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One Enthusiastic and Colorful Mama

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33 (affordable!) Gifts To Give The Mom In Your Life

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Some of these links may be affiliate links. We may receive compensation (at no charge to you) if you purchase using one of our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I am a mom and have been for nearly 20 years now, therefore I like to think I’m a pretty good authority on Mom Topics.

I definitely know what I like to get for gifts, and I know what my friends like. Every mom is different, so there’s a learning curve, but I think the mom you know will fit into at least one of these categories.

I kept everything pretty budget-friendly, none of these things will cost you more than $100.

Photo from Amazon

The Busy Mom:

Anything Erin Condren, a Happy Planner, or this awesome wall calendar from Sandra Boynton. If your mom loves keeping track of everything, Erin Condren dayplanners and Happy Planners are my two favorite brands. They’re easy to use and come in a variety of colors/covers. The Sandra Boynton calendar took me through Wolfgang’s busy high school with a bit of class and kept me punctual.
“Chaos Coordinator” teeshirt. Let her wear her title with pride with this super cute teeshirt.
Portable Shiatsu Neck Massager. Waiting in the carpool line stressing you out? Slip this baby over your shoulders, and get a quickie massage while you wait.
Yeti Tumbler. Coffee in the morning, smoothies for lunch, water all day long, possibly a cocktail in the evening. This tumbler is rugged yet chic, and comes in a wide spectrum of colors.

The Cool Mom:

CBD Oil. (Click that link and use code CUPCAKE and get a bottle of CBD oil for just the price of shipping!) All the cool moms are using CBD (non-THC, meaning it doesn’t get you high) to shake some of that PTA-needs-more-cookies-for-the-bake-sale-in-30-minutes anxiety without being out of it.
The Burrito Blanket. This is the hot little number for Christmas 2019, because who doesn’t want to be an ACTUAL burrito? Also comes in pizza. No, really.

Photo courtesy of InBooze

Booze infusions. (Get 20% off when you use this link, or enter code CUPCAKE at checkout!) Y’all, get this. It’s like tea bags, FOR YOUR BOOZE. Ashleigh (the brill founder of InBooze) sent me some things to try and I’m telling you – the White Sangria is money. You just follow the simple recipe on the back of the package, steep your InBooze in your appropriate alcohol, and a few days later, you have some fancypants drinking to do.
Her Very Own Hydroflask. VSCO girls are just a redux of what today’s moms were like in the 90s, minus the Hydroflask. So get your “cool mom” one and make her into a true VSCO mom.

Photo by Amazon

The “Green” Mom:

Thrive Market Membership. This online grocery store offers great discounts to members on sometimes-hard-to-find healthy options, gluten-free everything and one particular brand of popcorn that my family really digs. A year-long membership gets you access to members-only deals, rewards, and free full-size product gifts. Especially great for those on particular diets, as Thrive Market products can be sorted by 70+ dietary and lifestyle needs.
Grove Collaborative Membership. (use that link and get a free Mrs Meyer’s cleaning set, with a caddy and scrub brush!) Cleaning products that won’t make you sick or knock you out with fake floral scents. A membership here gets you access to discounts, free shipping and rewards!
Glass drinking straws. (use code CUPCAKE at checkout for a sweet discount!) More and more cities are banning single-user straws, so it’s becoming more necessary to bring your own. This family-run company makes gorgeous glass straws with little decorations, so you can match the with your outfit (or just get all mermaid tails).
A travel hammock. Every mom needs a rest. I actually keep one of these in my car trunk at all times because it’s tiny, portable and easy to set up once you get the hang of it. Plus, I’m a “cool mom” because I hang out in a hammock, I guess.
Homemade Beauty: 150 Simple Beauty Recipes Made From All-Natural Ingredients. That crunchy mom you know loves to make her own face masks (don’t we all?) and this book is packed with more than just face masks to make from the garden or the kitchen!

Photo from Pew Pew Lasercraft

The Geek Mom:

Harry Potter chapter star earrings. (Use code “CUPCAKE” at checkout and get free US shipping!) This is a nice subtle way for that geeky mama you know to show her love for Harry Potter. Plus, these are made by a geeky mama too!
Geeky Pencils. (Use code “CUPCAKE” at checkout and get free US shipping!) So many different fandoms covered here – all made by that aforementioned geeky mama. I personally love the Princess Bride ones.
Baby Yoda t-shirt. Baby Yoda is so hot right now, and getting her this shirt makes her a little trendy, right?
AT-AT latte mug. Super chic, nice and big for alllll the caffeine and a little on the subtle fandom side.
Happiness Chemical Necklace. A nod to the chemists, this sterling necklace shows off the Seratonin molecule so even if she’s not happy, she’s got a little happy with her.
Periodic Table Infinity Scarf. More awesome chemistry geek stuff – it’s colorful and chemically correct. Makes a statement, for sure!

Photo from Amazon

The Sephora Mom:

Facetory Subscription. Get that mama a box of fancy Korean beauty products and face masks sent to her house every month, and watch her glow! Seriously though, this subscription is too much fun.
Rose Quartz Face Roller. Face rolling is super fun to do, especially with a serum or two. Her skin will be happy and healthy with one of these bad boys.
Baby Foot Moisturizing Foot Mask. The grossest and most awesome beauty product I’ve tried in a long time. It’s a mask for your feet, and helps get rid of a lot of that dead callused skin. Get one for you and one for her and have a pedicure night!
A Gold Face Mask, or (this pack of masks). This is probably the most luxurious item on this whole list. GOLD ON YOUR FACE, Y’ALL. My mama did one of these masks, and loved it. Your mama friend will too.

Photo from Amazon

The Foodie Mom:

Star Wars kitchen towels. The most girly set of Star Wars kitchen towels I could find. Hot pink and gold and super cute.
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, both volumes. This is a must-have for anybody who loves to cook. Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck wrote the end-all, be-all for French Cuisine. If she doesn’t already have a copy, get this.
Root 23 Simple Syrups. Can be used with maple syrup over waffles. Mix it in with cocktails. Put a splash in bubbly water (or champagne, that would be cool too). These syrups come in a bunch of different flavors and the team behind them is just awesome.
What the F&%k Should I Eat for Dinner? Not everybody is like Alton Brown, and can just open their cupboards and make a decision on what to have for dinner. This book might help.
Blank Recipe Book. Keep track of family recipes, or recipes you pull from the internet that you enjoy. Makes an excellent future family heirloom, if you’re into that sort of thing.
This Adorable Taco Necklace. I want this necklace. Everyone loves tacos, as far as I know. It’s adorable and tiny and really fun. Go get one.
This Cute Stand Up Sign (“Sway Me With Snacks”). My friend Thea makes these awesome wooden things (I know lots of people with laser cutters!) and this one in particular is going to need to live on my desk at work. (I love snacks.)

Get the mama in your life a great gift for the next gift-giving occasion…or just because it’s Tuesday and she survived another PTA meeting. She deserves it.

Last-Second Moms Can Find Halloween Costume Help at Goodwill

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This post was sponsored by Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region. All opinions are mine. 

I love Halloween. Costumes are my jam, I love little kids all dressed up and strung out on sugar, I love spooky decorations and scary movies. I love those weird little cotton spiderwebs that stick to everything except where you want them to.

In the past few years, I skipped Halloween altogether. I sat at home, watching scary movies in the dark by myself, with one kid at their dad’s and one kid off with their friends.

Last year, I got up and got over myself. But not until October 30th. I was kind of screwed, since I had not worn a decent costume in years and the yoga pants that stood in for my “work clothes” would not make any sort of a costume at all.

But my awesome thrift shopping skills kicked in, and Goodwill came through.

I walked in with no idea what I wanted (or if I could even pull it off), and walked out with everything I needed (except the green hairspray) to be the Joker.

I even found a pretty great Batman while trick or treating with my friend and her kids!

So this year, when Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region invited me out to their Tacoma store for a costume-hunting contest and a little Halloween fun, of course I made that happen.

Goodwill is pretty amazing year-round, but during Halloween, they really step it up. In the Olympics & Rainier Region, they have a costume expert stationed within each store. Over the last three years, Georgeann Johnson worked within this family of Goodwill stores, and has built a team of people who LOVE Halloween.

Each expert gets 2 hours of training before heading into their store, where they can help you not only find the pieces you need, but build a costume around pieces you already have. They have lookbooks to peruse and racks upon racks upon racks of costumes that they amass all year long.

They can even work within your budget, outfit your kids and take a look at your Pinterest boards with you to make your Halloween amazing.

So I had the pleasure of visiting with a crew of the costume experts and a squad of fellow bloggers in that Tacoma store. They had a contest, where they gave us an hour and a gift certificate, and we had to come up with the best costume we possibly could.

Listen, I’m competitive as all get out. I’m also really passionate about costumes and I have always wanted to try cosplaying (which is basically Halloween on the other 364 days). So Marie (the costume expert I got paired with) and I went after it.

The signage on the racks had a variety of costume ideas, and the look book got a quick peek, but we found this one hat, and the rest of it fell together pretty quickly after that.

And that’s my actual hair, not a wig like one of the employees thought!

So, Marie and I won the contest. We didn’t think we would (some of our competitors were so awesome!) but we had SO MUCH FUN putting the costume together, we would have been ok not winning too!

We only had an hour to put this costume together. It can be done.

How can you put a costume together at the last second and look awesome?

  • Have some ideas. Throw together a Pinterest board of some costume ideas you like. Think of your favorite cartoon characters or comic book characters. Have a few ideas in mind.
  • Bring your smart phone. You can google characters to see what they look like to get a little authenticity, or just get an idea of what to do with that awesome leather jacket you found!
  • Have an open mind. I started out thinking I would just try and revamp the Joker costume. I saw that steampunk hat, and the whole plan flipped. Don’t be married to a plan, and Goodwill will come through for you!
  • Know what you have at home. Being able to use what you’ve got at home is a big bonus. Spend less $$ on costumes, have more to spend on candy. Or whatever your Halloween treat of choice is.

Not only does Goodwill have great costumes, but Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region does some good work. I’ve talked about it before; they have an amazing training center in Tacoma, and some wonderful programs to help people better their lives, or get back on their feet.

So buying your costume at Goodwill not only has an effect on your wallet, but helps out a lot of really amazing people.

I know that sounds really cheesy, but it’s true and I really admire what my friends at the Goodwill are doing to help out their community (and make it possible for my awesome thrift shop trips)!

Connecting Millions of Low-Income Americans with Comcast Internet Essentials

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This is a sponsored post, all opinions are mine.

I struggle to find the words to explain what the Comcast Internet Essentials program can mean to a single parent whose child receives the benefits.

(For those of you new to reading my blog, I am pretty emotional at times, and I cry a lot. I have a big heart. It’s ok.)

As a single mom for the better part of the last 19 years, I am no stranger to the heartaches of solo parenting. I had months where I struggled to keep the electric bill paid, when internet service was low on the list of priorities.  A laptop or desktop computer was a luxury that was nowhere on the horizon during those times. I used the computer at work if I needed to, but Wolfgang struggled to use the computer lab at school during lunch and after school as quickly as he could to finish those assignments.

Oftentimes he would leave the house early and walk to school to use the lab, or stayed until the janitor shooed him out after school. He never told me he was having issues, but we had some angels in our lives who stepped in when they saw us struggling to keep up, and they bought him an laptop and paid for our internet for a few months.

It was a hand up that he needed to succeed in a time when I thought I was failing my son. It was a blessing in a time when I didn’t know what else to do.

Photos from the Comcast Internet Essentials Back to School events, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, in Seattle. (Ron Wurzer/Comcast)

Over the last seven years, Comcast Internet Essentials has been that blessing, that “hand up” for over 6 million low-income Americans, connecting over 1.5 million households to the internet (many of whom have never had an internet connection before). That’s being a good neighbor to their community.

Internet Essentials from Comcast is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive high-speed internet adoption program for low-income families. It provides low-cost high-speed Internet service for $9.95 a month plus tax; the option to purchase an Internet-ready computer for under $150; and multiple options to access free digital literacy training in print, online and in person.

Recently, Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando (U.S. Olympic Gold Medalists from the 2018 U.S. Women’s Hockey Team) were named as ambassadors and spokespeople for Comcast’s corporate values and initiatives. Recently, as part of a national tour, Jocelyne and Monique visited Seattle with David Cohen (Comcast Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer) and I was able to meet with them to hear more about the program.

Comcast has already, over the 7 years the Internet Essentials program has existed, invested over $550 million in digital literacy training and awareness, reaching over 8.5 million people. They’ve provided low-income Americans with affordable subsidized computers (over 85,000 of them) and connected those 6 million low-income Americans I mentioned earlier.

“This year’s headline,” said Cohen, “is that we’re extending eligibility for the program to low-income veterans. There are about a million low-income veterans who live within the Comcast footprint, about 60,000 of them in the state of Washington.”

Photos from the Comcast Internet Essentials Back to School events, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, in Seattle. (Ron Wurzer/Comcast)

How do you tell someone about Internet Essentials when they do not have an internet connection?

One of the struggles with helping people get connected to the internet, is getting the word out to them. David told us that in one concerted effort in Philadelphia, they realized that one place a lot of mothers gathered was in beauty shops. So the Comcast team went from shop to shop, providing information to the shops who were willing to help spread the word. Schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, and VA hospitals and veteran service organizations are the most common places that information on Internet Essentials is disseminated.

Schools are another place where they make sure everyone hears about the Internet Essentials opportunity. The morning we met with the team, they had just come from an event at Beverly Park Elementary in Seattle, where Jocelyne, Monique and the Comcast team gave 150 laptops to the 5th and 6th graders. Those kids may not have recognized the Lamoreux twins as gold medal winners, but they will definitely remember them as the women who helped give them a hand up.

So, how do they pick which kids get a laptop?

Comcast is willing to do what it takes. They started with school-aged kids, having each school hand-select about 30 kids to receive a  laptop. David Cohen didn’t care for that method, as he felt some deserving kids would get left out.

He told us a heart wrenching story (yes, I cried in front of Comcast executives and the Olympic gold-medal winners, shh) about a young girl from Miami, who was a very gifted student and the child of a single mother. She would take a lengthy ride to the library after school to use the computers, making the most of the 30 minute limit those public computers have, waiting her turn multiple times until the library closed. Then she would ride the bus 90 minutes home.

Giving her a laptop and a year of internet through Comcast wasn’t just an incredible gift. It was something that could change her whole life. It leveled the playing field for her, making her competitive in the educational arena.

Yes, I got to hold one of the gold medals. And yes, they’re heavier than you think.

Leveling the playing field with Jocelyne and Monique

You can tell just by standing in the same room with them that the Lamoreux sisters are forces to be reckoned with. They are fierce, they are strong and they are very pregnant right now, with one due in December and one in January. Being pregnant has not really slowed down their desire to help as many people as they can, especially in regards to gender equality.

When negotiating their latest contracts with US Hockey, they fought hard for a livable wage and more marketing opportunities for the women’s team. You shouldn’t have to choose between having a career OR children – and these strong women want to show girls that they can have both.

Along with gender equality and leveling the playing fields for girls with female empowerment, Jocelyne and Monique are leveraging the platform that their gold medals have provided by helping David Cohen and the Internet Essentials team to educate people on the importance of digital literacy and bridging that digital gap in America for low income families and households.

Photos from the Comcast Internet Essentials Back to School events, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2018, in Seattle. (Ron Wurzer/Comcast)

How do I apply for Internet Essentials, and what exactly does it cover?

Internet Essentials from Comcast is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive high-speed Internet adoption program for low-income Americans.  It provides low-cost high-speed Internet service for $9.95 a month plus tax; the option to purchase an Internet-ready computer for under $150; and multiple options to access free digital literacy training in print, online and in person.  For more information, or to apply for the program, visit www.InternetEssentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376.  Spanish-only speakers should call 1-855-765-6995.

VOLTA by Cirque du Soleil (and why you should take your kids to see a Cirque show)

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I was provided with tickets to see Volta in exchange for my review. I received no other compensation.

I have been obsessed with Cirque du Soleil since seeing Alegría in 2004, (then Quidam in 2005, Kurios in 2013 and now Volta in 2018). Completely obsessed.

I watch videos on YouTube of shows and stunts and their headquarters in Montreal when I’m having a bad day. We have Cirque magnets scattered across the front of our fridge. Having abandoned (most of) my weirdly unrealistic dreams of being a member of a troupe performing under the Grand Chapiteau, I harbor a (now not-so) secret desire that one of my children will be bitten by the bug and want to join the circus.

So I like Cirque du Soleil a little bit, and when they contacted me to come see the newest show at Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA, I jumped at the chance. In fact, I believe I yelled out loud, texted three people and responded to the email rather rapidly.

(I didn’t realize we were being invited to the opening night, so that was just an added surprise.)

Volta by Cirque du Soleil

Volta is INCREDIBLE.

It starts out with a bang, big lights and glitter and a game show…and the excitement never really dies down from there.

There’s a killer double-dutch team with light-up jump ropes, then a guy doing some tricks with a giant hoop. There’s an amazing duo on a unicycle, a colorful rollerskating imp, and a giant trampoline apparatus that spins around.

The hair suspension artist (YES, that is a thing, and incredible!) and the BMX ramps in the second half are just as stunning…our friend who came with us had their mouth open the whole show.

Cirque du Soleil shows really are a treat for all of the senses (including the Dragons’ Breath, if you want to get “taste” in there too), and Volta is no exception.

They also have some amazing merch options as well – from sassy teeshirts for small people to fuzzy furball  pompoms you can put on your keys or purses to actual purses. Prices are actually pretty reasonable for merchandise!

So now that I’ve told you all about my trip to see Volta, let me convince you to take your kids to see a Cirque du Soleil show!

Why you should take your kids to see a Cirque du Soleil show:

  • The Story. There’s always a story behind the performance. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes it’s kind of subtle, but you can always check the website or one of the official programs to get the backstory. It adds another layer to the experience for sure!
  • The Music. It’s catchy & haunting (I can still sing you most of the Alegría theme song, 14 years later), and the performers are incredible. The young lady in Volta also played a glorious electric violin, as well as belting out some pretty gorgeous notes.
  • The Costuming. Every single detail of the costumes is stunning and goes with the theme. It differentiates one type of character from another, or accentuates the movement of the artist. The colors go with the scenery and complement each other and I can imagine somebody’s kiddo wanting one as a Halloween costume.
  • The Good Clean Fun. All of the shows I’ve seen (and most of the ones I’ve read about, EXCEPT ZUMANITY) are free of cursing and sexual innuendo. Other than the fact that you’ll have to deal with your kids wanting to do acrobatics off your couch for a few weeks, these shows are good for all ages (except AGAIN, Zumanity.)
  • The Skills. In Volta, there was an articulated ladder that dropped down from the ceiling and spun around while people hung off it, and a woman who spun around, suspended by only her hair. In some shows, there are contortionists doing amazing, stunning things with their bodies, and swings flinging people every which way. There are dozens of people doing incredible things, drawing you in and capturing your child’s imagination.
  • The Timing. Cirque shows are manageable as far as theatre goes. It’s 2 one-hour acts and a 25 minute intermission between them. Short enough to hold a kid’s attention with a long enough break to have them run any excess energy out (or use the restroom, should the need arise).
  • The Wonder. The look on Wolfgang’s face made the 4 hours roundtrip drive 100% worth it. The small children sitting around us had a really similar look. Most of the adults did too (though I’m pretty sure I saw one guy with a really confused look on his face during the hair suspension part.)
  • The Prices. Tickets are not as pricey as you would think. It’s only slightly more expensive than a Friday night at the movie theatres, and definitely FAR more memorable than whatever is playing at the cinerama.

So all in all, give Cirque a shot for a special family night out. Despite the fact your kids will be vaulting off the walls for weeks, it’s something your family will talk about for years.

What Happens (Emotionally) When Your Car Breaks Down?

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This post was brought to you by my generous friends at Kia Motors of America and their loan of a 2018 #kianiro PHEV. I would be wandering the halls of my house, making sad noises, if they had not given me a bit of respite from my car-less existence with this loan.

I have been without a functioning car for 4 weeks.

This sounds a bit pretentious, I’m just now realizing. But for someone who has owned/operated a car for nearly 20 years, it’s a bit of a shock to the system…like I know how to fly, but someone clipped my wings.

I got my drivers’ license at 17. I cannot quite put my finger on why I didn’t get it the DAY I TURNED SIXTEEN, because I had been so looking forward to that autonomy, ever since I sussed out what having a car would mean to my social life.

I wanted to move, to get up and GO. I wanted to drive. I wanted to get out and do things when I wanted to do them, instead of waiting for a friend or my parents or someone else to drive me. I wanted to be mobile. I wanted to thrift shop in Seattle, I wanted to roll the windows down, feel the wind in my hair and crank the music up. I wanted to go to the mall on my own schedule.

I wanted the freedom that driving brought me.

And I got it. I earned my license at 17, and spent most of my wages from my grocery store job on gasoline. I drove everyone to school. I drove everyone home. I picked people up from work and delivered them just about anywhere they wanted to go. I rolled the windows down, even when it was cloudy so I could feel the wind in my hair.

I got a small taste of wild freedom from my buttoned-up life, every time I drove my car.

I spent a single torturous year at college without my precious car, and felt so stuck. I walked everywhere (nobody had a car), so my world narrowed from “however far I can drive on a half tank of gas” to a 5 mile radius around my dorm room (and all uphill). When I got home from that year away from my wheels, I promised myself I would work as hard as I needed to in order to keep a car.

I haven’t gone this long without a car since 1998.

I know there’s a lesson in here somewhere. Maybe I need to just sit at home and think about my life, or maybe there’s something I’m supposed to be avoiding,  or maybe the lesson is that I need to deal with my problems head on instead of driving away from them. I know there’s a reason all of this is coming at me right now.

I just don’t like it.

My world has shrunk down with the loss of my wheels. My life exists around how far I can walk. (Thank God for the grocery store two blocks and our small-sized, bike-able town, really.)

I plan my errands around when my friends can take me or the bus schedules – or what I can get done through my internet connection. Rideshare apps are only used in cases of absolute emergencies, because they are HELLA expensive.

It’s a new and different way of maneuvering through my life, and I have to be perfectly honest: I’m not dealing with it horribly well.

I may have pouted for a bit after the car broke.

I did a lot of “why me??” and angry faces. I cried for a day or two. I yelled at the car while it was parked in front of my house. None of those really help (and nobody seems to be able to tell me why the car won’t function correctly, but that’s another story for another day).

So in the midst of my self-imposed desert-island-in-my-house, my friends at Kia offered the use of a 2018 Kia Niro PHEV for two weeks. I had no idea how isolated I had made myself until I had free rein of a car for 2 weeks.

In those two weeks, we drove almost 600 miles. I drove to Seattle twice. I drove to the beach a half dozen times. We drove 30 minutes just to get frozen lemonades at Sonic. (Averaging about 51 MPG, btw. Only had to put gas in the car once. And charge it twice.)

I was free for those two weeks. I could go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted.

The Niro had enough trunk space to fit all my gear for my very first street market, yet enough leg room that Wolfgang could sit behind me and not feel cramped. The 90mile drive to Seattle was so smooth, I didn’t mind making it twice…plus I got to listen to my audiobooks through the sweet harman/kardon speakers.

And then the loan ended and the Niro went back to the car corral and I was back to walking and biking and asking for rides and riding the bus.

But man, was that taste of freedom delicious.

I’ll get my car fixed just as soon as I can. But for now, I am spending some time at home stitching and painting and writing, and dreaming of the windows rolled down, the wind in my hair and the radio cranked up.

College is Coming – Best Buy Can Help

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As a part of the Best Buy Bloggers Network, I am writing this in exchange for a Best Buy Gift Card, or was provided the product/service for free or a reduced price. 

As most of you know, Wolfgang graduated this year….and neither of us has any idea what’s next.

It’s confusing and applying for schools got overwhelming and caused both of us to have small panic attacks. Graduation was crazy and all of the events all at once and holy smokes, it was so much all at the same time.

Aaaaand then Wolfgang’s laptop died. A horrible death, with smoke and melting plastic smells. I have no idea what caused it, but there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth (and maybe one tantrum, thrown by mom, about how much it costs to replace a laptop that catches on fire).

Enter Best Buy, and the HP Envy x360 Laptop. (There is a crazy awesome deal right now with this laptop – buy one and save $100. Move fast though, this deal is only good through July 28th, 2018!)

I want one of these bad boys, and I just bought a new laptop last year.

The HP Envy x360 is a Windows laptop that can convert to a tablet (fold it in half and VOILA! It’s a tablet). It’s a touch screen, and you can write on the screen with a fancy computer pen (also known as a STYLUS). I’m also supposed to mention the AMD processor (I don’t know what that means, precisely), which apparently makes it fast without adding bulk (so it’s a thin and light device).

There is a 13-inch version and a 15-inch version, so you can choose whichever works better for you. (I personally think bigger is better, but to each his own). They have screens with 1920 x 1080 resolution, which means the color and clarity of the pictures on your screen is top-notch. 8 gigs of system memory sets you up for speedy multitasking, so open up as many tabs in your browser as you like.

Pick up one of these bad boys (with that $100 off deal until 7/28/18!) for the college student in your life, or just for your mom, who also enjoys new tech.

Gearing Up My Kitchen with Goodwill

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This is a sponsored post written in partnership with Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region.

I’ve been thrift shopping in one form or another as long as I can remember. Garage sales, antique stores, estate sales, thrift shops – I spent a large amount of my childhood in all of them.

My grandfather was a “junker”, long before Magnolia or “shabby chic” was a thing, and he ruled the garage sales of Thurston County, Washington. He would buy pieces and clean them or fix them and flip them for extra money, so when my brother and I visited our grandparents, we got to help polish silver or replace hands on a clock or check out what he was developing in his darkroom (he was an avid photographer and fixed a lot of cameras too).

Grandpa taught us a lot of things, like when to plant sweet peas (around Presidents’ Day, even if the ground is frozen), how to “properly” root for football (quietly, without cursing and always for Washington State) and what to look for at garage sales, thrift shops and antique stores.

The thrift shop training has come in handy often in my life, as I love to save money and I LOVE a good deal. So when I needed to outfit my kitchen after my big breakup a few years ago, I turn to my friends at Goodwill.

(Note: I shop a lot at Goodwill because the selection is great, the people are amazing, and I believe in the programs they have. More than 87 percent of the collective revenue from the sale of donated goods at Goodwill organizations supports and grows their critical community-based programs and services.)

The kitchen aisles at Goodwill are packed full of items and it can get overwhelming. (It’s all super neatly organized, but there’s just so much!) I’ve gone looking for plates and come home with 3 tablecloths, 8 unmatched napkins and a set of 12 forks.

There’s a lot going on in the Goodwill, but you can do this! You just need to be prepared.

I can absolutely help you with that!

Five Pro Tips to Get The Best Kitchen Gear at Goodwill

  1. Go with a plan…. Know what you want when you go in. Are you looking for saucepans? Go to that section first. Need dishes? Check out the neat stacks on those shelves. Stay focused and get what you need!
  2. ….but be prepared to abandon it if the circumstances call for it. They don’t have saucepans or dishes that fit your needs? Make sure to check out the linens, as everyone should have one nice tablecloth. Need coffee mugs but they’re all have Garfield on them? Check out the flatware! If you can’t find what you need, see what else is out there.
  3. Put the pieces you’re interested in into your cart, and weed out later. If you leave it on the shelves, someone else can snatch it while you’re contemplating. You can always put things back, but they frown upon taking things out of other people’s carts. Just make sure you pare down BEFORE you get in the checkout line – and be kind and put things back where they belong!
  4. Check every inch of the piece. Check for chips and cracks on pottery and ceramics. Check pie tins and springform pans for rust…and remember rust is OK on cast iron (you can clean it). For electronics, they often have a plug you can use to make sure that it is functional. Check the nonstick lining on pans to make sure it’s not flaking.
  5. Know their worth. Take your smartphone and check similar pieces on eBay or Amazon. Make sure you’re looking at comparable pieces – don’t try and compare the price of a 10″ skillet to a 6 quart stockpot,right?

You can get some amazing deals on great kitchen items at Goodwill! I’ve picked up some of the following during my treks to my favorite thrift store (not all in the same trip!):

  • an antique silver serving tray
  • a brand new steamer basket
  • a set of Pottery Barn square plates
  • a brand new FoodSaver
  • all the canning jars one mom could handle for a whole canning season
  • a whole set of drinking glasses
  • a set of sterling silver flatware for 12
  • 4 tablecloths and matching napkins

What I’m trying to get at is Goodwill is an amazing place to stock up on kitchenware, even if you’re not on a budget. You just have to keep an eye out and know what you’re doing!

Have you ever found your “come up” at Goodwill?

The Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region has some incredible outreach opportunities, with 30+ programs to help people get prepared to enter the work force. From barista training to warehouse management, the Milgard Work Opportunity Center in Tacoma is packed with so much to help the community; check out the post where we got the chance to tour it last year!

Much love to my friends at Goodwill!

Mom Power in Incredibles 2

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All of the art in this post was provided courtesy of the Walt Disney Corporation.
I was provided with complimentary passes to an early screening of this movie.

Y’all know how much I love Disney. That’s no secret. I listen to the music, I visit the parks. I wear the teeshirts and on bad days, I wear my ears in my office and sing “Go the Distance” at the top of my lungs.

AHEM.

So when I get these emails inviting me to Disney movie screenings, I say “yes” as many times as I possibly can. When I got the email for Incredibles 2, I said “HECK YES!”

I expected a good time seeing this movie, but I didn’t expect as much mom-centered content (so obviously I cried. Duh).

First off, let’s chat about Bao (the short film showing before Incredibles 2). I’m often stunned by how much emotion they can evoke in such a short time, but I didn’t expect to care about a DUMPLING.

Having viewed this film such a short time after my son graduated from high school made it even more poignant, so our entire party was crying about a dumpling.

No, really.

It’s a super sweet story about a dumpling that comes alive, and the momma is really sweet and I won’t spoil the ending for you because it’s really honestly the most adorable and I now want to make dumplings.

Anyway.

So then the main feature.

One I’ve been waiting for for 14 years.

And it picked up right where we left off with the original film, which left less explaining and way more time to deep dive into what’s happening with the Incredibles.

If you HAVEN’T seen the first one, lemme give you
a few quick things you need to know:

  1. The Incredibles are a family with superpowers. Bob Parr (Mr Incredible, voiced by Craig T Nelson of “Coach” fame) is the dad, and is super strong. Helen Parr (Elastigirl, voiced by Holly Hunter) is the momma and she stretches. Violet (Sarah Vowell) creates forcefields and turn invisible, and Dash (Huckleberry “Huck” Milner) is real fast. Jack Jack (voiced by Eli Fucile) is the baby, and…well, you’ll see about his powers.
  2. Superheroes are outlawed, due to some past…um….mishaps? Yeah, mishaps. Like blowing up buildings accidentally in the pursuit of justice.
  3. The Parr house blew up at the end of the last movie, when Syndrome (the antagonist) tried to kidnap Jack Jack and crashed his plane into the house.
  4. Edna Mode is the best character, please view the below video for proof.

That should do it.

So after a few “tie things in to the first movie” scenes, we run into the Deavor siblings. Evelyn (voiced by Catherine Keener) is a genius inventor and her brother Winston (voiced by Bob Odenkirk and looks JUST LIKE HIM) is the money man and a HUGE fan of superheroes.

Without revealing too much of the plot (I HATE SPOILERS), Elastigirl goes back to “work” after a long hiatus to take care of the 3 Parr kiddos.

Chaos ensues (of course), Bob has issues taking care of the kids (especially with New Math and Jack Jack…um….coming into some powers…), and Bob gets REALLY SMART and taps into his village to help him manage his new role as Mr. Mom.

He enlists Frozone and Edna Mode (no capes, darling) to help him manage his daddy duties, and…well, you’ll just have to go see the movie to see how that works out. Or doesn’t.

You can see him descend into that madness that comes when someone spends their entire day with children – and if you’re a mom, you’ll thank your lucky stars your kids don’t turn invisible or float into other dimensions!

Just make sure you have some Cookie NumNums on hand though, just in case.

It’s an awesome superhero movie and a FANTASTIC Pixar flick, but also has some serious feminist themes running throughout. Evelyn is the brains behind the superhero “reinvention” plan her brother has, and basically runs the show (despite her abundance of chaos, which manifests itself a little in her hairdo).

You really get to see Elastigirl with a little “wind in her hair” as she gets to explore who she is outside of her not-so-secret identity as a mom. I went back to work when my youngest was 4, so I really identified with that jarring re-entry into the workforce.

All in all, Incredibles 2 was…wait for it…..incredible. (Sorry, I had to. It was too easy.)

There are some strong themes that some smaller kids might have issues with and one scene in particular in a cage with flashing lights that even *I* found a bit intense, but other than that, should be appropriate for most ages.

Do let me know if you’ve seen Incredibles 2 and what you thought of it!

 

 

 

 

The Laundry Room of My Dreams

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The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

I do a ridiculous amount of laundry.

For one kid full-time, one kid part-time and one adult who has been known to wear pajamas all day because she works from home, I do a lot of laundry.

I try to save it up until there’s actually a load-full to run, but we have a big washer. It holds a lot of laundry and sometimes I’m doing a load just to make sure I have two socks (not even matching ones)….or clean pajamas.

My laundry room is in the basement, like a lot of people. It’s a cubby, actually. Two machines butted up against the wall in the hallway near the water heater. It works.

But I love this photo below. It’s like every mom’s dream laundry room. Dad is actually helping with the laundry, the kiddo seems to be happy holding that basket, there is SO MUCH ROOM in this laundry room, everything is matching and clean and it looks like there are FOUR kinds of detergent on top of that cool little cubby those washers fit in.

Mom is even wearing heels. While doing LAUNDRY. They’re kitten heels, but still.

So this LG Twin Wash system with the LG Sidekick is basically my dream washer. That little drawer on the bottom there is for tiny loads. For bras and fancy underpants, or a couple of pairs of pajama yoga pants and your favorite sweatshirt that’s fancy enough to leave your house but comfy enough to wear with your pajamas.

In fact, I’ve been told that little drawer on the bottom can hold 3-4 POUNDS of laundry. That equates to about 15 pairs of underpants, 5 bras, 4 tank tops, and 2 pairs of pajama yoga pants.

You can also run it at the same time as the big washer, so it’s basically a bonus washer.

This magical laundry machine can not only take on any size load (and two at once!) but it’s efficient and ENERGY efficient.

Clean laundry, and helping the environment. (And your utility bill.)

Now to hunt down my own helpful dude to help me tackle this giant pile of laundry in my basement…

Don’t forget to check out this *WILD* offer from Best Buy right now, and get your ultimate laundry experience like that photo above! (Or at least the machines…happy kid and helpful dude seem to be sold separately.) From 1/11-4/25 receive up to $500 off a LG laundry solution for your home!

Inside the Goodwill Treasure Vault

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This post was sponsored by Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region. All opinions, bad jokes and images are mine.

I grew up hitting garage sales most Saturday mornings. My grandfather was a savvy yard sale master, and my mother was a thrift store queen (far before Macklemore made it cool).

I was raised in a house full of gorgeous antiques and upcycled everything, and DANG, I love a good deal. As I sit here writing this post, I am sitting on a couch from Goodwill, covered by a quilt rescued from a free box at a garage sale, wearing pants I got on super sale at a consignment store.

I love Goodwill.

So when they invited me to their center to check out their programs and then to check out their auction warehouse, I was maybe a little excited. (I picked out my outfit two weeks in advance.)

When we finally arrived at their Milgard Work Opportunity facility in Tacoma, WA, it was a little overwhelming. Our Goodwill at home in Bellingham is pretty small, and I thought Goodwill was just a thrift store.

Despite the fact I have been shopping at Goodwill since my early days growing up in Seattle, I had no idea how many different ways they help support the community!

At the Tacoma facility alone, they offer the following:

To support all of these programs and more, Goodwill takes in donations (as most of you know).

What you might not know, is that some of the REALLY COOL donations are routed to specific places.

In Washington state, we have the Glitter Sale and Blue boutiques, but there is also the Online Goodwill auction site.

I’ll say it again: GOODWILL HAS AN AUCTION SITE WITH ALL THE REALLY AWESOME STUFF.

I had no idea until the day of my visit that there was even an online auction site, and to be honest, I wanted to keep it all for myself because I wanted this red crushed velvet vintage floor-length hooded cape they had listed…but I love you guys and want you to be happy.

Plus somebody ran the auction price up on that cape, so I didn’t get it. *sob*

After we left the training center, we drove over to the auction warehouse. It was kind of like walking into my grandpa’s shop, so I may have gotten a little emotional and excited.

It was rows and rows of amazing things. Like one big come-up.

They had a whole rack of vintage clothing, including a mid-60s flight attendant uniform. They had a bookcase full of vintage luggage, and another of vintage typewriters. A huge box of skis, ski poles and snowboards nestled up around the corner from a crew of rubbermaid tubs packed with 6-string guitars.

This nondescript warehouse in has seen a beautiful collection of rare African art (55 pieces that sold for $23,472) and a Salvador Dali etching that sold for around $21,000. They had a gorgeous photo album with 60 photos from the civil war (went for $3760) and a 400 year old book (the foreword by the grandson of Pope Paul III, sold for only $550).

The smallest item they’ve sold was a flake of gold (posted as a joke, but actually sold) and the largest, a sailboat.

Go check out the site! You can find anything from furs to jewelry to vintage toys to luxury labels. You’ll do yourself some good, but also help thousands of people get training for better jobs to make their world better too.