Magneatos Toy Creations
Latest Magneatos creation!
The girls have had their Magneatos for several years now. When they first got the set they only did simple configurations. Lately, they have been coming up with more interesting structures. These toys are wonderful because kids of all ages can play with them without the magnets being dangerous for the kids.
The magnets are placed in oversize rods and the metal balls enhance the building structures. It is fun watching the girls use their creative juices to make various items out of the magneatos. Thankful for opportunities to stimulate their minds. We found their set at our local Goodwill, but you can find them on Amazon or various stores.
Date Night with My Sweet Girl
My sweet date tonight wanted to eat at McDonald’s.
Last weekend I was able to go on a date night with my sweet Brina Bee! She was very specific about what she wanted to do that night so I went along with her date night plan. First, she wanted to go to the Goodwill Clearance Center, walk through a craft store, browse through used book store, and eat at McDonald’s. We had a blast going through the bins at the Goodwill store looking for treasures. Her big find was a cute FurReal pet dog (new it retails for about $90) and we paid between $1 to $2 for it (the goodwill clearance store charges by the pound). All it needed was a good cleaning and some fresh batteries. She was so excited!
It was a lot of fun walking, talking, exploring, and eating dinner with my sweet Brina. Love my time with her, listening to her talk, and watching her get excited. She is a real sweetheart. I didn’t take any pictures of us shopping, walking, and exploring because the only time we stopped moving was when we finally sat down to eat at McDonald’s! She kept us going. We packed a lot of fun into one evening. Love you Brina!
Love listening to her tell stories, laugh, and have fun together!
Thankful for extra time with my sweet B!
Gift Giving: Twice as Nice
Buying used toys that are in good shape works well for those of us who are on a tight budget. My girls love books and we rarely buy them new. Same goes for toys. If you can find good quality toys and books for an inexpensive price used why not get them as a gift for your kids.
Recently, Goodwill did a 50% off day on everything in the store and if you got the red tag you received an additional discount. I picked up a whole stack of books for $0.25 and some clothes (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses) for as low as $0.50. I was thrilled because the books and clothes will make great Christmas gifts for the kids. That day the following two purchases were the most fun:
Princess Baby Doll Bed
I know a little girl who will LOVE this bed for her babies! It is in excellent condition and it only cost me $4.
Lizard CD Holder
The Lizard CD Holder was a lot of fun. I have been looking for a place to put their CDs so they can access them without making a mess. It is going to be hilarious seeing their faces when they unwrap this one. The best part is I paid $3 for it.
Both the Princess Baby Doll Bed and the Lizard CD Holder were a hit with several other people at the store that day too. I was beginning to wonder if I would to make it out of the store with the two items. I was asked how much they were numerous times, one person took them out of my basket to look at, another person told me that she needs them more then I do, and a guy tried to take them from me while I was paying. Guess my excitement for finding the treasures made everyone else think they really were special, ha.
If you are on a tight budget this year, check out some of the local secondhand stores. You might just find a treasure with a bargain price tag on it that’s the perfect gift for your kids.
A Date with My Princess
Recently I had the privilege to go on a date night with my princess, Brina. She wanted to do something a princess would do on our night out together. It was “Dine Out For Mom” night where a portion of the proceeds goes to a great cause so we decided to eat out. Brina chose to eat at the “ABC” restaurant (aka Atlanta Bread Company). We split a Chicken Salad Sandwich meal and tea for about $7. She decided to wait to eat the chips later in case we wanted a snack (smile). I love seeing her think and plan ahead even at age 5. We talked about our days and giggled together over our sandwich and sweet tea.
After supper we had a few minutes in between events so we headed over to Aldi’s. For those who have never shopped at Aldi’s it is a small discount grocery store. We often get our staple groceries and fresh produce at Aldi’s. If there is one in your area I recommend at least checking it out. Brina picked out a beautiful bouquet of flowers for $3.99 to take with her on our date night. She was excited to have the princess flowers and proudly carried them everywhere we went that night. I am thrilled the flowers survived the evening despite being carried, squished, dropped, and well loved.
After getting her flower treasure at Aldi’s we headed over to Virginia College to get her first pedicure. Virginia College is a local college that has a Cosmetology School where you can get pedicures, manicures, massages, and your hair done for a great price. Brina proudly carried in her flower bouquet and announced to anyone that listened that she was on a Date Night with her Mom! Glad she gets excited about spending time with me, hopefully these precious memories continue as she gets older. Brina received her first pedicure complete with a foot soak, foot massage, and candy while sitting in a massage chair. She smiled like a princess the whole time.
We made a quick trip by Goodwill on our way home to pick up a black shirt for her “cat” costume. She picked out a little car toy for Karlie and a baby doll dress for one of her babies. On the way home we were discussing our date night and she said “Mom, I LOVE my flowers! (pause) The flowers make me feel like the lady wearing the pretty white dress (bride) at a wedding.” I smiled because she did feel like a beautiful princess that night. Although the getting married part better not be in her near future since she is only 5!
When we arrived home Daddy and Karlie were finishing up their Apollo 13 movie. We discussed the exciting adventures and fun everyone had before bath time and bed. It was a true joy having this fun and relaxing time with my precious princess. I am thankful for the time we get together to create memories, talk, and laugh. Life is too short so make sure you fit in time to have fun and enjoy the blessings you are given. We had a blast spending time together without spending a lot of money. Giving time and attention to my girls is more important than all the gifts in the world.
My husband and I started taking our girls out on dates after one of them was in the hospital for surgery and we realized at that time they had never been a part for more than a few minutes. Our girls are twins with very different personalities; we love them both and want to encourage them to grow up to be the people God wants them to be. One is into babies, princesses, and animals while the other one is into rockets, planets, space, and sharks. Having a date night set aside one night a month is something the girls look forward to and it gives us time to focus our attention on each child. We are thankful for the children God has given us and look forward to seeing them grow. A date night out with your child doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive the important thing is that you spend time one on one to listen and love them. Creating one special memory after another together.
