I currently have a few things that make me go all warm and squishy inside, so I thought I'd share the love!
Spin Pins
These things are fan-FLIPPING-tastic. ADORATION/SINGING ANGELS/LITTLE HEARTS IN MY PUPILS. What I don't adore, however, is that a pack of them {2 spin pins} is $6 bucks at your friendly neighborhood Wal-Mart. But – these bad boys can do the work of about a dozen bobby pins AND they're a lot harder to lose. It did take me some trial and error to figure out how to position them so that my hair didn't look all wonky, but it's been smooth sailin' since. {They also make Spin Pin Minis that I want to try on some half-up/half-down styles…} Run out. Getcha some!
The Iced Paci
Who wudda thunk it? WHY did I never do this when MM was little? Now this may be some sort of age-old Motherhood remedy, but I just had the epiphany a few weeks ago. In washing Sunshine's 3,465 Mams pacies, I would always get annoyed that the soapy water stuck around – I had to keep sucking clean water into the nipple part of the thing until it rinsed out the soap. One particularly fussy teething afternoon, I remembered that I used to freeze wet washcloths for MM to gnaw on when he was teething – so I plugged a few in the freezer. Later, I was washing bottles and pacies when Sunshine began to fuss. In my usual space cadet fashion, I put the wet pacies I had been washing down on the inside ledge of the freezer while I reached to the back for the cold rags. {And promptly forgot about them.} About 3 hours later when I was trying to figure out what the heck I had done with all the pacies, I found them in the freezer. TA-DA! Word is born. And let me tell you – a frozen paci for Sunshine is like crack-cocaine to the back-alley addict. She just can't get enough.
Nook Color
The best money I never spent. {Catch that?} This is hands-down my most favorite Christmas present of, like, all time. Since December 25, the thing has been glued to my person in some form or fashion. {Among other things, one of the primary factors that make you feel like my small suitcase purse is going to throw your back out if you pick it up.} I read, surf the net, check email, get on Facebook. Mini-Man has a whole set of activities too – kids books, math games, art pad, and his personal fave, Angry Birds. J Honestly, this thing does pretty much every fun thing that an iPad can do. It's ah-MA-zing! So if you're a reader that's on the fence about this thing– put this on your lust list for the next major holiday!
Chicken Helper {Lemon Herb Chicken and Honey Mustard Chicken }
Oh, Chicken Helper, where have you been my whole life? I already know your brother, Hamburger Helper-in fact, we're pretty tight. He's helped me out of many a hectic family dinner crisis! But you, oh YOU, are stellar!
Homemade fruit popsicles
2 cups strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar. Blend/Puree/food processor. Pour in popsicle molds. Freeze. Frozen love my friends, frozen love. Take 'em outside and get your fingers sticky. {Best enjoyed on a hot afternoon with children.} If you don't have time/immediate access to fresh fruit, you can also just use canned fruit in light syrup/juice. I've done this too!
Homemade sidewalk chalk/paint
Who doesn't love to paint on the sidewalk? Especially if you have eager young ones who need an easy summer activity. Mini-Man is a particular fan of sidewalk art. We make roads for hot wheels, battle grounds for Lego dudes, and family portraits. I've seen several recipes for this around the great wide web, but here is the one I used: 1 cup water, 1 cup corn starch, muffin tin to divide the colors, a few drops of food coloring, and paint brushes. {The cheap-o foam brushes work okay, but break down pretty quickly on the concrete. I use regular paint brushes instead. Now get out there and make a masterpiece!
Impromptu road trips
It's crazy how just being in the car with BabyDaddy and the kids and driving somewhere that's NOT HERE will lift the spirits. I can feel myself getting lighter with each mile we drive. It doesn't have to be anywhere big or spectacular. In fact, just a couple weekends ago we up and decided to tour some caves at a state park about an hour and a half down the road. We did eat lunch at the park lodge, which was very good by the way, if anyone is ever near Carter Caves, and then went on a cave tour. Mini-Man rebelled a bit at my holding his hand through the steep inclines and the attempts to stick his head through the railing {with gaps just big enough to make any momma of a skinny 4 year old skip some heart beats}, but he was a trooper and was generally good. Sunshine oogled through the first part of the tour, and then happily fell asleep. It was a good day. Road Trips, {even small ones} are good for the soul!
1) Baby Legs
If If you have a crawling baby, a soon-to-be crawling baby, or even a toddler, these things are a must have. They have saved Sunshine's fat little knees! You have to creep on their website a lot though, because they are a bit pricey - but I swear, every few months they will have a ridiculous clearance. I got 9 pairs of Baby Legs for $20 when they had their winter clearance this past spring. And even when she's done crawling, these will look super cute under some skirts this fall!!!! {Click on 'source' under the photo to hit up their website!}
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