Lolliposh Upscale Consignment Sale

What: Lolliposh Upscale Consignment Sale and Bazaar
Who: All Ages
When: Saturday, October 16th, 9am - 2 pm
Where: Levin Gymnasium @ the Soref JCC, 6501 W. Sunrise Blvd., Plantation

I was a little nostalgic this evening putting K to bed. Before placing her in the crib, we hugged longer than usual. Part of the reason is that my baby shower was exactly one year ago. The other part is that the reality of her upcoming first birthday finally settled into reality for me today. Right after K's bedtime, I scrolled through my baby shower pics and relived that sweet day when so many people shared and gave special presents to our blossoming family.
These days, most of the gifts come from mommy and daddy. =) This is one of the reasons I'm always looking for quality baby/kids products at a great price and Lolliposh is one of my most successful finds to date. Lolliposh is an upscale consignment sale which happens about once every four to five months. They sell everything from clothes, to shoes, to toys, to furniture, etc. I went to the last sale and found adorable clothes from Gap, Children's Place, and Gymboree in excellent condition at incredible prices. If you are interested, you can also consign your clothes with them. It's a good way to make some extra cash.
I highly recommend this sale. In my opinion, it's a must-do for parents who love high quality at a low cost. Although they have special activities for the kids, I recommend leaving them at home, if possible. It gets super busy and it's so much easier to shop without them. That's just my suggestion. Also, make sure to get there as early as possible. I was shocked to see how early all "the good stuff" was snatched.

One more thing, you can win passes to the exclusive, private Friday evening (6 pm to 8 pm) pre-sale right here, right now. See and buy before everyone else!

Just answer the question in the comments section below:
What is your favorite brand of children's clothes or children's toys?
I'll announce the winner on Monday, Oct. 5th.

The Whole Picture

What: Mom Workshops and Kids Club Workshops
Who: All Ages
When: See below for specific times
Where: Your local Whole Foods store
How Much: Free

We did it back in April. We let our sweet, innocent baby scream her lungs out as we sat outside the door watching the monitor, pulling our hair out, biting our nails, our bodies twitching. It’s supposed to last three to four nights according to the doctor. It took K. one long week. Finally, something clicked in her brain and she figured out that we weren’t coming to soothe her. That was her job now. I can’t say that it was easy, but I can say that it was worth it. I didn’t read a book or attend a workshop for helpful hints on how to make the process run more smoothly. But it’s good that there is a workshop. See below.
In case you have not discovered all the free events for mommies and kids at your local Whole Foods store, this post is for you. In the upcoming events, you can figure out how to set a productive bedtime routine, score free coffee and muffins, and add some new, natural, family-friendly recipes to your repertoire. The kiddos can learn about sea turtles and alligators. And of course, it’s the perfect place to pick up some fresh, organic produce.

Plantation Store
Tuesday, July 14th
Mom's Morning Workshop with MSI
9:00-10:30pm FREE
Join Laurie Waldman, Coordinator of Infant/Toddler Programs at MSI's Parenting Place, for a discussion on "Bedtime Challenges." Explore various alternatives and strategies that provide nurturing approaches to the bedtime routine. This lecture will focus on children from birth- 5years.
Moms will receive a free muffin and cup of coffee along with a chance to relax and learn about different parenting techniques from the experts. Plus, relax with a free 5-minute massage from My Massage Corner.
Pick up your coupon at Customer Service and bring it to the Juice Bar to receive your goodies.

Coral Springs Store
Saturday, July 11th
Kids Club event - The Best Basic Potato Salad
3:00 p.m. FREE!
Attention all kids, make your own custom potato salad in our Café. The class is limited to the first 30 kids who register at our customer service desk.

Tuesday, July 14th
Mom's Morning
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. FREE!
After you shop, stop by the Cafe and have a cup of Allegro Coffee and breakfast pastry on us while supplies last.

Saturday, July 18th
Creature Feature with the Sawgrass Nature Center
1:00 p.m. FREE!
Every month, representatives of Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital come to Whole Foods Market Coral Springs to teach kids all about a live animal. This month's "Creature Feature" is the alligator.

Aventura Store
Thursday, July 9th
Mom's Morning Out!
9:30 -11am FREE
Moms of all ages are invited to take a morning off and relax! Starting at 9:30am, you are invited to pamper yourself in our café. Join Marketing Specialist and mother of two, Vanessa Hassele as she shares all natural, kid-friendly recipes to make with and for the kids! Stop by, and share your own tips and tricks with other Moms as you sample Allegro Coffee blends and freshly baked pastries. Then head over to Baby Posh Garage with your 25% Off Coupon and pick up something for the kiddies to soothe any mommy-guilt over taking time for yourself! All attendees will receive a 25% Off Coupon for use at Baby Posh Garage in Aventura. Bring a friend and you will also both receive a $10 coupon off a future Whole Foods Market purchase! Children welcome. Pre-registration is recommended.

Saturday, July 11th
Kids Club - Save the Sea Turtles!
9 - 10am FREE
Kids (aged 4 - 12) and parents are welcome to join us as we listen to a story about Sea Turtles and decorate turtle sun-catchers in honor of our summer-long support of the Sea Turtle Hatchling Program at the Museum of Discovery & Science in Ft. Lauderdale. Please make reservations at Customer Service. Class size is limited.

There are also stores in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, South Beach, Coral Gables, Pinecrest, and Wellington. Almost all of them offer Mom’s Mornings and Kids Club Events.

Having a Ball in the Ball Pit at Busy Bee Kidz

What: Open Play Busy Bee Kidz Indoor Playground
Who: Best for kids 1 - 4 years (in my opinion)
When: Tuesday - Friday (9:30 am -12:30 pm and 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm)
Saturday (10 am - 12 pm)
Where: Cooper City
How Much: $12 (Under 2 years) $15 (2-8 years)

It is July in South Florida, which means my new hobby is continually searching for entertaining, air-conditioned play areas. Last week, I went to open play at Busy Bee Kidz in Cooper City with my eight-month old, two of my mommy friends, and their three toddlers. I would have had to pay $12, if I didn’t have the free open play pass I received back in April in my goody bag from Lolliposh Bazaar (future post). K., who is only eight months, had a blast and her toddler friends were absolutely engaged for the two-and a-half hours we were there. This place is perfect for kids between the ages of 1 and 3, maybe 4. There are two rooms. One room is filled with dress-up clothes, little trains and cars the kids can ride, kitchen play areas, a great selection of infant toys, a small ball pit, play houses, etc. The other room has the bigger stuff, like a rock climbing wall, a trampoline, an airplane see-saw, and a slide that was a big hit with the toddlers. The place is clean and it wasn’t too crowded at all. The kids who were there seemed genuinely amused. Three boys sat and created multiple looks for the Mr. Potato Heads while a little girl pranced around in a princess costume practicing her high heel skills. They have a parent lounge with TVs and Internet access, an infant sleeping area, a snack machine, and also offer parent/child classes. Their website says they have free tea, coffee, and snacks for parents while the kids play. What I liked about it is that they have toys K. enjoyed and she got to try out stuff like the Little People Noah’s Ark, the activity tables and cubes, and walkers. Now I know which toys she would actually play with if I were to buy them. And she had a ball in the ball pit. Mostly, she sampled the taste difference between the green and red balls while giggling at the antics and tricks of her older friends. But she was in there for like 20 minutes! My friends and I actually got to discuss the hilarity of The Hangover (the movie) among other actual conversation topics. Yes, we conversed. And the four kids played and were happy for a couple of hours. Honestly, I would have paid $12 for such a luxury these days.
Mommy Tip: Don't forget your socks