Archive for December, 2006

Mmmm… snacks.
Mom Nancy writes:
Hello Lovely Pretty Mir!
My question pertains to a family trip (9hour flight) we’re taking mid-January with three kids under age 9 — one with a peanut allergy. I need some suggestions for snacks in their carry-ons that won’t have them all sugar-high half way through the flight, and that won’t cause a need to break out the Epi-pen. Every kind of snack/cereal bar I look at is either loaded with high fructose corn syrup, or may contain peanuts.
I remember you mentioned packing your own snacks when you went to BlogHer, and I recall Monkey was a no-nut kid as well. So I’m hoping you’ll have some great suggestion that I’m obviously overlooking. I’m limited to regular supermarkets — no Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods within an hour of me.
Any other flight tips are welcome as well!
Thanks,
Nancy
Ask and ye shall receive, Nancy! (more…)
Posted by Mir @
11:51 am |

This is a great one for people who 1) like gadgets or 2) are lazy.
(Do not send me email saying you’re not lazy and really in Timbuktu or wherever you live, a remote car starter is a necessity. I’m sure you’re not and that it is. I am just chatting, here.)
The deal of the day at Graveyard Mall is a Bulldog Security Remote Car Starter Kit. It comes with everything you need for just $39.99, and it ships for free today only.
You can use it to start the car while you’re busy spraying on your unmentionables. Ha!
Posted by Mir @
10:34 am |

It’s that time of year again: Hanna Andersson is having their twice-yearly sale event. There was a time when I really believed my daughter needed to have a dress and leggings set from there, and I’d scoop one up on sale whenever there was a bit of Christmas cash from the grandparents. Now I’m older and wiser, of course.
(Translation: Now I know their women’s clothing is pretty awesome, too.) (I am most certainly not looking at this, nope, not at all.)
Posted by Mir @
8:19 am |

Things that should come in spray cans: Paint, hairspray, WD-40, and roach killer.
Things that should never come in spray cans: Cheese, tans, miracle hair (dude, you’re bald… accept it and move on) and this stuff.
Posted by Mir @
6:15 am |

In all likelihood, there will be a “Monster Sale” blowout after Christmas, but here’s a way to get a jump on some clothes shopping for the little ones. (I find that when the prices go rock-bottom at TCP, stuff sells out so quickly I almost always wish I’d shopped earlier.)
Check out the outlet and the “holiday specials” (not part of the outlet) at The Children’s Place for plenty of clothes at 50% off. Shipping is always a flat $5 fee, and you can sweeten the deal with coupon code CLUBEC6 to take another 20% off your order. Coupon expires December 31st, 2006.
TCP is one of the few places I’ll buy new clothes for my kids. The quality is sufficient and between the sales and the coupons, the price is certainly right.
Posted by Mir @
2:55 pm |

So, you did all the right things: You watched the sales, you surfed the deals and used online coupons. You saved a ton of money and now you’re done. Right?
Wrong. Most online stores have price matching policies; that is, if the item you bought drops in price within 30 days after you purchase it, they’ll refund you the difference. I don’t know about you, but I do not have time to go back to every site and check my prior purchases to see if the price has changed. (Hey, if you have that kind of time on your hands, good for you. Pass me a bonbon?)
Amazon in particular is known for messing around with prices and leaving you with that nagging feeling that perhaps you didn’t get the very lowest price. So what can you do?
Enter an automated solution for tracking the prices of things you’ve already bought. (Right now it looks like they only work on Amazon, though I’m hoping they’ll expand to other retailers as it looks like they’re planning to do.) Just put in your purchases and let them do the rest. If the price changes in the next 30 days, they’ll send you an email. Then you request your refund and you can rest easy knowing that you did, indeed, win at shopping.
Posted by Mir @
11:41 am |

Family Fun is today’s deal of the day at Best Deal Magazines. It’s listed for just $4.79, and coupon code SANTASALE18 will give you an additional 18% off.
The coupon expires today, and the deal tomorrow might be something crappy, anyway, so hurry up if you want it.
This is my favorite magazine for crafts and recipes that are kid-friendly and not so insipid or impossible that I want to gnaw off my own arm to escape. How’s that for an endorsement?
Posted by Mir @
10:10 am |

Many thanks to the ever-lovely Stephanie for sending this one in; when my internet connection was actually working I downloaded a bunch of these and have been rocking out ever since.
Go to this page and use code bbce78 to access 10 groovy tunes from around the world. Listen to them online (for a week) or download them to your machine. Very cool.
Posted by Mir @
7:41 am | Comments are off

That’s so weird, because I thought I had until the weekend to finish getting ready…. But, see, I guess I just must’ve missed it altogether, because the Disney Store is already having their after-Christmas sale
. Save up to 70%, plus get free shipping on orders of $75+.
You won’t get it in time for Christmas, obviously, but there’s always the gift closet. Or—for the truly ill, like myself—next Christmas.
Posted by Mir @
6:15 am | Comments are off

I hope you’re not all hitting refresh, wondering where I am. Where I am is in cable company hell, actually. I don’t have internet! Then I do have internet! Now I don’t! And did I mention the guys ripping apart my bathroom? While this is happening? I didn’t? Oh, nevermind then.
Yeah, don’t look directly at my left eye. I seem to have developed a nervous tic.
Anyway! Like The Hobbit? How would you like a very cool Hobbit Gift Collection for just $11 shipped? (They have lots of other Christmas clearance going on already, too.)
Use coupon code 248611WD to upgrade to 2-day shipping for the same price as UPS Ground, if you need it before Christmas.
Posted by Mir @
12:42 pm |