Top Toys at Toy Fair 2016

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Toy Fair in a day.... whirlwind is an understatement.
I absolutely could have spent 3 full days there but was able to see a lot in the one day that I did attend.

First off, how cool is it that I was accepted as press for Toy Fair? I am a very little blog so getting an acceptance for something like that is crazy to me! Thanks for reading this little piece of my life and getting me there!

There will be multiple posts over the course of the month for all the amazing things I saw but I wanted to start with the top toys I saw, things I fell in love with immediately.  In no particular order, a few of my favorite toys from Toy fair last weekend:


1. Fimo Clay

Any one else grow up playing with Fimo? I am so excited about the "rebirth" of Fimo, launching kid play kits complete with scenes for interactive play- they even have glitter polymer clay! I can promise that the Easter Bunny will be leaving some Fimo clay for Emma!

2. Yookidoo Water Toys

These things are adorable! The systems have spray hoses, googly eyes, and pipes that run water from the tub and since they use the water already in the tub, I don't need to keep the water running or worry about an overflow. I'm already dreaming of how easy it will be to wash the kids' hair with this adorable sprayer set! All the sets Amazon sells can be found here.

3. Comfy Critters hooded blankets

These are ridiculously adorable, and soft! It's a wearable, hooded blanket and it even has little hand flaps! Right now you can purchase a handful of designs, including a unicorn!, but a little birdie told me licensed characters like The Hungry Caterpillar, SpongeBob, Paw Patrol, and the Ninja Turtles will be gracing shelves soon...

4. Little Cosmetics

This was maybe the only booth the entire time that made me literally stop in my tracks.  I was on the phone with Dave and actually said "I need to go, right now" and hung up! Ha.  Emma is so obsessed with my make up and while I don't really mind, there is always the fear that she'll grab eye liner or lipstick and it will be a much bigger mess than just her overly pink cheeks.
Not only do these look real, but they feel real! I was amazed when I touched the "powder" compact and nothing came off on my finger!I'm torn between buying her the Sweetheart set, the Essentials Set, or the Beauty Set (all available on Amazon).

5. Floof and Bag O Dirt

Have you played with kinetic sand before? It is super cool. Bag O Dirt is similar to the kinetic sand but is much more "boy" oriented with a mini tractor trucks and big bug accessory kits.  My kids would love it and it's dirt I'm okay with having in the house!

The real show stopper from them was the Floof! It feels like marshmallow and clay had a baby. I could have stood there all day playing with it, it was so stress relieving. Neither will be released until later in the year but I promise I'll let you know when you can get your own!

6. Goldie Blox

I met Goldie Blox last summer at Blogger Bash and I fell in love. STEM activities targeted for girls.
The understanding of gears, pullys, and construction really helps develop little brains! I loved the parade float that was shown on Thanksgiving, but can't wait for even more sets to be released.

7. Green Tones

I spent waaaay too long at the Green Tones booth, literally just playing music! The instruments are all made out of wood and are adorable.  I really loved the baby bear shaker and the beginner drum set. You can find most of them right on Amazon.

8. MoYou Nails

I am totally obsessed with this nail set! I almost walked by the booth because I thought "it's just another nail kit" but it is so cool. She gave me a french manicure in less than 5 minutes! It was crazy! With normal nail polish, it lasted 4 days, however the design on my accent nail is still perfect. Amazon offers lots of different sets that fit any budget. I want to grab them for Emma because of how easy it will be do decorate her nails!

9. Tech 4 Kids Squishy Pops, Fash-Ems, and Vinyl Figures

There were so many things at the Tech 4 Kids booth that Emmalee would just love. Her big favorite right now is the Squishy Pops. She received a handful of  them after Blogger Bash and after getting another from Toy Fair, we've already purchased 8 more blind balls to add to her collection! She also loves the Fash-Ems and Mash-Ems and will be obsessed with the new vinyl figures they'll be releasing later in the year.

10. Plan Toy

These are so cool because they are all natural, organic rubber wood and they use every single piece of the tree.  The wooden pieces are made from the trees (that are already being cut down and are easily replanted) and then they collect the wood shavings, press them together, and create even more items from them!

I love the little penguin in the boat but the sets range from small figures to full blown scenes, you can see more sets here. I'd be happy to spend my money on an amazing sustainable company!

The problem with all these amazing toys is that I want to buy them all! Which are your favorites?

30 by 30: I'm 30!

Welp, I'm 30 today. It's kind of exciting but kind of scary. I had made a 30 by 30 list more than 3 years ago and sadly, I did not quite hit it all, although part of me knew I wouldn't.

On my 30th birthday, this is where I ended up...

1. Be an English Teacher (have my own classroom)
2. Have baby #2.
3. Buy a house.
4. Own a pair of Manolos. (Really not my lifestyle anymore-- might be a pair of Jack Rogers instead)
5. See a show ON Broadway.
6. Run a 5k.
7. Weigh 150 lbs again. (muscle weighs more than fat-- this will never happen. Maybe we'll say, be a size 8/10)
8. Get my Masters degree.
9. Do a photography challenge for a month.
10. Pay for someone else in the drive through behind me.
11. Get my palm read/fortune told.
12. Go to a blogging conference.
13. Re-learn how to sew and make a blanket from Em's old clothes. 
14. Own a car that's less than 5 years old.
15. Go for a weekend trip to Martha's Vineyard.
16. Adopt a family for Christmas.
17. Buy a bicycle. A regular old fashioned bicycle.
18. Go to Vegas for my 30th! (The 29th can count too right?! I just wanted to go!)
19. Start (and keep) a vegetable garden.
20. Spend a day getting pampered.
21. Learn to crochet or knit. (Why was this important to me?!)
22. Buy brand new furniture.
23. Have dinner out with my husband at Top of the Hub or go to Blue Man Group (he's never been!)
24. Wear a bikini to the beach... no cover up.
25. Bring Emmalee to see the Rockafeller Christmas Tree.
26. Do a boudoir photo shoot.
27. Go to a group fitness class.
28. Buy an original piece of art and frame it in our house.
29. Go on our first family vacation (must be out of state, can't be CT)
30. Make a list of 100 things that make me happy.

22 out of 30 in just about 3 years is pretty awesome to me!
I'm excited about 30.  I am exactly where I need to be, exactly where I wanted to be, even though 10 years ago, I didn't know this is where I wanted to be. 

I think a 40 by 40 is my next list.

As Tim McGraw says:

I think I'll take a moment celebrate my age

End of an era and the turning of a page 
Now it's time to focus in on where I go from here 

Lord have mercy on my next thirty years...

Emma Unboxes Tsum Tsums!

Do you watch Youtube videos where someone is opening up a blind bag with a surprise toy inside? The 4 year old is obsessed with them and is always asking to watch them.  When we saw the new Disney Tsum Tsum Blind Bags, Emma asked for 2 and then asked if she could make her own video.

Adorable, right?

She even set up her own little table with a cake plate to hold her tsum tsums! Check out her/our first attempt at a video and leave a comment letting us know what you think! I may have a superstar on my hands! :)

My Current Favorite Meal : Southwest Chicken Bowls

I have been on a pretty awesome health kick lately. Menu planning, meal planning, pre-prepping snacks... I'm "in it" now and it feels good. I did lose a handful of pounds and then went a week of not prepping and felt myself falling back. Sad.

This week however, I'm prepping my favorite meal and wanted to share!

Southwest Chicken Bowls

1/2 tsp EVOO

2 cups fresh or frozen corn

1 can black beans (low sodium), rinsed

1 cup chopped onion

2 chicken breast

Taco Seasoning (I use Atlantic Spice Co's)

2 cups rice (brown or white - sometimes I use quinoa instead!), prepared according to directions. 

1 tsp of shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1 tbsp of salsa (optional)

1. Put two chicken breasts in the crock pot, sprinkle with taco seasoning to your liking, and set on low to cook while you're at work (or wherever...)

2. Add EVOO to a skillet on low heat, then add chopped onions and corn. Cook until onions are transparent and corn is roasted.

3. Add can of rinsed black beans and mix together. Cook until beans are heated.

4. At the same time, use microwave or rice cooker to prepare 2 cups of rice. 

5. When all items are ready, layer the plate with 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup of corn and bean mixture, a palm sized piece of chicken, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese or salsa if desired.