Merry Christmas

As I set here and wonder where 2011 went, and how Christmas is only a few days away I find myself missing family.  My Mom, that I lost in 2008; my In-Laws, Aunt Jo and Uncle Walter.  Luckliy my sister is only 2-1/2 hours away from me, but Eric's brothers and sisters are DAYS away.

Not that we won't have a nice Christmas here with our kids, because we will. I just hope everyone will take the time to enjoy all the distant relatives you will get to see over the holiday season.  Most of all remember the Reason for the SEASON!  The birth of Jesus.

Try not to get bogged down with getting the perfect gift or a gift at all for that special person. Gifts are just STUFF and love is forever.

Merry Christmas, be safe in your traveling.
From your cloth diapering friends FOR THE MONSTER....
www.forthemonster.com

Black Friday Specials

Here we go with our Black Friday On Line Sale!

Changing Diapers Book 8.98 for this weekend only!

FuzziBunz Diapers

Rumparooz

bumGenius 4.0 Velcro

Flip

Gro Via buy 2 get 1 FREE Gro Via

Diaper Covers Buy 5 Get 1 Free Diaper covers

The more you purchase the more you save!!

.01 - 25.00 = 2% off

25.01 - 50.00 = 5% off

50.01 to 75.00 = 6% off

75.01 - 100.00 = 7% off

100.01 - 150.00 = 8% off

150.01 - 200.00 = 10% off

200.01 and up = 15% off

Night time madness???

Do you find as a parent you dread winter time? This is a time as a parent you need to become more creative at trying to keep your children occupied in the evenings so they don't fight all evening long!

My husband and I have really cut down on our kids and how much time they spend sitting in front of the computer and their DSi games. We do not have cable TV at our house, but we do own enough movies, we could open our own movie rental store. So they have slowly moved from "computer games" over to watching Scooby Doo. I can't make up my mind if watching Scooby Doo is any better than playing computer games. PLUS as an adult you can only watch "so much" Scooby before it starts driving you crazy! LOL

Tonight was the first evening that the kids couldn't go out and a play. So the boys started out playing on the computer and DSi, and then when I called for time to get off the computer and Dsi, it was time for dinner. (Dinner time is another blog post of it's own!) So quickly after dinner they ran back to their computer and games so after looking at my zombies for awhile I told them it was time to turn the electronic stuff off. So, they went straight to watching Scooby Doo before shower and getting ready for bed!

Now that winter is finally hitting NW Arkansas and other areas,we as parents will be looking for projects for the kids to work on in the evenings! I know at our house we will be adding a game night, just to keep the sanity in our house so the boys will not fight all evening long!

What do you do with your children, to keep the peace in your house during the winter months? What do you do to help your children burn that extra energy off?

PLEASE post your suggestions, game ideas, or just how you handle the winter months at your house!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

Meet Me Monday Week 2

Let me tell you a little about how I came up with the idea of Meet Me Monday. MME started with an idea of one cloth diaper store owner suggesting that we all start it. So I did. We are in week 2 of MME. How this works is... You the reader will post questions for me to answer the following Monday. IF I use your question and answer it, you will recieve a 5.00 e-code on the Monday I answer your question.

This weeks questions come from Alyssa V.

1. What lead you to using cloth diapers?

I have a friend named April R. She had her baby one year and a couple of weeks before I had my first child and after my first was born she brought her newborn cloth diapers for us to use. She brought us prorap covers, Bumkins covers and pre-folds. Then we purchased a few more of our own stash from an on-line store.

2. After how long did your use of cloth diapers turn into a business?

We used cloth diapers for a little over a year before we started our business. We actually started out carrying Maya Wraps baby carriers, and FuzziBunz was our first cloth diaper.

3.What were you doing or what did you want to do before you started For the Monster?

Before starting For the Monster, I was in training on having my first baby and being a mom. I am / was lucky enough to get to be a stay at home mom. Before I was a mom I worked in a well known door plant as a safety coordinator, and Workers Compensation Administartor.

Thanks for taking the time to read through this. Please remember to post a question and you could get a 5.00 e-code for just asking a question!!!

Meet Me Monday

Happy Monday!

I hope that this blog post finds you doing well!  Is Monday your toughest day of the week?  Not for me, the retail store is closed on Monday and Tuesday.  Wednesday is my new Monday! So, now that I am going to do a meet me Monday segment, I hope to answer any questions you have for me!!!


1. Who am I?

I am Gena Gregerson the owner of For the Monster, I am a mom, wife and business woman.


2. What do I like to do when I'm not working?

I like to spend time with my kids, and I like to read.  I'm starting the book on Steve Jobs next!


3. Do I have children?

Boy do I, I have two boys. Age 8 and 3


4. Do I like living in Arkansas?

Yes, I do like living in Arkansas.  I do believe this fall was the most beautiful fall down here yet!


5.How did I come up with my business name?

Have you ever just had an idea and know it was right? I was sitting at my kitchen table one night and the name For the Monster, just hit me! I knew it was right. I told my husband about the name I came up with and he informed me that NO ONE would ever buy from me, because I was calling their children monsters!  Here we are 7 years later, so I'm glad he was WRONG!!!

Post a question below that you would like for our Meet Me Monday segment and if we use your question you will receive a 5.00 off coupon from For the Monster.

Toddler Chasing??

Are you tired of chasing your toddler around? Need another hand?

Baby Slings and Baby Carriers will keep you in direct contact with your baby for constant bonding. This is important because your baby will cry less and be more content. Spend more time in a state of quiet alertness -- the optimal state for learning, and have increased visual alertness.

There are many different types of baby carriers on the market today.

All baby carriers have their own individual look and feel, but all baby carrier share some of the same characteristics.

• Versatile - Some baby carriers can be worn in all, or just a few positions. These positions are; in front, hip, back, reclining, nursing, and kangaroo carry positions. Additionally, some can be used as a harness, shopping cart strap, lightweight blanket and more.

• Adjustable - Some ring slings can be adjusted independently, allowing a perfectly customized fit. Pouches now come with adjust-ability as well.

• Great for both Mom and Dad - Most baby carriers are now made to fit both mom and dad. This means that both parents can be close to baby and still be able to get something accomplished.

• Perfect for nursing - Mom can cover herself when nursing. Most baby carriers are made with nursing a child in mind!

• Long lasting - Not all but most carriers are use able from birth to 35 lb.

With the new baby coming, the best gift you can give to yourself is to purchase a baby sling or baby carrier. This way you can have baby with you and baby will be happy while you are on the constant move while chasing your very busy toddler. A baby carrier or sling will also provide comfort for you and baby. You both will be close and still be able to get things accomplished.

My friend April made my first ring sling, I practiced with the sling before the baby arrived. I have to admit the ring sling defiantly has a learning curve, it was well worth the frustration of learning for us.  We still use our slings today and my youngest is 3! We also use the Ergo a lot for back carries, and we also use our Boba Carrier as well!

Now, that you have decided that you want a baby carrier for your child, now is when the fun begins. You will need to decide if you want a wrap, carrier or a ring sling. If you are looking for a baby carrier for your toddler you can add to the list a Mai Tai, Asian Back Carriers.

If you are wanting to read and compare the best place that I have found is The Baby Wearer.
This is a place that you will find all types of baby carriers, so that you will be able to make an educated decision about your purchase.


If you are looking for a baby shower gift, I say look at getting the new mom a baby carrier!  I will always say baby carriers are life savers for moms!  Using a baby carrier while out in public was great for us, this way I didn't have to fight with a stroller and baby was up against me so during the cold winters baby was always warm with my body heat, and no one was able to cough on baby either!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com

For the Monster Retail Store Soon Turning ONE

For the Monster started July of 2004 with a small operating budget working out of the 3rd bedroom of our house in Kansas. Then in December of 2007 FtM outgrew the bedroom and we had to move it into the office space upstairs. With that move we gained about 200 extra square feet.

January of 2009 our family and business relocated to Arkansas. At that time we experienced another growth spirt in our business! We had the 3 drawer Starlight totes stacked three high all the way around the room side by side, and in singles in the closet, and then stacked two high in the center of the room. FINALLY in October of 2010 I paid rent the first time on our 1000 square foot brick and Mortar location located at 2421 N. Center St. STE. D Fayetteville AR 72701 and as we are getting ready to celebrate our first year in our retail location we have just acquired the suite beside us for an additional 800 square feet. With this addition to our store we will be adding a play area, class room to accommodate 12 people, and adding used baby and toddler clothing.

We have enjoyed our year in retail. We have met many mama's in the area, and learned a little more history of Arkansas with each customer. It is amazing to me what pride Arkansas has in their College football team. It's amazing to see all the people that come to town for the football games!

November marks one year in retail business for us. With our expansion we are adding a classroom for up to 12 people, and we also will have used clothing for sale. We have also set up a play area for the kids, they can come and watch a movie while mom and dad shops! What we are hoping to gain in what we call the second side, is a place where mom can come and let baby play if baby is needing a changed of scenery! We will be holding classes over a wide range of subjects as well. We are going to start with a certified CPR class.

Our classes will start in December. Our Certified Pediatric CPR class will have a class fee of 30.00 per person. Those that sign up and pay for their class will receive a 15.00 gift certificate to For the Monster to help with the cost of the class. We will also be having a First Aid class as well. We have a long list of classes that we are working towards to find instructors for.

We are working on our week of Celebration for our 1 year retail birthday party. Please keep a watch on our blog for more udpates!

Gena
www.forthemonster.com