th and Wednesday, April 13th up until 7pm.  Winners will be picked using random.org.  Winners will be announced here on the evening of April 13th.  Please leave appropriate email address to be contacted and only one comment per person please.  


Good Luck!

A Little Donkey Demo

Bugaboo Donkey Launch at Magic Beans

I jumped in my Traverse solo on Saturday night and headed to Magic Beans in Wellesley, MA. to check out Bugaboo's latest and greatest stroller, the Donkey!  So nice to be out without the kids, but I had no idea I would be wishing Chris was with me!?  It was like "Club Magic Beans!"  Cool tunes, dim lights, spotlights, cocktails, massages, yummy food, great people.  Could have been date night!  God, those Gurocks really know how to throw a party!

The Donkey, compatible with two Graco Sungrides, side by side!  COOL!  

The Donkey is quite an amazing stroller.  I met some really great friends at the event, who have already written up some great information about its specs and amazing features.  The folks at Bugaboo said it's a stroller that can grow and flow with your family, seating either one or 2 kids, with various positions for toddler to view either the world or Mommy.  The stroller also has an amazing luggage basket that snaps right in next to baby (while in mono mode) for all that mall shopping.  Oh, I think I'm jealous of anyone able to purchase one!  Those Bugaboos are pricey!

Sheri, co-owner of Magic Beans, handling the twitter party with Jamie Grayson, TheBabyGuyNYC 

Thanks so much for the invite, Magic Beans!  I loved my mocktails from Margarita Mama and that chicken sandwich by Healthy Habits Kitchen was to die for.  And ummmm, the cupcakes were terrible!!  I didn't even have any!  Ok, that's a bunch of lies.  I had a mini and and a full sized!  Thanks Cupcakory!

Oh, and that was the best gift bag ever!  It might not be the Bugaboo Donkey, but my kids LOVE the one in the bag!!  #HEEHAW!

Best April Fools I've Ever Seen!

And stupid me forgot it was April Fools Day!  I showed the video to Chris and he said, "April Fools!"  And I said, "Damn, that's good and boy, am I stupid!"