So I am sitting here waiting for a couple students to show up for their tutoring session… wasting time on the internet as usual!  I came across some really funny products you can actually buy!

1.  Mom Spit in a bottle!  This is a no wipe cleaning spray to take with you on the go to clean off those leftover chocolate smears (and anything else) on  your little ones face or hands!  The best part is that it comes in Fig and Green Tea scents… a much better smell than your actual spit clean!  Who wouldn’t want that!  Haha!  This would make a fun baby shower gift for a good friend!  Buy it here.

2.  So I heard once that some people actually save all their kids baby teeth!  Not kidding!  I though for sure I was being teased when someone first tried to convince me of this… but no, it is actually true!  Tonight I came across these baby tooth cases to prove it!  Enough slots to keep each tooth!  Hahahahaha… sorry for laughing for all those people who actually do save baby teeth.  Eeeewwww!  Haha!  Check them out here.

3.  Wiener dog lamps!  So funny!  If you have one of these dogs, you have got to get this lamp!  You can find them in a bunch of different colors and it would make the perfect soft glow night light for your child!  Find them here.

This one might actually only be funny to me… or anyone else who has or loves Dachshunds (also knows as wiener dogs!).  I actually have a miniature Dachsund that I bought as a puppy without realizing I was buying a wiener dog!  You can imagine how bad my husband made fun of me when he realized I didn’t know!

She was just so tiny and so cute staring at me with those big eyes of hers and I just couldn’t leave her.  I actually only went in to the store to buy turtle food for a pet turtle my  little brother gave to my boys and walked out with this adorable 3lb dog that could sit in my hand.  Oh she was really so cute and didn’t look like a wiener dog at all… they just aren’t that long when they are puppies.  Anyway, I love her to pieces despite the fact that my father-in-law calls her rat dog and warns me that the eagles might eat her.

Anyway, for those who don’t have a dachshund or know of anyone who does, you should know that there is a huge dachshund community.  They have Dachshund fairs where everyone brings their wiener dog and dresses it up for the costume contest and they have wiener dog races and games.  It is seriously so fun!  I have never seen such an obsession from other dog breeds, but Dachshund owners… they love their wiener dogs!

Seriously, try to find this lamp in any other dog breed!  Only wiener dog owners are obsessed enough with their dog to buy this!  I love it!!!! Seriously, my boys would love this too and it if wasn’t $79 I would totally buy it for them!!!  I’ll just admit now… I loved the wiener dog fair!!!!

 

What is it?

The Austin Food and Wine Festival is a three day celebration of cuisine, wine, spirits and music in Austin, Texas. This in the second annual festival and will be held April 26-28, 2013 at the Auditorium Shores. It is presented by FOOD & WINE Magazine and is a collaboration of Texas’ most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs.

What can I expect?

Grand Tasting Tents have been erected where you can try cuisine from restaurants and purveyors. Chef’s that are located at interactive stations throughout the venue, will teach cooking tips and you can even taste the results. Cleanse your palette at the many wine seminars, where you will mingle and learn from Sommeliers.

Many improvements from the first year address the Austin Food and Wine Festival Reviews. The Grand Tasting Tents have been expanded to allow for more restaurants and purveyors. The Auditorium Shores, has been restored to a lush, green venue with the help of the Austin City Council. This will make the wine and cuisine taste that much better. Austin Food and Wine Festival Reviews stated logistical concerns. So events have been staggered and more seating created for attendees during the demos, wine tastings, and grand tastings.

Are there any special events?

The Austin Food and Wine Festival kick-off party, The Taste of Texas, will be held in Republic Square Park. The focus here is on Texas. You will find the most talented Texas chefs share their cuisine with the sounds and dance of Delta Spirit and Whiskey Shivers.

For some competition, The Rock Your Taco will showcase prior years’ winner Chef Tyson Cole. He will defend his title against Marcus Samuelsson, Susan Feniger, Tim Love, and more. You will even be able eat the tacos and see for yourself who is the winner, all to the sounds of Allen Stone.

What are the prices?

The Savor Pass – $850. This is the see and be seen pass with nothing spared. You get all the ultimate access with true VIP treatment. The special events, Taste of Texas Kickoff Event and Rock Your Taco Celebrity Chef Showdown, is included as well as access to the VIP Lounge. 2-Year FOOD & WINE Magazine Subscription in included.

The Taste Pass – $250. You will get general access to all the events. You don’t have VIP access or a dedicated lounge, but you do get a 1-Year FOOD & WINE Magazine Subscription. The Taste of Texas event and Rock Your Taco Celebrity Chef Showdown can be added at a charge.

Should I go?

This truly is a world class event held in one of the County’s best Southern locations. Whatever your situation, if you like great cuisine and enjoy drinking wine, the Austin Food and Wine Festival is the place for you to be in April.  Head over to the Austin Food & Wine Festival Reviews page on Yelp for more details.

I am an avid reader!  I love love love to read.  In fact, I don’t consider any vacation a very good one unless I have been able to devour 4 to 5 books within the week.  So, basically you could say that I read a lot!  I always have a book I am reading and always have a list of books on my “to read” list, and I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GOOD BOOKS TO READ.

I figured if I come across a book I have really enjoyed I should share it with you and I hope you do the same!

I have had my eye on this book since I first saw it as a #1 New York Times Best Seller.  During a typical raid of my friend’s book shelf, I discovered that she had it!  I took it home and had it  and its sequel read within 4 days.  I loved it!  The third book is due out this November, but is already available for pre-order.

Matched, by Ally Condie is centered around a 17 year old girl living in a the future run by the “Society.”  The Society is basically the government that has complete control of every life decision, from what is eaten each day, your career, your spouse, where you live, even how you spend your free time.

The book starts out with Cassia, our 17 year old heroine, getting ready to find out who the Society has picked to be her Match for the rest of her life.  As Cassia goes about trying to be the perfect citizen, she finds out that her heart may disagree with some of the Societies choices for her and has to make a decision about what she should do about it.

This book has a very Handmaid’s Tale feel to it (another one of my very favorite books).  Basically a government taking to much power and the people learning to live with it or fight against it.

It is incredibly interesting and will have you reaching for the sequal.  I am only to sad to have to wait until November for the 3rd book.

Alright, listen up…  Everyone with kids should own Magna-Tiles!  They are great!

I like to rotate my toys every few months so that when my kids start getting bored with some I rotate in another batch they haven’t seen in a while and they get all excited to be reunited.  Magna-tiles are the only ones I don’t rotate out… and that is because they are the only toys the kids play with every single day.  They never miss a day playing with them.  They never get bored with them and they are finding new ways to play with them as they get older.

Magna-tiles are basically flat magnetized building blocks.  They come in a 100 piece set or a 32 piece set.  You can get them in solid colors or a colored translucent set.  There are five different geometrically sized shapes in the set and it is suggested for ages 3 and up.

I first got magna-tiles for my little guy’s 4th birthday almost 3 years ago.  He loved them and built the most interesting things!  His 18 month old brother also loved them.  Neighbors, friends, cousins, boys or girls come over and they always want to play with them.  Even my 10 year old nephew will play with them when he comes over.

I babysit 2 little boys full time and have 3 boys of my own.  The magna-tiles are incredibly durable! The boys often throw them around and once even went through a phase where they built towers and then jumped off the couch to land on them!  They have withstood and are still in great shape 3 years later.

Here are few of the creative things my kids have done with the Magna-tiles:

The boys like to make castles, towers, temples,  you name it! They like to build them up and wreck them.  They love to build super hero forts and keep their action figures in them.  My two year old builds garages to store his favorite cars.

Here is my list of pros:
Creativity, Creativity, Creativity!!!
Loved by all ages
Durable
Gives familiarity with shapes
Increases fine motor skills
Develops cognitive thinking by teaching spacial relationships, math, logic, and problem solving

And now for the Cons:
A bit expensive ($120ish for a pack of 100 or $50ish for a set of 32)
Wrecked magnet towers are often scattered across the floor!

I started by buying the 32 piece set of magna-tiles and as soon as they arrived I realized they just wouldn’t do and ordered the 100 piece set months later.  Save yourself the time and just start with the 100 piece set.  It is pricey, but I am telling you, you wont be sorry.  The cheapest place I have found to buy them is here (plus they have free shipping).  They will be back in stock this spring so keep a look out.

This is it, check out the video below.  You DON’T want to miss this!

Okay, I can’t believe this.  Are we living in the future?!?!?!  If I didn’t already have three and I had close to a thousand dollars to spend on a stroller, I would buy this, like NOW.  This is an awesome single stroller.  Check out this video!

In case you want the basic info:

4 Moms Origami Stroller
It retails around $850

Info at the bottom of the video:
Strollers are all the same and haven’t changed for decades. That’s why 4moms developed the Origami power-folding stroller. At the touch of a button, it folds itself. It’s also a cell phone-charging, mileage-counting, LCD-sporting stroller, with generators in the rear wheels that charge it as you walk. Plus, the Origami has daytime running lights, pathway lights for low-light conditions, and sensors that detect when a child’s in the seat (so it’ll never fold by accident).
From power folding to cell phone charging, the Origami is what strollers should be.