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Episode 12- Mother’s Day! Random Gift Ideas and Toys with a Mothering Aspect

May 8, 2019 by Laura

I’m a little vulnerable at the beginning of this Mother’s Day episode, but I don’t stay there long! You’ll hear about random Mother’s Day gift ideas that I came across and ends with a recap of toys that have a mothering aspect to them.

I’d love to know your thoughts on any of the products I discuss….if you have one of them or even if you think you’ll go buy one of these as a gift because of the episode! I hope you have a wonderful week ahead. Take care!

Listen below or find the show on your favorite podcast app:

SHOW NOTES This post contains affiliate links. You don’t pay any extra, and I earn a small commission. I’d also like to call attention if prices I mentioned in this episode were prices I paid at the current time and may not reflect the prices you would pay at the time of reading or listening to this.

RANDOM GIFT IDEAS FOR MOTHER’S DAY

Redeo Rechargeable Bug Vacuum Spider Catcher with LED Light….yes please. It vacuums up spiders and such in a humane way and then you can release them outside. One person mentioned on a review that they use it to catch crickets to feed their bearded dragon…..i mean, i think we could all say….yeah, i could use that.

DOUHE The Executioner Fly Swat Wasp Bug Mosquito Swatter Zapper for the bugs in your life that you have no compassion for…i alluded to the dreaded mosquitos..dun dun dun….I’d love to zap the heck out of them. This product has 4.5 stars on amazon for 2,375 reviews….yes..i want this for mother’s day….

Garden Genie Gloves – If you’d like a convenient way to easily dig without a bunch of tools or have a secret desire to feel like Wolverine, these are the gloves for you. They have claws for digging at the end fingertips….I don’t do a ton of gardening…well any gardening, but if I did, I want these bad.

Shiitake Mushroom Log – grow gourmet mushrooms in your garden. They ship you a log that already has the mushroom spores inside it….so after about 4 months, it’ll start growing mushrooms. that you can eat. Fascinating!

Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit – comes in various selections…the one I am linking to is sweet basil, dill, and lemon basil)…they provide the three bottles and everything else you need. apparently it just takes minute to set up and then you don’t have to refill the water for like a month. Now that’s what i’m talking about. And it’s packaged nice as well….

Shower/bath Tub Wine Glass Holder – suction cups that stick to the wall of your bath or shower and it holds your glass in place.

The Wine Rack – which is basically a sports bra that has an insert you can fill up with your beverage of choice….think of it as a camelback backpack (you know what hikers/bike riders wear on their backs filled with water) but instead of that, it’s for your chest- now when I saw this pop up in a mother’s day gift idea section, I was like…hmm…that’s probably a tad unnecessary, but you know what, I’ll mention it here. One review said that they have blow air in the tubing to make it look like they’re not losing cup sizes…oh my goodness…you see the joys of products. And I don’t go to a lot of concerts, you’re probably very familiar with these.

Decorative Wine Cork State Trap – the one I’m linking to is Texas bc that’s where I live, but there are other states. This is a cute gift for someone who is sentimental and likes keeping wine corks….would be a great decorative wall hanging if you have a dedicated wine space in your home.

Himalayan Sea Salt Tequila Glasses – So, I got these from my sister Meredith at Christmas (I interviewed her in Episode 10)…because she and anyone else that knows me well, knows my favorite way to clean the kitchen (and you may recall I’m not a big fan of the kitchen) is that I like a little shot of tequila….just takes the edge off you know? These shot glasses are completely made of Himalayan salt so there’s no need to salt the rim…it’s already there. To clean them, you just rinse and dry with a paper towel…so the funny thing about this is that Hannah my youngest, while I wasn’t looking, got a hold of one after being an adventurous climber in the kitchen. When I got them for Christmas I showed her that they were salt….so she licked it because she didn’t believe me…..and then last week, she randomly comes in the bedroom licking on this salt shot glass…. Oh my….Hannah. They’re a pretty great fun gift for any tequila lover, but not good for a five year old.

Perfect Cup Tea Timer – Three hourglasses provide 3-minute, 4-minute, and 5-minute timing. Use the 3-minute timing for a light brew, and the 4 or 5-minute timers for dark, stronger tea. This would be a great gift for a tea lover and I wouldn’t have automatically thought of something like this for Mother’s Day. Hard core tea lovers will tell you drinking tea is an experience…so yes you can just a set timer for 3 min on your phone but it’s a lot more special to watch the sand go down.

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars Book– Experience the star wars saga reimagined as an Elizabethan drama.

Star Wars Planetary Galactic Necklace – If you’re a Star Wars Mom, why wouldn’t you want a galaxy around your neck?

Game of Thrones “Dinner is Coming” Cutting Board – Looks like it’s great quality!

Imak Pain Relief Eye Mask – my favorite eye mask ever. Great for headache relief! Freeze it, warm it….just get it! See my entire blog post on it here.

Tweezy Nail Polish Holder Ring – You wear it as a ring, you put the nail polish in the ring and you paint your nails.

Pinch Me Therapy Dough – For the times that you just are at your breaking point….some therapy dough might not be a terrible thing to have. The canister is small enough to fit in your purse and there lots of scents like, spa, beach, grapefruit, refresh

Eyevac Home Stationary Vacuum – It’s a standalone vaccuum so if you sweep your floor real fast, you can sweep it to the vaccuum and it sucks it up. So you don’t need a dust pan. Great for anyone suffering from back pain!

Euphy Robovac – My friend, Angie, mentioned in Episode 8. She loves it!

Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner – So I actually have this. My mother in law gave it to me as a Christmas gift…now I’m going to say that she gave it to me because she thought it was a nice little cleaning thing to have not because of the countless times she visited me and my microwave was a disastrous mess of a thing. But, I do actually like this product, but guess what….you could just add vinegar and water to a bowl and clean it the same way but for a gift…this is a lot more fun.

Peanut Butter Spoon – Are you guilty of this? Apparently, a normal spoon just won’t do! 🙂

Mushions and Fresh Face Car Air Freshener – These are hilarious. Who doesn’t want a large oversized pillow or air freshener of your face? This is a UK company, so it’ll be international shipping for USA.

Face Pillow in US – I found this custom print company who you can order through to avoid international shipping.

Infant Survival Guide Book – I think this would be a great book to give a first-time mom or bring to any baby shower…the sneak peek shows how to correctly vacuum with an infant…teaches you that you should not duck tape your infant to the wall but instead hold them in your arms while you vacuum…silly things like that.

TOYS WITH A MOTHERING ASPECT

Steffi Love Welcome Baby Pregnant Doll – Baby is stored inside the belly!

Laugh Mart Amanda The Pregnant Doll – Marketed as a fun and unusual gift for someone with a sense of humor. Definitely more of a gag gift!

Baynne 5 People Dolls Suit – Comes with Pregnant Mom Doll, Dad, two kids, a double stroller, and a baby in the mom’s belly. If I’m being completely honest here, the dad looks a tad like Michael Jackson….so there’s that…

Baby Alive Dolls – I mean who doesn’t want a baby that you feed and change it’s diaper because it really pees? But, don’t forget to buy the baby food and diaper refills!

Baby Alive Potty Dance Baby – Baby pees in the potty and you can give it reward stickers

Barbie Newborn Pups Doll & Pets – This poor mama dog has birthed the same 3 babies millions of times since Hannah has acquired this toy. The three babies are in the dog’s belly…you move the dog in a backward fashion and out pops a puppy…you do it again, another puppy comes out and so on. Can you imagine? Going through the birthing process that many times and you keep getting the same offspring over and over and over? Yikes! Well, these puppies come with their eyes closed…..you apply ice to the eyes to allow them to open and you also apply ice to their tiny little behinds to reveal a small heart that is either blue or pink so that you can know if it’s a boy or girl. I will say this toy is extremely loved by Hannah and my oldest wants it for her birthday too. So, I guess it’s a winner.

Unicorn Pony Surpise Mom & Baby – Each mama unicorn has a surprise number of babies in the belly. Three, Four, or Five babies!

Puppy Surprise/Kitty Surprise – Same premise as unicorn mama…..pull those little babies out of the belly…put them right back in!

Pikmi Pops – when you buy it, it looks like it’s a big cotton candy lollipop, so when you unwrap it, it’s a large stuffed animal. Inside are two little baby stuffed animals. You can roll them into balls. Cute and cuddly!

Manhattan Toy Nursing Nana the Dog, Nina the Cat, Nola the Rabbit, and Nissa the Hedgehog – these are all mothers who nurse their individual little babies. There is a sewn-in magnet that helps the babies latch on. This is just a tad out there for me….not insanely weird….it’s just a little different.

Gifts and Products I’m Looking at for Cyber Monday 2018

November 25, 2018 by Laura

I am always curious what other people are buying on two of the biggest shopping days of the year. Cyber Monday 2018 is happening tomorrow! I’m not really into fighting crowds, so this online shopping bonanza majorly appeals way more to me than Black Friday in-store deals. Although, I did some online shopping on that day too…just can’t help myself. Check out this post where I show you everything I purchased.

Keep in mind, this is just what I can think of at this point in time. I’m sure I’ll think of a billion other products I should have thought about next week. Alright, on with my list!

For my 5 and 6-Year-Old Girls: 

Fisher-Price Little People Disney Princess, Rapunzel & Friends: My youngest received the Little People Disney Princess Castle last year. This Little People set doesn’t necessarily go with it, but I think it’ll help bring new life to an old toy that’s just sitting in her room.

Tea Set…I mentioned before they love tea parties. I think it’s time to upgrade their set. Of course, they’re each going to want their own & they’ll fight if one is different, so ultimately I”m deciding between these two:

Lucy Locket Magical Unicorn Kids Tin Tea Set & Carry Case (14 Piece Tea Set for Kids)

Toysmith 17-Piece Li’l Tea Tote Set

My Fairy Garden – Tree Hollow Not that we’ll actually grow anything, but I guess we can try!

Little Live Wrapples: Unfortunately, these are on my list. I’m already regretting this.

Barbie Newborn Pups Doll: This boggles my mind, but my girls are just insane for this. Have you seen the commercial for it? You squeeze the dog’s belly and out pops newborn pups. Am I the only one who is disturbed by this action? Then you can take a wet cloth and wipe the eyes so the pups can see. Weird. I’m on the fence. We’ll see.

Echo Dot: I’ll have to do a whole other post on this, but we’ve really enjoyed having “Alexa” in our home. I’d like to get one for each of the girl’s rooms so they can listen to music (you can put parental controls on it). I could also set it up like an intercom system to call them to come to the kitchen and get their toys out of the way!

Crayola Inspiration Art Case: 140 Pieces, Art Set

 

For my Husband (FYI..he’s a golfer!) :

Super Speed Men’s Golf Men’s Training System

The Navigator Putting Aid by Dirty Larry Golf 

Every Shot Counts: Using the Revolutionary Strokes Gained Approach to Improve Your Golf Performance and Strategy (BOOK)

The Flexible Golf Swing: A Cutting-Edge Guide to Improving Flexibility and Mastering Golf’s True Fundamentals (BOOK)

Pima Cotton Crew Undershirts: My husband LOVED the Kirkland Pima Cotton Undershirts sold at Costco, but they stopped selling them a while ago. He’s in complete denial. Hoping these might be an acceptable replacement….

 

For the Home: 

pureFlow QT7- Bladeless 90 degree Oscillation Fan-Safe Energy Efficient-Powerful-Quiet Airflow-12 Fan Speeds I need a fan for my youngest’s room, but I don’t trust her. She’s an inquisitive little thing, and I can’t help but think she’ll be way too curious to see what happens if she puts her finger near a blade or wouldn’t put it past her to get her hair caught in it. This might be just what I’m looking for that’s not a pricey Dyson.

I linked to Amazon on most of these purchases (if not all) for the convenience of knowing that you have access to the product wherever you live. Just google the product to make sure you’re getting the lowest price you want! I am an Amazon Affiliate, but just remember, there’s no cost to you by clicking on any of these links.

I’m excited to see how many of these will have deals tomorrow. Let me know in the comments if you are looking for anything in particular. I’d love to know!

Happy Cyber Monday Shopping! 

 

This post contains affiliate links. You don’t pay any extra, and I earn a small commission.

What I Purchased on Black Friday 2018

November 25, 2018 by Laura

Alright, Black Friday 2018 came and went…fast! I wasn’t prepared. It’s like it hit me out of nowhere, even though it’s one of the most predictable days of the year. I just had very little desire to get on the computer or my phone that day and shopping in the chaos of the stores was not an option. Ultimately, I did end up buying some things…all on Amazon of course.

Here’s a little peek to what I purchased. Get ready…it’s nothing glamorous, but we did get some good deals on everyday items and some gifts for the kids too. I’m pleased! Keep in mind that I most likely didn’t purchase these products at the current price. Just might spur some thoughts as to items you may want to add to your Christmas shopping!

For our Cars:

Windshield Wiper Blades: the ones I purchased sold out, so I’m not linking. But, maybe you need new windshield wipers? Check!

For my 5 and 6 Year-Old-Girls:

Pop the Pig Game: For for any gender…great family game! All you do is stuff hamburgers into the pig until its belt pops. It’s great. The girls have been asking for it, so they’ll get it for Christmas.

10 piece Dog Set: This is actually apart of the Sophia Doll Collection, but my girls don’t know that. My youngest loves caring for puppies or pretending to be a puppy. This is right up her alley.

10 piece Kitten Set: My oldest doesn’t like puppies, but she loves kittens. So, the same idea as sister, but catered to her interests. I think this is going to be a winner!

Barbie Convertible & Doll Pack: It’s weird that my girls are starting to like Barbie. I still won’t let them watch a Barbie Movie on Netflix, because what I saw, I felt like they made Barbie look stupid, but I’ll still let them do some creative play on their own. 🙂 They’ll love these cars to go with the new Barbies.

For the Home:

Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional Vacuum: I can’t believe it, but I’ll be saying goodbye to my trusty Hoover tomorrow when this bad boy is delivered. You can read my vacuum post here. After 8ish years, I’m saying bye-bye after I saw this on sale and received its recommendation from Kendra Hennessy over at Mother Like a Boss. I’m sure I’ll write up a tribute post to my old vacuum, so stay tuned for that!

Amazon Smart Plug: While I had mixed feelings when my husband put this in the cart, I have to admit, I love it. He hooked it up to our Christmas tree, so now all we have to say is “Alexa, turn on Christmas tree” and the lights turn on. The girls love that they can do it because I’m not crazy about them fiddling with electrical outlets right now. So, it’s a winner…we’ve had it for maybe one day. Great purchase!

Amazon Echo Dot: We purchased another echo dot for the house. It was on insane sale, so we just went for it.

 

Did you end up scoring a super incredible deal? Let me know what I missed out on!

 

This post contains affiliate links. You don’t pay any extra, and I earn a small commission.

Amazon Prime Day – 10 Products I Wish I Was Buying

July 16, 2018 by Laura

Amazon Prime Day is here. Whether you admit it or not, there is definitely an aura in the air of “Spend Money” today. I’ll own up to the fact that at 2pm CST I was anxiously awaiting to see what deals I could land while my girls were finishing up swim lessons. It was an extremely inconvenient time for me. Obviously, Amazon didn’t consult with my schedule to see if their launch coincided with my availability…sigh.

This year, I’m trying to hold myself back and think through purchases, but I have to say it’s hard today. Instead, I’m taking this time to jot down a few items in some various categories to ponder later….or at least until the 36-hour time frame is up.

Take a look at what I’m perusing on Amazon…Maybe you’ll find something too!

For The Home:

Ring Video Doorbell Pro– I’ve been contemplating this for a while! It’s on sale for $174 at the time of this post. Hmmm…….

 

Echo Dot (2nd Generation) Smart Speaker with Alexa— I’m a little hesitant to get this because I don’t know how I feel about saying “Alexa” all the time, but I actually think my husband has already purchased it. We’ll see if this ends up being a future post.

 

For My Kids:

Math for Love Prime Climb– So, I stumbled on this. It’s for ages 10+, which we are nowhere near that. However, I somehow feel like I could instantly be a better parent if I purchased this (even if I never opened the box). That’s probably not a good thing, but it’s on my radar. 🙂

 

ALEX Spa Glitzy Locks Hair Sparkle – My girls would go nuts for this! I’ll probably have to buy this one.

 

For The Husband:

Tactical Vest Kit for Nerf Guns N-Strike Elite Series– Is it weird I want to buy this for my husband? And for me? And for each of my girls?

New Set of Golf Clubs– I know new golf clubs for my man are in our future. I’m posting these up because they’re $100 off. However, I can already hear my husband saying that we probably need to keep looking. We’ll see….again. 🙂

 

For Me:

Staedtler calligraphy pen set, Complete 33 piece tin, ideal for all skill levels- I don’t know why…..but I feel like I should start up calligraphy. 🙂

Urban Gardening for Beginners: I actually don’t even think this is a prime deal, but I’d like to grow something…anything. I honestly should search for a book that is titled “How to stop killing every plant that you come across”. Hmmmm…….

 

For Rusty: (can’t forget Rusty!)

Furbo Dog Camera: Treat Tossing, Full HD Wifi Pet Camera and 2-Way Audio, Designed for Dogs, Works with Amazon Alexa (As Seen On Ellen)…. HOLD THE PHONE!!! If I was still working during the day, I’d be seriously talking my husband into getting this!

Balichun Luxury 330 GSM Fleece Blanket Super Soft Warm Fuzzy Lightweight Bed or Couch Blanket— Ha! This may seem weird, but Rusty is a blanket snob. He loves a good cozy blanket. Don’t we all?!

 

Well that’s it for Prime Day perusals. Maybe next year, I’ll be on top of this a little more! 🙂 Have a good rest of the week! Oh, and please let me know if you have any comments on the items I picked out. I’d love to see!

 

This post contains affiliate links. You don’t pay any extra, and I earn a small commission.

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Hi, I'm Laura! I absolutely love sharing all the things I LOVE with anyone who can benefit from hearing. So, whether you're in the mood to learn about a product/service or just want a little randomness thrown into your life, you've come to the right place! Read More…

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