U.S. presidents PEZ dispensers

What do you collect? I’ve been meaning to do a Video Hello showing off my awesome, could-border-on-hoarding PEZ dispenser collection, but trust me when I say that it’s massive. We’re talking Disney characters, superheroes, Charlie Brown and the gang and a Halloween pumpkin or two — and that’s just what I can remember off the top of my head!

While my collection is sort of overflowing, I could certainly make room for these new U.S. presidents sets. My heart practically did a back flip when I saw them. They come in sets of five in chronological order all the way through Lyndon Johnson. Crossing my fingers they complete the collection – would love an Obama dispenser! xoxo

P.S. First couples on their wedding day and U.S. presidents personality test. 🙂

Tip: 10 ways to enjoy a snow day as an adult

Remember when you were a kid and you’d sit around the radio or TV during a blizzard? You’d cross fingers and wish with all your might for a snow day. And then the big announcement would finally come.

No school for you! You’ve got the day off — a lovely unexpected treat — and you’ve got absolutely nothing planned. The whole day stretches before you with visions of wild abandon coming clearer into focus.

The real world (read: adulthood), though, rarely offers those sorts of surprises. We’re so used to having every single minute of our day planned out, plotted and strategized that we’re sometimes rendered helpless when an unplanned day off does present itself. We may even be left speechless. What are we to do? How shall we pass the time? We have to be productive, don’t we? We have to be responsible, right? That would certainly be the most logical thing to do.

Well, if you ask me, snow days aren’t meant to be logical. And I suppose I should know. My mom’s been home for the last two days, on account of the winter weather barreling through the Midwest, and truth be told, it’s been sort of fun living vicariously through her. It’s taken me back to my elementary school days of fun times at home watching the snow fall outside my window and listening to the fierce wind howling at night. Plus, I realized something: You can have fun on a snow day. At. Any. Age. Based on my own scientific research (wink..wink) over the last few days, here are 10 ways to enjoy the day off as an adult…

1. Bake something warm and winter-appropriate, like cookies or chili — and then cozy up by the fire in the evening to enjoy it!


2. Binge-watch TONS of shows on your Netflix queue — we’ve been binge-watching The Big Bang Theory and catching up on Downton Abbey.


3. Rock out to some ’70s rock on Pandora and smile right back if you spot the neighbors giving you a strange look.


4. Play a competitive game of Yahtzee — remember, take NO prisoners!


5. Slum it in your favorite oversized sweater and comfy socks — in desperate times, warmth trumps style, remember?


6. Take picture of the Arctic Tundra outside — we did this last year, and it’s fun to have photographic proof of your adventures!


7. Do some retail damage — online, obviously, since you’re practically trapped by Mother Nature!


8. Take a cat nap — Harry and Stella have mastered it, so I’m taking my cue from them.


9. Read that stack of magazines on the coffee table — that counts as cleaning, doesn’t it?


10. Spend the afternoon chatting with an old friend, just like you did in high school.

What would you add to the list, friends? When was the last time you had a “snow day”? Go ahead and take one the next time the weather gets bad. I dare you — after all, you certainly deserve it! xoxo

P.S. 5 essentials of the perfect staycation and 10 upsides of the common cold. 🙂

[Photos via We Heart It]

Holiday Gift Guide #8: For The Kid At Heart

A personalized memory game in honor of the epic battles you two had as kids, $24.99.

A science set of temporary tattoos because they’re like a walking encyclopedia, $15.

Sweet candy ($25) or a candy dispenser ($17.98) because they’re the sweetest person you know.

An inflatable globe because they’d always wanted one as a child and because, umm, it’s a GIANT globe, $7.95.

Hey Girl journal for the ultimate fangirl moment, $9.95.

A PEZ dispenser because you can never go wrong with this cute treat, $

Mad libs to tickle their funny bone, $12.99 for a set of 5.

This chalkboard piggy bank since they always have a bunch of change in their pockets, $7.99.

…or a personalized coin purse because, well, see above, $20.

P.S. The complete 2014 Holiday Gift Guide! 🙂

UncommonGoods $50 Gift Card Giveaway!

Today’s giveaway is from UncommonGoods, one of my favorite online boutiques for the best in unusual gift ideas and unique gifts. Founded more than a decade ago, the New York City-based company believes that creativity and individuality represent two great human treasures. They feature such cute gifts for men, women and kids alike, such as jewelry, art, home decor and games and puzzles.

For the last three years, I’ve included UncommonGoods in many of my Holiday Gift Guides, and with the holidays right around the corner, they’re poised to be your one-stop shop for everything from stocking stuffers to gifts under $25! So when they invited me to participate in a giveaway, I jumped at the chance! I chose some of my favorite items from the site, like this USA scratch map for my mom, this Novel Tea Set for my sister and this cool cat glass for obvious reasons.

They’re giving one reader a $50 gift certificate so she can add some quirky fun to her life! What items would you choose, friends? There’s so much to choose from!

For your chance to win, simply visit UncommonGoods and leave a comment below, telling us what you’d choose if you won. For additional entries, you can (please leave a separate comment for each entry)…

*Fan UncommonGoods on Facebook
*Follow UncommonGoods on Twitter
*Follow UncommonGoods on Pinterest
*Follow UncommonGoods on Instagram
*Sign up for the UncommonGoods newsletter
*Fan So About What I Said on Facebook
*Follow So About What I Said on Twitter
*Follow So About What I Said on Pinterest
*Follow So About What I Said on Instagram
*Follow So About What I Said via GFC (see right-hand sidebar…)

You can also Tweet about the giveaway — just make sure to mention @melissablake + @uncommongoods in your Tweet!

A winner will be chosen at random on Thursday, November 13th, so you’ve got a whole week to enter. Have fun, friends! xoxo

(Please note: This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only)

Update: Congrats to winner Lynda! Thanks so much!

Guest Post: The perfect outdoor activity for fall

If you’re not familiar with disc golf, here’s a little introduction: It’s a game that is very similar to golf except in place of a golf ball and club, the player uses a disc or Frisbee. The aim of this game is to score in each hole (or in this case, an elevated metal basket), by throwing the fewest number of discs. There are rumors that disc golf was invented in the early 1960s, but there is some evidence that the infamous flying disc game started as early as 1926 in a small Canadian Village called Baldworth located in the province of Saskatchewan.

Fast forward to the present, and disc golf has rapidly grown in popularity. This sport phenomenon is played in more than 40 countries and within eight years, the number of courses has nearly doubled. This game, originally considered as an all-male affair, is quickly becoming dominated by women. According to the 2006 Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) survey, out of its 11,300 members, roughly 900 are females.

The 2014 Grouse Mountain’s Disc Golf Tournament
The interest in Frisbee’s and flying discs is not dying down anytime soon. According to a recent online survey conducted by Web Perspectives, Grouse Mountains Disc Golf Tournament was of high interest…
*31% of participants surveyed were likely to attend the event.
*22% were very likely to attend Grouse Mountain.
*17% were highly unlikely to attend.
*9% unsure if they were attending.
*14% unlikely to attend.
*7% chose none of the options.

Golf’s Influence
When asked if participants were avid golfers, golf being the sport that started it all, 28% responded with rarely, 24% said seasonally, 17% said weekly, 14% said 1-2 times a week, 13% admitted to going bi-weekly, and 4% golf monthly. Overall, the participants surveyed seem to have a pretty big interest in the flying disc game and the tournament as a whole.

So what else is there to experience outside of participating in the sport itself at the Grouse Mountain Disc Golf Tournament? Grouse Mountain happens to offer a lot of interesting activities. The survey revealed that 40% were interested in all of the activities listed, 20% of participants were unsure, 16% partake in having breakfast with bears, another 16% would enjoy a helicopter tour, and 8% would go on an alpine experience.

Upcoming Disc Golf Tournaments
If this sport stands out to you, there are upcoming tournaments until December, with the season starting off again in April. With many locations all throughout North America, Canadians and Americans can both enjoy nature with a bit of competitive edge for everyone to enjoy!

If you would like to take part in an online survey like this one and earn gift vouchers, Web Perspectives offers an exciting opportunity to join a growing community!

(This post was sponsored by Tracy Dawkins, a freelance writer who specializes in music, health and entertainment. But she’s not limited to these subjects! Blessed a with quirky and engaging writing style, this journalism graduate has contributed to various music, entertainment and health Web sites over the past four years. Thanks so much for continuing to support So About What I Said’s wonderful sponsors!)