Six word Saturday

Its time for Six word Saturday again! 

 "Oh the joys of holiday photography"

(with two boys)

Wanna join in? Visit showmyface.com and learn how! 

Weekend Planning

Weekend Planning

11/11

Friday:

Doctor Appt. for Chunk

Kohl's- to use my $10 Kohl's cash I received in mailer.

Pick up all my photos I printed today(I was behind on printing)

Christmas Shopping for my side of the family

Saturday:
Christmas card photos of boys

Dinner with some friends and hubby 

Christmas shopping for the Boys

Possibly a movie! 

Sunday:

Grocery Shopping

Painting the living room and foyer, we haven't since we moved in. With Family coming into town soon, It needs done!! 

What are your plans this weekend? 

Kudzoom daily deal site review (Giveaway coming soon)

I am a Huge Daily Deals site lover! I mean shopping while saving, who doesn't love that right?

I shop more for my boys than anyone in this house. I am not sure if it's a mommy thing, or just me, but I cannot stop buying them things. Well this new site that I was introduced to will help me save while I shop, Perfect for me & Hubby's Wallet! 

Kudzoom is a woman owned, daily deal site that offers Free Shipping on ALL ITEMS!  How great is that? With the Upcoming Holiday season, it will be easy to get your shopping done there for all the kids and not have to worry about extra shipping costs! They also feature a loyalty program, for all you frequent shoppers like me! They have two different programs, details can be found on their site under the FAQ tab. 

Another great bonus, they reward you with a $5 off when you use this code at checkout: MUIRI197ZMEJF  Look around, they have some items you will pay next to nothing for, or Nothing! That's it, no jumping through hoops like some other places make you do! Right now they are having a Ipad2 giveaway, each purchase gets you an entry into the giveaway! How great is it to be rewarded for shopping!? 

You could use that $5 credit towards some of these awesome items right now.

how cute is this black pea coat for little girls? Only $16.00! I think I may get this for my goddaughter for Christmas! They have it in sizes 2T-6X, so you could get a sister set!

I am going to purchase this for Chunk! My messy little man! I Just love this little bib, plus daddy is a rockstar, so he approves! Only $4.99, I'm telling you the prices are amazing! Plus if you choose to use your $5.00 off code you can score this or the other 2 bibs for free with free shipping! 

My only wish is they had more boys items, but that is how every place is! I'm sure my husband is grateful they don't have more for me to purchase! 

Want to win a $25 Gift certificate to Kudzoom? 

Stay Tuned for giveaway coming up at end of the month! 

Don't forget to use this code to receive your $5 off your purchase! 
 MUIRI197ZMEJF

Thankful Thursday

I am Thankful for my mother. She is an amazing person, strong, caring and most of all Loving. 

She is who I have to thank for all that I am today, for the person I turned out to be. She was always pushing my sisters & I, never expected less than our best at anything. 

My mother is a strong Independent woman, the kind that fights for the people she loves.  I will consider myself lucky if I turn out to be half the woman she is. 

I am extremely thankful for my mother.

Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes childrens book review

"Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes"

Willie Wiggles hates his slippery feet. He just slips, slides and spins all over the place. But what he hates even more are the special shoes that have been made for him that will help him to walk just like all the other kids. Willie thinks that they are the "stupidest, ugliest shoes in the whole world."

Discover how sometimes we worry about things about ourselves when actually there is nothing to worry about in the first place.

My take on the book:

I always read books before sharing them with my kids, just to be on the safe side.  I chose not to share this book with Spank, but when my neighbors were over the other day I asked her read it and see if she would to share it with her children to read, who are older. She did, and they liked it! They are ages 6-10 and  they liked that the kids in Willie's class were nice and didn't make fun of him for being different.  The pictures were great, this book would definitely be a big hit with many boys! 

Why didn't I choose to share with my 3 year old? We have been working on not saying two very forbidden words in this house and this book contained them. I guess I should have known from the title, if it were a one time word I would have been alright with it. It wasn't though, and I didn't think it at this time it would be age appropriate. When he gets a little older and out of this phase, I would read it to him, or let him read it himself. The storyline is wonderful, especially because so many children battle with fitting in, and this would be a wonderful key to help them build their self esteem. 

Want to purchase? 

You can find Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes, Here.

About the Author:

Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. As a freelancer, he has written many newspaper columns for local publications. Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes is his first children’s book. Peterson has lived in Pinellas Park, Florida for the past 28 years.

Connect with him:

Book web site:
http://www.slipperywillie.com

Larry Peterson Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/larrytpbx

Looking for readers to share their thoughts about accepting differences at:
http://slipperywillie.blogspot.com/2011/01/share-your-thoughts-about-accepting.html

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

A Different Kind of Hero Children's book review

"A Different Kind of Hero"

by: Leah Beth Evans

The Rainforest is under attack. One monkey is determined to save it. His name is Tomagochi.

Spank loves storytime, we have re-read so many of his book, he has grown tired of them, so when we read A Different Kind of Hero, he was excited to see this new book to read. Even better? It was a story with a monkey in it! He has loved monkeys since he was a year old, so this book was perfect!

Here is my review of the book, with some of Spank's opinions mixed in! 

I thought it was a cute little story, and I liked the message in it. It was simple and I think for younger kids it is a good read. Spank has a short attention span, so sometimes its hard to get him to sit still long enough to finish the book. He sat through this whole story and wanted to read it again, so the length was perfect for those little ones who may not wanna sit for long.  The pictures were nice with bright colors that really popped, I think Chunk would enjoy the actual paper version for the colors and pictures. I liked how the story makes children think about themselves and would be a great opening to discussion about what makes them so special. 

The only negative thing I would have to say would be the violence with the monkeys in the rainforest at the end, but I don't think that many kids would be bothered by it. Spank wasn't, his only comment was that the monkeys were hurting them, and we aren't supposed to bite people! Which was a good opportunity to have a couple of discussions. 

Overall, this book was great for younger kids. I am not sure how the older ones would feel about it, but mine sure liked it. 

Would you like to buy a copy for your little ones, or a gift for a little one you know?  You can at any of the links below.

Buy links:
Amazon
Kindle
Nook
iPad

Paperback
Price: $14.95
ISBN: 9780979504525
Pages: 40

Here is a little info about the author.

Leah Beth Evans was inspired to write her story as a 4th grade student after studying about the rainforest. She continues to enjoy writing stories and poetry. However, her story A Different Kind of Hero has always been one of her favorites.

Colleen, a lifelong resident Throop, PA, earned a BFA in illustration from Marywood University in 2002. Since that time, she has worked part-time as a freelance illustrator specializing in animal-themed work. She enjoys creating her art using mostly watercolor and pastel. As a dedicated animal rights activist and full-time program coordinator for International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR), Colleen lives her dream of joining her passions for animals and art to promote a more harmonious world with a touch of beauty. Recent works produced by Colleen include t-shirt and invitation designs, children’s book illustrations, and book covers. Colleen has also teamed up with her very talented artist mother, Kathy Holmes Gedrich, and paints murals for children’s nurseries. 

You can also connect with them on your favorite social networks.

Leah Beth Evans's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leah-Beth-Evans/173880759210

Leah Beth Evans's Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/theatregirl2

Colleen Gedrich's Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/cgedrich

Our Social Media Links
          

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Care for Creation Children's book review

Care for Creation 

Recently I was given the chance to read & review this children's book, Care for Creation. Let me say I was ever so happy I took that opportunity. 

This book has some awesome messages to children about protecting our planet, and give a bible verse to accompany it. I really liked this book, and plan to purchase it for Spank for his Birthday or Christmas. I loved the Interactive guide at the end featuring discussion questions as well as suggestions for activities to accompany the book.

This book engaged Spank and got him talking about God and his creations as well as what the characters in the book were doing, and how helpful it was to the planet. This was a huge deal for us, because he will rarely discuss any books in depth that aren't silly or about a direct interest of his, so that made this momma happy!

I would recommend this book to any parents teaching their children about the importance of caring for earth. I think an older age group would really enjoy it, younger ones too, but the older toddlers and up would understand it a little better.  The only negative thing I can say about this book is that we were only given an E-book to review, and Spank wants to read it in his room at night. Soon enough we will have a paper version though!

Want to know where to find this great book for your little one?

You can purchase here.

Meet the Author

Christy Baldwin

Writing has been a passion of Christy's since she was very young. As a child, she loved to write stories for her grandfather and poems just for fun. She lives in Mason, Ohio with her family and is active in church, Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts and volunteering with various organizations. Christy has a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Cedarville University and a master's degree in Special Education from the University of Scranton. She is a stay at home mom who enjoys spending time with her kids and being involved in their schools. Her previous children's titles include Nine Things Nathan Noticed at Night andRemembering Wilma.

Want to connect with her:

Christy Baldwin Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001044000739

Tribute Books Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/TributeBooks

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

11/9

Spank ready to go see puss in boots

snack pack and ready for movie!

Chunk & I waiting on movie to start.

Oh, i forgot to add...Chunk drove. 

Our Journey through finding an Eco-friendly disposable diaper

Our Journey through Cloth Diapering has been Interesting to say the least. It is definitely worth it seeing his cute little rump covered in fluff though! I love how he hasn't had a rash since switching either, I only wish we'd made the switch sooner. Our only problem is finding a night cloth diaper that doesn't leak, after trying many and having no luck he is in disposables at night. We hated to put those diapers that break him out back on him, even just for the night, so we tried a couple different Eco-friendly brands. We found some we were not crazy about, until we FINALLY found some we LOVE!! Nature Babycare diapers are amazing. No Leaks, all non-toxic and affordable! I had to tell you, so if you are looking for a good night diaper, or eco-friendly diaper in general, these diapers ROCK!

Interested in where to find them?

You can buy them direct HERE

or purchase on AMAZON 

where sometimes they will run specials on them.

We will stick to these and continue to try out some cloth diapers, until we can find one that works well enough to hold through the night. If anyone has any suggestions, please comment away!

 

Monday Mingle

Monday Mingle

11/7

1. What are your Top 3 Pet Peeves?

Men leaving the toilet seat up! Especially in the middle of the night! 

My fast food order being wrong two or more times.
People calling my boys girls! 

2. Do you lose your temper easily?
I am a pretty calm easy going person. I will say though, if someone pushes the right buttons, and I am capable of losing it quickly! 

3. What is the biggest cooking disaster that has happened to you?
I think it would be when we popped fresh popcorn in the pan for the first time, and had my mother in law tell me don't put the lid on until it got hot and started popping. HUGE mistake! First, I added too many kernels and secondly, it needed the lid from the get go! Popcorn had popped clear up on top of my cabinets. Crazy experience, but I've sinced learned how to make popcorn! 

Pin It Sunday

Pin it Sunday

11/6

Who loves Pinterest? ME! ME! I'm sharing some of my favorite pins this week. Just the top ones, cause I'm a Pin-addict and could fill up a years worth with all the great things on there!

Note: These are not my photos, just ones that I have repinned on my pinterest.

 How Cute is this? I will be getting one of these made for my Chunk.

This is Beautiful! I would love to do this for my Mantel/

This is a neat idea, especially with older children.

I love this! 

Those don't even begin to cover the great things that people have posted on pinterest.

You can , if you've already been sucked into the world of repinning. If you'd like an invite let me know and I can send you one, or you can request one.

Six Word Saturday

Six Word Saturday!

I've decided to join Six word Saturday at Showmyface.com. Sometimes short and sweet gets to the point, and I think it could be fun to try to sum up my day in six words(maybe more) but it will be fun to try! 

If you'd like to play along, she has a link up on her page! 

"So much FUN at the Park!"

So much fun on the slides!

Spank loves the swings!

So happy together!

"Alright mom, enough photos!"

Weekend Planning

Weekend Planning

11/4

Is it just me, or does it seem like this week has flown by?  This weekend will be a slower weekend, about the only one we will have until Christmas, so we plan to put chores to the side and focus on the boys.

Friday:

 Catch up on Laundry(especially Cloth)

Do some Thanksgiving crafts with Spank. 

In-law's house for dinner

Saturday:

If it stops raining, take the boys to the park. 

Rent some movies and relax

Make some Tortilla Soup 

Sunday:

Take Spank to Chuck E. Cheese, because he earned it & has been wanting to go for a while.

Make Stuffed Shells for Dinner

Play some board games with Spank, when Chunk naps.

What are your plans this weekend, anything exciting? or just relaxing?

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday

11/3

Its November! What better way to celebrate than to post what we're thankful for. I've decided to start posting what I'm Thankful for every Thursday in November. Although, I am quite certain I have alot more to be thankful for than will fit into four posts. 

This year I have had some amazing things happen to my family. The first was in January, when we welcomed another member of our family. My little Chunk was born healthy, despite the Dr. worries towards the end, and the ER telling me in the beginning that I wouldn't carry him past 20 weeks.

 Well I did and I am so Thankful for my gifts from God, my two healthy little guys. I have grown and become a better person because of them, they teach me something new every day, keep me laughing and remind me to simply enjoy the small moments in life, and not worry about the things that are out of our control. So Today, and everyday I am Thankful for my Boys and our families health. 

What are you Thankful for?

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

11/2

Tiny Talk Tuesday

Tiny Talk Tuesday 

11/1

So Spank has started talking alot more in last couple months, and some of the phrases that boy has learned are funny, especially in the situations he chooses to use the phrases. 

For example, The other day I'm cleaning the kitchen and he comes in and says "Say no more Mom, I got this" 

cleans up his snack wrappers and walks out. We have no clue where he learned it, but it made us laugh out loud. 

Since Chunk has learned to crawl the last couple months, he is exploring everything around the house. His current favorite-the fireplace. While it isn't hot, its still a danger, so we are always saying "no no" and moving him to his toys. When I got onto him the other day and moved him, Spank (who is currently obsessed with Santa Claus) exclaims " OH NO! Don't let him go there, he will make Santa fall out of the fireplace! He lives up there!"  He also think Santa watches him on the store cameras. Again, no idea where it came from. I just told him Santa was watching him and I guess he assumed on the Store Cameras. Whatever helps him behave, I wont complain!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

Our Family got lots of candy and had lots of fun at all the Fall Festivals and Trick or Treating this year. It was so exciting because Spank was really into it this year, despite the cold he wanted to keep on going around the neighborhood. 

Spank took 1st place as Russell from Disney/Pixar's "UP" and Chunk took 2nd place at our local fall festival. It was so fun to see Spank's face light up when the announced his name. Chunk was happy with a lollipop, easy enough for me! 

What did your little one's dress up as this year?

Here is Spank's Costume from last year too! He LOVES popcorn!

weekend planning (10/28)

My plans for this weekend are busy, actually from end of September until the new year, we have one free weekend. Our household is hectic at the end of the year, but its the kind of chaos we welcome, the fun kind!

Friday: 

Taking the boys to the park.

Taking Spank to see The Smurfs at the dollar theater.

Going to see in-laws and have dinner. 

Saturday:

Halloween Carnival with my boys.

Taking Spank to do the halloween craft at Michael's 

Going to My parent's house for my middle sister's birthday celebration.

Sunday: 

Meal planning

Coupon-organize 

Hopefully relax with my boys.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday 

10/26