Toy Story 3 on Blu-ray & DVD 11/2

On Tuesday November 2nd, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment releases TOY STORY 3 on Blu-ray and DVD.  The tale begins with Andy heading off to college, placing Woody and the gang in a new adventure with a slew of new toys including Lotso the bear.

Lucky us, our review copy arrived last week so it was a viewing of Toy Story 3 on Blu-ray this Halloween eve.  What a great movie!  I knew this movie would entertain our older kids, but was very pleasantly surprised to see just how into it our toddler twins became.  In fact, Declan could hardly take his eyes off it the entire time.  Favorite scene of mine has to be "Spanish Buzz".  You'll have to watch it to see if you agree.

First Juice

Our crew is constantly on the go around here, so we are all about products aimed to help us keep up with our busy schedules.  We like those items even more when they are a good choice in regards to nutrition.

Happy Halloween!

"Trick or Treat?" is the question of the day.  Enjoy it!  Haunting your Halloween with our ghosts of our Halloweens past!

Knit a cap, save a life

Looking to help a less fortunate mommy in this last quarter of the year?  Grab your knitting needles and some yarn!  There is a new program that Save the Children just launched called "Caps for Good".

Hasbro Tranformers Power Core Combiners

Did you hear all this business on the news about stores starting the holiday sales early?  Some are even beginning this week.  Yikes!  I've got to get going on some sort of holiday shopping list of items to watch.

If you are shopping for a boy in the age 5 & up crowd, you may want to check out some of the latest offerings in the popular Hasbro Transformers line-up.  The neat thing about Transformer toys is they allow for plenty of roleplaying fun complete with physical transformations of the toys from one object to another.  One minute it's a car and the next a robot with laser shooting thing, cool stuff right there.

Maukilo.com & HABA Toy Review (+ Giveaway)

About a year ago I wrote a review of a toy store called Maukilo.  They offer heirloom-quality toys from the finest European and American craftsmen.  It’s like a global treasure chest of the finest wooden puzzles, games, books and playthings.  It’s open 24/7 but only online at www.Maukilo.com.

A sneak peek of THE SEARCH FOR SANTA PAWS

On November 23rd, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment kicks off the holiday season with the release of THE SEARCH FOR SANTA PAWS on Blu-ray & DVD.  If the main character's name rings a bell, it may be because this is a prequel 2009’s Santa Buddies. 

All-Stars at Play: My twins' gift of older siblings

I think my twin boys finally realize how perfect it is that they have each other.  They seem to adore that their twin is a best friend who lives in their same room.  A special partner in deeds both good and not so good.

Their older siblings seem to fall in a different category.  They look up to their other three siblings.  In their little eyes their big sister and their two big brothers are so much to them including part leader, part hero, and part guardian.

What a huge advantage it is for them to have a sibling to show them both the ropes.  As their mother, I can't help but notice how many of their play habits have been learned from actively playing with and observing their sister and brothers.

This morning they are hiding from baby dragons and baby lions that lurk around the playroom.  They've moved furniture, gathered their stuffed animals, and traveled about.  The couch is a rocket ship, the chairs in the kitchen have been pushed together to form a bus.  Pillows are lava rocks ... All part of a role-played adventure game older brother Hayden taught them.  At first, they only played this little scenario out when Hayden was around but now it has carried on without him as he spends the day at school.

It's not just this one game either.  Their play style has been formed in other ways too.  I've seen them play football and football trainer games together, in fact that came up in a previous post.  They color much like other toddlers, but to them it is "homework" they are doing just like their sister.  I could go on and on ...

Oh sure parents can teach their children play as well, and I have.  However, I venture to guess I would not have invented a game for them that involved lions, rockets, dragons, and lava rocks.  Having older siblings is certain to make this duo true All-Stars at play.

The Stickey Cup

The Stickey Cup, it's an inexpensive item with a rather simple concept.  However, the multiple uses of this item are what has made it a hit.  In fact, the Stickey Cup was just named to the 2010 Top 100 Children's Product by Dr. Toy.

FireFly Toothbrushes (Review + Giveaway)

It seemed only fitting to have a review and a giveaway of children's toothbrushes right around Halloween time.  After all, what parent isn't thinking about the need to brush with all that candy lurking about?

But this isn't just another ordinary toothbrush, it's a Firefly.  The Firefly toothbrushes are equipped with a colorful light-up timer that flashes for a minute.  As you likely know, a minute is the length of time needed to brush one row of teeth thoroughly.  Kid's can then start the flash up for the bottom row and brush again.  Officially done, but at our house this is when the real fun begins.

New Board Books by Leslie Patricelli (Tubby & Potty)

Whether I'm reading the book to them or they are pretending to read it to themselves, my twin two year old boys are very opinionated when it comes to their book selections.  Tops on the list are board books with dogs and board books with "Baby", Baby being specifically the Baby of Leslie Patricelli's board books.  Readers who have been around a while may even recall my previous review of other books in Leslie's collection.

Thankfully, Candlewick has provided a couple more board books for our collection.  We were able to review new releases "Potty" and "Tubby".  I was particularly excited to see the "Potty" book, as that's a subject certain to consume our household in the next few months as we approach the time to potty train our twins.  More important than mommy loving the book, the boys themselves loved it.  "Tubby" was a hit with the boys & mommy as well.  How could one not be amused by Baby unclothed and wet?

Robots on Wheels: Androidz

A company by the name of ToyQuest recently contacted me to see if I'd have a look at a toy called Androidz.  And while I had never heard of them before, I now know that Androidz are miniature die-cast robots on wheels.  You'd hear an emphasis on the word wheels if I was talking to you in person because upon arrival I realized (with the help of one of my sons) that it is the wheels that make these guys so cool. 

Old Navy's Scream for Savings Sale

Thousands of fall faves, freaky cheap. Plus, scream and get a coupon for an extra 20% off one item. 10/29-10/30. In-store only. Get ready to shriek for chic and get it cheap!

Even Jaime Pressly’s screaming for these scary good deals! Visit Old Navy's ScreamForSavings.com to learn more.

Shutterfly Holiday Cards

As a Mommy of 5, holiday cards have become a bit more of a task than a joy for me.  It's not so much the card, it's the "perfect" photo.  It was easy when we had only one to photograph.  There ended up being hundreds of nearly identical smiles to chose from ... ahh those were the days.  Honestly even capturing two children in a decent pose wasn't that bad.  Three kids?  Well our only girl in the mix was a bit of a diva, but we eventually got the shot thanks to some cookies.  Next came the twins, so we jumped to 5.  Forget it!  There is no possible way to get a portrait of all five that actually looks nice.

Explore Chicagoland

Looking for a special gift for a Chicago Area Friend or Family Member?  Check out the Explore Chicagoland Voucher Book. 

It gives free admission to 28 attractions in the Chicago area.  Among them are some favorite's of mine including a few I've recently posted about like the Brookfield Zoo and the Dupage Children's Museum.  Others include the John Hancock Observatory, Kane County Cougars, MagiQuest Chicago, Medieval Times, and Raging Waves.  Click here for the complete list including their mapped locations.

The best part?  It’s a more than $450 value for $79 each book.  Explore Chicagoland goes on sale Nov. 1 at www.explorechicagoland.com (but a copy can be reserved now) or purchase one at The HIP (Harlem Irving Plaza – (shopthehip.com).  Please note that only 5,000 will be sold beginning Nov. 1 until they run out, but no later than Jan. 1.

Learning Resources Game: Avalanche Fruit Stand Game {Review & Giveaway}

It's no secret that we are big fans of the educational but fun games from the folks at Learning Resources.  In fact, Avalanche Fruit Stand is the 3rd game we have happily been sent for review.  Previous reviews include the Rainbow Color Cones and Counting Cookies.

Avalanche Fruit Stand is perfect for kids who need to further develop their fine motor skills, especially the all–important pincer grasp that prepares children for handwriting.  It also reinforces a child's knowledge of colors, numbers, and fruit names.

Purina's "Cat Nap for the Cause"

Purina's Cat Nap for the Cause is inviting breast cancer awareness supporters to take a 20-minute cat nap to support breast cancer.  Yes, you can support a charity by napping!  For each “cat napper” that signs up on their Facebook page, Purina Cat Chow will donate $2 up to $150,000 – on top of their 2010 donation of $200,000! All donations go directly to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Don't miss these Current Giveaways:

• Tonka Strong Arm Fire Truck
• $20 Amex Gift Card from Lysol
• Cranium Scribblish Board Game by Hasbro
• GuideCraft Toy Doll BunkBed
• The Real Tooth Fairies
• Nielsen-Massey Extracts
• Crafty Kids Cardboard Toy DollHouse
• New Luvs Diapers
• Suave Naturals Body Lotion & Body Wash

Tonka Strong Arm Fire Truck Review (+ Giveaway)

Another Hot Toy Alert!  The Tonka Strong Arm Fire Truck by Funrise has won Dr. Toy's 100 Best Children's Products and 10 Best Active Products Award for 2010. 

It was no surprise to us that the Tonka Strong Arm truck's are hot this year, our twin boys were enthralled with our Fire Truck model sent for review from the moment we freed it from it's box.

Clinere Ear Cleaners

I know, I know ... ear cleaners?  Who wants to write or read about them right?  Well, if you or a child is prone to ear infections and/or earwax build-up you'll want to endure the subject for a brief moment.

Cranium Scribblish Game by Hasbro (+ Giveaway)

With our family of seven Family Game Night may not be a weekly event, but it is an event we are trying hard to make more frequent. I find with the various age groups of the kids, it helps if we keep changing up the games. Cranium Scribblish, sent to us for review by Hasbro/Cranium through MyBlogSpark, was the latest game to make an appearance in the game night rotation.  Without a doubt it was an instant success and will be go to game in the future.

The Lysol Mission for Health Info (+ giveaway)

With back to school officially underway all of the U.S. and with the cold and flu season fast approaching, the people over at Lysol thought of the ingenious idea to start a campaign focused on the prevention of germs and spreading illness and diseases through its Mission for Health campaign.

Playskool Wheel Pals Animal Tracks Playset - Rolling Acres Farm

The Playskool Wheel Pals Animal Tracks Playsets are a terrific introduction to wheeled toys for both girls and boys.  Sized perfectly to fit the hands of the 18 month and up crowd, these sets include little pathways along with animals on wheels that can drive roll around the area.

My Baking Secret: Nielsen-Massey Extracts + giveaway

Hell's Kitchen, Top Chef, Ace of Cakes, Cake Boss ... the list goes on.  I enjoy watching a variety of food shows when cleaning the kitchen or folding laundry.  All their creations look and sound so divine.  You can almost smell them sometimes, can't you?

The reality is I currently lack the time to actually cook and bake like they do though.  As a mommy of 5 it's all about keeping it quick and simple.  With that in mind, I'm always looking for tips, hints, and modifications that make things like a boxed cake or brownie mix look and taste like more.

Winner

The winner of the Jell-o pudding giveaway is #88 Busy Working Mama!

Giddy Up 's Lip Balm Kit Review

Giddy Up's Scientific Explorer product line has earned a reputation for creating science activity kits that truly make science fun for children and the kids going it with them.  Last year, we had a chance to review one of their Mythbuster based kits and had a great time with it.  it was a particular hit with our sons.

This year Giddy Up's Scientific Explorer product line is introducing a variety of hands-on beauty kits including Heavenly Hair Kit, Bath Fizzer Kit, Shimmer Soap Kit, Blissful Body Mist, and a Lovely Lip Balm Kit.  This range of new products is clearly aimed at getting the more girly of girls excited about science as well.  My 9 year old, Cordelia, would definitely fall into that category of girly girl despite being surrounded by four brothers.

Moon Dough Barn Review

I recently was provided with a Moon Dough Barn kit for review by Team Mom and the kids are already adding more Moon Dough to their Christmas lists.  I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with Moon Dough myself.

Toeheadz: An online boutique for babies & children

Toeheadz.com is husband and wife run apparel store with the intention to provide "Hip Stuff for the Coolest Kids".

This isn't some posh boutique trying to convince you that their clothing selections and theirs alone should be a way of life for you.  Husband and Wife co-owners of Toeheadz.com, Ann & David, are real parents that get it.  Just like many of you, they don't dress their kids in boutique clothes every day either.  They shop at Target (and the likes) for every day clothing as well.  They don't dress their kids in their most adorable boutique style outfits when they send them out to play in the mud puddles or finger paint.  They are reasonable, just like you.

They want you to understand that for most people, Toeheadz.com will be a special place to buy something unique for a special occasion.  They hope you'll check them out when you decide to splurge a tad.

Halloween Candy Treats from Hershey's

What kind of candy will your kids be collecting in their treat bags this year?  According to Hershey's, the most popular Hershey’s candies given to trick-or-treaters are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (43%), Kit Kat® Wafer Bars (40%), Hershey®’s Milk Chocolate Bars (37%) and Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates (27%).

The Real Tooth Fairies (+ Giveaway)

Let's face it, some parents are better than others at the whole "suspension of disbelief" thing when it comes to helping the tooth fairy or santa for that matter.  In fact, I'll go one step further and declare some parents to be rather horrible at it.  While one child may be getting a silver dollar and glitter on the pillow, other kids may awake to find the tooth fairy forgot to come that night.  With that in mind, I think a clever mom has created a way for parents to enhance the experience, carrying it into everyday life.

Wordless Wednesday: A Bond between Twin Brothers

A sweet moment captured between my twin son's, Cormac and Declan.  It is funny how these shared instances make those silly squabbles between them regarding a toy or cookie just melt away right along with mommy.

PackIt Freeze + Go Bag (for lunches, bottles, & beyond)

As a busy mommy of 5, I am all about clever items that can make life a bit easier and the PackIt Bag recently sent to me for review is one of those items.  It looks a bit like your typical lunch sack style bag, but it's function goes beyond that.

Elmer's Fall Fix it winners

The 3 winner's of the Elmer's Fall Fix It giveaway on our blog are ...

Disneynature: Crimson Wing on Blu-ray & DVD on October 19th

New today (10/19) on DVD & Blu-ray is this heartwarming story of feathered survival.  The Crimson Wing explores the spectacular lives of a million crimson‐winged flamingos, offering a glimpse of their rare journey.

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

5 kids equals 5 pumpkins, 5 pumpkins equals lots of pumpkin seeds.  I hate to waste things, much less toss out something I can turn into a healthy and delicious treat with minimal effort.    So, after removing all the guts from our pumpkins on Sunday, it was time to sort, wash, and roast the seeds.

You'll need the following ingredients for my favorite recipe:

1/2 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash table blend
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds 

Preparing them is easy.  First you preheat your oven to 275 degrees F.  Next, combine the margarine, Mrs. Dash, Worcestershire sauce and pumpkin seeds.  Mix them up thoroughly and place them in a thin layer on a baking sheet.  Cook your seeds for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 

Safe & Fun Pumpkin Carving with Pumpkin Masters

This past weekend our family of 7 spent some time getting ready for Halloween with some pumpkin carving fun.  After gathering around a half dozen pumpkins from the patch, we put some Pumpkin Masters carving kits to the test with our 5 kids.

With our twins being just 2 1/4 years old, we were thrilled to find some kits designed to allow even toddlers in on the fun.  We found the "Kids Pumpkin Sticker Kit" & "Kids Monster Pieces Kit" to be perfect for our little men.  The Kids Pumpkin Sticker Kit included 60 stickers allowing them to mix & match for a silly and scary face.  The Kids Monster Pieces allows a safe and mess-free way to get involved.  Hubby and I allowed them to choose what went where, but we had to insert the pieces for them into the skin of the pumpkin.  A slightly older (stronger) child could have done it on their own.

The older kids used more traditional carving methods and we allowed the twins to help with the gooey fun scooping.  Bonus was the weather was nice, so we did our carving outside.  Each of the kid's picked a stencil to use from kit's such as the Pumpkin Master's Monster Pumpkins Kit, Pumpkin Carving Kit, and Vintage Pumpkin Carving Kit.  We also were able to use the “Follow You” Eyes optical illusion and It’s Alive! Pumpkin Light as extras to our creations.

I loved how handy all the tools were.  The stencils were wonderful to have as were the tools designed for tracing.  However, it is the ultra safe carving saws themselves that make these a must.

Have you carved your pumpkins yet?  Pumpkin Master Kits and accessories are available at major retailers and grocery stores nationwide, with suggested retail prices of $2.99 - $4.99.

* Much thanks to Pumpkin Masters for proving the kits for this review.

DISNEYNATURE: OCEANS on Blu-ray & DVD 10/19/10

With an age span in our 5 kids that goes from 15 - 2 years finding a movie we can all enjoy is a difficult task.  However, we've found a common interest in recent projects by Disneynature.  Our latest family movie night flick was Oceans, provided for review to us a couple weeks back but releasing for sale tomorrow.

Our twin two year olds loved watching the big schools of "fishies" swim about and learned the word "whale" within minutes.  9 year old Cordelia was all about the dolphins and the blue ray bonus video "Make a Wave" featuring Joe Jonas & Demi Lovato.  Our 11 & 15 year old sons were completely fascinated with the spider crabs.

Apples

Anyone going apple picking this weekend? I'm tempted after looking at some of the fun pictures my friends have posted recently on Facebook of their trips. Need help finding a place you can pick-your-own apples? Check out this handy guide to locate one in your area.

I've noticed a pattern after my friends return home. They all seem to be taking to Facebook looking for suggestions on what to do with all those round yummy creations.

With that in mind, I thought I'd share these recipes from Kraft Foods:

“Just Like Mom’s” Apple Crisp
Apple Streusel Coffee Cake
Moist Caramel Apple Cake
Apple Pecan Cheesecake
Caramel Apple Sundae Pie
Apple Walnut Bread Pudding
Upside-Down Apple Tart
Cinnamon Apple Snack Cake
Caramel-Dipped Apples
Apple Crumble

* Speaking of Kraft, I recently became a member of the Kraft Foods Delicious Byte blogger community. Too fun! They even sent me a little gift basket with some yummy Kraft products as a welcome gift. Thank you!

** A big thank you to Sarah from SugarDipes.com for letting me borrow her photo for use in this post. BTW, if you have clothdiaper questions, Sarah is your girl.

Guidecraft Wooden Doll Bunkbed (+ Giveaway)

As holiday shopping begins to come into focus for many readers, I wanted to tell you about a company called Guidecraft.  It seems they have been in the Educational toys and furniture business since 1964.  For over 40 years, Guidecraft has been provided parents with plenty of play options for their children.

OKA b. Footwear To Donate Thousands Of Shoes to Breast Cancer Patients

An excuse to get shoe shopping!

From October 1-October 31, 2010 for every pair of OKA b. sandals purchased online, one pair of the company’s most popular slides – The Madison Sandal- will be donated to a breast cancer patient currently undergoing treatment at cancer centers across the United States.  The goal? 50,000 pairs of shoes in one month.

Having recently been sent a pair of OKA b. sandals myself to try, I can say that these are crazy comfortable!  You can't go wrong with a pair or two for you and in the process securing a pair or two for another woman who could clearly use a shoe surprise.

Nature's Path Photo Sweepstakes

Do you dream of white sand beaches, luxurious spas or rolling green hills during their 3pm snack time? If so, Nature's Path thinks they can make your daydreams come true with their 3PMmmm Photo Sweepstakes on their Facebook page.  They define the 3PMmmm moment you as that delicious time of the day when you take your snack break.  It could be hiking, sitting in traffic, post-yoga, walking the dog and picking up kids from school.

New Christmas Holiday DVD Releases for Kids

It's that time of year when all the latest and greatest Children's Christmas Holiday movies begin arriving on store shelves everywhere. This year brings some fun new releases for the little ones you'll want to have on hand including a Christmas themed release from Olivia, Madeline, The Backyardigans, and Dora the Explorer.

Same Materials, New Look for Luvs Diapers (+ Giveaway)

It may appear that Luvs has been "monkeying" around with their trusted diapers, but don't fret it is only a different look!

Crafty Kids Mini Model Cardboard Houses (+ giveaway)

A while back, we had the opportunity to review one of the Crafty Kids (Formerly KidsCraft) cardboard playhouses.  We chose to review the Shuttle Imagination Model and we had a great time with it, in fact we still are.  With this in mind, we were more than willing to review one of their cute mini models.

Wordless Wednesday: Pondering

One of the twins, Cormac, takes a long pause by the window.  Don't you wish you knew what they were thinking sometimes?

Facebook Halloween Costume (No Sew! Perfect for Tweens, Teens, & Beyond)

Pin It

My almost 12 year old loves to challenge my creativity with his Halloween costume ideas and this year's costume is no exception to that rule.  He's decided to go as Facebook.  I gave it some thought for a day or two and came up with this very simple no sew way to make the costume.

Key elements are a facebook blue colored hat & facebook blue hued shirt paired with a white sleeveless shirt.  I bought the following items new with the intent to reuse them afterwards, but you may find something in your/their closets that will suffice:

Old Navy Performance Fleece Hat in "Blue Eye" priced at $7.50.
Target Boys' C9 by Champion® Blue Long-Sleeve Compression Shirt priced at $9.99.
Target C9 by Champion® Power Workout Tee in white priced at $7.99.
Other supplies needed are:  Clear packing Tape, scissors, & a printer with paper

I began by printing out an enlarged version of the facebook logo and carefully cutting it out.  I then taped it to the fleece old navy hat with a single strip of the clear masking tape.

Next, I printed out my son's current "wall" on facebook with a newly typed status saying he was off to a Halloween party.  I taped page 1 of 2 to the front of his white shirt.  Covering the whole sheet from weather and spills with strips of the clear tape.  I then taped the other on the back, fully covering it for protection as well.  (Another idea would be to use iron-ons of the facebook pages, but I liked the concept of being able to use the shirt over again without the design.)

Pants can be anything, my son plans on wearing grey track pants with a blue stripe from his closet.

Older twins, couples?  Make a twitter costume too!  Follow the same basic concept & instructions adjusting the coloring to twitter blue.  Old Navy even has a women's white performance fleece hat that would make a great base for the blue twitter font logo.

Winner!

The winner of the Disney's Secretariat Prize Pack giveaway is #50 CherylS22.

Milk & Cookies Halloween Costumes (No Sew! Perfect alone or together)

Pin ItIt's a tradition of mine to make the kid's Halloween costumes whenever time allows.  This year's project for the twins offers another no sew homemade costume idea that works wonderfully well as a pair, Milk and Cookies.  The boy's are 2 years old and are big fans of both the costume idea and the yummy combo.  They even specified that it needed to be chocolate milk and their favorite Oreo cookies. I found the base of both costumes at my local Ikea store.  The bases are actually chair pads.  The Oreo cookie costume uses 2 black round Ikea Cilla chairs pads priced at $4.99 each.  The Chocolate Milk costume uses 2 square Ikea Justina chair pads in natural, also priced at $4.99 each.

The Oreo Cookie Costume: The Oreo Cookie Costume comes together in under 5 minutes.  You'll need the 2 black round chair pads, about 2 feet or less of black ribbon, a couple safety pins, and a silver paint marker.  You'll also want to raid your closet for a white apparel to wear under it.  The white clothing, in particular the shirt, acts as the cookie filling. I chose to use the underside of the chair pad as my good side because it has a bumpy anti-skid type surface that looked more cookie like.  I then used the silver marker to draw an oval in the center of each side and completed it by writing OREO in the center of that in caps just like on the cookie.  This left simply adding straps on the chair pad to make it wearable.  I did this by safety pinning the ribbon to the back of each.  (Optional:  You might want to add a strip of duct tape or something to cover the pins once secure.)  Since I already owned the markers, ribbon, and white shirt ... My total price was around $10.  Bonus!  The design is on the bottom which means these chair pads can even be used as intended when Halloween is over.

The Horizon Chocolate Milk Costume: The Chocolate Milk Costume took me quite a bit longer, perhaps 30 minutes but that is because I decided to really go for it on the illustration.  I selected a Horizon Chocolate Milk container featuring a cute cow on it as my muse.  One can make the design much simpler by choosing to just go with basic wording and / or pictures.  For this costume, you'll need the 2 natural chair pads, about 2 feet or less of any color ribbon, a couple safety pins, and some paint markers to draw on your design.  Follow the instructions above in the cookie costume for adding straps. We will complete this look with brown apparel to enhance the chocolate theme.  The best part, my price came in at around $10 for this costume as well. Stay Tuned for a photo of the twins in their costumes on Halloween!

Coming Soon! AndTwinsMake5 2010 Holiday Gift Guide

We are super excited to announce that our AndTwinsMake5.com 2010 Holiday Gift Giving Guide is really taking shape.  Like last year's highly popular guide, we have some terrific finds for nearly everyone on your list, so stay tuned for the posting of this gift finding aid right in time for the Thanksgiving kick off to shopping season.  Once again, the guide will include our holiday gift recommendations, promotional coupon codes, and a giveaway chance or two.

Don't miss it!  Follow us via Facebook & Twitter in addition to subscribing to our blog feed.

Yes, yes, I realize it is only October!  I'll now get back to posting on the season at hand.  In fact, I see a spider forming a web on an autumnal shaded leaf outside that is scowling at me fiercly.


P.S.  Companies wishing to submit items for consideration in our 2010 Holiday Gift Guide can review our blog bio and find our contact information here.  Additionally, a copy of the AndTwinsMake5 2009 Holiday Gift Guide can be found at this link.  Submissions for this year's guide are limited and will be closing soon.  Please read our review submission page and disclosure statement for further details or simply email us at andtwinsmake5@gmail.com.

My Two Year Old Sous Chefs

The nightly chant around our home at the dinner hour is "I help, I help too!"  Unfortunately, these words are not being uttered by my 15, 11, or 9 year old.  My big kids would help if asked, but most of the time they aren't even home from their after school activities when we are working on the nightly meal.  Instead, these pleas are coming from our two year old twin boys again.

Before I can even suggest they color pictures or watch Handy Manny, eager helpers 1 and 2 report to duty.  "I cook, I cook too!" is alarmingly followed by the words "I cut, I cut too!"  Clearly they think I'm off my game if they think I going to start handing over the knives.  Or perhaps that is exactly what I should do?

Instead of fighting the losing mommy battle of trying to otherwise occupy the boys, I donned an executive chef hat last night and put the boys to work on the line.   "Here's your (butter) knives.  Finish cutting up these limes and squeeze them for juice" I said.

Ever cut a lime with a butter knife before?  It takes a long time, approximately forever.  Juicing can last hours too with a bit of encouragement that you see a bit more in there. 

Dinosaur Train "Interaction Figures" by Learning Curve

"You be Buddy, I'll be Tiny".  Yes, the twins know the names of the Dinosaur Train characters, but they didn't fully pick it up watching the popular Dinosaur Train television series by Jim Henson.  They seemed to master who is Buddy and who is Tiny after the dinosaur's themselves told them who they were a few times.