Month: November 2009

by Allison

weekend in the woods.

After Thanksgiving next to the ocean we went up the mountain to Big Bear to spend a couple of days with Dziadek {our Polish grandfather} at his tiny tiny cabin in the woods.



And when I say tiny, I mean 400 square feet. For 5 people. The kids love it, they go bananas for the cabin in the woods. Because Dziadek does things like teach them how he feeds squirrels walnuts out of the palm of his hand.




Dziadek is genetically responsible for the amount of energy both boys in my life possess, so he has no qualms hiking up and down hills in the snow to find just the right sledding hill for Charming.



I passed the time dressing Viktor up in the clothing his mother had picked out for him. It brought me endless joy to see Viktor strut his stuff in a whale sweatshirt and undersized Italian track pants. Happiness personified.

But when it looks like this outside,


and you’re trapped inside with 4 other human beings there’s bound to be some of this:

which Precocious felt the need to document for posterity’s sake:

I spent a lot of time sleeping. And I watched Horatio Hornblower… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

pretty holiday cards!


Who needs some holiday cards asap? Well, that would be you of course. I’m giving away 100 holiday cards from one of my favorite designers Freshly Squeezed, because I love you, and you deserve the cutest cards on the block this year.



I really can’t decide which one I like best, so thank heaven it isn’t up to me. One of you gets to make that choice all by yourselves thankyouverymuch.

Giveaway Details:

  1. To enter the Freshly Squeezed Holiday Cards Giveaway leave a comment on this post.
  2. Leave ONE comment on this post between today and Friday December 4th Midnight, MST.
  3. Link to this post on your own blog (include the url in your comment) and receive an extra entry.
  4. Twitter about this giveaway with a link to this post for another entry.
  5. Become a fan of Petit Elefant on Facebook, and you guessed it smartypants, you get a third chance to win!
  6. Anonymous entries will be ignored, so please include your email with comment.
  7. If you’re selected to win, you have 7 days to claim the prize or it will be forfeited.

… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Happy Thanksgiving from Sunny Southern California.

We’re having a great time in California. It was literally 80 degrees today so we spent a couple hours poolside lounging in the sun. Not a bad way to start Thanksgiving.


We’re staying at the Embassy Suites which has comfortable beds, free breakfast for the kiddos, a hot tub {sqeee!}, and the obvious but awesome: a television. I haven’t watched live TV since May when I banned it from the house.

I got to watch this show last night real time:


Booyah.

These guys hung out with me on the couch {the rooms are all two-room suites} while I indulged my teenage self,



and this one proved she’s more like me every single day by staying up well past her bedtime reading a new library book.



These toiletries are my new favorite, look how stylish and fun.



And the soap? It makes me happy.

But the best part of spending a vacation away from home with my family? Clowning around with these hooligans on someone else’s property.



Happy Thanksgiving from my hotel room to your home.


… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

beautiful sterling jewelry giveaway.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, and you, and YOU.



I’m giving you a leg up on Black Friday tomorrow by giving you this awesome Cinnamon Sticks Giveaway today. A $50 Gift Card to spend as you please on gorgeous jewelry.

Spend it on your mom, your sister, your friend, or yourself but have fun while you shop.

Canela’s jewelry is in a league of its own, and I’m really excited in advance for whomever wins the giveaway.

Have fun and Happy Thanksgiving!

Giveaway Details:

  1. To enter the Cinnamon Sticks Giveaway leave a comment on this post.
  2. Leave ONE comment on this post between today and Thursday December 3rd Midnight, MST.
  3. Link to this post on your own blog (include the url in your comment) and receive an extra entry.
  4. Twitter about this giveaway with a link to this post for another entry.
  5. Become a fan of Petit Elefant on Facebook, and you guessed it smartypants, you get a third chance to win!
  6. Anonymous entries will be ignored, so please include your email with comment.
  7. If you’re selected to win, you have 7 days to claim the prize or it will be forfeited.



… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Kimberly

I give thanks

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us,
and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.
–theodore roosevelt–

for health, for love and friendship all around, for two little boys with eyes of blue, for His faith that I am capable of raising them, for song and for laughter, for plentiful meals and plentiful blankets, for education and love of books, for online-shopping, for kindness received and kindness I might show, for Mr. J’s willingness to do dishes, for old fashioned values, for trials that discover strength, for country and for sacrifice. I give my thanks for all this and more.



Happy Thanksgiving


may your travels be safe
may your holiday be memorable
may you feel gratitude on this truly American day


[photo found here, a clever idea, too!]


… >> find out more…

Kimberly

...by day, making a home where the buffalo roam. By night, pretty much the same thing, punctuated by the occasional fantasies of sunny beaches, italian movies and sparkling lemonade.

by Allison

thanksgiving plans.



So one of us {I can’t remember if it was me or Viktor} thought it would be a great idea to head to L.A. for Thanksgiving. Warm, summery temperatures and memories of the sea tempted us. It seemed fun at the time. Harmless even.

We are idiots.

There is nothing even remotely fun about packing up a household to drive 12 hours straight in a car with two kids less than 36 hours before Thanksgiving.

Nothing, I tell you.

While you are reading this I’m either driving through St. George begging Viktor to stop for a potty break, driving through Primm begging Viktor to stop at the outlets {there is a Williams-Sonoma/Pottery Barn outlet to.die.for.} or I’m asleep as we pass through the Nevada border into California.

Good times, good times.



I’ll try to post while we’re gone. We’re having a Polish/American/Taiwanese Thanksgiving so it ought to be interesting. Plus, we’re staying in some really fun hotels. With pools. Which totally equals hot tubs, and that’s all I really care about.

Happy trails.


… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

new canon rebel EOS camera.

Friends, Christmas came early for me this year. Santa {that would be the Santa of me} brought mama a new camera. Something to replace my aging, dropped on, battery sucking Canon A560. Which incidentally really doesn’t take the most horrid photos on the planet. But I wanted more, because I’m selfish like that.

This is what I’ve been using. It’s a good one, but it’s seen better days. The lens doesn’t close all the way, I have to do it manually. The batteries last about 15 minutes, so I travel around with a recharger and two pair of rechargeable batteries and most of the time when I’m in the middle of taking a really good photo, it completely dies on me.

Exhibit A:


It was time for us to take a break from each other. It’s not the Canon, it’s me. Really.

I replaced it with this beauty:

The heavens have opened, the choirs are singing, and I’m so blissed out I can’t stop playing with it long enough to sleep at night.

{Sleep is for the weak anyway.}


… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

kids book recommendation.

It’s time to start talking about gift guides. I’ve got about a million and one ideas and suggestions for you, so let’s get this party started.

My first gift suggestion is the book The Encyclopedia of Immaturity Volume 2 {yes, there was a Volume 1, and enough demand for a second book} for any grade school age kids you might have roaming around your house.


If you have a kid in the grade school range I don’t need to tell you that your life is filled with poop jokes and armpit farting, you’re already living the dream. This book is a guide, a whole encyclopedia filled to the brim with ideas to give your armpit farting kid a new repertoire. They’ll love you for it.


… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

two-way radios.

I’ve been in denial about this whole Christmas thing because frankly, my life is too busy for it to be the holidays already. I need another month or two just to catch up on my laundry, never mind holiday shopping.

But I know there are those of you who are die-hards for day-after-Thanksgiving crazy sales. Raise your hand if you get up in the dead of the night to wait outside in the cold with your sisters/girlfriends/husbands/mothers/neighbors/strangers.

Seriously, I won’t judge. But I do have a brilliant idea for you. Now, if you really are a seasoned pro, this post will make you yawn because you probably already own a pair of binoculars, two-way radios, and layouts of every department store in town. But for the rest of us? A little idea: these Motorolla Two-Way Radios.

These babies have a range of 35 miles, yes MILES, so your girlfriend can be at the big box across town shouting out which Power Rangers she’s grabbing by the cartload for you over there, while you can shout right back that you have her back where the Barbies are concerned. It’s a win-win scenario.

Round up your troops, grab your sales fliers … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.