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If there is one thing I’ve been having a hard time wrapping my head around since moving from across the border of Detroit, to north-east of Toronto – it is the fact that it extremely difficult for traveling families to find a flight under $200+ (all in) one way. Perhaps it is just my fond memories, but it wasn’t that many years ago that my then family-of-three flew from Detroit to Los Angeles for $250 round trip, taxes in.

As if flights weren’t pricey enough, word via MSNBC is that it is about to become even more expensive for families that are hoping to sit together on flights.

It all began with a Tweet from NPR Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon, who became frustrated after learning he would not be seated with his children on a flight, saying, “If there’s a problem in air, shouldn’t parents be near children? Do you really want strangers entrusted to help them?”

American Airlines quickly replied that for $4/seat, “preferred seating” is available in coach. Eventually Tim Smith a rep from AA stated, “We always try to seat the younger children in the party with parents and guardians, even if it cannot be worked out for the entire party.”

It appears that it is now commonplace to pay extra to sit with your family, so tell us, how do you feel about the confusion of family seating on an airplane?

Will you pay extra to sit with your children on a plane?

The adorable line from Mini Shatsu is discounted up to 60% off on  MyHabit. The flash sale site has other fantastic brands deeply discounted until Saturday. Sales include Cici Art Factory, Claesen’s, Baby CZ by Carolina Zapf, Mojoware, Hogan Shoes, Kinderloom Rugs, Baby by Margery Ellen, Little Warrior and a blowout on Kids cold weather boots (good time to stock up for next winter!).

Stride Rite shoes for boys and girls are on sale (up to 50% off) on Haute Look this week. Mad Sky & Mad Boy and Sophie Catalou are just a couple of the other sales going on.

Ryder & James is up to 58% off this week! Chaser Tees for Boys, Jacadi Spring Apparel, Morgan & Milo, Uncle Goose CLassic Wooden Blocks, Goodbyn lunchboxes, Bonobos, Yottoy, Finn + Emma, BabyBjorn, UPPAbaby, Aden+Anais, Boppy, PlasmaCar and lots and lots of other great brands are also deeply discounted for a limited time on Gilt.

April Cornell mommy and me dresses are up to 55% off through Zulily! Other sales include Leveret Baby, Da Lil’ Guys, Rumble Tumble, Life Clothing, Ginkana Boys, Baby Luxe, dudu boy, Rileyroos and many, many more!

Kiddie Rides are up to 50% off through Ideeli. Other sales include Ed Hardy Kids, Laura Ashley and lots of playground favorites and sleepwear.

If I could have a bookcase in every, single room in my house I would be a happy woman. In fact, if you check out my Pinterest page, you’ll notice I have an entire board dedicated to anything Bookish. Clearly, I’m obsessed. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I came across the stunning ABC Libreria from Saporiti.

Italian Designers Roberto Saporiti and Eva Alessandrini have created this incredible set of storage cubes, each of which forms letters and numbers. Every modular cube is designed in such a way that it can either be stacked, used as an end table or fastened to a wall.

Each cube is available in three different sizes and a selection of different wood stains. Although this is a fantastic book storage solution for kids, it would make a stunning piece for anyone’s home!

Visit saporiti.net for more info.

Photography is a personal passion of mine that blossomed after I gave birth to our first child. Suddenly, all I wanted to do was hang on to every single memory whether it be a facial expression, first step, even as she slept I snapped photos. My husband surprised me later that year with a brand new DSLR, which has yet to leave my side.

Transitioning from a point-and-shoot to a DSLR wasn’t as hard as I would have originally thought, although there was PLENTY of tips and tricks to learn in terms of lighting, ISO, Aperture, etc. Now, four years later I am still in the learning process and continue to learn as I go along.

My favourite subject is of course my children. It brings me enormous joy to capture their smiles, laughter, frowns and even tears (I know I’m bad). A couple of months ago I received the book “Mamarazzi: Every Mom’s Guide to Photographing Kids” by Stacy Wasmuth. After flipping through, reading and re-reading, I have come to the conclusion that this is the perfect book for parents looking to photograph their kids.

Stacy Wasmuth is a professional photographer and mamarazzo who freely admits that photographing her own children may be her most challenging assignment. In this book she provides tips and tricks that every mom with a camera should know

• Techniques for capturing genuine expressions instead of cheesy smiles
• Tips for every age and stage – yes even toddlers and teens!
• Photography basics – composition, lighting, exposure, focus and white balance
• Camera settings and lenses, plus techniques you can use with ANY type of camera
• Why the experience matters more than the perfect shot
• Effects you can create with different lighting techniques
• How to pick ideal locations for taking pictures
• Simple editing tips for making your photos even better

The layout is fantastic and the photos are beautiful, as you can see. The book reads like a chat with your best friend. It is never overwhelming, nor intimidating and provides loads upon loads of useful information.

If you are looking to dive into the world of photography or are just looking for tips on photographing your kids, this is such a great resource!

Price: $19.99 from our affiliate Amazon.com

On March 15th, the collaboration between GapKids and Diane von Furstenberg that we have long been waiting for will hit select stores and Gap online. Diane alongside the design team at Gap, have created a collection true to her unique style while weaving through designs that will delight little girls as well as their mothers. Iconic prints, signature silhouettes and a bold color palette translate into stunning dresses that could very well be DVF “Mini Me” styles as they look very similar to the women’s fashion line.

Summer wardrobe essentials from DVF for GapKids & BabyGap include breezy tees, dresses, tanks, shorts, capris, leggings and swimwear as well as a ton of fun accessories and footwear including sunglases, espadrilles and sandals. Look closely and you’ll notice vintage Diane von Furstenberg prints icnluding the infamous hibiscus and leaf motifs! This in combination with Gap’s relaxed style is truly a match made i heaven. Even Diane’s legendary wrap is re-invented with a child-like higher waist detail.

The combination of chic elegance and child-like playfullness is suberb! Star pieces such as the navy strip seersucker blazer are customized witha  ’Diane von Furstenberg’ crest and badges with the ‘DVF Gap’ logo and Diane’s personal matnra ‘Love is Life’. Look for vintage prints appearing in the baby line as well as adorabe bodysuits, rompers, rattles and wait for it…diaper bags!

Will you be one of the parents lining up in front of Gap on March 15th?

We reviewed Tutu Pour Mon Deux a couple of years ago, however the company has since added a few changes to their customization process that I think you will appreciate. These adorable tutu shirt/skirts are actually an all-in-one outfit, as the tank or tee is attached to the frilly tutu skirt sewn to the bottom. The outfit can be worn with tights, pants or leggings and are great for little girls who love to dance.

Each tutu can be customized with your choice of tee (or tank) color, organza/ribbon and tulle color, and the tops can now be customized with cute little patches if you choose.  These sweet appliques add real character to the outfit and spruce it up a bit as there are plenty of options to choose from. They have everything from monkeys and cupcakes to hearts and kimonos.

Since my eldest daughter tried out the Tutu Pour Mon Deux‘s tank style a couple of years ago, it was my youngest daughters turn to pick out an outfit this time around. We opted for the long-sleeve version in pink (of course) with a crown applique. The quality of the top itself is excellent and we have thrown the entire piece in the washer and dryer several times and it looks as good as new.

Priced from $34-$38, these are an affordable way to purchase the whole ‘tutu princess’ look without breaking the bank!

*Rachel Florio PR sent samples for review purposes.

Why no one thought of this sooner, I’ll never know! Have you seen these adorable Pinocchio pencil sharpeners? I stumbled across one while “browser shopping” through Amazon yesterday and after a quick search came across two different variations. The pencil is of course the nose and the more you sharpen (or use your pencil) the nose goes down. I guess you could consider that a “reward” for writing, no?

The Geppeto Pencil sharpener pictured above is available for purchase through our affiliate Amazon.com for $12.99.

If you prefer the vintage Pinocchio, Kikkerland sells their own version made out of beech wood. The sharpener comes with one HB graphite pencil and kids will get a kick out of how the shavings are emptied through its mouth.

Price: $9.99 through Amazon.com

David-Ivar and Neman, the two founders of the french musical group Herman Dune, have partnered with fashion brand Petit Bateau and are about to release an exclusive fashion collection. The line will include bodysuits and t-shirts for babies and children all of which are to don the band’s mascot – a mythical yeti.

In addition to the collaboration, Herman Dune has written “I’ll Be Blue” a previously unreleased musical track that can be found on the deluxe version of their album Strange Moosic, available at Petit Bateau stores.

Herman Dune Collection for Petit Bateau will be available February 28th, while the official debut and showcase which is to include a concert and special music workshop is to take place at Champs-Elysées in Paris, France on March 3rd.

Source: petit-bateau.fr & viacomit.net

This week, my daughter and I have been talking a lot about feelings. This craft — inspired by the Feelings Art Activity segment from Ruby’s Studio — has become something she’s asked to do every single day and I’m happy to oblige! While working on this project together, you’ll get to help your child learn about how their face changes while experiencing different emotions. You can even have your little ones look in a mirror to try and draw the faces they see when they are happy, sad, frustrated and more.

For this simple activity, you’ll need:

Paper: Any kind, really. We used plain old printer paper and some heavier card stock since it was close at hand. Feel free to experiment with colours and textures for an added sensory element. Construction paper would be just fine too!

Markers: Or crayons, pencil crayons, pens, paints — you name it!

Glue: We used plain old white school glue, but a glue stick would be fine as well. I offered a glue stick, but honestly, my three-year-old had just as much fun playing with the drippy glue as she did the rest of the project.

Scissors: Safety scissors for those old enough to use them, or you can help your tiny tots by cutting for them. Next time I will cut out the shapes first, then give them to my daughter to decorate.

01. Have your child draw faces featuring different feelings. You can either draw circles (or other shapes) first, so that smaller children have a starting point, or simply get your kiddos to draw the feelings they are thinking about. Talk about how eyes and mouths change when we feel different things.

02. Ask your child to talk about each face and feeling. Ask them how they are feeling while working on their craft!

03. Cut out, or assist your child in cutting out each feelings face. My daughter really loved having a whole pile of these to play with for a while — lining them up, sorting them, putting them in a small tin or box — before moving on to the next step!

04. You child can now glue their faces, in whichever configuration they desire, onto a new piece of paper, creating a special feelings collage.

05. All done! These beauties are ready to hang in her bedroom, or family space, to talk about as often as she’d like.

It is truly fascinating to see how your child might depict different emotions and feelings. I loved watching my daughter talk about what each little face was feeling, and which feelings she drew most often. We’ve done this activity a handful of times this week and the faces are changing a bit each day. I love seeing the colours she chooses and how she decided to glue her images. This is definitely an activity which kids and parents will get a LOT out of!

I hope you’ll try this out with kids of all ages!

Summer is just around the corner, which means many of us are shopping for sandals and checking out the latest Spring/Summer styles for kids. I’ll tell you there are some really great styles coming out, but nothing quite as unique as the new brand Zooligans.

The Zooligans line was born from the creative team of Joel Rusnak and Cheryl Andonian (formerly of
Polliwalks) to launch a collection of animal-themed shoes. Zooligans. According to WWD, the line is targeted to toddlers and includes Mary Jane shoes for girls and fisherman sandals for boys, all of which feature details in an array of colorful animal designs such as a panda, alligator, monkey, dog and raccoon.

Another really neat thing about this brand is the packaging. Each pair of shoes is packaged in boxes that can be converted to pet carriers to hold kids’ shoes or their favorite stuffed animal. The tags on the shoes are also unique. Each one tells a short educational story about the respective animal.

Zooligans are made of leather uppers and feature a flexible, athletic-inspired bottom with a playful paw design. The line is slated to launch in better department stores, e-tailers and independents in late April.