Burts Bees Deal

Any Burts Bees fans out there? You might be interested in this $20 grab bag, regularly $50. You do have to pay $5 shipping, so that stinks, but still looks like a good deal. This pic is lasts years I think, so you don't know what you'll get, but fun huh? I hear they sell out.

http://www.burtsbees.com/other/gift-sets-kits/grab-bag.html?cm_mmc=CJ-_-3399648-_-3529301-_-Burt%27s+Bees+Home+Page

$5 presents

I've been doing all but writing on my blog, which I miss, but now isn't the time for me to be writing much on it either, so I am copying and pasting a great post form someone else. My family has been talking recently about gift exchanges and how to make Christmas more meaningful. We switch it up every year, but one of my favorite years was when we did a $5 gift for our person or family we were giving too. It was a fun challenge and there were some cute things passed around. I was buying for my sister and bought her collapsible measuring spoons that shipped free from amazon. Nothing remarkable, but fun and hopefully useful.

This year we recently decided to scrap the gift exchange and get presents for someone who's Christmas might be more meager. We tossed the idea around of still doing $1 store presents or something else cheap but thoughtful. My little sister had a cute idea of sending our person Top Five lists of our Top Fives, like out top five favorite songs, top five fav blogs, top five recipes, top five books, etc. I thought that was a great idea, free and thoughtful and keeps us connected. In the spirit of cheap, fun gifts, I found this blog full of cute cheap ideas that kids would love.

Hope you have a Merry Christmas that doesn't blow the bank!

http://www.hereinthelovelywoods.com/2011/12/best-toys-5-can-buy.html

In her honor, I'd like to continue the GeekDad list (Stick, Box, String, Cardboard Tube, Dirt) with a few of our own kid-tested, mother-approved favorites.

1. Straws. You've heard of Tinker Toys? Granted, those will last longer, but give a child a 99-cent box of drinking straws and you might be surprised at the creations that will result.

2. Bubble Wrap. I personally know of at least two adults who tied a ribbon around a roll of bubble wrap and gave it to a child for Christmas, only to find that all other presents paled in comparison. Want to win the Cool Relative Award? Snap, crackle, pop.

3. Hammer. Nails. Wood. A friend of mine once gave her oldest son a pile of scrap lumber and some tools for Christmas. That's terrific ... but how about this? My neighbor, Emily, stopped by one day to dump a tree stump on our doorstep. "That's for your kids!" she called cheerfully as she drove away. Sure enough, they pounded nails into that thing until they had chain mail. Thanks Emily!

4. Duct Tape. Ian likes to remind me that it's just like The Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds everything together. I can't begin to describe the number of things that have been manufactured at our house with this substance. Bonus: It now comes in fluorescent colors and funky patterns. Check your local craft store.

5. Aluminum Foil. Caroline has made probably hundreds of things from this, from origami objects to multiple pairs of shoes. We usually give her a roll for long car trips, and we've had certain houseguests bring her a roll when they come to stay. Isn't it endearing to have adults in your life who understand how your child ticks?

6. Fire. As in, matches and candles. Blah blah blah parental supervision blah blah blah responsible oversight blah blah blah. Don't send the authorities after me. But seriously, friends. Do you know how long my two girls can sit at a table melting candle wax, watching the shape of candles and flames change before their eyes, sculpting creations from wax, making fake sealing wax for fake letters, etc.? Answer: a very long time. In fact, I had seven girls at this house just yesterday doing this for a solid hour.

What do you think about hair color?

What do you think about dying your hair a non-traditional color?

Which picture would you buy?

For years I've wanted to buy a picture of the Savior, but haven't found one I just love, and they're sorta expensive, so we've never done it. I really want to get one and get it hung before Thanksgiving, so I've just decided to get one anyway since I'm not sure there are any out there that I love artistically. These are my top three choices:

1. This is just a classic great picture of the the Savior. I also like the red color vs the more muted ones in the next pic.

2. I like the story of the lost sheep and having that on the wall as a reminder to help those in need.

3. Mary and Martha with Jesus. This is probably my favorite one, but I can only get it in a small size or big, no middle ground. I think I'll probably end up getting it because this story is so important to remember as a mother and having it right there as a constant reminder would be helpful. Oddly, I could only get a small and big pic, but no middle ground :). So here you get both.

Q: Do you have any pictures of Christ that you love? If so, tell me who it's by! Thanks!

Day 15 and 16, local festivities and early to bed

I'm thankful for local festivities like a totally fun tree lighting party at a mall near us with all sorts of fun things like hot chocolate, cookies, ice cream, candy, cds--and all free!

Today I'm thankful for kids that asked to go to bed early. WHA? We're talking one asleep on the couch at 5:15 and the other asking to go then. We had to cancel our dinner plans with friends so I could get them down.

Day 14, Thankful for down time

Today was the first day in a long time that I felt like I just had down time with my kids. Josh was gone the past two weeks and so I filled my schedule with all sorts of things, some purposely and some just had to. I felt like I had no time to myself and no time with just my kids. I was sad when I looked back on it because even though the kids had tons of fun playing with lots of friends and I got to do some things that I needed/wanted to do (like volunteer at Hazel's school), I was just bummed I didn't get more time with my kids, because I'm a stay at home mom so I can "stay at home with my kids." Unfortunately that doesn't happen enough.

Side note: I remember when we were doing our house renovations and our contractor just assumed I'd be home all the time because I was a "stay at home mom." It wasn't until then that I realized how mis-guided that term is, just like "morning sickness." I was hardly ever home it seemed.

Today though, I made sure to not have errands or extra stuff and we just read and did craft projects and played together and it was so rejuvenating for all of us.

Day 13, Thankful for baby sign language

Just this week we've been teaching Rhett a few signs (baby sign language). We started way earlier with the girls so I feel bad we haven't done it sooner for him and us, but the upside is that he's picked up on it super fast because he's older. I've been teaching him "Night night" and "Milk" and "Eat" and sometimes we do "More." Yesterday at church was when it really took off and he was alternating between "milk" (pumping his hang) and "night night." Only problem was that I couldn't do either for him right then :(. Here is a video of him before his nap (he'd missed his first one because we were at church so he was pretty wasted.)

AWESOME race video

Few things really move me to tears any more. But I couldn't help but get choked up when I saw this. I know that my girls really wouldn't get the power of this, but I was so into this I wanted someone to see it too so I had them watch it with me again. Hazel wants to watch it again!

Be inspired!

Decorating question for you all...

Hey non-crazy eyes out there, I need your help. My brain keeps going back and forth on something and I can't decide, so I'm tossing it out there to the masses for your expert advice. This will be Rhett's room. I plan to put 2ft x 2ft circles up on that wall behind his crib (a grid of 12). I originally thought I'd just use white for a clean modern look, but since it's a kids room, I don't want it to be drab and stark either, so then I thought all yellow. But when I put up my sample yellow on the wall, it looks a little too bright for covering a whole wall space (you can see the yellow stickers in the pic, they look kinda orange here). So now I'm considering these options:

1. All white circles--clean a modern, too bland and boring for kids room though?

2. All yellow circles--they're a bit punchy and bright, so not sure if they will overwhelm the room, but it is a kids room...

3. All pastel orange circles--fun, very little down side except that our main living spaces are a light turquoise and orange so I don't want to have the same all over

4. A variety of colors--pro, lots of fun, not boring, cons, not sure how they'll all combine together

His bedding will be brown and white (in front of crib in pic).

What should I do? Need to order asap.

Day 12, Thankful for cool weather

Today I'm thankful for cool weather.

I love how it makes me want to get warm and cozy and bake yummy things. We worked in the yard for most of the day again and it was so nice to be out in the crisp air and not dripping sweat. The kids rode bikes around us in their jackets with pink cheeks. It was so refreshing. I loved the grey sky too. Hazel said, "It's like it's still morning because they sky is grey." I thought that was cute. I love this weather for a weekend day when Josh is home and we can hang out as a family. Not my favorite when I'm alone and waiting for Josh to come home, but when we're working together and then relaxing, ahh, it's perfect.

Day 10 and 11--Class visits and Veterans

I'm a day behind, but yesterday I got to go to Hazel's class and read to them for reading week. It was so fun and I loved getting to go into her classroom and interact with the kids. I volunteer there every other week, but don't have any interaction so this was a real treat :). I LOVED it! And I adore that girl.

Today I'm thankful for Veterans. I'm thankful that there are people so selfless that they'd take on a high stress job to protect others, most of whom they don't know. Then there are so many who come back scarred and have to learn how to re-enter regular life and deal with so much baggage and often difficulty finding a job that they sometimes suffer for a long time. I'm so thankful for what they gave so we can be free.

Day 9, Thankful for the gym

Day 9, today I'm thankful for the gym. Do you like the pic of my class? It's pretty big.

Every time I go, I feel awesome afterwards, my City is happy because she got to play with her friends, Rhett is tired and very sad, but then takes a great nap once home. I get an excellent work out in thanks to the classes. I go get my tail whipped and somehow say, yes please, can I come get whipped again next week? Sounds like a drug to me.

Today I was talking during cycling so the teacher came and cranked up my tension. Ow. Oh, and that's not my class, that's some other class setting a world record for having the most in it (354), no joke. I know, how can you trust me any more? Funny fact is that it's set by the "Dairy Farmers of Canada." How random is that?

Day 8, Thankful for Voting

Today, I'm thankful for voting. Josh was gone, so I took the kids for a walk down to Hazel's school and voted. It was so fun to get out for a cool, evening walk and it was exciting for them to get to go to her school. We were the only ones there, they said it had been slow. I was bummed about that until they said about 70% of people vote by mail (which my balet was, just brought it so my kids could be a part of it). I hope most people vote. I think it's a wonderful privilege that we are blessed to have and I'm thankful for it.

As we left the house to go they were pretty pumped and said what a fun night we were having and how we get to do so many fun things--we walked to a pizza place nearby afterwards because Hazel went on a fieldtrip there and said they were doing a fun family night thing. How could I resist her. It was a fun night.

Oh, and I should mention Rhett's paci. He only takes this particular kind, which you can't find anywhere it seems. I bought a two pack on amazon once and it was like $4, but it said "colors may vary." I took my chances though because to buy two blue ones it was almost $8!! I got one pink and one blue that time. Somehow we lost a bunch, so I bought more, same deal on cost--all pink this time. Grrreat. Josh told me there was no way he was using it. But in the middle of the night I was trying to find his other one and remembered the new pack of pink so please, no thinking twice there. Then tonight I couldn't find his blue either. And that's that in case you wondered, blame my cheapness or my gambling problem :).

Q: Did you vote? :)

Day 7, Thankful for the library and friends

Day 7, I'm thankful for the library and friends. I went to the library tonight and fell in love as I usually do with the whole set up. I love how it makes me want to spend my whole life reading when I walk in, or not, because I know I can't! But I love that even though there was grumbling from my daughter about going beforehand how she wanted more and more books and didn't want to leave. I love books.

I also love my friends. Both our men weren't home for dinner, so we got together and hung out at my place, then went to hers and had hot dogs with the kids. City had an accident on the couch, my friend gave me new pants for her (and to keep!), Rhett took care of business with all of his funny faces during dinner, one kid pulled down his pants in our back yard because he thought he had to go to the bathroom... Some people ask what I do all day as a stay at home mom, I feel like telling them I do a lot of wiping and refereeing. :) We had a great night and I'm thankful for my blessings.

Day 6, Thankful for church

Day 6, I'm thankful for church. Granted, during Sacrament Meeting (where the whole congregation is together) and my little kids were all over the place and my cute $4 thrift store wool skirt I thought was too good to be true really was because it was itching the crazies out of me and I was thinking, okay, I'd rather this be over now...

But then Josh and I shifted the kids around and we heard some really great testimonies from others (the first Sunday of the month is called "fast and testimony meeting" where we all fast for a day and people go up and share their testimonies). It's always humbling to hear what others are going through. My blessings become more pronounced to me and I am thankful for the strength of others. I love that we're all so different, but we have the same goal--we're all going to church to worship our Heavenly Father and to try to become like Him, it's so unifying.

Then I got to teach the kids in primary again about being reverent and had the kids act out different scenarios and it was so fun. I love those kids.