Crayola Rocks

If you are need of last minute gift ideas, I highly suggest looking at the Crayola line of products. I've always been a fan of Crayola, it's the only crayon I will buy. MyBlogSpark & Crayola were so awesome and supplied our family with some products to review just in time for the holiday.

The first item we received the Glow Dome. I had seen these in the store, but didn't really know what they were. the price runs around $25 here in Idaho, but it can vary depending on where you live and currently on Amazon it is a little high for me. Our kids have had a ton of fun with this product. You draw on this plastic piece and when you turn the lights out it glows and appears to be a 3D image. We have had a ton of fun with this and I think I need to buy another one so that each of the kids rooms has one. It wipes clean with water and a paper towel and so the kids can draw on it over and over.

The next item we got was the Crayola Beginnings Color Me A Song. This is something I haven't seen locally. I was so thrilled when we started playing with it. Brandon (age 1.5) and Herb (age 2.5) actually fight over this toy. I only pull it out during nap time since they nap at different times. They love the stimulation of the sounds and they love coloring. It's another item I need to buy a second one of so we can have less battles and more fun.

Last we got the Color Explosion Glow Board. This is great for creativity for kids a little older. It has two boards that you draw on with the markers and they work together to make one scene. Logan is 10 and had fun with it, Eve is 8 and had even more fun with it. Jared couldn't really get the concept of drawing on two boards to get them to work together as one picture.

I wish my new camera was here so I could post some pictures. But soon enough I will. It is supposed to be here no later than Thursday, keep your fingers crossed. I don't want to miss out on Christmas morning pictures.

Cheap Christmas Gifts

As always I'm looking for cheap gifts. Not only for my own kids, but for the rest of my family. I came across these ornaments at NannyGoat and fell in love with them. Simple, cute, and my favorite...cheap. I wish my camera was working so I could show you all how cute they came out. I made one for each of my kids with their name and also all of my nieces and nephews. The adults in my family are getting ones that say Christmas.

Another great neighbor or teacher gift is a simple bag of M & M's with the following poem printed on some cute paper attached:

As you hold these candies in your hand

And turn them, you will see

The 'M' becomes a 'W',

An 'E', and then a '3'.

They tell the Christmas Story--

I'm sure it's one you know.

It took place in a stable

A long, long time ago.

The 'E' is for the East,

Where the star shone so bright.

The 'M' is for the Manger,

where the Baby Jesus slept at night.

The '3' is for the Wisemen,

Bearing gifts, with which they came.

'W' is for Worship, Hallelujah!

Praise His Name!

So as you eat these candies

Or share them with a friend,

Remember the meaning of Christmas:

It's a love that never ends.

I also do my standard candy/cookie making day every year. I've done this since I was a kid. When I lived close to mom and my sister, I did it with them. The past few years I've done it alone with kids watching and eating as I bake, but I think this year it's time to include my daughter and let her do more baking.

Back to Blogging

It's time to get back to blogging. I've taken a rather long break from blogging, both here and at our family's blog. I have really been in a funk and I am trying to pull myself out of it. One thing I've done is go back on Prozac. I went off it about a year ago because I didn't want to have to admit that I was a Prozac mom, but I'm over it. I can admit it. I started taking it again almost 2 months ago and I already see how I'm not letting the little things bother me so much.

I really need this blog to have something that is just mine and doesn't revolve around anyone else. I need to be selfish sometimes. Sometimes mom's don't realize how much their life revolves around everyone else. I wake up and within 5 minutes I have 5 kids all wanting something from me. That doesn't end until they are all in bed. And after that, I still need to spend time with my husband and get the house in order for the next day so I can do it all over again.

Another thing I'm doing is really making more of an effort to lose weight. I weigh more now than I did when I walked into the hospital to have baby #5, this is just unacceptable. I can't take it anymore. I'm not a happy fat person, so my mission is to lose some weight. I bought a Wii Fit a year ago and I pulled it out again. Plus I know that if I can lose some weight it will motivate my husband and since he is diabetic he really needs to drop some pounds.

So, I'm back and can't wait to see what comes next with this blog. Oh, and as soon as I get a new digital camera I promise to have some great stuff to share. I didn't realize how much I loved my camera until it broke. Just waiting for it to arrive, my mom bought me a new one for Christmas!

Costumes Are Picked

It really was way to easy. I went to storage to grab the Halloween buckets to see what we had and get ideas for the kids. As we started pulling it out, I hear "I wanna be this"...from all 3 kids who needed costumes! Yep, we didn't have to spend a dime this year, but I think I'll spend a few bucks on makeup and accessories at the dollar store of course.

Logan is being some ugly masked guy that belonged to one of my brothers, add a cape from the bucket and he is set. The mask freaks the little guys out so he is happy.

Eve will be a witch. Dress, cape and hat all in the bucket! Just need green face makeup.

Jared is going to be a knight, glad I saved that Prince Charming costume from when Logan was 5. I was shocked to hear his excitement over this costume, he is usually all about Superheroes. I bought a sword at Dollar Tree to add to it.

Herb is going to be Spiderman and Brandon will be Robin.

I'm happy that no one wanted anything fancy are we are reusing things we already have.

Halloween Dinner

I've been busy potty training and handling the Book Fair at the kids school. Now that we are all done with Book Fair, I can sit back and relax. That was a hectic week and my body is tired. I 'worked' at the fair for 28 hours in 3 days and that doesn't include setting up or tearing it down, counting money and making deposits. I'm so glad to be done with it, but our school raised enough that we should get about $1500 for our librarian to spend on new books! That to me makes it all worth it.

So back to Halloween.

This next idea comes from one of my best friends, Sue. We have known each other since we were 10. Here we are over 20 years later and we are still friends. Her mom loves Halloween in a way you only hear about. She dresses up as a witch, cooks funny food, and decorates the house. This is the standard Halloween dinner...Man-Loaf with green mashed potatoes and eyeballs. Don't forget to add dry ice to the punch and your kids will never forget it. I've borrowed the picture from Sue's personal blog, but I plan on making this meal for my own kids this year.