My IKEACataLOVE!

Disclosure: this is a sponsored post (although I may have done without receiving anything in return) You guys know about my love of IKEA. If you don't, you better get to reading this and this and this and this. Go ahead, I'll wait...

Okay so now do you get my love of IKEA? I hope so. This past week I had the pleasure of attending the CataLOVE event at IKEA Orlando in honor of the 2014 IKEA catalog. Have you received it in the mail yet?

I didn't get my catalog in the mail until Thursday evening. Which was about 6 hours AFTER I picked up.  It was horrible! Some of my friends got it before me and taunted me on the Twitter about it. Can you imagine my DivaStation?! However, I managed to perhaps walk away with more than my share of them to makeup for it. Think they'll notice?

My CataLOVE

I learned so much at the IKEA event. Most of it I'd already been exposed to (like the fact that IKEA is focusing on living with children and helping us create a space for all of the different activities that happen in the home). 

I love the line "Living With Children. All Moments Count." Because we know they do. That's what the 2014 catalog celebrates. Also, this picture gave me a great idea to how to keep the couch fort stable (why hadn't I thought of sticks?). The new catalog celebrates what matters most for children and families – spending time together. Catalog 2014, themed "All Moments Count," shows different solutions on how to create space for doing things together

• Sharing everyday tasks
• Sharing creative activities
• Sharing time and space
• Sharing a cause

New to this year's catalog is information about how the IKEA Foundation and UNICEF, through product donations, are helping children caught in disasters or conflict so they can continue to play, learn and grow. I love their soft toy campaign and you will too.

For every soft toy sold from November 1st through December 29, the IKEA Foundation will donate $1 to support UNICEF and Save the Children educational programs. The goal this year is to donate $1,200,000. The theme this year is Fairy Tale.

Food!

Yeah, um, so...I love food. And I love IKEA food. So imagine my surprise when I thought I knew all about their yumminess and I found out I did not! They are now offering organic foods for the kids (yay). And I got to taste some ridiculously tasty cheese I hadn't had before along with their fantabulous selections of salmon.  Seriously, I have plans on making some of this. And by "making" I mean I have plans to go to IKEA and eat it there. Don't judge me!

Family

I never realized there was a parking lot designated for families at IKEA. Did you? Here are some other fun facts I never knew about but that are in place because IKEA is committed to me (and by me I mean families but, same thing right?)

• SmÃ¥land - Ballpit, coloring, toys, movie platform, Swedish clog, face painting
• Play Facilities throughout the store
• Restaurant is kid-friendly - Bottle warming, free baby food (coming soon), family seating area, kids’ combos, Children 12 and under EAT FOR FREE every Tuesday)
• Family restrooms - Changing tables, comfortable chair, and free diapers

Am I the only one that had no clue about the whole free diapers thing? Where have I been? They also have IKEA Kamp to be held at specific times of the year. I will be VERY honest with you here: during this portion of the presentation, I was stuffing my face with meatballs and salmon so I can't speak too much on it.

After I stuffed my face though I heard that IKEA is redesigning the kids furniture area AND that they will have products for those 8-12 year olds. I saw pics people: it's adorable (but don't tell the 8-12 year old I said that otherwise, they'll hate it on sight).

I could go on and on and on but I'll shut up now and give you a chance to get super duper excited! Here's a giveaway. You can win $100 gift card from IKEA to perhaps buy me that cool (insert whatever you see in the catalog that you think I might like here). You'd spend some of your moola on me, right?

Have you gotten your IKEA catalog? Are you in love? What new thing are you in love with?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was given a swag bag at the IKEA event. In it there were cookies, crackers, a gift card, a cool USB light and...I'm still on the cookies but I think I also saw a cool beach ball and some other fun perks from my friends at IKEA. All opinions, however, are my own.