Yes, this is a thing I love. The reason I love it? It can entertain my child for much longer than most typical toys. I know it’s not a brand-name item that I can show you a picture of online, or link to the website. But it has been a lifesaver for me since Sunday when we made this tub.

We call it “The Roni Tub.” It’s a shallow Rubbermaid tub (that links to the exact one we have- the size is perfect) filled with 8 boxes of dry, uncooked macaroni noodles. We bought the cheapy 93-cents-a-box kind. At some point I am going to color them with food coloring but I was just in a hurry to get it set up. Right now there are just a few scoops and cups and plastic animals in the tub. I plan to change out the items every so often. Bailey really likes to fill the containers and dump them out, and bury the animals. She also pretends that they are eating the macaroni.

This is a great toy for when I am on the phone, or making dinner, or working on Avon orders or something like that. (Speaking of Avon- I would love it if you can help me out with this contest I am in! I need orders from as many states as possible.) We don’t leave the tub out all the time- we just get it out as a special thing so that it stays fun and exciting! Also, it fits under our bed so it’s easy to store.

Don’t you love this startled look? I had been trying to get her attention and she finally noticed me and looked up. She is so good at tuning me out. And that bright yellow spot on her forehead? It’s a bruise. Lovely, isn’t it.

I know sometimes as moms we can be hesitant to buy more toys, when our kids already have too much of everything. You wonder if it will really get played with, or if you just like it because it looks educational, or if your kid just liked it in the store because it was something new. We have a toy at our house that I think was a great investment- Fisher Price Pop-Onz Twirl Table. Bailey absolutely loves them. I don’t think they are available new in stores anymore (we got hers at a garage sale) but this is hands down the toy that she can play with literally for an hour at a time. Nothing else competes, not even her books or puzzles right now. She loves building on this table. It is so fun to see what she makes. I think it is easier for her than Legos because on a lot of the pieces, there is just one spot to connect instead of having to line up two spots.

A quick search on Amazon showed tons of results for this, so it would be easy to get if you are interested. It’s also nice because all the blocks store in a net under the table. One side of the table lifts up to drop them in. Bailey can clean it up herself when she’s done!

Two of my staples in life- Avon hand cream and lip balm. I love that they come out with new ones for every holiday. For some reason I am just addicted to buying these. I even gave out the spring/butterfly ones with Bailey’s party favors when she had a butterfly birthday party.

I have some new Halloween lip balm in Candy Corn flavor, and Jonathon got it in Candy Apple. Those have been really big sellers for me lately. I have customers ordering like ten or more of each flavor to give as Halloween treats or in gift bags.

And I am stocking up on the Christmas lotions in every design- but I already have the penguin

The lip balms come in Candy Cane, Sugar Cookie, Gingerbread, and Winter Mint.

Something I am curious about but have not tried is this blackhead removal thing. I occasionally get clogged pores (although I would not really consider them “blackheads,” EW!) but I was wondering if this Spafinder Pore Cleanser would actually work to get rid of them. Or if it would just make little hickies on my face.

For more things people love, check out The Diaper Diaries!

It is sad that my TILT is about soda. Seriously, lately I have been really tired (busy, busy) and have been running on caffeine a lot of the time. I am in love with Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte but I am sure most of you already know about that anyway. (Off topic, but did you know that about 600 Starbucks are closing between now and early 2009? Click here for a list of which locations).

Something less “popular” is Diet Coke Plus. It’s just regular Diet Coke with vitamins added to it. It tastes almost exactly the same, and I feel like I am doing something good for myself by drinking it Each 8 oz serving has 15% of the recommended daily intake of niacin, B6, and B12, and 10% RDI for zinc and magnesium. So, not wonderful, but better than nothing!

For more Things I Love Thursday, check out The Diaper Diaries