No, I did not say that!
When I’m a mommy and you’re a grandma, I’m going to live next door to you and we’re going to be best friends!”
– Emma, age 4
Editor’s Note:
Please spread the giggles by sharing your funny quotes with us!
Posted in Childhood, Children, Daughter, Family, Grandparents, Just for Fun, Mom, le•top, le•top Takes: mouths of babes | Tagged le top, le•top, letop, Just for Fun, silly stories, mommy, grandma, funny stories, kids say the darndest things, kids say the funniest things, le top blog, le top children's clothing, best friends, living next door | 1 Comment »
We at le•top believe that we are all part of one big ‘village’- and since we are fortunate to work with customers from all over the United States – and even a few from foreign countries – we have friends that make our world a small place with many shared experiences. One of the things our customers and friends share is that they love the le•top ‘look’ – defined by a children’s ‘Happy Years – age 0 to 5!’ However right here at home – in Richmond California – there are children that struggle during these years that should be carefree. It is important to us here at le•top that we contribute to worthwhile programs that focus on helping children – especially close to home.
Photos of thankful families receiving gifts from the Bay Area Rescue Mission
One of our favorite organizations is right here in Richmond – The Bay Area Rescue Mission. This organization has been going strong for over 40 years, every year providing emergency shelter (over 80,000 nights,) over one million meals, recovery programs, spiritual counseling, education (after-school program, tutoring, transportation and athletic programs), job skills training, food pantry, resource distribution and a mobile outreach!
Over the holiday season we were able to donate baby and children’s clothing for them to distribute in their Family Center. We were really touched when we received a wonderful letter and a Certificate of Appreciation from the lovely people who administer this worthy program. We also received a collage of photos – the smiles of the children are our best thanks!
We have partnered with the Rescue Mission for many years, and will continue to work with them to bring necessities to children in need. If you’re interested in donating time, money or goods to the Rescue Mission please check them out at http://www.bayarearescue.org/index.html for more details. Worthy programs like this one exist all around the United States. We urge you to look close to home and to please give what you can, where you can. It does take all of us in our ‘village’ to raise our children.
Posted in Baby Clothes, Children, Children's Clothes, Christmas, Community, Donations, le•top | Tagged Bay Area Rescue Mission, contribute, donation of children's clothing, education programs, emergency shelter, happy years, help children, it takes a village, le top customers, le top look, letop look, Richmond California, spiritual counseling, tutoring services, worthy program | Leave a Comment »
Miranda is wearing "Cute As A Button," and Paulo is wearing "Walking With Dinosaurs." (Both from the le•top 2009 Fall/Winter Collection.)
I mean, brother. 
While our 5-year old was busy playing with a borrowed Nintendo DS, we couldn’t help but notice that her little brother was curiously watching her hold this intriguing contraption. He hasn’t seen anything like it before so he observed intently as Big Sister played happily. Soon enough, he snatched the game right out of her hand… THREE TIMES!
You’d think she would get annoyed or cry about it. Instead, she laughed because it was funny to see the determination in his face AND to discover how quickly he managed to take the toy away from her so he could have a better look. (She IS also a very patient big sister.)
Posted in Brother, Family, Playing, Siblings, Sister, Technology, Toys, le•top | Tagged 2009 Fall Collection, 2009 Winter Collection, big sister, curiosity, Cute as a Button, le top, le top blog, le top children's clothing, le•top, letop, Little Brother, Nintendo DS, playing video games, Walking with Dinosaurs | Leave a Comment »
Mmmmmm…stew. For those nights when you want something warm and hearty. It takes some preplanning but it’s a easy, healthy and your family will love it.
INGREDIENTS
• 2-3 pounds beef stew meat
• 3 cups water
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 4 cups diced potatoes
• 2 cups chunked carrots
• 2 cups diced celery
• 2 cups diced onions
• 2 – 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in crockpot (do not brown meat.) Cook in crockpot on high for 6-7 hours. Parsnips may be substitued for some of the potatoes.
Posted in Cooking, Dinner, Recipes, Soups, Soups, le•top, le•top Chef Series | Tagged Beef Stew, beef stew meat, carrots, celery, crock pot cooking, Crockpot Beef Stew, diced tomatoes, Easy and Quick Recipes, hearty meal, le top blog, le top children's clothing, letop, onions, potatoes | Leave a Comment »
Here is a sneak peak of Paulo getting all made up by Peggy (le•top's hair and make-up stylist) while wearing a coverall from le•top's T-Rex Touchdown Collection for Fall 2010.
This was Paulo’s first modeling gig for le•top. He’s been photographed before, but I don’t think Mommy with a camera in his face counts as “modeling experience.”
Since this was the first time in a professional environment for both of us, I was all nerves making sure we made it on location ON TIME (despite traffic and rain), I didn’t introduce any new foods to him two weeks prior that might make him break out in a rash all over his face, and lastly, I hoped and prayed that he would be cooperative and smile easily in front of everyone at the shoot. Phew… We nailed all three! We got there early, no food allergy reactions, and it took only a few minutes to get him photographed. Thank goodness! (And thanks to a little rubber ball which we bounced a few times in front of him to get him to laugh.) What a rock star!
Posted in Children, Children's Clothes, Mom, Photos, Son | Tagged child model, child modeling, first modeling experience, le top, le top kids, le•top, letop, make up, Mommy with a camera, photo shoot, professional modeling, rain, rock star, traffic | 5 Comments »
No, I did not say that!
It was my nephew’s birthday party and it was time for gifts. I watched him as he happily opened each present, then frowned upon discovering it wasn’t what he was hoping for. So I asked him, “What’s wrong?”
“I didn’t get what I wanted.”
“What did you ask for?”
A time machine.”
– Noah, age 6
Editor’s Note:
Please spread the giggles by sharing your funny quotes with us!
Posted in Birthday Parties, Birthdays, Childhood, Gift Giving, Just for Fun, Nephew, le•top, le•top Takes: mouths of babes | Tagged birthday, Birthday Parties, funny stories, funny things kids say, Gifts, Just for Fun, kids say the darndest things, kids say the funniest things, le top, le top blog, le top children's clothing, le•top, letop, nephew, opening gifts, opening presents, presents, silly stories, time machine | Leave a Comment »
Paulo is wearing a faux leather jacket and matching hat from the le•top Air Show collection.
A couple of days after our son turned 9-months, he took his first “solo” steps and can almost be counted as a member of the 2-legged walking club. He’s still a bit hesitant to let go of the table (the couch, the exersaucer, etc.) and usually reverts to crawling, but he’s getting there. Meanwhile, I should take advantage of this time to child-proof the house since this little guy will get anywhere FAST!
Posted in Child-Proofing, Childhood, Childhood Milestones, Crawling, Son, Walking | Tagged 2009 Winter Collection, 9-month milestones, Air Show, baby milestones, child-proof, child-proofing the home, crawling, Faux Leather, le top, le top blog, le top children's clothing, le•top, letop, Walking | 2 Comments »
No, I did not say that!
My daughter was enjoying a lollipop this weekend and I asked her what it tasted like. She simply said,
Yellow.”
– Lilah, age 3
I guess if you don’t have years of experience eating lollipops (like I do) it can be hard to differentiate the flavors.
Editor’s Note:
Please spread the giggles by sharing your funny quotes with us!
Posted in Childhood, Just for Fun, le•top, le•top Takes: mouths of babes | Tagged candy flavors, daughter, flavors, funny stories, Just for Fun, kids say the darndest things, kids say the funniest things, le top, le top blog, le top children's clothing, letop, lollipops, silly stories | 3 Comments »
Kids and their entourages everywhere!
Our “Calling All Cuties” casting call was a huge success! Last season we had a fabulous turnout – we saw over 125 kids come in and try out to be a ‘le•top kid.’ Our Fall 2010 season casting call last week brought out
a whopping 146 kids! Have you ever been in a small space with oodles of kids? Let’s just say that it was organized chaos – what a spectacle! Here, there and everywhere – cute kids in our office, our foyer, and spilling over to our front lawn! Of course we had these little ‘stars’ entourages as well…their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and in many cases their siblings. Wow! We love it!
Our entire Design department was fully committed to this endeavor – shuttling clothes to the next in line (overcoming little problems like twins who ONLY want to dress alike!) – getting all the pertinent information – and sending them in to the inner sanctum! Our Front Office staff couldn’t help but to join in the ‘fun’ by getting everyone to sign in and helping everyone out in anyway possible. Hmmm, I wonder if any customers called…I can’t believe a phone could even be heard over all the noise! Kristin, our ace inside salesperson, and Marilyn from our Production department collected kids’ measurements – a real feat when you have a squirmy 1 year old! It took five and a half hours with minimal breaks for Chris, Karen and Charly to accomplish the impossible task of choosing which of these adorable kids would be our next photo shoot stars. Very difficult to choose…how does Simon, Randy and Kara do it???
Thank you to everyone that came in and weathered the storm! We wish we could use all of these darling children!
Next up….the photo shoot.
Posted in Baby, Baby Clothes, Children, Children's Clothes, Cute, Design, Family, Fashion Design, Just for Fun, Photos, le•top, le•top Design | Tagged adorable kids, audition, Calling all cuties, casting call, darling children, Fall 2010 photo shoot, le top blog, le top children's clothing, le top children's wear, le top fall 10 collection, le top kids, le top model, le top playwear, le top staff, little stars, photo shoot, record breaker | 1 Comment »
Miranda (wearing Princess Rose from the 2009 Fall/Winter Collection) is too excited for her date with Daddy.
I’ve been waiting to see Disney’s The Princess and the Frog with Miranda. I mean… WAITING with ANTICIPATION!!! So when the movie came out, guess who decided to take her instead? Her Daddy!
“It’s not fair. I want to take her!!!!” (Of course, I have to whine.)
“You just took her to see A Christmas Carol.”
“Yeah, but that movie wasn’t really for girls, and it was the only movie playing in the theater that was rated PG.”
“I haven’t been to the movies in a long time and I want to take Miranda.”
“Fine. You go. But I’m warning you. It’s a girl movie.”
After my little tantrum, I’ve accepted that it was okay for them to go. I’ll just catch it on Netflix. It will be a nice treat for Miranda, AND it’s true… Daddy and Daughter haven’t done anything together (just the two of them) in a while. Besides, I needed to go Christmas shopping for Miranda anyway.
“Miranda, promise me that you won’t tell me the ending, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy. But, why can’t you take me to see it again?”
“Because the next time you’ll want to go the movies, you’ll probably want to see a different movie, like Alvin and the Chipmunks.”
“THE SQUEAKQUEL!!!! All the single ladies… all the single ladies…”
When they came home, Miranda was so happy and excited. “Mommy, Mommy! Guess what?”
“Remember… Don’t tell me the ending.”
“I’m not. I just want to tell you my favorite part!!!”
“Okay. What’s your favorite part?”
“Daddy fell asleep!”
“WHAT?!” glaring at Daddy. “I told you it was a chic-flick.”
“It was only for a short while during the boring part.”
“Hmmmmm…”
Posted in Christmas, Christmas Movies, Dad, Daughter, Family, Holiday, Movies, Shopping, le•top | Tagged 2009 Winter Collection, A Christmas Carol, All the Single Ladies, Alvin and the Chipmunks, chic flick, Christmas, Christmas shopping, daddy, Daddy and Daughter Date, Disney's Princess and The Frog, falling asleep at the movie, Favorite Part of the movie, granddaughters, le top, le•top, letop, movie theater, Movies, Netflix, Princess and the Frog, Princess Rose, Squeakquel | Leave a Comment »
