Some of the best Amazon products don’t cost an arm and leg

The only thing better than avoiding a shopping trip with kids in tow is scoring an amazing deal. Thanks to Amazon, you can have both. We discovered the best Amazon products and deals right now (most of them are $5 or less!) that will not only make your life easier but will save you money, too. Now that’s a win. And many of them aren’t even discounted for Prime Day, meaning you’ll be able to take advantage of these deals whenever you need to rebuy.

In the market for kitchen supplies? We’ve got them. Budget beauty goodies? Found those, too. Not sure what? Just scroll our list to find some of the best Amazon products that are so wallet-friendly, you won’t even feel guilty for filling your cart (not that you ever should. But just in case.). Plus, there are several products you can set up subscriptions for and they’ll automatically shipped at an even larger discount. Saving time? Check. Saving money? Check. Check out some of the best and most affordable Amazon items we’re filling our carts with.


Amazon

NYX Butter Lipgloss in Vanilla Cream Pie

$5 BUY NOW

This viral lip color has a cult following (thanks to it's neutral-pink hue that's universally flattering and non-sticky formula). Get NYX's Vanilla Cream Pie Butter Gloss for less than $5.


Amazon

Natural Pumice Stone 2pk

$4 BUY NOW

Whether it's hot out (hello, sandals) or cold (dry heel skin catching on your socks—shudder), keeping your feet soft and smooth with these pumice stones is really easy.


Amazon

Travel Pill Organizer

$5 BUY NOW

With 8 compartments in various sizes, it's easy to organize any medications and vitamins in this handy case.


Amazon

6 Pack Large Hair Claw Clips

$6 BUY NOW

Claw clips are back in a major way, and this set has every on-trend version you keep seeing everywhere.


Amazon

Portable Mini Heating Bag Sealer

$5 BUY NOW

It's easy to keep your chips, cookies, and any other edibles fresh! All you have to do is heat the sealer and run it across the top of the bag for an airtight seal. 


Amazon

Fresh Stretch Pod for Avocados

$7 BUY NOW

Finally, a way to ensure your avocado doesn't go brown. Think of all the cash you'll save because you won't have to toss the other half. 


Amazon

Clip-On Light

$4 BUY NOW

Your partner wants to hit the hay, but you've just gotten to the good part of the book. Simply pull out this clip-on light, and everyone wins. It's also great for traveling! 


Amazon

e.l.f. Flawless Finish Foundation

$6 BUY NOW

Don't believe that this $6 foundation is worth it? Just check out the almost 30k Amazon reviewers who rave about it.


Amazon

2-in-1 Dustpan Groove Cleaning Brushes

$7 BUY NOW

How's this for a genius cleaning tool? You can use them on baseboards, and the little brush works wonders in door, window and shower tracks, in corners, and much more. Plus, check out the tiny dust pan.


Amazon

Ring Size Adjuster

$5/5pk BUY NOW

Are your rings too big? This set of silicon noodles will keep your baubles from swinging. They're easy to use and clean.


Amazon

Drawer Organizer

$6 BUY NOW

There are a ton of uses for these drawer organizers around the house, and with this price, you can afford to buy a few. 


Amazon

Elephant Nightlights

$3 BUY NOW

These sweet, color-changing LED lights will bring a cozy glow to a bedroom. 


Amazon

Initial Necklace

$8 BUY NOW

This is an adorable stocking stuffer for kids and tweens. Available in the whole alphabet, of course.


Amazon

Clear Ouchless Hair Elastics

$3 BUY NOW

Those clear elastics everyone uses in the hair tutorials on IG—here ya go.


Amazon

Stainless Steel Straws

$4 BUY NOW

With plastic straw bans steadily growing across the globe, you won't want to leave home without your reusable straws. With these, you can keep a set at home and put a set in your bag for when you're out and about. 


Amazon

Geometric Hair Clip

$5 BUY NOW

Dress up that mom-do with this stylish triangle hair clip that looks way more expensive than its price tag.


Amazon

Chalkboard Labels

$5 for 36 labels BUY NOW

These labels can be used on everything from mason jars to wine glasses, and as a bonus, they're reusable! Kitchen organization has never been this easy.


Amazon

Cradle Cap Brush

$4 BUY NOW

Deal with baby's cradle cap and first wisps of hair with this soft 2-in-1 brush from Safety 1st. 


Amazon

Onion Slicer

$6 BUY NOW

Never suffer from ill-chopped onions again! This stainless steel onion slicer is worth every penny.


Amazon

Travel Flossers

$4 BUY NOW

For those days when you're on the go, having micro dental flossers stashed away in your bag makes it easy to keep pesky dental debris at bay.


Amazon

Neoprene Coffee Cup Sleeves

$5 BUY NOW

Not only does your morning cup of Joe look way cuter, but you're reducing your carbon footprint with these reusable insulated cup sleeves. 


Amazon

Magic Eraser

$5/6pk BUY NOW

You can never have too many of these miracle workers when you have kids at home.


Amazon

Baby Bottle Brush

$5 BUY NOW

This handy tool makes cleaning baby bottles and sippy cups a snap.


Amazon

Sponge Caddy

$7 BUY NOW

When spills happen (it's inevitable when kids are in the picture), your sponge and scrub brush will be right at hand with this caddy.


Amazon

Plastic Bag Holder

$6 BUY NOW

Anything that clears up the clutter of bags for a few bucks, like this super-affordable organizer, is worth a shot. It comes in multiple prints, too.


Amazon

Tenacious Fabric Repair Tape

$6 BUY NOW

This handy stuff comes in seven colors and immediately bonds to nylon, mesh, vinyl, rubber and plastic, which is ideal for repairing items like tents, jackets, sleeping bags, water bottles and more. Be sure to pack a roll for your next camping trip. 

—Shahrzad Warkentin, Karly Wood, & Kate Cartia

 

All the products listed are independently & personally selected by our shopping editors.

If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation. Prices and availability reflect the time of publication.

All images courtesy of retailers.

Parents, the hot weather is coming, and you probably feel like you need more water toys like you need more LEGO bricks underfoot. We get it! But, to guarantee a summer of fun in your backyard oasis, you might want a few new pool toys and pool floats to throw into the mix. We’ve scoured the web to find some of the coolest ones out there, and trust us, you might even be tempted to try them out. From a super backyard water slide to an obstacle course/wading pool, keep reading to see them all. 


Inflatable Super Backyard Water Slide

$119 BUY NOW

Create your own water park in the backyard with this giant inflatable water slide. It inflates and deflates quickly, can be used with any water hose and works both on the grass or by the pool! 


the sting ray glider is a popular water toy

Aqua Stingray Underwater Glider

$15 BUY NOW

Catch it if you can! This brightly colored stingray propels itself and glides through the water—traveling over 60 feet!


Pool Volleyball Set as a water toy

Pool Volleyball Set

$12.50 BUY NOW

Cool off with a quick game of volleyball in your kiddie pool. Made from sturdy 10-gauge vinyl with a 7-gauge vinyl ball, this kiddie pool volleyball set also features weighted pole bases so it won't tip over. 


Max Liquidator Water Blaster

$35.65 BUY NOW

You can never have too many water blasters in the summer. Fun for the pool or just about anywhere, this ultimate water toy comes in a pack of six.


basketball hoop water toy

GoSports Splash Hoop 360

$37.38 BUY NOW

Basketball is always cool ... but it's even cooler in the pool! Make a splash as you try to beat the buzzer and the heat this summer with the Go Sports Splash Hoop 360. The set includes one splash hoop, two water basketballs, and a ball pump. Swish!


diving water toys

Splash Bombs Treasure Hunter Dive Set

$8 BUY NOW

Sunken treasure? Yes, please! Little treasure hunters will enjoy searching for this underwater treasure hunter set's shiny gold and silver coins, faux jewels and stones. They all glitter at the bottom of your pool, just waiting to be discovered.


Swimline BattleBoards Squirter Set

$56 BUY NOW

These kick-powered inflatable boards make for an epic pool game! There are two squirters and a splash screen on each board.


Louie Lobster Grabbing Water Toy

Louie Lobster Claw Catcher Pool Toy

$17 BUY NOW

Squeeze the handle and—SNAP!—Louie Lobster's claws clamp shut. This colorful playset comes with three fishy sinkers to grab.


slip and slide water toy

Team Magnus Slip and Slide

$68 BUY NOW

If you don't have one afternoon on a Slip and Slide, is it summer? This heavy-duty version has twin lanes for racing, and you can get bodyboards for the extra slide factor.

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When it comes to home improvement projects, they don’t have to be complicated or require multiple trips for supplies. In fact, for these beginner design projects, you most likely already have the materials you need lying around, plus, they’re so easy, kids of any age can lend a hand (or two). The best part? You’ll get an interior design upgrade while spending some quality time with your kiddos without spending a ton of cash. Talk about a win-win scenario. Keep reading to see them all.

DIY Tissue Paper Covered Pots

DIY-striped-tissue-paper-wrapped-pots
Tell Love & Party

Brown terracotta pots can be so, well, boring. Give those beloved plants a brag-worthy container with materials you most likely already have laying around your house—think scissors, tissue paper and glue. Who would have thought that these basic materials could have you and your kids quickly transforming those ho-hum planters into their very own design statement?

Good to Know: While you can use plain white glue, grab Mod Podge if you can. It's an all-in-one type of glue that not only acts as a binding agent, it also seals and finishes your projects, makes them waterproof, and safe for outdoor use.

Project length: A few hours to let the coats of glue dry between applications.

Click here for the full how-to.

Painted Rainbow Fan Blades

rainbow-fan-diy
Wonderful DIY

Part science experiment part boredom buster, this spin-art-inspired project will cast rainbow rays on hot summer days. And if rainbows aren't your thing, choose a color scheme that matches your room decor—alternating black and white or blue and white stripes will look super chic. 

Good to Know: You'll need to remove the grill front of the fan, which may require a screwdriver, and you'll thank us later, but please let the paint dry fully before checking out your handiwork.

Project Length: A couple of hours to let the paint fully dry before re-assembling the fan.

Click here for the full how-to.

Handprint Alphabet Artwork

diy artwork with kids
Mommy Minutes Blog

We understand the struggle—you have a blank wall in your home that is calling out for some artwork, but you want something personal and meaningful rather than a poster print you can find on Amazon. Well, nothing is more personal than using those little hands in your home to create a colorful alphabet art piece. If the whole alphabet seems overwhelming, just pick one or a couple of your favorite letters and collage them together.

Good to Know: If you are going to complete the whole alphabet, handprint the same colors at the same time. So, if you are starting with red, handprint all the red-based letters first.

Length of Project: A couple of "letters" can be finished in under an hour, but the whole alphabet may take a couple of days to complete depending on your kid's patience level.

Click here for the full how-to.

DIY Ombre Lampshade

Remodelista

For less than $15, your kids can customize and transform a basic white lampshade into a stunning conversation piece—bonus points for matching it to their decor.

Good to Know: The trick to achieving the ombre look is to saturate the top of the lampshade with spray paint and then let the paint disperse down the shade, where it will fade to white.

Length of Project: Less than an hour.

Click here for the full how-to.

DIY Painted Game Table

DIY game table IKEA
IKEA

If you have a kid, you probably have an IKEA LACK table in your life. But this workhorse of a furniture piece (arts and crafts table, snack and dinner table) doesn't have to look like it came from a big-box store. Brainstorm with your kids about which game they love the most, and transform this piece of furniture by using self-adhesive vinyl in classic game board colors.

Good to Know: Plan to seal the vinyl with a clear topcoat to protect the vinyl from getting torn or rolling up at the edges.

Length of Project: A couple of hours to measure, adhere vinyl and seal.

Click here for the how-to. (Tip, the IKEA directions for this project default to Swedish but just click translate and you'll get the easy how-to in English). 

DIY Chair Makeover

DIY-painted-chair-makeover
Sugar & Cloth

Before you donate that used piece of furniture, see if you and your home improvement kids can breathe new life into the piece by upcycling it with this clever DIY painting project. Decide which colors and what type of design you'll use, and then with just a sponge brush and fabric paint, you'll miraculously have a new chair in the house the kids can fight over. 

Good to Know: Kids can design and cut a sponge into a shape—a star, a heart or a cloud are all good ideas—and use that to create a pattern on the chair. 

Length of Project: A few hours to let the paint dry. 

Click here for the full how-to.

DIY T-Shirt Rag Rug

DIY-tshirt-rag-rug
The Wonder Forest

This project combines all the things we love about an easy home improvement project—learning a new skill and recycling materials you already own to create something new. This t-shirt rag rug is ideal for someone who has been saving (or refusing to depart with) their t-shirts for nostalgic reasons. You can keep the color palette tight by choosing t-shirts in just two-to-three colors or you can use everything you have—there are no rules here.

Good to Know: A combination of 15 men's and women's t-shirts makes about a 30-inch rug. 

Length of Project: Depending on how quickly the braiding is done, plan for this project to take a couple of hours over a couple of days.

Click here for the full how-to.

DIY Cork Board

DIY cork board
Young House Love

Everyone needs a spot in the house to hang their favorite pictures, awards and artwork. Enlist the kids to help create their own memo board above their desk. They can help measure, cut the cork to fit the space and glue them into place. 

Good to Know: While these bloggers choose to back the cork with a wood backing to minimize pinholes in the drywall, you can skip that step if you are okay with potentially having to fix the wall down the road from overzealous pinners. 

Length of Project: Less than an hour.

Click here for the full how-to.

Ice Dye Pillows

Dans le Lakehouse

You've heard of tie-dye but have you tried ice dye? This DIY project is more like a science experiment, but whoever said home improvement and science don't mix? The cool effect is part watercolor, part marbleization, part tie-dye, and we couldn't be more excited to try this with our kids. First on our project list? A couple of throw pillows and then a plain white duvet cover. 

Good to Know: This project can be messy and dusty—plastic gloves and a mask are essential for everyone involved in this project.

Length of Project: A couple of hours.

Click here for the full how-to. 

 

Rain Barrel Makeover

rain barrel
Annie Somnium

Nothing improves a home more than some good old curb appeal. But those unsightly rain barrels, while a good thing for the environment and your plants, are typically not so pleasing to look at—until now, that is. You can make your own if you don't have one already, but don't stop at just a plain old barrel. Grab the kids and paint, and decorate your container to be a bright spot—rather than an eyesore—in your yard.

Good to Know: Choose exterior paints and think about sealing the outside so your design can last season after season. 

Length of Project: A couple of hours.

Click here for the full how-to.

—Andie Huber

Featured photo: iStock 

 

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Can’t wait for Disney and Pixar’s Soul to premiere on Disney+? Walt Disney Records is set to release Disney and Pixar’s Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Soul Original Score vinyl album and Music From and Inspired by Soul vinyl album. The digital soundtrack and both vinyl albums will be available on Dec. 18.  

Disney and Pixar’s Soul will be available exclusively on Disney+ beginning Dec. 25, 2020. 

Soul is set in two distinct worlds, gritty New York City and the ethereal cosmic realms of The Great Before, which called for two styles of music that help shape and define each world.  Globally renowned musician and Grammy nominee Jon Batiste provided the original jazz compositions and arrangements for the film, and Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network), from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Nine Inch Nails, created an original score that will drift between the real and soul worlds. 

The soundtrack also includes the songs “Rappin Ced” performed by Daveed Diggs, “Parting Ways” performed by Cody ChesnuTT, and Batiste’s cover of the Curtis Mayfield classic “It’s All Right.”

Docter said, “Jon Batiste is a fantastic musician—he’s a historian yet is able to push the music forward, bringing all these different influences to the work. I sincerely hope that the jazz music in ‘Soul’ will inspire a whole new generation.”

Batiste said, “All the compositions are influenced by a large swath of the hundred-plus years of jazz music, which gives the listener a lot of reference points.  It’s a subtle way to pay homage while also introducing a whole new audience to these types of sounds.”

On creating the score Reznor said, “Our first step is always to listen and really try to understand where the filmmakers are coming from—what they’re seeing, what they’re imagining. We spent a lot of time discussing how you’re supposed to feel when you’re first exposed to the ‘Soul’ world. Then we went back to our studio, which is filled with a variety of real, imagined and synthetic instruments, and spent the first chunk of time experimenting with different arrangements and different instruments and seeing what felt emotionally right to create the fabric of this world.”

According to Ross, they wanted to help differentiate the areas of that world. “There’s The Great Before, The Great Beyond, The Astral Plane, The You Seminar,” he says. “Every place needed its own identity.”

Docter said, “We wanted the score for this film to be different from any other Pixar film. We were excited to work with Trent and Atticus because we knew they would bring us places we’d never gone before. Their unique approach to sound and creative thinking made them really inspiring to work with.”

The digital Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features 42 score and jazz tracks; the Soul Original Score vinyl album by Reznor and Ross features 23 tracks (Side A 12 tracks / Side B 11 tracks); and Music From and Inspired By Soul vinyl album by Jon Batiste features 22 tracks (Side A 15 tracks / Side B 7 tracks), including his cover of “It’s All Right.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Disney+

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Cue the nostalgia. Sanrio has partnered with Mattel to create a toy and accessory collection featuring popular characters – Hello Kitty, My Melody and Badtz-Maru. This never-before-seen collection includes a super cute doll line, featuring fun characters with fantastical touches and fashion accompanied by Hello Kitty and Friends for even more storytelling opportunities; playsets with fan favorite characters; surprise elements; fun collectibles and must-have stationery for all Hello Kitty and Sanrio fans. ​

 

 

Sanrio Double Dippers: Sanrio Double Dippers collectible sets are filled with sweet surprises. Each set includes 1 Hello Kitty figure, 1 removable hat accessory and 1 donut or cake accessory.

Mattel x Sanrio

 

Hello Kitty and Friends Éclair Doll: Éclair doll comes dressed in trendy clothes and accessories like glittery high-top sneakers, a vinyl skirt, and bow headpiece to match her bestie, Hello Kitty.

Hello Kitty and Friends Stylie Doll: Stylie doll comes dressed in trendy clothes and accessories like glittery high-top sneakers, a vinyl skirt, and bow headpiece to match her bestie, My Melody.

Hello Kitty and Friends Jazzlyn Doll: For fashion play, Jazzlyn doll comes dressed in trendy clothes and accessories like glittery high-top sneakers, a vinyl skirt, and headpiece to match her bestie, Badtz-Maru.

Hello Kitty and Friends Minis Hamburger Diner Playset: Savor the fun with this Hello Kitty Hamburger compact loaded with fun surprises.

Hello Kitty and Friends Minis Tea Party Playset: Pinkies up for this Hello Kitty Tea Party compact filled with surprises.

Hello Kitty and Friends Minis Beach Pencil Playset: Make a splash with this Hello Kitty Watermelon beach-themed pencil box set that features a playset, storage, and stationery supplies.

Hello Kitty and Friends Minis Carnival Pencil Playset: This Hello Kitty Candy Carnival pencil box set features a playset, storage, and stationery supplies.

Hello Kitty Plush: Made with soft fabrics and at 8-inches tall, she’s the perfect size for take-along play. 

Sanrio Surprise Stamper: These Sanrio Surprise Minis collectibles are triple the fun, with 8 to collect. Each figure is a self-stamper, pencil-topper, and keychain.

Mattel x Sanrio

“This collection offers Sanrio fans a whole new way to experience the brand in a fun and entertaining way,” said Jill Koch, SVP of Sales and Business Development at Sanrio, Inc. “Over the past 60 years, Sanrio has cemented a legacy built on the foundation of Small Gift, Big Smile and this collection with Mattel encompasses that so well.”

Mattel x Sanrio

The Mattel x Hello Kitty and Friends line evokes Sanrio’s heritage, while tapping into emerging trends – like color reveal surprise, encouraging fans of all ages to play in new ways, collect them all, accessorize and gift just in time for the holidays.

Fans can find this special collection currently from Walmart and Amazon ranging from $3.99 to $19.99.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Mattel

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Kiddos bored at home? Then it may be time to take the plunge with Minnidip’s new Holiday Collection that includes the brand new DiPP!T Inflatable Ball Pit.

Available for pre-order starting Friday, Nov, 20 at minnidip.com, measures 66″ wide and 14″ tall with scalloped edges. Made from velvet vinyl, the DiPP!T retails for $199 and comes with free shipping.

Customer can choose from three colors that include blush pink, cream and mint green. When you order a DiPP!T you’ll also get approximately 500 premium crush-proof 3” ball pit balls in a multitude of colors like blush, lilac, mint, peach, pearl, periwinkle and clear.

To make it even more fun, One ball—aka THE GOLDEN DiPP!T—comes in every box and can be used as a game ball!

Each material used exceeds children’s product safety standards for safe playtime. And bonus: the DiPP!T box can be used as storage and features a side that for kids to color.

You can pre-order the new inflatable ball pit on minnidip.com.

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of Minnidip

 

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Photo: Mattel

A year ago, no one would’ve ever guessed that “Baby Yoda” would even exist, much less unite fans of Star Wars and non-fans alike. Don’t let the “plush” in the name fool you: The Child 11-inch Vinyl Head Plush is more akin to a baby doll. Mattel’s lovable depiction of the breakout star of Star Wars: The Mandalorian has a sculpted, soft vinyl head and hands with eyes that really give off an emotive look — almost a reflection of childlike wonder. The body is soft but with some heft to it thanks to a bean-weighted base to help it stand. The Child can be cuddled by kids or displayed by collectors.

Read the full review on thetoyinsider.com, and check out the Toy Insider’s full Holiday Gift Guide to see the top picks of the hottest toys this holiday season!

The Toy Insider is the go-to source for product information and the latest news about children's toys, tech, and entertainment. Its team of toy experts publishes two annual gift guides—one for summer and one for holiday—and reviews toys 365 days a year on thetoyinsider.com, a trusted resource for parents. 

Dear Great Pumpkin, we’re looking forward to your arrival on Halloween night.” Channel your inner Linus today on the 70th anniversary of Peanuts. Craft Recordings celebrates this milestone with new music and video releases featuring Vince Guaraldi’s original songs, which have helped define the Peanuts experience over the past seven decades.

To kick off the 70th anniversary and the holiday season, a new animated video, “The Great Pumpkin Waltz” debuts today on the official Vince Guaraldi YouTube channel. The song is instantly recognizable from the 1966 animated television special It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Craft Recordings also launched a “Peanuts 70th Anniversary Playlist” across music streaming services today, featuring 70 songs from Peanuts TV specials and compilations. As part of the anniversary celebration, Craft Recordings is also releasing a one-time vinyl pressing of A Charlie Brown Christmas with a special dancing lenticular print of the original 1965 album cover with Schulz’s famous illustration. The soundtrack album will lead families into the holiday season with music from the 1965 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Vince Guaraldi via YouTube

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Barbie has teamed up with Star Wars on its latest collaboration paying homage to Star Wars, by putting a high-fashion twist on iconic characters. Last year, Mattel introduced a line of Star Wars x Barbie dolls inspired by Princess Leia, Darth Vader and R2-D2. This year, they have unveiled additional dolls inspired by Chewbacca, C-3PO, Rey and Stormtrooper characters.

Star Wars X Barbie

Star Wars Rey x Barbie Doll

Available at Amazon.com, Barbie.com and approved specialty retailers for $100

  •       The Star Wars Rey x Barbie takes design inspiration from Rey’s legendary look to capture her adventurous spirit in a runway-ready silhouette.
  •       Star Wars Rey x Barbie doll wears a crystal pleated chiffon gown with a crossover neckline and draped hood, inspired by Rey’s gauzy crosspiece.
  •       A slit reveals ombre boot-leggings in gold and copper hues, and accessories with a hammered gold look complete her heroic ensemble.

 

Star Wars Stormtrooper x Barbie Doll 

Available at Amazon.com, Barbie.com and approved specialty retailers for $100

  •       The Star Wars Stormtrooper x Barbie takes design inspiration from their legendary look to capture their plastoid armor in a runway-ready silhouette.
  •       Star Wars Stormtrooper x Barbie is striking in head-to-toe white over a black bodysuit with a shiny patent-leather look. A platinum bob, dark glasses, cuffs, a utility belt and boots with a knee protector plate detail complete the battle armor-inspired look.

 

Star Wars C-3PO x Barbie Doll 

Available at Amazon.com, Barbie.com and approved specialty retailers for $100

  •       The Star Wars C-3PO x Barbie® doll takes design inspiration from C-3PO’s legendary look to capture his golden armor in a runway-ready silhouette.
  •       Star Wars C-3PO x Barbie shines in a head-to-toe liquid gold look with accents of sheer organza and golden sequins. Polished details include a golden collar, bangles     , C-3PO-inspired glasses and a brilliant cincture echoing the droid’s primary power coupler outlet.

 

Star Wars Chewbacca x Barbie Doll 

Available at Amazon.com, Barbie.com and approved specialty retailers for $150

  •       The Star Wars Chewbacca x Barbie takes design inspiration from Chewie’s legendary look, bringing a glamorous edge to signature costume elements.
  •       Star Wars Chewbacca x Barbie wears a lavish faux fur coat over a strapless dress with a fur skirt and bodice of vinyl and sheer organza.
  •       Chic details include a furry headband and knee-high boots, as well as cuff bracelets and a handbag inspired by Chewbacca’s signature bandolier and satchel.   

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Mattel

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In my 24 years of raising three kids, I’ve had my fair share of parenting fails. Turns out motherhood is rocket science, and my first week on the job is when I found out I’m no scientist. I share my story in hopes of making all of you feel a bit better about your own mothering prowess:

My daughter, the last of three kids, fell down the stairs three times before her 4th birthday—once as an infant. The infant thing happened when I laid her on the floor next to my bed located on the second floor. My daughter hadn’t yet reached the “rolling over” milestone. Since the bed sat seven feet from the door and the top of the staircase another 18 inches away, I felt safe leaving her so I could go downstairs to make a quick bottle.

While in the kitchen, my mother’s intuition sent up a red flare, and I raced over to the steps to check on my baby. As I rounded the corner, my daughter rolled into my arms off the last step before hitting the vinyl floor. Her first “rollover” equaled a combined distance of more than eight feet with a built-in navigation system leading her precisely to the stairs. I thought my decision to remove her from the bed just in case she rolled off demonstrated on-point mothering.

After a full examination in the ER, she was fine. We were lucky.

At one year old, my daughter decided to test out the moxie of her baby walker. While I stepped away to change a load of clothes in an adjoining room, she maneuvered her walker to the basement door, which opens off the kitchen. I inadvertently left it ajar and in less than a minute she managed to tip-toe forward just enough to send the front end over the edge, careening her down 15 steps onto a cement floor.

The walker stayed upright all the way down, landing on its wheels. She wasn’t harmed. We were lucky.

At age 5, while on vacation, my Princess Knievel climbed up an armoire holding a television in pursuit of a toy I purposely placed on top, out of her reach. Before she collected her prize, the dresser fell over pinning her between the furniture and the bed behind her. If not for the bed cushioning the blow, she would have been crushed.

She was not hurt. We were lucky.

My middle son fell out of his bouncy chair at four months old because I left him unattended and unstrapped on the kitchen table. His older brother let out a terrifying scream from upstairs and in a panic, I ran off to check on him. In the few minutes of my absence, my baby wound up slipping out of his seat, rolling off the table, bouncing off the chair below and landing on the floor.

After a full examination in the ER, he was fine. We were lucky.

I let my 5-year-old jump up and down on my bed without warning. He jumped too close to the edge, fell off and broke his elbow.

After surgery and months in a cast, he healed up fine. We were lucky.

If these few examples aren’t enough to make you cringe, on top of all the physical mom fails, the past two-and-a-half decades are littered with moments I’ve hurt my kids emotionally, let them down, stolen their joy and broken their spirit. I’ve erred in accusing them of things they didn’t do, screamed and yelled for no good reason, withheld forgiveness too long, gossiped about them to other people.

But I’ve also heaped on an enormous amount of love, offered grace and extended mercy. I continue to shower them in kindness, listen with understanding, hold them in tenderness and walk beside them in compassion—actions which go a forever way beyond the less than moments.

Although I’m not proud of my poor mothering moments, I have learned to forgive myself. Something all mothers need to do more of. Mom guilt goes a forever way in the wrong direction. I’ve also mastered the art of apology along the way and kids are masters at passing on the pardons.

All things considered, my three kids survived and are all healthy, happy and loving young adults now. We’re all still fine. We’re definitely a tad bit lucky too. When I look back, I can see I did plenty of things right. I for sure did my best—and that’s what matters most.

Be easy on yourself, mama. Raising kids is hard. Just keep loving, loving, loving… Love always covers a multitude of mishaps.

This post originally appeared on Today Parents.

A self-described “sappy soul whisperer/sarcasm aficionado,” Shelby is a wife of 27 years & mom of three millennials. She co-authored How Are You Feeling, Momma? (You don't need to say, "I'm fine.") Her stories are in print at Guideposts, online at sites like Her View From Home and Parenting Teens & Tweens, and at shelbyspear.com. Get 3 FREE chapters of Shelby's book