We asked some kiddos what they lost during the school year. Watch the video to find out what they had to say. Nine-year-old Owen helps us investigate.

To our loyal customers:

Over the years, our girl Mabel has had a few makeovers and we are delighted to unveil a new fresh look for Mabel’s Labels. Why did we change Mabel? We wanted to improve the customer experience on our website while keeping our fun vibe alongside new colours and an updated logo.

We hope that our new iconography is familiar and friendly, but also professional and strong. Mabel is now seven-years-old, and thanks to our customers we have been able to grow with her to emerge as the market leader in the children’s label industry.

Mabel’s Labels is in many ways the same company it was when we first started: homegrown, open to customer feedback, innovative and customer-focused. On that note, we truly hope you love new Mabel as much as we do!

From Julie Cole, Cynthia Esp, Julie Ellis and Tricia Mumby
Co-founders and Vice-Presidents of Mabel’s Labels

I sat down to write a nice blog about Daddy-o, because really, he is a fantastic father. But it’s not really my style to write a mushy post about how fabulous he is, so instead I thought I’d talk about how he almost broke the baby this week.

Daddy-o came home from work the other day and joined us all in the backyard. I went inside and started puttering around when suddenly I heard the panicked words of Daddy-o: “oh man….don’t move buddy, just stay right there.” I looked out the window to see my 13-month-old teetering half way up the wooden deck steps looking like he was about to take a step down. Daddy-o was running, but it was too late. Through the window, as if in slow motion, I watched my baby fall down the steps onto the cement patio.

Two initial reactions:
1) I was sick about the big bump on our baby’s head.
2) I was annoyed that Daddy-o thought it was somehow OK to take his eyes off our busy 13-month-old for even a second.

I have a friend who is married to an “absent-minded professor” type. You know how sometimes you’ll put your coffee on the roof of the car while you get in, and then drive away forgetting all about it? When my friend was expecting her first baby, it occurred to her that it would be entirely within the realm of possibility for her husband to do that with a baby in a bucket car seat. She sat her husband down and told him that if he was careless and it resulted in an injured baby, she would never, ever forgive him. She felt bad threatening him with their marriage before the baby was even born, but his absent-mindedness knew no limits. It worked – they have four kids who have survived babyhood.

Daddy-o claims he was just a bit rusty – it has been a couple of years since we had a tippy toddler. It’s easy to forget how quickly they move and we all know that these falls can happen right under our noses. But clearly, he took his eyes of the baby long enough for baby to get across the yard and up the steps. So what is a mama to do? We don’t want to nag our husbands about their supervision skills, but we need to have confidence that our kids are safe.

What is your experience? Does the Daddy-o around your house have good instincts or are you always a little nervous when he’s alone with the kiddos? Have you effectively communicated your concerns, or does he feel like you’re a nag?

In short, do you trust your husband with your babies?

Whether you are a working mom, a stay at home mom or a mixture of the two, we all have one thing in common! We spend most of our waking hours trying to take care of other people and we leave very little time for ourselves!

From the time the alarm goes off in the morning until your head hits the pillow at night can you count how many minutes you have had to yourself? To be the best wife, mother, boss or employee you can, make sure you take time for you!

Giving yourself at least 30 minutes each day can be such a stress reliever and help you stay focused on what is important! Try soaking in a bath, going for a walk, reading your favorite book or just going for a drive on a scenic route!

How much “me time” do you give yourself and what is your favorite way to spend that time?

Whether you are decluttering your kitchen or your closet, here are a few simple questions to think about while you are sifting through your stuff. Sometimes decluttering can be an emotional process and asking yourself these questions will help you determine what’s worth keeping and what’s letting go.

1. Do I Love It? … I forgot about this award I got when I was in college…should I take a picture of it and let it go, or do I want to display it?
2. Do I Need It? … Are You kidding me, part with my hair dryer? Never!
3. Will I Ever Use It? … These black boots are cute, but I haven’t worn them in 6 years!?
4. Is It A Duplicate? … Wow, I really have three melon ballers?
5. What Is The Worse Thing That Will Happen If I Let It Go? … Ok, I’m letting go of two of my melon ballers. If I have a big melon decorating party I will just have to borrow a few more.

What questions do you ask yourself when decluttering?