A Giveaway For The Little Ones

We don’t do a lot of toy-buying in our house. I won’t bore you with the reasons why, but suffice it to say that new toys are big-deal, must-be-a-birthday-or-Christmas special events. We don’t get new toys because it’s Tuesday and we happen to be at Target and LOOK! STAR WARS ACTION FIGURES!

So while I’m probably not a toy expert, I do put a lot of thought into which toys actually make it into our playroom. This little computer, for instance, is probably the best $20 I ever spent on a toy. EVER. And even better? Our boy learned a whole bunch from playing with that little VTech laptop. As a result, we’re VTech fans.

And that is why I’m tickled to be able to give away a pretty FAYNCEE (by my standards, at least) kids’ toy: VTech’s KidiArt Studio. KidiArt Studio hooks up to your computer (PC only) or your television, and your kids can create works of art that show up on the “big screen.” You can even save their masterpieces to your computer and email those sweet creations to grandparents. The KidiArt Studio comes complete with a little low-res digital camera and – here’s the great part for moms of little boys who might not love refining those small motor skills – a digital “pencil” that enables kids to write and draw all the live-long day.

One word to the wise: KidiArt Studio requires 8 (EIGHT!) AA batteries, and they’re not included. I think a power cord would be an excellent addition to this toy, but nobody asked me, so I’ll just smile and continue to be delighted that one of your cute kids is going to get a free toy, amen.

If you’d like to win VTech’s KidiArt Studio, just leave a comment and tell me so. Because of shipping costs (it’s a big toy in a big box), this giveaway is restricted to folks who have a mailing address in the continental United States.

I’m so sorry, Canada. Please know that I still love you deeply.

Comments will remain open until Wednesday, November 26th, at which point I’ll pick a winner with random.org.

Thanks for playing, everybody!

This giveaway is now closed.

Linky Interwebby Awesomeness 11.21.08

The Mother Letter Project – y’all, this is such a sweet idea. You have to check this out – it’s one of the most wonderful things a husband could ever do for his wife. Absolutely precious. (via Shannon)

– Jack Bauer is back. For one night only.

(At least until January.)

– As part of my quest to use as much cream cheese as possible between now and the end of the year, last night I made these appetizers for Bible study. They are so pretty and so delicious.

I do, however, make a few changes to the recipe: 1) I trim the crust off the bread slices and then cut the slices in half – you get more mileage out of your bread that way. 2) I don’t use horseradish; I use a cup of mayonnaise instead. 3) I put a little piece of crisp bacon on top of each mini-sandwich. 4) I use dried dill instead of fresh dill because I think it’s pretty to sprinkle it all over a serving plate.

And these are so great as “big” sandwiches, too – the cold tomato and the soft egg and the crispy bacon are deeeee-lightful together.

The end.

Toby Flenderson Of HR Has Made A Sudden Reappearance

Typically the episodes that center on Michael’s irrational dislike of Toby make me uncomfortable because, well, I DON’T CARE FOR RELATIONAL TENSION, but tonight’s episode wasn’t quite as hard to watch in the end since Michael couldn’t go through with the sabotage. Plus, it made me so happy to see Jim and Pam sitting in the conference room again. Why, you wonder? Well, because I have no life at all, thanks for asking!

And, as always, I enjoyed watching Dwight rock his mustard shirt.

A few favorites:

1) “So why’d you come in here?”
“To socialize. And inform.”

2) Michael’s reaction to Toby’s return? PRICELESS.

3) “Now people always return my calls because they think something horrible has happened.”

4) “…and a painting of some creepy clowns that is apparently important to the structural integrity of the building.”

5) “Get off your high horse, Richie.”

6) “Well, Mr. Kurt Russell, you’re about to be served.”

7) “I tried to be friends with him. But that is like trying to be friends with an evil snail. I feel like I die inside. I feel like Neve Campbell in Scream 2.”

8) “I love catching people in the act. That’s why I always whip open doors.”

9) “That seems awfully mean. But sometimes the ends justify the mean.”

10) Creed: “Just pretend like we’re talkin’ until the cops leave.”

11) “It’s Caprese salad.”

12) “You said you were leaving and you made liar out of all of us…and then you came back which makes you the biggest liar in the history.”

And Jim bought Pam a house.

Love them.

So much.

What did y’all think?

Linky Interwebby Awesomeness 11.20.08

– Heather’s eye make-up always looks fab. My eye make-up, on the other hand, always looks like I took one color and haphazardly rubbed it all over my eyelids, primarily because that is exactly what I do. Anyway, in the ten months I’ve known sweet Heather I’ve often found myself wondering how she gets such great results from her eye shadow…and now I know. I think my life is forever changed. I could not be more delighted.

– Lesson #1 when you’re a CEO asking for billions of bailout dollars: consider taking a commercial flight.

– This won’t be a huge surprise, but this CD right here is a musical highlight of 2008 for me. For real(s).

Apparently Dairy Is A Priority Of Mine

Today has gotten away from me, what with working this morning and then going to the little guy’s parent-teacher conference and then eating lunch and and then napping and then decorating a picture of a turkey with Skittles (don’t ask) and then perusing the Thanksgiving week grocery circulars and then calling my husband into the kitchen to announce the various stores’ prices on Land O’ Lakes butter because, you know, HE CARES.

(But Land O’ Lakes is TWO DOLLARS A POUND at Walmart this week.)

(And, as I’ve mentioned before, my mama has told me all my life that there is no substitute for Land O’ Lakes butter.)

(Which means that the low price makes me want to buy, oh, about fifty pounds of it.)

I have also done some in-depth analysis of cream cheese prices, and so far Walmart is the winner at $1.18 a block. Remember when it was 98 cents last year? Sweet, sweet memories.

And speaking of cream cheese, several people have emailed me to ask for the Captain Rodney’s Dip recipe, so I’m happy to direct you to the very best use of cream cheese that you ever did see. Or eat, as it were.

In conclusion comma I feel that I should tell you that Campbell’s cream of whatever soups are sixty cents a can at Walmart.

Somebody might need to perform a grocery circular intervention.

But it had better be quick – before I head to the store to load up on those sweet potatoes that are only twenty eight cents a pound.

See y’all tomorrow.

Linky Interwebby Awesomeness 11.19.08

– The Nester has written a great post on how to create wonderful Christmas garland. She starts with one of those little skinny strands of garland you find in a discount store, but her finished product looks like something straight out of a magazine. Gorgeous.

– And since we’re already on the subject of Christmas, here’s a little something to think about before you run out and buy loads of gift cards for your friends and family.

– Finally, here’s a very easy – and meaningful – way to encourage families of deployed soldiers over the holidays.