Here and There

Sorry I've been MIA over here. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is enjoying the holiday weekend.

We're visiting the in-laws and at this very moment Lucas and Abel are getting haircuts from the guy who cut Abel's hair growing up. I'm thankful that we've already taken (and ordered--woohoo!) our Christmas card photos because 1) I've generally found that small-town barbers leave something to be desired and 2) if this man cut Abel's hair as a child that means that he's been cutting hair for at a minimum 25+ years. Now, there is a possibility that he's remained current and has even improved with age and experience. Or, Lucas and Abel are both going to come back with boy/man haircuts from the 70s or 80s. Luckily, Abel isn't shy about telling the person cutting his hair exactly what he wants so hopefully everything will turn out just fine. We'll see.

It has also been a Thanksgiving/Birthday/Christmas extravaganza for Lucas. Since we won't see this side of the family again until they visit after the new baby is born, they had birthday and Christmas presents ready. He's pretty much opened 1-2 gifts each day since we arrived. I am thinking this may dash the excitement over my idea of actually putting together a little advent calendar this year with mini gifts (like stickers) each day. But, it sure has been fun for him. Plus, he's actually playing with and enjoying his new gifts instead of them getting lost in the big pile of Santa/parent/other grandparent/other aunts, uncles, etc. gifts.

Also, I've got a post up over at DC Metro Moms if you're just dying to read something new. Click here.


Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

Their marketing works but they're missing the mark on their demographic by approximately 30 years

Lucas is obsessed with the Touch and Brush. Have you seen the commercial? He's only seen it a handful of times but can almost recite it word for word. "Now your sink's a mess!" he exclaims. "The Touch and Brush gets the last drop!"

He recently told his uncle and grandmother (in two different phone conversations!) that he wants the Touch and Brush when they asked what he wanted for Christmas. We had to translate, of course, because they had NO IDEA what he was talking about. What? Their 3 year old nephew/grandson is asking for a toothpaste dispenser?

When Abel gave me the old tube of toothpaste to put into the recycling the other day, Lucas was seriously alarmed. He said, "Oh no! If we had the Touch and Brush we could get the last drop!"

When we do watch channels with commercials like this (which is rare because I usually keep it on PBS or Nick, Jr.) he tells us that he wants pretty much every toy he sees. But then he promptly forgets. The Touch and Brush obsession, however, has now lasted for almost two weeks!

If he's still talking about it in December, I think we'll have to seriously consider getting it for Lucas for Christmas. It might just be his favorite gift ever.

And, hey, I do like the idea of using up the last drop!

Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

Favorite Things Friday: Tech Savvy Mama's Holiday Gift Guides

In my personal opinion, one of the most fun times to be a blog reader is during the holidays. It seems like almost everyone is writing about holiday gift ideas and holiday craft ideas. Even thought I know I'll never get my act together to hand-make an amazing advent calendar or bake most of the amazing recipes I come across, just reading about what others are doing inspires me to step up my game a little bit and gets me into the holiday mood.

And then there are the holiday gift guides. Who better than a parent of a child who is a little older than yours to suggest great gift ideas? There are many, many gift guides out there but one of my absolute favorites is the one put together by Leticia over at Tech Savvy Mama. I'm already a huge fan of Leticia's blog and of Leticia in real life (it's a crazy coincidence that we actually knew each other and worked together in what seems like a previous life before we reconnected as DC Metro Moms!) but I'm an extra-super-duper-huge fan of her Holiday Gift Guides!

Seriously, you have got to check them out. Not only will you get great ideas for every person on your holiday gift list, you can enter to win many of the gift ideas! I will admit that I happen to be incredibly lucky in that I've won a few several numerous prizes from Tech Savvy Mama in the past and now I'm crossing my fingers and my toes for pretty much any of the amazing items included in her Holiday Gift Guide giveaways.

So, here are the links. I highly recommend you check out every single one of them, but at the very least, look at (and enter to win!) the gifts matching the demographics of the people on your holiday gift-giving list. (I'll link to the final guides as they go live, please check back or add Tech Savvy Mama to your reader so you don't miss out!)

Tech Savvy Mama’s Holiday Gift Guide for TODDLERS

Tech Savvy Mama’s Holiday Gift Guide for PRESCHOOLERS

Tech Savvy Mama’s Holiday Gift Guide for TEENS & TWEENS

Tech Savvy Mama’s Holiday Gift Guide for ADULTS

Tech Savvy Mama's Tech Gear Gift Guide

Tech Savvy Mama’s Holiday Gift Guide for TEACHERS

Tech Savvy Mama’s Holiday Gift Guide for DVDs

Tech Savvy Mama's Holiday Gift Guide for CDs

Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

Giveaway over at Out by Ten

Do you have any kids on your Christmas list? Do you love books? Are you an elementary school teacher? Head on over to Out by Ten to read a review and enter a giveaway for four free books from Pretty Please Press.


Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

Answers to all your questions

When someone has a BIG event happening in their life, it seems like conversation revolves solely around that BIG event. For example, your friend gets engaged. ALL you can think to ask her about every time you see her is how the wedding plans are coming along. Same for a new house, job, and, of course, for a new baby. Lately I've been getting the same few questions over and over and over again from friends, acquaintances and strangers alike. So, here are the answers.

1) I am feeling okay. Very big and very tired but nothing out of the ordinary for the 3rd trimester.

2) No. We have NO IDEA what we're going to name this little bambino. Do you have any ideas?

3) Right now Lucas is very excited and loving toward the baby (often giving my belly kisses and hugs). He even said "my baby brother" at school when the teacher was writing down what each child is thankful for. But, I suspect this will change when Lucas realizes how UNFUN little babies are and how much of Mama and Dada's time, energy and sanity the baby will suck away.


Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

Nursery Update

Slowly but surely my vision for the nursery is coming together. As you know, I already purchased this lovely print and continue to just adore it.

My mom offered to sew a quilt and some changing pad covers. So, last Friday I purchased the above fabrics for the quilt. We decided to use the first four (left to right) for the front of the quilt and the bottom fabric for the back. We ultimately decided the blue to the far right doesn't go with the other blues so we'll save it for another project. She'll use the fabric to the far left (and maybe others, depending on what yardage is left) for the changing pad covers. I think we're going to skip a crib skirt and bumper pads this time around.

This officially confirms my color scheme as light blue and brown with green accents. Not only will this go with my plans for Lucas's big boy room, it will look nice with our nursery furniture which is cherry.

Overall, I'm not thrilled with the cherry, but the crib was a hand-me-down and you can't beat free. A few months ago, I briefly considered painting all the nursery furniture (crib, changing table and dresser) white but ultimately decided that would be crazy. Now that we're at less than 10 weeks and counting and still have to finish the details on the closet project, get Lucas moved into his new room and paint the nursery, we couldn't possibly add that project to the mix.

I just can't wait until the quilt is finished. Pretty soon I'm going to get antsy about getting some boxes of clothes down from the attic. January 21 is fast approaching!

Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!

Favorite Things Friday: Apples to Apples

For today's edition of Favorite Things Friday I bring you a guest post from my sister Sarah who blogs at Sorry Sarah. I, too, LOVE this game and I'm not sure why I didn't think of featuring it earlier.

I am absolutely in love with the game Apples to Apples.

If you have played it, I'm sure you understand why. I don't believe I have ever had as much fun playing a "board" game as I do when I play Apples to Apples. The things that make this game so amazing are:

1) If you don't laugh while playing, you were born without the fun gene
2) It's not competitive. Which is important. Because I am competitive, and being competitive often ruins the game experience for me.
3) It requires no real skill. Yet, it's still (shockingly) educational. In fact, I have used it in my classroom many times. And, every single student from grades 5-8 is completely in love with it. Case and point, they will sometimes even borrow it from me so they can play during lunch recess. It's that good.

Here is the gist of how to play the game. There are two types of cards: red cards that have the names of people, places, and things on them (nouns) and green cards that have descriptive words on them (adjectives). Each person playing is dealt 7 red cards. Players take turns sitting out a round and playing judge. The first person to be judge turns over a green card. For example, the green card might say cranky. The players then each need to put down a red card that they think best exemplifies the word cranky. Some red card options might be: toes, Al Pacino, the Eiffel Tower, having a baby, etc. The judge must turn each red card over and decide which red card he or she thinks fits best with the green card. The person whose card is chosen gets to keep the green card for that round. The first person to 6 cards (the number varies depending on how many people are playing) wins.

It is a blast.

As far as being educational for the students, they get acquainted with a lot of words they are otherwise unfamiliar with. The great thing about this game is that each green card lists at least 3 synonyms of the word and each red card from their hand that includes a short (usually humorous) explanation about who or what is named on that card.

For example, today some 5th graders who were playing turned over a green card that said virtuous. I'm 99% sure than none of them knew what virtuous meant before today. But, somehow, I have a feeling that after a particularly humorous round of Apples to Apples they're more likely to remember the meaning of that word in the future.

Truly, though, the best part of the game is the laughs. To be honest, when I am judge, I always choose the red card that is the most absurd or makes me laugh the hardest. For example, if the word "exhausting" was turned over and someone put down "peanuts" I would laugh my butt off and choose peanuts for sure. I mean, you have to admit, that's funny stuff.

With the holiday season fast approaching, I recommend you buy this game. Buy it as a gift; buy it for your monthly game night with friends; buy it for your Christmas family get-together. Just buy it. Buy it, play it, love it, and thank me later. Or, you know what? Don't even worry about thanking me. We can skip that step and move straight to, "You're Welcome!"

Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!