cravings

school's out for summer!!

2011-06-29T12:00:00.002-06:00

with school ending yesterday, today is the first official day of summer!! the weather is HOT . . . my kids are thrilled!! this morning when i left for work, my boys were already getting their biking stuff on - they want to spend every waking minute outside!!

noah, my seven year old is heading off to overnight summer camp on sunday - 2 weeks of FUN (for him and us)! he has been counting down the days for months now! we are in the process of labeling all his stuff (i love mabel's labels) and packing his bags! we still have a few things on the list to buy - another pair of swim trunks, a hat, gotch, sunglasses - and i'm soooo happy that i can now get ALL these things for him at cravingsKIDS!!!!

let the summer fun begin!!!!
r.

http://www.icontact-archive.com/2WhNpmk-BP9imjm7uwplVkOOmRelFY63?w=2

2011-05-26T19:23:00.000-06:00

http://www.icontact-archive.com/2WhNpmk-BP9imjm7uwplVkOOmRelFY63?w=2&sms_ss=blogger&at_xt=4ddefd1b11fcc5be%2C0

sidewalk sale

2011-05-26T19:08:00.010-06:00

today was my "baby's" preschool farewell ceremony! hard to believe he's already finished his first year of school!! what a great morning - singing, poems, a slide show, a fantastic photo album for each child (made by mrs. skinner) and lots of food!

after the preschool festivities i rushed over to cravingsKIDS for our SPRING CLEANING SIDEWALK SALE. so far the sale is going really well - it continues tomorrow and saturday. lots of great deals at both cravings maternity & baby and cravingsKIDS.

come check out our sidewalk sale (which also extends into the store)!

see you soon!

rebecca

ps - i couldn't help taking a quick peek at the tables outside of TRAXX footwear! it is very dangerous for me to be so close to so many fantastic shoes!!

pajama day

2010-11-11T11:18:00.004-06:00

it's a pajama day today. i can't remember the last time i did this. painted the girls nails this morning and now they are quietly playing with play-doh (ok, maybe they're not that quiet...wishful thinking!). today is a day of recovery from what i fear might be burn-out.

goal is to stay away from the darn computer- ya, that's working out well as you can see. hard to stay away from peeking at emails related to our secret project. everything is falling in to place. getting closer to making our big announcement! nothing more satisfying than seeing a vision become reality!

hope you also have a relaxing day :)

j

secret project 2011!!

2010-11-07T15:59:00.002-06:00

it's been quite a relaxing weekend. goodness knows i need it. spent some time with my 5yo, ryan, running around doing errands for our secret project 2011!!! i would love, love, love to tell you what we have in store for saskatoon....but NOT YET!!! just a little while longer for you to wait while becca and i finalize more details. thinking maybe our annual customer appreciation shopping party might be a good time for the reveal. thoughts?

aside from that (which really is consuming most of my time), i am enjoying the absolutely beautiful weather we are having here. as soon as the little one wakes, we're off to the park!

have a great rest of your weekend and stay tuned for more details!

j

lots more to come from cravings!

2010-10-07T19:31:00.003-06:00

i thought i would write quickly as i am psyching myself up to do a quick work-out this evening before i start working again. the days have been so crazy. i feel like i am working at 110% and i leave completely mentally exhausted. on the up side, becca and i are cooking up BIG BIG BIG things for cravings right now!!! ...and on top of everything else, we're heading to vegas for the largest baby & toddler trade show you've ever seen. walking the 1,000,000+ sq ft space will be a work-out on it's own!

...till my next update with (hopefully) some more details about our exciting news!

j

a balanced life

2010-09-16T17:52:00.003-06:00

it's almost embarassing to see how long it's been since i've written...life is busy and it seems to get busier by the minute. i was asked to write something for a friend about living a balanced life. while i strive to achieve balance daily, there are going to be things in life that get pushed aside...and i guess the blog was one of them.

the store is growing at a rate that is truly remarkable. becca and i are finding less and less time to do the extra things. our families are also growing and with that comes the added responsibility of getting the kids to day care, to school, to day time and after school activities...all while trying to run a business. things were definitley getting off balance for us so we've recently hired a General Manager, Darcy, to help us tackle some of our "to-do list".

you can check out this link for a little more insight in to my life

www.liveabalancedlife.ca

j

2 vacation MUST-HAVE's

2010-08-11T12:33:00.004-06:00

just got back from a whirlwind of a vacation. 7 flights, 8 hotel rooms....craziness! my girls did amazingly well. i was really worried about layla (2 yo). she has never travelled well and she likes to complain about almost anything! she was so good during both our flights and our long car rides!! gives me much hope for our next vacation!

i wanted to mention 2 must have's for those of you travelling with little ones. we took our baby bjorn travel crib. this is an absolutely brilliant product. super light-weight, easy to fold and unfold. you can even stuff a bunch of extra diapers in the carry bag it comes with!!

the other product is the gogo babyz travelmate. i swear we got asked about the product a dozen times in the airport. if you plan to take a convertible car seat on the plane with you, this product is genius. we put the car seat on the trolly, buckled layla right in to it and away we went. we went from gate to gate not having to lug the car seat (or her!).

both products are available at cravings...of course!!

a tip

2010-07-17T14:29:00.002-06:00

perry came home from our friends' place the other day with a great idea...so good i had to share!

seems that most people have hardwood in their kitchen these days. if you have a little one that sits in a highchair, you know how badly the wheels can scratch the floor. well, our friends punctured tennis balls and placed them over top of the wheels! the chair glides smoothly and won't scratch! now if only they made designer tennis balls that you could choose to match your decor!

have a great weekend!

j

Boot Camp!

2010-07-08T16:49:00.004-06:00

jordana participated in a boot camp, through her gym, earlier this spring and thought it would be good if the cravings staff participated in one too. yesterday was our third, hour-long session. it is killer!!! i have come to realise that i'm in really BAD shape!! each week it gets a bit easier, no, that's not exactly it, let me rephrase that - i'm wanting to die less! the good news is that we are halfway done - and i'm still alive!! today i'm a bit stiff in my arms, legs, abs, well , my whole body. but it's a good pain! like they say NO PAIN, NO GAIN!!
r.

home alone!!

2010-07-07T15:21:00.003-06:00

last friday, we headed to alberta to drop noah, our 6 3/4 year old off at camp. the whole family, including our nanny luisa and our puppy mosely, drove to calgary on friday after work. the majority of the almost seven hour journey was spent trying to ignore our 3 year old, adam's screaming, crying and complaining - he's always been a bad traveler!! i jokingly suggested that we could leave adam with nana & papa (steven's parents) and pick him up in a week when we had to return to pick up noah. at one of our many stops, i ran in to a gas station to go to the bathroom and buy more snacks. when i returned, steven casually mentioned that his parents really wanted adam to stay with them for the week!!

i was actually a bit mad that steven had the nerve to ask them to take a 3 year old for an entire week, and then i was mad at myself for not thinking of this sooner because we hadn't packed enough of adam's supplies for a week's vacation, and then i was REALLY HAPPY!! a whole week at home without the kids!! what a nice break, a chance to do adult things, A WHOLE WEEK!!!

so, steven's parents took adam saturday evening, we dropped noah off at camp near red deer on sunday morning and steven, luisa and i drove home - quietly, without any screaming, backyardagains, dora or potty talk (well, steven did tell some dirty jokes), on sunday afternoon!!

what does one do with a whole week of alone time and hubby time? dates, drinks, dinner, dancing, movies . . . no, ORGANIZE!! i have been very busy getting rid of junk, excess toys & paper, i've cleaned out several drawers and cupboards.

not exactly a relaxing, romantic week - but very satisfying!!

a must-have!

2010-06-13T13:06:00.003-06:00

i have been meaning to write a review on this product for the past several weeks. i actually bought it when my first daughter was 2 and was potty training. it was a life saver then and we have now started using it again. how many times are you out with your babe and they have to use a restroom and there is nothing in site? i can't even count how many times this has happened to us and now that she plays outdoor soccer, we (and her teammates!) have been using it more than ever. it will come in handy as my youngest starts to train as well!! i keep it in the trunk of my car, ready to go!

potette plus and disposable bags are available in store or online!

www.shopcravings.ca/potette-plus.html

buncha farmers stain remover

2010-06-01T15:19:00.003-06:00

ok, i know i've written about this stain remover before, but i have to tell you how utterly impressed i am with this product. my daughter, ryan, got grease all over one of her fav shirts at kinsmen park. well, we put the shirt aside when we got home and forgot about the grease stain for 2 weeks. i used buncha farmers stain remover stick on it today and i am not kidding you, the stain is completely gone! the best part is that is only costs $3.50!!!

exciting weekend!

2010-06-01T13:56:00.002-06:00

this upcoming weekend, my parents, my siblings & their spouses and steven & i are going to banff for a white water rafting adventure - in honour of my mom's 60th birthday!! i'm quite shocked that this is what my mom picked to do to mark the big 6-0 - but also very excited to go!! my mom is not a risk taker at all - not that we're going on a professional class 6 tour or anything - but i'm still surprised and impressed!! it should be a lot of fun - i sure hope the weather cooperates while we are there though. (it may be a little chilly if its still snowing)! i will pack my long underwear for sure!

back from vegas - back to reality!

2010-05-27T15:23:00.002-06:00

it has taken me a few days to get back into the swing of things - back to reality!

jordana & i surprised nicole, our store manager, with a 4 day vegas extravaganza!! 4 days of doing whatever we wanted - shopping, reading books, eating out, lounging by the pool, dancing at a club, more shopping, a cirque de soleil show . . . what a nice break!! everything was awesome, but it is amazing how such a relaxing time can be so exhausting!! hmmm, could it have been the 8 hour day of shopping at the outlet mall or staying up til 4am? not sure - but it sure was fun!!

vegas!!

2010-05-21T11:23:00.002-06:00

management retreat in vegas this weekend! becca & i surprised our manager, nicole, with a trip to vegas yesterday! she thought we were going to a trade show in regina and would be working over the long weekend. this is the first time becca and i are going and we will have NOTHING we have to do! so excited for the weekend and to spoil nicole...she does such a fabulous job for us!! shopping coupons are printed, bathing suits are packed and we're ready (well, almost ready) for our 6am flight tomorrow morning!

have a great long weekend!

no awards this year - great after party!!

2010-05-19T13:45:00.002-06:00

both jordana and were pretty sure this wasn't going to be our year to win big at the SABEX awards - stiff competition and the fact that we took home SABEXes last year and the year before. we were right :( no need to reinforce the awards shelf - for now!!

both of the SABEX categories that were we finalists in, customer service & small business of the year, were won by dale lemke of display systems international! congrats dale!!

the highlight of the evening for us was the after party at scratch!! nicole, jor and i are all feeling a little under the weather today - we stayed out way too late and maybe had a couple more beverages than we should have!! but the company and the dancing were loads of fun - worth a bit of a headache this morning!!

thanks to the organizers, sponsors & to everyone who made last night's gala a huge success!!

SABEX tonight

2010-05-18T13:00:00.003-06:00

quick note before becca is here to pick me up. we're off to get our make-up done for the SABEX awards tonight. i love having an excuse to get dressed up!! manicure & pedicure are done. hair is done....although i think i've changed it 10 times already...just can't seem to get with the new bangs.

anyway, it's always a fun evening. rehearsal is at 4pm, cocktails at 5pm and the reception starts at 6pm (i believe). there is an after party at scratch as well, so i know it's going to be a bit of a late night. already dreading waking up early tomorrow morning!

thanks to all of our customers for getting us where we are today!!

j

hello out there!!

2010-05-17T12:44:00.002-06:00

hi! first off, i have to apologize for not writing on the blog for ages and ages!! WAY too many things on the go right now! the store has been super busy - lots of babies!!

- last week angie & alison had a three day course to become certified carseat technicians. so, once they receive their certification, we will have 4 staff members that are able to assist you in installing your cravings carseat.

- tomorrow night nicole, jordana & i will be attending the SABEX awards at TCU place. cravings is a finalist for customer service & small business of the year. wish us luck!!

- tomorrow's "craving" will be an extra special one!! stay tuned for the details!

- my family is in the process of renovating our upstairs level. we are turning 4 bedrooms and a loft-office into 4 bedrooms, a walk-in closet and a office/laundry room. we are living in sheer chaos at this point!! my boys are sharing a very jammed packed bedroom and steven and i are sleeping in our bedroom with the linens, all of our clothing on racks and baskets and various other boxes of stuff!! we are all cranky and excited for the work to be completed! realistically, we still have a few more weeks of this though!!

- jor also has a ton of things going on at her house!! i'll let her share her stories herself!!

hope you are enjoying this amazing weather!!

facebook "craving"

2010-03-31T00:45:00.003-06:00

today's weekly "craving" (posted on facebook, every tuesday) was a huge success!! lots of customers took advantage of the featured sale item - 25% OFF all footwear!! make sure you, your friends and your family members are in the know by joining cravings' FACEBOOK fan page!! we have found it to be a very effective way to communicate with you, our fantastic customers!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saskatoon-SK/cravings-maternity-baby-boutique/33587958959?ref=ts

thanks for your ongoing support!! we really appreciate your feedback, suggestions . . . and of course, your business!!

the weekend already?!?!!?

2010-03-26T16:59:00.002-06:00

wow! i can't believe it is friday already! i'm happy to have a pretty low-key weekend coming up! the past several weekends have been super hectic - so some quiet, home & family time will be great! ok, who am i kidding - my house is NEVER quiet!! (but i am looking forward to hanging out with my boys)!

tonight i'm going over to my friend's house for a girls' get together! i haven't done that for a long time - should be fun!! and saturday night we are having dinner at my parents' house to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday! other than that, NO PLANS!! noah really wants to have a "sleepover" with adam. we'll have to see about that. last time we tried a brother sleepover it wasn't very successful!!

have a great weekend!!

a day at home

2010-03-23T13:41:00.003-06:00

at home with the girls today. things have been so busy lately, it feels like forever since i've had a day at home. my to-do lists are still ridiculously long, but nothing that is too pressing. i feel like i can actually breathe right now! just got back from palm springs and then turned around and went to vancouver with becca to buy next season's maternity. we managed to get some personal shopping in as well and now i actually think i might be shopped out (at least my husband tells me i am!).

things have been crazy busy at the store. still getting new products in every day. there are so many great products out there. please let us know if you spot something that you think cravings should carry. the momzelle nursing shirts have been doing so well. we had never heard of them, but later found out several of our customers were purchasing online. our goal is to bring sought after products to saskatoon! the puj tubs are another new product and sold out fast. we are trying to get more ut they are on back-order right now. hoping to re-stock mid-april. a perfect gift!

going to get ready for a few crafts with ryan while layla naps.

have a great day!
j

successful shopping trip

2010-03-22T16:30:00.002-06:00

just got back from a very successful shopping trip in vancouver! we found a tonne of amazing pieces for fall for moms to be! the season will be featuring deep purples, teal, navy blue, charcoal and our all time favourite - black!! leggings, tunics and longer sweaters will be very popular again for fall & winter 2010!

right now we have our spring & summer collections arriving!! tonnes of cute tops & sun dresses!

and, we still have a few winter maternity pieces available at 40% OFF!!

see you soon! happy spring!!

1st cavity!

2010-03-18T17:05:00.002-06:00

tonight at 6, steven and i have to take noah to the dentist for his first filling!! a few weeks ago i took both boys for a check up with our new dentist. this was adam's 1st visit, but noah had been to our former dentist a few times before. noah has never successfully had x-rays taken of his teeth (major freak out last time) when they did do x-rays this time, they discovered a small cavity between his teeth! we were supposed to be flossing!!!! i thought i was on top of mom things, but i seriously didn't know you had to floss your little kid's teeth!! i feel like a really bad, neglectful mother!!

last thursday we had a laughing gas trial - which weren't really well & was super funny!! and tonight we're going for the filling! i'm really nervous. i actually really like going to the dentist, but i'm nervous for noah getting the needle(s) - he's terrified of them!

i'm hoping that we can bribe him with the treasure box at the end and maybe a pack of pokemon cards. if you hear screaming around the grosvenor park shopping centre tonight, just ignore it, its probably just noah seeing the needle!!

late night

2010-03-12T21:28:00.002-06:00

this is a total procrastination blog! i'm back at work, working on our sabex awards applications. i need a break! my eyes are going buggy! this has been a pretty hectic week - and it's not over! tomorrow nicole and i are meeting back here at 8am to gather some stuff to take to our booth at the market mall baby crawl. the races take place from 1 - 4:30 pm, but there is an indoor baby garage sale from 9:30 am - 6 pm. cravings will have a booth set up all day. we will be selling some of our best sellers - toys, books, clothing . . . and we'll pay the tax.

we will be presenting the fastest baby with a $1000 cheque to go towards an RESP!! good luck to all the little racers - can't wait!!

bedtime battles

2010-03-11T09:48:00.002-06:00

we're going on 3 weeks of the big boy bed - and i'm just about ready to reinstate the crib!! adam is the sweetest, most polite almost-3 year old you'll ever meet . . . but he NEVER listens!! he doesn't care what other people think or feel - and cannot be motivated by anyone!! bribes, rewards, timeouts, taking things away - we've tried it all, and they don't work!!

my little con is now sleeping in a bed room (aka cell) with a bed, 1 book, 2 dressers & 1 blanket!! we've taken everything else out because he's trouble!! his latest is pulling everything out of his drawers and trying on all of his clothing! grrrr!

last night i came upstairs and the gate, which we placed in his doorway to keep adam contained, was mysteriously down on the ground and the little bugger was in our bedroom watching tv!!

wish us luck - not sure how much more i can take!!

spring baby crawl

2010-03-10T17:39:00.002-06:00

this saturday, march 13th, nicole and i will be spending the day at market mall for the spring baby crawl! this year, cravings maternity & baby is the grand prize sponsor!! we will be awarding saskatoon's fasted baby with a $1000 cheque to be used for an RESP!!

this is sure to be a super fun event - i'm really looking forward to seeing all the adorable little racers!!

yesterday, i picked up our giant sized check (for all the photo opps)! it looks great - i'm really pleased at how it turned out. it was my first real project on my new computer. i've had my mac for almost 4 months - but i haven't had much time to play around with it yet!

2010-02-22T11:31:00.003-06:00

we 've been talking about moving adam, our 2 1/2 year old, to a "big boy" bed for a few months now. last night we did it! i was really nervous about the switch - adam is quite a mischievous little monster (a cutie, but very cheeky)! i pictured him #1 - not staying in his room and #2 - destroying his room entirely!! well, we solved concern #1 right away - we placed a baby gate in his doorway (i totally recommend this).

we put adam to bed a bit later than his usual bedtime, hoping he'd be so tired he'd fall asleep right away and not have the energy to get out of bed (yeah right - wishful thinking). after lots of stories . . . and warnings about leaving his new bed, we left him alone! steven and i went downstairs and within minutes we heard little footsteps scampering about upstairs. i went in to check on him and he was in bed . . . but had pulled everything off of his dresser into his teeny tiny bed! i reminded him again about the bed rules and went back downstairs. a few minutes passed and then we heard more noise, so i went upstairs and snuck into adam's room - he didn't see me. i watched as he pulled everything out of his closet into his bed. i said his name and he froze and then ran into his bed and covered himself with a giant book that he had put in the bed as well!

after that, steven and i removed everything from his bedroom (except the furniture) and moved his dresser in front of the closet. we read him the riot act and eventually he did fall asleep - in his new bed!! he did sleep through the night and in the morning he called me to get him, like he was told!

all in all, not too bad - way better than i anticipated!

now for nap time in the new bed - that could be a different story!!

r.

update

2010-02-11T16:05:00.003-06:00

feeling so horrible that it's been so long since i've written. things have been so busy here at the store. we just had our 1 year anniversary in our new space and our 4 year business anniversary is coming up on the 20th! can't believe it's been 4 years, but at the same time, i can't remember life before the store.

www.shopcravings.ca has been going well. becca & i have been filling orders so far, but excited for the day that it gets busy enough that we have to hire someone to run it! we've recently launched our weekly "craving" on facebook. make sure to check facebook every monday evening to find out what item will be featured with great savings!

some new additions to our boutique:

matt & nat diaper bags

apple cheeks cloth diapers

stokke highchairs

bugaboo strollers

art for the nursery (or other rooms in your home!)

and lots, lots more!!

hope to see you soon!

booby trappers

2010-01-28T12:35:00.002-06:00

we are now carrying booby trappers! check out the link below! these are made right here in saskatchewan!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqPHoyXPRjE

belly bandit

2010-01-21T14:01:00.002-06:00

kourtney kardashian uses the belly bandit! perfect to shrink the post baby belly!

http://officialkourtneyk.celebuzz.com/2010/01/belly-bandit/

2009 strollers on sale!

2010-01-16T18:46:00.002-06:00

store was hopping today! went in to buy some laundry detergent and i ended up staying to help. love the feel of the store when there are so people everywhere getting excited about new product! definitely a day of car seats and strollers. our 2010 models are starting to arrive so we've got to make room. all 2009 strollers are on sale!! they are going fast so hurry in!

j

buying, buying, buying!

2010-01-14T16:34:00.003-06:00

we shopped up a storm in TO this past weekend- 4 shows in total. it was our busiest show yet. so excited to have picked up some great new lines, just not sure where we're going to put them! never thought this would be a problem so early in our move to our new location. ah, it would be so boring if we didn't have so many projects on the go...just don't think moving is in the cards for us! we'll figure something out i'm sure!

come and visit us in-store to see all our great new products OR

check out our website www.cravingsmaternityandbaby.com OR

visit our online store
www.shopcravings.ca

see you soon!
j

all stocked up

2010-01-05T20:58:00.003-06:00

well, we're starting to get back in to the swing of things after the holidays here at cravings. our stock is being replenished daily! we're on our way to toronto this weekend to start our shopping for this year. we really only get a couple months off- in which time i do enough of my own shopping to more than make up for it! it'll be nice to get away for a few days...even if it's (mostly) all work and no play!

a few updates:
- 2010 peg perego strollers have started to arrive! come in & check out all the great new colors!
- remaining 2009 peg perego strollers are 20% OFF
- paige maternity denim has arrived
- all remaining fall & winter maternity clothing is 25%OFF (hard to believe our spring & summer merchandise starts arriving next month!)

we'd also like to welcome alison & angie to the cravings team and wish jaclyn all the best on her maternity leave!

i think that's it for the updates...off to finish watching the Canada game! have a good night!

j

happy new year

2009-12-31T14:39:00.002-06:00

only a couple of minutes to write before the little one wakes from her nap.

spent an amazing 5 hours at the spa this morning. am rested up and now i'm more in nap mode than party mode (story of my life!). looking forward to the canada game tonight and a few drinks with friends afterwards. will see if i actually make it past midnite this year!

happy new year everyone! all the best in 2010!

j

i did go!

2009-12-28T14:27:00.004-06:00

sorry for the confusion. just wanted to clarify...i DID go shopping on boxing day! my BFF and (shopping) partner in crime said she read my post and was surprised that i didn't go. i did go and i spent way too much money!! i even went shopping yesterday and managed to buy a chair for our bedroom. perry's response was, "do we need a chair for our bedroom?" my response, "no, but i think it's perfect!" I DON'T NEED ANYTHING! i think i should repeat this over and over and over...something has to work!

wasn't able to spend a full day at work. came home to look after the kids while perry goes to the canada game. hoping to make it in tomorrow. still doing paper work from trade shows in october. it never stops! 2010 trade shows start in january so we better get this stuff done before we have our next round of purchase orders to enter in to our system!

someone is pulling on my arm to get me off the computer and watch hannah montana!

gotta run,
j

boxing day

2009-12-26T18:04:00.002-06:00

who was brave enough to face the crowds today? i'm not sure that i've missed a year of boxing day shopping since i was 13 (maybe younger?!). even when i worked boxing day, i managed to scour the stores for the best deals during my break! i did find some really great things that i definitely don't need! the crowds certainly don't scare me...i guess you could say i was born to shop!

tomorrow is another day...another few stores i wouldn't mind hitting that i didn't make it to today. perry & i have "an agreement" over the holidays as he has tickets to ALL the world junior games. i'm sure you know where i'm going with this!

aside from shopping, i have been enjoying season 5 of LOST. i bought it for perry and we're almost done! i think we've watched in 3 nights. so addicting! anyone have a suggestion for the next series we should watch? i've heard dexter is really good.

going to bathe the kids and get them to bed- so i can watch the rest of LOST and rest up for tomorrow's activities!

j

disgraceful

2009-12-23T18:44:00.002-06:00

i feel horrible- haven't written for so long. things have been so busy this holiday season. the store has been hopping, our online store is up & running and we've been filling orders, we had our staff holiday party on saturday night and now all i can think about is how i am going to relax over the holidays.

we don't celebrate xmas so the 25th is always a low key day for us...highlight being an annual "shopping trip" to the 24 hour shoppers on 8th! i did get a gift cetificate for a day at the spa so i am trying to figure out when i can use it (that doesn't conflict with my husband's junior hockey games he has tickets for).

i did want to mention that we are giving away a $50 gift certificate (in-store www.cravingsmaternityandbaby.com or online www.shopcravings.ca) to one of our facebook fan's if we reach our goal of 838 fans by december 31st. help us reach our goal and you will have a chance to win!!

wishing everyone who celebrates, a very merry christmas!! thank you for your business this year!

j

website down temporarily

2009-12-15T18:20:00.003-06:00

wonderful world of computers...our store website seems to be down. sorry for the inconvenience. hoping to get ALL of our computer problems taken care of this week!

in the meantime, you can still check out www.shopcravings.ca for all your maternity & baby needs!

j

interior deign

2009-12-13T14:32:00.003-06:00

check out the interview with atmosphere interior design (saskatoon's leading interior designers) and pics of my house (the black & white one)!

www.meadedesigngroup.blogspot.com

continuing on with the interior decorating of our home, i've just ordered a dining table & buffet...could be 4 months before i receive them as they make their way from italy to saskatoon.

j

www.shopcravings.ca

2009-12-13T11:51:00.002-06:00

www.shopcravings.ca is up and running!

we are experiencing some technical difficulty with our TREATS coupon with mac users...so sorry about that! please just mention the coupon in the comments section when ordering.

we are hoping to get all the bugs fixed this week...thanks for your patience as we perfect out site!

j

SHOP CRAVINGS ONLINE!!

2009-12-10T19:37:00.003-06:00

better late than never! only 8 days overdue...visit our new "baby" online 24/7!

www.shopcravings.ca

use the coupon code "TREATS" for 10%OFF your first online order!

valid until december 31st, 2009

a night off

2009-12-04T22:07:00.005-06:00

i am so tired and can barely keep my eyes open...but i don't want to go to bed because i am enjoying the peace and quiet in my house. i don't often have time to myself so i have to savour every minute! i am seriously so sleep deprived i am forgetting conversations i have had with people. that's usually becca's specialty, not mine! anyway, i am feeling a bit recharged this evening as i have refused to do very much work (it is never 'no work'!).

back to the grind tomorrow and sunday, in hopes of finally having this project completed. we are so ready for this phase to be done. sorry for keeping you in suspense for so long! we hope you're not disappointed!

some exciting developments with our dining room. i think we've decided on a table. perry & i both love it. now we're on to chairs. i think we're going custom. there are a few features i would like in a chair and can't find anything perfect. i can't wait to finally have a dining room!

i am looking at the clock realizing that it is probably in my best interest to go to bed.

have a good weekend!

holiday shopping party!

2009-12-02T19:37:00.003-06:00

i seriously don't feel like i have a minute to write this blog. we have been working around the clock to get this project done that are are hoping to announce VERY SOON! i haven't come out from behind a computer for days...argh!

actually i guess that's not true...becca & i managed to tear ourselves away from the project for 2 1/2 hours last night to enjoy our annual holiday shopping party! we had a blast....line-up started 15 minutes before we opened and we had a wait at the till for an hour at one point! i just about fell over when saw the line go all the way back to the end of store and wrap around. thank you, thank you, thank you to all of our fabulous customers. enjoyed seeing you all again (now that we spend most of our time in the office)!!

have a good night!
j

holiday shopping party!!

2009-11-29T12:49:00.002-06:00

cravings' annual holiday VIP shopping party is this week! it only happens once a year...almost everything in the store is on sale!!!

20% OFF most items!
30% OFF maternity, baby & toddler clothing!
40% OFF select promotional items!
50% OFF clearance items!

2009 peg perego strollers on SALE!
select floor model furniture on SALE!

tuesday, december 1
6:30- 9pm

hopefully you are signed up for our VIP newsletter or are a cravings facebook fan...you get a little something extra in your inbox!

please bring 2 non-perishable food items with you to receive our exclusive VIP discounts that evening!

see you tuesday!
j

3 more days?

2009-11-28T14:35:00.002-06:00

are we going to pull it off? hours and hours and hours of work to do this weekend to try and complete our secret project. it is looking amazing- we are so thrilled so far! now if we can just get everything to go smoothly so we achieve our deadline, that would be fantastic! a long weekend it will be...i'm already tired...or could that be from our cravings gathering last night (ha, ha)!!!

she's back

2009-11-24T13:58:00.002-06:00

between the website, facebook, tweeting and blogging...one always seems to suffer! i am back and more importantly, becca is back from her vacation!! so glad she is rested up...someone needs a fresh brain! it's down to the wire now for the preparation for our new project! this is so out of our realm that it is pretty overwhelming for us! we are confident that you will be as thrilled about it as we are! still hoping for a december 1 completion date...that's only 1 week from today!!

aside from that, i've been diligent going to the gym and am already starting to feel stronger. i've started reading fitness books and magazines again to find some find some additional motivation. i do, however, already feel like it's part of the routine for me. it's a little tricky to find time some weeks with our hectic schedules, but i seem to be managing to get the work outs in. very happy about that!

on the home front, i am just waiting to get quotes back on some custom dining tables. i think i know what i want so it's just a matter of figuring out the price my husband wants! once we have that picked, we'll take a look at chairs. i am super excited to get this room completed. it will definitely have a huge impact on our main floor overall.

that's it, that's all. just work, work, work! oh ya, we are still looking for people to fill part-time & full-time positions at our store. if you, or someone you know, is interested, please drop off a resume! we're looking to fill these positions soon as we lose jaclyn to maternity leave in january!

j

2009-11-19T20:46:00.002-06:00

it's been awhile so i thought i would give you a quick rundown of what's been happening. H1N1 hit us at the store but thankfully it has only infected 2 of us. nicole, our manager, has been off for a week and a half with her her illness and both her kids caught it too. our book-keeper heather has been off as well and her eldest has also been sick. hopefully this will be for illnesses. still using the hand sanitizer every 30 seconds! nicole should be back tomorrow so things should return to normal soon! becca has also been away in mexico for her brother's wedding. she's back this weekend...so looking forward to having her back!! it's strange not to have the person you talk to 3000 times a day around! the store has been super busy this week too...always happens when you're short staffed!

i was actually also away for 3 days. flew to seattle with a girlfriend from high school. we went to visit another friend who just moved there with her husband. we had an absolutely amazing weekend of shopping, eating, drinking and chatting. i can't believe it had been 7 years since we were together without kids! picked up right where we left off!!

aside from that, i have been working hard on our secret project. i am keeping my fingers crossed that we can meet our deadline of december 1st! there is still so much to do, but really we always seem to get it done! have i mentioned how much i am looking forward to having becca back?!

i wanted to mention again that cravings is hiring! we're looking for full time and part time positions. if you, or someone you know, might be interested, please drop off a resume to nicole!

anyway, my plan is (was) to sit and NOT WORK tonight...so i'm off!

j

we're hiring!

2009-11-17T16:11:00.001-06:00

cravings is looking for you to join our award winning team! part-time & full time positions available! please drop off a resume to nicole.

facebook fan page

2009-11-16T19:33:00.003-06:00

have you signed up to be a fan of our facebook page? please do! we will be sending out coupons exclusive to our fans!

stay tuned for the reveal of our latest project...only 2 more weeks...i hope!

darn flu

2009-11-10T19:11:00.004-06:00

call me paranoid, but they are saying 1 in 3 people are going to get H1N1 in varying degrees. my daycare provider now has pneumonia (stemming from the flu). they are not sure when she will be well enough to start up again. i feel so bad for her. i am scrambling to try and make things work. we have a training session thursday afternoon and i while i thought the kids had somewhere to go- it might not be "flu free". where do you run? i am also supposed to be going to seattle this weekend with a couple girlfriends and only today found out that perry could get his shift covered. so, looks like i am ok to go...as long as i don't come down with anything in the meantime. would sure suck to get sick in the US.

our manager's eldest has the flu now so she's been at home, becca is away in mexico next week, i don't have child care...the store might have to close at the rate that people are getting infected! AHHHHH!!!

ok, enough...i am getting ready to go the germ infested gym!!!

stay well,
j

so tired

2009-11-07T20:27:00.004-06:00

i am completely exhausted right now. went in to work last night and ended up getting everything accomplished...but was up WAY TOO LATE!!! 7 hours later...anyway, felt good to get some things checked off the list- especially now because i don't have child care. unfortunately our day care provider has come down with the flu, which they believe to be H1N1 after she made a visit to the hospital last night. she is just awful and i feel so bad for her. she never gets sick. not one sick day in the 4 years i have been going to her. she is really rough and won't likely be back to work for another week. i just pray that my girls don't get it.

today was also a busy day. met with atmosphere interior design about our dining room this morning. we have to pick a table. this will help set the direction for chairs and wallpaper, etc. perry and i are disagreeing, but i think i've come up with a solution...custom made...go figure! they are going to get us a quote, but this way i will get a unique table that we both like. it was a good meeting...always nice to see curtis & trevor and catch up.

after our meeting, perry & the girls met me downtown. layla is horrible to take out now. it's that age. we shopped for a total of 20 minutes, ate in 10 minutes at the food court and went home...boy that was fun!

got her home for a nap and i went to the gym. i'm already feeling great about things. familiarizing myself with the equipment, feeling good about the work outs. i just feel like i appreciate the 1 hour i am taking to work out so much more than i did before kids. i better make it worth my while if i am going to take my (very limited) "me" time at the gym. i actually surprise myself that i can still lift a bit of weight. definitely not at the level i was when i first started working out about 12 years ago, which surprised me. i thought i would have to start all over again. i was assessed too. got to see how much weight is muscle vs. fat, etc. this gives me a good idea where i need to focus my attention. it was a real eye opener.

after the gym, i came home and got ready to head out to get my hair done. it was about time! i still need to color it, but at least it's cut now! i almost fell asleep in the chair. drained from lack of sleep, lots of activity and working out...and probably from being able to sit and do nothing for an entire hour...when does that ever happen?

tomorrow i am going to check out overhead storage. yes, i am admitting that we are already running out of space in our new space. becca, if you are reading this, please don't leave me...it could be worse...we could have too much space and not a need for all our product!!

i think i am going to settle in for some tv i pvr'd over the week...if i can keep my eyes open long enough!

have a good weekend,
j

carseat season!

2009-11-05T11:18:00.011-06:00

i didn't think there was such thing as carseat season, but apparently there is. and this is it! over the past couple weeks, we have had sooooo many customers inquiring...and purchasing carseats & boosters!! maybe it's in preparation for the bad driving conditions we are sure to have in the near future here in saskatchewan - some sort of parental protective instinct?!?! not sure, but very interesting!!

come check out our fantastic selection of the cutest, comfortable and super safe carseats for infants, toddlers & kids - newborn to boosters!

immunizations

2009-11-03T21:26:00.004-06:00

took the girls to get their immunizations today. i felt like such an inadequate mother at pre-school this morning when 3/4 of the parents drove to smaller centres yesterday to get their kids immunized so they wouldn't have to stand in line today. we had plans to take them thursday but the panic set in when i heard there were lines that required parents and kids to stand outside for 2 hours or more. RIDICULOUS!! perry got a tip from a resident this afternoon- his wife took their kids to a mobile immunization station and the line was only 5 minutes. so perry gets home from work and we head over there. super excited because there were only 2 other groups of people ahead of us....then a woman came over to us and asked us where we lived...WHAT? SERIOUSLY? i told her and she said we were not permitted to get the girls immunized there and we had to go to prairiland park. I WAS SO ANGRY!! we decided to head right over there and it turned out we didn't have to wait in line anyway and the first of the two shots is done.

rushed to feed the girls and get ryan off to swimming lessons, but it all worked out. bath & bed for both and now i am settling in for the biggest loser...finally i can feel good about getting my butt off the couch this week while i am watching the episode!

have a good night!
j

i'm committed!

2009-11-01T20:58:00.002-06:00

i got the gym membership. i have made the commitment now for one year and i'm really excited! now i just have to try and organize my life so i can make the membership worth it! i can't wait to get assessed so i can set some concrete goals and have something to attain. i love a challenge!

working hard on our project this week, amongst everything else. paperwork is still plentiful as we receive boxes and boxes of clothing, toys and more toys for the holiday season!! did you see the train set we have assembled in the store? it's been a hit with all the kids...kinda hard to get them out of the store sometimes! we have something for everyone, including doll houses for the little princess. holiday gifts will be arriving for the next few weeks so make sure to come by and check us out!

anyway, off to watch desperate housewives and brothers & sisters!

have a good night!
j

back to the gym...

2009-10-30T19:55:00.003-06:00

i did make it to the gym yesterday and it felt great! new environment but it wasn't so intimidating at all. i was actually surprised that i was able to do as much as i did. i'm ready to get a membership and commit to this. i think i'm going to sign up for personal training sessions as well so i can get assessed and get put on a training program. they have this crazy machine that measures body fat, etc...so curious!

anyway, am going to try and get there again tomorrow if i can manage a 1 hr break from the kids!

have a happy halloween tomorrow!
j

today's the day

2009-10-29T16:27:00.004-06:00

is today the day? if all goes well and my friend, heather, doesn't bail on me...i'm going to the gym! it has been almost 5 years since i worked out and i have been dying to get back at it...but have never found the motivation to actually get my butt there. i am super excited though. even bought a new lulu outfit (ha, ha, any excuse i can get!). i'm so excited to feel healthy again. wish me luck!

j

you're gonna love our new radio ads!

2009-10-29T13:48:00.003-06:00

i just got back from C95. for the past couple years, i have been the voice of cravings (jordana is the face)! at first i was really nervous to voice our ads! now i must be a real pro because i'm not scared to do it at all. when i'm in my groove, i can usually do the ads in a couple takes. once in while it takes me soooo many times to get it right though! today i had to voice 5 new radio ads, which will air over the next few months! luckily i was able to do them right the first couple times (or i would have been there for a long time - i've never had to do 5 at once before)! since our move in february, we have been using the rhyming fairytale theme for all of our radio advertising - written by the amazing allison at rawlco! they are all super cute and creative! for our big announcement, coming up in december, we are going with a completely different theme - you're gonna love it. and i think it will definately get everyone's attention! the new style ad will air december 1st - in conjuction with our exciting announcement!! stay tuned...

r.

lou lou magazine

2009-10-28T16:36:00.003-06:00

thought i would write while i am work today. have been on the computer for hours so what's a few more minutes. exciting news- lou lou magazine stopped by and interviewed me. the gal said she is hoping her team will include a maternity & baby boutique in an upcmoning issue. that would be fantastic if we make the cut! very exciting!

worked hard on our secret project today...although not so secret as i hear my husband has been telling the inquiring minds! anyway, we are excited to share with everyone soon. things are moving along! can't believe it's almost november, which means we have about 4 weeks left to get everything together...which i know we can do!

a few new products have arrived this week- car seat and stroller covers from 7am Enfant, Wonder Bumpers crib bedding, Kushies layette and the Phil & Teds Vibe cushy ride. can't wait to add the pink cushy ride to my black stroller...afterall, my girls LOVE pink!

candy

2009-10-26T20:28:00.004-06:00

k, my 4 year old just caught me sneaking candy! what's wrong with that picture?! my entire plan all day was to go the gym and try it out...get used to the gym environment again. well, at 4pm, i realized i had pre-school toy cleaning. unfortunately part of me was actually excited that i had an excuse not to go...not a good sign, i know! so, instead of going to the gym, i am eating candy?! i just think i really need someone to go with the first time. once i get started, i know i'll be ok (or i hope i will!). i went to the gym 5-6 days per week at 5am pre-ryan. i ate so healthy and felt great. i don't eat horribly now, but i was so strict before. at my peak, my body fat percentage was 9.89%...crazy, i know. i definitely don't want to go too crazy like that again, but i do want to be a healthier person...and i did lift some heavy weights (for those of you that think i'm a wimp!). anyway, tomorrow is a new day...i will plan for the gym tomorrow!

anyway, i'm back from toy cleaning and i'm going to curl up on the couch and watch some tv (with my bowl of candy!).

have a good one,
j

long day

2009-10-25T20:12:00.003-06:00

whew...what a day. seemed to last forever. layla woke up sick today and had hives all over her body. here we go again. she always seems to pick up what's going around. ryan is so different. she rarely gets sick. poor little one was miserable today. i managed to get out for a couple of hours to go down town which was a nice break. i finally got them to bed and now i'm watching desperate housewives. love sunday night tv.

so, i'm thinking i am going to use the free passes i got from world gym. i so want to get back to the gym. i know how good i will feel when i do...it's just the commitment and the amount of money that goes along with it. it's definitely not inexpensive to sign-up and i have to commit to a year. i just need to get my mind set to get off my butt and do it...maybe tomorrow will be the day.

i'm hoping layla feels better tomorrow so i can go to work...already sending myself email reminders so i make sure i get through the to-do list!

have a good night!
j

busy day

2009-10-23T21:13:00.002-06:00

it was appointment after appointment today for becca & me. it started out first thing this morning. i rushed around to get the kids to dayare and then went back to our house to meet curtis & trevor of atmosphere interior design www.atmosphereinteriordesign.net . had a dining room cunsult...officially my new project! can't wait to see what ideas they come up with. they are always better than i could possibly imagine! so excited to get this started. will keep you posted! hey, forgot to mention our kitchen is the ones used in the yellow page ad this year...check it out!!

ran back to the store to pick becca up and then we unfortunately had a funeral to attend. grabbed lunch on the way back to the store...had a meeting regarding our new project. we are pretty much on schedule for a december 1 launch!!

right after that meeting, we headed to the circle at centre & eigth mall (is that what you call it? when i lived here about 20 years ago, it was called circle park mall...much easier to remember!). anyway, the C95 radio marathon for breast cancer was live at the mall. cravings' goal was $2000 this year and we are almost there! we are still collecting donations until the end of the month, so please stop by!

ran back to the store (well, after checking out a few things at the mall!) to try and get more of this project done...and that was the day. oh, forgot about picking up dinner because we forgot to figure it out last night, rushing home, feeding the kids, bathing the little one, putting her to bed, sending perry & ryan to the synagogue for a celebration and finally spending a solid 2 hours on our employee hand book!!! who knew that we would grow big enough to need a handbook?! it's all good!

having a glass of wine and will finish off the night by tweeting and checking out facebook!

good night!
j

C95 radio marathon for breast cancer research

2009-10-22T10:01:00.003-06:00

really should be getting ready for the day, but am actually enjoying my second cup of coffee in my pyjamas. perry took ryan to pre-school this morning and layla is down for nap #1. it's crazy how much i appreciate a little help! i think i'm going to try and take them for lunch. we'll see if i actually get a chance to eat or if layla decides she doesn't want to sit in the high chair!

hey, becca and i will be at the C95 radio marathon for breast cancer at circle centre mall tomorrow to announce our donation total. listen for us at 3:30 or better yet, come on down and make a donation! we are still accepting donations at the store as well!

busy day scheduled for tomorrow...follow-up meeting about the new project...moving right along!!

have a great day!
j

work, work, work

2009-10-20T16:52:00.002-06:00

ha, ha, becca...nice post! enjoy your chili!

just a quick one as i begin to start dinner prep. ryan has swimming tonight and then perry has invited a colleague and his wife over to see our home- they are thinking about building. i find it nearly impossible to keep our place clean. i am looking at the mess trying to figure out how i'm going to get it presentable in the 15 minutes i will have between the kids going to bed and the company arriving. am feeling quite guilty right now as i really feel like i should be going to work. we have so much on the go right now. i think i placed 15 orders yesterday and there are many more that need to get done. paperwork has mounted as thousands and dollars of merchandise arrives. also, can't forget the new project. because becca and i enjoy immediate gratification, we are trying to accomplish this in record time. it is so much work. so......REALLY feel like i should be going in instead of entertaining...just have to remind myself about having a balanced life. oh, and where the heck am i supposed to fit exercise in? i really want to get back at it...sigh...

anyway, off to get dinner ready before ryan & perry take off for swimming...and i'll be back at work tomorrow (and probably all night after company leaves!)

j

chili tonight

2009-10-20T16:02:00.002-06:00

what is it about this weather makes me want to make and eat comfort food? tonight's pick - chili. my mother-in-law gave me her famous recipe. (i have modified it a bit - ground turkey instead of beef). it is so tasty, hearty and comforting on a cold gloomy evening! i usually make a huge pot so that we have left-overs for a couple meals - it actually tastes better reheated!! the only down side to lots of beans, meat, spices, garlic & onions - farting boys! our house may be smelly for the next few days - a small price to pay for some delicious home cooking! oh well.

product review

2009-10-17T15:00:00.009-06:00

saturday already. what a beautiful day outside today. stopped by the store to find out that even though we got a HUGE shipment of stonz in on friday, we need more! if you have have never heard of stonz, they are truly amazing!

- designed with a wide opening to slip on easily over bare feet, socks, sleepers, shoes or the Linerz.

- have a durable coated nylon that is water and wind resistant to keep babies feet warm and dry.

- have two toggles at the calf and ankle for a custom fit and ensuring the booties stay on.

- Linerz that can be worn inside booties for extra warmth

- matching Mittz now available

Just purchased Girl Gotch for my 4 1/2 yo. I LOVE THEM!!! Cravings carries the brief- inspired by the original ”tighty whitey“, they have taken the style and made it to be all girl. They feature a one inch covered elastic waistband and material binding around the legs. The best thing is that they are super comfy and they don't ride!

Also just tried out the Buncha Farmers stain remover and it worked so well! 2 day old fushia pink icing from kids b-day party...out in seconds!

- All natural stain remover
- Made with all-natural, biodegradable ingredients, and enhanced with borax to soften the water and aid in the cleaning process
- No artificial dyes or perfumes

off to bed

2009-10-14T21:36:00.002-06:00

i'm looking at the clock trying to convince myself i should get to bed. i felt really crappy today. went home for a couple of hours and returned to work after i felt a little better. not sure what that was all about, but i'm still not feeling 100%. there really is no time to be sick!

been working hard on our new project. i know i keep saying that, but the more we get it to it, the more i realize really how much work this is going to be! we have set a december 1 deadline for ourselves and the rest of our team...keeping my fingers crossed that this is realistic. when it comes down to it, becca and i always get things done. it's just a bit overwhelming right now!

can't wait to share!

ok, going to bed. i am the snack parent at pre-school tomorrow so i have to feel better!

good night
j

happy thanksgiving!

2009-10-12T13:45:00.002-06:00

just enjoying a bit of alone time here at cravings. we are closed today, and thought i could get a few things caught up - without interruption! steven took the boys to the fun factory so they could burn off a bit of excess energy ... and let me have a little break - i am thankful for that! i am also thankful for so many other things - healthy kids, a loving husband, a great family, wonderful friends, an amazing business partner, a successful business ... etc., etc.

thank you, thank you, thank you!!

hope you are enjoying this thanksgiving weekend with family, friends & food - my three favorite "F"s!!

happy thanksgiving

2009-10-11T11:09:00.003-06:00

love, love, love having my parents visit. perry and i were able to go out for dinner last night and didn't have to spend a fortune on a babysitter. it is so rare that we go out without the kids! i think the girls are going to go through withdrawal when they leave!!

woke up this morning to make a big pancake breakfast for everyone. it is one meal i know my kids will eat. did the dishes and then started on the turkey prep. this is only the second turkey i have ever made and it was so long ago that i made the first one, i don't even remember doing it! glad to have my mom around to assist. perry has decided to make a homemade chicken soup as well so it'll be a fun filled day of washing dishes! i think i've got 8 dishes planned so wish me luck- i will need it!

happy thanksgiving to you & your families!

j

new project

2009-10-09T19:37:00.003-06:00

friday night. sitting by the fire with a glass of red, visiting with my parents. this is it for work for me today. i have spent hours and hours working on our new project...made it my goal to get one big piece of it completed today and i did! handed all the information over to allison and i think i'm free & clear from working on it this weekend. i even took my first night off last night. went for drinks, a movie, and then coffee with a good friend and a few of her friends. i had a great time. a MUCH needed break after working every day for the last 2 weeks. i am definitely ready to relax!

have a great long weekend. just a reminder that we are closed monday!

...and my day of working is now over!

have a good one,
j

halloween

2009-10-09T15:23:00.006-06:00

a few days ago we got the cutest baby halloween costumes at cravings...very anne geddes-ish! i picked up the monkey costume for my little monkey, adam! adam tried on his lil monkey today, and loved it! he looks sooo cute in it and will sure to be a hit while trick or treating!! these costumes are adorable and so cozy & soft - perfect for a really cold night! we still have a few left - monkey, bumble bee, lion.

it is hard to believe that we had 30 degree weather just a few weeks ago! i was really discouraged this morning when i had to scrape ice and snow off my van windows!

this month, shop at cravings...and support a great cause!!

2009-10-07T09:12:00.004-06:00

for the 4th consecutive year, cravings maternity & baby will be participating in the c95 radio marathon for breast cancer research! once again, for the entire month of october, a portion of every single sale will be donated to this amazing fundraiser! and just like last year, you can make a donation in-store.

this year's C95 radio marathon is october 22 & 23 at the centre. rob, shauna and rambling dave & the C95 team will be broadcasting live, raising money for the C95 radio marathon for breast cancer research. the money raised stays in saskatchewan and goes directly towards funding numerous research projects. every year about 640 saskatchewan women are diagnosed with breast cancer- it’s one of the most common forms of cancer, and very treatable if detected early.

to date, the radio marathon has helped raise well over a million dollars! thank you so much for your generous support again this year!!

shop at cravings...support a great cause...guilt free spending :)

http://www.lisarendall.com/

all stocked up!!

2009-10-05T20:21:00.006-06:00

just received huge shipments of baby bjorn, trunki (kids ride-on luggage) , jj cole, go-go babyz (car seat travel bags and car seat pulleys) AND much more!! check out these great links to see all the great new stuff!!

http://www.gogobabyz.com/

http://www.trunki.co.uk/

where has the week gone?

2009-10-01T15:35:00.002-06:00

is it seriously thursday already? what a busy week. have been at the store so much as becca is away for another week or so. going back in tonight and then i've got tot pack for our buying show in edmonton. nicole (our manager) is coming with me. should be a nice time away. i lived in edmonton for 4 years while perry went to the u of a, so it's kinda nice to go back and visit the city. another weekend of shopping for me...and then this is it!

just spoke to the store and i guess it's been super busy today. who knew? it's so cold and rainy outside. i definitely don't feel like shopping with the kids, but thank goodness not everyone thinks like me! have a HUGE to-do list so hopefully lindsay and i will be able to scratch a couple items off tonight!

word is that we got a huge shipment of britax car seats, baby bjorn and noppies...the shipments keep piling in! the girls will have many calls to make to people waiting for these items!

secret project is going well! next meeting is wednesday and then we'll have some realistic time frames! hoping to announce soon!

have a great evening!
j

fall

2009-09-27T09:43:00.003-06:00

good morning,

had a pancake breakfast and perry & the girls are now grocery shopping. ahhhh, a moment of silence! a few minutes to write!!

went to the store yesterday after my big trip to costco. the store was SOOO busy. i truly love the vibe of our store when you walk in and there are so many people you have difficulty counting. i love seeing our sales gals running around trying to get to everyone to help them find what they need (or want!). i know our staff love it too!

fall is settling in and we see more and more people getting ready for the cooler weather we know is going to come. i can't believe we're already stocking up for the x-mas season...can't wait to set up the new toy displays!! ph yes, i almost forgot about hallowe'en...we have the cutest baby costumes that should be arriving within the next week or so!!!

i think i hear the garage door opening...guess i missed my opportunity for a shower without interruption!

have a great day!
j

quick update

2009-09-26T10:39:00.003-06:00

still not feeling so hot, but it's still morning and by the afternoon yesterday i was feeling much better. perry is on call today so that means it's just me and the girls. going to head to costco this afternoon for our bug outting! now that fall is coming i feel as though i need to fill my freezer...strange, i know!

had a great night last night at the simpson's. it was noah's 6th birthday. kids birthday party isn't for a couple of weeks but glad we could celebrate with the family last night on the actual day. can't believe noah is already. he was just 2 years old when becca and i started planning cravings!

had a great meeting with the technical brains behind our new project yesterday. becca and i are really excited to launch this new phase of cravings. we've got lots of people working hard to make it happen. our launch date of december might actually be realistic!!

have you been in cravings lately? we have so much great stock right now! i am seriously IN LOVE with the noppies line NB-4T right now and up to 6T next season! we do have 6T in MEXX and Blu right now! i have picked up so many cute outfits for the girls this season! our new Corky and Company coats for girls are absolutely to die for!

anyway, guess i had better shower and get ready for the day!

have a good one,

i'm not sick

2009-09-24T20:27:00.002-06:00

i'm not getting sick, i'm not getting sick, i'm not getting sick...if i say it enough, will i feel better in the morning? i woke up with a super sore throat this morning and i got worse as the day progressed. i have NO TIME to be sick!! i just sent myself a note of a dozen things i want to get done at the store tomorrow...on top of the usual ordering and paperwork...we'll see how i feel in the morning...

was helper parent at ryan's pre-school today. all the kids were asked to fill out a family page for their memory books. when asked what our family enjoys, ryan replied "going to the mall, starbucks & winners"...i am still laughing! kids are too cute!

just got off the phone with becca, talking about our to-do's for tomorrow...i am now heading to bed so i have the energy to tackle our list!

j

happy birthday perry!

2009-09-22T10:47:00.003-06:00

just finished some weeding outside while layla is napping and ryan is at pre-school. supposed to be 30 degrees today...so wishing the spray parks were still open. we actually have to run out and buy a little something for perry's birthday- which is today. he's getting some road bike gear with a gift certificate, but i want to get him a little something to open as well. hopefully we have some success finding something.

going to fuddruckers for his b-day dinner with the simpsons. hopefully layla cooperates so we can spend more than 10 minutes wolfing down our food! she's at that age where she doesn't want to sit still and being tied down makes her mad! she actually took 7 steps last night after i bribed her with an oreo cookie ice cream sandwich! the girl just doesn't want to walk and she's 14 months already.

new cravings project is underway. have our crew of people tackling things and we're hoping for a december or january launch. so excited for the new phase of cravings!! it was this time last year that we were solidifying the deal on our current space. can't believe it's been a year already (and can't believe we've managed to fill up 3000sq ft of space with product!). we just keep growing and growing!

enjoy the sunshine!
j

merchandise arriving by the truck loads!

2009-09-21T17:03:00.003-06:00

busy day at the store today! the fall & winter merchandise just keeps pouring in! we also received our belly bandits for those of you who have been waiting!! have you seen the new Robeez booties? i have my eye on 2 pair for layla...they are TOO CUTE!!!

our replenishment of maclaren and uppa baby strollers should be in this week too. we just can't keep those strollers in stock!

fall & winter merchandise arriving now!

2009-09-19T10:45:00.005-06:00

just put layla down for her nap and i thought i would write quickly before i shower and get ready for the day.

big plans for the weekend? can't believe it's 30 degrees outside! i wonder if the store will be busy today or if everyone will be outside enjoying the sunshine? despite the fact that we are FINALLY enjoying some summer weather, we have been receiving boxes & boxes of fall and winter goods! we have amazing winter coats, toques and scarves from MEXX, Noppies and Appaman. We have also received our super popular Stonz booties. you can even purchase liners to winterize them now and they have matching mitts with the same innovative design! they have already been selling like crazy!

well, i guess i had better shower...it's already almost 11am. i love weekends and not having to rush around :)

have a good one,
j

SALE!!!

2009-09-17T20:13:00.004-06:00

we are passing some savings on to you!

britax boulevard CS in cowmooflage print is now on SALE!

buy 1, get 1 free summer baby & toddler clothing & shoes!

at least 50% OFF summer maternity clothing....some pieces are as low as $15!

remaining stock of Gdiapers now 50% OFF!

back from vegas

2009-09-16T22:34:00.002-06:00

back from vegas all shopped out...did i just say that? bought some great stuff for the store and for ourselves. i think we shopped for 14 hours straight one day and i have the hugest blisters to prove it! anyway, we had a great time even though it was completely exhausting!

lots of strategizing today. getting to work on some great new projects! had a very productive staff meeting tonight as well. some new faces at cravings- welcome to jaclyn and krystal!

off to catch up on some tv i missed while we were away. so nice to sit and do NOTHING!

j

ABEX FINALIST!!!!

2009-09-11T13:31:00.003-06:00

so proud to announce that we are a finalist for the 2009 ABEX provincial award for marketing!!! awards gala is on october!!

off to vegas tomorrow morning...looking forward to doing some shopping for the store (and myself!)

j

vegas

2009-09-09T18:53:00.002-06:00

getting ready for las vegas this weekend! 3 more sleeps! so excited to get away for a few days, although i know it'll be hard work as well! have a few stats to run and reports to print off before the show so we can see what we need!

i'm really tired tonight. didn't come out from behind the computer screen for more than 15 minutes at a time today. working hard on getting our new orders in to our retail system and also working on our new project! yes, becca and i are starting yet another project. when it seems like things are slowing down, we need to get it going again...that's what we do best! not revealing what our next big project is, but we are hoping to unveil it in december. keeping my fingers crossed that this is a possibility!

aside from that, ryan started pre-school this week. she LOVES which is so nice! she loves being a "big girl", dressing up, getting her hair done, pretending to put make-up on. a real girly-girl. layla seems to be following her lead as well. she is obsessed with jewelry and barettes in her hair! so cute!

anyway, i am supposed to be cleaning the kitchen while perry is picking up our new camera! better go before i get caught...not to mention that i am seeing double from staring at a monitor all day!

have a good night
j

video

2009-09-04T20:43:00.002-06:00

very informative...check out the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMUlY1F1JBQ

britax is available at cravings maternity & baby

www.cravingsmaternityandbaby.com

j

one busy week

2009-09-03T19:22:00.002-06:00

just waiting for perry to get home so i can run out to the pre-school meeting. ryan starts her second year of pre-school next week. she is so excited and asks every day when school starts. thanks goodness perry was able to get someone to cover his shift for an hour so i could go without kids this year. last year i had both of them. layla was 6 weeks old and screamed the entire time. this year i can go by myself and actually listen!

this week has been crazy busy. i feel like i've hit a wall. inventory monday night, trade show and dinner with doug & loretta (of fulton sales), wednesday at the trade show and out for dinner with jeff swartz and his gang (another vendor). had lots of fun, but too many late nights and now i am paying for it. back to work tomorrow and then i plan to relax this weekend.

count down now until the big trade show in las vegas. can't wait to go but know it's going to be a crazy busy 3 days.

if you haven't stopped in the store lately, we have received so much amazing fall & winter merchandise...maternity, baby & toddler. all new diaper bags have arrived and so much more!

hope to see you soon!
j

buying show

2009-09-01T16:41:00.002-06:00

getting ready to head to the midwest market. we have a 6:30 appointment with doug & loretta. they are such sweet people. take us out for dinner when we go to vancouver, are bringing in dinner for us tonight while we order up a storm for next spring/summer. they also have the best coffee so i keep going back for refills! we usually end up spending a few hours with them so it'll be nice that this is our only appointment of the evening.

we have the buying show all day tomorrow too. it'll be much busier with appointments back to back all day. it is definitely one of my favorite things to do for the business. i love seeing what's new for the next season and all the great new products on the market for moms and babes.

anyway, i better start getting ready or i'll never get out of the house!

j

oh, forgot to mention that inventory went SOOOO well last night. they did it in 2 hours...can't believe it!!

winding down, winding up

2009-08-30T21:10:00.003-06:00

just catching up on canada's next top model and enjoying a glass of wine. winding down from a busy weekend. my parents came in which was awesome. even though they are a huge help, the girls (mostly ryan) seem to have an extraordinary amount of energy...i'm tired! looking forward to being back at work tomorrow...even if it will be chaotic.

tomorrow is inventory night. starts when we close tomorrow night. the company thinks it will only take about 3 hours but i honestly can't see how that can be done. i guess it will depend on how many people they bring with their team. whatever the case, i am happy to NOT be counting! we also have a trade show starting tomorrow, however i doubt that we will get a chance to check it out until tuesday. we'll see how it goes. the next little while is going to be very busy!

things are finally looking like they are coming to a close with the landscaping. the fence is being finished tomorrow and i think the last of the planting is going to be completed tomorrow as well. the only thing left is the lighting. they have been ordered, but it's going to be another 3-4 weeks until they arrive. i'm super excited! check out the lighting that is going down the stone staircase

i think that's it for tonight. gotta shower cuz that just doesn't happen with 2 kids in the morning!

have a good night!
j

where has the week gone?

2009-08-27T20:47:00.003-06:00

is it seriously friday tomorrow? it has been such a busy week at the store. we hired another great employee, have done a bunch of prep for inventory on monday and the sales floor has been hopping...love it! we had a great night out with the cravings gals on tuesday night. i think we stayed out for 5 hours just chatting. i love that becca & i have found such a great group of people that we enjoy spending time with! was also out last night for an overdue birthday dinner with 2 great friends. only downside was waking up this morning so tired from 2 late nights and feeling blah from eating out so much. it made me remember how i used to feel when i would be on the road for 2 weeks at a time with my previous job. eating out all the time can sure get to you. i enjoy not having to cook but hate how it makes me feel.

working tomorrow and then my parents are coming in for the weekend! super excited to have them around. perry is off to a wedding in laurentians so it'll be nice to have another set of hands around here.

so tired- off to bed!

j

long day

2009-08-24T20:56:00.003-06:00

was such an exhausting weekend and it didn't help that we had some computer glitches today. my brain is fried. i feel like i need vacation and i know that the next few weeks will be far from that! maybe i am anticipating all the work ahead.

on a bright note, i bought the boots today! went back and tried them on again and it took me less than 1 minute to get them on and off...much improved from my first few attempts...who knew trying on boots could be a sport! so happy with them and they will look great with my new grey skinny jeans (couldn't find faded ones)!

have the day off tomorrow, but have an eye appointments & dentist appointment and i really need to get down to the passport office. so many things to get checked off my list. we will definitely need passports if we are going away this winter. i have decided we really need to...i'm just not sure where to go that is kid friendly. please, if you have any great suggestions, pass them along!

off to sit and do NOTHING for awhile!

have a good night,
j

shopping

2009-08-23T10:01:00.004-06:00

chaos in the house! perry's brother and our niece are here from toronto this weekend and it's been non-stop go, go, go! just when i've finished cleaning up from a meal, i am thinking of starting the next one! this morning menu included daisy shaped pancakes (coincidentally our cravings logo!), hashbrowns, bagels & lox, fruit, etc, etc. i am full and am hoping the kids (including the big kids) won't be hungry for lunch. tonight is dinner a la fuddruckers!

so, i went boot shopping yesterday. i really needed my BFF and shopping partner from calgary yesterday. i just couldn't decide. i went to 2 higher-end independent shoe retailers yesterday...have to support the small businesses in saskatoon :) anyway, was disappointed with the first store because of their lack of selection. didn't have much in my size but i did find one boot i could special order in which was great. went to the next store and i have to tell you...the customer service has steppedd up a notch. i was completely blown away. not sure if it's because there is more competition in saskatoon now? i guess there could be a number of reasons, but i did get great service. i fell in LOVE with a pair of boots...only one small problem...it took me half an hour to get them on & off. now i know i am pretty much the last person you would call "practical", but with 2 children....i can't spend 15 minutes getting my boots off :( i guess this has been a problem for most trying them on. so i came home and went on the internet...problem solved...apparently they break in and this tug-of-war will end! going back to get the boots on monday :) i even dreamt about them last night!! that's when you know you NEED the boots. my b-i-l says that when you know you are CRAZY...i totally disagree!

anyway, i have now decided that i need a new pair of faded skinny jeans...my mission for today!

j

around the house

2009-08-21T20:47:00.003-06:00

seems like we can't get a project finished around our house...finally got the front step tiled and now i noticed that the grout kinda bubbled in a few places. gotta call the guy back. our yard is still not finished...don't even want to discuss that! our 2 week project turned 3 months in a blink of an eye. it's looking great, the workmanship is superb, but it is taking forever! perry is outside building our shed right now so we can get all our "junk" out of the garage. can't wait to be able to open my car doors properly again! we decided that the play structure he put together last week could wait on all it's aesthetic additions so we can get the shed completed.

we have company coming- my BIL and my niece from toronto- this weekend. i'm hoping to get out for a bit. i am dying to do a bit of boot shopping. we'll see what plans perry has. layla isn't such a great shopper these days so i'm thinking she's out for the boot shopping!

aside from that, plan to relax this weekend. still can't shake this cold. busy week ahead so i need to be clear headed! count down to inventory...yay! can't wait for it to be over :)

have a great night

our to-do list

2009-08-20T10:35:00.003-06:00

can't believe the sun is actually shining today. apparently we are going to be getting a few nice days of weather...we'll see...i'm already in fall mode so i guess a few nice days will just be bonus now.

so much going on at the store these days. our to do list is growing by the minute. our year-end inventory is coming up and there is so much to do to prepare for that. it will be nice when that is over. we have a trade show in saskatoon the same week as inventory and then becca and i head to vegas for the ABC show. i'm so NOT complaining about that. i actually can't wait. we are far more efficient at spending thousands of dollars in a limited amount of time (ha!) so i'm hoping we'll have some time for shopping and maybe even the pool. we have lots of other projects underway as well. our new gift cards should be ready soon...along with our custom gift card wrapping. can't wait to see how everything turns out!

anyway, i am exhausted just thinking of everything that needs to be done!

have a great day!
j

quick edmonton trip

2009-08-18T10:10:00.003-06:00

not surprising at all that i would get sick after the busy schedule i've had lately. i'm actually feeling a little better today- yesterday was the worst and we had a super busy day at the alberta gift show in edmonton. we shopped the entire day, found lots of great new products for the store (and ourselves!) and flew back last night.

the hour flight to edmonton was just enough time for becca and i to think up a dozen more things to add to our "to do" list. lots of things to accomplish in the next little while, including one big project that we're hoping to get started right away. stay tuned for details!!

off to get cup of coffee #3!

j

chaos

2009-08-15T21:23:00.002-06:00

i'm back...at least i hope so! the last week has been chaotic and it ended with a bbq that i was intending to have outside for 30+ people...it ended up being inside as the rain started to come down while the guests arrive. it was an extremely challenging day trying to cook 7 dishes, appetizers, stock a bar, etc with 2 kids right beside me begging for attention. i typically wouldn't do this on a day perry is at work but literally it was the only day left this "summer" that we could manage it. it ended up being a great evening...my house still shows evidence of the fun. that will be tomorrow's project!

becca and i are off to the alberta gift show tomorrow. it's going to be a crazy trip. wish we could have planned to be away for 2 days, but it's just too difficult with perry's schedule and not having family around. we've managed to plan out our vegas trade how/trip well so i'm hoping to get in some serious shopping while we are there!

i'm off to bed as i have had very late nights the last little while....and i've got the girls to myself all day again...thank goodness for coffee!

have a good night
j

busy week

2009-08-14T21:30:00.002-06:00

wow - super busy week at cravings! can't believe how much traffic we've had these past few days! on sunday, jor and i go to edmonton for the alberta gift show. should be fun - looking for some new unique items for the store...and maybe some things for ourselves :)

we still have a few racks of summer maternity & baby clothing: BUY 1, GET 1 FREE!! come in and take advantage of these fantastic savings...and help us make room for all our new fall stuff!

have a great weekend!!

r.

new arrivals

2009-08-12T16:45:00.004-06:00

hi! i haven't written for ages...and jor has been too busy to write since sunday. super busy times for both of us! we have started getting tonnes of our new arrivals for fall. sad to think that summer is almost over :( but...the new stuff is gorgeous! this season both baby and maternity is featuring charcoal, grey, purple & jewel tones (and my favourite, black)! i LOVE fall and winter clothing - hate the cold, but love cozy sweaters, dark colours etc, etc.

gotta run...shuttle van is here to pick me up and take me to my clean car. had it detailed today!

r.

quick calgary visit

2009-08-09T13:01:00.003-06:00

just got back from a quick weekend away in calgary. was so great to see so many friends that i haven't seen in years. did some great shopping yesterday with my bff and then had dinner at her place afterwards. her husband cooks the most amazing meals! she has two little girls as well so ryan and layla were entertained!

perry was out way too late every night...he and layla are taking a nap right now. ryan and i stocked up on some groceries. i was actually quite excited to get groceries today. one of my friends in calgary is a nutritionist and she had lots of food suggestions for layla- she is very picky. now this does mean that i have to be somewhat organized...which will be the major challenge for me! i am typically very organized but there just seems to be way too many things to organize these days. something has got to give and it seems like food prep is one of them. i'm going to try my best anyway.

hoping to spend a few hours outside this afternoon. weather is beautiful. we have a new outdoor play structure that i would really like perry to build so the kids can enjoy it a bit this summer. hoping this little nap of his will give him the boost of energy he needs to get a few more of the 30 steps completed!

day care is back on after a 2 week break! i'm back at work tomorrow and the regular routine returns!! looking forward to it!

j

cravings update

2009-08-05T23:00:00.003-06:00

it seriously feels like fall these days....and so it is fitting that we are getting our fall & winter clothing in. for kids- mexx, blu, appaman...have all started to arrive. did you know that we are going up to size 6 now? our fall & winter maternity clothing has also started to arrive. enjoy summer merchandise at a discounted price right now! fall & winter shoes have also started arriving...little soles, pedi peds, robeez, umis...and they are already flying off the shelves...really cute patterns this season with chocolate brown sticking around and grey making it's move for the new neutral in children's clothing.

it's such an exciting time around our store with so many projects on the go. looking forward to tackling the next big one which we will announce in a few months. lots of work to do beforehand. our new full time cravings gal started this week and we love her already! she fits in with the team perfectly!

anywi think it's time for me to say good night...way past my bed time!

have a good one,
j

4 days

2009-08-02T20:59:00.003-06:00

oh my goodness...itès sunday (there goes that french thing again...i still donèt know how to turn it off...somebody please tell me!) and i just realized i havenèt written in 4 days. i can honestly say i forgot. been tending to my babe who is now on the mend...although she looks really bad! her poor face. i counted over 20 chicken pox on her forehead alone. hoping they donèt scar.

was at the store for a few hours yesterday...just hit the big afternoon rush. was perfect timing. got a bunch of paperwork done this morning too. feels good to get caught up on something, although our to-do list keeps growing and growing...weèll never really get caught up! itès been a quiet weekend overall. lots of work going on in our back yard. most of the plants are planted. weère just waiting for curbing (supposed to be tomorrow but doubtful now becuz of the rain) and sod tuesday! they just have the rasied planter in the front yard left for stone work and thatès it!! maybe a another week...ièm hoping!

no big plans for tomorrow. wouldnèt mind heading downtown for awhile. maybe ill; make it out of the house for a few minutes sans kids!

have a good night!
j