Three Haute Mamas

Haute apps for the back to school

What parent's phone isn't covered in jam and Pirate's Booty dust these days?  Thank Apple and their Apps. A blessing and a curse I say, for nary a minute goes by that I'm not negotiating the return of my phone from my kids. Yet, it does allow me the convenience of spending more than 6.2 minutes in Target so there is a plus side.  So mamas, in light of the return of school (and a full 6 hours of uninterrupted Mommy phone usage), I bring you the best of back to school apps* for the haute kids in your life.  May this buy you 5 minutes of peace in the Starbucks order lane.   

For the parent who want to help their little monkey learn to read, an app from the worlds favorite monkey

Any physics geeks out there? Thought so.  Draw shapes with the crayon that come to life and interact with the wheel causing it to move according to physical laws. When it reaches the stars the level is complete. Hello son..This is Harvard is calling. 

 

iLive Math Oceans.  Not a whole lot of info on iTunes, but the two reviews were very positive and I like the concept. Especially because let's be frank, can we.. math is really hard. 

 

"Word problems can be a challenge to many kids.  All word problems in this app are about ocean life and they are accompanied by stunning pictures and great sounds.  The child can also seek out more information about the animals by reading about them in Wiki pages in the app"

Who remembers the Constitution?  Declaration of Independence? Don't even bother trying.... Famous Speeches does the work for you.  oops..I mean..Children, for reference and reading enjoyment only, I give you..Famous Speeches . 

 

Sight words made fun from Learning Sight Words.  If one teacher has to teach 20 kids 100 sight words that's....Where's the math app again? 

I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.

~Winston Churchill

Clearly the man was never handed an iPhone loaded with apps.  

xo, Kate

*Please note I've not used any of these apps firsthand.  My children won't give me my phone back. 

Back to school kicks for haute kids-girl style

If it were up to my three girls we'd be out shopping for, at a minimum, 14 new pairs each, back to school shoes.  Budget, nor space allow for such whims, alas.. I've given them the instructions they can choose 1 pair of sneakers, 1 pair of "good" or dress shoes and 1 pair of not sneaker/not dress shoes.  That's 9 pairs of girl shoes people.. 

A shoppin' we go....

As God as my witness if someone doesn't pick out a pair of these Toms shoes I will just scream.....

I always buy my kids Ugg type boots, real or faux, like these or below every fall-they're an easy slip on shoe, water proof and can be worn in most situations (unlike ugly snow boots..curse you New England winters!).   Target actually has an economical version, and I can attest to the fact that they generally hold up well if you water proof them.  

I am a sucker for tartan and leopard.  Girls.  You are too when payless is having a buy one get one half sale!

Those boots? Those boots!! Cuteeeeee...with a pair of skinnies and a plaid shirt dress! Add. To.  Cart. 

Sorry, but the rule says if the shoe's cute, and it's six bucks..You buy it. Oh yes the leopard and the fringe? Six dollars each..

  

ps..the boots, the leopard and the fringe?  Walmart.  I think we're over our 3 pair per person limit..

My kids love color, color, color.  Like circus clowns, the more the merrier.  I love thesebecause of the old school feel.  And yes.  Color, color, color.  And Vans.. sigh..I remember when I was a kid....

I'm sorry..Thoseeeee are Crocs?? Roar! 

And the cutest of them all for your young and small..I looked.  

And I saw him (No. Not the cat the in hat..it was the fedex guy).  

I looked and I saw him leave something on the mat.   

These shoes.  

How 'bout that? 

xo, Thing one

It's time. Back to school shopping. Haute kids style.

I get it.  The girls (meaning the under 8 crowd I roll with that call me "Mommy") have asked, almost without pause, since August first "Can we go shopping? Can we? Can we?". No more lazy, hazy days of summer.  Schedules.  Ballet.  CCD.  Homework. Lunchboxes. Piano. It's here.  School. I have accepted the fact, my white flag is a flyin'..

But for the time being, let's get's back to that part about shopping shall we?

Give a backpack.   You've hopefully already purchased your kids Tom's shoes, now purchase them their backpack.  Along the same lines, buy a packback and they donate backpacks and school supplies in communities that are not equipped to do so.  As of August 18, 2010, the company has donated 2,068 supply filled backpacks!  Can you imagine not being able to provide basic educational supplies for your child as they go off to school? Then buy two backpacks and make yourself feel a lot better. 

 

You know how once school starts, you're required to label every single item that your child brings into the school/sports field/school bus/daycare/world? Well you don't have to.  Let Mabel do it.  Mabels Labels that is.  Let them know your child's name, and they will send you the awesome-est labels ever invented.  They actually stick.  To everything. All the time.  

We are moms who were frustrated by the amount of stuff that left our houses, never to return. After lots of research and testing we created the perfect labels for the stuff kids lose.

Our sticky labels and clothing labels are dishwasher, microwave and laundry safe, and customized with a child’s name, choice of colours and icon.

They even offer Allergy labels-as an Epi-pen carrying mama, these are genius! 

They even offer back to school packs (a little bit of all their labels), but hurry..like the lazy hazy days of summer, they're only available for a limited time (until September 24) so hurry or you'll miss the bus;)

"If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers."

— Edgar W. Howe

xo, Kate