Le Top Darlings of the Day: Benjamin and Olivia

Here is a precious picture of today’s darlings, Benjamin (1-1/2 years-old) and Olivia (4-1/2 years-old). We’re told that despite Olivia’s best efforts Benjamin decided he wasn’t interested in sitting on Santa’s lap. Isn’t that always the way it works out! Never fear Olivia, we still think you two look as cute-as-can-be in your Le Top holiday outfits. Benjamin is sporting a shirt from the “Santa’s Best Friend” collection and Olivia is the perfect model for our “Reindeer Games” collection dress and polka dot tights.

Congratulations to this pair on being named the Le Top Darlings of the Day!

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Superbowl Brownies – Healthy too!

This Sunday is the big game – Giants versus the Patriots – and that means lots of kids, lots of TV sports watching and lots of food! Entertain your little ones with these semi-healthy sweet treats at superbowl for dessert! They are also great to nibble on during the game, I mean, aren’t we all big kids?

p.s. – these are great for a next day kid-friendly lunch-box treat!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Timing: 45 minutes
(includes cooling time)
Yield: Makes 16

Chewy Oatmeal Blondie Brownies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  (not quick-cooking)
• 1 ½ cups of baking mix (see below)

Baking Mix Recipe: (whisk together and store in a sealed container for next time!)

• 6      cups of all-purpose flour
• 3      cups of sugar
• 2      tablespoons baking powder
• 1      tablespoon of salt

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with butter. Line bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both sides. Butter paper, and set pan aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, and beat until combined. With mixer on low, gradually add Baking Mix; mix just until combined. Mix in 3/4 cup oats. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Using an offset metal spatula or table knife, smooth batter evenly. Sprinkle with remaining oats, pressing gently to adhere. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan 30 minutes.
4. Using overhang, transfer blondie (still on paper) to a wire rack to cool completely. Place on a cutting board (peel off paper); using a serrated knife, cut into 16 squares.

CHECK OUT LE TOP CHILDREN’S CLOTHING AT
www.letop-usa.com

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5 Indoor Activities (besides TV!) for Kids

“Can I watch a movie?” Don’t we all hear that every day from our children, nieces, grandchildren or little ones in our life? I don’t have a problem with TV or movies. But I believe that they are FAR too often used as the default choice of leisure time for children or used as a babysitter when you are a busy parent. They can easily suck away imagination, energy, and the innocence of our kids, and a few hours of distraction just isn’t worth that, in my opinion.

So what’s a parent to do? Here are some ideas…simple, but hey, effective!

This post has been moved to our website. To view the full post go to:
http://blog.letop-usa.com/?p=23575

CHECK OUT LE TOP CHILDREN’S CLOTHING AT
www.letop-usa.com

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Cold Weather Crafts – this is a must-do! Marble Roulette

Burrr…cold outside? What are you to do with your children? I run out of ideas on a daily basis, but this activity is original and pretty cool…how many kids do you know that still play with marbles?

This post has been moved to our website. To view the full post go to: http://blog.letop-usa.com/?p=23529

CHECK OUT LE TOP CHILDREN’S CLOTHING AT
www.letop-usa.com

 

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Rainy Day Kids Craft: Painted Umbrellas!

I looked out the window this morning, and to my dismay, it is STILL rainy and it looks disgusting outside. It can be tough to entertain kids on rainy days – barbies and legos can only entertain for so long! Have fun with your kiddo and turn a gloomy day into one of the prettiest days by painting their umbrella with a fanciful pattern. It only takes a few supplies and a child-size umbrealla. So by the time it dries….they can be “dancing in the rain” with their new fancy umbrella!

Need:

• You will need a kid’s nylon umbrella (paint won’t stick to a plastic one)
• Paintbrushes
• Permanent waterproof paint, such as fabric paint or acrylic

How To:

Note: Follow the manufacturer’s directions: Some fabric paints require the addition of fixative; others require ironing the umbrella after painting.

1.    Carefully cover the work surface with newspaper before you begin, and have your child wear a smock.

2.    Once finished, keep the umbrella open overnight.

3.    The paint must dry completely before you close it or use it.

4.    Tah-Dah!

Another fun idea is singing the song “Rain, Rain, Go Away” with your kids! Here are the lyrics:

Rain, rain, go away

Come again some other day

We want to go outside and play

Come again some other day!

Optional Lyrics – change the third line to say:

[child’s name] and [sibling or friend’s name]

want to play

 

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Le Top Darlings of the Day: Tyson and Tanner

Here are today’s Darlings, Tyson and Tanner (13-months-old), at their first meeting with Santa. This is such a classic photo and absolutely amazing that they cooperated SO well. Let’s hope it’s a sign of things to come! These brothers were born 4.6lbs and 4.9lbs and spent the first three weeks of their life in the NICU though they are obviously doing great now! Congrats mom and dad on your handsome boys.

Cheers to Tyson and Tanner on your title of Le Top Darlings of the Day!

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The Tabby Cat Boutique: PREMIER STORE SPOTLIGHT Q&A

Definition of a tabby cat? Not just a striped or dotted cat, but also one of the cutest darn boutiques in Oakton, Virginia – The Tabby Cat! We had the chance to interview storeowner, Alexandra Craige, about her boutique that she opened almost 2 years ago and how it’s still going strong after 3 natural disasters in the local area. She definitely knows kids style and what’s on the radar for spring 2012 for boys and girls and gives us the scoop on what she loves for next season! Alex also gives us her ideas on fun snow day activities, things she swore she would never do now being a mom, and the best family hangouts in the area. Read more to find out the inside scoop about Tabby Cat and stop by for great shopping if you are in the local area!

Hunter Mill Plaza
2946-F Chain Bridge Road
Oakton, VA
703.255.0812

www.tabbycatkids.com

Mon – Fri: 9am-6pm
Fri – Sat: 9am-5pm
Sun: closed

CHECK-IN and JOIN The Tabby Cat’s Facebook page and click HERE

1.    Tell us the inspiration the name The Tabby Cat? How long has your store been around?
I did some online research on store names and realized that I really wanted something that was gender neutral and still cute and remember able! We have four Tabby Cats at home and although we’d love to bring them to work with us – we don’t. We opened last fall (2010) and it’s been a crazy and exciting time with 3 natural disasters during our first year while trying to build a customer base!

2.    It’s (almost) 2012 and resort and spring 2012 styles are coming into stores. What are your top 3 items (clothes, toys, giftables, etc.) for any parent shopping for warm weather items for a nice holiday vacation this winter?
For resort and spring 2012 NOTHING is cuter than the Le Top swimsuits for babies and infants! The bright colors and fun graphics makes the swimsuits pop out when you’re at the pool or beach. Then you can accessorize them with matching hats and cover-ups! So CUTE!

3.    Any special events that you have planned at your store for the New Year or even Valentine’s Day next month? Tell us the inside scoop about any special events and especially the fun deals we can expect!
Writing this 10 days before Christmas, I haven’t a clue what I’m doing after December 25th – hopefully my brain will reboot that day and I can focus on Valentine’s Day!

4.    Surviving yet another winter day this winter can be brutal for kids, what would be your snow day recommended activity – inside or out?
I love board games. The time that I get with my daughter when we play a board game makes for interesting conversation and competiveness between us. Outside in Northern Virginia can mean 60-25 degrees during the ‘winter’. Any time I can spend wandering in a park and checking out nature and teaching my daughter about our local fauna.

5. Although spring 2012 styles are coming soon, what would you suggest as the top 3 essentials in the winter that any parent should buy to brighten up their child’s wardrobe this winter?
I had a winter baby and I’m a huge fan of baby bundlers and anything fleece for babies (mits, hats, pullovers…).

6.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?”
Be like my mom…Just kidding. Maybe a better question for me would be what I swore I ‘would do’. And the big one for that was spend lots of time with her, make sure she had a good support system around her, instill in her the value of working for something, and not to take things or friends for granted.

7.    Describe the neighborhood of your store location in Oakton, VA? Did you grow up in the local area?
I grew up in the South East part of Washington, D.C. so nothing like Oakton, Virginia! Oakton is a small pocket inside Fairfax County (most populated county in VA) that’s not a town or a City. Oakton has a great community of residents and a really strong public and private schools in walking distance to the store. We have a great mix of residents who have raised their kids here and continue to stay after retirement, to young families moving in for good schools, access to lots of kid activities, and local shopping!

8.    What is the hottest trend for kids clothes and toys right now?
I think shoppers want quality products at a good price range, and that’s one of the reasons that Le Top sells so well for us. People love the feel, look and price!

9.    Where are the best/essential family hangouts and places to go around your store location?
We are lucky that we are in a shopping center that offers a good selection of kid-friendly restaurants that you can pick from. So coming to visit us you can make it more than a one-stop trip. There are so many places to go and things to do in Northern Virginia that there are several websites that help track all that information for you. We’ve have had a relationship with www.dullesmoms.com for almost a year now and really like this free website that lists kids’ activities in our area.

10.What Le Top or rabbitmoon Winter 2011 or Spring 2012 collection is your store’s favorite and why?
I really liked 2 dresses that were for Winter 2011 – Le Top’s “Starry Night” and“Candy Cane Cutie”.  Both were huge sellers and they looked so cute on the little girls!

Le Top "Starry Night" collection

The Tabby Cat

Hunter Mill Plaza
2946-F Chain Bridge Road
Oakton, VA
703.255.0812

www.tabbycatkids.com

 Mon – Fri: 9am-6pm
Sat: 9am-5pm
Sun: closed

CHECK-IN and JOIN The Tabby Cat’s Facebook page and click HERE

 

 

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New Year’s Eve Fun and Activities for the Family

To those who say New Year’s Eve, with its late hours and reputation for excess, is a tough holiday to celebrate with kids, we only laugh and smile knowingly!

Here are some cute tips for packing your New Year’s Eve celebration with the kind of surprise and silliness children love. Happy New Year!

NOISEMAKER SHAKERS
Fill plastic film canisters halfway with corn kernels and decorate with shiny stickers. (Con-Tact or construction paper, glitter, fabric paint and opaque paint markers are also good for decorating.) We poked a hole in the canister’s cap (a parent’s job) and threaded curled ribbon through. Knot the ribbon on the underside of the cap, and let the rest stream out of the top.

STREAMERS
Staple lengths of crepe paper to an empty cardboard tube or a straw and decorate with abandon.

COUNTDOWN NUMBERS
Draw and color in the numbers 1 through 10 on poster boards–one number per board. At midnight, each child promenades down a flight of steps, number card held high, as the crowd yells out the number and cameras flash. “That was their moment,” says Susan. As the last child hits the last step, the streamers were blowing and the shakers were shaking. “You would just not believe how cool that turned out.”

MIDNIGHT BALLOON SHOWER
Here’s how to do it:

• Line up two rectangular paper tablecloths and punch holes every 2 to 3 inches down one long side of each.
• Stitch the tablecloths together with yarn, leaving a foot or so at the end for a rip cord.
• Tape the cloth to the ceiling on three sides, leaving the side opposite the rip cord open. Tape the cord up separately, so it’s accessible. Let the center of the cloth hang down to allow space for the balloons.
• Inflate at least 75 balloons.
• Buy thin streamers and metallic confetti.
• Stuff the cloth with balloons, then add the confetti and streamers on top. (Reverse it, and the confetti will weigh down the cloth and filter out ahead of time.) Tape up the last side of the cloth.
• Let her rip! At the stroke of midnight, just one strong pull tears through the paper, releasing a cascade of balloons and confetti–followed by stomping feet and a cacophony of pops.

BUBBLE WRAP STOMP
Looking for a way to ring in the New Year that will have the crowd on its feet? Look no further than a packaging supply store. For just a few dollars, you can pick up several yards of large Bubble Wrap (or recycle Bubble Wrap that comes with holiday gifts). Just before midnight, unroll it on a hard surface, such as a wooden floor or driveway, and when the countdown concludes, join the fun with a “the Bubble Wrap Stomp.” It sounds like firecrackers!

CHECK OUT LE TOP’S CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
AT WWW.LETOP-USA.COM

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Nanny’s Children’s Shoppe: PREMIER STORE SPOTLIGHT Q&A

We caught up with cute kid’s boutique owner, Jan Gabrielson, of Nanny’s Children’s Shoppe in Sanibel, Florida. Aside from being envious of the great weather in Sanibel, we are even more envious of her amazing children’s store that is a must-go-to for cute kids clothing, accessories and much more – plus we hear she is having a 30% sale soon! She gives us the scoop on family hangouts around her store, her upcoming store events and her favorite Le Top Collection! Read more below!

 NANNY’S CHILDREN’S SHOPPE

2250 Periwinkle Way
Sanibel, FL 33957
239.395.1730
 

1.    Tell us the inspiration the name Nanny’s Children’s Shoppe? How long has your store been around?
Nanny’s has been on Sanibel since 1982. I purchased the store in 1999. I have moved the location over the years to it’s present home – an original cottage located on the main road and bicycle route.

2.    Any special events or fun holiday traditions that you have planned at your store for Christmas Eve or the New Year? Tell us the inside scoop about any special events and especially the fun deals we can expect!
Nanny’s participates every year in the annual Sanibel Island Luminary Night held the first Friday of December. This year we featured a local cartoonist and children’s author. The kids enjoyed cookies while drawing with him.  During the holidays, Nanny’s will have a 30% off sale in progress on fall merchandise.

Jan showing off the Le Top "Jolly Jurassic" collection t-shirt

3.    What’s your favorite holiday tradition and or nostalgic moment and why? Whether it be decorating the Christmas tree to eating peppermint bark to lighting the menorah candles to baking in the kitchen, etc…
At this time of the year, I enjoy wonderful friends and customers talking and sharing their stories and pictures of their children and grandchildren. Over the years in the children’s business I have seen them grow-up!

4.    What would you suggest as the top 3 essentials in the winter that any parent should buy to brighten up their child’s wardrobe this winter – especially for the warm-weather kiddos in Florida!
We find sun protection hats, shirts, and swim cover-ups to be a must-have in Florida.

5.    What is your favorite holiday film past or present for kids/family?
I absolutely love It’s A Wonderful Life.

Inside Nanny's featuring Le Top "Pizzazz" collection dresses and leggings (top), "Seeing Spots" collection (right wall)

6.    Will you be carrying any cute swimwear or Spring 2012 this January for parents looking to buy warm-weather clothing for holiday vacations? What are some hot items to look out for?
Nanny’s will be receiving lots of spring clothing items in January for all of our annual guests. The fashions for spring are so colorful and comfortable. We carry many knits that the children love. Being in Florida, you’ll find many ocean themed items….crabs, fish, lobsters. How about shark t-shirts for boys!

7.    Describe the neighborhood of your store location in Sanibel, Florida?
Nanny’s is located in the Sanibel Square near the very popular Sanibel Bean Coffee Shop.

8.    Where are the best/essential family hangouts and places to go around your store location?
Located right across the street from Nanny’s is the town park, a wonderful place for children to enjoy. Also, the Island Cow restaurant is a very popular spot to dine with children. The number one attraction on Sanibel for the whole family is the miles of beaches.

Le Top "Purrrfectly Pink" collection circle skirt dress and stripe footless tights

9.    What Le Top or rabbitmoon Winter 2011 collection is your store’s favorite and why?
The favorite in Nanny’s from the winter collection was Le Top’s “Purrfectly Pink” group. The soft colors and the twirl factor made this a must-have!

NANNY’S
CHILDREN’S SHOPPE

2250 Periwinkle Way
Sanibel, FL 33957
239.395.1730

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Decorating Options for your Holiday Cookies

So there I was, it was 8pm on the night before my daughter’s last day of school before the winter break. I had signed up to collect money from the parents for gifts for the teachers and distribute it to our teachers. Before I went to bed I had cards to write for all 9 teachers (from the parents), figure out how much money to put in each envelope, plus, I wanted to give each of the teachers homemade cookies as a token of our appreciation.

I had baked up the cookies (sugar and chocolate chip), and then came the time to decorate the sugar cookies…

This post has been moved to our website. To view the full post on how to frost. glaze and decorate you holiday cookies, go to: http://blog.letop-usa.com/?p=23048

 

CHECK OUT LE TOP CHILDREN’S CLOTHING 
AT WWW.LETOP-USA.COM 

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