Disney/Pixar's BRAVE is Coming to Theatres this Summer

Have you heard about BRAVE, the new Disney/Pixar movie coming out this summer? It looks like this movie features a strong female character which is nice to see on the big screen. Not to mention, she also has a head full of gorgeous, vibrant red hair which I am totally envious of.

Pixar Wiki describes the new movie like this:

"Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In Brave, a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts. Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. 

Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin, surly Lord Macintosh and cantankerous Lord Dingwall. Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late."

Check out the trailor below or click here to learn a little more about the movie and get to know the characters.

5 Recipes Made With Girl Scout® Cookies

Yes, I know I'm following up a diet post with a post about Girl Scout cookies, but I really can't resist!

Because I'm a major chocoholic, I've been trying to steer clear of desserts over the past week. If I bought a box of Samoas I know it wouldn't last long around my house. But, since it's cookie buying season, I found some yummy recipes that I wanted to share:

1) Thin Mint Brownies

2) Samoas Fried Shrimp

3) Peanut Butter Pie

4) Lemon Shortbread Cheesecake

5) Samoas Brownies

Have you ever gotten creative with your Girl Scout cookies?  What did you make?

Image via Merelymel13 on Flickr

The Secret World of Arrietty hits US theaters February 17

 

Disney is coming out with a new movie this weekend, and I wanted to tell you about it.

In The Secret World of Arrietty, a tiny 14-year-old, named Arrietty, lives quietly beneath the floorboards of a suburban garden home with her parents. Her world has yet to be discovered until a 12-year-old human boy named Shawn finds his mysterious housemate. Their friendship blossoms, but they need to keep it a secret to protect  Arrietty’s family from danger.

This movie features the voices of Bridgit Mendler (from Good Luck Charlie), Amy Poehler and Carol Burnett. At first, when I watched the clip, I thought 'this doesn't look like typical Disney animation' but, that's because it is made by Hayao Miyazaki, who is a major figure in the Japanese cinematic landscape.

I have a feeling my 6 year old might like this one. It may be an excuse for a mother son date night.

Are you going to check it out?

Planning a Family Friendly Summer Wedding

Wedding season is almost here and, this year, my family has something special to celebrate!

I'm helping my sister plan her wedding. ♥

If you've ever planned a wedding, you know how complicated things can get. But if you are planning a family friendly wedding, with lots of children involved, there are many more considerations. With almost as many kids on the guest list as adults, my sister decided that her backyard was the perfect venue. Backyard weddings lend themselves to a whole list of decisions, but your imagination and budget usually guide the planning. Fortunately, when looking for invitations we found unique wedding invitations and bridal shower invitations at Minted.com that are perfect for my sister’s summer wedding.

It was love at first sight when we saw these firefly wedding invitations.

They matched the theme of her wedding perfectly.

Minted.com not only had the ideal invitations, but they also offer them in a choice of colors and with things like Skinny-Wrap Address Labels (how cool are these?).

The invitations for our summer kid-friendly wedding will be here soon, and it's so nice check something off of the growing to-do-list. What kind of event are you planning next?

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Minted.com has provided me with a credit to their site in exchange for this honest review.  

Staying at Home With a Sick Kid {Repost}

I originally posted this January 2011, but seems pretty relevant now, so I'm reposting! Enjoy!

On Saturday, all of a sudden, it happened!  We have been SO lucky staying healthy and now my little man has come down with a cold.  He is usually so full of life and energy, but this has completely wiped him out.  It makes you realize that the grass is not truly greener on the other side.  Just when you think a mild mannered, quiet kid might be a nice change, you want your wild and crazy kid back. 

Here are my thoughts about staying at home with a sick kid:

Stay in your jammies all day (this works for Moms too). Jammies are soft, comfy and warm.   Anything with an elastic waistband or fleece will do.  On days like these, I wish I also had a pair of those footy pajamas like the kids do.  Regular tailored clothes are so over-rated anyway.

Let your little one watch as much TV as he wants.  Now is the time to catch up on Curious George, Olivia and all those other cartoons he's been wanting to watch.  Throw the rules out the window and just let him be a couch potato.  It won't be long before he's trying to jump on the couch again.

Call a friend that you haven't talked with in a while.  First of all, you'll need the adult conversation if you're cooped up in the house with the kids for one or more days.  Plus, whenever I talk to a friend that I haven't spoken to in a long time, I'm always so much happier afterwards.  No more excuses, pick up the phone and call her.

Cuddle, Cuddle, Cuddle.  It seems like every single day someone tells me "they grow up too fast", and I'm starting to believe them.  So, the more cuddles, the better.  If you're little one wants to sit with you for 2 hours and just cuddle, do it and don't feel guilty about letting your chores get pushed to the side.

With that said... while your little one is napping or having quiet time, it is the perfect opportunity to catch up on housework. There are two reasons for this: 1) I know that sounds boring, but you're stuck at home so you might as well be productive.  You're usually working, taking the kids from one activity to another, and running errands all around town. Now that you're having a forced hibernation, you can do all those little things at home that you never usually have time for.  Download your digital photos.  Organize your calendar.  Warm your house (and your belly) with some baking.

And, 2) It's only a matter of time until everyone in house gets sick too. Once you're out of commission, you might not be able to do much around the house.  I was able to get through the first two days fine, but I woke up this morning feeling terrible. Now, while I'm battling this cold too, I can take it easy because I'm pretty caught up on housework. 

My final tip is to make sure you have some of those Popsicles that have the jokes on the wooden sticks.  Popsicles will help your little one stay hydrated, and the jokes always make you laugh.  Here are a few jokes we liked from our popsicle sticks:

Q: Why did the curtain ignore the window?

     A: Because he was a pane.

Q: What's a cat's favorite vegetable? 

     A: As-purr-agus

Q: Why Can't an Elephant forget?

A: He has a trunk full of memories

Laughing out loud yet?  If you're not, try these jokes on your kids.   My kids are such suckers for cheesy jokes, they usually laugh before we even get to the punch line.  It's great!

      Do you have any suggestions for surviving cabin fever when you're sick?

When My Money Flew Away

Here's the story.  I'll try to make it short and sweet.

The story starts in the Wawa parking lot as I'm about to go and buy a gallon of milk.  I parked my car and then reached in my purse to grab a $20 bill.  As I quickly open the door with my money, somehow, the money flies out of my hand.  I knew I had it, and then, in an instant, it's gone.  It's dark outside, so I couldn't see too much.  I look down near my feet.  No money.  I look under my car.  No money.  I look behind my car.  You guess it... no money. I looked back in the car. No money there either.

I notice a car on the opposite side of the parking lot with 2 teenagers inside and a teenage boy outside of the car talking to the passengers.  I start to feel a little self conscious, because I can tell they're watching me. I see them staring at me. They probably think I'm on drugs or something because I look completely perplexed as I look under the car, in the car, next to the car.  But, $20 is worth looking for, right?

So, just as I'm about to give up, the teenage boy yells: "Hey, did you drop some money? It's behind the rear right tire." 

And, there it was. 

So, teenage boy...  whoever you are...  I said "thank you" in the parking lot, but I am thanking you again on this blog (which I'm sure you'll never read.)  But, I sincerely appreciate your honesty.  It's nice to know that there are still good people who are willing to help a total stranger.  One little act of kindness can make a huge difference.

Image Source

How to Get a Pinterest Invitation

By now, you've either heard about Pinterest, or you're "pinning" almost every day.  For me, it's the best way to organize all of the ideas I find online. I think it's funny when I hear women say they don't "have time" to sign up for one more thing on the computer.  In my opinion, Pinterest is a time saver.  You're not wasting time trying to find that text bookmark somewhere on your computer, and it's a great reference site for the best of the best crafts, decorating ideas, recipes, party themes and more.

If you want an invite to Pinterest, just click here to send me a message via my contact form, and I'll send you a Pinterest invitation. 

Here are some of the latest and greatest ideas I've found on Pinterest:

Wouldn't your kids LOVE these doughnut hole snowmen? Image source

                               Source: kimboscrafts.blogspot.com

 

 

          Make thumb-print heart charms out of homemade clay.

 

Source: asprinkleofthis.blogspot.com via Jess on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have your child's teacher secretly sign "Oh, the places you'll go" every year from Kindergarton to

High School and give it to them at their graduation.

Military Divorce Prevention: Finally Home to Family

Don't you love turning on the news and seeing American troops returning home to their friends and families? It's so heart-warming to see everyone happily reunited. It's something that we see in the media pretty often, but we often don't see the challenges that face these men and women when they return home.

I was surprised when I recently learned that military divorces have increased 42% since 2001, and the divorce rate of service members is about 9% higher than that of civilian couples. But, fortunately, military couples can get immediate assistance including practical advice and free resources to help them if they're having a tough time.

"Finally Home to Family is a grassroots campaign raising awareness about the challenges confronting military families. The goal is to raise funding for military couples to attend marriage seminars enrichment events presented by FamilyLife® in hopes of protecting their marriages and families."

If you, or someone you know would like more information on this, just click on the widget below.

  • Take the 'What’s Your Romance Recipe Quiz' - Did you ever wonder what your spouses secret ingredient for romance is? Now, you can find out with the Finally Home To Family Romance Recipe quiz!  With just a click of your mouse answer a few questions and you’ll have your customized romance recipe!
  • Is your relationship in a rut?  With the exclusive Finally Home Dates PDF you can download great date ideas that will help add some spice into your romantic life!  All within the click of a button!  
  • Do you ever feel like you are the only one going through struggles in your relationship? Well, you are not alone!  So many couples struggle with the same things you do and in this section they have shared their stories to help other couples in the same situation!

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by: Finally Home to Family

How to Make 5 Easy Bird Feeder Crafts for Preschoolers & Big Kids

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Every time I see bird seed in the store, my creative juices start flowing. Maybe that's weird, but it's true. There are just so many cool bird feeders you can make with the kids, and, it's the craft that keeps on giving, since the kids get to watch birds come and enjoy the tasty treat.

1) Everyone knows that a pine cone makes an awesome bird feeder, right? Let your kids spread peanut butter, lard or left-over cooking fat on the pine cone. Roll the pine cone in bird seed until it's covered, and then tie a string securely to the top to hang it to a tree or porch.

2) Don't have pine cones?  We used popcorn cakes, bacon fat, peanut butter, bird food, food coloring & string. You can read more about these easy bird feeders here. 

Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeders are also very easy to make and great for preschool age kids.

3) Smile Monsters made this adorable heart bird feeder (shown above), which would also be a precious craft for Valentine's day. You can find her complete tutorial here.

4) String donut-shaped cereal  on yarn to form a simple bird feeder. This is great for enhancing children's fine motor skills and it couldn't get any easier. Just let your kids put all of the cereal on the string. Once it's filled up, simply tie the two ends of yarn together and voila - you have a necklace shaped bird feeder which can be easily hung from any branch.

5) Reycle a used milk carton and let your kids make their own special bird feeder. You will need to clean the carton well . Then, once it's dry, your kids can decorate the outside of it any way they want. Cut out a square opening about 2/3 up from the bottom of the carton. Make a hole in the top so that you can secure some yarn to hang it.  Then, fill with bird seed and let the birds enjoy!

We want to keep our kids and the birds happy.  So, here's a tip from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: In order to prevent birds from smacking into your windows, move your feeders "to within 3 feet of the window or greater than 30 feet away. When feeders are close to a window, a bird leaving the feeder cannot gain enough momentum to do harm if it strikes the window. If feeders are more than 30 feet from a window, the birds are less likely to perceive windows as a pathway to other parts of your yard."

See.. you learn something new everyday! 

Do you have any other bird feeder craft ideas or tips?  Leave me a comment.

Easy Classroom Party Food Idea

I'm so happy that schools across the country are taking the initiative to try and fight childhood obesity. This past week, I needed to bring in a healthy snack for my son's classroom, and, I came up with an idea for a simple classroom snack that satisfied the kids and made my life a lot easier!

My son wanted to bring grapes and strawberries for his classmates. But, how  do you 1) pack a healthy snack for 18 kids, 2) get it all to school in a simple way and 3) portion it all out so you don't have to fuss with it once you get into the classroom?

Easy... Use your cupcake carrier!

I have a two layer cupcake carrier which holds 24 cupcakes. Instead of filling it up with cupcakes, I filled plain paper muffin liners with fresh grapes and a strawberry for each child. This was so easy to prepare, everything got to the school in tact and the kids really enjoyed it.

Motherhood is filled with challenges, so it's always nice when you have an idea that just clicks.

It's simple, healthy and it works!

Organizing The Family Calendar 2012

In an effort to simplify 2012, I'm making things even more complicated.

Instead of having just one calendar, I'm having 4. I mentioned in my previous post how I love using the new Google calendar, but I still can't let go of my good ol' traditional paper calendar too. And, I'm trying something new this year by giving both of my son's their own personal calendar too. 

My little guy used to wake up every morning and ask "What are we going to do today?" Now, ever since he started preschool in September, he wakes up and asks "Do I have school today?" Even though he's been going the same 3 days since the start of the school year, he still needs extra reassurance about this routine. He's trying so hard to understand his new school schedule, and I think having his own personal calendar will help tremendously.

Do you have any other ideas or tips for helping kids with their schedule or routine?

Sticking To New Year's Resolutions

First of all... Happy New Year! 

I know a lot of people don't believe in New Year's resolutions, but think that's sort of sad. What's so bad about a New Year's resolution? A resolution is defined as a "firm decision to do or not to do something." For the record, there are things I'm absolutely determined to do this year. It doesn't mean that there's a 100% chance I'm going to accomplish all of my goals.  But, why not try? 

So, I am excited for 2012 and I'm making resolutions.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Here are a few of my goals:

1) Get more organized. Thanks to Google for giving me a good jump start on this. If you haven't tried Google Calendar and Google Documents, you have to try them. My husband and I share an online calendar which syncs up to our phones. And, now that I use Google Documents, I never have to worry about my computer crashing and losing all my important work stuff. But, I also want to try and come up with a better system for keeping things organized off-line too, especially budget-friendly ideas for organizing our home.

2) Excercise more and weigh less. I've been battling my weight ever since I was a little girl, and for a while, I was winning. Then, along with babies came the baby weight, and now that my youngest is almost 4 and it's time to lose it. I know how hard this is, so I'm starting off slow. But, I am absolutely determined to make this a priority in 2012, and, I will definitely keep you posted.

3) Spend less time on the computer.  I could spend hours and hours on the computer... learning, working, chatting, creating. But, because my top two resolutions involve getting more organized at home, losing weight and exercising, that means less computer time is a must! I feel like so much of the personal contact we have with friends is on-line, and most of the time that's great. But, a good old-fashioned phone call is nice too. I apologize in advance if the kids are screaming in the background... but that's a resolution all to itself.

4) Give back. This has been on my mind a lot recently. And, this year, I really want to demonstrate to my kids that volunteering to help those in need is an important part of life. The economy isn't the best, and there already aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. But, we need to look at the big picture and care for those who are less fortunate than we are. 

5) Work on my "Parent Talk." A few years ago I stumbled across this book, Parent Talk, while I was on a weekend getaway. Every kid is different, and I don't think there is any magic formula to making kids behave perfectly all of the time. But, this book promotes talking to your children in language that builds self-esteem and encourages responsibility. There's something about this style of parenting that just makes sense.

So, those are a few of my resolutions.  Are you anti-resolution or do you have a list of them like I do?

Do you still have a little elf lurking around your house?

Are you all elfed out yet? 

Our elf is lovingly named "Joey Snowy." My 3 year old tried so hard to follow the elf rules, but he couldn't keep his little hands off of Joey.

I've heard a lot of stories about mischievous little elves who kept very busy over the past few weeks. But, ours was pretty low key. Joey Snowy didn't leave orange peels or cheerios all over the table. He didn't throw any wild parties in our living room. It sounds like fun, but my kids give me more than enough to clean up without adding elf mischief to the mix. Sorry guys.

But, Joey was treated to a a few big adventures including a trip to Trader Joe's and Total Wine.  What elf wouldn't want to go to America's Wine Superstore? Both times he went out, my son kept him hidden in a Christmas box, so he didn't spoil the elf magic for other kids. Joey even slept next to my son several nights before Christmas

But, our little elf hasn't left yet.  My son loves him so much it was hard to make him fly away at Christmas. So, our little rebel elf is changing the rules and will fly away on New Year's Eve instead.

Rules are made to be broken, right?  Did your elf fly away yet?

Want to Win a Chick-fil-A Cow Watch Prize Pack?

Remember when I gave you the heads-up that cow watches are coming to Chick-fil-A kid’s meals? Now, Cow Watches Are Here!

And, one of my lucky readers will win a Chick-fil-A prize pack which includes:

- Five Cow Watches, Two Chick-fil-A Plush Cows & A Free Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake Coupon with Speciality Christmas ornament

Want to win? Continue here to my Giveaways Page.

Note: Cow Watches are available in Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meals! Check with your local Chick-fil-A restaurant for availability: http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Locations Limited quantities available while supplies last.

What are the chances?

Do you ever have those moments when you think to yourself... 'Really? What are the chances this could actually happen?'  Well, today I had one of those profound experiences at WalMart (yes WalMart) and it left me in tears.  Here's why...

I wanted to make snow globes with my kids this afternoon, so I headed to the store to pick up some glitter with my 3 year old. He was being such a good sport while we ran a few errands earlier that morning. We went to the bank, Wawa, and a produce store and everywhere we went he proudly sported his little fireman outfit and brought a smile to so many people's faces.

But he really did not want to go to WalMart.

Well, we went anyway. I was searching up and down the party, craft and stationary isles for glitter. I couldn't find it anywhere. My little guy was running short on patience, and he decided he didn't want to sit in the shopping cart anymore.  He wanted to stand at the end of the isle with a big pout and not move.

"C'mon" I said. "As soon as we get the glitter, we're done."  He didn't want to hear it.  He wouldn't let me carry him. He wouldn't walk. He wouldn't get a ride on the cart.  As I tried to scoop him up, he tried to run in the opposite direction. He's wandered off before, and I didn't want to take any chances, so I explained to him 'You need to stay with me, or you could get taken by a stranger.'

At that moment, an older lady with a very serious look on her face started walking towards me.  She looked at me and said "That happened to my daughter in 1977 and I haven't seen her since."

You could see the sadness in her face and you could tell she was still grieving. I looked back at her and said "I am so sorry."  I didn't know what else to say. She looked at my son, and then looked back at me.  Very seriously, she said "I never talk to children I don't know, because I'm a stranger. But, I want you to tell him what happened to my daughter." 

Tears started to fall down my cheeks. I could tell my son was startled by the whole situation, and I didn't want to upset him. But, this lady was so serious. So, I told my son that this lady lost her daughter and it's really important to stay close to mommy in the store. It was heart-wrenching. It's not something that anyone wants to talk about. It's not fun. I don't usually write about this type of thing. If this woman's story could save one child by letting people know that this really does happen, than it is worth it.

Reading these tips from the NCMEC, was a great reminder that is our job as parents not just to protect our children , but also teach them how to stay safe. Watch them closely. Hold their hands when in a crowd. Don't let them out of your sight while shopping. Talk to them about what to do if they get separated from you.

This weekend, go out and enjoy all of the fun activities that the holiday season has to offer. Enjoy the time with your family. Have fun. Just give your children the knowledge they need to protect themselves and use common sense caution.

And, if you find some white glitter can you please send it my way. Because I never did find the glitter I was looking for.