Is it just me or do fall/winter meals take way longer to prepare? Suddenly I find myself serving dinner at 6:30 when I started chopping at 5:30, because I forgot that roasting all those brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and squash takes way longer than grilling up a protein to serve with a salad.

So instead of relaxing with my feet up sipping wine while the oven does all the work, I’m chopping carrots for snacks to stave off the “gungry” demands of my second girl. I’m answering, “not yet” on repeat to my first’s ever popular question, “Is dinner ready yet?” I’m trying dance-party distractions to keep my youngest away from the oven wondering… IS dinner ready yet?

WHAT IS A MOM TO DO?

Grab a bunch of markers, a NEW pen&thimble coloring placemat (and probably a few carrot sticks to be safe) and boom! Dinner wait magic! Let me explain…

NEW IN THE SHOP!

This week we are welcoming a NEW and SUPER FUN line of pen&thimble coloring placemats! Oh my goodness! They are cute and functional as always but now entertaining!

A placemat they can doodle on while they wait for dinner — at home, restaurant, museum!

PLACEMAT DETAILS

Placemats feature a 100% cotton upper with a soft waterproof backing.

I offer the placemats with or without Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers*.

And you can pick your ideal placemat size! Toddlers are happy with our small 14×10″ placemat, but bigger kids may want to color and eat on our large 16×12″ placemat.

*I have tested a variety of “washable” markers, but so far have found that only Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable markers truly wash out all the way for a brand new coloring experience every time!

I WANT THESE!

Small (14×10″) Placemat Without Markers: $12

Small Placemat With Markers: $17

Large (16×12″) Placemat Without Markers: $15

Large Placemat With Markers: $20

Sounds great, right? Shop quieter dinner prep here or check out our Coloring Placemats section at http://www.penandthimble.etsy.com.

Are You A pen&thimble Email Insider?

Check your inbox because I’m offering one FREE set of 8-count Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable markers when you include at least one of our new coloring placemats in your next order placed now through Thursday (11/9)! Not an insider but wish you got awesome deals like this? Sign up here and you will be able to get in on these deals too! If you sign up by Wednesday (11/8), you’ll get the reminder email with the code for free markers! Another way to sign up? Scroll up until you see the blue signup box under the header here at penandthimble.com!