Play Dyce Games with Us!

I was given the amazing chance to try out some new games for Dyce Games. Thanks to them for sending these games to us for free! 

*Disclaimer: I was sent these games for free in exchange for hosting a party and sharing them with others. All opinions are mine or my guests. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed.*

Dyce Games are all about easy-to-play games that are fun for all ages. You can check out their website for more information HERE. The 3 games we are focusing on today are: Birdy Call, This or That, and Miraculous. 

A deeper look at the games 

Let's start with This or That. This game isn't all about winning. It is about seeing how well you know the people you play it with. I played with 3 of my kids. Mom sure knows her kids well, right? But even then, there were things I got wrong on the "what if" decisions my kids answered. There are 300 questions cards where you pick an option and follow the arrows. Cards are stacked pyramid-style. Follow the arrows to find the next This or That question. At the bottom, players have to guess what number the one player would end at. There are points you can count up to find the winner. We just did it in rounds until each player had gone twice. It was not just eye-opening, but fun to see where people go based on what they liked (or disliked) most.

 Next up, let's see the other one that had us girls giggling like crazy. Birdy Call is about calling out and seeing who has the same bird as you. You collect the eggs and even try to steal eggs from other players! This one is truly a riot to play. 

And, finally! We arrive at my youngest daughters favorite, Miraculous. She absolutely loves the show and the movies. So she couldn't wait to try this one! You pick your hero character, and then each player tries to reach the top of the tower first. 

Takeaway:

These games were so easy to play. They cover all ages. I think the only one we had some trouble with was Birdy Call. We weren't sure about when to draw cards when we didn't find matches... Which is why I suggest you watch their videos on how to play before you start. 

Discount! 

Want to get some games of your own? Don't forget the 20% off code at checkout:  TRYAZON20

What game are you most interested in?? Leave me a comment below!  

A Visit to the Midland Army Air Field Museum

My husband took me and one of our children to see the Midland Army Air Field Museum today. We had been wanting to check it out ever since we took the family to the air show. But time has been passing us by too quickly with all the tasks that keep piling up. Here we are in March and we finally took a moment to slow down as we walked around the hanger that makes up this magnificent history-filled place! It isn't the easiest to find if you follow Google maps though. You turn into an unpaved lot. So be warned to watch for the open gates to it. And if you see the outdoor chapel, you know you are in the right spot! 

They are opened on Saturdays, 10-3. Entry is free, and they happily take donations to help keep the place maintained. The people there are volunteers as well. 

We checked out the modern military vehicles that are parked outside first. There are planes, engines, photos, medals, equipment, weapons... An entire display on George bush Sr. getting shot down and rescued!

So many great things to see and learn about. You just wander around at your own pace and see the sights in whatever order you choose. If it is your first time, you will get some introduction to your visit from one of the volunteers who is incredibly knowledgeable about the planes. 

My husband really loved the F-14 Tomcat, 102 aircraft. We had recently heard about that one on a Yarnhub video. When this plane was originally donated, they had no idea it was such a special aircraft. Watch the video if you want to know how. My favorite part? The American pilots waving at the enemy as they flew by each other! 

I loved the German plane from the Luftwaffe. And how well they recreated a living room from the time. Well, except for some of the music that played on the old fashioned radio... 

There are interactive displays that will played sound bites and videos that explain more about the things you are looking at. The plane models you have to feel without seeing to try and identify them as the soldiers would have. 

You can check out the little gift shop they have. We picked up a challenge coin of theirs to add to our collection. Ask about the design on it, it was done by Walt Disney! And while supplies last, you can pick up a free poster too. I want to add that where I have my signed Blue Angels poster... I hope to check out other museums one day. They are so much fun! Besides, if we don't learn from history as a society, we will just be doomed to repeat it. So learn well, my friends! 

Changing Life Seasons - Or a New Chapter in My Life's Story

Whichever analogy you choose to go with, my life is changing. The daily grind I've been in for years is shifting into a new pattern. Such a crazy thought. But why, do you ask, is this happening to me? Well... My two older children have graduated high school already. Early, I know. But we homeschool! That is one of the beautiful aspects of homeschool life. We move at our own pace. 

So why do I feel so frazzled? 

Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled. It is a dream come true to have my children successfully complete school. My second child was supposed to graduate a week after his brother, but once he saw it happen for the older boy... well, he buckled down and worked ahead. But with this comes a host of other things. Now that they have passed their exams - we need to get that second vehicle so they can start the job hunt. Then comes all the driving I will have to do. To and from jobs for them. The girls will want mom to start taking them to other parks. Running errands won't be restricted to weekends or after the husband gets home from work anymore. That partly scares me. The other part thrills me. Smells like freedom in its own way! 

But then there were good things too. My husband recently said something, as I was stressing over what to do to celebrate their graduations. After all, we don't have prom. We don't have a stage to walk across as they are handed that rolled diploma. No caps and gowns. (Or do we...) We aren't a part of a group to benefit in those ways. So I had to come up with our own things to show them how proud I am, but also that they should take pride in this. But I'm getting away with myself here. My husband made a comment that caused my mind to completely lose focus on the kids' celebration. He said, "This party should be for you. After all, it is your excellence in teaching that has brought them to this moment." Talk about something I didn't have anywhere on my radar! But it made me proud for a single moment. I actually have achieved something notable in this life. Getting my boys, 17 and 16 years old, graduated through their basic education. Sounds so simple when I write it here, but this has been a wild ride for how many years now?? Wow... Looking back over the years has reminded me just how far we have come. And I can 100% say that it is only by God's grace that I have gotten here. If I had been left to my own devices... well, this would be a different picture altogether. Philippians 4:13 is my go-to. "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." Only in Him can I keep pressing forward. 

So where am I now? 

I told myself I would put other things on hold. I have a million things on my to-do list. But for now, I am focusing my efforts in getting things ready to celebrate the graduating this weekend. It hasn't gone as I hoped so far. But I won't be discouraged. I will make this a time they can remember and enjoy. A milestone in life's path, that has been surpassed. 

For other homeschool parents who are worried, just remember that the daily grind will be worth it. Once they graduate. One day they will move forward as competent adults. And that time comes before you realize it.  

Dollhouse Renovations - Museum Style Part 2

My mom had this idea that I should make a doll-sized museum or art gallery. She had sent all these amazing things that would work well in one, too. Things that I can hang on walls. Things that will work as sculptures.

I had some inspiration on Pinterest to use as well. At first, I was trying to figure out how to make this using just cardboard and foamboard pieces. But then I thought that might not be strong enough to handle things hanging on the walls. Then came the revelation from My Froggy Stuff that Five Below had a dollhouse for $25!

It is a simple design that is meant to go with the Glam Squad doll line that Five Below has. But the more I thought about it, the more I knew it would be perfect! So when we got back from our trip, my husband and I checked our local store and grabbed one. I had even thought I getting a second one for another project...

First thing I knew I needed to do was get the walls prepped to be covered. I thought if I sanded just a little off that I could easily paint over it. But that didn't work as well as I had hoped.

So the second wall I tried, I sanded even more thoroughly. My son even helped me with that. For the back wall, I thought I could just peel off the sticker since it wasn't lined up quite right. However, that didn't work either. 

So this is where I got it to so far... I'm working on the next portion and making a video as sickness and pain has kept me from working more than a piece or two at a time. But what do you think so far? Am I getting there? Until next time!

Am I Ready Now?

Christians have a flaw. Want to know what it is? Well, they have many, actually. We are human like any other. However, there is a big one we share in countries where we don't see physical persecution. Ready for this?

 

We get too comfortable. 

That is the big one. For some of us, we hold to the teachings that Christians will have an easier life once we give our lives to Christ. We will get rich, live comfortably, be happy. But that is false. Jesus didn't preach that, but the opposite. Life would be harder. Temptations would hound us. We would be uncomfortable. We would lose relationships because we won't waver on our beliefs. THAT is the truth of a Christian who is living for Him. 

Recently, I watched a video that encouraged me. But also reminded me. Growing in Christ is uncomfortable. My dreams have to die for Christ to resurrect them in His way. Jesus Christ is amazing at resurrecting things, did you know that? After all, He came back from the dead himself!  

But lately, I have let myself get comfortable. I wasn't praying as often. I wasn't reading my Bible for myself as much. Don't get me wrong. I pray every single day. I read my Bible every single day. But not for my personal growth. Saying thank you for the meal. Or whispering a prayer for a friend. Or reading during my devotions with my husband are great. But they aren't for my own growth. So I got comfy and called it enough. But the truth is, it wasn't. I was struggling harder than ever to really get in deep and accomplish the Lord's will. I was letting things wear me down to the nub. I was questioning what God wanted of me. Told myself that as long as I raised my 4 kids to be Christian adults that could survive this world on their own, all was good enough. But I have this urge to do more. Be more. That this isn't all I'm meant to accomplish. Maybe I am an overachiever. Maybe that is why I push myself to go further than my limits. 

So today, I'm making a statement. I'm making a change. Maybe because someone I love is facing a mountain that I want them to cross. Maybe because walking is not working well today and that frightens me into submission. Or maybe because a song played that reminded me of my loose faith. But today I say, "I'm Ready Now." I stand ready to be stretched. I stand ready to watch what miracles my God will bring about.  

How about you, Christian? Are YOU ready to let go of your comfort and follow God more closely? I hope so. I hope you will join me in stretching out our faith in Christ and allowing Him to work through us. See where He wants to take us. 

Let's Duck the World!

I love miniatures! Have you noticed? I grew up wishing I could spend at least one day in tiny size. Experiencing the world from the doll-sized perspective. I grew up seeing the movie Honey, I shrunk the kids! and thinking, that would be so much fun! Playing with Barbies, I'd reenact my favorite book or movie scenes, while wishing I could be their size. But I'm getting off track here. Why do I bring this up? Simply because someone sent me tiny ducks. You heard that right. I got a bag full of tiny ducks! 

Through my association with Influenster, I get to try out products and write reviews. Most of those, you don't see here. I only share ones that have a pretty big impact. This time, however, it was just too much fun not to share with you guys. I mean, come on, who doesn't want some fun ideas? Am I right?? 

Say hello to the Micro Ducks by Toymendous!  They come in this mesh bag with 50 of these colorful little guys. Perfect for the 1/6 scale doll world. When I first saw these, I thought that they were perfect for adding to the Jurassic Park Jeep I made.

A little tacky putty to hold them in place? Give the Jurassic Park Jeep a modern twist. I still don't know why people put ducks on the dash of their Jeeps. Is it a game? Is it prizes for participating in car shows? Does it give you more prestige when you have the most on display? And who came up with the idea?!  Yep, here I go again. Losing track of what I came here to say... 

But I see other potential uses. How about hiding them around the house? Make a game of it with the kids! How about at Christmas time, using them with your Elf on the Shelf doll. These things are so multipurpose, it is awesome! I couldn't find these exact ones online. I have no idea where they normally sell them. You can find comparable ones on Amazon though. 

Now, it's your turn! Tell me what you like (or even dislike) about these! Leave me a comment below.  

Stepping Over to Ruidoso, New Mexico

While visiting Cloudcroft, we decided to swing over to Ruidoso while there. It is another village about an hour north of Cloudcroft. Originally, I only knew we were considering going to church there on Sunday morning. However, we learned of other things they have to offer that made them a must visit! (And we changed our mind about going to church there. Went to Alamogordo instead.)

Ruidoso's Winter Park is a recreation park with something that we really wanted to try - a mountain coaster! Sadly, it was out of our price range this time at $25 a person. And then we didn't know how the youngest would be on her own since she was just barely at the cutoff age for riding with an adult. But it is called the Screaming Eagle and looked like it would be so much fun! You could also go tubing, or they offered a couple other activities.  

We walked down Sudderth Drive to check out a bookstore and a couple other stores that caught our eyes as we went by. Books Etcetera was neat, but it was just new books. We had been hoping they would be more of a used bookstore. They did have cute souvenirs and gifts though. 

I really enjoyed Mountain Treasure Thrift, which was also on Sudderth Drive. They had quite the collection of things. The lady who checked us out was really sweet and helpful with items that didn't have prices on them. 

I'd say this is another village that is geared towards tourists. But it was fun to visit. Finding the thrift store was my favorite part. Ruidoso is about an hour north of Cloudcroft. Then you have Alamogordo, which was about 30 minutes west of Cloudcroft. That is a much bigger village (?) or town... Not sure what that one is categorized as. But it was big enough to have Walmart and Dollar Tree! And we heard there was some thrift store called Kings Treasure, but it was closed when we were there. Just a couple places to consider if you make the trip. 

I'd say all the roads were incredibly twisty through the mountains. I suggest having all wheel drive if you go in the winter months. Snow was everywhere. You could see the Salt Flats in the distance, which was awesome. We drove through a tunnel as well. While short, it was still cool. 

Cloudcroft, New Mexico!

Well, we made it! What a thrilling place to see. It was an amazing trip for sure. 

Cloudcroft Village is really something else. You have all these cute little shops. My youngest insisted on going to see the Tree-Rific Toys & Candy shop, that had a Fill-A-Bear & Friends Factory station in it. Which is where she ended up spending her money... The little ones where $20 and the larger ones were $27. They had a variety of models and other interesting toys. There were also candies of all kinds! 

We also stopped in at the Burro Street Bakery for some sweet treats. I really loved the Cream Cheese Danish. My husband and son both had the Bearclaw, but thought it was on the dry side. I'm thinking that may have been because it was getting closer to closing and also wasn't filled with cream. My other son had brownies (he was given 2 since it was close to closing) and he absolutely loved them! One daughter devoured her Apple Danish, while the other dug in to her Cinnamon Roll so fast, she made a mess of herself with it. I'd say they were all decently priced too. It was fun to eat and walk around the boardwalk. Honestly, you can probably walk everything in about 2 hours. And that is only if you are stopping to shop around too. If you were to just walk one end to the other, maybe 15 minutes? 

For dinner, we chose Dave's Cafe. It is inside one of the boardwalk locations. They have burgers and sandwiches mostly, but they offer other items too. I chose the Cordon Bleu Sandwich, which was superb. It came with kettle cooked chips. And was incredibly filling. I didn't hear any complaints from the rest of the table as we ate.

And even though it is almost February, there was still so much snow everywhere! We thought that with 40 degree weather, much of it would have melted. We were so wrong... But that was just more fun for us. 

As soon as we unloaded everything into the Airbnb, we were delighted to watch a family of deer come by and watch us, watching them through the windows. We also got to see a herd of horses wandering around. Before the sun had even set in town, we could gaze up at the full moon above. And the amount of stars definitely puts the town views we have had to shame.  

We learned a couple things too. First off, don't buy grocery items at the Allsup's convenience store if you can help it. There are Walmarts at Ruidoso Village (about an hour north) or Alamogordo (about 30 minutes west). The prices are what you'd expect for a gas station - high. However, if you are in a bind, they do have a decent grocery selection and even meats to buy. This was helpful for us to get something for the kids to have the next day as we can't be eating out the whole time we are here. There is also the Family Dollar where you have more of a selection. 

There are things that we saw and didn't expect. Like a ski area where you can go sledding too. They have built a park near the school area where kids can let loose and play. This is definitely a tourist-type stop. Unless you are visiting to say you have been there, the only real reasons I would say to go are for the hiking trails and for the camping experiences.  

Osha Trail wasn't as clearly marked as we had hoped and thought. So we went for maybe 2 hours before turning around and walking back the way we came.

Parking for the trailhead was also full so many times when we went by. But it was worth the wait, because the views were fantastic! Like seeing the Trestle Bridge from above. 

We did go to the Trestle Bridge observation point after our hike. It has information on the history and was fun to take pictures in front of. I do recommend this for one of your stops if you go. 

What do you think? Is this a place you'd want to visit? If so, what is the draw for you??

Cloudroft, New Mexico - The Packing Process

Any time we take a trip, even for just a couple of nights, there is a couple weeks of planning out what to pack. Once I know the where, have the when, have the accommodations and vehicle figured out (if we are renting a car), then I need to know what we all need to bring. 

For instance, there's the car ride. Snacks and waters are a must. With this many people (4 of whom are kids), we always need to have that purchased at the grocery store before leaving. Buying such at the convenience stores are insanely priced! Not to mention, my husband eats snacks to help himself stay awake during long drives. 

Speaking of long drives... 

But what to do during long rides? How do the kids stay calm and not want to punch each other? For that, we often bring handheld game devices. Some of them will even nap. However, I'm adding a new element this time around. I had these dry erase game boards in a 'travel' drawer that I was cleaning out. I had picked them up one summer at the Dollar Tree, but I wouldn't be surprised if you can find similar ones online. I found this one on Amazon. I talked to my husband about turning them into tools for a friendly car ride competition.

We agreed to offer a prize for the first one who gets a bingo. Then a second (much bigger) prize to the first one who gets a blackout. I didn't think the kids would jump on such a thing. Maybe the girls... but I was pleasantly surprised when at least one boy agreed to join in the fun. This should help with the car ride a bit. 

Then comes the place we are staying at. Once we arrive, there are things that are needed besides just clothes and toiletries. For instance, my husband doesn't sleep on bedding provided. Hotel, Airbnb - doesn't matter! So I have to pack an extra large blanket that we lay on top of. And a couple blankets we use to cover up with. Gave up on trying to bring pillows too. The joys of being a germaphobe in your older years, I suppose. 

This has led to us deciding to rent a vehicle for the trip. Well, that and the fact that we need an AWD vehicle due to possible ice and snow while we are there. Lots of hills where we are going. Our SUV wouldn't be able to handle that. But since we are renting, we are going for a bigger SUV while we are at it. Something with space for the kids to spread out. And to have room for the luggage. 

Lastly, I also have to pack a hiking bag. Not a big one, but one that can hold things we don't normally take on vacations. My husband surprised me with wanting to actually walk/hike the Osha Trail out there! He knows I like that sort of thing. So I'll be lugging a backpack with hiking things as well.  

What are things that you pack for trips, that others might not think of? 

The Ice Queen and Her Lair

What happens when your daughters no longer want a blue haired Rainbow High doll? For me, I see Ice Queen in the making! 

It started with a box actually. A shoebox. And an Elsa doll who needed her ice castle. So I started renovating it. But then Elsa changed her mind and moved into the mansion with the rest of the dolls. Yes, my daughter is quick to change her mind. So things get redesigned pretty often. It seemed like such a waste to just toss the box though. So I gave it some more love and way more details! 

Next came the doll. My girls weren't as excited about Rainbow High as they were about the made-to-move Barbie or Monster High dolls. Big heads or something like that. I love their jointed bodies and soft, vibrant hair though. I have a couple set aside for future projects. This one just screamed for a bit of a makeover in a cold way.  

I had thought about repainting her face, but then decided against it. I'm not as proficient with that type of project and she was just too pretty to do that with. So I swapped out her outfit. I trimmed her hair. 3D printed a crown that is jeweled with beads. And gave her some handmade bling.  

The box windows are from My Froggy Stuff printables. I printed out a marble pattern for the floor and part of the walls. Tried to make it look like her castle leads to the sparkling snow-covered world outside. Used an empty perfume bottle with fake plant pieces to give her frozen world some greenery.

The chandelier actually glows in the dark too, thanks to glow-in-the-dark filament from a printed piece. 

Cloudcroft, New Mexico - The Planning Process

My husband decided we should take a weekend trip for my birthday this year. Things have been crazy busy. And I don't see it slowing down any time soon. A week after my birthday, there will be one kid turning 16. Another week or two after that, I should have two high school graduates, both looking for jobs and planning out their next life steps. The stress has definitely taken a toll. Probably the biggest reason my husband suggested the trip to begin with. 

He had a friend at work that talked about amazing camping trips he would take to a village  called Cloudcroft in New Mexico. And yes, it is called a village. The spectacular views around it draw all kinds of people. Now... I'm not big on camping. We did it when I was a kid, on Nana's farm, in the tent that collapsed on my brother and I when the dew fell... then again as adults... both of those times in recent years were also fails when bed time came. So instead, we decided to take a different approach. We are going to stay in an Airbnb.

This is a huge first for us. Nothing against hotels we usually stay at, but these offer up so much more for a comparable price. First off, we will have access to a full kitchen. I plan to cook while we are there (at least some of our meals) to save on eating-out costs. We can also keep warm, as the area is still in some heavy winter weather with sporadic snows. The cabin we chose is near enough to get to hike the Osha Trail. 

My husband is not such a big outdoors guy, but for me, he is willing to occasionally walk or hike some trails with me. This one is a decent size at about 2.5 miles long. So I will be packing one of our backpacks to bring along simple things like water and snacks. And maybe a small first aid kit. In case someone trips and falls. Oh, and I won't forget the sunscreen! 

I have also started researching various places in Cloudcroft, as well as in the nearby village, Ruidoso. We want to visit the local Calvary Chapel in Ruidoso, too. 

From what my research of the area shows, we are going while winter is still fairly strong. And we will be high up in the mountains. So... winter gear is a must. We may actually get to use those coats we have! Crazy, huh? But here in Texas, that isn't a big possibility. Even during winter months. I think I used a heavy jacket once so far. Can you tell I'm excited for the wrong reasons? Yep! So here we go. Let's see what planning out ahead of time will do for our time in New Mexico! 

Summer Fun with a Pool?!

Yes, for some of us, winter is finally getting into gear. Some of you have been dealing with ice and snow for a little while. Not here in Texas. Some days, we are still looking at 70 degree weather. All while we were watching Christmas creeping ever closer. With weather like that, it feels wrong to have Christmas so close. But whatcha gonna do?  

How about get a pool? Yep, you heard that right. After all, we have the weather for it. So why not? Coleman's Pools partnered with me to share my latest product review - a giant pool! 

*Disclaimer - I was sent this product free in exchange for sharing my honest review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are mine or others I shared the pool with.* 

I love getting to try stuff out and then let you know what my thoughts. So when they offered me a pool, I got really excited about it.  Not really for myself. This pool, I decided to share with some friends from church. I got her the biggest pool they had to offer. 

This bad boy is 22' in diameter! Talk about a monster size... It is above ground and comes with the pump. They had to deliver it via really big truck and a pallet jack. My sons barely managed to get it inside. Here is the box next to my tallest son who is just over 6' tall. 

I couldn't wait to let my friend know. This was going to revolutionize their summer fun next year. But we couldn't wait that long to show it off, now can we? After all, best to get the word out before sales see them flying off the shelves. 

So, after getting it to her house, they got it all set up and ready to bring on the fun in the summer! She said it was crazy easy to set up. A single person can do it. For them, it took about 2 hours, plus the filling time. It is deep enough that younger kids, maybe 4 years and under, will need flotation devices unless they are good swimmers. That is how deep this thing is! She and her family are so excited about the up-coming summer fun they will be having.  

Coleman has pools in various sizes, that also come in a variety of styles. This ones gives off the wood look, but you can find others to fit your preferences. 

Walmart.com has a lot to choose from. I found the one we got HERE. Looks like it is running about $1,200. You can go to the source at BestwayUSA.com. They are the parent company, I believe, of Coleman products. However, at the time of writing this review, their website says they are out of stock. So you might have to keep checking back. You might also sign up to receive updates and deals. 

What do you think? Are you a pool person? Let me know in the comments down below!