A Cupcake My Dear?

Kristin's Ready to Bake

Baking…a fun activity with a built in reward!   Although I am not an expert cook I just LOVE to bake!  My mom always created ‘special time’ for the two of us by inviting me into the kitchen when she was cooking; and although I didn’t pick up on her cooking skills, I thankfully did pick up on her baking skills.  These were great bonding moments for us – mom would dress me up in my own little apron, and gave me the important job of letting me read from the cookbook and pour in the ingredients that she had carefully measured out:

Mom: “a teaspoon of salt”

Little Kristin: “like this mommy?”

Mom: “yes – very good!”

I think many people share similar memories in the kitchen with their mom.  Robyn, our Assistant Credit Manager here at le top, has a beautiful daughter – Kira.   (Kira has been a “le top baby” for a very, very long time!  The announcement of Kira’s upcoming birth came very soon after Robyn began working with us ten years ago!  She modeled clothes in our ads from the time she was a baby until she outgrew our sizes!)  Robyn and Kira were baking cupcakes (and building memories together) in the kitchen, and as usual Kira was “Chief Decorator.”  Robyn left the kitchen for a few moments and came back to find that Kira had made a present for her – a custom cupcake proudly exhibiting mommy’s company logo “le•top!”  Robyn was in awe at the quality and accuracy of the logo…she just had to take a picture to share with us!  We knew we had to pass on this work of art to our loyal bloggers, so…TAT  DAA!  We present Kira’s le•top cupcake masterpiece.

Kira's Surprise for Mom

Three Celebrities and Four New Celeb Babies

source: celebritypregnancy.sheknows.com/

It’s baby boom time in celebrity land!

Mira Sorvino gave birth to Holden Paul Terry Backus June 22^nd.  He weighed 8lbs 12oz.

Jason Priestly and his wife Naomi Lowde-Priestly welcomed their baby boy on July 9^th.  No name or weight has been released yet.

Molly Ringwald welcomed her twins on Friday July 10^th.  Adele Georgina Ringwald Gianopoulous entered the world first and 10 minutes later her little brother Roman Stylianos Ringwald Gianopoulous was delivered.

Congratulations to all the new parents!!

Sweet Tweet Quacks Us Up

Beep-beep-beep…an update from one of our cute little ducks!  Over this past Mother’s Day we ran a contest on Twitter. (Do you follow us on Twitter? Don’t miss out… start following us today!)  We chose 5 lucky winners to receive a special outfit from our Tiptoe Tulip Ducklings or Lucky Duck Spring 2009 collections. 

NewYorkChica was one of our lucky winners and graciously sent us pictures of her adorable daughter in her winning outfit!  We couldn’t resist sharing this with you, as she looks SOOOOO happy to be in the head-turning tiered ducky dress! 

NewYorkChica told us,

“She couldn’t wait to wear it, so she put it on herself and left her jeans on.  It looks cute with jeans tho! ☺ My daughter loves it!”

Thanks so much for sharing your pictures with us NYChica!  It makes us ‘quack up’ to see her cute little smile!

Some of the le•top Tiptoe Tulip Ducklings for girls and Lucky Duck for boys.

Celeb Baby Stella…all decked out!

Please tell me everyone has “guilty pleasures,” right?  A few weeks ago I was lying in bed watching Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood.  Yup, I admit it; I do watch Tori & Dean!  The celebrity parents were headed up to Vancouver, BC because Tori was guest starring in an episode of Smallville (filmed in gorgeous British Columbia.) On their much documented plane ride with their children (Stella’s first!) she was dressed in our very comfy and appropriate for traveling rabbitmoon orchid tracksuit!  I jumped out of bed and started screaming “THAT’S OUR TRACKSUIT, THAT’S OUR TRACKSUIT!”  My husband thought I had gone berserk as he ran in the room and asked what on earth I was screaming about!  I, with some exasperation regarding his lack of knowledge regarding all things “celebrity” told him why I was so excited.  He started jumping up and down with me…just kidding, he didn’t really do that, but he was excited for us!  I contemplated calling Chris, but then thought better of it as it was 10:30 ++ at night!  Here is a great clip from Tori and Dean’s plane ride…just fast forward to 2:59 minutes to see the outfit… CLICK HERE

I have never been one to stop at one of anything… so I then searched the Oxygen network website and found Stella wearing one of our darling swimsuits from the le•top Tropical Paradise collection!  Check out this cutie.

Photo from Oxygen.com. Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. Click on photo to link to the site.

 LOVE THE STAR ATTITUDE…WOO HOO!

le•top Chef Series: Tomato Chickpea Soup

And now for a budget-friendly soup…

Some folks said they’d use fresh basil instead of the cilantro. Or only use the cilantro as a garnish.

Mouth watering and full of fresh flavors, this soup, with soft chunky tomatoes and healthy chickpeas, will be an instant winner with the family.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (14 oz) can cooked chickpeas or 1-1/2 cups home cooked chickpeas
• 3 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 to 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1-1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt and fresh ground pepper

In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion until soften. Add garlic, chickpeas, water, cooked rice, tomatoes, paste, and dried parsley. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add in chopped cilantro, season with salt & fresh pepper to taste. Remove from heat, let stand for about 7 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Soup will thicken up, too. You’re ready to eat! Tastes wonderful with fresh baked bread on the side.

Source: simpledailyrecipes.com.

Dragon Boat Races???

If someone had told me five months ago that I would be racing dragon boats in China, I would have said they were crazy! It’s hard to imagine that only a short time ago I didn’t have a clue about this incredible sport.  Dragon boat racing started thousands of years ago in China. It’s a team paddling sport where a canoe-style boat is used.  Now, not only can I hold my own paddling the boat, but I can proudly say that I was a member of the only American team to compete in the 2009 Dragon Boat races in China!

Dragon Boating Competitors

The interest in this exciting sport is catching – at least in our design department! Surprisingly, I wasn’t the only le•top designer racing in China. Gail – our extraordinary graphic designer – was the person who first introduced me to the sport. Thanks to her, I am not only part of the team, but I’ve become part of a fun and adventurous “family”.

We competed in races in a couple of different cities, one of which was Milu, the birthplace of dragon boating. It was amazing to be able to participate in the sport that originated there over 2000 years ago! The fun part is, as in any sport that each team has a name – we call ourselves the Absolute Dragons!  We are a mixed crew, meaning that we are made up of women and men. In China there is no such thing as a “mixed” team, which meant we had to race against all men’s teams. Even though we didn’t place in the standings, we did manage to beat nine teams! Wow, were they mad when they got beat by a boat full of women!

Beautiful Sights

China was such an unbelievable experience. One thing I will always remember is how popular my platinum blonde hair was with the locals. I was chased down at every corner by people asking for my picture! I now know what it must feel like to be famous. Man, do I feel bad for Brad Pitt!

Whether it was holding up peace signs for pictures with the locals, racing in the dragon boat, hiking the Great Wall, or just celebrating the Chinese culture – China was the trip of a lifetime, one I will never forget!

…this post was written by Sarah, le•top designer

Only the Best for Your Little Lamb

Little Lambs Children's Boutique in Pell City, AL

Heather Adams loves children…so she became a teacher!  When her daughter Anna Beth was born she made the decision to fulfill another dream, also in the children’s arena – she became the owner of a wonderful children’s boutique in town that she heard was closing.  Little Lambs Children’s Boutique in Pell City, Alabama was perfect!  Heather’s dream as a new mother was to spend as much time as possible with her darling daughter – and two years later Little Lambs has become Anna Beth’s second home with mommy.

Little Lambs Children’s Boutique, now open for a total of 14 years, is a fun and happy place.  Heather loved the name of the boutique, and decided not to change it because as she says,

“Children are God’s Little Lambs.”

One of the benefits that Heather loves the most about owning her store, other than spending most days there with her daughter, is the interaction with her customers and the community.  It is exciting to help choose new outfits for special babies or birthday gifts for grandchildren.  She loves being involved with that momentous decision by a new mom-to-be, when they choose their baby’s “coming home” outfit – a truly special day!

Heather’s involvement extends beyond just selling clothing to her customers – she delights in creating special events in the store that brings her community closer.  She hosts pottery parties twice per year – creating ‘priceless’ art – like the impressions of tiny hands and feet that will be cherished for years to come.  During the Christmas and Easter holiday seasons a photographer is in the store to capture wonderful moments with Santa and the Easter Bunny.

Anna Beth and Kaylie wearing le●top Flower Power courduroy print dresses from Fall 2008

Heather makes shopping for the special items at Little Lambs even easier – she has created an online store as well!  You can visit the website at www.shoplittlelambs.com .When visiting this charming website you might want to sign up for the email list; the recipients receive emails regarding preview sales and special events.  Tech savvy customers also receive special offers on Facebook!  Complimentary gift wrapping is just one of the many perks when buying that special gift from Little Lambs – and makes gifting so much easier!

“We feel very blessed to be able to have this business and are so thankful for our customers.  I have been able to make my dream a reality” – Heather Adams

Little Lambs Children’s Boutique
2247 Martin Street South
Pell City, AL 35128

Tuesday – Friday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday:  10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Medicine Tricks: a Spoonful of ?? Makes the Medicine Go Down

It’s rare that my daughter has been ill enough that she needed to take prescription medicine. In fact, this past week was the first time she was prescribed antibiotics in her eight years. She needed to take a liquid form of that traditional pink thick syrup to get rid of an infection. The first few doses she was able to drink with only a wrinkled up nose. After two days, she had decided that the medicine wasn’t working and it made her gag, so she refused to drink it. I knew she was strong-willed (is that the nice way to say stubborn??).  I was at a loss, frustrated and mad at her defiance. After I calmed down, I did some reading and found the suggestion of diluting strong medicines in our favorite self-help book, “Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child”. I confirmed the findings with the pharmacist who filled our prescription who suggested using a juice as a dilution. That trick seemed to work for two more doses, then my daughter and I were battling again. My next avenue was to call the doctor’s office and a nurse there recommended a stronger flavor like chocolate syrup. The next dose we tried that and suddenly my daughter “loved” taking her medicine. She even offered to mix the dose herself so she could squeeze extra chocolate into it! I always supervised and set a limit to her chocolate intake! Luckily, the medicine bottle was finished within a few more days and her infection has cleared. I’m always amazed at the things you have to learn the hard way in this parenting adventure! What tricks have you tried with your kids who need to take medications?

Reverie Baby – le•top photo shoot

Nancy showing off a sundress from the Flamingo Bay collection

Wow…do we have great friends at Reverie Baby!  This is the second season that our dear friends let us orchestrate a “mini” le•top baby photo shoot at their store! Reverie Baby in Santa Rosa, CA, has been amazingly accommodating; allowing us to set up little mini vignettes around their beautifully merchandized store to photograph samples from the new Fall 2009 le•top baby collection.

Marykate Fleming (our le•top baby head designer) and I staged “sets” by moving around racks and furniture all day long to get our shots. The new owner Nancy Dupont, in the process of taking over ownership of the store from our old friend Arnie Levine, was having quite a busy day. In spite of the fact that they had customers to attend to, Nancy and her crew made us feel very welcome! So, to the whole Reverie Baby family – Nancy Dupont, Arnie Levine, Dana Chappell, and Pam DuPertuis – we say “Thank You!!!”

Marykate arranging the set for the Baby Giraffe unisex group

Reverie Baby is located at:

Montgomery Village
2406 Magowan Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
877.544.4630

Dad, Baseball and Love

I’ve finally realized how I came by my love and appreciation of professional sports of all kinds. As a little girl, my first love was hoops and hockey, but these days, it’s most definitely baseball (OK, in the fall, of course it’ll be football!). I have lots of memories of going to see games or watching it on TV…seated next to my father…who patiently explained the games and the rules to me. What I thought was my own natural tendency for sports and athleticism as the chief source for my understanding and love for sports, was in fact seeded and nurtured by my dad. My father passed away a few years ago, and I miss him in ways that I never imagined possible, but he handed down to me a love that I share in common with my brother. My brother gets downright giddy when we talk baseball…and it’s like we’re little kids again…