Hairballs in the shower (I'm going bald!)

*Warning--some people may find this post gross, others may find it funny, most people will completely relate!*

Admit it, we all have (or have had) them, and at one point in time we've looked at them and swore we were going bald!  We're talking about hairballs in the shower.  You can't be a woman, long haired man, or parent of a girl (or long haired boy) without having hair clumps somewhere in in the vicinity of where you wash your hair.

Some people lose their hair without much notice.  They go to clean their shower and find strands clogging up holes in the drain.  No biggie, you simply pick up the glob and throw it away.  If you are one of those people, you might not relate to this post.  You, are lucky.

(photo by SCA Svenska CellulosaAktiebolaget)

If you are anything like me, your hair falls out in your hands as you wash it.  You'll go to pick up the conditioner or body wash and your fingers are webbed in lovely locks.  At that point in time, you roll your hands together until the hair has formed a nice little ball.  You put that ball on the shower shelf until you are finished sudsing and rinsing.

Then, if you're anything like me, you'll forget that little hairball is on the shower shelf.  You'll dry off and carry on with your usual routine.  The next day, you'll take a shower, notice the little bundle, and swear to yourself that you will not forget to take out yesterday's and today's hairball.  The cycle repeats itself until (a) a guest comes over and you are forced to clean your shower, or (b) your significant other yells at you for the gross wads on the shelf.  Either way, you look at all those little knots of hair and think to yourself, "I'm going bald!". (Hopefully some of that hair belongs to your girls who have now started to use the shower too!)

This lovely gift of nature is worse a few months after you've had a baby.  Your once luscious mane falls out in clumps as big as the baby you are now holding.  Your significant other looks at you and says, "you need to go to the doctor, that is not a normal amount of hair loss!"  (Seriously, both Lindsi and my husband told us that!)  You begin to think to yourself, he might just be right. 

Alas, you realize that you are not going bald as miraculously, after months of shedding, you still have hair on your head.  It may be different than pre-baby, but it is still hair none-the-less.  Those agglomerations slow down and life returns to those little hairballs sitting on the shower shelf, driving your significant other crazy, and waiting to be thrown in the garbage.

Are you "going bald"?

Coloring inside the cracks

So we have had this odd family tradition that dates back to when I was a little girl...some 15 oops I mean 17, 20+ years ago. One thing my grandma was known for was making something out of nothing much. She always had a HUGE bucket of chalk waiting for the grand kids to use up whenever we came over. She had this cement driveway that was broken and cracked in numerous places. One day we all sat on the driveway and started to fill in the cracked pieces of driveway with shapes. After just a little bit of time we came to find that what we were doing turned out to be kinda neat. Here is a fun activity for you to try out (oh yeah, include the kids too).

Here is what you will need:

A bucket of sidewalk chalk

Cement walkway, driveway or step

A little bit of time

 What's fun about this is that each person does their own design and it turns out really neat when you do a large area. Try it out with your family and share some photos with us too! Have fun!

and just for fun....this is me, my mom, and my grandma coloring INSIDE the cracks when I was about 16

Do you and your family have any fun traditions that you have passed on to your kids?

Gimme Smore's cookies

Who doesn't love a good old fashioned S'more? I know we do! In fact, they are a favorite at our house. And chocolate chip cookies? You'd have to be crazy not to love those. So why not mix the two together in an awesome, ooey, gooey S'more cookie?

Here's what you need
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (personally I like them with a few pieces in small chunks)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash of cinnamon (in case you don't know what a dash is Websters Dictionary defines it as 1/8 of a teaspoon)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened NOT melted
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups miniature chocolate chips (please note, you must use chocolate chips NOT chopped up chocolate bars)
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
2 chocolate bars, chopped

Mix all but the mini mallows and the chocolate bar chunks in a bowl and drop a tablespoon amount on a cookie tray. Bake for approximately 8  minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove pan from the oven and place 3-4 mini mallows and a few chunks of your chocolate bar on top and return to the oven for an additional 3-4 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and then place on a wire rack (or if you wanna go old school, place on a torn up paper grocery bag like we used to do when I was a kid).

Now because I am human, a mom, and was easily distracted I will share with you this funny little story. When you are fully focused on your child mixing the cookies together....please make sure you have ALL the ingredients in the bowl....sadly, and humorously, I forgot to give my guy the flour and this is how our first batch of cookies turned out. Not too tasty might I add.

Round 2 turned out much better!!! ENJOY!

So in light of my blunder.....tell us about your funny baking blunders.

Mom Of The Week 2

To learn more about Mom Of The Week click the M.O.T.W link above.

We didn't have any responses to last weeks' introduction post (it was only our first week and most people don't know us very well yet) so we'll go ahead and share another one of our Mom Of The Week stories...

This story is actually a "I just about died" moment from one of our moms!

I was about 4 years old and one day I asked my Grandpa why he had so many cracks (wrinkles) in his face. My Grandpa told me it was because he was old. Old people get wrinkles. A few days later I was at the grocery store with my mom.  I saw an older woman in front of us in the check-out line.  I looked at my mom and said, "Mom look at that lady.  She must be REALLY old because she has LOTS of cracks in her face!"  My mom just about died!

Can you guess which one of us said that?

Do you have  Mom Of The Week story?  Share it in the comments below for a chance to be featured on our blog!

Cloud Watching-- An Easy, Free Activity!

 "It's a turtle!"
"No it's not, it's a elephant!"
"You're both right, it looked like a turtle before it turned into an elephant."

Do you need a super fun activity to do when you are tired but your kids are bored?  Try cloud watching!  It keeps the kids occupied, gets the imagination going, is free, and best of all, doesn't require a lot of activity from the adult supervising!  It's a win/win situation!

You'll need a partly cloudy day (preferably when the clouds are moving a little).  If your kids don't mind getting dirty and up close with the bugs in the grass, you can simply lay down and start watching.  If your kids are like my girls and squeal at the site of a bug, you may want to put a blanket on the grass before laying down.  Now simply relax, look up at the sky, and let your imaginations run wild!  What shapes, animals, or objects can you find in the clouds?  How many clouds can you count?  What other stuff do you see in the sky (i.e. planes, birds...)?

Use cloud watching to not only relax with your kids, but also as a time to interact with them.  Along with questions about the clouds, throw in some questions about their day, how they are feeling, or even what they want for their birthday.  You'll be amazed at what things they may open up to during this quiet time!

Have you ever relaxed under the clouds with your kids? 

Fire Safety

 I am sure that most of you remember way back from grade school how to "stop, drop, and roll." But have you taken the time to teach your children about fire safety and what to do if there is a fire? I mean, REALLY teach them (not just tell them "hey if there is a fire you want to get out"). My family and I recently moved into a home where our children are all on the top level of our home and we are a floor below them. I must say fire safety was one of the first things we focused on (in fact, the fire marshal was at our door the day we moved in to help us come up with a safety plan). Our local fire department was MORE THAN happy to help us out and I know they would be happy to help you and your family come up with some guidelines as well. For now, our fire department has shared the following very useful tips.

 FIRE SAFETY PLANS AND TIPS

          1. Have an escape plan – know 2 ways out of every room 

             (this could be a window, door, hallway, etc)

          2. Check your smoke alarms every month – change batteries every 6 months 

          3. Own and know how to use an extinguisher (if you do not know how to use it 

              call your fire department, they are happy to help)

          4.Stay low and go

            Smoke is the real killer in a fire. About eight of every ten fire deaths are due to 

            breathing poisonous smoke and gases. Some victims never even see the                 flames.

          5.Get out and stay out

          6.Never second guess your decisions

          7.Have a family meeting place

          8.Know how to call 911 – especially if you don’t have a land line

             Most families don't have land lines anymore and have a cell phone instead, 

             make sure you educate your kids on HOW to make a 911 call from your 

             cell phone

          9.Feel the door for heat before you open it

          10.Never leave cooking unattended

          11. Never corner yourself in a fire

          12. Practice, practice, practice (your escape plan)

Other tips

Teach your children to hang a pillow case or sheet from their bedroom window if they cannot get out, this alerts the fire department that there is someone trapped in that room.

Most extinguishers operate using the PASS method:

Pull the safety pin from the top of the extinguisher. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire. Squeeze the handle. Sweep from side to side until all of the flames are extinguished

A HUGE thank you to our local fire department for their assistance in this post. We are grateful and truly hope none of our readers ever have to use these tips! Do you have a fire safety plan? What things are you planning on discussing with your kids regarding fire safety?

Sponsor Spotlight and Giveaway--Urban Halo

Toys In The Dryer is just over 2 weeks old and that means it's time to party!  
Instead of gifts for us though, we're giving the gifts to you!

Tuesday-Friday we will be doing sponsor spotlights with giveaways in something we call:

*The giveaway portion of this post is now closed. Please see below for the winner.*

Our final sponsor spotlight is Urban Halo.  Both Lindsi and I are in love with these headbands!  In fact, we love them so much we each bought one to wear to the Minnesota Blogger Conference! 

(Don't you love our new head shot provided to us by Glimpses Of Soul!?)

When Urban Halo's website says they are a "unique and fashionable line that is breaking all the rules of typical headbands…they are comfortable, designed to stay in place, keep us free from headaches...", they are telling the truth!  These are definitely the most comfortable headbands I have ever worn, and they really do stay in place on my small, fine-haired head.

Urban Halo headbands are made from a thin, soft, stretchy Lycra-blend fabric which is custom printed just for Urban Halo.  You won't find these prints anywhere else nor will you easily find this fabric!  The halos have raw edges which allow you to wear your headband as thick or as thin as you want on your head.  They can be worn for any occasion including going to the gym or out for a fancy night on the town!  Urban Halo headbands are definitely versatile! 

Urban Halo even offers spirit halos for those who want to cheer on their favorite sport or brag about running a marathon.  Don't worry, if you can't find the sport you are looking for on the website, they make custom Halos.  Just ask!  Live in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota?  Urban Halo has spirit halos from many suburban schools so you can cheer on your favorite high school in style!  I bet Urban Halo would make a custom halo for your non-Minnesota-metro school if you asked...

Just in this week--Iron Halos for men!  "Designed with the athlete and biker in mind...ditch those bandanas for an Iron Halo!  Made with lightweight, performance mesh designed to keep you cool and absorb moisture."

One lucky Toys In The Dryer reader will win a headband from Urban Halo!

To enter: simply leave us a comment telling us what your favorite halo is.
Remember, if you don't leave contact info, we can't tell you that you've won!

For an additional entries: (make sure to leave separate comments)
1) Follow @ToysInTheDryer and @MyUrbanHalo on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (make sure you mention @toysinthedryer and @myurban halo and leave a link to this post in the tweet!) Tweet
2) Answer any question the the Toys In The Dryer Community (please tell us which question you answered).

This giveaway will run from September 23rd, 2011 at 12:01a.m. until September 30th, 2011 at 11:59 p.m.  One lucky winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced in this post October 1st, 2011.  Winner will be notified via email.

This giveaway ended September 29th at 11:59pm (cst). The winner is:

 Congratulations to Mercedes! We will send your contact information to our sponsor!

We received no compensation for this post. Urban Halo is providing us a product for this giveaway in exchange for advertising.  Any product that we own from Urban Halo has been purchased by us prior to this giveaway.  Please note that we are not responsible for the delivery of the product after we give the winner's information to Urban Halo and can not be held accountable if, for any reason, the product it not received.

Sponsor Spotlight and Giveaway- Fifi's Closet

Toys In The Dryer is just over 2 weeks old and that means it's time to party!  
Instead of gifts for us though, we're giving the gifts to you!

Tuesday-Friday we will be doing sponsor spotlights with giveaways in something we call:

*The giveaway portion of this post is now closed. Please see below for the winner.*

Our next sponsor spotlight comes from Erica of Fifi's Closet. Her sassy, chic, and fun shop is just that! She offers a variety of products for babies, expectant mothers, organized guru's and girlie girls.

The item that got me hooked on her shop was the closet organizers/dividers. I am a nut about organization (as you will soon learn) and these dividers were perfect for my obsession and my kiddos. She even custom made them to say what I wanted them to say and to match each of my four kids rooms (transportation, sailing, monkey, and ballet themed)!  The dividers are printed with a laser on the rings and allow for easy distinction among the clothing in your kiddo's closet.

I only wish I would have found her shop during my first, eh hem second, I mean third pregnancy so I could add these adorable stickers to my growing belly. And once your baby arrives why not get these too cute for words stickers for your little bundles growth photos? These stickers can be added to any onesie or tee and used for monthly photos. They are printed on transparent sticker paper so for best color they should be used on a white onesie or tee. They make a great shower gift too!

There are many other great finds at Fifi's Closet so we hope you stop by and check them out. I know I am very pleased with my purchase!

One lucky reader will win any set of closet dividers from this cute shop OR they can choose to have a custom listing for a personalized set of dividers. 

As an added bonus Erica is offering our readers a discount of 10% off any purchase in her store by entering the coupon code TOYSINTHEDRYER during check-out.

To enter: simply leave us a comment telling us what your favorite item is from her store.
Remember, if you don't leave contact info, we can't tell you that you've won!

For an additional entries: (make sure to leave separate comments)
1) Follow @toysinthedryer on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (make sure you mention @toysinthedryer and leave a link to this post in the tweet!). Tweet
2) Answer any question the the Toys In The Dryer Community (please tell us which question you answered).

This giveaway will run from September 22th, 2011 at 12:01a.m. until September 29nd, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. One lucky winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced in this post September 30th, 2011.  Winner will be notified via email.

This giveaway ended September 29th at 11:59pm (cst). The winner is:

Congratulations to maggietucker10! We will send your contact information to our sponsor!

We received no compensation for this post.  Fifi's Closet is providing us a product for this giveaway in exchange for advertising.  Any product that we own from Fifi's Closet has been purchased by us prior to this giveaway.  Please note that we are not responsible for the delivery of the product once we give the winner's information to Fifi's Closet.  We can not be held responsible if, for any reason, the product is not received.

Sponsor Spotlight and Giveaway--Heather Rogers' Designs

Toys In The Dryer is just over 2 weeks old and that means it's time to party!  
Instead of gifts for us though, we're giving the gifts to you!

Tuesday-Friday we will be doing sponsor spotlights with giveaways in something we call:

*The giveaway portion of this post is now closed. Please see below for the winner.*

Our second sponsor spotlight is Heather from Heather Rogers' Designs.  She has the most adorable kids' shirts ever!

 

What's so special about Heather Rogers' Design shirts?  They are eco friendly!  Heather uses environmentally friendly water based inks and Direct To Garment printing to dye the fabric.  High quality and eco friendly doesn't get much better than that!

(Yep, I just might have to get the above t-shirt for my daughter)  Heather not only allows name customization, she will also create a unique design if you can't find what you are looking for in her store!  Simply ask, and she will work with you to get exactly what you want!

I really hope I don't have to get another (girl) shirt like the above, but if you are expecting a second (or third, or fourth, or...you get the point) child, this would be a super fun way to make the announcement to friends and family!

Go ahead, check out Heather Rogers' Designs...I dare you not to fall in love with these shirts!

One lucky Toys In The Dryer reader will win a custom t-shirt from Heather Rogers' Designs!

To enter: simply leave us a comment telling us what your favorite item is from her store.
Don't forget, if you don't leave contact info, we can't tell you that you won!

For an additional entries: (make sure to leave separate comments)
1) Follow @ToysInTheDryer on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (make sure you mention @toysinthedryer and leave a link to this post in the tweet!). Tweet
2) Answer any question the the Toys In The Dryer Community (please tell us which question you answered).

This giveaway will run from September 21st, 2011 at 12:01a.m. until September 28th, 2011 at 11:59 p.m.  One lucky winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced in this post September 29, 2011.  Winner will be notified via email.

This giveaway ended September 28th at 11:59pm (cst). The winner is:

Congratulations to Beth from Adventures with Avery! We will send your contact information to our sponsor!

We received no compensation for this post. Heather Rogers' Designs is providing us a product for this giveaway in exchange for advertising.   Please note that we are not responsible for the delivery of the product after we give the winner's information to Heather Rogers' Designs and can not be held accountable if, for any reason, the product it not received.

Sponsor Spotlight and Giveaway- Efairies

Toys In The Dryer is just over 2 weeks old and that means it's time to party!  
Instead of gifts for us though, we're giving the gifts to you!

Tuesday-Friday we will be doing sponsor spotlights with giveaways in something we call:

*The giveaway portion of this post is now closed. Please see below for the winner.*

Our first sponsor spotlight comes from Rose of E-fairies. In this adorable shop you will find a great selection of items for your cutie patootie.

Her shop carries cute car seat covers made of soft fleece. Great for portable travel systems where you take the car seat out of the car and transfer to a stroller. Fits ALL infant carriers. Easy to put on and take off without waking a sleeping baby!  (I must say how cute is that baby wink, wink)

She offers soft and cuddly Cuddle Critters. Cuddle Critters are store-bought plush TY brand toy animal that is securely attached to a handmade security blanket, or "lovie" made of the aptly named luxurious cuddle fleece. What a necessity for you and your little one! Super soft and cuddly, the baby "blankie" will be perfect for your baby at nap time! This security blanket is a green, double-sided blanket that is approximately 16" wide and 16" long.

My favorite treasure found in her store are the hooded towels! They are adorable and a perfect gift for your  little person. This towel will take them from infant to well past toddler hood. Perfect for the shower, beach and the pool too! Measures 31"x54" without the hood. This comes "gift wrapped" with a ribbon bow...presentation perfect!

Her shop features many other unique creations and we hope you will stop by her store and tell us what your favorite item(s) are!

Rose at E-Fairies has generously offered one of our lucky readers TWO items from her store. 

The first is a choice of a hooded towel, you may pick one already listed in her store or work with her to design your own. Secondly she is offering a choice of a Cuddle Critter, just pick one from her store! Make sure you enter for your chance to win these adorable prizes from our amazing sponsor, E-Fairies. 

To enter: simply leave us a comment telling us what your favorite item is from her store. 

Remember, if you don't leave contact info, we can't tell you that you've won!

For an additional entries: (make sure to leave a separate comments)

1) Follow @ToysInTheDryer on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (make sure you mention @toysinthedryer and leave a link to this post in the tweet!).     Tweet

2) Answer any question in the Toys In The Dryer Community (please tell us which question you answered).

This giveaway will run from September 20th, 2011 at 12:01a.m. until September 27th, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. One lucky winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced in this post September 28th, 2011.  Winner will be notified via email.

This giveaway ended September 27, 2011 @ 11:59pm (cst). The winner is:

Congratulations to Jamie from Savvy Housewife! We will send your contact information to our sponsor!

We received no compensation for this post. Efairies is providing us products for this giveaway in exchange for advertising.   Please note that we are not responsible for the delivery of the product after we give the winner's information to Efairies and can not be held accountable if, for any reason, the product it not received.