masthead
Founder/Editor: Megan Thomas
Megan is a work-at-home mom and entrepreneur. She has a love for marketing, networking with other mom entrepreneurs and the baby industry. She resides outside of Seattle with her husband Jason and their two crazy kids, Aiden and Ireland.
Designer: Jason Thomas
A graphic designer for a dot com by day, Jason’s loves include video games, pepperoni pizza, red wine, his ipod, his guitar and most of all, his beautiful family.
Mama on the Move: Jeanne Sager
Jeanne Sager is a freelance writer and mama (on the move) to Jillian. She lives in upstate New York, works as a newspaper reporter and let’s it all hang out all over the Web including the Mother of All Parenting Blogs, Babble’s own Strollerderby, at her site Inside Out, over at Burbia and of course here on PeekabooPicks. With Jillian in tow, she interviews Grammy nominees, big time authors and the farmer up the road - and she shares her juggling secrets every Monday here on Peekaboo Picks. To be featured in Mama on the Move, send an e-mail her way (mailto: jeannesager [at] gmail.com).
Losing It!: Andrea McMann
Andrea McMann is a freelance writer who lives in Northeast Nebraska with her husband and their children, ages five and two. She believes that mothers, like everyone, are at their best when they feel good about themselves. In the spring of 2007, (while in a fitting room, trying on a bathing suit!), she made a commitment to a healthier lifestyle. She reached her weight-loss goal and (despite a Christmas cookie-related relapse) plans to keep the weight off. She struggles with temptation almost daily, but she takes life one day at a time, rewards herself for each small success, and tries not to give herself a guilt-trip when she lapses. Andrea is excited to join Peekaboo Picks and looks forward to sharing her stories of inspiration, success, setbacks, and self-esteem. Read more of Andrea on her blog, Chocolate Fingerprints.
Lavishly Green: Caryn Bailey
Caryn Bailey, aka Rockin’ Mama, is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night. She and her husband backpacked for 8 weeks in Europe before moving to Edinburgh, Scotland. While living out their dream to immerse themselves in another culture, Caryn and her husband Jason found out they were pregnant with their first baby. A difficult pregnancy landed her on bedrest where she discovered the world wide blogosphere and was hooked. This babywearing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, mama still finds time to sip a cup of tea and shop (albeit online these days)…two of the simple pleasures she enjoys. When she’s not running after her 9 month old son…or her husband…you’ll find her reading or baking. Her passions include health, fitness and all things green.
She’s Crafty: Rachelle Powers
For the past six and a half years, Rachelle has been living and freezing in Anchorage, Alaska. Born and raised in Carnation, Washington, she has always had a passion for all things creative. Now a stay at home mom of three little darlings, Rachelle whiles away her day playing peekaboo, changing diapers and scrapbooking. Her love of the craft has turned her laundry room into the craft room of her dreams, sent her on whirlwind weekend scrapbooking conventions in Seattle, created a mountain of scrapbooks (none of them finished!) and convinced her husband that it should, in fact, be called “expensive-booking.” Aside from that addiction, I mean hobby, Rachelle also makes cards, decorates and redecorates her house, sews, knits and dreams of being Martha Stewart.
Mamas in the Biz: Linda Shapiro
Linda Shapiro is a mompreneur that started out with her own baby accessory business. After having her first son and thinking that she wanted to be a stay at home mom with a business on the side, she soon realized that she had bigger dreams, but simply couldn’t do it all by herself. She also realized that she was not the only one. She set out on a mission to prove that mothers could follow their dreams without sacrificing their families by working together. Linda is the Co-founder of Moms-for-Profit, now Hybrid Mom Consulting & Media Group, Hybrid Mom magazine, and www.hybridmom.com.
Living on Long Island with her husband and two boys and not far from NYC, Linda has the opportunity to experience what’s new, what’s hip, what’s trendy and what’s fun. She brings to Peekaboo Picks years of product review experience through working with the hundreds of mom and women owned businesses that she has come in contact with. Today she is the Director of Operations for http://longislandny.citymommy.com the social networking site for moms on Long Island that is creating quite a buzz. It is the 13th city to join www.citymommy.com.
She loves spending time with her family, the beach, children’s laughter, a good shoe sale, planning parties, and the thrill of the chase!
Product Review Team
Shawn Corry
While pregnant with her first child, Shawn diligently sought out any and all products that would make her life easier with an infant. She experimented with many items, some worked and others failed miserably. Through her research she had compiled much useful information which she then would relay to family, friends, and sometimes even complete strangers. You name it, she has tried it and more than one…diaper bags, strollers, car seats, baby monitors, etc.
By the time her second child was born 5 years later, lucky for her, all the “must have” baby gear had changed dramatically. Again, she was in research mode looking for all new products to make her life easier while balancing family and home. She became the local baby guru and actually had a following. Hence, the idea for her venture, Blue Skye Baby Consulting & Design, a baby planning company. BSB provides many of the resources related to planning for the arrival of baby and beyond, www.blueskyebaby.com.
Shawn resides in Columbus, Ohio with her husband, Jeff, and their two boys, Austin and Brock.
Courtney Velasquez
Courtney Velasquez was born in Dallas, TX but spent most of her childhood life bouncing from Texas to California and somewhere in between. Most recently landing herself in Michigan on a new adventure in the Midwest! Her father was a CEO and her mother was a Stay at Home Mom with a Nordstrom shopping hobby that paved Courtney’s dream of owning her own store one day, that carried high quality, unique items and gave excellent customer service to all who entered. It would be filled with uniqueness and darling whimsy. You would find one of a kind items as well as old favorites. And one day The Apple of My Eye™ was born.
Living in the fast paced, ultra hip, gotta be the Jones’s California for the past 10+ years and having two daughters of her own, Courtney ran into a challenge one day and set forth on a mission. The mission was simple…Courtney wanted to design something that she could carry in her purse, backpack, diaper bag, or just alone that held diapers, wipes and a changing pad all in one. A product that would keep those essentials together so that they were easy to find and look fashionable at the same time. And so became The Original Changing Clutch™.
Courtney is a mompreneur by all means! She is a designer and a manufacturer of unique children’s items from boutique tutus to The Original Changing Clutch™ and loves to find unique, gotta have it products!
Taryn Mazza James
Taryn James is a former gallery manager turned stay at home mom who lives in Rhode Island with her husband Jesse & daughter Violet, 2. An inability to sit still means during naptime she’s known to whip up small quilts and/or plush letters, make jewelry, freezer paper stencil & bake cupcakes. She has two Etsy shops (http://littlewhirl.etsy.com and http://dorisandelva.etsy.com) and is also a budding photographer, bicycling enthusiast, amateur gardener, part time vegan, cardboard house builder (that even got Boing Boing’ed!) & audiophile. She & Violet spend lots of time at the beach, reading, gazing at planes, walking all over town to avoid paying for gas and thrift shopping.
Sarah Burns
Hawaiiana Mama, Sarah Burns is a California native who traded traffic filled freeways and the cold West Coast waters for a beach house in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. At three months pregnant with her little girl, she and her husband, along with their son and Chocolate Labrador, Buddy, moved all their life possessions to the tiny island of Maui. The island life has been good for Sarah, who has since become a mom entrepreneur, having started her own company, Tag a Towel (www.tagatowel.com). In addition, she enjoys sharing cool products that are created by moms and featuring mom-run businesses on her blog, www.ohanamamablog.com. When not busy with writing or developing her new company, this mom loves to spend time with her husband and children at the beach making sandcastles and splashing in the warm Hawaii waters.
Erin Neilson
I am a 26 year old single mother to 2 wonderful children, Taylor (7) and Noah (16 months). As if they don’t keep me busy enough, we also have 2 very busy dogs, Kiko and Bella! I specialize in chasing children, changing diapers, wiping sticky hands/faces, changing diapers, helping with homework, and did I mention, changing diapers? Life may have not necessarily turned out how I planned it as a little girl, but it is my life and now I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world! I got started in the blogging world when I was first pregnant with my son in ‘06, and quite quickly thereafter I became aware that I was ADDICTED! One blog turned into 2 blogs, and blogging once a week turned into a daily occurrence! When I was introduced to the wonderful world of blog reviews I became even more hooked (just when I thought that wasn’t possible!) I have met a lot of amazing people through blogging, and look forward to meeting many more! I’m more then thrilled to become a part of the Peekaboo Team and look forward to many reviews and fun times ahead!
Jennifer Grant
Jen lives in Seattle with her husband John, daughter Nola and dog Dottie. A job in typesetting at a print shop sent her on a quest to learn everything there is to know about graphic design. After two years of college, something was missing. Then came John. As things fell into place and they began living happily, along came Nola. Having a baby became a new quest for knowledge. Jen now has a full-time job as a mom to a 10 month old, a part-time job selling organic fruit at farmer’s markets, and graphic design has become a hobby and creative outlet. Design periodicals and software how-to’s have been replaced by parenting magazines and books made of cardboard with pictures of ducks. And that’s okay. After she really gets the hang of being a mom, Jen hopes to find a happy medium between motherhood and creative work by one day writing and illustrating children’s books.
Lee Allport
Lee Allport is the mother of 2 very spirited children living in Central Florida with her husband Tim. Jason is 3 1/2 and Spencer is 6 months old. They enjoy the constant entertainment that Orlando life can bring. With Disney, Universal Studios and Sea World in your back yard who could get bored?
When Lee and Tim showed up at Babies R Us to register for Jason they were giddy with excitement. Imagine their surprise when they quickly came to realize all the choices there were to make. Each product looked about the same, yet had vastly different price tags. Registering quickly turned stressful and they both left unhappy and disillusioned. That’s when Lee decided to research baby products as a hobby. She would sit in front of the computer reading reviews and descriptions of each product to make an educated decision about which one was right for her and her family. Soon she decided to make money saving and dollar stretching her favorite past time. Lee gets a rush of endorphins when she is able to save herself money. Looking for the best deal on the greatest product is now a game to her. And she always wins.
Lee enjoys entertaining people with stories of her children and writing even more product reviews on her blog www.mysentimentexactlee.com
Lee is now looking forward to sharing her honest and often times humorous product experiences with Peekaboo Picks readers..
Deanna Romito
Deanna Romito is an elementary teacher and budding entrepreneur living in Western New York with her husband and son. She loves being close to what she believes are life’s greatest treasures, family and friends. When she’s not running around with her newly-toddler son, she enjoys scrapbooking, photography, and traveling. While on leave from her job, after having her first child, she had an idea for a new kind of diaper bag and turned it into a business. She recently launched her online store, www.elliebags.com, and continues to grow her blog, Mommy’s Idea (www.mommysidea.com.) She is excited to join the team at Peekaboo Picks- what a great way to combine her love of writing with her love of exploring new products!
Sunne Grady, Product Review Coordinator
Sunne is the original hip mom. She has seven children - five boys and two girls! One of those girls is none other than Peekaboo Picks Founder, Megan Thomas.
Sunne is also the proud grandma of six crazy grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her family, knitting, cruising the blogosphere, and helping her daughter manage the product reviews here on Peekaboo Picks!
