What's In The January YumeTwins Kawaii Box?

Japan.

My daughter is aching to go there one day. She loves everything about it.

Especially the kawaii things.

It's why she gets excited about her YumeTwins box every month. It's full of goodies from Japan.

Here's what she got in January's box!


She received a medetai kitchen sponge, but she'll probably use it to clean her bathroom. It's pretty messy at the moment, and she's in charge of keeping it tidy.

Did you hear? Scrunchies are back in style! Natalie wears these in dance class. This is a Kawaii scrunchie and badge set. She put the badge on her backpack!

She also got a medetai chopping board. She's been wanting to do more in the kitchen, so she's happy that now she has her own chopping board.

She plans on putting these Hello Kitty stickers on her school folder. "Maybe math to help cheer me up." She's not a math person.

Finally, she got a cozy blanket. It's a kawaii zodiac boar blanket, and it's been chilly out, so it'll come in handy.

You can get your own YumeTwins box here for less than $40! (Just click YumeTwins on the top left hand corner.) They feature brands like Pokemon, Disney, and Gudetama. (Plus many others!) You'll usually get 6-8 items in each box.

You can save $3 by using the code AML3.

What is your favorite thing in this month's box?

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

Hey, It's Okay....



....to have had fun watching Natalie in the fashion show at Justice.





....to have new family members! We got two guinea pigs. I'll write more about that next week.




.....to not plan on watching the Super Bowl this weekend. Football tends to bore me. But I might still make snacks. I do love to eat!




....to be bored with the love triangle on Grey's Anatomy. Meredith is a strong woman who doesn't need to mess around with a dude.



....to have enjoyed this book about Queen Jane by Alison Weir. For those who don't know, King Henry VIII needed a son as his heir. He was in a panic. He couldn't get a living one off his first wife Katherine, so he cast her aside for Anne Boleyn. Anne gave him Elizabeth, who ended up being a fantastic ruler, but Henry was like, "I need a boy, wah!" He had Anne beheaded and then married Jane. Jane gave him a son, but he ended up dying at 15 at tuberculosis. Oops. The book is about Jane's life though.

Inlinkz Link Party

The Quest For The Most Stuf Oreos

Okay, so I saw on various social media outlets that Oreo was releasing something called The Most Stuf Oreos.

I knew immediately I had to try it out.

I love to try all the new flavors. I usually will share on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

People were saying you could buy the cookies at Rite Aid, which is a problem for me, because I don't have one nearby.

But then people were saying they were finding them at Walmart or Target. I went to Target without any luck. Then I went to Walmart and again, no cookies. I was frustrated at this point. I just wanted to try them! I asked a worker and frightened her by accident.

"Do you guys have the Oreos with all the creme?" I asked her.

She blinked at me like I was speaking Farsi.

"The Oreos are in the cookie aisle," she finally answered.

I nodded. "I know. I saw them. But there's no Oreos with all the creme."

Her eyes darted around everywhere. Seriously, she was behaving like I was asking for something illegal, like crack.

"I think they're called The Most Stuf," I added.

She shook her head. Shrugged. "I guess we don't have them."

I wanted to ask if she could check in the back, but the poor thing looked petrified, so I thanked her and moved on. She probably rushed off and told her friends, "This crazy lady was asking about Oreos with a bunch of creme." I don't know. Maybe she was on the Keto diet and talking about things she can't have frightens her.

The story has a happy ending though. I went to HEB the next day and look what I found:

"Yes!" I said, grabbing a package.

Nearby a woman was talking to a friend and saying something like, "Seriously, these cookies sound gross. No wonder America is so fat."

So I pointedly grabbed two packages, put them in my cart, and walked boldly past.


So are the cookies as good as they sound?

Yup.


Basically, if you like regular Oreos, you'll like these. The creme is massive. To me it seems like they took two Double Stuf cremes, mashed them together, and stuck them on this cookie.

A warning though: since there is so much creme, when you bite into it, the cookie sort of collapses. So if you want to eat this around a new love interest, you won't look demure.


Would I buy these cookies again?

Yup!

Have you tried The Most Stuf Oreos yet?

Brat And The Kids Of Warriors Book Review

I was sent a copy of Brat And The Kids Of Warriors in exchange for a review. No other compensation was exchanged. If you purchase the book from my link, I might receive a small commission that helps me purchase other books. 

When I was a kid, I moved every few years. It was normal to me.

My Mom was in the Air Force so this made me a military brat. When I was small, I didn't realize military brat was the term for military kids, and I thought people were calling me a brat. I certainly could be one, don't get me wrong, but I was offended that someone could call me a military brat to my face. But then I understood.


Being a military brat was pretty awesome. I got to live in Europe throughout most of my childhood. We were in Italy, Germany, and Belgium.


I met my husband in Belgium, actually. And then he joined the Air Force so now I am raising military brats.

When I heard of the book Brat And The Kids Of Warriors by Michael Joseph Lyons, I was sure I'd like it. I mean, the book is about military brats. I was one! Even my cat was impressed.

Here is what the book is above via Amazon:


Brat and the Kids of Warriors is the first in a series of novels about the military brats. Jack McMasters and his sisters, perfect Queenie and out-of-control Rabbit, are military brats creating adventures wherever they go. But their dad s new assignment to Cooke Barracks, in West Germany, means leaving behind every friend they have. Again. But the seven-day voyage to Germany (Objective: Explore everywhere marked Off Limits on their U.S. Navy troop-transport ship) is better than any holiday cruise. Their dad s new assignment as a tank commander with 4th Armored Division comes soon after Germany lost World War II and the Russians split Germany in two with the Iron Curtain. As they travel to the base, they see unimaginable beauty, but also the rubble left from bombs. As the story progresses the kids gradually discover Germany is still very much a war zone, this time of the new Cold War. Jack soaks up war stories he overhears about WWII. Longing to make his father proud and become a son worthy of a warrior, he struggles to adapt to this totally different world. A world that is sometimes violent, at school, at home and beyond. Jack gathers a small band of friends, and together they create their own adventures, on and off the Army base. Teaming up with two German kids, Jack s gang sets out on a quest to prove they are as tough as any Russian kid. It takes successfully applying the lessons they learned from the war stories they were raised on. But things turn serious when they accidentally uncover a spy, one they can t prove exists. The discovery helps them realize why their dads are really in Germany: holding back, not the Nazis, but the Russian and East German communists, both of whom seem invincible. Their tanker dads are poised to fight more than 3,000 communist tanks lined up on the Iron Curtain, a threat to West Germany s freedom and all their lives.


Check out the trailer here:





I loved that the book was set in the 1950s. I'm a huge fan of history, and this book had tons of adventure and intrigue. Plus I saw myself in the kids. It's tough to leave behind friends when it's time to move again, but such is the life of a military brat. I also connected with the book because I lived in Germany and it's where the book is set. 


Granted, it was tough to read about the bullies who bother Jack when he starts at the new school. I didn't experience this, thank goodness, but it could be lonely at first. I was glad when Jack got through it. I won't give away how! The book really shares what it is like being a military brat.

And it reminded me why I should be proud to be a military brat. I recommend it even if you aren't part of the military life. It'll give you a peek on what it is like to be in the military family, which is pretty cool. This is book 1 so I look forward to book 2. 

You can buy the book on Amazon here. You can also purchase on the Kindle here. 

Easy Valentine's Day Marshmallow Classroom Treats

Look, when the sign ups for what to bring to class parties come out, I always rush to be able to put down napkins or plates. I won't lie. I am not a fan of being in the kitchen for long.

Sadly, there were times when all that was available was to bring something in. So I'd have to suck it up and do it. If I have to be in the kitchen, I need it to be easy, so I decided to come up with these marshmallow treats.

WHAT YOU NEED

--marshmallows

--Baker's Dipping Chocolate

--sprinkles

---sticks for the marshmallows



I absolutely love this dipping chocolate. I hate having to melt chocolate over the stove top. You create more dishes that way so you're stuck in the kitchen for longer. And you all know I hate being in the kitchen, so I'm all about the easy. With this chocolate, you just stick it in the microwave and stir. Then toss when you are finished! But if you want to do it the stove top way, you can.

Yes, I have purchased this and just eaten it by the spoonful. I won't lie. It also comes in dark chocolate so buy that and pig out and not feel as guilty, because don't experts say it's better for you?

Take a marshmallow, put the stick in, and dip it into the chocolate.

Then dip into sprinkles.

Place on wax paper to cool. If you waited until the last minute and have to get to the school in less than an hour, stick it in the fridge. Or you can cool at room temperature for an hour.

(Yes, I put wax paper over my daughter's multiplication place mat. She has trouble remembering the 9s and 7s.)

And good news, it's so easy kids can make them!

That's it. Seriously. When I said they were easy, I meant it. The longest part is waiting for the chocolate to harden. Obviously you can dip whatever you want in this chocolate. If you have a Scary Room Mom who goes on about the importance of fruit, dip fruit in chocolate and sprinkles and bring that too. Then be like, "Here Karen, here's the fruit, chill." You can also get fancier sticks for the marshmallows, but eh, these work for me.

So are you all about the easy in the kitchen?




DIRECTIONS


1. Melt chocolate


2. Dip marshmallow in chocolate.


3. Dip marshmallow in sprinkles.


4. Allow to cool on wax paper at room temperature or in the fridge for an hour or two. You'll know when they are done.


5. Pig out

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

Hey, It's Okay....



....to be bummed that Gymboree is closing all its stores. I wrote about why I think it's happening here.



....to have not done a lot during the long weekend. I basically read and told the cats to stay off the table.



....to be searching for The Most Stuf Oreos. I checked Walmart without luck. I'll check HEB soon. Everyone else is easily finding them in stores.



....to really be enjoyed the show The Orville. (It airs on Fox Thursday nights after Gotham, which I also watch.)



.....to love the Potion Purple stuff at Disney! I can't get to the parks until June, so I bought mine at Shop Disney.

Inlinkz Link Party

Why Did Gymboree Declare Bankruptcy?

Once upon a time, I used to be a frequent shopper at Gymboree.

The clothes were adorable. They were known to be "matchy matchy." There would be matching hats, tights, hair pieces, purses, and shoes. I ate this up. So did many other parents. 

People would ask how I could spend the money on overpriced clothes, but if you shopped the sales, the clothes weren't much more than ones found at Walmart. Also, there were usually always coupons stuffed in magazines, so that helped too. The quality was there.

The employees began to know who I was. There was one, Dorothy, who would greet me by name.

I would re-sell the clothes so I could buy new outfits. Sometimes. There were some that I still have to this day. I'm not sure why I'm holding onto them. I'm done having kids. Maybe for future grandkids? Or maybe because we had a lot of wonderful memories in Gymboree.

Some years ago I began to notice the quality was going downhill. I mean, I get it, companies want to save money so they try to come up with ways to do this. But I find when this happens, customers stop shopping. 

Yes, part of the reason why I didn't shop there was much was because my daughter was getting older, but it was mostly because the quality was going and the sales seemed to be diminishing. There used to be a Red Balloon Sale, where clothes from past lines would be out and incredibly cheap. I would load up here. Where did all the sales go? 

I noticed the Gymboree lines that came out weren't as appealing. The styles seemed off. In the past there were lines that I would grab up. (And they all had fun names. Cupcake Cutie. Petite Mademoiselle. Cozy Owl.)

So why did Gymboree declare bankruptcy? Well, they didn't listen to their customers. I know there is more to a business than I'll ever know, but they missed the mark by giving up the quality of their clothes. They also started going modern, and modern can be boring. I was part of various Gymboree groups, and mothers LOVED the "matchy matchy" aspects of the lines. When that went away, what was the point? When Gymboree started to look like regular clothes, there was no reason to shop there anymore. 

It's probably too late now, but if Gymboree were to bring back old lines, they'd make a killing, I can almost guarantee it. If they brought back the quality, people would return. 

My daughter can still fit into Gymboree, and I found the clothes she picked to be age-appropriate. But I would have not purchased it if she were younger. I would want the whimsical looks and the matching hats. I would want the purses and the shoes. 

I'm sorry Gymboree will be gone. I'm sorry they didn't listen to their customers who were the ones scooping up the clothes years ago. 

But maybe other stores will take it as a lesson. Don't take the easy route. Modern doesn't always mean stylish. Most parents want to dress their kids as...well KIDS. Not as mini teenagers. Matching knee socks will always be a hit. 

At least we'll always have memories of the Gymboree we loved. 

And I am grateful for that. 

Duck Donuts In San Antonio, Texas Review

I know some people have made resolutions to eat better.

I have not, because I know myself. I like food. And it's not always healthy.

Duck Donuts is a magical place where you can watch donuts being prepared. I'm usually watching with my mouth pressed up against the glass.

I'm kidding.

I watch, and I keep the drool to myself.

My family tried it for the first time when we were visiting North Carolina and were instantly hooked. Then we found out that there was one opening in Texas.

Now, the thing about Duck Donuts is that it's usually in a small building. There isn't much room to sit, but it's okay with me, since we take ours home. If I cannot wait to eat one, well, I gobble a donut in the car, because when you get them, they are warm, and who doesn't love a warm donut with icing dripping off it?


The menu explains their options, and you can also look at one of these.

There's usually specials as well. For the winter, it's toffee crunch.

Our favorites are the Flip Flop, Beach Ball, and French Toast. My husband likes the lemon frosting with powdered sugar. We always get a dozen. We have NOT tried the donut sundaes yet, but I need to. You can have ice cream AND donuts.

Yes, they do a military discount at the one in Texas. They also did a military discount in North Carolina. So ask at your local Duck Donuts.

For a limited time, you can also get hot chocolate:

After you order, as I mentioned before, you can watch the workers prepare the donuts.

I really want to just stick my face in the vat of frosting, but I always remind myself that I'm a grown adult, and such thoughts aren't appropriate.

After the order is prepared, they'll call your number, you can look the box over to make sure everything looks good, and then you can proceed to stuff your face. Do not suddenly shout "YUM" when the worker shows you the donuts because you WILL startle them. I won't say if I learned this from personal experience. (Sorry about that again, Ben..)

As I mentioned before, the place is small, so there's only one table inside. There are a few outside, so I recommend taking the donuts to go. But if you get lucky and score the one table inside, there is complimentary water out. The Duck Donuts in Texas is super clean with polite workers who tolerate grown women drooling all over the place.


And yes, you can buy merchandise if you want to share you love of Duck Donuts to the world.

Ducks, for example, because duh. Plus hoodies, tumblers, and t-shirts.

So, have you ever eaten at a Duck Donuts before?

Check out Duck Donuts at the following:

their webpage

Instagram

Facebook