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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Walkers Mini-Festive Stars

Recently, I received a sample of Walkers Mini-Festive Stars shortbread cookies. Walkers cookies are certified kosher, dairy. My kids had a play date last week and I put the cookies out for a snack and they devoured them instantly. They kept asking for more of the star cookies. The nice thing about them is that they are really small, so I didn't feel like they would ruin their appetite.  You could use them to decorate or dip them in jam. You could also use them to for Purim Mishloah Manot. They also offer Gluten Free Options. 

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Birthday Gift Ideas


The links in the post may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.



I find that some parts of the year there is a birthday party every weekend. So I have been looking at a variety of options for birthday gifts. Here are some I have found.

Stomp Rocket (8+)




  • Kid-powered: You stomp on the launch pad to send these Ultra Stomp Rockets up to 20 stories high -- that's 200 feet in the air!
  • Winner of the Dr. Toy Award, iParenting Media's Hot Toy Award, Preferred Choice Award, and iParenting Media's Excellent Product Award
  • Includes a Stomp Launch Pad and 4 foam-tipped Ultra Stomp Rockets
  • No batteries required
  • Super easy, fast assembly
  • Ages 8 and Up

Lego Vehicle Transporter



  • Features a tilting cab that reveals a detailed engine, folding trailer ramp for vehicle access, large exhaust stacks, warning beacons roof spotlights
  • 3-in-1 model: rebuilds into a tow truck towing a yellow car, or a mobile crane
  • Vehicle Transporter measures over 2" (6cm) high, 9" (25cm) long and 1" (5cm) wide
  • Tow truck measures over 2" (6cm) high, 6" (16cm) long and 2" (7cm) wide
  • Mobile crane measures over 1" (5cm) high, 7" (18cm) long and 2" (6cm) wide

Soda Can Robot (8+)



  • The 4M Soda Can Robug teaches the value of recycling by repurposing a used can into a fun and functional robot.
  • No special tools or knowledge required; the kit contains detailed instructions and all the necessary parts. Just add a used soda pop can and let the fun begin.
  • Perfect for young science enthusiasts, especially those with an interest in robotics and green science.
  • Requires two AAA batteries (not included).
  • Recommended for ages 8 years and up.
  • Challenge your child's imagination with 4M toys and kits.
  • 4M educational toys cover a wide range of educational subjects and include science kits, arts and crafts kits, robotics kits, and more.
  • 4M offers a wide range of toys and kits to let you build a clock, crochet a placemat, or turn your room into a planetarium--all in the name of making learning fun.

Snapcircuits (7+)



  • Electrical parts provide students grades 2 and up (age 7+) with hands-on experience designing and building models of working electrical circuits
  • Snap-together parts require no tools and ensure correct connections
  • Includes 30 parts, and instructions for over 100 projects, including working models of a photo sensor, a flashing light, and an adjustable-volume siren
  • Requires 2 AA batteries (sold separately)
  • Awards: The National Parenting Center-Seal of Approval, Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products, Dr Toy Best Educational Products
  • Valuable component to a rounded STEM curriculum
  • Build working models of a photo sensor, a flashing light, and an adjustable-volume siren. More than 100 exciting projects in all with included 30+ snap together parts

  • Electrical components provide students ages 8+ with hands-on experience designing and building models of working electrical circuits
  • Clear and concise illustrated manual included and available online

Monday, February 29, 2016

Ideas for Mishloah Manot Containers


The links in the post may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.




Purim is less than a month a way and I have been searching for different kinds of containers and ideas for Mishloah Manot. Here are some of the ideas I have come across for containers on Amazon. There are tons of deals.

Containers


  • 100 16 oz. Clear PET Plastic Cold Cups & 100 Straw Slot Flat Lids.
  • Great for Iced Coffee, Smoothies, Bubble/Boba Tea, Milkshakes & Frozen Cocktails.
  • Approximate Dimensions : Top Diameter : 3 7/8" , Bottom Diameter : 2 1/4" , Height : 4 5/8"
  • Proudly made in the USA with a BPA free plastic.
Total Price: $17.40 for 100, 17 cents a cup set



  • 24 Gift Boxes
  • Measures: 2"
  • Cardboard
  • Hot Pink
Total Price: $5.79 for 24,  24 cents a box.
You could have your kids decorate it with stickers.


  • Package of 50 - 5oz. Plastic dessert cups with lids
  • Great for all occasions
  • Perfect for parties and everyday use
  • Disposable - reusable - easy clean up quality plastic cups with lids
  • Polar ice brand quality
Total Price: $13.35 for 50, 27 cents a cup


  • Paper Black And White Gift Boxes
  • Package contains 24 2" square boxes
  • Simple assembly required


Total Price: $8.95 for 24, 37 cents a box


  • Paper gable boxes in stripe, chevron and polka dot patterns
  • Measure 4 x 2.5 x 4.75 inches
  • Ship flat for easy assembly
  • 36 per package; 12 of each pattern
  • Perfect touch for birthdays, weddings, baby or bridal showers, candy buffets and gift wrap
Total Price: $19.98 for 36, 56 cents a box

  • Cardstock favor box decorated with light blue watercolor and white stripes with rope pull
  • Personalization available at additional cost
  • Measures 3.25 h x 2.25 w
Total Price: $14.99 for 24, 62 cents a box




  • 1 Dozen Oriental Clear Frosted Takeout Boxes.
  • Boxes Measure 2 1/4 Inches x 2 1/2 Inches x 2 1/4 Inches.
  • Metal Handles Measure 2 1/4 Inches.
  • Plastic.
  • Simple Assembly Required.
Total Price: $9.07 for 12, 76 cents a container

Make Your Own Mishloah Manot


Check out Tori Avery's Woven Baskets.




Check out these cute Cookie Baskets or this Paper Plate Crown.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Day 4: Organizing the files on my Card





While I was transferring files last night, I noticed that I was nearing the end on of my room on the external card on my phone. Since cleaning off my card has been on my long to do list for a while, I figured it was about time to actually remove files. Some of the files are left over my three phones ago and are related to apps that wouldn't run on my current phone. I used my extra card for apps because the phones had no room on them. I also realized how many files that I had viewed at some point were still on my phone and left lots of orphans. 

I need to go through the downloads on all of our computers also.


Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Day 3: Organizing My Closet


The links in the post may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.



I am still unpacking from our Passover Vacation away. For the most part we got almost everything unpacked and in the laundry room rather quickly. But I left my suitcase until the end to try to keep the clutter to the mess. While we were traveling we did a side trip to the outlets in Maryland and I was able to find a bunch of really great deals at the outlets for pieces to just expand my options with outfits. I work at a more corporate building and when I started working I was pregnant, so this is the first time I am not pregnant or breast feeding, so my wardrobe was definitely in a need of a little updating.

Most of the time I keep my closet separated into sections. My dresses and long skirts in one area, my suits in another, my skirts in another, my summer weight shirts in another, my sweaters in another, and then all my jackets and cardigans. Over the last month as I was hoping for warmer weather, I started keeping everything I had worn in one section of my closet. I was hoping to try not to wear anything from that side of the closet until I had tried to use more of my wardrobe. The other reason was so I could figure out what was just sitting in my closet and no longer being worn.

Tonight as I was unpacking I decided it was a perfect time to go through the closet. I went through all of the items I hadn't worn and asked myself three questions:
1. Why didn't I wear it? (was it too cold, too warm, or not appropriate for work)
2. Would I wear this item in a different situation? (Like a formal affair, etc.)
3. Do I have something to match it?

I made pies of clothing to go away into my drawers that are no longer filled with Maternity/Nursing clothing. And then piles to try to sell or donate.

There are a ton of places to sell clothing to, but the issue with most of them is that they only want items from the last year or so to try to sell. I can understand they want to stay with the trends and styles.

We have a lot of great resources in our Jewish community to donate clothing. This is usually my first choice if I have the time. We even have a Jewish Freebay group on Facebook that I can post everything I have and give it to other people in the community.

There are also so many resources of places that will come and pick up. In other communities we have lived in that were not so fortunate to have a Jewish Freebay, we have donated to Habitat for Humanity's ReStore, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, NCJW, etc.

I wear a lot of different scarfs in my hair, so I found this great hanger and they take up a lot less room.

Home Basics 2-Piece Velvet Scarf Hanger, Purple Flowers - $5.99

I wear a tank top under a lot of my clothing, so I found these great to hold tank tops and camisoles. It works much better than trying to get them to stay on regular hangers or being lost in a drawer.



Women's sport Tank Top, Cami, Bra, Strappy Dress, Bathing Suit, Closet Organizer Hanger, Set of 2 Black - $9.99

For my husband, we bought these in the fall and they have been great.

Twirl-a-Tie Tie Rack/Organizer - $3.54


We inherited them from our first house because the previous owner made one of the bedrooms into a walk-closet and so there were lots of storage items and organizational items that were left over. My favorite thing were these crystal clear shoe box size stackable drawers. I think I have seen them at the Container Store before.


Do you need some inspiration for closet organization? 
I've been reading a lot of blogs lately about pairing down wardrobes, but one of the ones I find most intriguing is Project 333. I'm not sure I can pair down to only 33 items. Could you?

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Day 2: Laundry Organization






Today I am sharing something I started a couple months ago, that has helped organize us and keep up on at all the laundry that piles up with three kids. When the kids were in swim lessons, I also added bathing suits to be washed to the mix. It will definitely go back on the list at least one time a week this summer if not more.

When Shabbat ended earlier, I would get a head start on the week and run laundry, but now by the time Shabbat ends, it is too late to get anything done. If I do this, I just mark off the laundry I finished and work on the next set of laundry that has enough to merit a load of laundry. I use this more a guideline. It also helps me keep enough time between non-dryer runs, to let the clothing actually dry.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Day 1: Organizing Cards and Important Documents

The links in the post may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.




Today, I tackled organizing our cards,

Store Cards
While we have put many of our "store cards" in Google Wallet, we have a most of them in a bin. I need to add to the todo list to register some of the cards, but that is a task for another day. I also got rid of bunch of cards that were no longer valid or that we had multiple copies of.

Store Credit Cards and Bank Cards
I didn't realize how many credit cards I had multiple copies of because I had credit cards that had expired several years ago still around. Or several copies of the same credit card.

Important Documents
I organized the copies of our important documents and other documents so they would be together.

Health Cards
The one item that I did not get rid of was Health cards. We have so many old Health Cards, but I am hesitant to give them up. Partly because I feel like because billing sometimes takes so long, that I just got a bill in December for something that had happened in June on my previous Health Provider.


Sunday, April 12, 2015

30-Day Organizing


The links in the post may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.




There are 30 week days between the end of Passover and the beginning of Shavuot. Looking back at stats for my blog, I noticed there has been a lot of action on my organizing/cleaning between Purim and Passover. We haven't really made Passover in a few years, so I haven't really found the need to do a full cleaning before Passover.

This year, Passover ends right around the time it is finally getting warm. So there are a number of organizing tasks that I have had on my list forever that I am going to try to handle.

Stay tuned.

Monday, March 9, 2015

Passover Shtick


The links in the post may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.




Purim has come and gone and I often try to think about Passover. We are lucky to spend the holiday and sederim with family so I close up the house for the week and we head over to my in-laws. One of my joys and challenges is looking for fun stuff to add to the Passover table. I should note, we did this even before there were children. We've had shower caps for animals, jumping frogs, wind up frogs, ping pong balls, and more.

Here are some fun items I have found:

Passover Bingo


Passover Puppets

Passover 10 Plagues Puppet Kit


Plague Masks

Passover Plague Masks, 10ct


Passover Seder Plate Mold

Cybrtrayd R300 Seder Plate Chocolate Candy Mold 



Blood:

Fake Blood Novelty Toy

Frogs:

Stretchable Flying Frogs (1 dz)


Cybrtrayd A126 Frog Chocolate Candy Mold

Lice

Creepy Ants Halloween Prop

Wild Beasts



Mini Wild Animals

Cattle


Fun Shower Cap. Choose - Shark, Pig, Cow, Frog, Duck, Bull. (Cow)

Boils

Avery Permanent Color Coding Labels, 0.25 Inches, Round, Pack of 450 (5790)


Hail



Practice Ping Pong Balls - Table Tennis Balls

Locust/Insects


Darkness


Animal Print Sunglasses Assortment (1 dz) (colors may vary)


Death of the First Born

Bendable Skeletons (1 Dozen= 12 Pcs.)



Edible Plagues