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When I came across this Little Tikes turtle sandbox, so many of my childhood memories came flooding back. I’m not surprised they still sell it, because it’s a classic! I actually never knew that the turtle’s feet are supposed to be seats, and I would assume most kids would plop right in the middle on their butts. If you have space on your lawn, I can see this sandbox being a great addition for some independent play — making a mess with sand can keep my son occupied for longer than I would ever assume! The sandbox is $39.99 at Target. Turtle Sandbox This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!Sales of note for 7.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has begun! Here are all of our picks.
- Ann Taylor – Semi-Annual Sale! (Ends 7/12)
- Athleta – Extra 30% off semi-annual sale (ends 7/10)
- Banana Republic Factory – 40-60% off everything + extra 20% off your purchase
- Boden – 10% off new women’s styles
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off all sale
- Everlane – Up to 70% off
- J.Crew – End of Season Sale, up to 60% off all sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything + extra 60% off sale styles
- Lo & Sons – Summer sale, up to 50% off
- Loft – 50% off tops
- Madewell – End of season sale, up to 70% off with code.
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide. (Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this is the biggest sitewide discount I’ve ever seen…)
- NET-A-PORTER – Up to 60% off sale styles
- Rothy’s – Lots of great finds in the “final few” section
- Sephora – 25% off a ton of shampoos and conditioners (ends 7/10)
- Talbots – Semi-annual Red Door Sale, extra 40% off markdowns
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything plus extra 15% off purchase
- Eloquii – Semi-annual clearance, up to 85% off
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off warm-weather styles; extra 50% off sale styles
- Lands’ End – 50% off your order
- Loft – $39 dresses and 40% off your purchase (ends 6/26)
- Talbots – 30% off all markdowns, summer favorites starting at $24.50 (ends 6/25)
- Zappos – 26,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Summer clearance up to 70% off; 50% off tops, shorts & more
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all dresses; up to 50% off all baby items
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Up to 50% off warm-weather styles; extra 50% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 50% off all polos; 60% off steals
- Target – 20% off women’s swim; 50% off patio furniture, garden items & accessories; up to 30% off kitchen & dining
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
Anonymous says
We have on of these and the photo is misleading. It’s too small for two kids (mine are 2 and 4) if it’s filled with toys (which ours was immediately). Our son would actually set his excavator outside the turtle and have it reach it to dig.
We bought a larger sandbox to replace it. But we have been using the turtle as a little pool on hot days which has worked well! And both kids can fit since they’re jumping in and out all the time.
AnonLawyer says
That sandbox is the perfect size for my 7-month-old, so yes to misleading pictures! (But she looooooves it.0
Audrey III says
Can anyone recommend: (1) some type of magnetic “lap easel” or similar to take in the car (for 2.5 yo and/or 5.5 yo); and (2) a good travel neck pillow for 5.5 year old so he could more comfortably sleep in the car. He weighs under 40 lbs so he is still in his 5-point harness car seat but is forward facing, but a little harder for him to get comfortable for sleeping than for sister, who still faces back (and is therefore tilted a bit). We have a 12 hour car trip coming up next month to see grandparents before school (hopefully) starts. Thanks!
DLC says
We used a cookie sheet as a magnetic surface on road trips. It did get a little hot sometimes so I would maybe put something underneath if we were to do it again.
anon says
We use a large cookie sheet for a lap tray on roadtrips.
Anonanonanon says
^ditto. I got one years ago at the dollar store that has been used for years between two children. Playing with magnets, using it as a flat surface to color on, etc.
Anonymous says
Wow, this is genius and I wish I’d known about it years ago. Thank you!
AwayEmily says
We just did a very long car trip and I put a big duffel bag in the seat well under my 4yo’s front-facing seat so she could rest her feet on it. She said it made her a lot more comfortable.
Cb says
A fun kid story for a Friday – our cleaner got here this am (for the first time since mid-March, thank the lord) and we were heading out on a bike ride so we weren’t sharing the space. My son chimed up and said ‘Annie’s here to take me for a cycle ride? You can stay here!’ I feel like on week 15 of lockdown, he’d rather be with a stranger than his parents, just for a change of pace.
TheElms says
Isn’t a clean house the best thing ever!!! Our cleaning service came back for the first time 3 weeks ago and it was amazing. Logistically its challenging with all of us in the house, the heat, and the kiddo’s nap schedule, but still amazing to not have to clean the bathrooms.
Cb says
Oh my goodness, she just comes for 2 hours so I just had her do a deep clean on the kitchen/sitting room and bathroom today, leaving the two bedrooms for next week, but it’s incredible. I could never get our laminate floors to look that nice.
Honestly, it would be worth it for the floors and the kitchen counters.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Another fun kid story: I try to take the kids out for a walk after daycare now, since they get home earlier and so my husband can make dinner in the meantime. During the walk, my 4 year old was chatting away and saying how daddy wasn’t on the walk because daddy was making dinner. Then said “Mommies don’t make dinner. Daddies make dinner.” (My husband does 95% of the cooking.) Yep kid, break those gender stereotypes!
Anonanonanon says
I love it!
Our sitter for COVID is quite religious/conservative. I overheard her telling the kids something about cooking dinner for her husband that evening. My son (10) said “Mr. (husband) could cook dinner, too.” Made me so proud!
anon says
My 3 yo got into a big debate with other kids at preschool when she insisted that the Dad, not the Mom, should cook when they play family, as that’s what happens in our house. ::grin::
Lana Del Raygun says
My aunt is a carpenter/cabinet maker, and when my older sister learned that St. Joseph was also a carpenter she dropped the book and said “you mean BOYS can be carpenters TOO?”
Susan says
My 3yo (at the time) was flabbergasted the first time we went to the ped and he was seen by A BOY DOCTOR.
AnotherAnon says
These are all so cute; especially incredulity that boys can be carpenters. This isn’t earth shattering or anything, but yesterday my 3 y/o was pretend playing with me and said “pretend you are my mommy” and it just struck me as really funny for some reason.
Anonanonanon says
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA that tickles my funny bone for some reason, too.
Redux says
This made me LOL!
CCLA says
We took our kids to an open air mall/promenade to run around, and our almost 4-yo just wanted to ride the escalator over and over again, and talk to everyone she saw. She kindly introduced me to many strangers riding on the opposite escalator (“Hi, good morning, I’m [name], this is my mom [name], is that a dog? how are you?” Repeat x10. Clearly she’s been starved for social interaction, though being back a few weeks at daycare has helped.
anon says
Do any of you use a rug under your kitchen table? Our interior designer is pushing for us to get one and to me, it seems like a lot of mess with small kids and throwing/dropping/spilling food. Alternately, any recommendations for furniture pads that stay on? We bought some lovely but very heavy chairs through our decorator. They have skinny metal legs with hard plastic tips and are badly scratching our floors (hence the suggestion to get a rug).
Anonanonanon says
We do. It’s mostly navy so it hides most stains. It’s kind of a pain because I have to switch the vacuum head on my Dyson to vacuum it (from the hard floor one to the carpet one) which doesn’t sound like a big deal but feels like a chore. On the other hand, it’s not as awful as I worried it would be in terms of stains and spills and stuck-on food. Some things are easier to let “dry out” for an hour or so before vacuuming (little bits of playdoh, shredded cheese) so they don’t just get ground into the carpet, and that’s annoying. Overall, like I said, not as bad as I feared.
No luck finding furniture pads that actually stay on.
Anonanonanon says
I feel compelled to clarify that we live in a borderline “tiny home” and do not have a kitchen table but have a dining room table that is also the every day eating spot, so it’s in a defined “dining room” that is attached to/visible from the kitchen
anon says
We had issues with pads on chair feet and ended up with black rubber caps that cover the ends. They stay on great if you can find the right size and aren’t terribly noticeable if the chair legs are black.
Anonymous says
https://www.amazon.com/Soft-Touch-4440395N-Non-Marking-Anti-Skid/dp/B00466X40C?ref_=ws_cp_d048ef04868b0300faf1_p_1_t_p
TheElms says
What about chair leg socks? I haven’t tried them (we have cheap chairs) but they might stay on better. If you search chair sock on etsy there are a lot of options.
AnotherAnon says
I personally would not use a rug since my 3 y/o is extremely messy and we plan to have more kids. A rug seems like an expensive solution, but it would look nice. We have furniture pads atm, but we’ve also had good luck with silicone furniture caps. They’re kind of ugly but I don’t notice them after a while.
anon says
My kids aren’t even that small anymore, and yet I still have to sweep under the kitchen table at least once a day to pick up various crumbs and debris. (Or I make my kids do it.) I cannot envision having a rug under the table ANYTIME soon.
blueberries says
I was really happy to get rid of the rug under our dining table. The rug made sweeping so much harder and I don’t want to get out the vacuum that often.
Anonymous says
We have a rug under our table and have since the oldest was a baby. It’s burgandy and navy with a busy traditional oriental rug design, so it hides stains really well. I would definitely not use a solid or large geo print rug where kids eat, but this has worked well for us. I dislike sweeping more than I dislike vacuuming, plus I feel like the rug keeps crumbs from flying around the floor to farther flung parts of the house. We pick up stray crackers, grapes and berries with our hands, let the roomba run in there every other day or so, and do real vacuuming as needed (after eating rice or couscous)/a couple times a week.
BLW flunkie says
Indoor/outdoor rug! We bought the Safavieh Monroe – MNR-152 one for under our dining table. About $150. It looks great three years in and I give zero shits when something is dropped, spilled, etc. (Which, as a BLW flunkie, is happening often). I will say, the pattern is raised so it’s a tad annoying but our knockoff Roomba cleans it nicely. Chairs don’t exactly glide in like they would on a smoother rug, but it’s not a huge problem.
CCLA says
This is our solution, too (indoor/outdoor), but no raised pattern. It’s held up for 4 years, 2 kids, gets vacuumed daily with the dyson stick and is easily wiped down. Roomba handles it fine, too.
Anonymous says
No, I’ve never understood this, even if you don’t have kids. It just seems wildly impractical. Honestly it sounds like your decorator is more focused on form than function.
Redux says
Same. Ditto for rugs/carpet in a bathroom.
avocado says
The house we lived in when I was in high school had carpet in the bathrooms, and the apartment my husband lived in when we were dating had carpet in the kitchen. Remembering those floors makes me shudder. Who would ever think carpeting a room with running water was a good idea?
Spirograph says
Eh, it’s really not that bad. My house doesn’t have an eat-in kitchen. Dining room has wood floors under it and is high-traffic, so it needs a rug to protect the floor, absorb noise, and “tie the room together” as it’s immediately visible from the front door. White or shag rugs are wildly impractical, but it turns out that a flat, dark, patterned rug is not significantly harder to keep clean than a bare floor (unless playdough is involved). 3 kids, no dog.
Realist says
Agree with Spirograph. The rug is necessary to define the dining area in the layout of our house and to protect the high-traffic wood floor. We have a shortpile rug and always have fabric cleaner on hand. I’m pretty germphobic and would absolutely be disgusted by carpeting in the bathroom, but I don’t find a low-pile rug to be an issue in the dining area. Wet spills never sit for more than 10 minutes without being cleaned thoroughly, and are infrequent anyway. The rug gets vacuumed frequently and the dog helps keep it crumb free. The rug was cheap enough that I wouldn’t hesitate to replace it if I felt it was getting icky or smelled or developed a noticeable stain.
Spirograph says
Mine is kind of a nice rug, so I did pay to get it professionally cleaned last year. It wasn’t visibly stained or smelly, I just figured it was due after 6+ years of kids spilling stuff on it. But yes, same. Clean up spills quickly, vacuum regularly-ish, and it’s nbd.
Realist says
Yes, we have an inexpensive rug that will probably need to be replaced every few years (we are past the baby stage, but used a splat mat). It gets vacuumed at least once a week, and having a dog helps. The color and pattern hide small stains.
For chairs, the socks don’t work all that well but do work better than pads. Cups/caps are better if you can find ones that fit. In my case, I would ask the designer to put function over aesthetic, but that is just me. We are currently eating 5 meals/snacks a day at our table and I don’t have time to deal with a dining set up that isn’t functional and easy to clean. If any part of the set up required fuss or extra time for whatever reason (including causing need for floor repair/polishing), I would replace that part.
anonn says
+1 to having a dog :) I never realized how much our dogs catch until we eat at someone else’s house.
Anon says
Yes! At my in-laws there’s always so much food to clean up under the dining table, but at home we just let the dog in once the kids are done…
avocado says
Our dog refuses to clean crumbs off the floors. All she does is get them dirty and furry.
I don’t understand why she doesn’t just hang out under my 13-year-old’s chair. The kid drops more food now than she did as a toddler, and that dog could get a nice snack out of every meal. She is also tall enough to lick the crumbs off the table without standing on her hind legs; I guess I’m glad she doesn’t do that.
Realist says
Some dogs aren’t very food motivated. I guess we are lucky in that my dog would hunt down every last crumb in the house, even from vegetables or things that don’t normally make dogs excited.
Anonymous says
We live in a high rise with a BEIGE carpeted dining to and I hate it so much. We also have a pedestal table with low legs so it’s really hard to vacuum around the bottom.
Anon says
For my barstools I got tiny stick-on pads and then put xs chair socks over them. So far so good. I wouldn’t do a rug, even if you do a washable one it seems like a PITA.
Anonymous says
The stock on pads never stayed on. We finally added these to our chairs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07GNDM8YD/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Anonymous says
Yes under dining table in dining room for formal eating. No way for kitchen table and everyday eating.
Anon says
Yes – under our kitchen table. It is dark colored and heavily patterned. It’s been fine. We clean up spills quickly and vacuum regularly. It’s a polypropylene, short pile, and has held up remarkably well. I am also happy to get rid of it in a decade once we’re out of the messy kid stage (it will have served for close to two decades by then). Kiddo didn’t start eating at the adult table until about 18 months though – prior to that she used a high chair with a splat mat to protect the wood floors or her kid table.
Period says
Question for you hive. Just turned 40 a couple of weeks ago. My periods have been pretty unbearable. Was wondering if anyone uses any supplements or eating certain things to make it not as bad?
Anonymous says
Nope. Talk to your doctor.
Anon says
In my experience, doctors often just recommend birth control which can be harmful for PMDD (for some of us, progestin is not an adequate substitute for progesterone, and it’s awful to learn this the hard way).
Anon says
Birth control.
Anon says
You didn’t really say what’s been unbearable about it. I personally had PMS as well as PMDD with severe pain, cramps, mood swings, water retention, nausea, the list goes on. For the PMDD I took methylfolate (OTC alternative to Deplin) and for the PMS and pain I took some tips from Lara Briden’s Period Repair Manual. I’ve gone from having to take sick days every month to feeling okay. I can’t tolerate birth control at all, so my gynecologist was useless.
Anonymous says
How much enrichment should we be doing with our 13-month old? He roams around a big play room with various toys and we read him a few books every day, but are there specific activities we should be doing with him?
Spirograph says
Nope, you’re good.
Anonymous says
Ok thank you! Before we started working from home he was in daycare (and a 9 month old!) so I just wanted to make sure we’re not missing anything.
Anonymous says
Do you talk to him? He’s fine.
anon says
Sensory activities are great at that age. Water, sand, bubbles, shaving cream, playdoh, bins of dry beans or rice, etc. No pressure, but may be something new to keep him interested.
TheElms says
If you’re looking for other activities, singing is great and a good distraction for when kiddo is tired/cranky. Songs with actions are especially popular or animal noises. My 13 month old loves “Head, shoulders, knees and toes” and has learned some body parts that way. She also likes “If you’re happy and you know it” because she can clap. Often I just ask Alexa to play kids songs and we dance around / sing in the kitchen as I make dinner. We also go on walks to look for birds/squirrels/other people/cars/dogs. A bubble machine will also provide endless entertainment for approximately $30 dollars. We do that on the weekends when we want to sit outside and not parent for a bit.
Anonymous says
This explains everything.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/10/opinion/trump-schools-reopening.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage
Realist says
It is like a dumpster fire. I can’t even stand to hear his voice. And now I understand how about one-third of Germany supported Adolf when he was in power. Apparently one-third of any given human population are completely on board with evil if it aligns with what they view as their interests. It is so disheartening.
Lana Del Raygun says
Well they’ve redesigned it; the older ones have more rounded/sloped feet that you can’t really sit on.