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Joy's Fun Stuff

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Top 5 Things to NOT Buy Your Grandkids (and 4 to consider instead): A Grandparent's Gift Guide

There are so many great gifts out there and kids are all so very different. This guide to buying a present for your grandkids will help you

Top 20 Stocking Stuffers for Teens and Adults that Aren't Awful

I've done the hard work of gathering some sweet gift ideas. Now you just have to click and relax in the knowledge that your presents are

Christmas Stockings Stuffers that are Creative, Unusual, & Non-Junk (because Santa loves YOU)

Christmas stockings are equal parts fun and the worst. This awesome list will help take the pain out of finding the perfect gifts.

What's a Cricut, What Can You Make, and How Did I Ever Live Without One?

If you enjoy crafting AT ALL a Cricut will make all of your wildest dreams come true. If you have a parent/adult child/spouse/whoever that l

Birthday for Husband: Ways to NOT Mess It Up

Kid's birthdays are easy, but I have struggled with the old birthday for my husband, poor guy. It's silly because he's an amazing man who loves me and our kids. But I have struggled. While marriages are complicated and all different, these are some truths I've (slowly) discovered through the years for me with my husband, mostly through trial and error. The emphasis here is on the error. *Disclaimers: 1. Not everyone fits into these generalities but maybe this will give you so

Top 10 Dollar Tree Finds, Part 2

Yesterday I got my oil changed, which is not really noteworthy or anything. But Matt kept the kids and I had a whole hour and a half to my lonesome, and THAT was exciting. Being the wild woman I am, I seized the day and walked a block to the Dollar Tree. Carpe diem, baby. Couple Points here: 1) If you're interested in reviewing my somewhat creepy fascination with this store, Part 1 is here. 2) The Dollar Tree is NOT sponsoring this post. I'm not cool enough for that reality.

Perfect Gift Quest: Kid-Authored Book

I just found out that one of my sisters does not play Monopoly at Safeway and I wonder if I ever knew her at all. I mean, sure I've never won a big prize or anything, but I COULD. Last year I won a $5 for groceries coupon. Five dollars! That was a sweet little perk. Granted if you put the time I spent trying to put the dang pieces in the right spot into an hourly rate, it would be like 7 cents an hour or something. And the fact that I never did go to customer service to cash

Baptism Ideas

Our second was baptized this last Saturday, and man, was this kid excited. The next day he tried to convince us it was really Saturday so that he could get baptized again. He is a character for sure. I've learned a few things on the whole deal and thought I'd pass it on. Purpose First off, as fun (or stressful, depending on your personality type) as it is to do all the extras, baptisms are about being baptized. Wow. So insightful, I know, but it's so easy to forget that. The

Keep-the-3-Year-Old-Busy Gift Bag

Our friends’ baby recently had surgery. Everything went well and the baby is doing fine, but our sweet, amazing, great-parent friends have a house full of other kids and are Tired. With the recovery, there has been little sleep going around, which is challenging on its own. But they have a 3 year old. I'm sure they are handling it all beautifully. I just simply cannot imagine having my Ms. 3 Year Old in that situation. I would lose my mind. Three is so darling and fun. It is

Top 10 Dollar Tree Finds, Part 1

I am kind of a kid's craft supply hoarder, full disclosure. I see googly eyes and alphabet beads and I cannot restrain myself. It's kind of a problem. The nearest Dollar Tree isn’t really close and my local Target has the worst dollar spot I've ever seen. It's like 3 shelves. Horrible. So since we've lived here, I've been really missing my cheap craft fix. I made a little trek to our closest Dollar Tree this week and felt like singing that old song, "Reunited and it feels so