Winter Begins December 21st This Year.

I think here in Bozeman, winter started this week. I can tell because I was frantically searching for winter coats for my girls Monday morning. The snow in our backyard had accumulated to 8 inches overnight and was still falling!  Luckily, the snow stopped the next day and we will get a little breather before we are forced to make our final decisions on which winter outfits to purchase.

This procrastination got me thinking, "Why do I wait to make sure my children have adequate winter gear?"  Am I alone? I don't think so. The Montkid staff can watch a US weather map and guess who is going to be calling us on any given day. Snow hits New York and our FedEx Overnight Bin is overflowing!


Montkid.com has tried to take the pain out of winter outerwear shopping. We've got brights, neutrals, tie-dye, plaids, embroidery and everything in between. And we love to help put together outfits!

Here is an awesome outfit we helped MacKenzie put together yesterday. Mackenzie is a tall, twiggy 13 year old and the Burton Teen sizes fit her perfectly! The Burton Jr. Shayla Pants are so flattering. They feature a nice and long inseam, a slim cut through the thighs and they sit a little lower on the waist than some of the littler kids sizes.  The matching Burton Jr. Maria Jacket is a sweet pink with a bright yellow interior.  The Green POC Skull X helmet with the Anon Majestic Goggles make for a perfect day on the hill and apres ski, MacKenzie plans to put on the Nana Beanie which ties everything together. Find MacKenzie's outfit and more options for girls outerwear and boys outerwear at Montkid.com!

Mother's Day May 9th, 2010 Honor Youself

Since I'm positive the only one's reading the Montkid blog are mommy's, it doesn't do much good for me to suggest some mommy type gifts that daddy and the kids can give to you. So, how about something for you to give to yourself?

On a side note, why is the red or white carnation traditionally associated with this day on which mother's are honored? Even Emily Post agrees they are not the prettiest flower. The Libra in me, tells me not to be so prissy. I should be lucky to get flowers at all! But seriously, the carnation? How about a Peony?

Now, that we’ve been in business for several years, I’ve been thinking about how we got started in the children's outerwear business. Initially, we wanted to keep our kids in touch with nature so they would respect our planet and care about its future. We thought by providing a resource for high quality kids outerwear, clothing and gear, we could help others do the same. However, I recently put the baby in the kid carrier (I'm trying out the Sherpani Rumba) and took my 6 year old for a walk on a nearby trail and discovered the true and completely selfish reason I love spending time outdoors with my kids.

Walking with my kids, they start talking - really talking. My daughter and I had a wonderful chat that would have been missed had we neglected to get outside that day. She looked at me and said, “Mom, I’m not sure what I want to be when I grow up. Maybe I’ll just do nothing like you.” And the way she said it, was so sincere and genuine and filled with pride that I stifled my laugh and choked down my urge to list the 100+ things I do every day, and I told her she could be whatever she wanted to be when she grew up. And then we started dreaming of the possibilities.

This Mother's Day, get a gift for the family at Montkid.com, get a mom-tested, mom approved Child Carrier. And from now until May 9th, enjoy 20% off all non-sale items (including child carriers) with the coupon code: mom20.

Risk Free Shopping with Montkid.com

We realize shopping online with a vendor you haven't used before can be a bit stressful as you try to determine whether it is a legitimate site or not. We've been working hard to upgrade montkid.com to ensure you have a safe shopping experience.

Our first bit of major news is that we now accept Paypal! Paypal is undoubtedly the most popular online payment service on the world wide web. With Paypal, you can be in more control of your personal data.

We've also improved our Return Policy. We realize how difficult it can be to shop online without the benefit of being able to touch, feel and try on an item for size. Therefore, Montkid has a generous 100% return policy.
Please use these guidelines to determine if you qualify for an exchange or full refund:

• Return your item(s) within 30 days from the date on your invoice.
• Return your item for any reason in new condition with tags attached.
• If your item is returned due to the result of our error, we will refund any Shipping and Handling charges.

We are also, as always, partnered with the globally recognized certificate authority in online security - Thawte. If you have further questions, you can always pick up the phone, give us a call and talk to a real person.

Rolling Out Shop By Size

We are so excited to introduce Shop by Size on Montkid.com! Now, it will be even easier to assemble the perfect outfit for your little one. Find a jacket you love in a size 10, then see all the choices for matching snow pants in a size 10!

Choose any category from the Montkid.com Home Page: Baby, Girls or Boys and select the size you are interested in from the drop down box next to Search By Size. To get even more specific, choose a category such as girls outerwear or baby footwear before you begin to search by size.

Right now, our inventory is heavily depleted after a great winter season. The Shop by Size feature will help you filter through all of the children's outerwear currently on deep discount and find exactly what you need quickly and conveniently.

Please, Send us your Photos

We admit it, we love hearing from our customers. Of course we love it when you sing our praises :
I love your website. Your clothing is different from all the others. - thanks Nicole!
Thanks a million - you are great!!!! - thank you Tamar!

But we also love hearing about you! We love hearing about your children. We love helping you find the perfect outfit for your needs. We even love those of you who just want to chat and find out what the weather is like in Bozeman, Montana (if you want to save yourself the phone call, it's cold and snowing).

What we especially love, are customer photos! Here is one from a Tel Aviv customer taken while they were on vacation in Courchevel, France. I had to immediately research Courchevel, France and now I am pretty sure I need to visit! It looks like an amazing ski resort. The baby stayed toasty warm in her Patagonia Baby Down Sweater.

Submit a photo during the month of April of your little one sporting some Montkid outerwear, clothing or swimwear and we'll send you a coupon code good for 20% off your next order. You'll have 30 days to use it so get your shopping list started!

Billabong Spring 2010 Boardshorts Are in Stock.. almost!

At long last, montkid.com's board short selection is about to be replenished! With design inspiration from surfing giants Andy, Taj, Parko (and more), the spring 2010 collection from Billabong is one of our favorites of all time.

Colorful, original designs dominate such as the Dom1nate from Joel Parkinson (from the Gold Coast of Australia and ranked 2nd after the worldchampionships in 2009), better known as Parko. The boys Dom1nate is 19" in length and kids Dom1nate is 15" in length. This is our favorite pair for the year, so we're already placing a second order!  Even so, the popular sizes sell out fast so don't wait. Email info@montkid.com to pre-order. They should ship out next week.

Along with your boys board shorts, don't forget a rash guard,  sunscreen and hat for extra protection against harmful UV rays. 

Spring Fever, Spring is Here at Last ...depending of course on where you live

 

Even though we still have Snow (and lots of it) outside, inside Montkid.com, it's beginning to look a lot like spring. New summer dresses, swimsuits and accessories from Kate Mack are arriving daily and give us hope that warmer weather is not too far off.  

Kate Mack's web site captures the essence of what makes their clothing so great:

What makes a memory?
Sometimes it’s the dress she wore. Luxurious fabrics,
a sprinkling of rosettes,
a playful ruffle –
these are just some of the
details that make
Kate Mack clothing & swimwear something special.

Kate Mack's Slice of Summer collection includes a tank style halter swimsuit, a matching halter style dress and a sun hat that you will fondly remember for years to come. Available at Montkid.com.

True love doesn't have a happy ending, because true love never ends.

Don't forget about your children this week! Valentine's Day is the perfect time to try and say all those things you feel about your family, but don't spend nearly enough time expressing. Maybe you say it with a poem, a hug, extra playtime, or maybe even a gift! Montkid.com can help.

We've got some hidden treasures in stock that we think will be perfect, and if you don't like our picks, we're having a 20% off promotion for all non-sale items. For your little baby boy, we love the Catimini Spirit Zip cardigan. It's perfect gift for Valentine's Day, but will lbe great all through spring and summer as well. 
We're a huge fan of BabyLegs baby leggings and they make the ideal gift (or splurge for yourself, because we're warning you, these are absolutely addicting)! My 3rd child is a very stubborn little thing. She insists on wearing dresses every day of the week and she doesn't like the way tights feel. Too small, too big, and too tight! Baby legs are a great solution for her long legged, skinny body. The creator of baby legs thought her baby deserved a fashionable break from diapers during a diaper rash episode. Other moms are using them as arm warmers, or over pants during walks outside. So may uses and so many choices.

These ideas don't work for you? Browse montkid.com and look for other sweet treats. Our gift to you? Coupon code: sweet is good for 20% off  all non-sale items. Offer valid through February 15th 2010.

Race Day

Now, things are really rolling. The winter outerwear season is in full swing and we have been out enjoying it. Two of our daughters decided to get into the sport of ski racing this year - actually at the tail end of last year. As I searched for gear to get them ready, I realized that there were very few sites offering products for alpine ski racing. We thought maybe montkid.com could start specializing in a few necessities.  Maybe it's just because it is an Olympic year, but we had so much fun outfitting both local athletes as well as athletes as far away as Italy, that we are amping up this category for next year. We are hooked on Spyder Race Suits. The fit and style just can't be matched. Young athletes even have the chance to look like their idols with suits matching Lindsey Vonn or the Jamaican race team. Cool! These suits are so great, Spyder is 100% sold out and it's only January! If your size and color options are not available, wait until next year - the suits graphics and colors get even better!

We are also stocking up on POC Helmets. We have spent the past year researching the helmet market and really feel that POC represents the best of the best. POC is a Swedish company, built on a strong mission; to do everything possible to save lives and to reduce consequences of accidents, for gravity sports athletes, by developing and renewing what personal protection is all about. Of course, our girls like them because they are comfortable, warm and look really cool on! Our oldest daughter wears the Pocito - and that is now her nickname on the racing team. The POCito Skull helmet uses a softer lining, which provides much better shock absorption at lower speeds and force. The helmet also has adjustable sizing, which allows the child to grow with the helmet. At the back of the goggle clip there is a panel for writing down a parent’s contact information and emergency medical information. Mounted beneath the shell, there is a Recco® avalanche rescue reflector. For maximum visibility in daylight and twilight, the helmet is fluorescent orange or pink and has reflective stickers. A detachable LED lamp is included. Adjustable size from 50. The one thing everyone says about her is how easy it is to spot her on the mountain -she can always be picked out in a crowd.

Our 7 year old daughter was born with a slightly larger head than her big sister (don't you worry, it's not abnormally big!), so she is wearing the Skull Comp in this beautiful high gloss red. The POC Skull Comp has been redesigned with a new Bone Shell. Freakin awesome is what it is. I can't believe I'm so giddy about helmets. Call us to chat more about fit and function.
Did you make it to the end of this blog? Reward coming... use coupon code: raceday at checkout for 20% off. Offer valid on all regular priced merchandise until Jan. 31st.