Friday Favorites!!!

Have you guys heard of Pinterest yet? I'm sure most of you have, if not you definitely need to go take a look. It's an amazing site where you can keep track of all those crafts, ideas and recipes that you want to try. I'm loving it and I find many of the great ideas that I add to my to do list there, not to mention some awesome recipes too! You can follow me on Pinterest HERE and if your already on Pinterest, leave me a link and I'll follow you!

I have found several great ideas this week!

First, check out THIS Eco-Friendly Bath Mat from Fine Craft Guild!

This is made out of bath towels! There is a video tutorial on this too! I always put a towel down when I get out of the shower and it would be awesome to just have a towel rug down already!

Next, check out THIS Rainbow Suncatcher from Life in the Nuthouse!

This is made from plastic cups that you melt down! This is so beautiful and would look great on my front porch! I can say though that the colored plastic cups have been hard to find in my area....wish there was someplace to buy them in bulk....maybe Sams Club?

And last but not least, check out THIS Handmade Rocket from Sewing in No Mans Land!

This is so cute and seems really easy to make too! Luke would love this! She made it for a birthday party!

I hope you guys have a great weekend! We have big plans, we are going to a family fun day at Luke's daycare and then I'm hoping to take a trip to the pool!

Toddler Talk Thursday!!!

I'm so excited today to be participating in the Toddler Talk Thursday that is hosted by My Life As A Sippy Cup Mom, Family and Life in Vegas, and Crazy About my Baybah!

This link up is for bloggers who have toddler aged children and I'm so happy to start joining. I've been wanting to join in for some time now, and I finally decided to do it!

Each week there will be a different toddler topic!

This weeks topic is:

How do you keep your toddler entertained in difficult situations – grocery store, doctors office, etc?

I do different things for different situations. For the grocery store...snacks. Even if I have to pop open a can of Pringles off the shelf (of course I still pay for them) and let him snack on those, it works. I once let him bring his Mobigo to the store with us and that lasted all of 3 minutes, then he threw it on the ground...on my toe...so we brought back the snacks!

At the doctor's office we bring toys to play with. Coloring books and crayons, hand held games, even my phone works for this.

And here recently I realized that Luke loves my Weight Watchers calculator. There was construction on our way home a couple days ago. Luke starts to get really really agitated and wants to "move it" and I'm wracking my brain to come up with something...anything to occupy him in this hot car. Well, I brought out my Weight Watchers calculator and he was good to go! I'd say anything electronic with buttons would work! I would love to have an Ipod because I know that this would work amazingly. If you already have one, download some toddler apps and bring it with you! I'm sure this would be a life saver!

Each week we are supposed to suggest a new topic...I would love to talk about ways to make mealtime fun for your toddler!

You can link up too! If you are the parent to a toddler, write your post on this weeks topic and link up! You must follow all three of the hosts at the top of this post!

Wordless Wednesday!!!

Here's just a few random pictures from the last few weeks!

Luke acting crazy for the camera!

This is our dog Jake looking all sad with his "bo-bo" toy

And the infamous blankey...and yes that is the corner he rubs across his lips!

Awesome Healthy Snack Recipe!!!

I found a great recipe for a delicious healthy snack. It tastes so good that even Luke ate it! And it took all of...like....10 minutes to put together!

Frosty No-Bake Granola Bars!

■2 large overripe bananas

■1 cup oats

■1/2 cup crunchy cereal

■2 tbsp pure maple syrup(or any other sweetener you use)

■2 tbsp peanut butter or other nut or seed butter

■2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips

■2 tbsp dried cranberries or other fruit

■2 – 4 tsp cocoa powder

Line a muffin pan with paper liners, or use a silicone muffin pan for easy removal. Mash the bananas. Add wet ingredients and cocoa powder and mix well. Add all other ingredients, mix well then press into prepared muffin tin. Freeze at least 60 minutes before serving.

I originally found this recipe HERE at Food Doodles and had to try it. It is great! Cool, light and just the right amount of sweetness to get your sweet tooth fix. I substituted the pure maple syrup for organic honey and I used the multi-grain Cheerios as the cereal, and it was great! This is all pretty healthy too and I don't feel guilty for eating one or for letting Luke eat one either!

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey Review & Giveaway!!!

Winner~Comment #38 jdjmcc!!!

I have another great giveaway from Tropical Traditions! This time I am giving away their Organic Raw Honey!

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey comes from the frontier areas of Canada, and is only harvested during a 6-week period in the summer. Tropical Traditions is the exclusive source of this premium organic honey in the U.S. Most commercial honeys available on the market today come from bee farms, where the bees are controlled within a certain area and get their pollen from usually only one kind of flower. Many of the plants that produce these flowers (clover, orange blossom, etc.) are grown with pesticides and fertilizers as well. In addition, almost all honeys on the market are pasteurized in high heat and filtered, removing many of the beneficial nutrients and enzymes.

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey has not been subjected to the heat of processing, only warmed enough to flow (same temperatures the honey would see inside the hive). We select only premium honey that is pure, smooth and creamy, with the consistency of soft margarine at harvest. It contains live yeast and enzymes, because it has not been processed. It also contains pollen because it has not been filtered—merely screened.

Fine textured crystals are characteristic of totally pure, unheated, unprocessed, raw honey. Properly crystallized honey has a fine, smooth texture. Crystallized honey preserves natural goodness and doesn’t drip. The more rapidly honey crystallizes the finer the texture will be. It will also turn harder over time as it crystallizes. Truly raw honeys do not deteriorate with age, but like fine wines, continue to age and develop into more complex tastes.

My Thoughts

I have always loved honey. On bread, on crackers, in tea or right out of the jar. I was curious to taste raw honey as all the honey that I have ever had has always been in a plastic bear :) I was very surprised at the taste of this honey. It definitely looks different, but that is a good thing. This honey tastes so much better than the processed kind. It is delicious! It is sweeter than the processed honey, and is great in tea! I always have to add a ton of honey to my tea to get it to taste the way I want but with this I was able to get a great taste with just a little honey. I have even eaten this out of the jar and it was so tasty and addicting! This has a much thicker consistency as well. Of course it is great that it is organic and anytime I eat something that is organic I always feel so much better about it.

One of my readers will win their own Organic Raw Honey from Tropical Traditions!

Mandatory Entry:

Head over to Tropical Traditions and have a look around. Come back here and tell me another product you would like to try!

Extra Entries:

1 Extra Entry: Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter

If you already have, leave me a comment telling me.

1 Extra Entry: Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter

3 Extra Entry: Follow my blog

3 Extra Entries: Subscribe to my emails

1 Extra Entry: For any of my other giveaways you enter!

1 Extra Entry: Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can do this daily for an extra entry every day. You can use this sample tweet:

#Win #Organic Raw Honey from Tropical Traditions http://bit.ly/p9mO9U @Troptraditions @getinonthewins

3 Extra Entry: Put my button on your blog and leave a link

5 Extra Entries: Blog about this giveaway and leave a link

This giveaway will end on 8/16 at 10pm. This giveaway is open to US and Canada. I will pick a winner using random.org and they will have 48 hours to respond or I will choose another winner. I received the organic raw honey for review purposes only and was not compensated in any other way. These are my own honest opinions.

Mamarazzi: Every Mom's Guide to Photographing Kids Review & Giveaway!!!

Winner~Comment #10 Miller Racing Family!!!

I will fully admit that I am a proud member of the Mamarazzi. I carry my camera almost every where I go and I happily snap hundreds of pictures of my son doing everything he does. From playing outside, to walking down the street, I right there taking pictures that I can proudly show off to my friends and family! I love photography and I love the feeling of getting that "just right" picture, but, I also know the frustration of trying to get that "just right" picture! Mamarazzi: Every Mom's Guide to Photographing Kids is a great book to read if you are just like me!

Calling all mamarazzis! Every camera-toting mom will want this guide!

Moms, if you can't seem to take enough great photos of the children in your life, this is the book for you. Now you can learn how to photograph children with the style, clarity, color, and beauty you see in professional photographs. This fun guide combines humor with solid know-how to show you how to compose shots, handle cameras from basic compacts to advanced dSLRs, take portraits or candids, create prints that impress, and even work with kids! Packed with beautiful examples and written in a down-to-earth style from one mom to another, this book will help mamarazzis everywhere take better photos.

•Moms are one of the fastest-growing segments of the camera-toting demographic, and the blogosphere has a term for them, mamarazzis


•Mixes information, inspiration, and fun for women who want to take better photographs of the children in their lives


•Explains how to set up a camera and use the controls on basic compacts up to advanced dSLR cameras


•Covers shot composition, determining settings, exposing images correctly, the essentials of printing images, how to process for clear and bright color, and more


•Includes stunning examples of portraits and candids of children


Become a better mamarazzi with this fun and informative guide!

My Thoughts

This book was such an easy read for me. I love reading about photography and learning how to take better pictures. I found myself taking this book everywhere with me and reading it at every opportunity. The photographs in this book are beautiful! You are sure to get some great inspiration just from that! This book is written in every day terms so anyone can understand it. There are so many great tips and ideas in this book! It explains everything from how to use your camera to ideas for what to do with your pictures after you take them! There is a section for each age group as well, giving you tips and advice that is right for your aged child. My favorite section was the "No Cheese Please" section that gives you tips on how to get a great shot, without the cheesy smile. I even found myself laughing at certain sections in this book! This book is great for any mom who loves taking pictures of their children. It is a great, entertaining read, and is filled with inspiration, tips and advice! I definitely recommend this to any mom with a camera!

You can purchase this book at Amazon for $16.01!

One of my readers will win their own copy of Mamarazzi: Every Mom's Guide to Photographing Kids!

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me your favorite picture that you have taken of your kids!

Extra Entries:

3 Extra Entries: Follow my blog

3 Extra Entries: Subscribe to my emails

1 Extra Entry: Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can do this daily for an extra entry every day. You can use this sample tweet:

#Win Mamarazzi: Every Mom's Guide to #Photographing Kids! http://goo.gl/fb/7S1bZ   @getinonthewins

1 Extra Entry: For each of my other giveaways you enter

3 Extra Entry: Put my button on your blog and leave a link

5 Extra Entries: Blog about this giveaway and leave a link

This giveaway will end on 8/16 at 10pm. This giveaway is open to US and Canada. I will pick a winner using random.org and they will have 48 hours to respond or I will choose another winner. I received the mentioned book for review purposes only and was not compensated in any other way. These are my own honest opinions.

The Smurfs: A Magical Adventure DVD Review & Giveaway!!!

Winner~Comment #23 Dealsfan32!!!

Do you remember  The Smurfs? I know I do. I loved watching them so much when I was little. I am so glad to see that they are making a comeback! I was excited for Luke to get the chance to watch The Smurfs when we received The Smurfs: A Magical Adventure on DVD!

Get your Smurf on with this 2-disc set of 10 Smurftacular Episodes! In a hidden village dwells a clan of magical creatures, living in mushroom houses and taking showers with dewdrops. They’re those international celebrities known far and wide as the Smurfs -- and they’re back on DVD. This itty-bitty powder-blue crew, including Brainy, Lazy, Vanity and Smurfette, is led by the wise, gentle and 542-year-old Papa Smurf. Gargamel, the local evil wizard, is forever scheming against the tiny team but our little friends outsmurf him every time! The Smurfs may only be three apples high, but they left miles of smiles on the faces of Saturday morning cartoon fans from 1981 to 1989!  Smurf it up again with this colorful collection of superior Smurftainment!

My Thoughts

Luke was excited to watch this new DVD. He had never seen The Smurfs before this and he loved them! He asks to watch this all the time and will intently sit and watch the Smurfs and all their adventures. I was baby sitting my neices and they saw this DVD sitting on top of my entertainment stand and they asked to watch it too! Of course I love it because it brings back great memories of my childhood and I'm glad I can share this with Luke and the girls.

This is a great 2 Disc Set that would make a great gift or even a stocking stuffer. Remember Christmas will be here before we know it!

You can purchase this DVD from Warner Brothers for $18.95.

One of my readers is going to win their own copy of The Smurfs: A Magical Adventure!

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me which Smurf is your favorite!

Extra Entries: 

1 Extra Entry: "Like" Warner Brothers on Facebook

1 Extra Entry: Follow Warner Brothers on Twitter

3 Extra Entries: Follow my blog on GFC

3 Extra Entries: Subscribe to my emails

1 Extra Entry: Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can do this once a day for an extra entry everyday. You can use this sample tweet:

#Win The Smurfs: A Magical Adventure 2-Disc DVD Set! @WarnerBrosEnt @getinonthewins #giveaway http://goo.gl/fb/qvEwq

1 Extra Entry: For each of my other giveaways you enter

3 Extra Entries: Put my button on your blog and leave a link

5 Extra Entries: Blog about this giveaway and leave a link

This giveaway will end on 8/9 at 10pm. I will use random.org to choose a winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to my email or I will choose another winner. I received the mentioned dvd for review purposes and no other compensation was received. These are my own honest opinions.

Friday Favorites!!!

Yes, it's Friday and I'm back to share more awesome ideas with you!

First check out THESE Car Wash Hedgies from Homemade Mamas!

Aren't these so cute? And they're made out of car wash mits from the dollar store! I need want to make these so bad!

Next, check out THIS DIY Water Scope from Milk and Cuddles!

This a great idea for your little water lover!

And last but not least check out THESE little Star Fish Smores from Hungry Happnenings!

I had to go "aaaawwww" when I saw these little guys! They are so cute and would be such a blast to make. These would be so great if your having a beach or pool themed birthday party!

So, I hope you guys have a great weekend. I'm going to try to stay cool and not melt in this sweltering heat. I started cleaning out Luke's room yesterday to make room for all of his birthday gifts, and I plan on finishing that and maybe I will do some crafting this weekend.

Wordless Wednesday (Birthday Party Edition)

I think it is safe to say that everyone had a blast at Luke's birthday party Saturday!

I used fudge striped cookies for the wheels on the Robot and Luke came over and kept snatching cookies off of him while we were trying to light the candle....what a little cookie monster!

I got him a bike for his birthday this year. He is still trying to learn how to pedal, we will need to practice practice practice!!

Now, I am going to post the next pictures only because I am a good sport. And my best friend is a good sport. This was my first time going down a slip n slide. It was a blast!!!! Definitely a summer must have for adults and kids alike! (don't laugh too hard at me...it was fun!)

Robot Birthday Party!!!

This past Saturday we celebrated Luke's 3rd Birthday! Luke has a love of all things Robot. He loves movies with Robot's in them...even Star Wars and he loves his little Zibit's robot and well...anything Robot. I knew he would love a Robot party.

I searched the web for ideas for our Robot party and came across a ton of great ideas. I stubbled across the Hostess Blog and found some great free printables! She also had some great ideas and she told where she found some of her party supplies too. You can click HERE if you want to check it out!

For decorations I went to Oriental Trading. They have a ton of Robot themed party supplies and all at a reasonable price too!

This banner was on sale for .50 cents!

The one thing I couldn't find was Robot table clothes so I used these Robot dangling things and taped them to the plain table cloth. I think it turned out great!

Here's another Robot dangler hanging from the canopy!

I also got this photo prop from Oriental Trading and I think baby Londyn loved it!

For the treat bags I used brown paper lunch bags and used the free printable for the site I listed above. These were for tags but I cut them out and glued them to the front of the bags. I bought Robot rubber duckies, wind up Robots, Robot notepads, Robot Suckers and Robot puzzle candy from Oriental Trading to fill them with.

The best decoration of all wasn't bought from a store. It was a labor of love from my Mom and Dad. They made this giant Robot from cardboard boxes for the main decoration!

When I walked into the house and saw this Robot I just about fell over! It is huge and is complete with lights in his chest and stomach and a police light on his head! They all worked! Luke didn't know what to think at first but he loved it. He talked and talked about this Robot the next day. He kept asking "how it walk" "how it talk" and we had to explain to him that it didn't do ALL that!

Here he is outside standing guard of the party!

I made Luke's cake this year myself. I really enjoy making his cakes. This is the second year and I think I will continue to do it every year!

I got the idea from Betty Crocker and you can go HERE to see how they made theirs.

I made the inside like tye dye by dividing my batter and dying each section a different color. I used Wilton colors and basically just dropped each color into the pan in seperate dollops and then took a butter knife and ran it through the colors. This turned out great!

We put the pools out and the slip n slide out too so the kids could have fun with those. Luke had such a blast!