10 Gifts For The Harry Potter Nerd In Your Life

We all know that one (or maybe more) person that it totally OBSESSED with Harry Potter. TBH.... that "person" in my circle is actually me. I saw the first movie when I was 15. I won't say how long ago that was. Ever since that night I was in love with the story. I have read all the books, seen all the movies, and have a nice little collection of memorabilia that could always get bigger. 

Which brings me to the point of this post! I have compiled a list of things that would make great gifts for the Harry Potter obsessed fan in your life!

*This post contains affiliate links*

1. TRIVIAL PURSUIT: World of Harry Potter Edition 

2. Morphing Mugs Harry Potter - Heat Reveal Ceramic Coffee Mug

3. Kymera Magic Wand Remote Control - Universal Gesture Based Remote Control by the Wand Company 

4. Harry Potter, Woven Tapestry Throw Blanket, 48" x 60"

5. Harry Potter Scarves

6. Quidditch Juniors Varsity Jacket

7. Clue Harry Potter Board Game 

8.  Harry Potter Coloring Book

9. Funko Mystery Mini: Harry Potter Action Figure - One Mystery

10. Harry Potter Funny Crew socks Gift 

Maddie's Fit Tip Friday - April 06, 2018

I Was A "Better" Parent Before Kids

Let's face it... we are always better parents BEFORE we ever even have children. We look at the kid throwing a screaming fit in the middle of the frozen food section at Walmart and swear we would never tolerate such behavior. I mean, that mom is just ignoring her kid and continuing to shop! *Gasp*

Then your sweet bundle of joy comes along and shows you how terribly you have been. Now instead of judging the mom at the grocery store, you look at her with that sympathetic look that says... I feel ya girl, I feel ya. 

So in honor of that grocery store mom, I have decided to share the top four (delusional) ways that I was a "better" parent before my son was born. 

1. My kid will not eat junk food. 

Ha! My kid eats cheezits and cheerios off the floor. I mean, germs are good for the immune system, right?

2. I am not going to put up all my breakables. I will teach him what is acceptable to play with and what is not. Just like my grandma did us.

😂 I know, this is hilarious, right!?!

3. I will not dump my kid off at Grandma's every chance I get. He's my kid to raise. 

Nope. I get it now. Mom's need those time when the kids are at grandma's so they don't murder anyone. Also so they can eat, sleep, and poop in peace. Who's ready to go see Grandma tonight?

4. I will not "bribe" my child. This is one of those that I completely go against every day. I am constantly negotiating with and bribing my little terrorist. At least goldfish crackers are cheap...

I think it's so funny now, looking back at how absolutely clueless I was. Moms I know you feel me. I know you too look back and giggle at your former resolve and parenting expertise.

And those of you who aren't moms... just know that right now, you are the "best parent" you will ever be! So judge away at my baby throwing a tantrum in the middle of the restaurant while I hang my head in defeat and ask for the check. Judge me for letting him try the chocolate cake or eat the french fries. Judge me for all the times I am selfish and I let him stay with his grandparents on the weekend so I can have a moments peace. Go ahead... I did before I had a kid. 

Confessions of a Stay At Home Mom

It's Monday. The Monday after daylight savings has sprung forward. Not that I could even tell. My 10 month old son doesn't sleep well, so neither do I. I knew that motherhood was going to be hard. Everyone had told me as much and I believed them. I just wasn't prepared for how hard. I wanted a baby so bad and I was going to be the perfect mom and love every minute of it. I had struggled too long to let fussy days and sleepless nights bother me.  

I was stupid. Living in a naïve dream land.  There are days, like today, when it's all too much. The fibromyalgia putting my body through hell, the four dogs that always seem to bark every single time the baby falls asleep for a nap; waking him, the endless list of chores I will never accomplish, and the ridiculous expectations (both of myself and of others) that I will never live up to. I can't work a “normal" job because I am too unreliable so I am a stay at home mom. I am the chick you ignore or make fun of as you scroll through facebook because she sells for a direct sales company. I am the one you judge for always missing social events.  

Today, I hate being me. Today, I hate being a sahm. Today, I just can't take it anymore. I am a failure and I am broken. My body has betrayed me and the constant pain has wore me down. I tell the dogs I am going to get rid of them if they bark again although I never would. I plead with my son, as we both cry in the floor, to just let go of me long enough so that I can put on some pants and maybe go to the bathroom. He doesn't listen. I place him in his crib and walk away as he screams bloody murder and sobs uncontrollably. I put on some pants. Not real ones, but more pjs. Real clothes are rarely worn. I go to the bathroom. My son is still wailing and I think how much of a horrible mother I am. I look in the mirror at my dark circles and a face I barely recognize and completely lose my composure. I am a horrible mother and I do not deserve him. 

I take my son in my arms as we both cry. When he realizes that I have tears streaming down my face, he stops crying. He looks at me with suck intention, puts his tiny hand to me cheek, and smiles. Then he hugs me. In this moment I am overcome with admiration and love for my son. Nothing else matters in that sweet little window of time. Not the bills that are piling up or the mountains of dishes and laundry left undone. Not anything, but those sweet little arms around my neck.  

I have no idea how I am going to do this. How am I suppose to handle the illness, the baby, the dogs, the husband, the bills, the housework? I am not that strong. All I know is that I will. And so we play. 

Reusable Dryer Sheets

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So this has got to be one of my easiest and most frugal DIYs yet!

All you need is some cheap sponges, a seal-able container, fabric softener, & water!

To make your dryer sheets, start by cutting the sponges in half and put them in the container. In a separate container, mix equal parts  fabric softener and water. Once the solution is well blended, pour the liquid over the sponges. Seal with the lid and BAM! You’re done!

Whenever you are ready to use them just take out one of the halves, squeeze out the excess and throw them in the dryer before your clothes. Seriously, that’s it! When your clothes are dry just replace the half back into the container.

Reusable dryer sheets that last load after load and all for under $5!

DIY Laundry Soap

Let’s talk dirty laundry. No, not the gossip kind! The piling up in the corner kind. Laundry is the bane of my existence most days. It’s just one of those things that I have never been fond of doing. It just never ends! At least not in our house.

One thing that makes all that laundry just the slightest bit more tolerable is not over spending for detergent. Being a one income family means we are on the strictest of budgets and I need to be mindful of every penny. That being said… I am not willing to just buy the cheapest stuff I can find and hope it cleans my clothes good enough. With a husband, a 9-month-old son, and 4 dogs we need something that actually work. I got this wonderful “recipe” from my sister-in-law a few years ago and have been using it ever since. It saves us around $20 a month compared to the Tide Pods we used to buy! That’s a whopping $240 a year!!! And as an added bonus our laundry smells better for longer!

What you need:

1 (4 lb 12 oz) Boxof Borax

1 (3 lb 7 oz) Boxof Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean

2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap (I get thepre-grated flakes so I can save time and skip that step)

1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

1-2 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals FabricSoftener

It’s super simple to make! The most time consuming part is grating the bars of soap with a cheese grater or food processor if you don’t buy the flakes. After that you just mix all your ingredients together in a large container. I use a home depot bucket with a lid. I fill up a 1.5 gal glass container to keep in my laundry room and store the rest in the bucket in the garage. I jut refill as my inside stash gets low.

For a large load of laundry I use 2 Tablespoons and cut it in half for a small load. One batch lasts us at least 3-4 months at a time. If you try out this DIY comment below and let me know what you think!

Coming Soon: Reusable Dryer Sheets & Cheap DIY Dishwashing Detergent

Cheap DIY Cake Stands

DIY Cake Stands

 On A Budget

These stands are absolutely adorable and so quick and easy to make! All of the items you need can be purchased at your local dollar store or thrift store. I decided to make two mini stands and 1 large stand. I purchased three candle holders (2 small, 1 large), one large dinner plate, and two small appetizer plates. I already had the paint and hot glue gun so I didn’t have to buy those. The entire project cost less than $10.00!

The two smaller candle holders I just spray painted black to match the theme I was going for. You can paint them any color you want. I left the larger one as is for now, but I may go back and paint it another color later.

Once you have painted the bases (which is completely optional) it’s time to glue them to your plates! I recommend getting plates in whatever color you are wanting and not painting those. If you can’t find what you want, and you do end up painting plates, just always make sure that you are putting something between the painted plate and your food.

You do have to work fast using the hot glue because it will dry quickly. I found that doing a dry run first and marking the center point on the plate really helped when attaching the two pieces. Place the plate upside down on the table. Put your glue on the top of your candle holder and press it down on the plate. Once attached run a bead of hot glue around the outer rim of the candle holder to help hold it to the plate. Let dry for a few hours before using.

After it’s completed dried you are ready to put it to good use! I have used them multiple times for get togethers and I just love them! Three stands for under $10 you really can’t beat it!

I hope you enjoyed this DIY. If you give it a try; please post some photos of yours in the comments! I’d love to see your personal take on these.