[I thought I would re-post this to remind everyone now that it's November!]

It's that time of year again, believe it or not!  Christmas shopping season!  Fa la la lala!

When I think of Christmas shopping, I think of Christmas Vacation.  Definitely one of my top 5 favorite movies EVER.  Home Alone is up there too.  Plains, Trains and Automobiles.  Christmas Story.  Plus all of the decorations and family fun.  I love the holidays! 

Every year, I have a great elaborate plan to do my shopping early and get my cards done before December 20th.  Last year, we barely got cards out!

This is what our holiday photo shoot looked like:

This will be our classic Christmas photo...we had a canvas made!

This year, I am determined to get myself in line.  Step one: get a family photo.  I would like us ALL to be included this year.  (I will admit, I am dreading this...).

The minute I got this email, I made an appointment!

See my favorite word? FREE.

JCP is offering a free family photo all of November!  No sitting fee, nada!  You get an 8x10 and (most importantly) a digital copy sent to you!

Once you get your photo taken, you can go to Vistaprint or Shutterfly to get some cheap cards made.  I'll keep you posted on any deals I see.

Yay for freebies!  Anyone else see any holiday deals yet?

August = Free haircut month at JCP!

Can you believe it's August already?!  The twins start preschool this fall and it's starting to set in.  I am overjoyed, yet super sad that my babies have grown up so fast!

With August comes back-to-school shopping and your kiddo might need a haircut too! Head on over to JCP and get a free one while you are already out shopping.  Your child just needs to be in K-6.  I wish the girls were eligible for this!


You need to be a JCP Rewards member. Not a member?  Super easy to sign up!

Kiddo need new 'do? Free cuts all of August at JCP!

Find a salon near you!

I wish our girls were eligible for this! If your kiddo needs a cut, head on over to JCP for a free one!  Okay, not quite right now, but the whole month of August!  Mark your calendars.  You could snag one while you are out back to school shopping.  Don't you miss those days?  I am still obsessed with buying school supplies...especially when they go on clearance!

You just need to be a JCP Rewards member. 

Not a member?  Super easy to sign up!

Speaking of haircuts, this Mama really needs a new look.  Any ideas for curly hair?

Two year old fashion: princesses & patterns

When I first found out we were having twins, I swore I would NEVER dress them alike.  I thought it was cheesy and it would take away from their individuality.  When they were babies, I would find outfits that were similar, just different colors and yes, I did dress them alike.  Since they are fraternal, it was not as big of a deal.  Now that they are two (where did the time go?!), I am finding they LIKE to dress the same sometimes.  Most days, I let them pick out what to wear and they tend to accessorize with their favorite "princess" items: plastic jewelry and headbands.  Shoes are also a big thing for the girls and they love that they can actually put them on.  I think it is important to let them be individuals and have their own sense of style.  I really did not think that they would be so different AND alike at the same time.  It's really interesting to watch them grow up.  It's fun to watch their individual styles grow as they do!


Here are some prime examples of their little senses of style. 

{MADDIE}

Maddie LOVES her jewelery and will put on anything she can get her hands on.  Its pretty cute how she manages to carry a purse, backpack and her kiki (blanket).  I am finding as she gets older, she likes simple clothes that are easy for her to put on.  I know that if I am buying mix-n-match pieces, Maddie prefers certain colors (purple, yellow and blue).

{OLIVIA}

 

Olivia prefers to be naked, I'm not going to lie...I have the hardest time keeping even her diaper on!  When she DOES decide to wear clothes, she prefers to be a Princess (anything pink or dressy) or to mix patterns.  Who knew toddlers could have such a knack for style?  When I buy mix-n-match pieces for her, I always get patterns or shirts with words.  She loves letters and shapes.



I recommend for any parents of twins to buy a lot of mix-n-match pieces.  This lets the twins show their individuality, but they can also match easily.  For toddlers, simple bottoms and shirts that they can put on themselves are a must.  Plus, when going through potty training, you want something they can easily take off.  Our issue now is they don't like to put their clothes back ON.  The joys of toddlers!


How does your child dress?  Do you let them pick out their clothes?  If you have boys, do they have a sense of style and individuality?


{DISCLAIMER}
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Jcpenney blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

JcPenney $10/$10 coupon code is back!

About every month or so, JCPenney.com offers a coupon for $10/$10+ purchase.  Last time, I was able to get 6 pairs of shoes for the girls (separate transactions) for less than $10 total. 

The best way to use this deal is to do a little bit of shoe shopping.  They always offer free shipping and if you search through the clearance/sale areas there are many deals to be found. Its taking everything in my power to not go crazy shoe shopping, especially when they have $29.99 ($19.99 after the discount) Chuck Taylors! Those usually run around $40 at least!

How to use the code: just enter GO4TEN at checkout and it will deduct the $10 from your order.  This offer is valid until Sept. 28th.

The rest of the site has $4.99 shipping, which isn't bad either.  If anything does not fit right, it is super easy to make returns at the store.

Additional savings can be found if you order through Ebates or Shop-at-home, where you get an additional percent back from your order (each website offers 3% back).  It probably wont amount to much, but I guess every penny counts.

Happy shopping!