It will probably not surprise any of you to hear that I've reached a decision about this blog. I will no longer be posting on Never Grow Up. I mean, it's not like I've been posting recently or anything. But I'm making it official instead of being one of those frustrating bloggers who just disappears into cyberspace with no further word. This is not a decision I made lightly. I'm in a very different season of life now than I was when I started this little blog nearly eight years ago. My oldest two girls have moved on from their 18 inch dolls. In fact, my oldest has gotten rid of all of her do ..read more

Hello all of my dear, patient friends...if any of you are still reading this and haven't given up on me. Yes, I am alive. Yes, I still love toys. Yes, I am still crazy busy and unorganized. Yes, I promise that the review posts I talked about last November (yeesh!) will eventually appear. I don't have much time at the moment, but just wanted to pop in and say hello for all of those who have been wondering if I will ever post again. I'm quite disappointed with myself. I always wanted to keep blogging strong. I didn't want to be one of those blogs that slowly dwindled into oblivion. And yet, her ..read more

Hello, everyone! May I just say, you guys are awesome for waiting so long for me to get my act together. This fall brought many new adjustments with the girls' new school, so for a while, it was just easier to play the avoidance card instead of thinking how behind I was on blogging. ;) I'm about halfway done with my annual Rapunzel and Belle Disney Store doll reviews, so those should be up within the week. Since the reviews are taking longer than I planned (especially since my Belle dolls from prior years are still packed away and I have to find them), I thought I'd tide you over with a few u ..read more

Honest, I am. But I'm discovering that starting your kids at a brand new school can take some serious adjustment, even if your kids are doing well and enjoying that new school. Sorry to leave you guys hanging for so long. The last few weeks have felt like the inside of a washing machine, or the middle of a merry-go-round on the playground. :} Things will still be crazy for a while, especially since Oldest Gal just started volleyball season. But I hope within the next week or so to get a handle on blogging, writing, and some of the other things that have fallen by the wayside in the past month ..read more

It's time to announce the winner, folks! We had thirty-two entrants and a total of fifty-five entries including the extra entries for following me elsewhere. All names were recorded on paper...and thankfully not scattered around the living room when Pumpkin was in a "helpful" mood. ;) The names were put in a bowl and mixed up carefully. Then Middle Gal chose one name (without looking, of course) to be our winner. Since Pumpkin seemed to want to get involved, too, I decided to let him announce our winner.  At first, he just wanted to play with the winner's name... ...and then, h ..read more

Hey everyone! Just wanted to remind you that today is the last day to get your entries in for my blogoversary giveaway. I've had a great response so far and can't wait to see who wins! :) For full giveaway details, you can check out my post about it HERE. I just got back from a wonderful family vacation. I haven't had a chance to blog about it, but you can see all my pictures on Instagram. Have a great week! I'll be back tomorrow to announce the winner ..read more

Hey guys! Thanks for the great response to my giveaway. It's been fun hearing from so many of you. :) Just a heads up: American Girl has officially released their "Create Your Own" dolls on their website. You can choose custom face mold, skin color, eye color, hair length, style, and color, outfits, and more. You can even chose from several options to make your doll's personality. The dolls retail for $200 each, which is a little steep, but considering you get a doll, an outfit, accessories, and the option of glasses, hearing aides, braces, and more, plus the joy of creating your own custom ..read more

Hello everyone! Sorry to leave you hanging for so long. I'm back from Realm Makers (which you can read about on my writing blog HERE), managing to survive the over 100 degree weather of our hometown, and in the middle of packing for our last family vacation before school starts. In the middle of the craziness, though, I wanted to uphold a long-standing tradition and do a giveaway in celebration of SEVEN YEARS of blogging at Never Grow Up. Hooray! :D Because it's been seven years, there are seven prizes for one special reader. Here's a look at what the winner will receive: A Shopkins Lolli ..read more

It's hard to believe that seven years ago I started a little blog that grew into something amazing. Today is my seventh "blogoversary," and as I look back over the past seven years, I am so humbled and thankful for all I've learned and for the wonderful friends I've made. Thank you to all of you who have been a part of this adventure and have made it so special. :) I had hoped to have my traditional giveaway ready by now, but between swimming lessons for the girls and getting ready for the writers conference this weekend, I didn't quite get it together. I do have a few reviews in the works, t ..read more

Just a quick post today. My girls and I are huge fans of the Shopkins Happy Places line, and we've been looking forward to seeing some of the new releases that should be showing up soon. I noticed that some of the new toys are starting to show up on Amazon.com. It looks like most of them will have a release in early August: Happyville High School Playset (You can see My Froggy Stuff's YouTube review of this set HERE.) Bearry Fun Convertible Violette Kiki Creme Ballinda Jellica Berribelle Season 3 Blind Bag Surprise Delivery Packs (These are also featured in the My Frogg ..read more