Don't Bother Me...I'm Reading

Mail Call!

Got a package from the lovely and talented Miss Angie from My So-Called Chaos. She's also the co-hostess for CG Swaps so I knew I was in good hands.

I just love when everything is packaged all cute and comes with little cards!

Book She Loves: Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love by Matthew Logelin

It's non-fiction. And it's incredibly sad. Those are normally two things I stay away from and the combination would send me running, but Miss Angie is fabulous so I will give it a try.

Book I Might Like: 1984 by George Orwell

I didn't read this one in high school. Since I've been on my dystopian kick, I hear a lot of references to this book, so I'm looking forward to finally being in the loop. And, hey, Miss Angie hasn't read it, either.

Book From My Wishlist: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
I read this forever ago. It's one of those books I want to share with my daughter, but can't remember enough about the storyline to get her interested. Soooo looking forward to opening this one. It will be like getting back in touch with an old friend.

And it wasn't just good reading goodness! Lookit!

Miss Angie obviously knows about my cupcake obsession. And I am loving the little notebook! It has already replaced a badly tattered one in my purse.

Thank you to Miss Angie and Beth for hosting yet another awesome swap! Just in case you were wondering, I sent books to That Spacey Chick at Ramblings of an Obsessive Compulsive.

Since the Groundhog saw his shadow, I think I will take a cue from him and curl up in bed with these books and not come out again until I'm finished. Or six weeks. Whichever comes last.

Happy Reading!

This is Halloween!

It's been awhile since I've entered a swap and I was starting to get the shakes. That's when Chaotic Goddess Swaps announced their Halloween swap. Oh, yeah…that was perfect!

This time around, we were supposed to keep our partners secret. So there was no chatting about Halloween and our favorite parts about the holiday. No worries. I can handle this. And it was kinda cool not knowing…and then seeing the return address on my package.

Surprise! My partner was Beth from Living a Goddess Life!

And here's my loot:

Martha Stewart's Halloween Handbook

Anthology The Other Side - scary stories!

Window paint in Black and Orange - the kids are already begging to use this one.

Devil decal

Halloween socks - sweet!

Witch Finger candy

Skull bead earrings - these are very cool

Vampire and owl dip spreaders - possibly my favorite things from this package!

Creepy pez dispenser

Glow-in-the-dark bracelet

Glow-in-the-dark nailpolish

So the little spreaders were my favorite but checkout this little beauty:

Have you ever seen a creepier Pez dispenser?
Aren't they supposed to be cute and collectible and stuff? I feel like if I ask it for candy it would bite my face.
And I sent a package to Aubrey at High-Heeled Love.

What is your favorite thing about Halloween?

Box Full of Sunshine

You might be expecting a Teaser Tuesday, but right now I'm reading 2012 Guide to Literary Agents. And I doubt you want to hear a teaser about some random agent located in New Jersey who does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. But go on over and see MizB and check out some of the featured teasers. (Or look through my archives.)

Instead, I have this:

It's been awhile since my last swap and I was starting to get the shakes. Just in time to feed my addiction, Mamarazzi posted about her Favorite Things Swap! And I was partnered with the lovely Kat from Measuring My Life. I got my package of springtime awesomeness.

Here's what she sent:

• A gorgeous yellow scarf that as soft as it is pretty.
• Dishtowels with cute little chicks dancing across the bottom (Baby tried to take them to bed with her).
• Easter egg banner, which I regrettably cut off in the picture.
• Butterfly cards with envelopes.
• Spring wreath that is already hanging in my entryway.
• Ceramic owl plant stake, which is so completely adorable that I really hope the houseplant I put it in survives longer than they usually do.
• Yummy smelling candle that Boo insisted we light immediately and then sat over sniffing until she nearly singed her hair.
• Dove spray that has disappeared since the picture was taken so I can't tell you the fragrance until after I search Boo's bed for it.
• EOS lipblam in Sweet Mint. I had one of these when they first came out and I thought they were so cool. Glad to have another one!
• Dove dark chocolate because Kat is awesome.
• Pink shimmering nailpolish. (Also something I'm going to have to keep hidden so Boo doesn't steal it.)
• Laffy Taffy eggs. There were three of them, but since both of the girls were watching me unwrap the package, you can guess what happened to the other two.

The spring colors and decorations, combined with the unseasonably warm weather today had me looking forward to Spring. I love a good swap! And my favorite part is meeting other bloggers and seeing just how many things I have in common with other people who I'd never meet otherwise.

Thanks, Mamarazzi, for hosting a fabulous swap! And thanks to Kat for putting together a lil box o' sunshine!

Autumn Awesomeness

If you've read my blog for any amount of time, then you've probably seen a post or two about swaps. What can I say? I am pretty addicted! And Mamarazzi put together another fun one; this one with an autumn theme.




It's my favorite time of year! And with my favorite swap hostess. I think Mamarazzi has a crystal ball, chicken bones, or some other sort of divination in order to make such great matches. She hooked me with with becca from Everyday Life. And becca took everything I said in our conversation and managed to turn words into an awesome package.

See, what I love most about this season is the cooler weather. It's too cold to go anywhere so I just curl up with a mug of hot chocolate and a good book. And when I'm not reading, I'm baking. Or eating chocolate. So here is what she sent:

• Drinking Chocolate - Thicker, richer than your average hot chocolate
• Holly by Jude Deveraux - Oooo…this one looks good!
• Pumpkin Bread Kit - This is my favorite snack when the leaves turn colors.
• Hot Pads - For when the bread is done baking!
• Autumn dishtowel - Already hanging on the oven handle.
• Chocolates - Need I say more?
• Mug - It's too girly for any of the guys to use so it's perfect for me. (Sorry…I left it out of the picture!)

I love swapping! Not just for the fun of receiving presents in the mail but also because I get to meet really great people. Thanks, becca and Mamarazzi!

What's your favorite part of Autumn?

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With Priority Mail Tape

There are days when I suspect the world is just trying to overwhelm me with awesomeness. Yesterday was one of those days. And I totally needed it because it was definitely a "take prescription pills and go back to bed with an ice pack" kind of day. But I'm not gonna whine. I'm totally gonna brag instead.

First, there was a delivery from my favorite floral place:

From the Man. Because he loves me. (And because he didn't give me flowers during my birthday week but hey! NO whining!)

Then came the mailman's visit. Normally, I just get a key tucked in the mailbox for the package box but that day, the package box wasn't big enough. I got three packages!

The first one was from Jell-O:

The brain mold was free (just pay shipping and handling). I already have a brain mold but this one is smaller and you just can't beat free. You can still order the mold up to Halloween so if you want one (and really, who wouldn't?) go sign up! The recipe books that comes with it kept my kids entertained for hours.

The second was from my brand-new buddy, Karen from A Peek At Karen's World. She's my swap partner from Miss Angie and Beth's Swapoween!

Here's what she sent:

• Cookie cutters (that I had just talked myself out of getting these so this was just meant to be)
• Sugar cookie mix
• Halloween frosting (I might let the kids use it…I'm such a frosting snob)
• Two packages of candy corn tissues (Adorable! Already in my purse!)
• Candy corn footies (I told her I love candy corn and I think she listened - unlike my children)
• Bag of candy corns (mix half and half with roasted peanuts and it tastes like a Payday candy bar!)
• Autumn M&Ms ('cuz I needs me some more chocolate!)
• DVD of Watcher in the Woods

My favorite thing? The DVD! When I was a kid, we watched this movie and it had me terrified for years. Then, when I was a teenager, I was in charge of bringing the scary movie to a party. I hunted all over town for a copy of this movie. But when my friends watched it, they couldn't get over the dated clothes and overly cheesy acting. Not even the least bit scary now. Can't wait to show it to the kids and maybe scar them into their teenage years.

The third package was from a company that sent me some cool products. I'll be talking about those after I have a chance to play with them. Free stuff is awesome.

* Be sure to check in on Monday! I'll have an interview with author Derrolyn Anderson as well as a giveaway!

The Smells of Caramel Apples and Swap Packages are in the Air!

I love Halloween. It's just FUN!

Are you going to dress up this year? I will (of course) but the Man won't (of course). Boo wants to be a witch and Baby wants to be a kitty. The Boy wants to be Spiderman. Or a red Lego. Or Superman. Or a blue Lego. Hey, at least he's it narrowed down to four. I'm still thinking.

Also? It's my Birthday week next week. I've started the celebration a little early by making an appointment with my dentist Thursday afternoon because nothing says "Party time!" like sharp, metallic objects jabbing your gumline. Woot.

So to make myself feel a little more in the party spirit, I signed up for another swap!




Two lovely ladies that I met through swapping are hosting one of their own. Angie from My So-Called Chaos and Beth from Living a Goddess Life put together a Halloween swap. Perfect. I love this time of year (and not just because it's my birthday). So march on over and get yourself signed up!

And while you're at it…got any ideas for costumes?

I'm Blue (Da Be Dee)

Look what came in the mail!

Woot!

My partner was the lovely K from Living the Lindicious Life. My favorite color is blue (but you already knew that, right?). Interestingly enough, we both chose BLUE as our favorite color so putting together a package was pretty easy and just plain fun. K hasn't received the package I sent her yet because I was a day late in mailing (I have repented of my swapping iniquity) so you might have to check her blog later for a peek at what she got but here's my box o' blueness:

In fact, everything K sent me has something to do with chocolate! There's the obvious things, like the chocolate spread, chocolate-covered gummy bears, and chocolate cupcakes. Then she put in a gorgeous mug for sipping hot chocolate, a hot pad for taking those brownies out of the oven, a leather-bound notebook for recording all my favorite chocolate recipes, licorice to dip in chocolate, a photo album for pictures of my family eating chocolate, and a lovely sparkly blue scarf so I look spiffy when I go out to get more chocolate. Perfect!

And my favorite item? Why, this of course:

Not a spot of blue on it but I don't care! Sometimes it's good to break the rules just a little. Mmmmm…broken rules are so yummy! 

And K? Baby would like to sincerely thank you for the chocolate-dipped gummy bears. They are her new favorite "successful potty trip" rewards.

I Love the Smell of Swapping in the Evening

I was starting to go into withdrawal…




Head on over and sign up for this one! Mamarazzi is a fantastic hostess! (Tell her I sent ya.)

Colors, Colors Everywhere

Hey, the packages are arriving! All the True Colors goodies are ready to share.

Since I had an uneven number of participants, I got two partners. Both are unique individuals, too, so it was pretty cool.

First to arrive was Odie's package. A fellow book nerd, Odie from The Simple Life lives on the opposite side of the country. And he's a dude. See? Proof that guys read my blog. But I think he might be the only one, besides my dad. Among the many things we had in common was our favorite color: blue.

Now, I think this is Odie's first swap so this is a pretty awesome first package. See those three books along the back there? Those are "Mr. Monster" by Dan Wells, "Changes" by Jim Butcher, and "Vanished" by Kat Richardson. They're also my top three picks for books I most desperately want to read. Cool beans! And who cares if they're not entirely blue? I certainly don't! The dolphin figure was immediately claimed by Boo. In fact, I had to get it out of her bed in order to take the picture. Thanks, Odie! Love it!

My second partner was Lynne from The Giggle Fest. Lynne isn't from the other end of this country; she's from Scotland. I was nearly giddy when I signed for this package. In fact, I made sure the kids were in bed before I opened it.



I got a thistle apron, drunken recipe dishtowel (I've never heard of "Clootie Dumplings" but it's pretty funny), lip balm, earrings (kooky, but I really like them), sassy girl (the quote says "If only men could read our minds, we wouldn't have to shout" - so true!), a lovely little painting of a nearby town, and a box of something called "tablet." Now, Lynne said that the tablet was for the kids but they were in bed so I tried some. Yummy! Has the consistency of fudge but tastes like caramel. Don't get all upset - I saved some for the littles.

Thank you, Odie and Lynne! You are both great partners and I've loved getting to know you better through your blogs!

Now it's your turn...post the link to your post about your True Colors Swap packages!



And if you didn't get in on this swap, no worries. You can still get something wonderful in the mail if you win my Savanna Hill Giveaway!

True Colors Re-Mixed

After a slightly lack-luster swap I recently participated in, I need a little boost. How about hosting my own swap? The first time was pretty fun so let's try it again!

The theme is True Colors. Each participant will send me a little information about themselves, the most important of which will be their favorite color. Your partner will put a package together containing items in this color. Now, you don't have to have the every item completely monochromatic. For instance, if my partner loves lavender, I could obviously send lavender-scented items but also a color of nail polish, a pair of silver-tone earrings with lavender beads, and maybe some chocolate that has a lavender-colored label. Look at your partner's blog for ideas. Do they have a dog? Send a pet toy with that color. Does your partner love classic literature? Find her a book that has cover art containing that shade. See? Easy enough.

Now, for the rules. I've participated in several swaps and have learned a little about what works and what doesn't. One thing I definitely need is a set of rules outlining the whole shebang. If you're not going to follow the rules, then please don't sign up. Good? Good.

1. You must have a blog that is at least six months old, on which you have posted at least once a week. If your blog is private, you must be willing to invite your swap partner to view it.

2. Email me (duckduckcow at gmail dot com) with your name,address, blog address, a few details about yourself (number of kids, hobbies, etc.), any allergies or preferences (if you have an irrational fear of personalized stationary or won't use anything cucumber melon-scented, here is your chance to say so), and your favorite color. (That last part is pretty important...don't forget it!)

3. Then blog about this swap! The more participants we have, the more fun it will be for everyone.

4. I will send emails and I will expect a response. You'll get a) confirmation email with your swap number, b) your partner's information, and c) a reminder email just before the shipping date. If I do not get a response from you, I will assume that you've lost interest. You might be dropped from the exchange.

5. You must be willing to put together a package that is worth $20-$30, not including shipping. I would like at least one handmade item, please. Share your talents! And remember value...while some people see "vintage," others see "junk pile."

6. You must mail your package on Friday, June 17th or Saturday, June 18th. No later than that! Please do not sign up if you will be on vacation or too busy. It's not fair to your partner!

Go send me that email! I will close the swap on, Friday, June 3rd. You will receive your partner assignments soon after. (And if you don't hear from me, please contact me again...you know how I can be an airhead sometimes...) Also, if you have any questions, send me an email! More than happy to help out any newcomers.

Link it up, my friends!

Almost Makes Me Look Forward To Getting The Bills!

Time to reveal all the packaged goodness!

My partner was Sami, who might just be my sister from another mister. We have a lot in common , which was almost a little eerie. She even has a Boo!

Dontcha just love a box full of wrapped lovelies? Totally builds the anticipation, unless of course, you are Baby, and in that case, it just builds the frustration because you are absolutely sure there in candy in there, you just can't tell where!

Totally fabulous right?

• Ivory Body Wash Simply Lavender - It's a hard-to-find scent so she gets hers online. Wow, and she let me have a bottle!
• Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn - I was totally addicted to this stuff in college! I kept telling myself it was "healthy" and therefore perfectly acceptable to eat the entire bag while watching tv diligently studying.
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - This is a great book! I have to be honest here and admit that I might just prefer this series to the Twilight Saga. Please don't throw ribbons, chess pieces, or apples at me...
• Mamma Mia - Would you think less of me if I told you that I've watched this movie so many times that the Boy can sing it along with me?
• NaturalIce lip balm - this is the second time I've gotten this product in a "Favorite Things" swap. Are you people trying to tell me something?
• iTunes gift card - Woot! Needed this. I just burned through my last one downloading food-themed songs. Because I'm a dork and that's what we dorks do.
• Cadbury Creme Eggs - I have loved these little boogers since they were first released! Have you tried the new Caramel and Orange Creme ones? Yummy yummy!
• Almond Snickers - Baby instinctively knew this package was the one she sought and proceeded to rip off the tissue piece by tiny piece as I uncovered all the other goodies. Hey, a girl has to be patient when she knows the pay-off is worth it.

I love doing these swaps! Not only is getting the package whole hunk of fun but I've met some really great people along the way. Thank you, Sami! And thanks, Mamarazzi, for hosting the swap!

Also, I'll be hosting the True Colors Swap again beginning in May. I'll try and give you plenty of warning before sign-ups begin.

It's Swapping Time!

Howdy, folks! I just signed up for the legendary Mamarazzi's Favorite Things Swap. I've had a lot of fun in previous swaps and have been feeling the itch so this was perfect timing.

Anyone think that another round of my True Colors swap might be fun? Maybe during May...Would you join up?

Happiness Comes in a Box

In a lapse of better judgement, I signed up for three swaps during the month of October, including the one that I hosted. The post office staff got to know Baby pretty well during my many visits. But the upside of that was getting three packages in the mail!

First, Mind Games hosted a Halloween swap for kids. Boo and Boy had a great time planning what we would include for our partners at Family of the Vine. And Uno, Dos, and Tres certainly didn't disappoint us!


Amazing! Most items came in threes, so the kids each got one.

• Halloween Cut-Outs
• Pumpkin Carving kits
• Pumpkin bags
• Halloween tablecloth
• Frankenstein's Monster bucket
• Mini cookie cutters (you know how I love those tiny cutters!)
• Green Halloween cups
• Ceramic pumpkins
• Spider notepad
• Harvest-themed foam craft supplies
• Halloween napkins
• Witch's Brew dishtowel
• Noisemakers in pumkin and bats shapes (umm...had to hide those after the first day, sorry!)
• Halloween cupcake liners (woot!)
• An assortment of plastic bugs, spiders, and skeletons

The kids had a definite favorite: homemade Halloween playdoh.


These are their creations: spooky Halloween rides for the skeletons to enjoy. Thank you, mamagames, for hosting a fun swap. And thanks to Vallimasoos for being such a great swap partner!

Next up, ATLYankeeBelle hosted a Halloween swap and I was partnered with the fabulous Kate from Southern Belle Simple.


First, I have to explain. I took a picture of all the goodies when they first arrived but, while preparing for the kids' costume parade and freeing up space on my memory card, I accidentally deleted it. When I realized my mistake, I rounded up everything I could get my hands on and took another picture. I know I am missing the bag of PB Twix bars (because I ate 'em). There seems to be other items that I can't remember...but I will say this was a cool package and a really fun swap!

• Candy corn tealight
• Big bag o' goodies
• Pumpkin dip bowl with spreader spoon and Italian dip mix
• Halloween cookie cutters
• Halloween-themed erasers
• Gel pens (also not pictured because I was already using them)

To see what I sent Kate, visit her here. Thanks, AtlYankeeBelle, for putting it together and Kate, for being a cool partner (and sharing our dorkiness).

This got me thinking about my next swap. I had a great time getting the kids involved with the Halloween package so I thought I might do a kid-themed swap, where your kids not only have a say in what goes in the box but are also the end recipients. What do you think?

Would you participate in a kid-themed* swap?

* I initially wrote "kid swap" but that has completely different connotations and I ain't never giving Baby up. The other two, however, are open for discussion.

True Colors Swap Results (Updated with Pictures)

Hey, sorry about my absence. My computer that has access to my camera hasn't been connecting to the internet all week, so no pictures going up. However, I did get my fabulous package from kibbygirl for the True Colors Swap! She's from Canada so I was expecting bacon, a Mountie hat, and maybe a goose or a hockey puck. Instead, I got a box of awesomeness. But I can't post a picture yet so you'll just have to use your imaginations until my computer genius of a husband finishes watching college football and figures out what went wrong with my hookup.

Can you tell my favorite color?


There was so much in this box, I hope I don't forget anything:

• Dishtowel with flower details
• Martha Grimes book about the publishing industry (goes with the whole "wannabe writer" thing as well as my bookworm-ness.)
• Polka dot picture frame
• Glass perfume bottle (Love this!)
• Handmade journal (I'm about three pages away from needing a new one so perfect timing.)
• Small bag (Very cute!)
• Coasters (Almost too pretty to use...now I have to teach my kids what "coasters" are.)
• Box of Japanese art-inspired notecards (Just lovely!)
  
• 3 decorative flowers (Thinking I'm gonna attach these to a headband.)
• Pretzel M&Ms (Blue and chocolate? She read my mind.)
• Fuzzy socks (With the chilly weather setting, these are great for those nights when the Man isn't around to warm my feet on his legs.)
• Napkins (I guess we'll have to stop using paper towels...we're getting fancy around here!)
• Crafted box full of handmade tags (Gorgeous! She has all different styles and occasions, all with blue. This girl is so talented!)

But here's my favorite thing:

It's tiny; only about a inch. Found it in the bottom of the box after I took the picture of everything else. I need to find a good place for this so I can see it daily. It makes me smile.

Let's share the goodness! If you participated in my swap, please use the Mr Linky below to connect us to your post about the package (please link directly to that post and not your main page). It's fun to see what everyone else received as well as getting ideas for the next time around.

I also have pictures from two Halloween swaps I did (because I am a crazy person) to show you! Betcha can't wait, eh?

Breaking News

I've been hosting my very own pity party for the past week so haven't been posting...or reading blogs...or cleaning my house...

But this week is looking better so I gotta get back in the saddle.

First up, the package from my Guilty Pleasures Swap partner, Amy from WannaBeAmy.

OOooo...getting this box really made my day! How can you not get addicted to swaps? (If you want to see what I sent her, go here.) Lookit!

Semi-Homemade Magazine - I admit that I've watched her show and she's got some great ideas.

Movie - I haven't seen this one since college!

Candy Pumpkins - These have been the main source of bribery for the kids around here.

Bracelet - Really cute for Halloween! I love Halloween.

Baseball Cards - Sadly, I've never heard of most of the athletes on these cards but Baby sure loves to play with them.

Ghiradelli - Amy and I are going to be BFFs. And yes, I had to reclose the bag so I could take this picture. Yummy!

Hot Chocolate - Amy prefers coffee but since I don't drink it, she sent me the next best thing.

Dish Towels - Love these! They're already hanging on the oven.

And remember this cutie?

Well, the Co-ed got a new accessory...

The Co-ed is getting married!

We are so excited for her! Her fiance has been enduring Sunday dinners with us for a while. He's a good guy and the Boy's best friend. And I have to keep reminding myself that I DO NOT make wedding cakes so I don't offer to make her's. I would love to make her cake, though.

Bake Dancing

Once again, I'm gonna talk about swaps. Sorry, but an addict feels the need to dwell on their obsession at all times. Lucky for me, I have a blog.

I joined the Moveable Feast Swap, where the package was to be food-themed. Oh, this was going to be fun! My partner was A.J. from iKnit.iPurl. She amazingly crafty and posts beautiful embroidery along with her knitted projects. I got to know A.J. a little bit through email and thoroughly loved getting her package together. So when my package arrived in the mail, I couldn't wait to rip it open.


Where to begin...
Pumpkin Spice Bread Mix - Looks soooo good!
Harvest Cupcake Liners - To add to my abundant collection of cupcake liners. I like cupcakes.
Candy Melts - Always handy when designing cakes.
Heart Cupcake Liners - Did she see my Valentine's Day madness? These are perfect!
Handmade Blue Hot Pads - Already in use! Gorgeous!
Vanilla Beans - Ooooo...I feel a creme brulee coming on!
Cupcake Decor - Boo swiped this as soon as I took it out of the box. Stinker.
cupcakes! Cookbook - And I already made a recipe (and wiped drool from the pages). The picture turned out weird but trust me when I say the caramel-covered tea cakes are addictive.

Thank you, thank you, A.J.!

And in honor of my birthday - because everyone should be celebrating it - I will be hosting my first swap. Now tell me how excited you are! (Oh come on...you can fake enthusiasm pretty easy in a 2-D comment.)

At It Again

Is there a rehab for swaps?

Because I swear I am addicted...I just mailed off one yesterday and here I am, signing back up for another. Mamarazzi hosts the best swaps! This one should be lots of fun. Making a package of my favorite guilty pleasures...but would my partner really want hot chocolate mix, bubble bath, and a mix tape of old 80s music? Who wouldn't, right?

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

*Thanks for everyone who weighed in on the party conundrum. I appreciate the feedback. At this point, I've decided to have the party the week before Halloween. The deciding factor? I have the hardest time deciding what to have the kids do at parties. This way, I can have them decorating their own trick-or-treating bag. It can double as their take-home-the-loot bag. One less stress for me! And if you see any other cool Halloween party ideas, send them my way!

Muffin Tin Monday Swap

Remember how I like to join swaps? But instead of going for one every now and then, I like to sign up for a whole bunch at once? Well, the latest one arrived in the mail yesterday. And can I just tell you how nice it was to get a package in the mail, especially on a day when I had a terrible cold and the only productive thing I could manage was to not eat the entire bag of Oreos...

This one was hosted by Muffin Tin Mom, who every Monday, features kids' lunches served in muffin tins, with each compartment holding something different. Lots of the participants get creative and have items that start with the same letter or have a theme (like smallest to largest). Really great ideas! In this swap, we were supposed to exchange items for use in MTMonday, which could be muffin tins, liners, picks, recipes, or sandwich and cookie cutters. Also, we were encouraged to make/craft at least one item to send to our partner.

My partner was the lovely Stacy F. She has a private blog so I can't link you but trust me when I tell you she is a sweetheart. Before the swap, she asked me what the kids like so she could make it more fun for them. Well, Boo is very into bugs right now. Boy loves cars. And Baby loves just about anything I'll let her stick in her mouth.


Off to a good start...


Oh, the goodies! She sent me...

• Two sandwich cutters (the green square and blue star)
• Bamboo picks (which look very exotic and I'm sure will make eating peas a lot more fun)
• BUG picks (Boo has already demanded that I stick these in everything she eats...they don't work so well in cereal)
• ABC picks (Boy wants me to spell his name at every meal)
• Colored plastic picks (I sent her some of those, too...great minds must think alike)
• Race car cookie cutters (the Boy's head nearly exploded and he asked if he could take them to bed with him last night)
• Adorable little glasses (the kids are already fighting over them: Boo wants pink, Boy wants blue, and Baby thinks they are all hers)
• Fun star trim for accents

Thank you, Stacy F.! You did a great job. And thanks to Muffin Tin Mom for hosting the swap. Now go check out the concept of Muffin Tin Mondays and see some of the other swap stuffs.

Patriotic Gifting

Remember how I signed up for Mamarazzi's Red White and Blue Swap? My partner was the lovely Kellyn from Fritz Facts. Her package arrived on a day when I was feeling the need for a little extra lift...


Oh, this is off to a good start! I love when everything is individually wrapped! Makes me feel like it's my birthday or Christmas or the National Day of Me.


Wanna know why I love swaps so much? This is why! Look at this great stuff!
Blue water bottle. Handy for the Couch to 5k program.
Craft magazine with Fourth of July projects.
Fourth of July notepad. Magnetic! It's already up on the side of my fridge.
Red nail polish. Just got my toes painted blue and I'm about a white as a girl can get so I'm looking very patriotic.
Sharpies. Finally, I have a red one!
Target gift card. I knew I liked this woman! She and I would totally be BFFs.
Blue Eclipse gum. Kids love this.
Red journal. So pretty! I guess I better hurry and fill up my other one so I can start in on this beauty.
Striped star. Already hanging in my Americana bathroom, it's too perfect.

Thank you, Kellyn, for being such a fun partner! And next time I make it out to your neck of the woods, we will have to bond as we stroll the aisles of Target.

I Think I Am Addicted

So...

I joined another swap.

Or two.

(And I'm looking for a third...)

The first one is a new concept I found online from Muffin Tin Mom. She serves her kids meals using a cupcake pan, putting a different food in each section. Really cool ideas! I think my favorite so far was a sundae selection. Her swap is for items to help with Muffin Tin Monday meals.

The second is hosted by the lovely Mamarazzi. It's her annual Red, White, and Blue Swap! It doesn't matter what you include in your package, as long as it's red, white, or blue. I had lots of fun last year and am excited to join in this year.

AND I've decided I am going to host a swap of my own...toward the end of the summer. I stuck between either a fun school supply swap or a "true colors" swap, where you send your partner items that are in her/his favorite color. What do you think?