Going out of town this weekend? No problem. Shop online, or call us anytime before 5pm on Sunday, and we can complete your tax-free (and hassle-free) transaction while you hit the beach. Need it shipped? We can do that, too.

We know it?s fun to save a little bit of money, but it?s even more fun to save a lot. This week, BOB strollers are on sale for 10% off. This is a great opportunity to nab a stroller that encourages an active lifestyle and is useful all year round. We asked our resident fitness expert, Dara Kelly, owner of Peapod Fitness, to give us her take on the BOB strollers. Read on to see what she thinks.

By Dara Kelly

I am in love with a stroller. Or a fleet of strollers, I should say. The BOB strollers have come into my life like a new love, a breath of fresh air, a saving grace in a time of need. Ok, maybe not need, but definitely want.

I am a runner. And a mother of two. And a fitness trainer. I met my husband running the Boston Marathon. He?s a runner, too. We like to get out there and move-whether it is 2 miles or 26.2. But with children, things become a bit more difficult. Going for our daily runs became an exercise in coordination, timing, and speed-before we even made it out of the door.

And then came BOB. At first, there was a bit of doubt. How could I possibly run while pushing a large object in front of me? It would slow me down, ruin my form, destroy my running credibility. The Revolution was my answer. It is light, easily maneuvered, and the quick release wheels make it surprisingly easy to transport when we travel. The swivel wheel in front is amazing-when we are not running, we simply unlock the wheel, and we zip around corners, through stores, in and out of doors with the greatest of ease.

It truly is one of the most versatile strollers I have used. And it has been used every single day for the past year or so, through all of my daily stroller walks, personal runs, and my husband?s runs. Not a single sign of wear. My daughter loves her personal cup holders inside the seat, and the fact that she can hide in the ?fort? while we run (the sunshade pulls almost all the way down over her!). I love the window on top so I can check in on her. She loves the smooth ride-I love the smooth ride. Great shocks-no bumps! We have our routine, and we were all very happy. Were.

And then there were two girls. My second bundle of joy was born in April. I, like most moms, dread the transition to the (cue the scary music) DOUBLE STROLLER. Yes, I am destined to become one of those people, who hog the sidewalks, can?t fit in doors, hold up traffic, and become a general nuisance to the single pedestrians. Sigh.

But wait-there is hope. Just today, before my Power Stroll class at Magic Beans, I took the BOB Duallie for a spin. Separate seats for the girls, separate cup holders (no fighting as they get older), and all of the same perks as the single BOB. Can it be? Nirvana in a stroller?

It looks like our love will last. The BOB and I were meant to be. If only he did dishes.

Dara Kelly is the owner of Peapod Fitness, and was recently named as one of Boston?s Best Personal Trainers. Visit her website at www.ppodfitness.com, and feel free to contact her with any questions regarding fitness, nutrition, or pre/postpartum health. Her famous Powerstroll and Baby Bootcamp classes are back, Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 9:30am at Magic Beans. To register, send an e-mail to info@ppodfitness.com or call 617-413-8124.

This summer, we held a series of four evenings for 4-6th graders in our store. We did two movie nights and two game nights, and we invited parents to drop off their kids for a couple of hours and steal some time alone. We were delighted by the success of this program, with lots of great feedback and smiling faces from parents, kids and Magic Beans staff members. We especially enjoyed getting to know some of our ?older? customers, and we will be planning more events like these throughout the year. To be notified of upcoming events for this age group, please e-mail eli@mbeans.com.

We want to thank our friends at Continuum for loaning us their digital projector for movie night and our friends at Dale and Thomas Popcorn for supplying refreshments.

We had some very funny responses to our request for embarrassing restaurant stories. Our two favorites were variations on a similar theme, but both had us laughing out loud. We had a hard time choosing a winner, so we decided to award both entries with a $25 American Express gift card. Congratulations!

?We've enjoyed several meals out with our son. We know he only has enough stamina for us to eat an entrée plus either an appetizer or a dessert (one or the other, but definitely not both, unless, of course, he receives A LOT of attention from the wait staff or other diners). Last summer we were out to eat with our son, then a little more than 1 1/2. We had a bit of an inpatient waitress who all but ignored him. He must have felt snubbed because after she turned to speak with the table next to us, he tried to get her attention--by patting her bum! Let's just say the waitress was quite surprised and turned to look--not at our son, but my husband!?
- Embarrassed mom, Jill

?We met up with some friends visiting from Australia and took them, along with our 13 month old, to the North End. After dinner, our friends, who used to live in Boston, were longing for dessert at Mike's Pastry. We sqeezed into a very crowded Saturday evening at Mike's, and managed to snag a table and wait for service. But it was impossible to keep our son still, as he had only mastered walking about a month ago. As he was toddling through the maze of people who were waiting to grab their dessert, he almost lost his balance and grabbed hold of something to steady himself. Unfortunately, he had reached up and grabbed a woman's bottom! The woman jumped in shock and horror and turned around to chastise the rude behavior of some obnoxious man, only to look down and see our son grinning at her with his eight teeth. The whole place was laughing!?
- Bandita

We had another amusing entry that, for obvious reasons, was not eligible for the prize. And it doesn?t involve anyone?s rear end. But it?s still worth sharing.

?My 18-month old daughter was, what some might call, an exuberant child. My husband and I were on our first trip with her, and we were seated with her in the hotel dining room. She was entertaining herself by exploring the olives that were in a dish on the table - she didn't much enjoy the taste of them and preferred to see how else she could use them. She rolled them, she spun them, and then suddenly she torpedoed an olive across the table, beyond ours all the way to the next table where it landed squarely in the just-filled wine glass of a young woman who was on her honeymoon. My husband and I had seen it take flight but had not seen where it landed, so while we searched for the wayward olive, the couple, first horrified and then amazed, pointed out our daughter's incredible aim. We were mortified, they were gracious, and our daughter thought the whole thing was hilarious.

?By the way - this happened 27 years ago - the olive tosser is now the owner of Magic Beans.?
- Sheri?s Mom