Mama Bub

Our Summer Survival Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:54:00 +0000

We have a few things working in our favor this summer. The biggest thing is the fact that my husband is off all summer. That is the light at the end of the last week of school tunnel. The kids have kicked into full on sibling rivalry mode, and it’s exhausting. So while I have dreamy images of the two of us lounging in the back yard while the kids blow bubbles and play in our splash pools, the reality is that we’ll be back to the days of a man to man defense.

Still, it feels good to go into summer with a plan, even if that plan is wear pajamas until noon! Shopping list: popsicles, things I can grill, cases of La Croix. The thing is that I don’t want to wish it away. There’s that whole 18 summers thing, which kind of stresses me out when I think about it, but mostly it has the desired effect which is to make me want to make summers memorable for my kids. The other thing is that I already have children and I know that what people say about the best laid plans is absolutely true. So what I need are things that are fun for the kids while also sanity saving for the adults.

Our actual plan goes a little like this:

Pool
We have several neighborhood pools, and one that we can walk to. (We can walk to them all, there’s only one that I’m willing to walk to.) We’ll go pretty much every day. We’re pretty low maintenance at the pool, so it’s easy to throw some towels and sunscreen into a bag and go. When everyone gets hungry we come home.

Beach
The beach is much, much more work and stresses me out. Still, we’ll go a lot. The kids love it.

Movies
I have been looking forward to the day that we could pass our summer days in a movie theater since the summer that Bub was born. We’re still a few years from making this a family affair, but Bub and I will be regulars at the theater. We’ll see a few new releases, but mostly I’m planning to take advantage of summer movie programs. (Regal has a good one – $1 movies on Tuesday and Wednesday. Fair warning – the info on the website sucks.)

Bowling
The Kids Bowl Free program is awesome, and we’ve signed Bub up for the past few summers. This year I added Bubette, too. Two free games of bowling, every day, all summer long, you just pay for shoes. You can buy a family pass for $25 to cover the grown ups in the house, if you want, but we don’t. Managing two wee bowlers is enough activity for me.

Library
I printed out the summer schedules for our three local libraries. Just about every public library offers some sort of summer program. This is more up Bubette’s alley, which is fine. See above: siblings driving each other insane.

Camps
Bub is signed up for two weeks of camp. We would be doing more, but with my husband home I don’t need the daily dose of interaction that I would if I were on my own all summer.

Disneyland
If the thought of Disneyland in the summer makes you want to weep, well me too. Except that we have our Disney plan down to a science. In the summer, the only time to go is first thing on a weekday morning. We can usually manage enough rides to keep everyone happy, and when the crowds get crazy, we bail.

Playdates. Lots and lots of playdates
I like being the house where all of the kids play. Having the playroom destroyed doesn’t stress me out, it’s just the sign of happy entertained kids. Same goes for the backyard. You want to get every single bat, ball, and bubble toy we own? Go for it. Get out the paints? Sure, it’s washable.We have splash pools and a small bounce house and we will be inviting every over to play, because above all else, I’m a homebody. Being able to be home and have happy kids is the ultimate win for me.

We also have a closet full of puzzles, legos, play doh and craft supplies – many of them unopened due to the kids’ recent birthdays. My hope is that I can ensure a few lazy mornings by setting a few things out on the kitchen table the night before, like our own mini summer camp. It’s Play-Doh day! Knock yourselves out.

Books I Read in May

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:26:00 +0000

The World Without You – I think I was supposed to love this book. It was a magazine recommendation, People I think, and the description made it sound like something that was supposed to be deep and meaningful. It was fine, but I didn’t relate to, or even especially like, any of the characters. They were fine, it was fine.

Another Piece of my Heart – This redeemed last month’s Blame it On Paris for me. It’s still rife with stereotypes – the gay neighbors who have an amazing eye for decorating – but it’s a nice easy beach read otherwise.

The Art of Racing in the Rain – It’s hard to tell someone that a book was written from the point of view of a dog and have them take you seriously. I loved this book, I loved this dog, and even though it wasn’t about the dog at all, this book made me want to adopt another dog right now.

City of Bones – Eh. I won’t be finishing the series. Maybe I’m over vampires and witches and otherworldly creatures? I don’t think that’s it since I’m impatiently waiting for the third book in the Discovery of Witches series. This book just didn’t do anything for me.

Dark Places – When I finished Gone Girl I was so thoroughly disgusted with all of the characters that I wasn’t sure that I wanted to read any more Gillian Flynn. And then there were only a few people ahead of me waiting for Dark Places at the library, so I added it to my list. Gillian Flynn is great at writing books that dole out just enough new information to keep you reading. It was at about the halfway point that I was unable to put this book down because I needed to know what happened. I felt like my brain was buzzing after finishing this book, and now that I’m thinking about it again, I have so many thoughts about the people in this book. If you like murder mystery books that are a little heavy on the gore in some parts, I think this is a good choice. Just be prepared to still be thinking about these characters weeks after reading.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower – This was another book that really picked up for me at about the halfway point, but not because of any great revelation. I think it took me that long to engage with the characters. The style of the book, written all in letters from the narrator to an unknown source wasn’t what I was expecting, and I think I might have LOVED this book 15 years ago. As it stands I liked it enough to be interested in seeing the movie.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore – Such a great story, and such a nice break from the relative darkness of the past few books.

Carnival Party

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:35:00 +0000

This year I took advantage of what will probably be the last time I can have a joint party for the kids. I’ve always wanted to have a carnival party, and I thought this worked well for their ages.

I made the invite myself in Word. I know, I know but it cost me nothing and I printed them as photos for just a few dollars.

The original forecast was for 90 degree weather, so we bought way more drinks than we needed, and panicked that that the kids would melt into exhausted puddles in the bounce house. The weather ended up being on our side and topped out around 80, thank goodness, but it was still a million degrees in the bounce house – a fact that we only realized after everyone had left.

We rented popcorn and cotton candy machines. I really wish that cotton candy machine was still in my garage right now.

I made all of the desserts myself, and they have a very homemade look, but it was nice to do it myself. The cupcakes are supposed to look like popcorn and sno-cones. I really wanted cupcake wrappers to complete the look, but that was one of the (many) things that fell by the wayside as the date of the party approached.

I made a small cake, because I think that it’s more fun to blow out the candles on a cake than on a cupcake. The Happy Birthday candles melted together, and I was prying them apart with a knife just before lighting them. The H and A didn’t want to come apart. Keeping it real, as always.

For the games we had a bean bag toss, clown toss (not pictured), fishing (also not pictured. What happened?) bubbles, can knockdown, bowling and an (enormous) carousel bounce house.

The can knockdown is an easy DIY. I spray painted the bottoms of the cans and then wrapped the cans in striped paper.

In addition to games we had a fortune teller, with birthday themed fortune cookies, and a kissing booth. There were 151 kisses in the jar and one of the kids guessed 149! She, of course, took them all home.

A friend of mine had a similar party and she handed out tickets for every game which the kids could then turn in for prizes. Me? I just made goody bags and called it a day.

I just really loved this party and the kids did too, which is the most important part/ Granted, at the end of the party most of the boys had piled into the playroom and were completely ignoring all of my games, but everything got played with by someone at some point. The biggest hits? The bubbles, bounce house, face painter and cotton candy. Even my dad and my husband got their faces painted. Loved it.

Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 29 May 2013 03:30:00 +0000

I have been in a mood lately. I don’t know what’s going on, I’m just a little blue, a little tired and a lot crabby. We’re busy and it’s hot and I’m not sure what else is going on, but by the end of the day I feel like climbing into bed to read is a major feat, so this three day weekend was perfectly timed.
On Saturday we had Bub’s all star game for t-ball, and it was super fun. I mean, they’re five, so the talent is relative. Almost none of them can field, but they can all hit, and everyone was excited to be there. Bub played against two players, his friends, from his team and when he got a double (a second, he says) (they can’t take more than two bases no matter how far they hit. See above regarding complete lack of fielding) his friend high fived him and I about died.
That afternoon we went to the pool and had it completely to ourselves. We spent the rest of the afternoon in our own backyard in our super fancy splash pools and right as I was starting to think about dinner the neighbors called and invited us over.
Sunday we went to church and then met friends at the pool. Again, we had the place to ourselves. How does that happen on Memorial Day weekend? Let’s hope that is a sign of things to come for the summer. We came back to the house to barbecue again, and the kids played in the splash pools again, and I poured giant glasses of iced tea and started to think that maybe summer’s not so bad after all.
On Monday we had a birthday party and then had friends over for barbecue number three. I made chocolate macaroon bars (OMG make them right now,) the splash pools got a workout, the kids picnicked on the grass and I had my third straight day of uninterrupted adult conversation.

Once everyone had gone home, my husband suggested a movie before bedtime and I thought that was the best idea anyone had ever had. The kids piled on top of me, Bub fell asleep almost immediately, and in the interest of full disclosure I read a book while The Little Mermaid played for the billionth time.
The kids were in bed and asleep before 7, and we were done for the day and the the sun was still out. There’s something seriously soothing about feeling like the entire night stretches before you.
The weekend wasn’t perfect as I still haven’t passed level 140 in Candy Crush and I’m considering spending money on that unholy game for the first time, but I fear that’s a slippery slope. My parents gave us iTunes gift cards when they gave us an Apple TV, but that seems like such a waste. Like adding $1 (it won’t be just $1, who am I kidding) to my credit card bill doesn’t seem like a waste, but spending free money does? I can’t explain it. Also, as I type this I realized that putting it on the credit card would violate the no-buy, which ends in four days. So, I don’t know. I think I’ve just talked myself out of it.
Oh! One final good thing. I’ve wanted a flat iron forever. I had one, it was crummy, I got rid of it, and now I never wear my hair straight because it takes days to straighten it all with a blow dryer, so I dry it straight-ish and then curl it. Well, I finally returned some Amazon things and used the remains of a gift card and a new flat iron will be here Thursday. If you have any amazing flat iron enhancing products, leave them in the comments, please.
Here’s to long weekends, grilling all of the things, and straight hair. (And many, many more of those macaroon bars.)

How to Make Feedly Look Like Google Reader

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:27:00 +0000

I know we’re all dealing with the loss of Google Reader in our own way. I’m still using the Next button until it fails me, but I’ve also set up a contingency plan for the day when my reader is no longer.

There’s a lot of talk about Feedly vs. Bloglovin’, vs The Old Reader, and I’m a Feedly convert. Sarah from Whoorl wrote a great post about how to use Feedly, and you should definitely check out her tips for getting started. But what I really wanted was for my new reader to look like my old reader. I know Feedly is pretty and has a lot of great options, but I’m only interested in those options that give me a familiar experience.
First of all, set up your Feedly account while Google Reader is still around, because you can import your feeds. They sync in real time, so you can use them interchangeably for the time being, which I have been doing for a while, mostly out of habit (and for the love of than darn Next button.)
Once you’re in, do not be overwhelmed if your start screen looks like this:

When I first started using Feedly, I didn’t like it. This isn’t the way I think when I’m in my reader. I like a nice list, easy to navigate. This is pretty, but not working for me.
The first thing you want to do is switch to list view.

It’s already better, right?
To avoid having to to make this change every time, you’re going to want to change your default settings, so click on the Prefs button to change you options.
The first two options are the ones you’re going to want to change. For start page select “All” and for Default View select “Titles Only.” The rest of the options are totally up to you.

Finally, for the ultimate in the Google Reader experience, you might want to be able to see a list of all of the blogs you subscribe to along the side. Easy! Click the small arrow next to the category and you’ll see the list. Within the Prefs screen, you can choose to hide those blogs that don’t have any unread content, which is what I do.

Now, for the app. A lot of people really liked The Old Reader, because it was already the most similar to Google Reader. I didn’t like it because it doesn’t have an app yet, and I do of ton of my blog reading via my phone or iPad.
When you open the app, you’re probably going to get magazine view again. Simply click the three stacked boxes icon to get the display options, then choose list view.

Now that you have a nice clean list, you need to change your default settings so that this is what you’ll see every time you open the app. Click on the three bars to open up addition options. This is also how you can view the list of everything that you subscribe to by clicking the arrow next to the category. For now, choose Settings.

Choose Default View, and then Title Only.

And you’re done! The next best thing to Google Reader without any of the added new things for those of us who like things to remain the same forever and ever, amen.

Blondies, Parties, Long Weekends

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:07:00 +0000

Last week was a doozy for us. Well, for me. No one else really seemed as crazed as I was, but then again six year olds don’t really have to do lists. And I just referred to Bub as a six year old in spite of the fact that his birthday isn’t for three weeks. I’m leaving it. It’s an accurate sign of my mental state right now – time is moving so fast and I just need a little glowing cube and the ability to stop time for a few days! (Side note: Is there anyone who didn’t want to be Evie?)

I had cereal, a cupcake and an Arnold Palmer for breakfast, because I will not let all of these leftovers go to waste. We had our t-ball team party on Saturday, and 25 of my husband’s family members over for lunch yesterday. Our fridge is overflowing with leftovers which is great because I am officially over dinner. This is my annual “I just can’t be bothered to make another dinner because everything is the same and the children will just whine about chicken, AGAIN?” moment. It’s timely, because in about a month I will stop planning dinners. I will shop for fruits that aren’t apples and oranges and veggies that aren’t peas and corn. I will buy whatever meat looks good and all of the popsicles*, and we will grill all summer long. One month exactly, and counting.

AND, now that this weekend is over, I can officially start working on the kids birthday party, which is in two weeks. Invitations have been sent, and that’s about it. This week is normal busy, which is to say that now that t-ball is over we have so much time back, but I just looked at my calendar and it’s still kind of insane. I think maybe this is just life with slightly older kids? Playdates and swim lessons and Open House and field trips and holy moly a long weekend ahead of us.

Oh! The whole reason I started writing this is because I wanted to tell you that I made Smitten Kitchen’s Blondies this weekend and you should make them, too. I’ve never had a blondie before and I think I might like them more than brownies, now.

*I have to be in charge of the popsicle buying, because my husband manages to get the sugar free ones EVERY SINGLE TIME and I can’t eat those and then I get the rage about being denied my popsicles. It isn’t pretty.

Makeup Monday–Lips

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:54:00 +0000

I was really disappointed that I didn’t get my act together in time to play along with Makeup Monday last week, so you better believe we’re starting today. I’m starting with lip stuff, because it’s my favorite, and I have a lot of it. A lot is relative, I guess. Of everything, I have the most lip stuff, so we’ll start there.

This is by no means everything, just the stuff I use frequently. I had to throw away several lip glosses since I know they were probably years old. Ick.

Chapstick – Necessary. The spearmint is my favorite, and I have one in every purse.

Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm – I haven’t found one of those Revlon lipstains that work for me, but this is essentially the same thing and I love the color.

Dior Addict Extreme – This must have been in a Birch Box a while back. It’s kind of an insane color in the tube, but it goes on like a balm and I usually layer it with another gloss.

Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss, True Color – I think this was in the Sephora Give Me Some Lip Sampler (Recommend!) and it’s basically like, Your Lips, But Better.

Fresh Sugar, Rose – Because of course

Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm, Healthy Blush – From the Allure Summer Beuaty Box and a new favorite

Buxom Lips, Destiny – A little tingly, a little sparkly, kind of fun

Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Lip Gloss, Spring Splendor – Not my favorite lip gloss formula, but I do like the color.

Tarte Rise and Shine Gloss and Stain, Mauve – Such a boring color name for such a punchy product. This was also in the Sephora Lip Box and it’s my favorite going out color.

Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lip Gloss, Wallflower – This looks like the color my mom wears, which is not a bad thing, but it’s what I think every time I look at this gloss. It’s a pretty pigmented gloss, but in a neutral color. Like.

Revlon Lip Butter, Berry Smoothie Because I jump on every lip color bandwagon, okay?

I’m linking up with Maria and you should too!

Pinterest Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:14:00 +0000

Part of the challenge of not spending money falls when I start thinking that there’s nothing to dooooo. It’s just a habit that needs to be broken. I don’t need to spend $3 on iced tea when I have even better iced tea in my house, just to kill 20 minutes. I also have Pinterest boards overflowing with projects, so it’s time to get down to business.

Everything I want to do to this house costs a million dollars (hardwood floor on the stairs and the playroom, a custom closet, a new playroom couch that is not the crummy one we originally chose) and all of those projects are on indefinite hold. (My husband would like you to know that the closet isn’t even a budget contender. Whatever. I need custom fit drawers and shelves, so at least my mess is contained in a pretty space.)

So! May Pinterest goals ahoy.

1. Love Printable For the playroom, I think. I have a few other things that need to be framed and hung in the playroom. If I can’t have a new couch, at least we can gussy up the walls a bit.

2. Thai Peanut Slaw

3. Energy Balls

4. Popcorn Cupcakes for the kids carnival birthday party

5. Clothespin picture frames for kid art – also for the playroom

How are we funding these projects, you ask? Groceries are still allowed, as is purchasing for the kids’ party. I’m going to need frames, so I plan to find cheap ones and spray paint them – all supplies paid for via a Visa gift card from my Easter basket.

I know Jennie is doing her own Pinterest challenge. Anyone else?

From the weekend files

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:41:00 +0000

Ways in which I have been tempted to cheat on my May no-buy resolution:
*I wanted a giant iced tea after Bub’s 90 degree baseball game last week
*I desperately wanted/needed a car wash.
*I wanted lunch from anywhere that was not my house on Friday. As luck would have it, my neighbor handed me homemade fried rice at lunch time. It was amazing.

On Friday we had turkey burger sliders for dinner, with strawberries and corn on the cob. It was amazing and felt like the universe was trying to apologize for the stupid heat. It’s only May. Chill California. (It’s raining today, so we’re good. Rain is my favorite, and also makes me feel like a genius not getting a car wash last week.)

We went to the pool on Friday and Saturday, which prompted me to test out one of the sunless tanners from my Allure box. Has anyone tried the Neutrogena mist? The jury is still out over here.

We noticed that Bub’s jeans are allllmost too short. But it’s May! Do we buy new jeans that he’ll wear once or twice, and then likely need a new size by November? Or do we just keep tugging them a little lower on his hips so no one can tell? (You can totally tell.)

My husband had plans with friends on Saturday night, so I rented Pitch Perfect and loved it. You’re welcome for that original and timely movie review.

I am a mom who wears shorts. I used to hate them, and now I love them. If I have to be outside when it’s a million degrees this summer, I will be comfortable. HOWEVER, anything less then a 5” inseam is too short. The end.

Last night I had a dream that I was in college, and someone asked my why I’m so fat. In the dream I was the same size that I am now, which is to say not a size 2, but not of a size that offends people on the street as far as I’m aware. Thanks for that one, subconscious me.

Assorted

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:55:00 +0000

*My Allure Beauty Box arrived yesterday and I literally gave a little whoop when I spotted it. It really is all that it’s cracked up to be, and WELL worth the $50. I’m only mildly disappointed by one item, and that’s the Sation nail polish since I got the same shade in my last ipsy box. It’s a nice nude though, so it’s hardly the end of the world. As always, check out Laura’s fabulous review of the entire box.

I’m not sure I would buy one of these every season, but on the other hand it was a serious steal, and full of things I actually want, so we’ll see. It was fun, as was watching the epic tantrums being thrown by adult women on the Allure Facebook page. I get being disappointed, but the accusations that Allure had shut down access to the page except for people in major metro areas was downright laughable. As for the people who had the time zone wrong, well I’m sorry to you, but this wasn’t an Allure conspiracy. 2500 boxes divided by an entire country of women who like pretty things equals a lot of people who are going to have to wait for next time.

*Having a bathroom cabinet full of goodies makes the decision to put myself on a no-buy for May pretty easy. I ordered a Target beauty box for $5 (still available as I’m writing this) and I have my ipsy box coming this month (prepaid – Christmas gift) so I won’t be wanting for treats. As for spending, the rules are: no beauty or clothes purchases. Nothing for the kids except for necessities. No dollar section treats. No picking up takeout if I’m by myself (including coffee, bagels, etc.) Eating out with friends is fine, as I already have a night out with the school moms on the calendar. Gifts are fine, as is all shopping for the kids birthday party next month. Gift card spending is fine, but I would really like to hold on to those for the month, unless I find summer dresses that I love for a steal.

I think we can all agree I don’t need a single thing.

That picture was taken before I added three new polishes from yesterday’s box, so I think I’m just fine without whatever Essie shade tempts me at Target.

*In other news, The Blathering is dangerously close to selling out. I just sent a half-joking text to my husband about an early Mother’s Day gift, but I don’t think it’s in the cards for me this year. I’ll try to keep the whining to a minimum.

*I got a job, and picked up a little bit of freelance work in the same week. It’s been nice to stretch a few long out of use muscles. In two weeks it will have been SIX YEARS since I started my maternity leave with Bub. I almost can’t wrap my head around that. I’m thrilled about the job, but that shall be the last I speak of it here.

*If you like working up a little righteous indigignation (and who doesn’t) take a look at Dr. Maureen’s post on sidewalk parkers. I still can’t get over the nerve of this people.

Books I Read in April

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:53:00 +0000

Anna and the French Kiss – A recommendation from Shalini.If you like high school romance set in a Paris boarding school, this was perfectly fun.

Unbroken – Amazing. Excellent. Fascinating. Heartbreaking.

13 Little Blue Envelopes – I downloaded this book forever ago, and then ran across it on a Goodreads list, so I read it. So many of the plot points were unbelievable, there were a few moments that were politically incorrect at best, downright offensive at worst, and yet I finished it. I can’t recommend it.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? Adorable and funny.

Defending Jacob Oof. Great story, but my parent brain would like to erase all of the What If thoughts I had while reading this book.

Wild – I loved this right through the very last page. I think I’m going to be processing this book for a very long time.

Blame it on Paris – There was some seriously cringe-worthy language, but as far as mindless, just-need-to-get-on-to-another-book-so-I-can-stop-dissecting-Wild reading goes, it will do.

On deck for May: I’m currently reading The World Without You, and our club pick is The Art of Racing in the Rain. I also have a stack of library books that I’m never going to get through before the hold expire. This gives me the same kind of stress that I get looking at my Netflix queue, knowing it will be months before I get to all of those things. First world problems, man.

Pretty Feet

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:59:00 +0000

Let’s lighten things up around here and talk about feet. WAIT. Do not run. We’re talking about pretty summer feet, the kind that make you want to wear sandals every day.

I would usually round up things like this over on Style Lush, but since Style Lush is no longer, I’m bringing you some of my favorites for summer prep.

Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Crème – This is a great smelling, nicely moisturizing foot lotion, perfect for slathering on post shower, and then tucking your feet into a pair of socks.

Deep Steep Foot Stick – I was introduced to the Deep Steep line by the lovely J, and I really love their stuff. My very favorite is their Spearmint Honeydew hand lotion. I put this in my Amazon cart on a whim and it’s great for smoothing over sadly neglected winter heels. This definitely needs a pair of socks post application, unless you want to slip-slide all over the house.

Pedicure Microplane – Before you run away wondering what disgusting torture device the evil geniuses at Amazon are peddling now, let me assure you that this is awesome. Gross, but awesome. After a long winter my feed needed some serious work and this does the job. I’ll stop talking about it now, except to make this comment: follow the directions and use it on dry feet. And the reviews say that you can definitely overdo it, so take it slow and know that you will live to zest your heels another day.

Julep Best Pedi Crème Ever – For a very short stint I was a Julep subscriber, and this stuff came in one of my first boxes. It really is as great as the name says, but it’s kind of spendy for foot lotion. If you sign up for one of the penny boxes (I’m seeing the codes FREEBOX and FREEMAVEN online) then you might score this in your first shipment. Be warned, unless they’ve change their system, Julep can only be canceled via phone if you decide you don’t want to continue getting the boxes.

Deep Steep Foot Polish – Really, I just can’t get enough of this candy cane scent.

Essie Nail Polish – I’ve gone from owning exactly one nail color to having a drawer full of them. Essie is my current favorite for their colors. I want every color in the Spring 2013 Collection, and I’ll be buying Butler Please as soon as my Target has it back in stock.

What are you using to keep your feet presentable for the next several months?

This was not at all sponsored and there’s not an affiliate link in the bunch.

Scenes from a Marriage, Year 8

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:12:00 +0000

After I spent a full minute looking at my face in the mirror trying to figure out exactly what was wrong with my eyes, I realized that I had forgotten eyebrow pencil. I turned to my husband:

Me: Do you see something wrong with my face?

Husband: Do you want to rephrase the question?

Me: My eyes. Does something look different to you.

Husband: Your eyebrows are kind of puffy right there.

Me: What? Are you saying my eyebrows are fat? That is not at all where I thought we were going with this?

Husband: Are you getting Botox?

Me: What? No. If only. Besides Botox goes here not there.

Husband: (pokes my eyebrow) Huh. It’s puffy. What did you do?

Me: I didn’t DO anything. Nevermind.

About an hour later…

Me: Do my eyebrows really look puffy?

Husband: (squints) What did you do to your eyebrows. They’re darker.

Me: What? I fixed them. I penciled them in.

H: Why?

Me: Because they’re not there otherwise. Are you kidding? I’ve penciled my eyebrows every day of our marriage. In nearly nine years of knowing me, you haven’t noticed that I wake up without eyebrows, and by the time we leave the house they appear? Did you think that was magic?

H: I just… never noticed.

Me: I don’t know what to do with that information.

Leashed

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:57:00 +0000

Yesterday I posed a question to Twitter, and I received unanimous support in defense of my position. I love it when that happens.

The question was this: Am I overreacting by saying that dogs should be leashed at all times, unless in a dog park or their own yard? I tend to think I’m righteously on point about something, only to realize I’m being my usual (overly) cautious self. So I asked.

Again, unanimously, the answer was yes. I have a dog, a very nice dog, who is always on a leash. That’s partly because I’m certain he’ll dart away from us at any given opportunity, but also because that’s what you do with dogs. Dogs are animals. People are afraid of dogs. Dogs do not have the ability to reason, so if they feel threatened, even in a non-threatening situation, they are likely to react in a way contrary to their usual personality. Maybe likely is too strong a word. Perhaps I should just say that it’s possible that a dog that feels threatened might do something that you, their owner, would swear that they’re not capable of. Like the dog in our old neighborhood who spent his days lazing on his driveway, who appeared to be the most relaxed dog in all of existence, who took an entire toddlers head in his jaws when he didn’t see the child approach him to pet him. (The toddler was fine, fortunately.)

Also, let’s assume that the unleashed dog IS friendly. Let’s assume that dog would never dart into the street, or bite another dog or a person. What about the other, leashed, dogs around. The dog on the leash might be a biter, but they’re being contained by their leash. Their owner is taking precautions to keep others safe, but that’s nearly impossible when an unleashed dog comes bounding up to greet another dog.

We can even take the worst case scenario out of the picture. Let’s assume no dogs or people are in any danger. Let’s just assume you’re someone who doesn’t like dogs. Or perhaps that you simply don’t want to be greeted by a large dog bounding your way as you make your way to the mailbox. Or even that you would prefer that your lawn remain free of turds from neighboring dogs whose only activity all day will be to meander from their own front yard to yours to relieve themselves.

Back to my Twitter question. Everyone agreed with me. There wasn’t a single dissenting opinion saying, “Weeeeell…” Not one. My favorite sociology professor would like me to point out that these responses are far from a random sample, and that’s true. All the same, we’re talking about something that is so important that it’s legislated by law, and something that a vast majority of people agree is not negotiable. Why then, do the actions of others suggest that this is no big deal?

If I seem like I’m up in arms about this, I am. Aside from the afore mentioned toddler noggin incident, there was a time that I hit a dog. It was awful, and I’ll never forget it, and it was totally preventable. Had that dog been on a leash, it wouldn’t have darted into, and then through – directly into traffic, a bush while chasing a rabbit. His owner had the leash in her hand. Then of course there was the time our own Charlie darted into the street when my husband came home. Miraculously, he was fine. We think he must have run into the car, not the other way around. And, of course, there is the large dog in the neighborhood, who is bigger than Bubette. He’s friendly, but he’s big, off leash, and bounds around like a puppy. If you’re outside, and he’s outside, he’s coming to greet you. He terrifies some of the other kids in the neighborhood.

I know this isn’t going to change with a few hundred words here, but maybe, if you’re one of those people who thinks Not my dog, let’s not have to find out. Leashes, man. Even if only to keep your neighbor’s lawn turd free.

Celebrate Spring– Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:47:00 +0000

It is only this year that I have started to think of Spring as a special thing. (Where have I been for 33 years?) It really is the best of both worlds, and it feels like such a treat. The weather is fabulous, with the perfect mix of warm and cool days, the school year is winding down and the promise of summer vacation looms.

In honor of Spring, oh do I have a treat for you. Once again, I’ve partnered with some fabulous bloggers to bring you this giveaway. We have two prizes, to be awarded to two winners!

A $500 gift card to B&H Photo, Video and Pro Audio
Would you choose a camera, a new lens, or something else that I wouldn’t know how to use? (This WILL be the year I get my camera out of auto.)

AND

A $250 gift card to Kelly Moore Bags.
(I vote for the Songbird, but it’s totally up to you which gorgeous bag you would choose.)

The only thing not to like about this giveaway is the fact that I can’t enter myself. Head on down to the Rafflecopter widget and enter away.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. Void where prohibited.

All entries are optional with the exception of providing an email address so that we may contact you if you were to win. We will never sell, distribute, or spam your email.

Two winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter (powered by Random.org). The first winner chosen will have the option of choosing between a $500 gift card to B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio or a $250 gift card to Kelly Moore Bags. The second prize winner will be awarded the item that was not chosen by the first prize winner. Gift cards are not transferable and cannot be exchanged for a cash prize.

This is a non-sponsored post. Prizes were purchased by a group of participating bloggers. B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio and Kelly Moore Bags are not affiliated with this giveaway.

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Awesome graphic by the talented Lindsay Goldner at LLYDesigns.

Picky Eaters, Family Fun and Photography (Sponsored)

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:20:00 +0000

Okay, who remembers Sister, Sister? I’m sorry, but even though that show started nearly twenty years ago, that will always be the first thing I think about when I see Tia and Tamera Mowry. On our flight to Hawaii a few weeks ago, their new show, Tia and Tamera, was part of the in-flight entertainment and I was riveted. Although I still can’t tell them apart, (I’m the worst, I know) it was so surreal to see them all grown up (and perfectly styled – hello jealousy) as moms and wives.

Tia has partnered with a few other moms, in a Circle of Moms video series in partnership with Kia. (The all New 2014 Kia Sorrento makes a cameo in the video and it’s pretty. I covet a push button start.)

In the latest video from Circle of Moms by POPSUGAR, these moms tackle a few of the daily challenges facing parents. First up, picky eaters. Most of the moms copped to bribery of some sort, and the resident expert was quick to point out that bribery maybe isn’t the best choice. First of all, long term we’re setting up our kids to expect a reward for everything. (Do not get my father started on the twenty-somethings he hires who need constant recognition for just doing their jobs.) But we’ve all been there. We just want to get through dinner, and since this is a nightly occurrence, no one wants to spend the rest of their life at the dinner table arguing about veggies.

It was pointed out that kids like choice, and while they have so little control, they can choose what they put in their mouths. This jives with the way we handle dinner. I typically don’t make a separate kid dinner, unless my husband isn’t going to be home for dinner. I do make sure there’s something they will eat on their plate, and hope for the best. I do not fight with them about finishing. I also don’t make things that I know they won’t touch, like anything super spicy.

There was a quick chat about ways to have fun with kids, and my very favorite idea of kid date night came up. It’s no secret that I love having one on one time with my kids. Lately we’ve had a string of overnights with the grandparents and we’ve been able to just chill with the remaining kid. Because they take turns going to the grandparents and we make sure to do something fun with them while they’re here, there’s no resentment about whose turn it is. Well, unless the person being left behind is Bubette, because she really prefers the grandparents to us, naturally.

Finally, I would recommend watching this video if only for the quick and easy demo of the rule of thirds in photography. We’ve all heard it talked about, but I’ve never really understood it. Bonus points for using an iPhone, my preferred camera, in the demo.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to relive my childhood through YouTube clips of Sister, Sister.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kia through their partnership with Circle of Moms. While I was compensated to review the Kia Motors video and write a review, all opinions are my own.

Bright

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:32:00 +0000

I am a California winter girl, but I can get behind Spring for one reason. The sun. We have a ton of windows in this house and the sun just pours into them once Spring hits. In the summer we keep the shutters closed when it gets hot, so we don’t get to enjoy all of the delicious sunshine, but right now it’s so nice outside that we open all of the shutters and shades and I love it. I love walking upstairs to see the hallway soaked in sunlight from the kids rooms. Our last house was attached on one side, so we had a severe lack of direct sun, except directly into our bedroom first thing in the morning. It’s become one of my favorite things to walk through everyone’s room opening the shades and letting the light in.

I’m telling you this because last night at 4:30 am our door opened, and in walked the shortest member of the house. Do you want to lay down with us? she asked, jumbling all of her pronouns, and I dare you to say no to that, with her shortie jammies and bedhead. I dare you.

I lifted her into bed, and despite the fact that she has never, ever slept with us, she curled into the quickest little ball and settled in against me. I’m not a natural co-sleeper, and having to sleep with my head at an angle could have seriously ruined that last two hours of sleep for me, but it was just nice. Maybe it was the novelty of the situation. Maybe it was the realization that in two short months I’ll have a three year old and a six year old and… no babies. Maybe I’ve just mellowed and realized that this isn’t my last opportunity to sleep ever, and this isn’t the way things are going to be for all eternity. I’m still going to order a door monkey though. Oh yes I am.

Today the kids have dentist appointments. It’s the cruelest way to end the world’s longest spring break. It will be no fun for any of us, and after our vacation and Disneyland and play dates and even a day this week when I drove them all the way to the San Diego Zoo BY MYSELF it seems like especially poor planning. So wish me luck and a house full of sunshine when we return. We’re going to need it.

Hawaiian Getaway

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:33:00 +0000

So we went to Hawaii, and despite the awfulness that is air travel in the year 2013 I want to go right back. (Why is flying so awful now? I took four trips last year, all without my children,(whoa, that was kind of a lot) and except for my one hour flight to Vegas that was upgraded at the last minute, they were all equally miserable, so I can’t even blame my children for the awfulness.) (Okay, so we upgraded our seats on the way to Hawaii and that was a glorious way to start our vacation. Ice cream sundaes for desert? I mean, I can’t eat that, but that was a solid ten minute distraction for a certain two year old.) (The kids were mostly good fliers, thanks be to the iPad, but Bubette earns the award for most ridiculous flier ever for falling asleep while the plan LANDED on our return flight.) (/excessive parentheticals)

You know how people always say that traveling with children isn’t a vacation? It totally isn’t, not in the truest sense of the word, but man if it isn’t a beautiful break from life.

We stayed at the Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club, which is on the west side Oahu, near the new Disney Aulani resort. It’s quiet over there, boring if you’re looking for nightlife, but since we were in bed by 8:30 every night that wasn’t a concern for us.

It’s a timeshare property, and although I’m the most disgruntled time share owner you’ll ever meet, this vacation thawed my cold maintenance fee paying heart just a touch. It’s not a full-service hotel – no room service, no daily housekeeping, but the rooms make up for that. We stayed in a one bedroom villa, the smallest of the rooms, and had more than enough space for the four of us. With a full kitchen, dining room and living room and completely separate bedroom, this is not your mama’s family vacation. Let me just say this – Bubette could nap in one room while the rest of of sprawled all over the other room, playing cards, reading, watching movies, whatever. TWO ROOMS. When we put the kids to bed, we could watch TV or a movie without worrying about waking them up. I mean, we could do these things in theory, but we were usually asleep about four minutes after the kids because we are senior citizens on vacation. (What? 5pm is not a normal time for dinner?)

There were a ton of on-site activities for the kids, from fish feeding to an Easter Egg Hunt.

It’s just too bad no one was interested in the Easter eggs.

These bubbles were a huge hit. HUGE.

We spent a day driving up to the North shore, stopping at the Dole Plantation and Haleiwa, and Banzai Pipeline, where just the day before Heidi Klum had rescued her children from the rough surf. We just watched from the shore, and took photos that don’t even begin to capture the magnitude of the waves.

It was raining and quite cold while we were touring the Dole Plantation, so I’m sure it’s beautiful, but I was shivering in my seat because I took this liquid sunshine business to heart and was wearing shorts. I packed jackets for everyone, and the one day we needed them we didn’t have them.

I’m not going to tell you that my children were angels who appreciated just exactly how awesome a Hawaiian vacation is. They made a sport of arguing over the dinosaur sand toy, so much so that I didn’t even care when we lost it in the sand on the North shore. Still, two parents with no other obligations other than drinking all of the best juice in the world and finding the best chair on the beach, makes for two rather happy kids.

It really is for the best that they don’t sell this here, because I would drink this around the clock and weigh 800 pounds because it is loaded with sugar. Delicious, passion fruit and guava flavored sugar.

I’m the kind of person who is ready to go home the minute I check out of my hotel. I’m always sad to pack, and then the minute we’re headed home, I want to BE home. Teleport me please. It’s an advantage, because the pull of my own bed and DVR dulls the ache of leaving Hawaii behind. Unfortunately for me, I have a camera full of photos of my smiling family, and I would like to go back right now. My DVR for that view every day. (Maybe.)

Until then, I’ll have the memory of my kid doing the hula on stage in front of 1000 people. (And video too!) I think that’s even better than daily shave ice.

Hello, Spring Break

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:18:00 +0000

Since today is the first official day of Spring Break, we naturally made plans to go to Disneyland. I’ve been feeling extra protective of my kids feelings lately, and extra sensitive to things that are happening at school, and with friends, so it’s nice to have them all to myself for a little bit.

***

And now it’s Wednesday. I started this on Monday, and now it’s not Monday anymore because two kids at home, and a husband working late means no time for writing. No matter. On Monday we went to Disneyland. We were in the car when I realized that we had no stroller, and considered scraping our plans because a stroller is kind of vital for my sanity at the big D. But it was 7:15, we were all dressed and in the car, and I didn’t really want to come up with something else to fill the morning, so off we went.

We were only there for a few hours, because I knew we were working on borrowed time with Bubette’s willingness to walk the entire time, but I surprised them with churros on the way out, and that perked up their walking feet enough to keep them moving without whining.

We even scored the coveted back of the monorail special seating on the way back to the parking lot.

On Tuesday we went to the park for a Easter egg hunt with friends, rode the train, and got Bub a much needed haircut. We also brought home a giant stack of books from the library, and when I sat them down for lunch (we did all of that before lunch!) I was feeling so proud of myself and all of our wonderful Spring Break togetherness.

Naturally that was the moment when the sibling rivalry kicked in. You know, because someone was looking at someone. I don’t know, but I’m sure I pulled these same shenanigans on my own mother, so hello full circle moment. Fortunately, Gramma is coming to the rescue today and taking Bub to her house overnight. This day has been long-planned, and Bub has been counting down the days for weeks. Bubette got to go a few weeks ago. I fear a bit of a meltdown is on its way when Gramma shows up and doesn’t take Bubette, too, but I have a few tricks (read: bribes) in my pocket for that one.

Books, recently

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:56:00 +0000

Son – I really liked this book, and felt like it did a great job as the final book in the series. I felt like there was just enough wrapping up of all of the loose ends in the previous three books, as well as enough new story to keep the book interesting.

Last Night at the Lobster – Eh. I thought this was fine, if kind of a downer. It wasn’t Emily, Alone, that’s for sure, but I do like these behind the scenes looks into people’s lives.

Where’d You Go Bernadette – I loved this. Loved it. Funny and completely engaging. This is the first book I’ve paid for in a long time, and it was totally worth it.

I started reading Life After Death, and needed a break, so I took in the form of three straight doses of brain candy.

Here I Go Again – Jen Lancaster’s first novel read a lot like one of her memoirs. The characters were similar, the stories were similar, the dogs were even similar. This was enough of a departure for me, that it didn’t feel like I was just reading about the part of her life that she makes up while doing her hair in the morning. (What, don’t we all do that?) This is a good read, as long as you’re looking for the lightest and fluffiest of reads. (I was.)

Jeneration X – You either like Jen Lancaster’s memoirs, or you don’t. I do, and I liked this one too.

Where We Belong – All I could think about while I was reading this was some internet kerfuffle that surrounded Emily Giffin recently. I couldn’t remember the details, but every few pages I would try to remember what happened. Anyway, the book was fine – a story of a girl who goes in search of her birth mother when she turns 18. It was a little bit sitcom – we’ll wrap this up in a neat little package before the end! – but that’s kind of what you get with Giffin. I happen to like that sort of thing sometimes, so this falls into the good category for me.

Bloom – This was decidedly not light and fluffy, but I did enjoy it. I loved the glossy pages with pictures on nearly every (or maybe every?) page. Definitely appropriate for a blog to book sort of situation. This was raw and beautiful to read.

How to make molded candy

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Several years ago, my mother-in-law gave me a stack of candy molds. The belonged to her mother, and I’ve been afraid of them ever since they made their home in our kitchen. Also, making anything with them seemed like a giant, impossible pain. I tried them last year, and it wasn’t so bad, so I decided to try them again this year. I had thirty minutes, and I managed to fill the molds using two different colors of candy in that time, including the melting time, so I would say we’re not talking about a majorly difficult task.

You’ll need: candy molds, candy melts or chocolate, and a ziploc bag (optional)

If you don’t have a family heirloom set of candy molds, you can find them at Michael’s and they’re all over Amazon, but I have to take issue with these mustache molds. I draw the line at eating something in the shape of HAIR. Perhaps we’ve taken this mustache trend a touch too far.

Melt your chocolate or candy melts according the the package directions. I melt mine at half-power in one minute increments until you can stir it all together.

Put you ziploc bag into a measuring cup, or any cup, and scrape your candy into the bag. You can skip this step, but this is the easiest way to get the candy into the molds. Wilton makes a funnel that would be awesome for this step, but I’m working with what I have.

Twist the bag the way you would a piping bag of frosting. You want to continue to twist as you’re dispensing the chocolate so you keep air bubbles out of your candy.

Clip a tiny piece off of the corner. You can always clip a little more, but you’ll have a big mess on your hands if you clip too much.

Drizzle the candy into the molds. I prefer to under-fill the molds, and I’ll show you why in a minute.

Tap the mold gently on the counter to smooth out the candy. Fill in any spaces where the candy doesn’t reach, like that space you see below. Tap to smooth.

If you’re making lollipops, add the popsicle sticks and add a strip of chocolate over the sticks to hold them in place. Again, tap the mold against the counter to smooth out the back of the candy. The photo below is pre-tap.

Once your candy has fully dried, twist the mold ever so slightly to remove the candies. You can see below what happens when you over fill the mold. It’s hard to see from the back if they’re too full, so I try to under-fill them just a touch so this doesn’t happen. You can clean up the edges while the candy is still melty, but that’s kind of a pain.

I think the next step is to try to gussy these up by adding accents, which you would do by adding different colors directly to the mold (using a toothpick?) before filling the mold with your main color. Maybe next year.

Weekly Menu Plan: Reruns

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

I’ve made a real effort for the past several weeks to make new things, and that’s been good. We’ve found some things that we like, and I have broken out of my dinner rut. I don’t feel panic in the afternoon because I have a plan, and I have a pantry and refrigerator full of things to execute the plan. However, I also have a long list of recipes that work for us. We’ve found things that we like, and there’s something comforting about making something and knowing that it’s just going to work out, the end.

I also realized as I was scouring my Pinterest boards that I was trying to make this week’s menu interesting for the sake of the blog, and while that’s fine, what’s more important is that I make this something that works for us, otherwise I’m just creating more work for myself.

What I’m saying is that I intend to keep planning out our meals, and I intend to keep posting them here, but I make no promises that each week’s menu will contain a list of entirely! new! recipes!

Onward to the menu!

Enchiladas – Nothing fancy here. I’ll make salsa chicken in the crockpot, add black beans and cheese, and roll everything up in a tortilla. I really like Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce, so we’ll use that, plus more cheese on top. I love that I can assemble these at any point during the day and then just toss them in the oven whenever we’re ready.

Turkey Burger Sliders – Just for fun.

Sweet and Sour Chicken – This recipe calls for dredging the chicken, and browning it before baking, which can be an extra annoying step. Wendy pointed out that you can just add the sauce to the chicken and bake it, which we’re going to try! I’ve done the dredging part before, and it’s YUMMY, but messy.

Sweet Sticky Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Chinese Chicken Salad Too much chicken? I don’t know, but for some reason this combo sounds delicious to me.

We’ll be finishing off these Cookie Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies this week, too. And by “this week” I mean “today” because we powered through an impressive number of cookies this weekend. They’re so, SO good. Despite their name, they aren’t too sweet, and there’s exactly the right amount of salt. Make them immediately.

For more menu inspiration, check out Wendy’s weekly menu. (Wendy, I’m coming over for Wednesday’s shrimp.)

Cookie Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 04:15:00 +0000

I suddenly feel the need to do something special for every holiday big and small, which explains why I’m drawn to so many cute green desserts for St. Patrick’s Day. What I’m not drawn to are the insane amounts of food coloring in each of these desserts. I’m not sure why food coloring is my particular hill to die on, but I’m not into it. I know there are natural alternatives, but that’s not helpful NOW, when I want a cookie NOW.

I decided cookies are special no matter their color and went with a reimagined classic. I recently saw this recipe, and was inspired to try baking with cookie butter, but that wasn’t exactly the flavor I was going for.

(Yes, I’m very aware of the irony of shunning food coloring in favor of an ingredient made from… cookies. I can’t explain my logic.)

I tried these tonight and they’re AMAZING. Make them right now!

Cookie Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 stick butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup cookie butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup old fashioned oats
2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.* Mix butter and sugars. Add cookie butter, vanilla and the egg until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the flour, salt and baking soda. (I also added the oats at this time. I was using the paddle attachment, not the whisk, on my mixer so the oats weren’t obliterated by mixing.) Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop into small balls (I used a small cookie scoop, and it was the perfect size for these cookies) and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

I found that the edges of these cookies browned quickly, so don’t make the mistake I’ve made in the past and add all three cookie sheets to the oven at once. There’s nothing worse than burning ALL of your cookies. Fortunately, I didn’t burn a single one of these, but I still baked a single pan first.

*My oven runs hot, so I baked these at 325 for 12 minutes and they were perfect. I’m always burning cookies if I forget to lower recommended temperature a bit.

Seven Quick Takes

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:21:00 +0000

1. About three hours after I boldly proclaimed that I would not be joining the ranks of the Candy Crush addicted, I caved. I’m now on level 65. I find myself both highly annoyed with the nerve of a game to CONSTANTLY ask for money, and unable to stop playing every time my lives refresh.

2. Bub seems to have really responded to our toys want to be played with bit. Earlier this week, he woke up and reminded us that there’s a little boy next door who might want his train table. Also, ANOTHER little boy on the other side of us. Still no luck selling the table, so my angst may have been for nothing.

3. We’re going to Hawaii! Soon! We’ve been planning this trip for so long that I can’t believe I can see the dates on my calendar already. I feel like I have so much to do before we go, but I spend most of my time packing and repacking our carry on bags in my head.

4. A trip to Hawaii deserves a few new dresses, I think? I mean, nothing says NEED TO SPEND like an already pricey vacation, right? I’m loving these eyelet dresses that Old Navy is advertising to death right now. I hope I love them as much in person. The reviews, as always, are mixed on the website.

5. After much hemming and hawing, I think I’ve decided to have a joint birthday party for the kids this year. With their birthdays just four days apart it makes the most sense. I think we’re going with a carnival theme, and I’m busy filling up a Pinterest board with all of the red and white striped items in the land.

6. We think a carnival party is appropriate for a six year old, right? Bubette will be turning three so I’m not worried about her, but I wonder if Bub is just on this side of too old for such a theme? I don’t think so, and I think the games will be fun for kids his age, but I’m not 100% certain. All thoughts, either way, are welcome in the comments. (There will be tons of kids between two and six at the party.)

7. I was prepared to tell you how the time change hasn’t affected my kids! At all! Until I realized that while they’re going to bed without a problem, and waking up at a reasonable time, (for them. I will never say 6:00am is reasonable) Bub has been up at all hours of the night many nights this week.) Whatever. It’s sunny after dinner! Even this self-proclaimed summer-hater can get on board with that.

Linking up here. Head on over to Conversion Diary for more quick takes.

Easter Gift Tower Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Mama Bub) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:58:00 +0000

My love for sweet things has been well documented here, which is why I’m excited to have partnered with Gourmet Cookie Bouquets to bring you this giveaway.

You guys, it’s three levels of cookies and treats. 18 gourmet cookies, 12 cut out cookies (look at the bunnies!) 12 brownies bites and a handful of foil wrapped chocolates.

This would make a great gift, or a perfect centerpiece for your Easter celebration. I love to bake, but I’m always happy to take a little help for the holidays, especially when the help is this cute, and comes in those adorable striped boxes.

You can enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Winners must be eighteen years of age or older and live within the continental United States. The contest ends March 24, 2013.

(If you’re viewing this post in Internet Explorer, the Rafflecopter widget doesn’t seem to be loading. Try… anything other than IE.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway