We spotted a fashionable woman wearing a sparkly pair of brown flip flops in the grocery section of Target. She told me that the cute shoes came from…Target! We marched our way to the shoe department and found that the flip flops come in brown, black, white, pink and blue and are just $6.99! (Pink, brown, and blue shown above. The colors are a little off because the pictures were taken with Leanne’s camera phone!) They are just sparkly enough to dress up a cute skirt but are simple enough to wear to the pool. These flop flops are not on the target.com website, but there were plenty of them at the Super Target in South Frisco and Plano. The brand is Xhilaration and they are simple, rubber flip flops with glitter on the straps.

Of course, purses are also very noticeable items – especially the ones Moms tend to carry based on all our “Mommy-needs”, so we had to pay attention to them and report back our favorite. As you would imagine, we noticed lots of beautiful bags, like Coach, Louis Vuitton, and other big-name brands…..but, really, do you want to carry around sippy cups and gold fish crackers in purses that cost that much? Not us. One mom that we met had found the perfect balance of fashion and reasonable function. Her beautiful bag caught our eye at Super Target and we heard “cha-ching” in our ears, especially when we saw that she had a matching wallet. After talking with her about it, we found that she purchased both at Sam Moon for less than $30 total. We also found out that this bag is made of vinyl, which she says wipes clean in a snap no matter what’s been spilled on it. We are sure that most savvy moms know all about Sam Moon, but for this steal it might be time to go before they’re gone!

Another amazing mom-product that we discovered this week was the Eddie Bauer 2-in-1 Harness Buddy. We saw Susan with her adorable 2-yr. old twins Haley and Wesley in a parking lot with their “walking buddies.” This backpack comes in several cute styles (bear, monkey, and dog) easily fits on your toddler with arm straps and two chest buckles (the pack can also be worn in the front of the child). The removable tail of the animal doubles as a leash that loops around an adult wrist. This is perfect for children who are growing impatient with strollers and carts, but have not yet mastered their impulses enough to get unlimited freedom in the mall or other stores. Susan has been using the walking buddies for about 6 months and credits them for helping her twins safely learn how to hold hands in parking lots and sidewalks. While she doesn’t use the harnesses as much anymore, she does keep them in her mini-van just in case, and says her twins are always happy to get their buddies out.

Marilee, of The Whimsical Stork (a great place to order custom gifts for baby AND mom) emailed in this fantastic diaper bag that looks great and keeps all of your mom-necessities organized. Celeta at ABK Couture makes these custom diaper bags out of Chinese brocade material on the outside, and cotton on the inside. Celeta designed the first bag for herself, and has now perfected it according to Marilee: while the fabric is elegant and fashionable, eight pockets on the inside make the bag functional. And at $85, it’s in line with some of the other high end bags on the market – plus you get to pick your own fabric.

While at the pool, we discovered this cute float for baby! The Swimways Frog Baby Swim Float is a great option to get your littlest one in the water this summer. It’s so cute, how could they resist? The original Baby Swim Float doesn’t look like a little frog, but it does provide some shade from the sun with a detachable canopy. These can both be purchased for less than $20 at Walmart or Target.

We all know how much kids like to have their names on every item they own. The cutest personalized items we’ve seen in a while are the “My Name” collection by John Hinde, which we saw at Learning Express this past week. These cute personalized cups, sippy cups and water bottles are great for your child to carry at the mall, playground, or just around the house. The outside of the cup is rubber and easy for little hands to hold. The bright colors and fun designs help younger children learn the letters in their name. These cute cups can be purchased at The Learning Express for between $7.99 – $9.99.

Finding the perfect stroller is a challenge. According to several moms at the soft play area at Willow Bend Mall, Maclaren is the only way to go. The Maclaren Volo is a light-weight umbrella stroller that can easily be maneuvered through tight corners, folded up one handed in 5 seconds (according to their website), all while being heavy duty and with a lifetime warranty! The Volo can be purchased at Target for $99.99. Maclaren also offers more substantial strollers including a twin side-by-side stroller in your choice of a variety of colors.

Also at the mall, we happily discovered that Pumpkin Patch has put ALL of their summer clothes on CLEARANCE and will begin bringing out their fall clothes this week. The summer clothes will be on sale until they sell out, so get there quick! (For those of you who do not know about Pumpkin Patch, it is a kids clothing store that sells fantastic and reasonably priced clothing and outerwear for kids. It is located right next to the soft play area at Willow Bend in Plano.)

2. Dove Energy Glow Body Lotion: This product is slightly less subtle than Jergen’s, so results are seen much faster. To avoid that orange look, this should be used every other day. The lotion comes in different skin shades, so if you are normally very fair complected, you can use the fair/medium lotion and still look natural. Or for those with darker skin, the medium/dark shade may be best. You can find it for about $10 at any pharmacy or grocery store.

3. Mary Kay Tinted Moisturizer: This product is also only used for the face, does not change the physical color of your skin, and it moisturizes while providing you with a temporary tan that washes off at the end of the day. This product is SPF 20, so it helps protect skin under that hot summer sun. The moisturizer costs about $18.00 and can be purchased here.

4. Lancome Soleil Flash Bronzer: This product is strictly for the face and is oil free, so no grease and no streaks. Your natural looking tan starts to show within an hour. The lotion absorbs, so no sticky residue. Price is around $27 in department stores.

5. Mystic Tan: This choice is slightly more expensive than the at-home products, but the results may be worth the price. OK, I know you may be skeptical….after all, didn’t we watch Ross totally botch this up on Friends back in 199?-something. (For those of you who missed it, check out this excerpt on YouTube here.) But, seriously, our Moms say it’s come a long way from then. Just step into the booth, face one direction, then turn around and you’re all done – all in about 5 minutes! Throughout the day, the color gets darker, but never too dark. To avoid any orange on problem areas like knees, feet, and hands, rub normal every day lotion in those places before entering the booth. You can find Mystic Tan in places like Planet Beach and Palm Beach Tan all over DFW. Their prices are around $25 per session.