DIY Bleach Ice Dye Sweatshirt

DIY bleach ice dye sweatshirt

First of all, I can’t believe I have a teenager. Well, not officially, but it sure looks like it…and she sure acts like it. I’m beyond grateful for her, but may God help us. She helped me with my latest project – DIY Ice Dye with Bleach! Tie-dye apparel is all the rage for tweens, teens, and let’s face it, adults, too! We all love to wear it (especially in our loungewear). After making our sweatshirts, we are hooked to this ice dye technique. Bring on all the bleach ice dye projects!

The materials and directions to make DIY bleach ice dye sweatshirts, shirts or pants are on Momtastic. Check it out!

 

 

 

 

Gift Guide: Game Night For Everyone On Your List

family game night - christmas gift guide for everyone

Some of our favorite gifts to give (and receive) are games. This year, we are spending more time indoors with our families than (perhaps ever) before, so it’s the perfect year to give the gift of an entertaining “Game Night.” It’s the gift that keeps on giving all year long. Get the whole family together for night full of laughter and friendly competition. It’s budget-friendly fun, and we more of that this year! You don’t need to spend an enormous amount of money on the newest video gaming box to entertain your kids. Instead, spend time together playing a game. Those memories are often the most priceless ones.

We’ve rounded up some of our personal favorites*. We hope you enjoy them, too!

christmas gift guide, game night for the whole family

1. Flipside: This is one of our favorite gifts to give, and one of our kids favorite’s to play. It’s awesome! It can go anywhere, and all ages can play. Sometimes we get addicted as adults, and want to get to that next level. Think rubix cube meets fast-paced lights and a timer. You can play individually or as a team. There are a couple game modes to choose from.

2. Crazy 8’s, Go Fish: Sometimes a deck of cards is all you need for good old-fashioned fun. This set has something for everyone, and you can stuff the decks into stockings.

3. Uno: You can’t go wrong with this classic card game. Try to be the first to get rid of your cards before your opponents try to pin you with a Wild card or a +4. The more players you have, the longer it lasts. Ages 7 and up will like to play this one.  This UNO Attack takes it up a notch if you are ready to mix it up.

4. Yahtzee: This is a classic. We played when we were young. This is a great price at under $10, and fun for the entire family. See if your lucky, or have dice skill to get a Full House, three of a kind, or the ultimate 5-of-a-kind, known as Yahtzee. Kids have the opportunity work on their math skills as they count dice, too. Our kids, ranging from age 7 to 12 love this game.

5. Star Wars Monopoly, Mandalorian: Our boys are big Star Wars fans. We have a Star Wars Monopoly that is either unavailable online, or more than $75. So, if we can’t get that same version, this Mandalorian version will work. Who can resist that adorable baby Yoda, the Child?

6. Kanoodle: This is an all-time favorite. It can travel anywhere, requires zero wi-fi, kids have to use their brains and it’s so much fun for ages 7-99. This makes an excellent stocking stuffer, or birthday party gift. We always like to have extras of these on hand to give as gifts. The price is right on this game, too, for under $10! With just 12 puzzle pieces, challenge yourself to follow the puzzle book (with 200 challenges) with a couple pieces shown, then complete the puzzle.

7. Guesstures: This is another Christmas gift for our family this year.  It’s a fast game of charades the whole family can play. We played it when we were younger, and hope our kids love it like we did. Get ready for lots of laughs.

8. Guess Who: This game is good fun! Our kids have loved this since age 4! The object of the game is to ask Yes or No questions to determine who the opponents person is. Kids will learn strategy with this one.

9. Code Names: Spy agents on opposing teams provide their team with code words to guess words on the board. It’s engaging, and fun for ages 10 and up. The rules seem somewhat overwhelming at first, but the more you play, the more fun it is. There is a Disney variation of this game, which our kids really liked.

10. Clean Slate: This is a new discovery for us. We like to get our kids a new game every Christmas, so shhh, our kids are getting this one for Christmas, along with Taboo, Kids vs. Parents.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means we may make a tiny commission with purchases, at NO additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our family blog. 

Last Day to Shop Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

nordstrom anniversary sale-shopping

TODAY is the last day for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Some of our favorites have been sold out for a week or two now (i.e. the Spanx faux leather leggings), but there are still some great deals worth checking out, if you have the funds to shop.

I got these $35 Quay sunglasses, feel a little like J. Lo, and love them! My friend just bought them, too. Twinsies. 🙂 Run, don’t walk on these. They have been sold out, on and off, throughout the sale.

Can’t beat some fantastic leggings from Zella for $38.

These snakeskin Remi Madewell Mules are so chic for $55.

If you wear an underwire bra, this is hands-down our favorite by Natori.

I invested in this faux leather jacket last year, and love it.

Um, yes to these Spanx shapers on sale. Stock up, ladies.

Rain, rain, you can stay another day with these Hunter boots.

A cozy top under $25 for fall.

We can do Booties like this, all day.

A New Balance sneaker for the man in your life. We’re a huge fan of Bonobos pants for men, too.

If you’re getting outside like everyone in America, this Patagonia backpack is so cool for under $85.

These are cute fringe earrings for a little ear candy.

Fans of The Fanny Pack

hiking with fanny packs

Where do you fall – team fanny pack, or not a fan of the fanny? Jodi has been a supporter of fanny pack’s ever since she had her first garage sale years ago. She has never looked back. Jessica just got on the band wagon, and uses it on outdoor adventures, errands and walks. As for Jenna, she wears them to music festivals so she doesn’t have to keep track of her purse, and she can dance, dance, dance! We’re not sure if they are really “in” or not, but we do know they hold just enough without weighing down our shoulders, and they are so convenient. We are in 100%!

You can call them belt bags, fanny packs, a waist pouch, hip bag or belt bag; whatever you call them, they are a worthwhile investment! We gathered some of our favorite fanny’s for you. These are more “sporty,” but you can find leather, and other stylish packs that make great fashion statements here

Affiliate links below. 

fanny packs

1. Athleta Waistbag
2. Patagonia Belt Bag
3. Hip Bum Bag
4. Ripstop Belt Bag
5. Fjallraven Hip Coast Hip Pack
6. Hunter Original Fanny Pack
7. Herschel Seventeen Hip Pack 
8. Patagonia Ultra Light Mini Hip Pack

BTW, if you’re looking for a great deal on buttery soft leggings, try these! Jessica is wearing them in the photo above, and loves them, especially for the price.

 

Affiliate links are in this post. There is no charge to you whatsoever. Thanks for your support of our blog. 

 

Try This Delicious “Fried” Ice Cream

fried ice cream with sprinkles

OMG, I made “fried” ice cream, and it’s so yummy. Honestly, I didn’t think I would like it because I don’t love cinnamon, and let’s get real, anything that pretends to be fried and isn’t genuinely fried can’t be that good, right? Wrong. I loved it. The crunch of the buttery corn flakes with the fluffy white whipping cream and the cold vanilla ice cream in every bite is dreamy. The good news for us gluten free people is that these ice cream bites can be made gluten-free as well! Yay!

I shared all the details at Momtastic, so look here to get the ice cream party started.

fried vanilla ice cream with sprinkles

fried vanilla ice cream with sprinkles