Need some roses for your love? Costco has you covered
News flash: Costco Valentine’s Day rose sale is back! Here’s the scoop on the sweet deals you can score on Costco roses, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
It’s true that rising prices are being felt everywhere in 2024, and Costco’s deal on roses is no exception. This year, the cost to pre-order the Valentine’s Day bunches (with guaranteed delivery) is $64.99—but it’s still an amazing offer if we do say so ourselves. You can’s get 50 long-stem roses for $64.99 anywhere else that we know of. And there’s a wide assortment: all-red bouquets, all-white bouquets, hot pink and light pink bouquets, lavender bouquets, and bouquets with shades of pink, red, and white.
Costco
Members and non-members alike can snag this preorder-only deal by placing their order from now until no later than Feb. 12 by 11 a.m. PST. But be forewarned, this is one hot deal and supplies are likely to run out before then.
Shoppers can choose delivery dates of Jan. 31- Feb. 2, Feb. 6-9, and Feb. 13. Deliveries may occur one day before or one day after the selected date (so if you want Valentine’s Day delivery choose Feb. 13). All deliveries include free shipping and handling (taxes still apply). Non-members can also get in on the deal, but they will have to pay a 5% surcharge.
Costco
These beautiful bouquets all have 50-centimeter stems, are Rainforest Alliance Certified, and come from Costco’s South American farms. Costco prides itself on running socially responsible farms, so you know these beauties are coming from a wonderful place.
The order of 50 roses comes in two bundles of 25 stems and without a vase. It’s probably wise to start shopping for a vase (or two) that can handle 50 of these gorgeous flowers!
Insider’s Tip: If you want to send someone roses “just because,” it’s only $49.99 for 50 roses, but remember, this deal isn’t available around Valentine’s Day.
If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation. Prices and availability reflect the time of publication.
Dear Day Camp, Hi. I want to say right off the bat that we are cool. I like and need you. Because you take my complicated, sensitive kid every day, and then she comes home later, and she did things, and she was safe and happy. You must be doing something right.
But I have a request. Please, please be a true partner to working parents and stop with the crazy hat days. Or, more realistically, go crazy with crazy hat days and any other silly accessories—I’ll even donate that questionable furry purple stole thing that keeps falling on me when I try to get stuff out of the top of my closet—but please don’t make it another to-do for me.
Because no matter how many e-mail reminders you send during the days leading up to these cute spirit activities, it is a mathematical certainty that some of us just won’t be able to get it done and our children will be left out, wondering why their parents overlooked them. For all the articles about the invisible mental load, this one is not invisible at all, and it needs to be addressed.
Crazy hat day is “hey, let’s see if moms can handle another thing” day. Well, today I couldn’t. And I don’t need to see the sad photos to know that many other moms (and dads) couldn’t, either.
Today wasn’t a surprise. I knew crazy hat day was today. At least three days ago, I saw the e-mail pop up as I was responding to the latest midday text from a caregiver in between meetings at work, asking about someone’s eczema cream or where the velcro shoes were. I knew somewhere in my brain that my 5-year-old would go to camp today, and if she didn’t have a crazy hat packed in her bag, she would arrive and feel slighted and left out when all the other kids produced their lovingly packed crazy hats. And I still couldn’t get it done.
Not because I didn’t want to. But because my brain, and my partner’s brain, simply ran out of RAM to keep it on the to-do list. Or maybe we simply ran out of time. As two practicing attorneys with two children, every single day is an exercise in triage, all day, at work and at home. It is difficult to even find the time to register for camp—which we rely on as a critical piece of our childcare in the summer months.
And then to get the health records in. And label the clothes. And find a way to ensure that no one goes into camp without sunblock on. None of these tasks, individually, seems too daunting. But for parents who work literally around the clock, they are collectively oppressive. We get them done (just barely and only because my husband is aces) because if you want camp, you get the vaccine records in—that is non-negotiable for safety. No issue there.
But what about all the extra stuff. Why is that on me/us? (I am lucky, I think, that my partner even feels responsible for these extra assignments—I suspect most mothers are on their own. There’s definitely data on that.)
The point is, we pay good money to have our children loved and safely cared for during the day. And then we do all the things to make sure they can attend. And then we set up the system for the various supplies and accouterments to go with them in the camp routine and for someone to be home when they get off the bus and all that jazz.
Is it too much to ask not to be handed nearly daily extra assignments that are ultimately just more opportunities for us to drop the ball? Because we will. I will.
Sure, I could have spent some of the two whole hours I had free on Sunday locating or shopping for a “crazy” hat. But those are the only two hours I had to actually spend time with my babies whom I love and try hard not to disappoint when I can avoid it. I chose to use that time to bathe them, make them terrible grilled cheese (you use butter on the inside and outside, right?), and do bedtime with them—which is only even an option for me two days per week.
However, in choosing to spend the time that way, I was also, subconsciously, making a choice to screw my kid at camp today. And that just sucks.
Unfortunately, disappointing my children is part and parcel of my existence as a working mother. I often have to do other things when they want (and need) my attention and love. Work things. Things that are necessary for our livelihood.
But it doesn’t make sense that I am paying others to manufacture more opportunities for disappointments. I have gotten very good at letting my children down all on my own—and for free. I want—no, I need—the others in the village I have constructed to help me rear my children to minimize those opportunities for sadness and let-downs, not add to them.
Please don’t get me wrong. I am not down on camp. I loved it as a child, and I get why they do all these fun spirit things. My kids are enjoying their experiences at camp, and I am sincerely grateful for the peace of mind it affords me to know that my kids are safe and happy when I cannot be with them because we have a mortgage.
But few things are as crushing to a mother, who is killing herself to pay the bills and also find some time to actually sit with her children and love them in person, as seeing a photo of her daughter watching quietly from the side while the other kids revel in front of the camera with their crazy hats.
When I saw it posted on social media, I wanted to run out of my office and drive to camp and hug her and explain to her that she isn’t an oversight. That I don’t not care about sending her to camp with the right stuff. I care so much.
Please, camp. Help me not fail at this one. I’m not asking you to cancel crazy hat day or whatever other crazy days are coming up that require supplies. It looks like great fun for the kids whose mothers (and fathers) managed to get it together.
But I am asking you to understand that I got home after 1 a.m. last night, and I didn’t see my children this morning, either. And under the current setup, I simply don’t stand a chance.
My household cannot take on any more things, and we need you to be a real partner in our children’s happiness, not working against us (knowingly or not).
And if that means we pay a little more for camp and you take that cash and send out a counselor to buy whatever colored shirts or armbands you need to stick in a closet somewhere so that I never have to see that look on my daughter’s face in a camp photo again, I will gladly do so.
I’ll make the same plea to my kids’ teachers in September, too. I’m happy to contribute extra up front—I hereby authorize you to spend all of it on trips and party snacks to avoid breaking my child’s soul and my heart at 2 p.m. on a random Tuesday.
Also, while I’m focused on this. Please put me down now for all of the 8:15 p.m. parent-teacher conference slots and know that Grandma is coming to all the parties at 11:15 a.m. Sounds funny but she’s really coming to all of those. I may not even meet you this year. And not because I don’t want to.
💔
The full version of this post was originally published on @mamasaidf.
Now that you’ve been to the Museum of Science and Industry and The Field so many times you could lead a tour, it’s time to earn a little extra credit. When you’re craving something new and culture’s on the menu, check out a super-secret museum that’s just a mini road trip away. We dug up goodies that are within an hour’s drive of Chicago. Scroll through to see them all, from a secret nature center to an auto museum with superhero appeal.
Does your kid go crazy for cars? An hour northwest of Chicago, this wheel-tastic museum is a draw for car nuts of all ages. Famous movie cars from Fast & Furious 7, Batman Begins, Dark Knight and Dark Knight Rises, National Lampoon's Vacation and more. There are also plenty of coin kiddie rides for the youngest children in your group.
Open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; 27582 Volo Village Rd., Volo; Online: volocars.com
Illinois Railway Museum
America’s largest railway museum is right here in Illinois and goes way beyond your everyday Metra train. Ride on a one-of-a-kind mainline train, hop aboard an old-fashioned trolley coach or take a loop in a vintage streetcar. Feel like you've seen some of these sights before? That’s because the museum has been the set for numerous transportation scenes in commercials and movies, including A League of Their Own. Perhaps the biggest attraction is the annual Day Out With Thomas. On select days in July, kids chug along on a 20-minute ride on Thomas the Tank Engine and enjoy music, magicians, clowns and a meeting with Sir Topham Hatt. Consider taking a special trip for Halloween or Christmas when the museum features holiday-themed train rides.
Established in 1931, the Hal Tyrrell Trailside Museum of Natural History is a small museum located in a historic mid-1870′s Victorian mansion. Kids will have the chance to meet live native animals, including owls, frogs, turtles and even a fox. Hands-on activities complement learning, and even toddlers will enjoy the easy animal-themed puzzles. Natural-surfaced hiking trails through the surrounding Forest Preserve are perfect for little hikers and wind through beautiful oak woodlands and along the Des Plaines River.
730 Thatcher Ave., River Forest; Online: fpdcc.com
Knock Knolls Nature Center
Tucked in a quiet residential neighborhood, this slice of nature gives visitors the chance to discover what life was like at the convergence of the East and West Branches of the DuPage River in the 1800s. You'll also get to know the local wildlife that call this corner of DuPage County home. Grab a treasure hunt sheet from the front desk and explore! The highlight is a 900-gallon freshwater fish tank filled with catfish, bass and other swimmers. You'll also track replica fossils in the floor, marvel at a living wall of plants and learn how a rainwater collection cistern works. The building sits in a 224-acre park laced with winding, forested trails and sits adjacent to a nature playground.
The Tinker cottage, gardens and three-story Swiss-inspired barn was built by businessman Robert Tinker in 1865. Flash forward to today, when you can witness its beauty and get a dose of local history. The charming cottage and over-the-top gardens have become one of Rockford’s most popular attractions. The Victorian-era decor and unique architecture will satisfy the curiosity of the parents. As for the kids, they'll have a blast romping through the iris, rose and prairie gardens as the weather warms.
Learn about Illinois in the 18th century when our state was home to French voyageurs and native Potawatomi. Operated by the Forest Preserve of Will County on an island in the Des Plaines River, this recently renovated museum features many interactive exhibits and a Native American longhouse. At a recent museum event, children participated in traditional French and Woodland Indian games and storytelling. If you visit the island in the summer, your family will want to take part in one of many nature activities like fishing, kayaking, hiking and more.
501 E. Romeo Rd. (135th Street), east of Route 53, Romeoville; Online: reconnectwithnature.org
DuPage Country Historical Museum
Housed in a building gifted by John Quincy Adams in 1891, the former Adams Memorial Library is now a museum that contains countless artifacts and materials that document DuPage County. The HO Gauge Model Train is operated by the DuPage Society of Model Engineers the 3rd and 5th Saturday every month.
Since 1852, the Graue Mill has been grinding cornmeal, its waterwheel turning at the edge of the picturesque Salt Creek. Today, the Graue Mill Museum is dedicated to bridging past and present through living-history programs that illustrate daily life of the past, including milling, spinning and weaving demonstrations. While the museum is closed in the winter, the grounds of the mill are picture-perfect year-round. Kids will love throwing pebbles into the Salt Creek and watching sticks make their way down the beautiful falls that make the mill's gristmill go round.
If you need are looking for a gift for your little Picasso or Frida then look no further than these clever art kits, inspiring creative packs and must-have art supplies that will have little fingers creating masterpieces left and right. Just be warned—you may run out of display space. Check out our favorite gifts for artistic kids below.
If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation.
If they won’t eat their veggies, at least your little ones will play with them thanks to these non-GMO finger paints that are made with organic fruits and veggie extracts. Ages 3 & up.
This blank canvas / dream house is a must-have for budding artists, interior designers and architects. 30 blank “room” pages are waiting for a creative vision whether it’s full room mock-ups or pattern play. Ages 3 & up.
These markers take coloring to the next level thanks to some magical technology that allows you to erase or add designs to the first color. Ages 5 & up.
Tickle the ivories in a new, colorful way with this flexible (i.e. easy to store) keyboard. Comes with a color-coded songbook so even beginners will be able to bang out a ballad. Ages 6 & up.
Beginner amigurumi crochet kits, aka The Cutest Thing Ever are a great introduction to the world of slip and skip stitches—with easy-to-follow instructions, the hardest part is picking which kit to start with. Ages 9 & up.
Space and art take off with this set of nine plant-inspired chalk pieces (plus an extra one inspired by Pluto). Each ball is made up of various layers (just like the planets!) so as the chalk is used, new colors will be exposed. Ages 3 & up.
Who says art isn’t part science? This clever kit is all about building sculptures (hey there, future Michaelangelo!) but also adds the fun element of electricity to light up your masterpiece. Ages 4-7.
This DIY art kit contains a spiral-bound journal, 10-page watercolor painting pad, 8 watercolor paint tubes, 4 metallic pens, 4 brush markers, stickers, a paintbrush, and even a palette—everything you’ll need to inspire your inner artist. Ages 6 & up.
Little fingers will love the peel and stick as well as see their masterpiece come to life. What’s amazing about this sticker book is that it can be tackled in small doses, showing that not all masterpieces are completed in one day. Ages 5 & up.
The better question, when it comes to a gift like this, is what can’t you do with a bucket full of craft possibilities? Inside you get wooden craft sticks, googly eyes, pom-poms, fuzzy sticks, felt shapes and more to keep those busy fingers creating all day long. Ages 6 & up.
Even babies can get inspired by the artists who changed the world—from Calder to Chaplin—with this colorful chunky board set that depicts painters, sculptures, musicians and performers. Ages 0-5.
Physics but make it art. Thanks to these rainbow-colored popsicle sticks, little artists can explore the mathematical wonder that is Leonardo Da Vinci’s bridge. Of course, when not in use for building, they can be used for a million other creative pursuits. Ages 3 & up.
Graphic novels have finally gotten their due so give your kid the creative space to create their own comic book with this kit that provides blank cells, rubber stamps, ink pads and a storage box so they can take their creative pursuits with them, no matter where they go. Ages 6 & up.
These little packets of colored air clay will keep everyone in the house busy crafting and creating—whether it’s ornaments for the tree or little accessories to add to their imaginative play set-ups. Air clay is a great, multi-dimensional toy. A must-have for every family. Agest 3 & up.
Get ready to rule the runways with one-of-a-kind designs that budding fashionistas can create to make their own haute couture. Included are 5 fashion plates, crayons, tablet and 8 colored pencils. Ages 6 & up.
—Andie Huber & Editorial Team
Editor’s Note: Prices and availability reflect the time of publication. Images courtesy of retailers.
If you purchase something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation.
Can you believe 7-Eleven is about to turn 94? Since this last year has been a crazy one, the convenience story is going all out in 2021.
Instead of only celebrating on Jul. 11, get ready for a month-long lineup of deals! Not only that, 7-Eleven is also using this time to give back, and will donate one million meals to Feeding America in an effort to support those still impacted by the pandemic.
photo: 7-Eleven
So let’s hear those freebies and deals!
On Jul. 1, 7-Eleven is giving one free small Slurpee drink coupon to all 7Rewards loyalty app members that will be valid all month. Not a member yet? There’s plenty of time to join by downloading the app and signing up––it’s all free.
The fun continues with $1 goodies all month that include small Slurpees, Big Bite hot dogs, taquitos, Cheeseburger Bites, Buffalo chicken rollers and eggrolls. Rewards members can also use their benefits to get a birthday cake donut for 50 cents on Jul. 11 and anyone can get free delivery during birthday week, Jul. 10-11.
It’s a boy for singer Jason Derulo and Influencer Jena Frumes! The couple announced that their first child, Jason King Derulo, arrived on May 8, 2021.
Frumes shared the happy news on her Instagram account, along with some sweet pictures of the happy new family of three. If it seems like the pregnancy went fast, you aren’t wrong! The couple only announced a baby was on the way in March of this year.
Just today, Derulo shared his own Instagram post, a video montage of the duo headed to the hospital and the special moments that have followed in the last few days. He also finally shared baby Derulo’s name!
While the couple isn’t quite sharing just how cute baby boy is, their social posts do show how crazy in love they are with their new addition. Congrats to the family of thee!
When Colleen Chulis’ daughter asked her if she could make a video imitating the busy mom of three while working at home, she had no idea how spot on the 8-year-old would be.
Adelle Chulis quickly got down to business at the family’s home office, multi-tasking as only a mom can. Between the non-stop typing and the finger snapping, this video hits close to home!
It’s hard to choose which resonates with moms most: the imminent Zoom call, the crazy dog or the constant sitting down and standing up. We’ve all been working at home a little too long!
Chulis shares with Red Tricycle, “I am so happy that this post gave so many people a smile or a chuckle – This last year has been a challenging one in so many ways, but there are silver linings everywhere. Working parents are doing the very best that they can – and our kids are certainly watching, learning and in this case, getting famous from us!”
On Apr. 15, the brand is asking fans to become the ultimate detective and solve the new SOUR PATCH KIDS flavor. Did we mention there’s also a chance to win $50,000?
So how does it work? First, purchase the new Mystery flavor packs at retailers nationwide to get a taste. Then, head to Mystery.SourPatchKids.com submit your guess and enter for a chance to win $50,000 and other instant prizes.
Fan will need to keep an eye out on those crazy KIDS, who will be dropping clues of the mystery flavor on SOUR PATCH KIDS packaging, social media channels and in-store displays. In addition, the Mystery Kid will take over the SOUR PATCH KIDS social media channels and reveal new clues every week from Apr. 15 through July.
In August, one winner will win the $50,000 grand prize when SOUR PATCH KIDS reveals the mystery flavor.
As if we couldn’t be excited enough for the slew of Disney movies to debut this summer, the powerhouse has just dropped the second trailer to the highly anticipated Cruella. It was just over a month ago that the studio shared the first sneak peak, and its successor brings the queen of mean to a whole new level.
In the newest trailer, we get a bigger backstory on Estella de Vil, the budding fashion designer who comes under the tutelage of the Baroness. To put it bluntly, the film is Emma (Stone) vs. Emma (Thompson) in the best way.
Estella turned Cruella gets her due in the subsequent scenes as we finally get a peak at a few Dalmatians, Horace and Jasper and some of the crazy driving you’ll recognize from 101 Dalmations.
Catch Cruella in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access starting May. 28.
When you think of Henry Golding the word dad may not immediately come to mind. Even though he made a major name for himself as the over-the-top handsome, yet down to Earth for an uber-rich guy, love interest of Crazy Rich Asians, IRL Golding is now a devoted dad.
The Crazy Rich Asians star and wife Liv Lo welcomed their newborn last week. Golding recently posted a sweet Instagram pic of himself, Lo, and their new baby, captioning the black and white photo, “This woman right here. Beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Your strength brought us our greatest joy. Thank you, I love you.”
The actor’s wife also posted her own birth-day pics, sharing photos of herself at the hospital and in labor. Lo added, “On March 31st our lives changed forever. Link in bio of leaving Instagram for #maternityleave (for the time being). I’ll prob be up during midnight breastfeeds checking in on you, but otherwise “I’ll be back” xx.”
Lo, a fitness instructor and wellness entrepreneur, wrote about her decision to take time off after giving birth on her Fit Sphere website, “This simple knowing, that I can return to work and the world when I am ready gives me the power to direct my attention to what is most important to me. 40 days, or about 6 weeks postpartum, is the first postpartum exam with your OBGYN. Until this clearance happens I am not keen to get back to work or sharing with the world how I am feeling. This may come as a shock or disappointment; however, in my self-reflection, it has become clear that I need to set these boundaries for myself and my family.”
