Today is the first day of summer vacation for my girls. Today begins 98 days of fun (at least for them, maybe not for me). Today I bring you some friendly summertime reminders... Drowning Is Silent I will repeat this over and over again on my blog - drowning is silent. I wrote a post about it last year (see link) and I'm considering republishing it this year. I can not reach enough people with this message! Also remember that most drownings occur when multiple adults are present. Don't assume someone else is watching your child(ren) in the water. Designate someone to watch children in the water and make a clear hand-off when you want to switch people watching. Don't always rely on the life guards either. They have more than just your children to look out for. Food Shelves Need Your Donations There are tons of food drives during the school year and especially around the holidays, but did you know that summertime is when food shelves need your donations the most? Children are … [Read more...]
CRAVE’s New Breakfast Menu
A new brunch spot has arrived in Saint Louis Park: Crave in the Shops at West End is now open for breakfast beginning at 8:00 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. As you may know, I work most weekends so it's hard for me to get out for breakfast. When I was asked to review Crave's new breakfast menu, I had every intention of going. I really wanted to try red velvet pancakes! But life got out of hand and I ended up having my friend Stephanie* go in my place. Here is her review... We don’t normally go out for brunch because my husband makes a pretty solid American style breakfast, but it’s nice to give him a break from the kitchen every now and then. We arrived by 9:00 AM. Fortunately, the restaurant was empty that early, so we didn’t need to worry about a wait for a table. Whether it was because of the holiday weekend or because people still don’t know about it, we practically had the whole place to ourselves. It was nice because I usually associate “brunch” with “wait an hour for a … [Read more...]
Help Launch Camp Cheesecake
Please note that I was not asked to write this post. In fact, Tami has no clue that I'm doing it. I just feel compelled to help a friend who has given so much to other people... This is Tami, an extremely hard working single mother of 4 plus a few pets. (I stole this photo and a few others from Facebook - I hope she doesn't mind! Tami amazes me with her drive and passion. She has so much weight on her shoulders at times but always sees life with a positive attitude. She's the first to help others out and to donate from her business when needed. This is Muddy Paws Cheesecake, Tami's baby. It's seriously the best cheesecake in Minnesota. I'm not just saying that because Tami is my friend, Muddy Paws actually has awards that say it's the best cheesecake in Minnesota! Over the past 20 years, Tami has grown her business to include over 222 flavors including gluten free and vegan options. FYI, Muddy Paws ships to every state in the continental United States...you know, in case … [Read more...]
Sizzling Summer $1000+ Cash Giveaway!
I am so excited to be joining 37 fellow bloggers to bring you a sizzling summer $1000+ cash giveaway! There will be three (3) winners in this giveaway. Two (2) people will win $500 cash and one (1) person will win $250 cash. $500 or even $250 can go a long way in making your summer awesome! If I had extra cash I'd use it to take a boating trip with my family. We've been wanting to take our girls (and our boat) to the Apostle Islands. What would you use the money for? Terms & Conditions: This giveaway is open world wide and runs from midnight EST May 15th to 11:59 EST on June 15th . The (3) winners must be 18 years or older to win. The winner will be chosen by random.org no later than June 20th. All mandatory entries must be completed. The entries will be verified. Toys In The Dryer is not responsible for choosing winner or awarding prize. Full Lives Reviews blog is ultimately responsible for this giveaway, choosing winner, and awarding prizes. Full Lives Reviews can void an … [Read more...]
10 Pinterest Ideas I Don’t Have Time For
I love Pinterest. As almost everyone knows, it's a place FULL of ideas. Some are things we can actually do, others I look at and go, "who has time for that?!". Today I'm bringing you 1o Pinterest ideas I don't have time for. I mean really, who does this stuff? Ok, I DO know someone who does these type of things...Lindsi, my former co-author turned occasional contributor here. You'll see as I go ahead... I, however, and contrary to how I may look on this blog, am just not that patient or creative. The Cardboard Tube Log Cabin It's an awesome idea, don't get me wrong, but really? First, how long did it take to save up all those cardboard tubes? Second, how frustrating was it to make them stack up like that? Third, how much tape did they use in making this cabin? I'll pass. The Cardboard Village Speaking of cardboard houses, Lifehack has an entire cardboard village! Is this even functional to play with, or is making it the entire idea? My girls would get bored and/or … [Read more...]
Celebrating Memorial Day with Kids
Most people consider Memorial Day the unofficial kick-off to summer. In the midst of BBQs, camping, beach time, and other patriotic fun, we often forget forget the real reason why we celebrate Memorial Day - to honor those who sacrificed their lives while serving in our military. This year, in addition to playing some patriotic games, take time to try at least one of these ideas to help your kids learn that Memorial Day is not just a day off of school for a BBQ... Send a letter of thanks If you know a family who has lost a loved one in the military, write a letter of thanks to them. Thank them for allowing their relative to serve our country and remind them that the loss of their relative will not be forgotten. Visit a Veteran's cemetery Bring flowers to decorate the grave of someone who may not have family to decorate it for them. Walk through the cemetery and look at names and dates of birth/death. Learn about real Heroism Visit the U.S. Department of Defense and learn … [Read more...]
