5 Tips for Online Shopping

Hi Foxy Friends! Today over on The Blended Blog we are talking online shopping, cause I know I'm not the only one that does online shopping! Here are my tips and tricks for online shopping.

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| ONE |

Only buy things you know you can return. I pretty much never take any risk and only buy things that I can return. Occasionally I'll take a chance, and almost always it comes back and bites me and I have to eat the cost of that thing, darn it. I'm talking to you Jane.com clothing. I'll buy other things from there but not clothes, it's so hit or miss. Although one thing I scored on was this skirt...that was pretty awesome. Unfortunately she doesn't sell this skirt any more. But this one is pretty close.

| TWO |

Always look for a coupon code. Retail Me Not usually has some good ones. I also use Wikibuy. I've had good luck with that. I wrote all about it here.


| THREE |

Always price compare. Unless you think it's a screaming deal, always check to see if you can find it cheaper somewhere else. I just highlight the name of what it is I want, enter that into Google to see if it pops up anywhere else. The desk I got, I found $50 cheaper somewhere else, all by Googling the name. Currently it seems to be $150 everywhere, so if you need a white desk, get this one...it's an awesome cheap white desk. It also comes in black and espresso, with free 2 day shipping, can't beat that!

| FOUR |

If you can, buy things that you can return to the store. I know this is a weird one, but I really prefer to buy things that I can return to a store, like Nordstrom, Target, DSW, Loft, etc. Those are my go to places, leaving it up to the postman to get my stuff back to the retailer, makes me super nervous. So I will almost always buy from them. The few things I've returned to Amazon, the seller either has to decide if they want to take back your product, like what? Take that back yo!

| FIVE |

Stalking a product like no other. Find something you really like, but it's slightly out of your price range? You better believe I stalk the heck out of that thing. Sometimes you can figure out when their sales start, but mostly I don't try that I just check back weekly if something is new, and then every few days after that. I figure if it's meant to be, I will get it for a cheaper price. I'm always so excited to find something on sale. My most recent stalk purchase, were these shoes. Currently they are $5 cheaper than what I got them for...hmmm...what other colors do I NEED? All of them? Okay not really, probably the red and maybe the navy? Or Pale Gold? That one is pretty, decision, decisions.



So those are my 5 tips for online shopping. What are your tips? Anything you want to share that I missed? Head on over to The Blended Blog to link up your Online shopping tips, tricks or finds! Comes back Wednesday to see what I am actually buying online!

5 Tips For Transitioning Your Toddler For A Sibling

Hello Foxy Friends! Just this week we transitioned my daughter from her crib to a big girl bed, queue the tears, on my part not her's. Just kidding I didn't really cry, but really, why do they have to grow up! I want to bottle up this stage of life and remember it always. I was thinking back to the days when her bed was Baby Fox's bed and how we transitioned him to being a big brother. Here is what we did to transition him to being a big brother.

My kids are 2.75 years apart, I got pregnant just as my son was turning 2. Mini Fox was born in September and then 3 months later in December Baby Fox turned 3.

1. Making Being A Big Brother the Most Fantastic Thing EVER

We started off by telling him he was going to be a big brother and that his baby sister was going to love him so much. And when baby comes he's going to get to help out Mommy with baby sister. Getting her diapers and toys and playing with her. We never mentioned anything negative, like he'll spend less time with Mommy and Daddy, just the good stuff. Making everything sounds over the top exciting for when baby sister got here and most importantly he would have someone to play with.

He even helped change a diaper or two...

2. Have Them Involved With Planning

Any chance we got we would have Baby Fox help pick things out for his little sister. He even picked out her coming home outfit. It was so cute, he just loved that he got to make that important decision. The coming home outfit he picked out.

 

3. Let Them Pick Out A Gift Just For Baby

We asked him if he wanted to give baby sister a gift for when he met her for the first time. He happily agreed and then picked out this cute rabbit stuffed blanket thing. He was so proud of it, and was so excited to give it to her when he met her at the hospital. He even asked if we could bring her home that moment, but unfortunately we had to stay the night.

 

We did not do a gift from baby, mostly because we didn't feel like it was necessary. He knew she was a baby and could not really go "shopping" for him but I think letting him pick a gift to give her, was way more fun for him. To have something small to bring his little sister.
 

4. Talk Up Transition to a Big Boy Bed is for Older Siblings

We knew we didn't want to buy another crib, so we needed to transition brother out of his crib before sister arrived. We told Baby Fox that being a big brother was a big deal, and that big brothers got to sleep in big boy beds. Right off the bat we told him that when he becomes a big brother he gets to sleep in a big boy bed, we made this a HUGE deal, telling everyone that would listen that when he's a big brother he gets to sleep in a big boy bed. Totally worked, we talked about it so much that by the time we switched him he was just so stinkin excited. We transitioned him about 2 weeks before Baby Sister arrived (really we wanted it to be about a month, but sister came 2 weeks early).

Helping Daddy to build his bed.

 

His new bed, he was so excited.

He did have some hesitation the first night, but we reminded him that his sister needed the crib when she got here, and he quickly said oh yeah and then happily slept in his new big boy bed.We even let him pick out his new bed, which was a huge deal, we talked about this a lot, what his bed would look like. In the grand scheme of things, yes we paid a lot for a bed that isn't going to last a long time, but we just wanted him to love his new bed, so it was worth the cost. Click here for his whole room tour.

5. Do One-On-One Time

Those first few weeks are difficult on everyone. Make sure that toddler isn't getting left out. I know you're feeding around the clock, but try to plan times that grandparents or good friends can come and pick them up so that they can get out of the house and feel special that only he gets to go and baby doesn't. They don't know that baby can't really get out of the house yet. Also do some one-on-one time with just you and him, alternate between you and your spouse/partner. Even if it's just at trip to the store, any time with you they love.

Mr. planted some bulbs with Baby Fox, he just loved being outside with just Mr. (minus me taking the picture) and being able to dig in dirt, win-win for all.

Those are my tips for helping your toddler transition to having a new sibling. Have any other tips to share?

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