I Went To Sweet Suite '13 & All I Got Was This Lousy Night Of Insane Fun.

Here's what happens when I get invited to spifftacular social media events:

I turn into Wayne Campbell, a la Wayne's World, flashing my media badge backstage at the Alice Cooper concert. ("Is this cool?" "Is this good here?")

I have zero shame, and even less regret.

On July 26th, I was lucky enough to attend The Big Toy Book Sweet Suite '13, hosted by a plethora of amazingsauce people: Joey Fortman of Real Mom Media, Charlene DeLoach of Charlene Chronicles, Laurie Schacht of The Toy Insider Mom and, of course, The Big Toy Book.

It was ridiculous. Basically, I was there to play with everything new n' shiny in the world of toys, and babble like a toddler about my favorites. Here are a few:

Someone buy this My Girl's Dollhouse for me? I'll be your best friend and
even let you come over and watch me arrange furniture and dolls in it.

This is my "I'm sorry, little kids get LeapPad Ultra tablets that could, like, land a jet?" face. 

Thanks to MegaBloks and Hot Wheels, I created the fastest racer in the known world. 

And my swag "bag?" It was actually a box. A swag box. Shipped to my house because it was too large and full of awesome to be toted home.

Yeah, I wasn't the only one thrilled to bits by this event.

I vote the Sweet Suite ladies for mayor(s).

You could say I had a decently incredible time. If you'd like to see what other lucky/hyped-up bloggers chose as highlights of this supracool event, head to Twitter and check out the hashtag #SweetSuite13. And if you wanna see what you didn't even know you so desperately needed for your kids' toy needs (or your own- I am so in no position to judge), take a lookie loo at The Big Toy Book. You can even ask me to go on (and on and on) about my favorites.

Unless you want to know more about the humongo My Girl's Dollhouse.

It's not your style.

You don't need it.

Trust me.

You're welcome.

July Date: Dinner And A Movie, Part 2.

(To catch up on last month's Oh God, At Least We Tried date, clickyroo here.)

Back in the day, I went on a date with a boy.

He was sweet and funny and just awesome to be around. We held hands across a sparkly shellacked table. And it was one of those dates where both parties were just giddy with the potential potential, you know? I ordered a special pizzadilla (eggplant, caramelized onion, and goat cheese quesadilla pizza), and he ordered a mocha malt. And I'm pretty sure we sat there for hours, just laughing and staring and annoying the bejeebers out of the waitstaff.

Two nights ago, we went back for a quick meal after the girlies went to bed- and ordered the exact same meal at the PickMeUp Cafe. (Which just so happens to be the same meal we've been ordering from them over the past near-decade.)

It was really good.

And, in deference to the fact that we are no longer obnoxious young twentysomethings (and also due to the fact that we were gonna catch a movie within the half hour), we jetted pretty quickly. And tipped well. And played a bunch of songs on the jukebox. And held hands across a sparkly shellacked table.

Next stop was the Music Box Theatre to take in one of their featured French film festival selections. Now, without giving anything away, the flick we saw was awesome. And hilarious. And then really, really, tragically sad. Out of nowhere. (Come on, The French!)

But there was popcorn, and a classy old theater, and projected clouds across a dark ceiling which twinkled with star lights, and a boy.

A boy who held my hand.

And made me feel giddy.

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Nature Edition.

Nature. We love it. No, for real.

We're doomed.

Can someone please call the ranger?

5 Ways Quaker Has Saved – and Fueled – My Mornings

The very hungry, very pregnant blogger in me is thrilled to be writing a sponsored post on behalf of Quaker and their spectacular line of breakfast foods. Yum.

When you have little kids – I've got two and another on the way – you learn very quickly that it’s important to feed them. (Like, all the time.) You also learn very quickly that they like options. Delicious options. Especially for breakfast, which is defined as “a very, very early meal needing to be served to your family before you've had your first cup of coffee.”

The good people at Quaker understand me and my breakfast dilemmas. They dig that, while I’m totally onboard to serve my kiddos healthy and tasty foodstuffs, I’m not the most awesome 7:00 am sous chef. So, to that end, I present 5 Ways Quaker Has Saved – and Fueled –  My Mornings:

5. Quaker Oatmeal. (Which my preschooler calls “oppameal,”something I hope will nevereverever change). We’re currently digging on Quaker’s Perfect Portions cinnamon instant oatmeal, a resealable bag of awesome. And did I mention “instant”? Listen, the quicker we can get to the coffee-makin’, the better.

Try some, kids.

4. Healthy Nourishment. Those really, really good aforementioned instant oats? They contain no added sugar. I could make some kinda cutesy joke about how my kids are sweet enough, but the honest truth is that I fear those sugar crashes.

3. Energy. Everybody and their Mama knows that oat-based breakfast foods give you (read: your kids) enough get up n’ go to actually get up n’ go. (Like the kind of physical activity that’ll inspire them to ride their bikes/run around the yard/ leave the kitchen long enough to let you wipe down the room.) I love seeing how it fuels their days.

2. Soccer! Lately we've been talking about how our hometown soccer team, the Chicago Fire, is teaming up with Quaker to host The Quaker Invitational. It will bring together hundreds of Chicago Fire Junior teams from around the country for a weekend of soccer, community, and fun. (Considering the type of breakfast-table convos that can occur between two little kids, this new topic is straight refreshing.)

1. Cookies. Quaker makes breakfast cookies. Cookies that are for breakfast. I cannot get enough of them. Namely,Quaker's Soft Baked Bars Banana NutBread. High in fiber, crazy amounts of vitamins and protein – lalala – I’m eating cookies for breakfast.

Full disclosure: My daughters do not yet know about number 1.

I feel not a qualm in the world.

Neither does Susannah.

I've been compensated by Quaker for my review, but all thoughts and opinions (and empty soft baked bar wrappers) are my own.