We've had a cold winter this year in Minnesota. Though most of the time we keep our kids indoors when the weather is well below freezing, there are times when sub 0°F can be a lot of fun! Take bubbles for example...they are a summertime or indoor activity, correct? No! Take them outside when it's below freezing and watch what happens! The colder the temp outside the faster the magic happens, however, don't go outside when it's too cold or you won't be able to do it for long. Also a bit of a hint, make sure it's pretty calm outside. Any breeze and your bubbles will fly away before you get to play with them. Don't have bubble solution or a bubble wand? No problem! Make the solution out of dish soap and water. Use a straw as a wand. Experiment by blowing a bubble, letting it freeze, then taking it inside. What happens? Freezing bubbles was a ton of fun with my girls and I'm sure your kids will have just as much fun! … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2013
Cadbury® Creme Eggs® Milkshakes–Pinned it, Did it!
Easter is one of my favorite times of year for candy because that's when Cadbury® Creme Eggs® come out. I am seriously addicted to these eggs! I was browsing Pinterest last Easter and came across Cadbury® Creme Egg® Milkshakes. OMG, yum! I at first thought that this link would lead me to a recipe that made milkshakes that tasted like the best little eggs ever, however, these milkshakes are made with them.They are nothing more than Cadbury® Creme Eggs®, vanilla ice cream, and a little bit of milk blended together. If you want to get all technical about ratios how how much goes into the shakes you can visit the original site recipe.Though simple, this milkshake is to die for! Super sweet, however, so I wouldn't recommend drinking a glass the size of what they made.What is your favorite Easter candy?Click on the button above to learn more about Pinned it, Did it! … [Read more...]
Homemade Beef Jerky
We love beef jerky in our home and we tend to make it weekly. It's really easy to do and MUCH MUCH cheaper than buying it in the store. You do NOT need a food dehydrator to do it either. Because we make it so often we did invest in a food dehydrator, but again it is certainly not required.You will need:a large beef roast (sliced- you can slice it yourself or have the butcher do it for you)1 cup soy sauce3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce1 T red pepper flakes1/2 tsp liquid smoke1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper1 tsp black pepper3 T honey3T maple syrupa pinch of garlic powderPlace your sliced beef into the mixture of marinade and let set for a MAXIMUM of 15 minutes (if you leave it in the marinade longer the taste will be incredibly strong)Lay the beef out on a cookie sheet and place in the oven at the lowest temperature setting (usually 125-150 degrees F) and leave over night. The beef will dehydrate and dry up by morning and you will be left with some awesome homemade beef jerky. Enjoy! … [Read more...]
American Girl Fashion Show
Do your girls love American Girl®? I know mine do. Their favorite dolls are their Bitty Babies® and Nutty is soon to graduate to a regular American Girl® doll (for her birthday maybe? Shhhh...).A few weeks ago we visited the American Girl® Store at the Mall of America®. The American Junior League of Minneapolis was there advertising their American Girl Fashion Show®. I knew this would be a perfect fit for our blog.What is The American Junior League? Well, their mission statement is this:"The Junior League of Minneapolis is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The Junior League of Minneapolis reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism." So what is the American Girl Fashion Show®? It is one of … [Read more...]
Swiffer® WetJet®–Have you tried this yet?
We've mentioned in the past how much we love P&G products, right? Ha, ha, ha, just kidding, we KNOW we have. We have had the wonderful opportunity to try out the amazing Swiffer® WetJet® Extra Power Pad with the scrubbing power of Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser. This innovative product powers through up to 2X more dried-on dirt and grime with less effort* (*vs. mop and bucket), making it easy to get the shiny floors you always dreamed of in 2013.With four kids in my home and two in Jamie's (not to mention her two pups) we are always looking for faster, better, easier ways to keep our home neat and clean. Let's face it, life is busy and cleaning is not something most people enjoy. With products that make cleaning easier the Swiffer® WetJet® makes that task a little more enjoyable.This month save over $90 on innovative products including Charmin®, Pantene® and Tide® in the P&G brandSAVER® from your local Sunday paper. Not sure if the Have You Tried This Yet? P&G brandSAVER® will be included in … [Read more...]
An Inspirational Playlist for My Girls
Recent studies show that self-esteem issues for girls begin as early as age 5 (Source). I am all too familiar with this as I've watched my oldest (age 6.5, 1st grade) compare herself to her friends since her second year of preschool. I've watched her go in the bathroom, stand on a stool, and look at herself in the mirror...I've heard her complain that she doesn't like her hair...For the most part, I belive both of my girls have a pretty good self esteem. After all, my husband and I try to foster it whenever we can. We repeatedly tell them (and try to show them) that we love them. We tell them they are beautiful, we praise them when they succeed at things, and we encourage them (and let them know it's ok) when they fail at something.Sometimes we struggle though. It's hard to find just the right words or life and time get away from us and we forget that kids need encouragement every day. I know it will be even harder as my girls grow into the teenage years. They will rely less … [Read more...]
