Balderdash

We love game nights with the neighbors and our favorite game is Balderdash. It's a game that is fun with around 6 players and it is all about creativity and good guessing. There are different categories, such as "definition." A word is given and everyone writes down what they think the definition to that word is (it's always something obscure that no one has ever heard of). Then all the definitions are read out loud anonymously (including the real answer) and everyone picks which one they think is true. It's so fun, especially if you have creative neighbors and like to laugh! You should buy it and host a game night in your neighborhood.

It's Me

I'm a busy bee (which is good news). I promise lots of great posts soon. 

xo,

Amanda

Momiji Friendship Dolls

We are not doing presents for Christmas this year (except for the kids) due to financial reasons. So I was so bummed when I saw these here. Each doll has a unique personality and represents a virtue or trait. You can also slip a secret message in its base. Here's what they all stand for from left to right:

Clever Clogs likes boys who wear glasses.
Flowers likes the shipping forecast and new shoes.
Smiling likes gingerbread and tap dancing.
Happy likes fancy dress and tea-time treats.
Pixie likes escapology and cups of tea.

Not sure which one would be perfect for me, but at $12 a piece, I would have bought one for all my best girlfriend and would hope they would sit them next to their computer. That's where I would put mine. Little things like this are making it hard on me not to shop.

The 'Ove' Glove

Okay so I am sure you have seen this before on some infomercial and probably laughed (as we all do when we watch them), but this one is a keeper. We obtained two 'ove' gloves and they are so awesome. We use them every day! It's just an oven mit that you can wear and it can handle up to 450 degrees of extreme heat. They say it is made up of the same material used in firefighter's gloves. I like it because I never have to worry about burning myself. You can get more info on it here, but I know they sell it at multiple places! Try it!

Tickle

Just yesterday I was sitting with Brody having some alone time and I tickled him, the BEST laugh came out. So I tickled him some more and even though he told me to stop his laugh was pure happiness. I have decided that a tickle laugh is the best kind of laugh there is. I'm going to sneak them more often. 

Verses

I know that religion is a personal topic, but there are two bible verses that help me keep the faith and get through the transition of starting my own business (and life). I really have to share these since they are a fav of mine. They sit on a yellow sticky on my computer.

Matthew 17:20

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Proverbs 16:9

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

Folex- Spot Remover

My mom started using Folex years ago, when I still lived at home. She was in need of a great spot remover for her carpet, especially for pesky pet stains. Someone told her about it and it worked miracles. Back then it was like $14.95 per bottle, but now I think it's under $7 at Home Depot. Now we use it on our carpet & rugs, and the bottle isn't small so it lasts a long time. It gets out any odors and stains. It has saved us a lot of grief over the years. Right now, it mostly picks up baby spit up and mystery stains from my three year old! Ha!

Life with a 3 year old

I love babies so much, but I am digging Brody's age. Three is a year where they grow so much and the things that they say and take in are amazing and hilarious. And, he asks a million questions. So here are some of my favorite things that Brody says:

"I'm going to be a good boy now" (after he gets in trouble, you should hear his sweet little voice, oh and he has already said this 5 times before in the 5 minutes leading up to it)

"Daddy-o, Mommy-o, Baby-o" (he's been adding the o for awhile now and I FINALLY (months later) heard where he got it from, Oswald, the episode where Sammy Star Fish performs)

"Do you want to play I Spy" (he wants to play all the time, he's not very good at it and when it's his turn he picks something and you can see his eyes land on it and he says it's black, but when you pick it he says no, it ends up being a very long game).

"I dunno" (every time I ask him what he did in school, I have to be very specific)

"I want to be everything when I grow up" (he can't narrow it down)

"Are you checking your email" (when I'm on the computer, a sign I spend way too much time on here)

"Peanut, peanut butter and JELLY" (a song from preschool, I have yet to hear the other words, but I love to hear him sing it)

"Mommy, when's daddy coming home" (he likes to ask this around 9am, usually Mark leaves around 8:30am)

"Mommy, you are the best mommy in the whole world. I love you to the moon and back. Actually I don't. I love you to the moon, and back and to our house."

Handmade dolls

I have been in love with these dolls since I first saw them on the blog Cakies. She made some for her little girls and I even asked if she was going to sell some. Well, apparently I'm not the only one and she has put up 10 of them starting today on her Etsy shop, there are already only 8 left (thanks to me and someone else). So probably by the time you read this they will all be gone, or not and you can pick one up for your little girl for Christmas.

ebay

Ebay is obviously nothing new. I use to go on it and occasionally search for some things. But now that money is tight, and my love of certain brands has not diminished, I am on Ebay all the time. I mostly search for Juicy for myself & Piper and Small Paul & Quiksilver for Brody. Let me tell you, I have gotten some awesome things for pretty cheap! And, I only buy BNWT (brand new with tags). The best thing is that I know I am only looking to score a great deal, so before I bid on anything I give myself a limit of how high I will go and I never go past that. I was also really stoked to find my favorite pair of Roxy flats on there, mine are so old and ready to kick the bucket, so now I have a new pair being shipped to me, and I would have never been able to find them in the stores. So if money is tight but you can't let go of some brand names, look on ebay and maybe you will score yourself a good deal!