Best of the Blog

As we wind up the year, I'm walking down memory lane with the top ten blog posts here that you guys liked the most this year:

10.) 4-Ingredient Homemade Laundry Soap-No boiling, no grating.


9.) Commit-MINT to Church-Minister's Appreciation Gift


8.) What I'm Reading: When Helping Hurts
I challenge you to read. this. book.  It just may change the way you think of charity and missions!


7.) Letter of the Week Snacks: Letters E & F
You guys were clicking and sharing this one!  Is someone super excited about eclairs and fudge??


6.) Letter of the Week Snacks: Letter B
Another popular one, I guess a lot of people needed ideas for 'b'?


5.) Summer Fun Series-Lois Ehlert's book "Eating the Alphabet" and 6 activities to go along with it.


4.) Letter of the Week Snacks- 36 Letter C Snack Ideas
Chocolate! Coconut! Corn dogs! Candy Canes!


3.) ELEMENTS of Summer Fun- Bucket List


Ahhhh. I'm still pretty proud of how that turned out (it is SUPPOSED to look like the periodic table of the elements.  Close enough. Right?)

2.) Ten Activities for Ten Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle


And the number one, favorite post.........

1.) Friday Funnies-Halloween Costumes
You all went ape crazy for the Google Maps costume!

 though the E.T. costume featured was pretty popular too:


There we are.  Another year of blogging in the books.  What will next year bring?  I hope you'll join me for the ride!

Friday Funnies-Social Media Edition

Hope everyone had a good Christmas!  We ate ourselves into a stupor, relaxed at home with each other, and watched A Christmas Story an unbearable number of times.

Here are today's funnies for you...courtesy of social media!



Ahh the joy of public bathrooms:


And one Christmas spoof too good NOT to post!

Merry Christmas to All

Wishing you lots of happy, family time!  I'll be back on Friday with the Friday Funnies!

Friday Funnies (Christmas!)

Christmas is less than a week away!  Celebrate today with these holiday themed funnies.

Technology causes another job loss:

Don't write about armpit infections in your
Christmas letters....

The North Pole must have a branch of OSHA:

10 (now *29*) Edible Stocking Stuffers (not candy!)

This post has bene updated from 10 to now 29 edible stocking stuffer ideas!

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Do I put candy in our stockings?
Yes, but not much.

I've been brainstorming things that I can put in our stockings this year that are edible treats, but still not candy.  Now I'll share my list with you!  Here's what I've got so far:

1. Mini bags of Cheeze It crackers
2. Animal Crackers in the circus themed box
3. Slim Jim
4. Granola bars
5. Bag of microwave popcorn
6. Oranges or clementines
7. Applesauce cups (my 3 year old will LOVE this!)
8. Chewing gum
9. Hot chocolate packs
10. Kraft Easy Mac cup

Update:

   11. Goldfish Crackers (thanks for the idea in the comments Stephanie!)

   13. Fruit snacks made with real fruit

   14. Kid's Clif Bars

   15. Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk Carton (individual packaging, shelf-stable)

   16. Small boxes of cereal

   17. Beef jerky

   18. Small bag of trail mix

   19. Sunflower seeds 

   20. Honey roasted peanuts

   21. Dried pineapple chunks (YUM!)

   22. Yogurt covered raisins

   23. Lemonade mix

   24. Peanut butter filled pretzels (these are so good and are around $1 for a small package)

   25. Mini can of Pringles chips

   26. Cheese/peanut butter crackers

   27. Jello cups or pudding cups

   28. Chex Mix

   29. Bottle of hot sauce (for those tweens/teens in the house!)

   

What else would your kids enjoy in their stockings as a snack?
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Related Post: 120 Stocking Stuffers (that aren't candy!)

120 (No candy) Stocking Stuffers!

Last year I shared some of our favorite ideas for stocking stuffers that don't involve candy.

I am reposting, adding ideas, and putting it all into one post this year to help jog our memories as we grab the last minute stocking things (why are stockings always what I do LAST??)

Links are affiliate links.  Read full disclosure here.

1. Socks
2. Bath soap
3. Cute washcloth
4. Gerber Graduates Puffs
5. Winter hat
6. Sippy cup
7. Stroller toy
8. Baggie of cheerios
9. Small book (this Sassy brand one lets you put in photos of your family! We had it when our first born was little. So sweet!)

10. Rubber ducky
11. Comb/brush
12. Jar of baby food
13. Baby/toddler spoons




1. Socks
2. Crayons
3. Homemade playdoh
4. Baggie of Kix cereal
5. Sippy Cups

6. Underwear
7. Small book
8. Bubbles
9. Musical toys (maracas, triangle, etc)
10. Homemade I-Spy bottle
11. Character Toothbrush
12. Silly Straw
13. Bath fizzies/crayons

14. Floating toy for bathtub
15. Cookie cutters for playdough
16. Stickers
17. Finger puppets
18. Magnetic alphabet letters
19. Stamps & ink pad
20. Winter gloves
21. Bubble bath
22. Matchbox Car
23. Toob of animals


24. New pillowcase
25. Bubble bath
26. Finger paint
27. Flashlight or Nightlight
28. Little People


1. Socks
2. Tech Deck

3. Silly Straw
4. Toothbrush
5. Paperback book (the "Magic Treehouse" series is popular with this age group!)
6. Pencils for school
7. Fun bath soap
8. Bath mitt
9. "Shaving" kit (I see these at Meijer, Walmart, Target, and Walgreens during the holiday season.)
10. DVD (Sugar Creek Gang is cute!)
11. Kid's toothpaste
12. Glow sticks
13. Silly putty
14. Dot-to-dot books
15. Matchbox cars
16. Glow-in-the-dark stars for the ceiling

17. Harmonica/Recorder
18. Small nerf balls
19. Hacy Sack
20. Pokemon cards
21. Baseball cards
22. Bananagrams game
23. Monkeys in a Barrell
24. Mini kite
25. Lego mini set
26. Card games (Uno, Old Maid, Go Fish)
27. Soccer socks or shin guards




1. Socks
2. Tech Deck
3. Yo Yo
4. Paperback book (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, "I survived" books, etc)
5. Hex Bugs
6. Lego Minifigure or small set
7. New Wallet
8. Suduko or Word Search book
9. Can of silly string
10. Mini boxes of cereal
11. Earbuds

12. Boxer shorts
13. Small notepads
14. Deodorant/body spray
15. Toothbrush
16. DVD
17. Bookmarks
18. Post it notes
19. Specialty pencils/drawing supplies
20. Small sketchbook
21. Silly straw
22. Card game (Uno, etc)
23. Glow Sticks
24. Sharpies
25. Silly Putty
26. Mad Libs book
27. Rubik's Cube

28. Compass
29. New pencil pouch
30. Chapstick
31. Washi tape
32. Rainbow Loom bands
33. Finger Lights

34. Keychain (Lego, Minecraft, Star Wars, etc)
35. Popcorn
35. Beef jerky or Slim Jim
36. Flashcards (multiplication, division)
37. Hair gel/pomade
38. Watch
39. Earbuds
40. Water bottle (Nalgene, etc)


1. Movie tickets
2. Xbox gift card
3. Gas money (if they are of driving age)
4. Laser Tag gift card
5. Devotional book
6. Makeup
7. Hobby items (running shorts, golf balls, etc)
8. Hair accessories or styling products
9. Power Pack charger

10. Charging block/cable 
11. Skate wax (for the scooter/skateboarders in your life!)
12. Water bottle (Camelbak, Nalgene, and Tervis brands are popular)



Got a great stocking stuffer idea that I left out?
Let me know in the comments!
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Related Post: 4 Reasons We Give Our Kids 4 Gifts
Related Post: 29 Edible Stocking Stuffers That Aren't Candy!

Friday Funnies--teeth

This week's funnies are all teeth related: in honor of the fact that today I'm having my wisdom tooth removed.

Yes, tooth.  Singular.  I only have one.  *insert wisecrack here about my lack of wisdom*

Enjoy the funnies and think happy thoughts for me this afternoon!

 These kids. These costumes!  Awwww!!