A Memory Of Us

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The older I get, the harder it is to come up with things for my Christmas wish list. If I want something, I usually buy it myself. Or, I feel like it is too expensive to ask for. However, my husband/family ask for ideas so I always need to come up with a few items to tell them. My birthday is two weeks after Christmas so there is extra pressure to come up with Christmas gift ideas.

My husband and I didn't exchange Christmas gift for years. We always went on a ski trip instead and put our gift money towards that. Now that our kids are getting older (3.5 and 1.5) we have started to exchange small gifts at Christmas. Of course giving presents is not the reason for the season, but we want them to see other people opening presents and see that the holiday is not solely about them. We want them to watch someone else open something, say thank you, and practice waiting turns.

My friends and I have a group chat going every year where we are all struggling to come up with items to put on our wish list and asking what everyone else is asking for to get ideas for their own list. So, I thought I would share what I put on my birthday/Christmas wish list below. I hope this gives you some ideas for what to ask for!

Everything in this list would make a great gift for any of the women in your life, too!

1. Spotify Premium Giftcard* - I ask for this every single year. Spotify is one of my favorite subscription services, but it is not something that I can spend the money on every single month. I work from home on a laptop all day, so I am usually playing music in the background. (I love the Vitamin String Quartet and The Piano Guys for when I really need to focus!) Having a gift card for the subcription lets me indulge without feeling guilty.

2. Clearstem Skincare PREGAME™ Face Mask* - I started using Clearstem* this fall and it was love two weeks in. I'm in the process of converting all my products to Clearstem*. I haven't tried any of their face masks yet. I am super interested in the Clearstem Skincare PREGAME™ Face Mask* because it is an exfoliating face mask that brightens the skin. If you're looking for a Clearstem discount code, I have a discount code you can use at Clearstem -- use code "DARCYLYNN" to save money at checkout!

3. New sweatpants - I love to give a lot of options so that I never know exactly what I'm getting for a gift. One thing I asked for was new sweatpants. My two favorite brans for sweatpants are Vuori* and The Normal Brand, Both are sooo comfy.

4. Bogg Bag Original Bogg Bag* - My kids love the pool. We have a membership to the community center nearby and are the pool weekly -- even in the winter using the indoor pool! My old pool bag isn't cutting it now that I am bringing things to the pool for four people. I've asked for a Bogg Bag* so that I can bring four towels, snacks, water bottles, and pool toys along with me easily.

5. Clearly Filtered Water Bottle - In my journey to low-tox living, I've learned one of the things I need to improve is the quality of water in my home. A standard fridge filter is not enough! In addition to improving the filter in our fridge, I also asked for a filtered water bottle so that I have good quality water while on the go.

6. Geometry Not Paper Towel Set - Reusable paper towles that come in such pretty prints. You can use code KARALYNNE15 for extra savings.

7. Herschel Heritage Duffle Bag* - Looking to upgrade my travel bag situation for weekend/lake trips!

8. Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner* - I usually ask for some new makeup for my birthday or Christmas. These are things that are a little cheaper so I feel more comfortable sending them as ideas to other people. I'm looking a new eyeliner so I asked for Underlined Kajal Clean Waterproof Long-Wear Eyeliner* in brown.

9. Soma PJ Set* - Soma is one of my favorite brands for PJs. Their pieces are sooo soft and wash really well. I asked for a new matching PJ set* for Christmas this year.

10. Charlie Hustle Black KC Heart Vintage Long Sleeve - I've mentioned my love of Charlie Hustle before (see this post for some of my favorite local KC shops). They make super soft hoodies, t-shirts, sweatpants, and more. They have a great selection of KC sports team items, a huge college collection, and of course a wide inventory of KC pride items. If you're looking for a Charlie Hustle discount code, try using WFTW20 to save!

gift guide - Thursday, November 30, 2023

What's On My Christmas List This Year

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Psst. Looking for some inspiration for a one year old? Check out this post where I reference 10 Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Your One Year Old

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The Best Gifts for a Two Year Old, What to Buy a Two Year Old, Two Year Old Christmas Gift Ideas, Gift Ideas for a Two Year Old, Toddler Gift Ideas

1. Radio Flyer Steer and Stroll Trike - Red - I don't know if I can recommend a product more for your toddler. Both of my sons have absolutely loved this item starting at 18 months old! If your kiddo likes to be outside, or you like going for family walks, you need one of these. I love this as a gift idea for a two year old because it grows with them. First, as the parent you can push them with the handle. It also lets them get familiar with bike peddals and practice peddaling while you're doing the hard work. As your child grows, remove the handle to let them ride alone. Amazing product -- we have put so many miles on ours!

2. Melissa & Doug Let's Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! 6 Piece Pretend Play Set - Another item both my children use and love. This set lets your kid have imaginative play while helping clean at home. If one of my sons sees my sweeping, they run to this set to get their own broom. They've also played with it by making both the broom and mop a horse to "ride". Before my youngest was old enough to use these as intended, he would simply carry the broom all over the house. Imaginative play is great for kids. Add this to your list!

3. Play Kitchen - Speaking of imaginative play... a kitchen is a great toy for imaginative play . Your child will love to make food. This is the exact one we have. I spent a little more because I wanted one that I liked the look of since I knew it would sit out in our living room. This white wooden play kitchen is similar but roughly $70 cheaper. Here's another one that is under $100 total. Don't have the money or the space for a full kitchen? Start with this play grill instead! (Don't forget to order some play food for your kitchen, too!)

4. Green Toys Fire Truck - We love all things Green Toys in our house. These are quality, made in the USA, products. They are made from recycled milk bottles. Easy to clean and lots of fun for your littles. The fire truck is probably our most played with item but we also have the car transport carrier, the paddle boat, the wagon, and the dump truck .

5. Tool Set - If you have a little one who wants to always help with projects at home or be just like mom and dad, think about getting a play tool set! I am not someone who wants tons of little pieces all around the house so the ones I'm recommending are ones without lots of small screws and other pieces. This play tool set is only 6 pieces. If you're OK with more pieces you might like this wooden tool set.

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6. Puzzle - Your two year old is probably ready for an upgrade in their puzzles they started with. I love this wooden alphabet puzzle. Great for practicing letters, colors, and also what words start with each letter. My son will be 2 in February and these chunky wooden puzzles are on his list this year -- construction vehicle puzzle and safari wooden puzzle.

7. Wooden Blocks - Most little ones will love anything they can build with at this age! I love these wooden blocks. Bonus is that the top of the container allows them to practice sorting and putting shapes together. This set has the option to purchase both as colored blocks or all wooden.

8. Learning Resources Fine Motor Hedgehog - My son is getting this for Christmas this year and I am excited for him! His daycare classroom has it and he is often playing with it when I pick him up, so I know he's going to love it. This toy helps little ones build fine motor skills as they put the spikes in the hedgehog, and also gives a chance to learn colors.

9. Zig Zag Racetrack - My eldest received this is a gift when he was 2 and my youngest now plays with it all the time. Send the cars down the track to race to the bottom. Kids are mesmerized as they flip at the end of each zig-zagging track. This is the exact one we have.

10. Little People Camper - My son actually got this when he was 1 year old and it was definitely a gift for him to grow into. (Shopping for a second child of the same gender is hard when they are little and haven't developed their own interests yet, so when he was 1 we suggested quite a few toys that would grow with him.) Once he turned 18 months old, he started getting more interested in this Little People set. The camper is sooo adorable. It plays nice music, outdoor sounds, comes with a car to pull the camper, has a kayak that sits on top of the car, and is good for pretend play. The version we have actually included the Little People Tent too, but it looks like now those are sold separately.

Looking for more ideas? Check out my post with gift ideas for an 18-month-old here. Also, if you've got the space a play couch would make a great gift. We unfortunately don't have the space but I know my boys would love it!

gift guide - Monday, November 27, 2023

My Favorite Gifts for a Two Year Old

Psst. Looking for some inspiration for a one year old? Check out this post where I reference 10 Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Your One Year...

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Clearstem Skincare Review, Clearstem Skincare Discount Code, Clearstem Acne Supplement Reviews, A Memory of Us

If you're here for the Clearstem discount code, you can use code DARCYLYNN to save 15%!

When I tell you I have struggled with my skin for years, I mean it. In high school, I was on accutane. In college my skin was actually pretty good. However, sometime after college I started spironolactone for acne. When we decided to try to grow our family, I got off spironolactone. My skin did OK once transitioning off of the medicine, but I did deal with some breakouts when I got pregnant with our first child. After he was born, I discovered Barefaced and their toning pads* made a significant difference in my skin.

I used Barefaced toning pads* throughout my next pregnancy and while breast feeding. However, once I stopped breastfeeding... my skin freaked out and those no longer worked for me. Nothing I was doing worked anymore. In 2019 I was pregnant, I had a baby in January 2020, and breastfed that baby until April 2021. Then, I got pregnant with our second child in June of 2021, he was born in February 2022, and I breastfed up until early June 2023. Once I was done breastfeeding our second son, I think my hormones just didn't know what to do! My body had been through a lot in 4 years and this was the first time it was truly "just mine" again.

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I was trying everything to clear my skin. I started getting monthly facials at a MedSpa nearby and switched all my products to things they recommended (all were incredibly pricey). I almost completely cut out dairy (I never removed it completely because I wanted to be able to enjoy pizza night with my family, but anything I could easily leave it out of, I did). I also started using LightStim for Acne LED Light Therapy Device*. I would see minor improvements for like 1-2 weeks and then either break out like crazy or get a painful cyst.

Results from using Clearstem skincare at 2 weeks and 3 weeks

I was sooo frustrated. I had mentioned it to my dermatologist at my annual skin check, and they were willing to put me back on a prescription medication. However, I wanted a chance to figure out what was causing my acne in the first place. My skin would clear up with presciption medicine, but as soon as I stopped taking them... the acne came back. Clearly I needed to change something to make the results stick! I didn't want to have to be on prescription medicine forever. I wanted to figure out what was causing it in the first place.

One day, I had an ad on my Instagram page for a Podcast episode with the founders of Clearstem skincare. At this point, I was desparate for information so I immediately listened. This episode gave me exactly the knowledge I was looking for -- how to heal my acne from the inside.

Following the podcast, I immediately ordered their hormonal acne supplement* called MINDBODYSKIN*. You can use code DARCYLYNN to save 15%!

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MINDBODYSKIN* targets acne at the source. It has multiple benefits such as inflammation and liver support, supports digestion with liver detoxifiers, provides stress relief, brightens skintone, and helps balance hormones. It addresses entire body functions in order to treat and prevent acne from the inside. MINDBODYSKIN* is a replacement for the prescription meds I used to take but achieves the exact same results. My review of the Clearstem Skincare acne supplement could not be more positive.

Results from Clearstem Skincare at 4 weeks and 5 weeks

I wish I had taken better pictures of my skin. When I started taking pictures it was just for my own use -- I had never really planned to share but I loved the results so much that I had to scream it from the mountain tops. The pictures throughout the post show results at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, and 6 weeks. Unfortunately I do not have the full before picture as I didn't know I would love the products so much. Just imagine it was way worse than what you're seeing here. I am not kidding when I say that 2 weeks later my skin was noticeably clearer.

If you've ever dealt with acne, you know it takes a huge toll on your confidence. There would be times where I wouldn't want to make plans with friends because of my skin. Clearstem* has truly given me my confidence back.

Clearstem Skincare Results at 5 weeks and 6 weeks

After seeing improvement in my skin in 2 weeks, I decided to try out some more of their products. I planned to just replace my products with their line as I ran out . So, the first set of products I ordered were the CLEARSTEM Clear Skin Kit* and the Anti-Aging Eye Cream*.

The Clear Skin Kit included a vitamin scrub*, an exoliating serum*, a collagen infusion serum*, and stem cell moisturizer*. The combination of these products targets scarring, texture, hydration, and brightness. Today I am 6 weeks in to using the hormonal acne supplement, and ~3 weeks in to using the clear skin kit, and I don't have any active breakouts. The only thing I am still dealing with is acne scarring -- which I know will get better with time (especially with continued use of the vitamin scrub*).

Something else I love about Clearstem, is their ingredient checker* on their website. You can check ANY product for pore clogging ingredients by pasting in the ingredient list. I found out that my daily moisturizer had pore clogging ingredients in it! I immediately tossed it once my new stem cell moisturizer* arrived.

With their current Black Friday sale, I purchased some more products to try out. I purchased the Bounce Back No Botox Serum*, the Clearstem Sunscreen*, and the gentle cleanser*. I cannot wait for them to get here and to see how they contribute to my skin! I will probably do an updated post early in 2024 on my thoughts after I have a chance to use them.

Clearstem is also very affordable. Compared to some of the medical grade products I was purchasing? $65 for a serum* that actually got rid of my blackheads and unclogged my pores was a steal of a deal. Remember that you can use code DARCYLYNN to save 15%!

There is so much more going on under the surface if you suffer from acne. It requires extra work to solve the issue long-term (for example, I am probably 75% dairy free now) but it is worth it. Outside of changing up my skincare, the one other tool I am using still is the LightStim Acne Light*. This helps calm and clear existing breakouts, prevents future breakouts, and kills acne causing bacteria. Right now, I use this about twice a week for prevention. If you feel like you have tried everything to clear your acne and are still struggling, please give both Clearstem* and the LightStim Acne Light* a try.

Results from using Clearstem Skincare at 5 weeks and 6 weeks

The MINDBODYSKIN Vitamin* truly made the biggest difference in my skin. If you've struggled in the past with acne and either don't want to get on prescription medicine or the prescription medicine didn't work for you... I can't recommend Clearstem* enough. Their tag line of be clear, age well is exactly what I'm looking for from my skincare. If you can only buy one product from their line to start with, make it the vitamin. The Clearstem Acne Supplement is an amazing product.

I could go on and on, but this blog post is already pretty long. Although this post is titled "An Honest Review of Clearstem Skincare" it really could be called "A love letter to Clearstem skincare". If you have specific questions please reach out in blog comments or shoot me a message over on Instagram.

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beauty - Wednesday, November 22, 2023

At Honest Review of Clearstem Skincare (+ a discount code!)

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Easy Swaps To Lower Toxins In Your Home, Easy Low-Tox Product Swaps to Make Your Home Healthier, Journey to Low-Tox Living, A Memory of Us

Over the last year, I have gotten incredibly interested in health and wellness. I have learned so much about the products I am using in my home and how they impact my family's health. For me, once I started learning about toxic products and the harm they could do I couldn't get enough. I wanted to learn everything so that I could make better choices for my family.

However, I wasn't in a position financially to just compeltely overhaul everything in my home. And despite the fact that I loved learning about better food choices, natual remedies, and new products it can get really overwhelming when you decide to just completely purchase all new... everything.

To make swapping to low-tox living easy, I started just swapping one product out whenver I ran out of something. When I ran out of handsoap, I repalced it with something better. When I ran out of a disinfectant, I replaced it with something better. This made it attainable! It also meant that as I was starting to run out of something, I could do my research to see how I wanted to replace it.

One thing that makes low-tox living a little bit harder is you need to plan ahead. Although you can get some products on Amazon, there is a lot you need to order from the retailer directly, so shipping can take a little longer. Plan ahead so you are able to use the products and brands that you want!

This list below includes some of the low-tox products I've swapped in that were easy to change. I am not perfect. This is truly a journey to low-tox living for me. Every day I learn something new and find some kind of changes or improvement I want to make! If you've made a switch to something I don't have listed here, I would love to learn about it!

1. Deodorant* - This was actually the very first product I switched to a low-tox version. I've tried a few brands but this is my favorite. I'm on a subcription to save some money. I use the scent Blue Tansy.

2. Hand Soap* - Another item I switched out a long time ago and never looked back! This feels clean, lathers nicely, and doesn't have any harsh chemicals or sketchy fragrance. We now just use the refill option* on a subscription so that we never run out.

3. Teeth Whitening Strips* - I'm sure you've seen these non-toxic teeth whitening strips talked about on Instagram. I started using them a few years ago and really like them! Since I've done a whole box before, now I just do one strip a week to maintain color. If I've got an event or pictures coming up, I'll use them a little more often leading up to that event.

4. Mouthwash - There's a lot to say about why mouthwash/toothpaste/things we put in our mouths need to be high quality. This one is made of great ingredients that can remineralize your teeth. Once I started paying attention to ingredients one of the first things I noticed is places that have unnecessary color added to them. Have you ever looked at your mouthwash ingredients? Guarantee you there is added color to it. Why! What purpose does this serve?!

5. Lotion* - A recent swap for me since I previously had quite the backstock built up from a Costco visit. This is such an easy thing to swap and it's available on Amazon which makes shipping fast. Comes in a variety of scents but I personally just use the unscented version*.

6. Active Skin Repair* - If you have young kids, just trust me and buy this product. I purchased Active Skin Repair awhile ago to keep in our first aid kit and wow do we get tons of use out of it! With two active little boys, we continually have scrapes or scratches to clean up. This heals their skin so quickly and has no sting! We also get a ton of use out of this to help with diaper rash. I will spray this first and then do a layer of diaper rash cream. Any diaper rash is almost completley gone within 24 hours. Can't say enough good things!

7. Force of Nature Natural Disinfectant* - I've gotta sing this stuff's praises because wow do I love this product! I started using Force of Nature to disinfect my home probably back in July. It has changed the game for me! You make your own cleaner with this product using water, electricity, and solution they provide. It works and smells great. One thing I love about it is that the bottle you make is only good for two weeks. (Hear me out, I realize this sounds crazy.) At first when I read that, I thought it was kind of weird and that I wouldn't like it. However, I really wanted to give Force of Nature a shot so I figured I'd try it anyways. ~6 months later I love this because I feel like I am cleaning my house more often. If I know the bottle is only good for two weeks, I find myself spraying down the counters every night, wiping the high chair, etc. Of course I was cleaning those things in the past but now I feel like I am doing such a better job. It is a 12 oz bottle so it is very easy to use in the course of two weeks. Force of Nature can seriously be used on everything - kitchen counters, toilets, yoga mats, high chairs, shoes! You name it.. it cleans it. (It also preserves the life of a vase of flowers!) I ordered the year supply of Force of Nature Bundle*.

8. Laundry Detergent* - Laundry detergent is an important item to swap to a low-tox version because you are wrapped up in your laundry all day long. Your clothes, your bedding, your towels -- everything you touch/wear uses it. Make the swap to something better!

9. Beekeeper's Naturals* - I first heard about Beekeeper's Naturals* on a podcast a few years ago and was immediately intrigued. An all natural way for immune support and to hold off illnesses? Sign me up! I have one for me and one for the kids*. For most of the year we only use it when someone feels an illness coming on, but during the months when sickness is more prevalent, we use it as a way to try to hold off any illnesses. I definitely think it helps shorten colds and keeps us healthy!

10. Rowe Casa Earache Oil - Rowe Casa is a new brand to me. (I just recently placed my first order with them.) I am trying a bunch of their products but already need to praise the earache oil. Both of my boys have always been prone to ear infections. My oldest had tubes when he was 1.5 and they have started falling out (which was to be expected as he grew). One month after the first tube fell out, he already had an ear infection in that ear! I didn't want to go down that path again so immediately began looking into what options we had. I ordered this and a few days later, my youngest started pulling on his ear. We used these and 3 days later he was less fussy, never pulled on his ear, and never developed a fever. I truly think it saved us a trip to the doctor's and a round of antibiotics!

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Journey to Low Tox Living - Thursday, November 16, 2023

Easy Swaps I've Made to Lower Toxins in My Home

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What to Buy an 18-Month Old For Christmas, Christmas Gift Ideas for an 18-Month-Old, TABY Christmas Gift Ideas, Toddler Gift Ideas, What to Buy a Toddler for Christmas, A Memory of Us, Kansas City Blog

For other ideas check out my post on Christmas Gift Ideas for a One-Year-Old.

Wondering what to buy an 18-month-old for Christmas? They can be a hard age to shop for because they're starting to outgrow the baby toys, but aren't necessarily ready for some of the "older" toys either. (I think Busy Toddler calls them "TABYs" since they are in the middle stages of toddler and baby ha!) These are things we either have and love, we play with at Grandma's house, or they are on the list for this year. For reference, my son turns 2 in February. These are all great Christmas gift ideas for an 18-month-old. Many of them are things they will be able to continue to play with as they get older. (I can attest to this as the items we have from this list, my 3.5 year old will still play with today!) I hope you find the perfect gift for the 18-month-old in your life in my suggestions below.

1. Tunnel* - This is the exact play tunnel* we have. Out son loves it so much at home that we actually bought another one to donate to his daycare. Our 3.5 year likes to play with it, too. It folds up sooo nicely so it doesn't take up a ton of space when not in use. Our nephew has this one* and it is a little cheaper if you are looking for a toddler gift idea under $15.

2. Poke a Dot Books* - One of my very favorite gifts to give and to get. No kid can resist popping the dots as you read the book. There are so many stories available depending on your interests. We have the Poke-A-Dot: Wheel On The Bus* and the Poke-A-Dot Who's In the Ocean* books. At time of writing, they are on sale for buy 2 get 1 free that you can combine with other books/games!

3. MEGA BLOKS* - MEGA BLOKS* (or big legos as they are called in our house) are a huge hit. A great way to introduce legos and building blocks to your little one. My 3.5 year old will still play with these as well so there is some longevity here! They come with a nice bag that makes storage and clean-up easy.

4. Green Toys Vehicles* - I don't know if I can sing Green Toys' praises anymore than I already have. (They are mentioned in both my Christmas Gift Ideas for a One Year Old post and my Easter Basket Ideas for a One Year Old post.) Their toys are so well made, durable, and great for imaginative play! Our youngest is likely getting the Green Toys School Bus* for Christmas this year. We also have and love the Dump Truck*, Fire Truck*, Car Transporter*, and Paddle Boat*.

5. Busy Board* - A busy board* is a great option for something to keep your toddler entertained and practicing their fine motor skills. There are so many options and price points out there to choose from. This one* lets you personalize it and has different color options. We personally don't have a busy board as my mom made the boys felt busy books instead. These are great toys for quiet time! If you aren't crafty, you can buy a felt busy book here*.

6. Outdoor Chair* - Once your little one is on the move, they will love having furniture that is the perfect size for them. I love the Anywhere Chair* for inside (we have the navy with white pipping anywhere chair*). If you're anything like us, you spend tons of time outside with your kiddos! We are running through the sprinkler, playing with chalk, pushing play lawn-mowers, etc. Your little one will love to have somewhere they can sit while outside. I know it's winter, so it can be hard to think of playing outside.. but spring will be here before you know it! This toddler adarandak chair* is adorable and less than $10.

7. Learning Resources Pia the Fill & Spill Pinata* - A great toy to practice colors, counting, and work on fine motor skills. Drop the candies into the slot in the pinata. Once done, open the back to spill them all out and do it again. Works on their pincer grasp, too! If you like this idea, but not necessary the pinata design*, head to this link* that has similar concepts and just a different design. (Think piggy bank, cookies in the cookie jar, fish in the fish tank, etc.)

8. Tea set* - If your kiddo is into pretend play, a tea set* is a great gift. This is also a good option if you don't have room in your space for a full kitchen but know they would like something like that. (Another good option if you don't have room for a full kitchen is this grilling set*.) My son plays with this all time and loves to make us coffee. The first set I linked is what we have, and it is stainless steel. If you want something plastic or more colorful instead, check out this tea set from Green Toys*. (See topic number 4 for my love of green toys ;)).

9. Balls - Get your little one some kind of ball to kick, throw, and chase after! Whether it's a playground ball*, a soccer ball*, or one of these sensory balls* that is better for inside; they will love it!

10. Vacuum*- All kids love playing with a vacuum. In fact, my son's daycare room has so many kids that want to play vacuum that they now have 6 in their classroom of 8 kids! My mom has this one* for playtime at her house. All the kids love it and its a great price point for a gift at $25. If you're looking for something a little cheaper (currently on sale for less than $15) check out this toddler play vacuum* instead.

Anything I missed that you loved getting for your 18 month old? Or did I miss your favorite thing to gift to an 18 month old? Sound off in the comments!

gift guide - Monday, November 13, 2023

Christmas Gifts for an 18 Month Old

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gift guide - Wednesday, November 08, 2023

Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs Gear

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The Best Games for a Three Year Old, Game Ideas for a Three Year Old, 3 year old games

Something fun happens when your child turns three. You can start playing games together! We love games in our house. (Check out this post from 2020 with some of our favorite 2 player games.) Being able to start playing games with our oldest has been so special. He loves game time. We usually play when our youngest is napping or has gone to bed for the night. This is special time just for us. I think he loves it because there are no distractions and he gets our full attention during game time. Below are our favorite games as well as some that I have on my "to buy" list! We've already purchased Sequence for Kids* for him for Christmas this year.

Games We Have and Love

1. Little Thinker's Block Logic Puzzle* - A great game that you can play with your little one or that they can play individually. This is a brainteaser game where you have to fit 9 blocks within a grid on a card. The cards increase in difficulty as you go up in numbers. The card will have some colored shading on it to show where colored blocks go, but the rest is white space with colored stars on it. The stars give you a clue where each block should go. Match the color block to the colored star, but know that each block can only cover one star. As you increase in difficulty the amount of shaded boxes decrease, leaving you with only the stars to guide you in placement.

2. Forklift Frenzy* - Okay, the box for this one says ages 8+ but my 3 year old loves this game so I have to include it. If you have a child who loves construction vehicles or gets excited by equipment, they'll be into this game. This is a two player game where you stack barrels with your forklift. First, you draw a card which shows you what design you need to follow in stacking barrels. Once you hve your stack, take it back to your base. First one there, wins! The cards increase in difficulty. Right now, we only play with the 2 and 3 barrel cards. I think we are close to including the 4 barrel high cards too. This is a game he will continue to grow into! He also just thinks its fun to drive around a forklift haha.

3. Peek-A-Doodle Doo!* - Peek-A-Doodle Doo is a four player memory game. Round one has all chickens sitting on nests with an egg underneath them. Take turns picking up a chicken and placing the egg back in the "Egg container". If you pick up a chicken without an egg underneath, your egg starts to crack on your scoring nest. Once all twelve eggs are in the egg container, round two begins. In this round, you take an egg out of the container to place back under a chicken. If you try to place an egg under a chicken that already has an egg underneath, you have to move your egg on the scoring nest. If your egg fully cracks, you're out of the game! Winner is whomever has the most intact egg at the end of round two.

4. Memory Matching Game: A matching memory game is a great game for kids of this age. There are so many options to choose from based off your child's interests. We have this camping themed memory matching game*. It is perfect for our son who loves the outdoors! The pieces are sturdy and well-made. We gifted this Ladybug Garden Memory Game* to our niece on a past birthday. This barnyard matching game* looks fun too!

5. Candyland*: Candyland is an oldie, but a goodie. You probably played it growing up! This is the first game we started with our son. It is super easy to learn the directions as you simply draw a card, and move your person to the next square on the board that matches the color you drew. First one to the candy castle wins. At less than $10*, this is a great game to add to your collection.

6. Chutes and Ladders* - Another oldie, but a goodie. And another one in the list that you can buy for less than $10*!. Spin a spinner to move along a board game trying to make your way to the top. If you land at the bottom of the ladder, take it up! If you land at the top of a slide, slide back down. A good game as it teachers your child how to handle disappointment when they have to slide back down. Admittedly, this is my least favorite game to play in the list but my 3 year old LOVES it. The only reason I don't like it is that sometimes one game takes us 30 minutes. We've had multiple games where we each just keep hitting the top of a slide, resulting in a neverending game. Somehow he doesn't lose interest when this happens!

7. Bingo* - Bingo is a favorite game in our house. We love this one* in particular because each bingo card has all the same things on it, just in different spaces. That way, everyone gets to take an action on each turn. It is made of more of a cardstock type of material, so it is not heavy duty, however. Depending on how hard you are on the game, that is something to consider! There are a lot of versions out there you can choose from, this one* has over 26,000 reviews and 4.8 stars. This one* also looks great as it includes options to play with pictures, numbers, or site words.

8. Expression Puzzle Building Blocks Game* - My MIL found this game when my son turned 3 and it quickly became one of his favorites. Each player gets three blocks that have different eyes/mouths on them to make up different facial expressions. One player draws a card that shows a face on it, and all players race to make the face out of their blocks. First player to finsih wins the card. Whoever gets 10 cards first wins.

9. Monopoly Junior* - Another classic. I love watching my son play this game because it is so fun to see him count out money. The junior version is a fast and fun game where you buy properties like a toy shop, a library, a pet store, an ice cream parlor, etc. The version I linked has two ways to play so it can grow with your kids as they learn to read and do math. We don't personally have this game but Grandma has it and we love playing in there!

10. Hi-Ho Cherry-O* - My son loves playing this game. Everyone starts with filling their trees with fruit pieces. Spin the wheel to see if you get to take off a piece of fruit to fill your basket. Watch out though! If you spin and land on a dog or bird, they will steal food out of your basket and put it back on the tree. You can even spill the whole basket and have to take everything out. First one to clear their tree and fill their basket wins. I love this game because it teaches counting and I feel like is good practice for teaching how to handle disappointment when you spill basket!

Honorable mention or number 11 goes to Go Fish*. At under $10 this is another great buy and makes a great stocking stuffer for a three year old! We love playing the "traditional" way first and then using the cards to play a matching game afterwards.

On Our To Buy List

1. Sequence for Kids* - Mentioned this above, but we have purchased this game for a Christmas gift this year for our son. My husband and I love sequence ourselves, so it will be fun to play this game with our child. In Sequence for Kids, you draw a card and place a tile on the matching animal on the board game. First person to make a sequence of four in a row wins!

2. Hoot Hoot Owl* - This is a cooperative play game where you help owls get home to their nest. Draw a card and move an owl to a spot of that color on the board to get them closer to home. If you draw a sun card, the sun gets closer to rising. All the owls need to get home before the sun rises. I love that this game is something you work on together and helps teach planning ahead!

3. Count Your Chickens* - Another cooperative play game that I've been eyeing for awhile. In this game you want to get all chickens back home in their coop before the Mama Hen reaches the coop.

4. Clue Junior* - I think my son might have been a little too young for this game at 3, but I've got it on my to buy list as he gets older. This is similar to the monoply game listed above as the board game has two sides to grow with your child. Side 1 everyone works together to figure out what item someone accidently put in their backpack on the playground. Side 2 you are trying to find out who set off a volcano in the science lab.

5. Push and Pull Worm Tower* - A version of jenga for kids. Worms start the game all stacked in a nice tower. Roll the dice to see what color of worm you need to move from its spot on the tower and place on the top. Don't let the tower fall! My mom has this game at her house and my son loves to play it there.

Did I miss any of your favorite games? Please share them in the comments to help us all out as we enjoy family game night!

gift guide - Monday, November 06, 2023

The Best Board Games For a Three Year Old

Links with an * at the end are affiliate links. Thank you for supporting me and my blog! Something fun happens when your child turns three....

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