Mommin' It Up!

November 9, 2013November 10, 2013

Gift ideas for kids: their new favorite board games

The Wonder Forge provided me with these board games to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

Yes, it’s true: I’ve got yet another board game review for you! I can’t help it, I am a game-a-holic and so are my kids. The reason I am such a big fan of board games is that I find that they provide really excellent opportunities for parents to play with their children in a way that’s interactive and enjoyable for both parent and child. My kids love video games but I hate them. However, a good board game is something we can really bond over!

The Wonder Forge is absolutely my favorite favorite favorite maker of games so I can’t resist when they ask me to try out new games! The kids and I tried out three in preparation for this holiday review and we loved them – I think you and your kids will to! Check ’em out!

Doc McStuffins All Better Game

Doc McStuffins is on of my favorite kids’ characters these days, and Sophie loves her too! This “All Better Game” is super-cute, fun, and easy to play. PLUS!! It all fits nicely in this little bag, which is so much easier to store than a big box.

Here’s what I like about this game:

Easy concept – it’s basically a memory game with a twist.
Great for vocabulary if you’re working on speech.
Quick, fun, and easy to get started and learn the rules.
An absolute snap to clean up & store in the carrying case.

Sophie and I have a ball playing this game! Even though it’s easy enough for a 3-year-old, Sophie still thinks it is great fun at almost 7. I like playing it too, although I must admit it is showing me that my memory is not as good as it used to be! If you think your little Doc might like this game, please note that it is available exclusively at Walmart.

Next up, one for the big kids!

Axis of Villains Strategy Game

This is a game Joshua was really excited about, and because she loves all games no matter what, so was Sophie. It says it’ for 8 and up and I agree – it’s definitely not simple. Yet, Sophie could play along quite well once we got all the rules figured out.Bobby and I both enjoyed playing this with the kids – it is great for teaching strategy, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills! Here’s what I like about it.

Super-cool superhero characters
Everyone plays on the same team, fighting the villains. Teaches teamwork and there’s no sore losers!
It’s nice to have a good game for older kids!
Teaches all those wonderful skills I mentioned above.

The only thing I don’t like about this game is that there are a lot of rules/instructions and it takes awhile to learn. But I promise, it’s worth it! If you have a superhero-loving boy or girl, you can get this game exclusively at Target.

Jake and the Neverland Pirates Shipwreck Beach Game

I’m a big fan of games that have a component that involves getting kids active, so I love this game! It’s fun for Jake fans big and little. It combines matching, memory, and physical activity for a game that’s a blast! Here’s what I like about it:

Easy to set up and play
Keeps kids active
Players need to achieve goals within a certain amount of time, but you can take the timer away for younger kids who need more time.
Great for vocabulary and following directions if you’re working on speech.
It’s just really, really FUN!

If you have a Jake fun who loves to play games and hunt for treasure, you can find this game at exclusively at Walmart as well.

Have you tried any of these games? Do you buy games for your kids for the holidays? I encourage you to check out ALL the Wonder Forge has to offer. You’re sure to find something for all your game-lovers!

November 1, 2013November 1, 2013

Rainy Halloween: Trick-or-Treat Scavenger Hunt

Last night, our Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating with Emily’s and her sister’s kids got RAINED OUT! But never fear, it is re-scheduled for Saturday! So, while you’ll have to wait an extra couple of days for copious photos of costumed cousin cuteness – they WILL be posted! In the meantime, I have another “treat” for you.

When I heard that Beggar’s Night was going to be postponed, I was like, OH NO THE KIDS ARE GOING TO CRY AND I CAN’T TAKE IT! Immediately my mind-brain sprang into action. I only had about an hour before they got home so I had to act fast. And really quickly, an idea formed: I’d make the kids a trick-or-treat scavenger hunt – complete with actual tricks. I had a few items I’d bought on clearance recently for stocking stuffers and I decided those and a few pieces of candy would be their treats. I grabbed 10 paper bags from the pantry and numbered them with a Sharpie. Then I filled them with various tricks and treats and set about writing clues to tell the kids where to look. Then I had to hide them all really quickly; I finished the set up with about 10 minutes to spare.

When the kids got home, I gave them the bad news but then told them to grab their trick-or-treat buckets anyway because I had a scavenger hunt for them. They were SO excited! So I got my silly clues ready and read them aloud one by one.

The first bag had treats: two pieces of candy for each. The second bag was my favorite. It was a trick – a bag full of pine cones from the trees in our front yard. The clue for it was: “Here’s a clue that’s kind of naughty! Search in the place where you go potty!” I placed the bag full of pine cones on the toilet seat and with “#2” written on the bag, I thought it was a pretty hilarious potty joke! The kids didn’t get that part of it but I had a good laugh and they thought the trick in general was hi-larious. They loved all my tricks: a bag full of socks, a can of three-bean salad, and some of Jonah’s old shoes. Their treats were things like LEGO Friends pencils for Sophie and an Ironman notebook for Joshua. They cracked up at all my silly, rhyming clues and we had an awesome time.

scavengers — This was right before they opened bag #2 – the first trick!

At the end of the scavenger hunt, they had a small bounty of treats, (only 4 pieces of candy because they are still going to get plenty on Saturday) and we all had very happy hearts. I am glad my spontaneous idea worked out and that I went for it. For once, being a “fun mom” worked out for me.

October 21, 2013

The Pressure’s On: Birthmaspalooza 2013

cake-stand-1 — This? Will not be happening in my house! (Click for image credit)

Oh, look, October’s almost over! And I haven’t even had time to start stressing about Halloween yet. Mostly because the kids were good about deciding what they wanted to be this year, and Sophie and Jonah are wearing costumes we already had. WHEEE!

But don’t worry, I’m totally already stressing about the 38-day period that includes Sophie’s, Bobby’s, and Jonah’s birthdays and Christmas – and this year – bonus event!!! Our favorite babysitter whom we love like a little sister is getting married December 15th and Sophie is a flower girl.

That’s just WAY to much packed into five weeks! But, like every year, it is ON like Donkey Kong.

Sophie, like her mother before her (shot myself in the foot there) is SO EXCITED about her birthday, it’s been all she could talk about for two or three weeks already. And of course, the shower for the bride is being held that day (her birthday falls on a Saturday) and I was already planning on having her friends party that day AND our family party that evening, but I can’t handle ALL that in one day, so I’m moving the friends party off-site. Yep, I’m forking out huge cashola to have the party where Sophie takes gymnastics. It relieve me somewhat but it’s honestly more than we can typically afford. And I feel guilty about it. I told her it was special for this year only since we have so many things on one day – and if we don’t do it all on her birthday? There’s NO TIME to do it at any other point. Thanksgiving, other birthdays, etc just take over! It’s now or never. We have to get it out of the way so we can move on to the next event!

The money hemorrhage has started early! Birthday presents aren’t a *huge* expense as we keep it reasonable with our four gifts system – but since we have two more family birthdays before Christmas, it all adds up. Quickly.

I was hoping this year poor Jonah would get a REAL birthday party for once, but with the wedding being the weekend of his birthday, I imagine it will just get lumped in with our family Christmas celebration again. Which is a bummer because I am hoping this year he will really “get” and understand what’s going on. But since he won’t remember…and we have SO much going on…it might just be our little family celebrating him on his actual birthday and then present-palooza for him at our family Christmas (my nephew Alan, born December 27th, seems unscarred by this happening so hopefully it will do no long-term harm to Jonah!)

But anyhoo. I’m tired and stressed about it already! Which I hate, because I LOVE celebrating my kids, my husband, and my Savior. Christmas really is my favorite time of year. But it all gets so crazy so early on for us that it’s hard for me to relax about it.

Maybe it’s just a personal problem.

Anyone else have a crazy birthdaymaspalooza holiday time like we do? What’s your solution?