Friday Favorites

My Friday Favorites for today is a new website (and products) that a friend recently introduced me to. The company is called Mom Agenda and they have some great organizational products specifically designed for moms. Everything is super cute and designed really well too.

One of their products is a weekly calendar with space for up to four children in addition to space for Mom. That way, you can put all of the kids' schedules and your schedule on the same sheet. The other thing that I really like about it is that it has a heavy duty magnet so you can stick it up on the fridge. Here is a picture:

They also have some note pads for various purposes... To Do List (one of my personal favorites), Grocery List, Permission Slips, Babysitter, Info, and I can't remember what else (that may be it).



The other thing that I got is the "Kitchen Folio." This is really great. It is designed to help you organize your junk drawer in the kitchen and be a type of one-stop-shop for all of your important information - phone numbers, medical info, school info, and extra space for things like coupons, class lists, etc. My husband opened up our junk drawer to look for something and was amazed. :)

A Good Saturday

I just love Saturdays. It is so nice to have Jason home all day. Here are two funny things from today:

1) Nia (talking to me): Mom, I can't drink mommy milk. I'm Lactose Intolerated.
Me: laugh and smile - what else was going to do?


2) During quiet time today, Nia and Justis came down to do some magic tricks for us. Nia's idea of magic tricks is this:

Nia: Close your eyes for this trick, please. (As audience members and loving parents, we oblige and close our eyes.) Ok. Abra, cadabra, make me disappear (followed by the sounds of running footsteps to hide behind the couch). Ta Da! Open you eyes! (Again, we oblige and act amazed.)

Me: Wow! Where did Nia disappear to?

Nia: Close your eyes again. (We close our eyes.) Abra, cadabra, me me reappear (followed by the sound of running footsteps again - coming out from behind the couch). Ta Da! Open your eyes!

Me: Wow! Great magic trick!


3) This is the picture of our family room today:


You may ask why this is significant? Let me tell you...

On the top left hand side, Jason is working on his computer. On the lower right hand side, Nia and Justis are playing with Nia's Barbie computer/laptop. On the lower left hand side, there is my laptop (in front of the chair) and another computer right behind the chair. (Jason got a new computer and was switching them out). We are technological snobs. While I mention four computers here, I did not mention Jason's other laptop that is also in the same room (but not visible in the computer). Technically, we are outnumbered by computers at our house. :)

As I was working on my computer, I turned around and saw that scene. It made me laugh so I jumped up and took a picture with my iPhone. Did I mention we technology snobs? We are. :)

To us, this is a great Saturday. :)

:)

Friday Favorites

I have to say, I was quite looking forward to doing this post again. :)

My Friday Favorites today is my mascara. My reason for highlighting this is that I have finally found a mascara that I love. I have searched for years for one. My biggest problem over the years is that my mascara, for whatever reason, flakes off and congregates under my eyes. That by itself is an issue, but coupled with my already existing problem of dark circles under my eyes, it is quite distressing. After trying a multitude of mascaras, including some from Mac (I love Mac makeup), I have found "the one."

Bad Gal Lash by Benefit. It has a huge brush that I really like and it does not flake off! I have been using it for several months now (I'm even on a second tube) and have not had a problem with flaking . For me, that is amazing. :) You can find this superstar at Sephora (the makeup section of JC Penny). I'm sure you can find it other places as well but Sephora is where I get it.

I actually have another mascara that I use in addition to this one sometimes, but I will blog that another time. This mascara is enough on its own.

Happy Friday!

:)

He Saved Me

I picked up my daughter from the bus stop today and headed straight for home. When we got home, I had the most entertaining conversation with her that went something like this:

Nia: (with all the drama of a five year old girl) Guess what!?! Andrew at school loves me.
Me: (trying to hide my surprise and fear) Really? That's interesting. Did he tell you that?
Nia: No. Ok, here's what happened. I was playing with Cody and Andrew at recess. I'm friends with them. Andrew told Cody that he loves me and told him to tell me so Cody told me that Andrew loves me. (Her eyes get big with excitement. Then she leans in to me and lowers her voice to almost a whisper.) I like him.
Me: (trying to be careful - not wanting to put ideas into her head) What do you mean? As a friend?
Nia: Yeah, and maybe just a little more (holding her thumb and index finger to show just a little). Ok, and here's what else. Mom, HE SAVED ME.
Me: He saved you?
Nia: Yeah, he saved me at recess from these girls that were being mean. They were chasing Cody and Andrew around and he saved me. He hid me from the girls so they wouldn't chase me.
Me: (a bit concerned about a boy hiding my daughter) Where did he hide you?
Nia: In a corner where they play basketball. They didn't see me.
Me: Hmmm... (what else do you say at the first revelation of your child being introduced to the world of "liking" someone?)
Nia: Cody said Andrew was going to marry me.
Me: Hmmm (biting my tongue from saying she should/could only marry him if he was a member of our church because frankly, that's probably a bit unnecessary for this conversation. She knows, we've had that conversation before (and will continue to have it repeatedly), but it just didn't seem the time to bring it up - I'm trying to keep the communication channels open. :))

So over the course of the day, additional information has come out about this whole situation. For example, they let her be in the "middle" of them. Which, after additional explanation from her, means that they let her cut in line in between them and let her sit in the middle of them. The most alarming part of the conversation was when she said that Cody told her they needed to have a "secret kiss" during recess but that they didn't. I did not bite my tongue on that one and reminded her that we do not kiss boys (except for family).

Wow. I have been very cautious about not talking about "liking" boys with her. I was always into boys growing up. I had a boyfriend in kindergarten - his name was Eric Key. I'm not sure why I can remember that but I can. :) I didn't want to give her ideas about it so I have always been very cautious about how I speak about things like that with her. I knew it would only be so long before she was initiated into the process. (I mean come on, she is so stinking cute and sweet!)

I hardly even know what to say. It just makes me laugh and makes me smile, but makes me scared of all to come. I want so much to protect her but I know that part of life is allowing her to have these experiences.

Friday Favorites

I would like to start a new tradition of sorts... on Fridays, I am going to post about a favorite. In my line of work and my love for shopping, I find some great things and am pretty loyal to my favorites. My Friday favorites will range in both type of product and type of seller. Some will be product specific (like the mascara that I love - to be a future Friday Favorite) and some will be store/c0mpany specific. My objective is to share with you some things that I love and hope that you will also post comments about your specific favorites. I am open to highlighting your favorites as well so don't be shy. :)

My Friday Favorite today (I know it's Saturday - I meant to post it on Friday so just pretend) is Dove Chocolate at Home. I decided to highlight them this week because I have been fully immersed in chocolate all week. :) You can go to their website by clicking on Dove Chocolate at Home.

Dove Chocolate at Home is owned by Mars who creates/sells the Dove Chocolate that you buy at the store (my personal favorite chocolate candy bar). But instead of selling in retail stores, Dove Chocolate at Home sells through the Direct Selling type business model (which is my field of expertise). Dove Chocolate at Home sells chocolate and accessories for candy and dessert making, along with a few pre-made things such as chocolate covered cranberries.

Being a chocolate fanatic, I just had to try their stuff. So, for Valentine's Day, I made some chocolate treats using their chocolate and tempering unit. The tempering unit melts the chocolate differently than just putting it in the microwave and is great for chocolate molds (I made both hearts and circles), dipping in, etc. I dipped pretzels in the chocolate and they were awesome too.

I also made truffles using a recipe that they have and dipped the truffles in "dusting powder" (like powdered sugar but it's chocolate). Holy cow. They were awesome.

In any case, I really love Dove Chocolate at Home because it is not just your ordinary chocolate. If you love really great chocolate, check them out. They have really fantastic stuff.

And that is my Friday Favorite. :)

Fish Jinxer

Please note that if you are cleaning your fish bowl, do not call me to talk. I appear to be a fish jinxer.

The day before my cruise in January, we had an unfortunate incident with our fish, Lila (please see my previous post "Ode to Lila"). We were cleaning his bowl and had him in a small cup while he was waiting for his clean water. He, apparently, did not like his temporary state and made a run, I mean jump, for it. He jumped out of the cup onto the counter, sustaining what appeared to be some internal bleeding. He ended up taking a swim to the ocean, via the porcelain express.

So this morning, I was talking to a good friend on the phone, checking in with since her kids have been sick this week. While we were talking, she was cleaning her fish bowl. When she mentioned that I told about her fish and within minutes, she underwent a similar unfortunate incident. Her fish jumped (maybe got dumped by their 2 year old trying to help - not sure) out of his temporary home, slipping down to the sink disposal. I know, you are probably horrified - don't worry, the disposal, thankfully, was not on. She was able to rescue him but within a minute of being returned to his now clean home, he went belly (I mean side) up.

The moral of the story - please don't call me when you are cleaning your fish bowl (unless you are desirous for a similar outcome). My conscious cannot take any more. :)

:)

*** Update: apparently my friend's fish is not dead. She left it in the bowl for a while and he ended up coming back from the dead. :) Whew. I feel so much better.

Book of Mormon Challenge

In Relief Society yesterday, it was mentioned that there is a challenge going around to read the Book of Mormon in 97 days, in memory/honor of President Hinckley. I calculated the daily reading requirement and it would be 5.5 pages per day... doable. :)

I also just found on my sister Esther's blog that there is a website for this challenge... www.hinckleychallenge.com. If you can "accept the challenge" on this website and have access to track your progress. Pretty cool. :)

The challenge begins today, Monday, February 4. I am going to do this. I think it would make President Hinckley smile to know that we love him so much.

If you feel so inclined, join in! We can only receive more blessings. :)

:)