Baby, it's cold outside!

I don't know where you all live...but it's been 3 degrees in Indy the past few days. Brrrrr!!! The only member of our family absolutely loving this weather is our crazy puppy. As for me -- I'm staying inside as much as possible.

Hope you all are staying warm!

We're in Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine!

I was thrilled when my friend Jamie, of Wet Happened, emailed me the other day and told me I had a product in the December issue of Pregnancy & Newborn magazine! It is such an amazing feeling to know that editors of such an awesome magazine like my stuff!

They featured the reversible "D is for Dog" blanket. Next time you're at the bookstore, pick up a copy and check it out!

Play our holiday scavenger hunt and find freebies and discounts!

I don't know about you...but the holidays are only a few weeks away and I am stressed out! I've got gifts to wrap, cookies to bake, holiday meals to plan, a house to clean...etc, etc!!!! I'm sure many of you are feeling the same way. So to give us all a little break from the madness, I've organized a little holiday scavenger hunt!

Visit Mairzey Dotes to play. You'll find 3 hidden presents (wrapped and all...I told you I was busy wrapping). Click on each present to find a special gift just for you! You may want to find them all and see what is the best deal before you place your order.

Hurry! All offers end December 14, 2008 at midnight EST.

Now, make yourself a cup of hot chocolate, relax...and play!! (After all, you deserve to take a break and have a little fun.)

"You Design It!!" -- New products designed by you

We've got a new addition! Check out our new bibs and burp cloths....designed by you!! That's right. Choose a funky star or classic heart shape, then you choose the fabric and be the designer of our new bibs and burp cloths.

What a perfect last minute holiday gift. (hint! hint!)

It's Springtime!

Ok. I know. Not really. But a girl can dream, right?

Don't get me wrong, I do love winter...but when it's sunny. Or snowy. I do not like the typical Midwest winter days like we've been having lately. If you live in the Midwest, then you know what I'm talking about. It seems like it's cloudy and gloomy from early December until...I don't know...May?

So, to stop myself from being "Debbie Downer" about the dark and dreary days we're having, I made a trip to Trader Joe's and stocked up on some colorful flowers.

Now it's Springtime!!

Well, at least in my kitchen.

Santa is packing up his sleigh...

..and so are the elves at Mairzey Dotes! So in order to help our elves out, make sure your holiday orders are placed by December 12th.

Need ideas for stocking stuffers? Browse our bibs and burp cloths or pick up a gift certificate.

Our new plush blankets are also sure to be a hit. Need help deciding which one to choose? Well...we are biased and like them all, but "Bubbly Pink" and "Modern Dots" have been very popular.

Hope that helps make your holiday shopping a little easier!

Spreading the Holiday Cheer

Well, "Black Friday" is here. If you read my last blog post, you know I am NOT a morning person. So, I am not about to be caught at any early bird sales. Actually, I am not going to be shopping anywhere on the biggest shopping day of the year. Heck no. Can't stand crowds. Can't stand craziness.

Now, for those of you who thrive on the shopping craziness (my dear MIL included), you are amazing people. Please don't email me and tell me about the wonderful deals you got today. And for the rest of you...and the early birds who are just getting home with bags full of goodies (as I crawl out of bed), you can enjoy these wonderful online discounts. You won't want to miss out on them! These are some amazing deals from some amazing women who make and sell some amazing stuff! (Should I mention the word amazing again? Don't take my word for it...browse their sites...you'll be hooked!)

Being thankful.

With Thanksgiving soon upon us....I wanted to let you know I am thankful! I am thankful for many, many things. (Although I'll try to spare you.)

I am thankful for family:I am thankful for my furry beasts:

And I am thankful for YOU!! Yes, that's right. I am thankful to all of you who help make Mairzey Dotes a success, for those of you who enjoy our products, and for those of you who enjoy reading my blog. Thank you!!

Also, because I know you all love contests...check out the latest contest at Design Mom. She is giving away a ton of stuff from some of my favorite people. (And yes, you'll even find a Mairzey Dotes baby blanket in the giveaway.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Guilty!

Yes. I'm guilty...of getting up very early this morning to get to an appointment and then coming home and putting my pj's back on! You see, our giant beast is getting neutered today. I had to have him to the clinic by 7:15 a.m. -- which most of you are probably thinking "big deal!" But hey, I am no morning person. I don't live with morning people. I don't raise morning people. Even my animals aren't morning "people." So, to have to be somewhere by 7:15 a.m. is a major feat.

(Now, those of you who know that I am a veterinarian probably don't care that I had to get up early this morning. You are probably just wondering why I didn't neuter our dog myself. Well, I am more of a medicine girl...and I do NOT do surgery on my own animals. It's just too weird.)

Anyway, it is such a crummy morning -- 30 degrees, dark, and raining. Who doesn't want to spend a day (or just an extra hour) like today in their jammies?

And good luck today, puppy! I'll be worrying about you until I get you safely back home.
(This is a picture of Chopper in our backyard...laughing. Well, actually, he is eating leaves...but I like to think that he is laughing.)

Where's the birthday boy?

There he is!!

Happy 2nd birthday, buddy! We love you!!!!

It's that time of year again!

This is my favorite time of year! I absolutely love November -- the air gets chilly, the leaves change colors, I sip hot apple cider and gather with family...and then holiday shopping! Holiday shopping? Now, that is certainly not one of my favorite things to do. I definitely lose my patience when I have to deal with long lines, no parking, crabby people, and trying to find all the perfect gifts! So, this year, I am making a deal with myself. I will get all of my shopping done before December, and then I can enjoy the actual holidays.

Will it ever really happen? I don't know. It's sure a big task. And I know it's a big task for all of us! That's why I'm going to try to help motivate you to get a jump start on your holiday shopping. Check it out:

All orders placed between November 6th and November 21st will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to our online store.

Now doesn't that make you want to skip the shopping mall madness?

Why you never leave a 2 year old unattended...

I was finishing up some quick emails today before the boys and I jetted off to run errands. I told my 4 year old to go potty...and then said we had to find their socks before we headed downstairs to get their shoes.

Apparently, my 2 year old was following the instructions "find your socks." He was so proud when he brought me one sock. And when I went into his room to get the other one -- this is what I found:I guess I need to tell him that his socks are in the bottom drawer.

We have a winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered our October giveaway. There were almost 400 hundred entries, which makes this our biggest contest yet! Our contest winner was chosen by random.org which is quite a nifty little site.

Tracey (aka- Punk Rocker Tracey so as not to confuse you other Tracey's) was our big winner and has been contacted by email.

Thanks again to everyone who played!

Conversations with a 4 year old

Here is a picture of my 4-year-old playing in the leaves last weekend. I think he is probably your typical 4-year-old...you know, looks all sweet and innocent yet says the craziest things.

Today before I put the boys down for their naps, we were going through the normal routine of picking up toys. Jackson (above) was all wound up and was not quite helping as much as his 2-year-old brother. He had several warnings about not helping...but then it happened. I turned into my mother and started yelling to him (as he was not even in the same room now). "Jackson! Get in here right now and help us put away your toys. One....TWO......" By now I had walked into his room because I knew the whole counting thing wasn't working.

He was sitting on his bed smiling and said, "Mommy, you forgot to say THREE!!"

"You don't want me to get to three," I said.

"I don't? Why? What happens when you count to three??" he said (very well knowing what happens when I get to three).

"You go to time out," I reminded him.

"Oh. Well, what happens when you count to four?" he asked.

"Jackson, don't worry about it." At this point I knew it was hopeless.

"Ok. So I shouldn't worry what happens when you count to four...or ten...or eighty??" he asked. "Just three?"

"Right."

How do kids come up with this stuff??

Another giveaway. Seriously.

I know you can't believe it...but we're doing it again. Time for another giveaway! We had so much fun last summer participating in the Bloggy Carnival that we're doing it again. This time we are giving away a Plush Blanket of your choice! That's a prize worth $42. How can you go wrong with that?

So, how do you enter? Simple. Just leave a comment on this post and tell us which plush blanket you would chose if you win our contest. Also, leave your email addy so we can contact you if you win. (If you don't leave your email address, you'll have to keep watching our blog to see if you are chosen.)

Also, don't miss the chance to get extra entries! Sign up to receive our blog posts via email (to the right of this post) for one extra entry and leave us another post to let us know that you signed up. You can also add our blog button to your blog for another entry (also to the right of this post). Again, leave another post and tell us where we can find our button. That gives you 3 chances to win!

Once you've left your comments...don't forget to head back over to the Bloggy Carnival to try and win some other great giveaways. Good luck! And hurry, our contest ends November 1, 2008 at midnight EST.

Rules: Winner will be chosen at random on 11.02.08 and notified via email (if you leave your email addy) or via our blog (if we have no way to contact you). You will have 48 hours after notification to claim your plush blanket. To be eligible to win, you must leave a comment on this post telling us which blanket you choose if you win. You will get one extra entry for signing up for our RSS feed and one extra entry for adding our blog button to your blog. You must leave separate comments telling us you did so. Duplicate posts will be disqualified. Winner must live in the United States or Canada. Entries must be received by 11.01.08 at 11:59 pm EST. Please note, we must share the MD love. If you have won one of our giveaways within the last 3 months, you are not eligible to win.

How many are too many??

Dogs that is....

This weekend we're babysitting my parents' dog. That means there are 3 crazy dogs running around our house! I have to admit, it is pretty fun...and the kids are having a blast. But how many dogs are too many??

Here is a pic of our 8.5 month old mutt, Chopper:

Our 11 year old mutt, Albert:My parents' 8 year old mutt, Mo:So, back to the question. How many dogs are too many??

I'm thinking 3.

Save money. Shop my favorite designers.

Mairzey Dotes has been around for a few years now and through all my experiences I have come to meet some really great designers. Not only do these gals have great products....they are great people! They are the first people I go to with new product ideas, for advice when I'm in a slump, or for sanity if my kids are being a little crazy.

To show you just how great they are, I have teamed up with them to offer you some great deals. Take a peek at their goodies and use the discount codes provided to get a jump start on your holiday shopping! (And hey, they're not just my favorite designers. These designers have had products featured on the Today Show, in Cookie Magazine, Pregnancy Magazine, Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine and many more!

Tiny Tales -- The perfect recipe for life's memories.I don't know about you, but I sure didn't keep up on my kids' baby books. I needed one of these! Use code "HOLIDAYS08" for a free babysitter notepad with every order. (An $8 value.)

Made by Angie -- Handmade baby wipe containers so you can clean up in style. I am totally into the color green right now and have my eye on this beauty. Use code "thanks" for 15% off.

Julian & Co. -- Jewelry about love for families. I received this necklace from my parents last year and absolutely love it! Use code "mairzeydotes" for $10 off your order.

Sophie & Spice -- Personalized mommy cards, wall art, pop art, birth announcements and more. My 4 year old just started his first year of preschool. We already have a box full of his art creations and would love to have a poster made with his art! Use code "babypromo08" for 10% off.

Ellie Bellie Kids -- Classic play for the modern child.I probably shouldn't admit this, but my boys new favorite game is putting the couch cushions on the floor and jumping onto them. I'm thinking they could both use one of these awesome capes. Use code "freeship" for free shipping.

And of course this post wouldn't be complete without a little gift from us. So, use code "fall20" for 20% off your order at Mairzey Dotes.

New Plush Minky Line is Here!

Finally! After several weeks in the making....our new plush line has arrived! Go check 'em out. Our new line combines some great new modern prints with the softest minky backing. Seriously, little ones are not going to want to put these suckers down. (And you won't either! We won't be surprised if we find you cuddling up with your baby's blanket!)

So go on! Take a peek! And then come back here and tell us what you think.

Cool Mom Picks....

Us! Kristen, a super cool editor from Cool Mom Picks posted about our bibs and burp cloths yesterday. See what she has to say:

"Bibs have made great strides, even since having my son 18 months ago, and now I'll be far less reluctant to pop the dreaded things on my soon-to-arrive new daughter. All hail CMP fave Mairzey Dotes and mom/owner Sarah Kronland, winning us over this time with her new applique bibs and burp cloths. The sweet, simple designs like the paisley bird or my favorite, the pink owl shown here, reflect Sarah's penchant for vintage styles. Grab a set for your next baby shower or add them to your own arsenal of bibs and burps as a special treat. Considering how much time you spend picking out those adorable clothes, if you're going to cover them up, best to find something just as cute."

We are great fans of Cool Mom Picks...and are excited they are a fan of ours!

More Stuff on Sale!

All this talk about the economy has me worried. Is it just me?? While I know the best thing to do is not to freak out...I certainly am looking for bargains now more than ever. (And I'll tell you...I'm a bargain hunter!)

So while many people are thinking Halloween and Thanksgiving -- this girl is thinking holiday gifts! You too? Good. Then I have just the thing for you. We are putting our receiving blankets on sale with the hopes that you can get an early jump start to your holiday shopping. Or, if you need a gift for that new baby in your life -- step on it! Now is the time to save some cash.

We hope that you are all hanging in there during this stressful time.

Two Big Announcements!

That's right...not one but two! (In one post...I know, I should pace myself.)

First, the winner of our September giveaway has been chosen. (Yes, randomly. No worries!) Kelli -- you're the one! Kelli's comment was, "Anything at all in the 'D' is for Dog print. Too cute and functional all rolled into one." Thanks to all who entered. We sure do love reading all of your comments. You all are the best! (Yes, I'm gushing...but it's true.)

Second...and this is a biggie....our chenille blankets and gift sets are now 30% off! These items are going to be discontinued, so don't hesitate to order. Several styles have already sold out and the others are going quickly.

I'll also fill you in on a little secret. We are working on a new line of modern minky blankets and blankees, so keep checking back for updates!

Our very own fan club!

Wow. I remember back in the 80's when I was in LOVE with Huey Lewis. My parents took us to his concert...which was the first concert I ever attended. They even bought me a concert t-shirt! Man, did I think I was hot stuff! Anyway, after that concert, all I wanted to do (aside from singing back up for him) was be in the Huey Lewis fan club.

Several years later, I find myself still loving Huey Lewis. I never did get to sing backup and never did join the fan club. (Gasp!) I am, however, very excited to let you know that now Mairzey Dotes has it's very own fan club! Just thinking about it makes me giddy inside like I'm back in 6th grade. (I know...I live for the little things.)

So, if you are a fan of Mairzey Dotes (and are on Facebook) -- join our fan club! You never know...you may just find some special Facebook deals! (We're tricky like that...but hey, you gotta' be true to your fans!)

September Giveaway!

It's time for another giveaway at Mairzey Dotes. Woohoo! This time we are giving away a $20 gift certificate to our online store. We are sure you will find something to do with that! Perhaps you would like one of our new bibs...or maybe a receiving blanket? Also, don't forget that our chenille blankets will be disappearing soon. So, if there is one you like -- you'd better snap it up. In some styles, we only have 1 or 2 left!

How do you enter? Simple. Just visit Mairzey Dotes and pick out your favorite item. Then return to this blog post and leave a comment telling us what it is. We are also giving you chances for extra entries. Sign up for our email newsletter and/or to receive our blog posts via email (sign up on the right side of this blog). You will get one extra entry per sign up. Then, leave another comment to let us know you signed up!

Hurry! Contest ends September 18th at midnight EST.

Rules: Winner will be chosen at random on 9.19.08 and notified via email (if you leave your email addy) or via this blog post (if we have no way to contact you). You will have 48 hours after notification to claim your $20 gift certificate. To be eligible to win, you must leave a comment on this post with your favorite MD item. Duplicate posts will be disqualified. Winner must live in the United States or Canada. Entries must be received by 9.18.08 at11:59 pm EST. Gift certificate will expire 12.31.08. Please note, we must share the MD love. If you have won one of our giveaways within the last 3 months, you are not eligible to win.

Virtual Easter Egg Hunt??

It seems that Feedburner went a little bizurko on us today. For some reason everyone received a post from last March! We have no idea why this happened and are trying to get to the bottom of things.

In the mean time...we received several emails that you were excited about another virtual Easter egg hunt! While you'll have to wait until spring for another hunt...we figured receiving random emails makes you worthy of 20% off.

Use discount code "random20" for 20% off your order. Offer good through Sept. 15, 2008.

Now, instead of spending time hunting...you can just go shopping!

Whoooooo needs a bib??

We've just added a new bib and burp cloth design to our collection -- a little pink owl. Too cute to resist, right? If you need a gift for a new baby girl, this new design will certainly turn heads. I'll also give you some useless trivia about myself. My high school mascot was the Mighty Owls! Can you believe it? Maybe that is why I love this new design so much.Go owls! And go check out our new design!

Summer Giveaway Winner!!

Yes, we have a winner! Congrats to Kari -- the winner of the $30 gift certificate. Hope the little one enjoys the blanket!

Thanks to everyone who entered! We've had a great response and had fun in the meantime. That's really what it's all about anyway, right? Keep checking back....I'm sure we'll do another giveaway soon!

Here's a little secret....

Our "vintage collection" of chenille blankets is going to be discontinued soon! We are very sad to see this collection go -- but don't worry -- we are working on a great new line of blankets.

We wanted to give you a little warning because there is a very limited supply of every style. So if there is a chenille blanket that you are in love with...don't wait to order it because it will soon be gone!!

Free Shipping!!

Even though your little ones may be too little to be going back to school, you still deserve a "back to school" sale. So enjoy free shipping through August 15th. Just use code "ship4free" at checkout and the shipping is on us.

Go on. Save some gas money and do a little online shopping at Mairzey Dotes!

Pretty Little Things

Had fun playing around with my camera today. I used some receiving blankets as my models and this is what I came up with:



Seeing the prints and colors all nestled together made me happy...so I thought I'd share! Hope this brings some happiness to your day, too.

Summer Giveaway

We didn't have time to post another giveaway in early July...so we'll just call this one our "Summer Giveaway." Why do we keep doing this?? Well, actually, we think it's fun! We love reading the comments you leave on our blog and we've loved browsing all the great websites where you've added our Mairzey Dotes blog button. So...let's get to it!

This time we'll be giving away a $30 gift certificate to our online store. Rules are pretty similar to our last giveaway. All you have to do to enter is subscribe to our email newsletter. And -- don't forget to confirm your email addy!! (If you already have an activated subscription, then you will be automatically entered to win.)

And now the fun part...we're giving you more ways to enter! "Wow! How??" you ask.

1. Simply leave a comment on this blog post and you'll get 2 extra entries.
2. Add our blog button (on the top right of this blog) to your blog or website and you'll get 5 extra entries. Don't forget to send us a link to your site so we can see our nifty link or button!
And we've added a new one!
3. Email 5 of your friends and tell them about Mairzey Dotes! You can even share a coupon code with them for free shipping. Just tell them to enter "ship4free" in the discount box when they checkout. (Of course, you can use that code, too! Good through August 15th, 2008.) Don't forget to copy info{at}mairzeydotes.com in the email so we know you sent it. And don't worry...we won't start spamming all of your friends...and we won't keep their email addresses. Besides being illegal, that would just be rude! This is just another way to help us get the word out...and...get you another 5 entries!

**We've just added our giveaway to another site called Bloggy Giveaways. Check out their blog for tons of great giveaways happening now!!

Rules: Winner will be chosen at random on 8.16.08 and notified via email. You will have 48 hours after notification to claim your $30 gift certificate. To be eligible to win, you must have an activated subscription to our email mailing list. Winner must live in the United States or Canada. Entries must be received by 8.15.08 at11:59 pm EST. Gift certificate will expire 12.31.08. Please note, we must share the MD love. If you have won one of our giveaways within the last 3 months, you are not eligible to win.

We're in Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine

Ok, every now and then I have to brag a little...right? Well, one of our reversible blankets was just featured in the July issue of Pregnancy & Newborn magazine! Not only that, but it was chosen as an editor's favorite pick! Exciting stuff. Check it out:

Pretty stinkin' cool, eh? We think so.

Fourth of July Pictures

When I started this blog, it was because I wanted you to know what was going on in my secret little life. Well, it seems I haven't been doing a very good job of that! So, I'm going to share some pictures from our Fourth of July weekend and introduce you to the folks that keep me extremely busy when I'm not working.

We spent the entire weekend with my family and enjoyed lounging around my granny's lake house. (Not that you really ever get to "lounge" with a 1.5 year old and an almost 4 year old...) Nonetheless, we enjoyed your typical American cookout, fireworks, and even a little boat parade.

The boys thought it was a great "vacation" and really took it all in. Here are Jackson and Sawyer keeping their eyes on the boat parade, which was probably the longest they sat still all weekend.(Sorry I didn't edit the pics...I know they could be a little lighter...I'm just thrilled I uploaded them from my camera to my computer!)

Of course, on most of our outings the whole family (minus the cat) go, too. I might as well show off our other two boys....Albert and Chopper.

Notice the glare from the glass. That is because our dear Albert (above) sometimes likes to eat people. So, he gets to enjoy the lake from inside. Chopper, our 5 month old puppy (below) got to enjoy some time outside because he is a good boy. Can you tell I like furry, hairy dogs?

While I'm posting, I might as well show off my hunka' hunka' burning love, Brad. He was enjoying some pool time with Sawyer (who was still watching boats.)

We had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed being away for a little while. But as always, now it's back to the grindstone. Oh, and where are the pictures of me, you ask? Don't hold your breath. It was a lake house, people. That means a bathing suit, crazy hair, and no makeup. No one wants to see that. :)