SacMomsClub.com

So I must confess that gong to Costco isn’t just a shopping trip for me, it’s an event.  It’s my PILs fault.  They bought us our first membership years ago.  At first I only went a occasionally and for Christmas shopping.  Then I started going about every other month for household supplies.  Now I go about every other week for regular stuff, clothing, books, kids things, business supplies, lunch, a frozen mocha, just to browse....Yes, I’ve got it bad!

The latest coupon mailer came in the mail about a week ago.  They send them out ahead of the date that the coupons are good for.  This gives me time to pour over the deals and consider them good and long. I actually Post-it flag the coupons I want to use!  The Costco coupon mailers are valuable because, as you might know, Costco does not accept outside or manufacturer’s coupons.

I recently did a price comparison of all the places I shop for food and household stuff.  I made a spreadsheet (yes I’m that way). I listed down the side all the most common products I buy and across the top I titled the columns for the stores I shop in. It actually took a couple days and a couple shopping trips to fill the whole thing it.  But it was an exercise worth doing.  It gave me a baseline comparison for the non-sale price of items at each store.  I knew Costco had good deals on a regular day, but this proved it.  Since then, I actually have started to buy more items there than I was before – like eggs and milk and bread for instance.

So, today with coupon book in hand I took off happily to Costco – without the kids.  An outing of nirvana proportions (Thank you Grandparents!).  Don’t get me wrong, the triplets are pretty good shoppers; I’ve been toting them to stores with me since they were 10 months old.  They especially love to go to Costco – grazing the land of free snacky samples.  They love to eat lunch there too – sometimes it’s a toss up between McDonalds or Costco, really!  But a chance to go without them is something I don’t pass on. 

 Today I actually stuck to my list.  I bought all coupon items for things we use on a regular basis. And felt like I really scored triumphantly.  Until the associate at checkout told me my total purchase tally for the past year.  Apparently I spend so much there that I qualify to save a ton – if I upgrade my membership level.  Hmmmm....  I’ve heard this before.   And I was actually looking into it a couple months ago, but I hadn’t moved on it.  Apparently, if after a year, I don’t ‘earn’ back in savings more than I spend on the upgrade, then I can downgrade again and get my upgrade fee back.  I've been in denial for awhile about my Costco spending.  I thought I didn't spend enough to make the upgrade worth it.  So, with today's spending info, I decided to do it.  Besides, soon Costco's coupon policy will be changing and only the Exec members will get the coupon mailer - Oh No!!!!

For some it is the call of the wild. I guess for me it is the call of the warehouse store.....

larger view

I just returned home from a week away at the largest baby industry tradeshow in the USA.  My feet still ache, my back is sore and my mind is awhirl with inspiration.  Any product you would buy at a store for baby, toddler, child, was there (including my SnugEase Bib, of course. LOL!)

I always come back from the tradeshow with my head buzzing with ideas; colors, patterns, styles...  This is the year we are going to try to implement many of them.  I am so excited that our business has grown enough to take our product to the next level.

I have to say that I am grateful to the many great business mentors I have; such as Ken Goore from our local Goore’s store, Maxa the owner of Once Upon a Child in Citrus Heights and Cathy, the owner of Lil’ Suckers in Roseville.  They all give me different perspectives on their niche of the industry. And of course I have a great appreciation for all the great women on the manufacturing side of the industry that I network with.

Of all the things that I have learned along my journey in this business, the most meaningful is the importance of networking.  And not just the help and information I receive from my mentors, but also how gratifying it is to pass along my experiences to those who are a few steps behind me.  I always feel that if I can help someone else learn from my (many) mistakes so that they won’t have the pain of some of my mishaps, then that can only work for the good of all.

It was great to see some of Sacramento’s other local Mommy inventors exhibiting at the tradeshow for their first time.  These were:

The maker of the SnuggleMe’z - a very beautiful and useful carseat cover that has a blanket attached so that you won’t worry about it falling off the carseat when you cover baby, http://happyhealthyhip.blog...

The maker of Eaz-Z Wraps – an organic, USA made, versatile blanket large enough to cover both kids in a side-by-side stroller, with satin tags on it to hook it onto the stroller so it won’t fall off, http://www.eaz-zwraps.com/f...

The maker of the JussTinCase – a nursing cover that is extra wide, allows for viewing the baby while keeping your modesty and then folds into it’s own pocket case for staying neat and easy storage in you diaper bag or purse, http://www.jusstincase.com/...

The maker of the Loving Baby Swaddle Blanket, my personal favorite swaddler, shared a booth with me. She’s a local NorCal girl too and is someone I have networked with for 4 years.  Her swaddle blanket was patented in 1999 and is used by many NorCal Kaiser hospitals in their parenting classes and NICU’s, http://www.lovingbabyinc.co...

I saw so many more new and useful products.  I always love to share all my ‘finds’ when I come home and I will do so in a separate blog about new products.

For now, I just needed to brag about the successes of our local Mommy Inventors.  Kudos, girls, for a great show!  For everyone else, you can see many of these products at Goore’s in Sacramento.  They are a great supporter of local Momprenuers, and new baby products on the market.

The photo is of me and the other three wonderful women that I met at my first tradeshow 4 years ago.  We banded together and shared a booth this year because we love each other's products and our products are all mostly in the same stores.  This is my most valuable support network; Lt to right - Imp Prints, Stork Pride, Loving Baby and SnugEase. Together, our products make up the components of my favorite baby shower gift basket.

Logically, I know that an adult should never, ever let themselves be drawn in to a battle of wills with their child.  It never ends well.  

So, why did I let it happen today?  I’m tired.  I’m cranky.  I’m overwhelmed by the things I have to do for my business at this time of year.  I should know better.

He’s tired and cranky (from Mommy relaxing the bedtime schedule over the summer and now demanding a change), He’s overwhelmed (from all the changes happening in his life; kindergarten - alone without his sisters, turning 6, Gramma and Grandaddy coming and going with their visit, Mommy and Daddy getting ready to leave for a week). He needs his mommy. He needs a hug.

Now is the time I should be comforting him through all of this.  But his defiant shout of, “No! I won’t!” (his new refrain) that one last time drove me over the edge and into Time-Out-For-Mommy zone.  I should have taken a time-out.  But I got into a shouting match with him - a 6 yr old. 

And there were no winners, only two sorry losers clinging to each other, crying.

Take a deep breath.  Tomorrow is a new day.  Let's start over my darling boy.