Taleidoscope review

What is it about Kaleidoscopes that capture the imagination? It's such a classic toy any boy or girl would love. It's also a timeless piece that looks impressive sitting atop a desk. A perfect stocking stuffer or a birthday surprise, too!

I was asked to review this beautiful, hand crafted, wooden taleidoscope recently. Of course, my little gals and I were over the moon to get our eyeballs on this handsome toy.

What is a taleidoscope? I wondered that, too.

It is very much like a kaleidoscope, but instead of seeing glitter or multicolored confetti, you see whatever image is in front of you. Of course, the image is morphed hundreds of times.

This particular model is made of beautiful solid laminated wood and is available for engraving.

It makes for some fun and what a gorgeous piece! Thank you Kaleidoscopes to you for supplying us with such a gorgeous toy!

A bit of a mess...

Apparently, my makeup bag had been compromised.

Loose powder sprinkled the floor, an uncapped lipstick stood teetering on its head, and a liner had been formally introduced to a lash curler. My toddler sat amongst the mess clutching a powder puff and wearing a grin.

“Mommy, I beautiful…….just like Cinderella!”

I inhaled deeply, aghast at the mess. But, fortunately, I had a light bulb of a moment and made a quick recovery.

In my highest voice, I channeled her fairy godmother.

“Oh, Cinderella, whatever did you do?
Bippity boppity boo.
Here, kid, this paper towel is for you…”

She looked at me quizzically, glittery lashes fluttering.
I added emphasis, using a nearby toothbrush as a wand and took my voice up another notch.

“Clean up the goo.
Here’s a tissue.
You may be just two
But, it’s certainly true
You can help mommy too
(Was that lipstick new?
Oh, Boo-Hoo!)
Bippity boppity boo!”

Before she knew it, my little one had a broom in one hand and a paper towel in the other. She was a one woman musical cleaning crew, scrubbing the floor and happily hopping about to my directions.

See? Add a little Disney to anything and you get an instant solution.

That guy was a genius.



Looking for free diamond stud earrings? Just got these gorgeous babies in the mail.

A little froggy luck

I discovered a frog hiding behind our trash can in the garage this morning.

He sat there cowering by the wall, golden eyes glued on me and a quick heartbeat in his chest. I tried to calm the panicky creature.

"You're OK, Bud."

Soon, Mr. Froggie had two more sets of eyes upon him.

"Mommy, what's the Frog Prince doing by the trash?"

"Froggy! Froggy!"

I explained that the frog had lost his way and needed a helping hand.

My gals were quick to search the garden for toadstools and lily pads, but came back empty handed. At a loss for what to do, my oldest suggested a nice, cozy box set up in her room.

In the end, however, we decided to release the critter close to a neighbor's pond. It must have been from here that he had escaped earlier.

"He's one lucky little frog!" My daughter observed.

As the sticky creature leaped to the edge of the pond, I could have sworn he looked over his shoulder to throw us an appreciative glance.

And, maybe I was seeing things, but I thought I saw another pair of golden eyes peering from the mossy pond, frilly eyelashes fluttering flirtatiously.

"You're right. He is one lucky guy." I agreed with my daughter.

And, I suspect he's going to get luckier as the evening progresses.

Ribbit!

You're welcome!

Hey, bud, what's the big idea?

Don’t you love it when a fabulous idea lands right in your lap?

It floats down out of nowhere, bright eyed and bushy tailed, eager to roll up its sleeves and get to work. It lends a hand where needed. Ingenuity and quick thinking are its tools of trade.

As for you?

Well, you gleefully surrender yourself to the fruit of its efforts, watching from a distance. Your feet are up with glass in hand as you watch it slave away, nose to grindstone.

“Now, there’s an idea!” you say, patting it on the back encouragingly.

You are the envy of others.

“Where do you get your great ideas?”

You inspire green eyed envy even from even your nearest and dearest friends.

“Wish I was the one who came up with that great idea!”

Every once in a while, you get a lemon of an idea, who, despite its best efforts, mucks things up, prompting some snide remarks….

“Hey, bud! What’s the big idea!?”

But, most of the time, those great ideas come from nowhere, are eager to please and are the most useful creatures to happen upon.

Serving as your indentured servant, they advance a home or work project, bloom a business and chase the heels of opportunity. These nifty creatures know how to light up a room. And, isn’t it particularly sweet when they not only pay a visit, but bring a knapsack and stay for an extended while?

Ever happen to you?

Yeah…umm……well, me neither.

Today I Am 2!!

Today, Mamma Talk is turning two!

She has emerged from her infancy and is now running steadily into her terrible twos…. tantrums, teething, potty training and all…

When I think back to that day I labored Mamma talk into existence, fiddling with Blogger and struggling with Twitter, I never could have imagined this day.

I merely thought this was a small experiment, a strange hobby that I didn’t totally get, a fad that would see its better day. But, I kept tending to this small, sometimes dusty corner of the blogosphere.

Along the way, I’ve met some lovely friends, written many posts…..both good and bad.

And, in the end, I kinda hung in there. Sure, I bellyached.

I complained that I had nothing to say.

That it was the wrong season to blog.

That I was just too preoccupied to keep up….

And, had better things to do….

‘Cuz that’s what blogging is about.

Now, we have two flickering pink candles on this birthday cake and a proud toddler blogger eager for what awaits us…on the bloggy seas!

Thank you for reading! A big thank you to those of you who actually took the guided tour of old posts! Took me awhile to link to all of them!

Potty Me? Yes! Potty You!

Is there a light at the end of this potty training tunnel?

Because I feel like I’m sitting here alone and lost in this dark and dismal tunnel with a fistful of damp matches.

…Hoping beyond hope that the tide will turn...Dreaming of potty victory…Praying to the ceramic gods…

I have cajoled. I have bribed. I have waited. I have charted.

Finally, only to turn the other cheek…ahem.

However, I have learned that sometimes when you’re frustrated and over wrought…And, when you just can’t take it anymore as you are swirling down the drain hole of mamma madness…

Magic can occur…

“Bippity boppity boo…
Here’s some potty magic for you…”

FLUSH!

With all of the creatures lurking in my home,(here, here, here) why I hadn’t considered putting in a call to my Potty Godmother, I will never know. But, there she stood. She was dressed in magic fairy blue with a sparkling wand held high over the pot.

“Next time, child, give the Potty Godmother a call.
Buns are my expertise. I guide them. I train them. I get them to sit.
I show them. I teach them. I get them to sh*t.
You see, it’s my trade. My line of work.
Gimme a call before mom goes beserk.”

She left me with her business card and a feel for her wit.

Priscella, Potty GodMother
1-800-U2-CAN-SH*T

Put Up Your Dukes!!

The hysterics began slowly, building gradually and then peaked with one sharp, explosive piercing SCREECH!

Now, mind you, the panic would have been contained if the furry legged, multi-eyed beast of an arachnid had stayed in his corner of the tub.

But, oh, no.

This fierce bug had postured himself into a threatening stance. Perched on his hind legs, front legs balled into a fist, Spidey eyeballs rolling…..

And, pinchers pinching.

Not sure what this fella had in mind.

Guess he figured he could take me.

Maybe even thought I had it coming.

Perhaps he had planned to teach me a lesson.

Gimme a taste of my own medicine.

Serve me a knuckle sandwich even.

Typically, I am not one to back down from a fight. But, I just couldn’t see myself locking horns with this critter. Just not my thing.

I scurried off, tail between my legs, to fetch my hubby.

Hubby stomped in with his size 10 boots, eager to provide a quick and easy, albeit messy, solution.

And, then, I re-considered.

“Wait!”

Hubby hesitated, boot hovering over my opponent, quizzical look on his face.

“Ah…..um….I mean.…well…” I attempted to explain my thoughts.

Hubby raised an eyebrow.

“Ya gotta admire the spunk,” I said.

“Go get a cup.”

And, tonight, somewhere in our garden, a lone soldier returns home to the village, full of tales of bath tubs and gentle giants.

“…And, so, I gave her the ol’ one, two…See?
Tryin’ to mess with the likes of me.
Ain’t happenin’ on my watch. No, sir!
Next time, I’ll clock her where it counts…”

Worry Shrew...

I am not a worry wart. Not me. No way. No how.

Me?

I am a worry shrew.

Yes, a worry shrew, complete with a wart, a snaggle tooth and a rolling, lazy eye.

I burn the midnight oil as I run endless circles, wringing my knobbly fingers and hissing my endless worries.

When I am in the thick of a spell, I scold. I curse. I growl and I spit.

Nothing soothes my prickly thoughts or calms my crabby demeanor.

Yes, I am a worry shrew.

As for those worry warts?

Well…..they’re just a bunch of sissies ….

Grrrrrrr…

'Twas a dozey kinda day....

We were having a dozy afternoon in the backyard

With Pappa in his swim trunks and I in my floppy hat.

Our gals were about to settle down

For a nice hammocky nap….

When out from our bedroom there arose such a clatter

I sprang from my lawn chair to see what was the matter

Away to the glass slider, I flew like a flash

Ran into the slider and felt like an a*s

My computer screen was emitting an eerie blue glow

And I began to shiver, sweat and scream, “Oh, Lord no…”

My very own Apple computer was yelling “COME HERE!!…

Your Mamma talk blog has been up all year.

Have you forgotten? Haven’t you ignored her enough?”

Then, my keyboard began to type up some stuff…

“You have a blog. A lonely blog, too.

She feels neglected and she’s feeling quite blue.”

Well, I tried to explain and I started to Boo-Hoo

“We were on vacation and the kids had the flu.

Besides, who blogs in the summer, see here for a clue.”

“’Enough,” screamed the ‘puter, “You know what to do!”

So, here I sit hoping and praying that this will do.

Some bad poetry and goofy off season fun.

Now, back to the wading pool. I was enjoying the sun!

Good, Clean Fun Review

My girls were thrilled to take a dip with this Dino-Fizz egg from Smith and Vandiver. Once this fizz bomb dissolved, a little Stegasaurus emerged! It was quite the science experiment…just add water and a couple Princess Paleontologists, of course.

Among the benefits..

-PH balanced to be gentle and non-irritating to skin and eyes
- Sulfate-free and non-toxic
- Phalate-free certified natural fragrance
- Paraben and formaldehyde free
- No colors, synthetic fragrances or animal by-products

We also sampled some Dino Bubbles. After all the roaring was complete, my girls went to bed, clean, soothed and ready for some dino dreams….A big thank you to Smith and Vandiver for supplying the samples!