Author Archives: Mama Goose

July 1-7 BOGO 1/2 off SWIMWEAR & RED, WHITE & BLUE CLOTHING (This sale applies to prints as well as patterns. We’re easy!)

July 8-14 BOGO 1/2 off DRESSES

July 15-21 BOGO 1/2 off TANKS & SHORTS

July 22-28 BOGO 1/2 off TOYS, BOOKS, PUZZLES & GAMES!

We made it, y’all! It’s finally pool season! Gone are the days of longing for the glorious warm sun; the lazy, hazy days of summer have finally arrived and with them, Mama Goose’s fine selection of adorable swimwear and accessories!

This is Seraphina, and she’s got summer style for days. She is head-to-toe perfection in an iPlay sunhat ($13.00) and Lands’ End terrycloth cover-up (size 3, $7.95) plus unicorn rain boots (Western Chief, size 9, $27) and sunglasses ($5.00)!

Underneath, it’s a sky blue Gymboree suit (size 3, $6.25) that pairs perfectly with kid-sized scuba gear (goggles and flipper set, $6.99.)

Are your goslings ready for pool season? Stop by the Goose to stock up on everything you need , and your family will be all set to soak up the sun safely, sustainably and in style.

This past week, we hosted a comment contest on our Facebook page, looking for the Mama Goose community’s favorite summer activities and WOW, did you guys deliver?! In addition to picking a winner of a $25 gift certificate to the Goose (Congrats to local Mama Larissa Rowe!), we were able to compile a list of must-dos for summer in the Finger Lakes. Is your favorite on the list? Scroll down to see what’s on our agenda for summer!

The overwhelming people’s choice? The Ithaca Children’s Garden! Beyond the natural beauty, ICG has great play spaces, educational programs and plenty of spots to relax with your goslings. Bonus – the Garden is open every day (from dusk til dawn) and always free of charge!

Summer between the lakes brings ripe and juicy fruits, and Finger Lakes families love the freedom of u-pick! Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries grow in abundance – perfect for jam, pie, and good ol’ fashioned snacking! Our staff favorite? Indian Creek Farm, on Ithaca’s West Hill. Their tart cherry slushes are the ultimate way to cool down in the summer heat.

Music is an integral part of the Ithaca experience, and the summer music scene is hoppin’ – and totally family friendly! Catch a free show at Bernie Milton Pavilion on the Commons as part of the Summer Concert Series, or enjoy a more scenic show on the banks of Cayuga Lake at the Taughannock Falls State Park Concert Series!

Nothing wraps up a day of FLX adventure better than ice cream! Stop by Sweet Melissa’s Seneca St. location for one of their iconic two-berry twists. Not in the downtown area? No worries! Toad’s Too in Freeville is known for serving up seemingly endless flavors of premium hard ice cream and *drool alert* chocolate peanut butter soft serve!

This list… it could go on forever! Between hiking gorge trails, taking a dip in the lake, and visiting the Farmers Market, the possibilities for summer fun are a-plenty! Did we miss your favorite? Add it to the comments, and happy Summer from the Geese at the Goose!

Happy Mama’s Day Month! (We all know one day doesn’t really cut it.) This is a great time of year to remember that Mama Goose doesn’t just carry cute clothes for kids; we’ve got racks full of maternity clothes too.

This month’s gorgeous model is mama-to-be Shy and her first-born: future big brother James!

Look at these two, complimenting each other without looking too matchy-matchy – just effortlessly cool. Shy is showing off a pair of Lucky brand maternity jeans (size L, $10.95) with a Jessica Simpson striped tunic (size M, $7.50.) James is styling with a pair of slim fit pants (7 for all Mankind, size 12, $2) and a dusty rose dress shirt (size 12, $3.95.) Shoes are models’ own.

Keeping things totally casual and still chic, Mama and son’s second ensembles feature Levi jeans (size 14, $10.95) and a Zara tee for James (size 14, $7.95) and a Motherhood dress (size L, $5) and leggings (size L, $5.95) for Shy.

It’s hard to believe this duo could get any cuter, but we can’t wait to see what next level of adorable this family can achieve when the wee one arrives! And hey – an update just might be in order for next Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to mamas of all kinds, from all of us here at the Goose.

With all the hubbub of spring, we somehow missed National Siblings Day! Lucky for all of us at the Goose, we get visits from adorable sibling sets daily. This month, cutie-patooties Sawyer and Silas showed up to show us two different ways to rock a formal look.

Good guy Silas is classic Clooney in a toddler tuxedo (size 3, $16.95) and Aster loafers (size 8.5, $10.95) with a toothy grin to complete the look!

Sawyer is more of a bad boy, rolling up in his faux leather pants (size 4, $6.95) and rock and roll car tee (size 3, AFirst, $2.25.) A black vest (size 4, $3.25) and Healthtex slip-ons (size 9, $6.95) complete the look. (Wanna ride on the wild side? Sawyer’s red bike complete with training wheels can be yours for $23.00!)

We just love these two cool dudes with two different ‘tudes:

Bring your favorite brothers and sisters by the Goose any time — we celebrate them every day!

There isn’t much we love more than springtime in Ithaca and the flurry of activity that comes with it – field trips for school, family hikes in one of our many “gorges” parks, and summer camp sign-ups. Oh my! But no matter what the fun activity is, one thing remains constant: a gosling’s gotta eat! So we’ve stuffed the Goose with great new sustainable snack and lunchware that your little one (and the environment) will thank you for!

Didn’t see quite what you were looking for above? Stop by Mama Goose and check out the wide variety of sustainable products that we carry – there’s so much more than we could mention here. We’re talkin’ sippy cups, water bottles, utensils, food mills, and more. Let’s get your flock of kiddos fed and be kind to Mama Earth while we’re at it!

We’ve introduced you to the Mama Goose team and the Mama Goose founder and owner, but there’s one more woman we’d like to celebrate. She gave our beloved Mama Goose and her gaggle life – our incredible illustrator, Alice Heise!

Upon turning 15, we decided to give Mama a fresh new look for colder weather. It was obvious to us that Alice was the only artist for the job. Alice dusted off her supplies and jumped in enthusiastically. She created our new tween goose (debuted HERE) from the ground up, and brought our winter goose up to date with timeless fashion and thoughtful accessories. She’s the quintessential Ithaca mom-on-the-go, with baby tucked under her arm (and close to her heart).

Alice is no stranger to local business – her husband of 15 years Kevin Cuddeback founded Gimme! Coffee, and Alice herself started their Krums Corners Bakery after taking a bit of time off to raise her two daughters, Elsie and Bea. Alice now uses her passion and creative prowess as a real estate agent in the area. Her collective professional experience – her creative mind, her attention to detail, and her ability to imagine new things – helps her guide each new client through the home buying process and imagine themselves in their new space.

So we’ve done it. We’ve introduced you to most of the incredible women that have played a part in the evolution of Mama Goose. So how do we celebrate 15 years? A trip to Vegas? Nah. Not our style. Bungee jumping? Hmm. Seems too risky. Let’s celebrate with you instead! This weekend, March 16th and 17th, stop by Mama Goose and save 15% on your entire purchase! Grab a snack while you shop and get your picture taken with our life-size Mama and our tween goose cut-out! Shop new gear like ErgoBaby carriers and Barefoot Books, or stock up on stylish spring and summer duds for your gaggle – it’s all 15% off! This celebration is all about you – the people behind the Goose, and all of our success!

Splish, splash! Winter may still be hanging around, but things are slushy enough to make us think ahead to the rainy days of spring! Sweet pea (and puddle enthusiast) Kaleb stopped by Mama Goose to help us show off this season’s selection of brand new rain gear!

This one-piece rainsuit by Splashy (size 3, $35.00) goes perfectly with Western Chief firefighter rainboots (size 12, $25!)! Super protective, you can throw one of these easy-zip suits on over your gosling’s school clothes or special occasion outfit and not have to worry about last minute changes or soggy socks!

A full suit not your little one’s style? Not to worry! Check out how adorable Kaleb looks in our two-piece rainwear option! His blue Splashy pants (size 4, $25.00) and hooded jacket (size 4, $32.00) tuck right into fleece-lined dinosaur boots (size 12, Western Chief, $30.00.) These separates are easy to move around in – making them perfect for those soggy spring sports!

If you’re ready to start doing puddle prep for your little ones, the Splashy suits and Western Chief boots come in several other colors and styles. Some of our boots even light up! Pop on down to the Goose and check them out!

Throughout the start of 2019, we’re celebrating 15 YEARS of Mama Goose! Ever since our beginnings on Seneca Street, Mama Goose has been powered by the energy of strong and discerning women. Our current staff is no exception. From our all-female management team to the ladies on the sales floor, there’s no doubt at all – who run the world? Girls, for sure.

It’s lucky for us that our current store manager, Rebeka Livingston, loves a challenge. Her first project upon joining the team was to plan and execute the 2017 Coat Sale Extravaganza. She hit the ground running and has approached her role with energy and decisiveness ever since. Top priorities for Rebeka are leading and inspiring her team, overseeing new products and making sure that community stays at the heart of Mama Goose.

Rebeka is mama to an adorable two-year old daughter, and loves bringing that mama experience to work with her every day. She enjoys getting to know other new mamas and helping them find the parenting tools and products that will work best for their family. Whether she is engaging with customers or staff, Rebeka thrives on building up other women, and helping them recognize (and own!) their individual strengths and capabilities.

The girl power behind the Goose runs all the way up the ladder. Our Company Operations Manager, Violet Goncarovs, came to work at the “Little Goose” when she was a senior in high school and now runs the show! Owner, Kelly Moreland, still recalls how composed and self-confident the young Violet was when she approached her for a job.

Violet continued to work for Mama Goose while she attended Ithaca College and received her Bachelors of Music in 2012. After graduation, Violet went abroad for several years to Jordan and Palestine and then (lucky for us!) found her way back to the company in 2015 calling it “one of the most rewarding jobs (she’d) ever had.” Leading comes naturally to Violet which is probably why she makes her high-pressure role look effortless. Violet also has a management trick up her sleeve – she blows off steam at night by playing roller derby with the Ithaca League of Women Rollers!

Violet’s many years with the company, as well as her thoughtful and discerning approach to management, have made her an invaluable company leader who inspires us all.

One thing we strive to create at Mama Goose is a sense of loyalty. And who better to foster the feelin’ than Assistant Manager Theresa Knobel, who has been with the family for nearly 10 years (and her sweet 10-year-old son has obligingly modeled for us most of his life!). Theresa’s down-to-earth attitude and her personal connection with many of our customers are just two of the attributes that make her such an intrinsic part of our success. She also bakes, purchases and selects the perfect unique birthday gift for every staff member! When asked about her favorite memory of her time at the Goose, she cites the friendships she’s made with staff and with the customers. “Everyone I have had the pleasure of making acquaintances with has in some way enriched my life.”  And when you ask her what every mama needs to succeed? “At least one person who she can confide in without judgment.” As she trains incoming staff, she’s able to pass along her attitude and her vast repository of Mama Goose knowledge. (For real, test her – she’s basically our personal encyclopedia.)

Because there’s so ding-dang much to do at Mama Goose, we have two Assistant Managers. Anya Barta joined the management team in 2016, and her special area of responsibility is ordering all of our new products and making sure they get out onto the sales floor as quickly as possible. A mother of two boys (2 & 3 years old), Anya has a special understanding of what mamas need and how precious time is to busy mamas.

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