Classic Tinker Toys: Just As Much Fun Then, As They Are Now!

After the great Moon Sand explosion in Alex's room yesterday, I decided to redirect him and let him play with his Tinker Toys he got for Christmas.

He unpackaged the wheels, sticks and tubes, and found the directions on how to make a monorail, and his eyes lit up like lanterns! (Alexzander is obsessed with Roller Coaster Tycoon and will seriously play for hours if we let him.) "Mommy, I can make a monorail, just like at my theme park!"

Another few minutes later, it's extremely quiet, and because of the last fiasco an hour earlier, I decided to go in and peek on him. I crack open the door, half expecting to see some sort of gadget rigged to the ceiling fan, or him asleep- (a mother can wish, right?).. and instead, I see Alex sitting studiously examining the picture of the monorail, lining every stick up exactly.

We bought K'nex last year for Christmas, but it was a little too mature for him, and within days, I was vacuuming up itty bitty connectors. This is his first time playing with Tinker Toys, and I have to admit, I was a little skeptical. I thought because they were chunkier pieces that he would brush it off as being a "baby" toy, as most of his sisters toys are thicker, sturdier, and chunky. I never thought that he'd be making a monorail on his train table so that "the cars could drive under it, and the people could travel quicker on the monorail." LOL! He cracks me up!

I don't know if you can see it in the pictures, but at first he hooked up the ...um.. orange hook tube connector things upside down, and once he started connecting the tubes, he couldn't get the monorail to glide. Tinker Toys actually allowed for him to use his problem solving skills to figure out why it kept crashing at every connector, and before I knew it, he was flipping them "up side up".

This morning, not even an hour after he woke up, he started building again. I know we're only on day 2 with Tinker Toys, but I have to say I am definitely impressed. He made a microphone and stand today! The possibilities are endless with Tinker Toys!

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Mischievous Monday

What kind of trouble happens when it's quiet? You know, that way-too-quiet-they-must-be-getting-into-something, quiet? My kids are the best at finding unusual things to tear into, and it's usually within seconds!

This long weekend was great, Brian and I were able to reorganize the kids rooms, and rearrange their furniture to make it more functional. We set up Abbie's new kitchen set, and put the teeny tiny fake food in little rubbermaid containers, and called it a day. In Alex's room, we took all his broken or missing toys and laid them to rest, and organized his closet. *That* made a huge difference! Brian moved his toy box next to his bed, (which I didn't think I was going to like), but it's perfect there. His train table is accessible in the middle-ish of his room, and I cleaned the bathroom. Phew.

Today, Bri had to go back to work, and I think he laced the milk.. lol. The kids were bouncing off the walls more than they have EVER before! I didn't know what to do. We played 'Trouble', watched movies, colored on the side walk, went to an appointment that I thought was today, that was really next week (oops!) and delivered a Christmas gift to my best friend, Jenn. Then we came home and played more games, colored more on the driveway, and watched some more cartoons. I couldn't get into a groove today, if you paid me! Finally, when things are winding down, and dinner is in the oven, the buzz from Brian's car approaches... Alex hears it, and bolts to the door the fastest I've ever seen him run, leaping over a stuffed animal in the hallway and SCREAMS, "YAAAAY, DADDY'S HOME!!!!" To which Abbigaile comes tearing around the corner like her bum is on fire, screaming, "Daddy home, Daddy home! MA-MA, DAD-E HOME!" Oy!

They tackle him before he's over the threshold, and I warn him that they've been purely bonkers all day long, and he assures me it can't be that bad. After about 10 minutes, he's changed his mind indefinitely. I head back into the kitchen and Bri goes to clean up from work, I send the children into Alex's room to play with his trains. In the time it took Bri to wash up, and me to mix instant mashed potatoes, I realize it's WAY too quiet, so as Bri kisses me hello, I ask him to check on the kids. We all know that when kids of any age are amazingly quiet, one of two things happen. They are either sound asleep, or into something they're not supposed to be.

I'll give you one lucky guess which one my two monkeys are doing.. And it's not sleeping! ;o)

The Joys of Moon Sand.

Pro's: Can be vacuumed right up after children play with it without permission.

Con's: Blue sand smushed into carpet is much more difficult to vacuum up.

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Check this product out! Löopa Bowl @ Go Graham Go!

As a newbie blogger, I have been surfing the web today looking for what types of products other bloggers are talking about. To the right, I have a button for GO GRAHAM GO! and have participated in several contests and read some great reviews, and today I happened to stumble upon this review and giveaway for a Löopa Bowl.

Although it looks like something from out of space, this bowl is made to withstand the abuse toddlers dish out on their snack bowls or plates. Solid foods will not spill, no matter how they flip, turn, run, or sit with it. The weighted bottom allows for the inner bowl to turn in a full 360 degree sphere of safety, and Voila!- cheerios and goldfish all over the living room floor are a thing of the past!

With it's awesome price point, (about $7.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond), this product is DEFINITELY on my list of must haves for parents of Toddlers.. heck, I think I might even get one for my almost 6 year old! Amazing! Bravo to Brad and Melinda Shepherd for creating the one and only Löopa bowl and thank you to Felicia, from Go Graham Go! for introducing me to this incredible product!

Click here to see the Löopa bowl in action, and for your chance to win one!
Giveaway closes January 2nd, 2009

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Christmas Spirit Award

Esther sent me the Christmas Spirit Award. Esther is a very dear friend of mine, and of my family. I am so blessed to know Esther! Check out her blog at Sweet Dove In The Wind.

So my part is to list five things I love about Christmas and then give the award to some of my blog friends, who can then pass it to their friends.

1) I love getting together with my family. Now that I am 1500 miles away from most of them, Christmas is the time that my immediate family and our dear friends can get together and celebrate Christmas together.

2) I love getting all the photo cards and traditional cards from our extended friends and family. There are some people that I barely talk to through the year, but on Christmas, it's our time to catch up with each other.

3) SNOW! I know I live in Florida now, but there's something about that cool, crisp smell that's in the air when it snows. A couple of times this year I almost thought I smelled it!

4) Decorating around the house! We put up our lights very late this year, but the tree looks beautiful!

5) The joy in my children's eyes the whole season long! My children love the carols, and lights through the neighborhood.

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Fabulous Blog!!

My Sentiment Exact Lee named me as FABULOUS! I love this award! To claim it, there are a few rules. I have to admit my 5 addictions and then pass it on to another 5 blogs...

Hello, My name is Lauren ("Hi Lauren!") and I am addicted to…

1. My Family
2. Babytalkbio.com
3. Dr. Pepper
4. Music
5. My blog!

And now, I pass this award to:

1. NoTimeForFlashcards
2. TwoOfAKindWorkingOnAFullHouse
3. MommyMandy
4. GiggleBugBoutique
5. TheraputicReviews&Giveaways

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Do you follow me on Twitter??

Tweet, Tweet! Who knew a small little blue bird could be so cool!

If you follow me here, you should follow me there, if you do, it will make the next contest much cooler! :o) Don't forget to comment!!

Click here to follow me on Twitter!!

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Ugh.... Taking a holiday. Sort of.

I officially have the same bug my little buggers had last week. I cannot breathe out of my nose, if you paid me to, and when I exhale hard, I sound like wheezy the penguin from "Toy Story". Gaaah! Didn't I mention, I am OVER being sick! I need a new immune system.. My husband swears by taking alfalfa.. We don't have any in the house, so yesterday I sent him to the store to get a couple of things for dinner, and he came home with a container of Alfalfa Sprouts! He ate the whole thing last night.. it looked like he was eating grass. Totally not on my list of things to do. ;o) Anywhoo-- Being that my head feels like a hot air balloon, I will be taking a brief hiatus so I can get well, and give away some more exciting things! I think I might do a 5 day entry for a gift card.. to treat you to something you WANT for the holidays, as opposed to something some aunt you only see once a year gives you out of sheer obligation. LOL! Ok, rambling done for now.. *squeak* Gotta see if this medicine works now. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

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