Our Favorite Toys

Kids can be fickle. Food? Um, always. Cartoons or shows? Change weekly, if not daily. Toys? Completely.

So, today I thought it'd be fun to share our family's favorite toys. You know. The ones that haven't been brushed aside for a paper towel tube (a "doot-da-doot") or one of my cooking utensils ("my tool, Mama!!!"). 

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- Farm Animals Sound Puzzle (Melissa and Doug) - Any and all solid, basic puzzles are huge winners at our house. Add to it the fact that the learning experience is enhanced by animal sounds when inserting the correct puzzle piece (does that sound wrong to anyone else??) is icing on the cake. And the day that your kid realizes the sounds will go off if you smack at the sensor hard enough? Priceless. ;-) 

- Manhattan Toy Peanut Snuggle Pod - Looks can be deceiving. This is THE perfect girl-or-boy dolly. It's not perfect for the realistic pretend experience (um, no legs to speak of), but perfectly-sized for some nurturing, feeding, and general lovin'. Side note: I hunted for a non gender specific doll for quite awhile and we couldn't be happier with this one. So that should say something! 

- Little People Lil' Movers Airplane - We love Little People!!! We love them generic or even trademarked (like Batman villains with muffin tops!!). This was one of our first Little People experiences, so add to it the fact that it's a mother effin' plane that MAKES AWESOME NOISES and I'm done!! See also: awesome farm!!!

- Melissa and Doug Cutting Fruit Set - It's no surprise that we're into play food at our house. I searched high and low for a *safe* fake knife for our budding chef. The fact that this came with healthy wooden food that velcros together (making it truly fun to cut) made it impossible to pass up. Oh, and of course he loves it.

- Wooden Train Set - Our little guy is a Thomas the Train Engine fan. Okay, we kind of are, too. So, when my friend, Beth, gifted him a generic (yes!!!) wooden set similar to this one awhile back, we were thrilled. The fact that he's still playing with it religiously should show how much he loves this thing. (Plus, it's easier than a trip to Barnes and Noble to play with their set!)

- Lego Duplo Set - I know Legos might not be the most eco-friendly of items, but I figure these will last into oblivion AND they're awesome for building hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and imaginative play skills in general. I highly prefer the Duplo versions for a couple of reasons. First, their quality and age-appropriateness. (Seriously, I don't care if he EVER wants to use the tiny Lego counterparts.) Secondly, they're what I grew up with at my using at my babysitter as a kid, so they have a soft spot in my heart. We only have about enough to fill one small plastic bin and it's just enough. No need to get a thousand. And for littler block users, try these B. One Two Squeeze Blocks. They're great for little hands (and teethers!) and our buddy still loves stacking them. The Tego Magnetic Blocks are great as they get a little older, too.

- Green Dump Truck - Girls and boys alike will love this rough-and-tumble, eco-friendly dump truck. Built to last and from recycled materials, this is my favorite of all H's vehicles. (We also love the airplane and submarine!) And, clearly we don't push "boy" items on our child (see above dolly), but he just happens to love vehicles right now -- and it's awesome.

What do you think? What did your kids like at this age? Anything fun to add? (By the way, I didn't add coloring or Play-Doh since it's hit-or-miss lately.)

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Green Guy

Hey, guys. Today's post was inspired by my super sweet brother-in-law, Dan, who asked me my opinion on some green brands and products he was considering. Of course, I immediately thought, "Oh, cool! Maybe someone in blogland could use my thoughts, too." So, here we are!

I'm not an expert at any of this stuff. I'm clearly not a dude. (Um. Hopefully you knew that.) But, after reading reviews and doing some research, I'm pretty confident that these are some kickass products. Of course, it should be stated that not all products work the exact same way for everybody. Like, our current shampoo works great for Dave and "eh" for me, but I still think my poo-free days changed my hair's pH and I've lived with straw-like conditions ever since. But I digress.

Today's post is all about the guys. And, because I'm me, it's particularly about the eco-guys. You know who you are. The ones who are looking for ways to eliminate the earth-hurting crud from your daily grooming routine. Who still want to look good (and, ahem, smell yummy) without the tingling chemicals, drying foaming agents, and general nastiness that goes down the drain.

I've got your back. Since I'm unable to try these myself -- do you really have to ask why? -- I've decided to pick a couple of extra products (like two shampoos, etc). Check out the reviews for yourself and consider what will work for your needs. And, ladies, the next time you need a sweet little gift for your sweet, don't do the Axe. Seriously. Just put down the Axe.

1 -  Maple Holistics Sage Shampoo (for Heavy Dandruff), 100% Natural and Sulfate-Free - I selected two shampoos because everyone's head is different, and I thought it would be cool to give you guys some options. I know the bottle is purple and it may look a little feminine, but that's actually because this is a shampoo that could work for both men and women. It's so awesome that there are natural options out there for folks who have dry skin, dandruff, and dermatitis. (Are those all the same things? I don't know. Maybe.) Oh, and it's cool for color-treated hair. That's pretty cool.
2 - Every Man Jack's 2-in-1 Thickening Shampoo - Like I said, everyone's head is different, and some guys are fighting an issue with thinning. I know how much thinning can affect a guy's self esteem, so the fact that this phthalate-free option exists (and with a conditioning option) is awesome. Let's just say that I may ask Santa to bring this to our house this year.
3 - Baxter of California Chrome-Plated Safety Razor - The Dorky Daddy loves his safety razor, although he admits that it does take a time or two to get used to a newer, short-fast strokes method. Seriously, this thing is awesome, and you'll only need to buy the individual razor blades once in awhile. (Hint: If you dry off your razor well every time you use it, you'll hardly need to buy new ones.) Plus, if you buy one package of blades, they'll last FUH-RE-VER. Just try it. Oh, and this (along with a kit of the proper brush, a holder, and some soap in a cute bowl or mug) was his all-time favorite Christmas present. I kid you not.
4 - ManCave Natural Face Moisturizer - No parabens. No sulfates. No synthetic fragrances or dyes. No petrochemicals. No GMOs. No cruelty. No problem! Plus, it comes in super manly packaging. These companies are really catching on to what people want. Oh, and it helps firm your skin (thanks, caffeine), clear it up if you've got a bit of acne (thanks, borage oil), and has several anti-aging agents. Wonder if I could get away with using this...
5 - Kiss My Face Creamy Cleanser Clean for a Day - I wouldn't usually support a face cleanser, mostly because everyone's face is very much unique. As a teen, I had battles with moderate acne (wasn't that bad, but it tore my self esteem to shreds enough to matter), so I know something that works for one person won't work for another. However, the reviews were good enough for this one that I feel confident saying that maybe 8 out of 10 people will have success with this one. It's great for sensitive skin, has a light citrus scent that could work for ladies or gents, and full of everything we like and has NOTHING we don't like (vegan-friendly, not animal tested, etc etc)...yeah, I think I WILL be ordering this one myself.
6 - Moon Dance Soaps Refreshing Mint Lathering Shave Soap - This will work perfectly with #3 above! The reason I picked a mint soap is because it's such a refreshing scent that leaves your skin feeling tight and gives you a morning aromatherapy session that will rival your cup o' joe. I also hit up Etsy every year to put a different scent in the bottom of someone's stocking. It's always great to support a small business owner who supports the philosophies we live by. 
7 - Herban Cowboy Dusk Cologne - (How cute is that name?!) Here's some more super sexy packaging containing an even better product. It's another vegan product, produced completely in the US, and the Herban Cowboy series of products seem worth checking out. (Especially their deodorant, which people are saying "actually works for a truly stinky man." Good to know.) ***Please make sure that you purchase the true brand of this since, apparently, there are knock-offs going around. Since this made the below list, which means a lot to me, I'm still supporting it, but some of the online reviews are warning against some sellers.***
8 - Burt's Bees Cologne - If PETA thinks these colognes are great, I've gotta get behind that. We're a Burt's Bees family, so I decided to include this cologne because a) it's a natural, animal-friendly option and b) it seems to be a completely different scent from #7. It is TOUGH to buy a cologne online, so I should mention that most reviewers love it, although there are one or two that find it a bit too...shall we say...hippie-ish. But, if your guy's into that, awesome. That said, plenty of reviewers mention citrusy, Bergamot, Cyprus and Fir notes (which sounds pretty woodsy and manly to me).  


Do you have any earth-friendly products that you or your guy enjoy? Are you fans of a particular brand? Tell us all about it in the comments!

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