A Silly Mommy of 2 Silly Girls

Piggy Mermaid

2012-02-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

Princess A made a mermaid piggy in book club to go with the book, Mercy Watson. The book club is 3rd through 1st grade so both of my princesses can be in the same book club, well at least for this year. They both loved the book and are reading more from the series. Both of the girls had fun making and painting their paper mâché pigs.

Giveaway: Frosted Toast Crunch

2012-01-31T21:08:00.000-08:00

We eat a lot of cereal in our house. My husband eats the most but the girls have their fair share. We have cereal for breakfast but we also have it for a snack, dessert and without milk in bag for school. My girls were both so excited when the box of Frosted Toast Crunch arrived. They both love this cereal and Princess G loves to have it in a bag in her school lunch. It was afternoon when the box arrived, but the girls wanted to have a bowl right then. We were about to have dinner, so I made them wait to have it for dessert. They loved it and couldn't wait to have it again the next day for breakfast. That box did not last long in our house so a few days later I picked up some more. Have you ever had Frosted Toast Crunch before? I had never tried it until last year when the girls asked for it at the store. I love the taste but I prefer to have it plain, without milk. My kids love it with or without milk. Would you like to win a box of Frosted Toast Crunch, a cool spilt milk bowl (it looks like the milk is splashing out), a fun spoon, and a pitcher?

Just enter below using the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Frosted Toast Crunch, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark

BK Crown Kids Meals Review

2012-01-31T20:39:00.000-08:00

I had to bring Princess A with me when I was trying to have my glasses fixed (they made the prescription wrong). After being at my appointment for almost two hours, I decided to take her out to lunch. MyBlogSpark had sent me a gift card to try out the new BK Crown program so we went to Burger King. She ordered the kids meal which has the new BK Crown program. Of course Princess A was first interested in the toy that came with her meal. Next she had to try on the crown. I remember wearing a cardboard BK Crown when I was a kid two. As we were eating our lunch, we started reading the box the kids meal comes in. There were lots of different activities on the box which Princess A explored when we got home. On the box is also a code. If you input that code at BKCrown.com your child can help BK decide which charity BKC will fund, the charities choices are: the Wildlife Conservation Society, National Parks Conservation Association, DonorsChoose.org and Have It Your Way™ Foundation. Personally we voted for DonorsChoose.org, I have donated to them in the past as they help fund classroom project.

As you can see in the picture above, Princess A really enjoyed her meal. She raved about it so much that I had to take her and her little sister back a few days later.

The BK CROWN^TM/MC Program information and coupon have been provided by Burger King Corporation through MyBlogSpark.

Giveaway: Crayola Technology (24 Hour Entry)

2012-01-11T18:26:00.000-08:00

I have always been a huge fan of Crayola. I remember the excitement of the huge, new box of 64 Crayola crayons with a built in sharpener. Now they have the circle thing with over 100 crayons, and yes my girls have that too. Of course now kids have more to than crayons and paper to express their creativity. My girls love drawing on our iPad. We have a few apps where they can use their fingers to draw or I should say finger paint but without the mess. Crayola has discovered a way to improve that: the Crayola iMarker. You now have a 'marker' to draw on your iPad using the ColorStudio HD app. You can pick if you want a crayon, marker, colored pencil or even paint. The first time we tried it was a little hard to use and then I figured out that within the app you have to choose iMarker or finger. Once I switched it to iMarker drawing was so easy and fun. My girls love making lots of different drawing. You can also save the drawings in the app to enjoy over and over.

We were also sent three different Crayola Story Studio sets: Disney Princess, Cars 2 and Spiderman. The Crayola Story Studio lets you make a coloring book with your child in it. Of course my girls couldn't wait to try out the Disney Princess Crayola Story Studio. Each one comes with two binding clips so I could make two, one for each of my princesses.

How would one of you like to win the same Crayola Technology package I was sent?

To enter use the Rafflecopter form below:

The Crayola High Tech Holiday prize pack, product information and prize pack for giveaway have been provided by Crayola through MyBlogSpark.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sister Schubert’s Review

2011-12-29T18:39:00.000-08:00

I love making my own bread and rolls when I have time. Time being the most important point. Making bread from scratch takes time and therefore you really have to plan ahead. I can't decide 30 minutes before dinner that homemade bread would beperfect with the meal and expect to make it in time. That is why I like to have breads or rolls that I can have ready in just a few minutes. This year we actually had family over for Christmas, my husband's cousin and her husband. I made the whole meal myself and since my Grandmother's stuffing takes forever to make I was not up for nmaking my own bread from scratch. I tried Sister Schubert's Mini Baguettes and they were so yummy. I was even asked if I had tried out a new bread recipe. I was tempted to say I made them from scratch but I confessed that they were Sister Schubert's Mini Baguettes. Now we are not doing anything for New Year's but for those of you planning on a New Year's party try out Sister Schubert's Breads. They have rolls, pretzels rolls and more.

I was sent product to facilitate my review. No compensation was received for this review. All opinions are my own.

Adventure of TINTIN! Free advance screening passes for Seattle

2011-12-09T22:37:00.000-08:00

My family and I have been watching previews for the Adventures of TINTIN and can't wait to see it. If you live in Seattle, or are close enough to drive, you have a chance to get free passes to see Steven Spielberg's upcoming film The Adventures of TINTIN! The screening is next Saturday, December 17 in Seattle, location will be available on the passes. There is a limited supply of the free advance movie screening passes and they are issued on a first come first serve basis.

To sign ip for the free passes, Seattle only:

Go to www.gofobo.com/rsvp and enter code: CEFVWS1T

Remember, passes are on a first come first serve basis so you need to hurry!

Gingerbread Houses

2011-12-04T13:42:00.001-08:00

Toy Story 3 Disney on Ice

2011-11-11T22:32:00.001-08:00

We just got home from a great Disney on Ice show, Toy Story 3. It was simply wonderful and was almost perfect, minus the people behind us who talked and screamed most of the show. I do wish the show had been a little earlier, ending at 9:30pm is really late for my kids. They still have more shows available at the ShoWare in Kent so if you are interested you should go. Also since it was Scout night the girls also got a really cool Disney on Ice patch for their Girl Scout vests. I will try and post a picture of the patch later.

Trick-or-Treating Snow White Twins

2011-11-01T11:49:00.001-07:00

Giveaway: 3 Winners of Shutterfly Greeting Cards ends 11/14

2011-10-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

If you came by my house you would see a stack of Shutterfly photo books and other Shutterfly photo products. We have a poster of the girls in Disneyland that I created on Shutterfly. We have calendars (they make great gifts for grandparents), cards, posters and of course photos. I discover Shutterfly a few years ago and they are my go to place for photo products, we even have mouse pads. I have made cards on Shutterfly but never Christmas cards. I love so many of their holiday card designs. I must admit I have not decided which one I want to use but I think I narrowed it down. Here are some of the cards I just adore:

Shutterfly has just so many choices for Christmas cards, Greeting cards, birth announcements, holiday cards, and of course, my favorite, their photo books.

Now three of you can win a Shutterfly code for 25 cards so you can make your own. Just enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

I was not compensated for this post, but I was sent a code to make my own cards at Shutterfly to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Carving Pumpkins!

2011-10-30T19:20:00.001-07:00

Raking Leaves After Adventure Race

2011-10-29T14:41:00.001-07:00

Fall Festival

2011-10-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

Since Halloween is not allowed in their school the PTA had a Fall festival after school. The girl decided to be Snow White twins.

Crazy Hat Day at School

2011-10-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

For crazy hat day both of the girls wore princess Minnie Mouse hats. Only Princess A wanted her picture taken.

Giveaway: Star Wars Big G cereal & $25 Walmart gift card ends 11/2

2011-10-24T00:03:00.000-07:00

We are huge fans of Star Wars and General Mills cereals. I can remember eating Cheerios when I was three. I was so excited when I was sent three great cereals, Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toasted Crunch and together they form their own panoramic powered of Star Wars. Since we received, and ate all of the yummy cereal, we have been having a Star Wars marathon. We just watched The Empire Strikes Back so we only have one left. Would one of you like to win the same prize pack I was sent? The prize pack will contain:
One box of each of the following cereals to form their own Star Wars panoramic poster:
Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms and a $25 Walmart gift card.

Just enter using the Rafflecopter below.
The cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided through MyBlogSpark.

Princess G Lost Her First Tooth

2011-10-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

Princess G's First Time Bowling

2011-10-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Post Race Celebration

2011-10-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

After our great run we went to a real doughnut shop and each picked out our favorite treat. I picked chocolate cake with coconut, I loved these as a kid. My other favorite is a maple bar which is what Princess G picked out. Daddy had an old fashion and Princess A a twist. I miss eating fresh made doughnuts in more flavors than available in grocery stores.

Running a 5K in Tutus

2011-10-08T10:31:00.001-07:00

We just finished running a 5K race together, Princess G got a ride in the jogging stroller. Don't you just love our tutus? Daddy even wore one!

Giveaway: Real Steel Movie Prize Pack

2011-10-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

Real Steel opens tomorrow Friday Octiber 7th. To celebrate the opening of this new movie one of my readers can win a Real Steel prize pack!

ITEMS FOR GIVEAWAY:

- REAL STEEL t-shirt in adult sizes of S, M, L, XL

- REAL STEEL bottle opener

- REAL STEEL stickers

- REAL STEEL temporary tattoos

To enter: Please leave a comment if you plan on watching this movie or the last movie you saw in the theater.

(If your email is not available on your blog please include it in your comment.)

US Only

Ends 10/22/11 at midnight PDT.

Extra Entries: (please leave a comment for each extra comment)

1. Like REAL STEEL on Facebook

2. Follow my blog (2 entries, button on the side of blog)

3. Follow me @SillyMommy on Twitter (2 entries, leave your twitter name in comment)

4. Blog about the contest (5 entries, leave link in comment)

5. Tweet about the contest (leave link in comment, may tweet once a hour)

No compensation was received.

Playing in the Creek at a Park

2011-09-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

Our Sugar Plum Harvest

2011-09-22T16:25:00.001-07:00

Amish Friendship Breadmuffins

2011-09-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

I have my first joint Girl Scout meeting tomorrow. Last year I had a Daisy troop(kindergarteners). This year I have my Daisy troop (1st graders now) and I took on my older daughters troop, Brownies (3rd graders). We have three meetings a month: just Brownies, then just Daisy, and the 3rd week together. I thought it would be fun to make the girls Amish Friendship Bread as they will hopefully become friends and sisters in Girl Scouts. Wish me luck as I have not had that many kids together outside of school.

Home Sick from School

2011-09-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

I just picked up Princess G from school. She did not sleep well and her nose was a little stuffed this morning. She lastEd just a little over a hour before the school nurse called me. Hopefully lots of rest and hot tea will help her feel better.

Trying Out Crayola 3D Chalk

2011-09-14T15:48:00.001-07:00

I won a package of Crayola 3D chalk and gave it to the girls this morning. They were so excited to try it out this afternoon. When you put on the glasses the different colors do seem to float off the ground and a different heights. I have seen these in stores but was not sure how well they would work on cement. The examples on the box all show the drawings on blacktop and we have only a sidewalk. The glasses are a little small to fit over my glasses but I still can see the 3D effect. The glasses do fit fine over Princess A's glasses just fine. We have been outside for over 90 minutes and I am sure they would stay out a few hours more. I know we will be put here many times until the rains comes.

A Great Day at Alki Beach

2011-09-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

We just spent a great day at Alki beach in West Seattle. It was the first time we went and walked on the beach. I did not realize how rock it would be. We found some sea glass and Princess A found the coolest seashell. She was pretty heart broken when she discovered it was missing. She is going to ask Santa to bring her an even better one for Christmas.

Disney Store Opening in South Center Mall Today

2011-08-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

Yummy Yellow Watermelon!

2011-08-29T19:49:00.001-07:00

Have you ever tried yellow watermelon?
I have seen them before at the Olympia Farmer's Market but had never tried one. On Saturday, while at the Sand in the City, a booth had some out to sample. We all loved it and decided to pick one up. We ate half on Sunday and the other half for dessert tonight. It is a little different than the regular but still very sweet and so yummy. I can't wait until we can buy another one, which probably won't be until next summer.
Have you ever tried a yellow water melon, and did you like it?

Sand in the City in Olympia, WA

2011-08-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

We are having a blast at Sand in the City. We used to live down here and always make a point to come here for a great day. The best part are all of the free crafts. The princesses happily try them all. You can see the chef hats, bird and bracelets. They also made sailboats, necklace, windmill and much more. We also got our favorite dish, curry chicken at Curry in a Hurry at the Olympia Farmer's next door. The festival continues tomorrow so if are close you should try and go!

Water Sliding in the Backyard!

2011-08-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

The girls were so excited that it was warm enough to set up the water slide. I bought the slide before school got out when it was on sale at Target. The plan was to use it for Princess G's birthday party before school got out late June. Instead it rained, and then rained some more. We finally had the birthday party last week. The temps were over 80s so I set up the slide again. It is so easy to set up but takes a while to put it away!

Lazy Day at the Park

2011-08-22T20:04:00.001-07:00

Hot (for us) Day in Seattle

2011-08-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went into Seattle and let the girls play in the fountain at the Seattle Center. They both had so much fun and both got soaked. I took this photo after they had changed into dry clothes. It was in the mid 80s but that is hot for Seattle.

Princess A Finishes the Last Harry Potter Book

2011-08-16T22:06:00.001-07:00

Princess A was so proud when she finished the last Harry Potter book today. Even more impressive since she only turned eight a few months ago. The last book did take a little while. To celebrate I made her a little heart shaped cake.

Shutterfly, my go to for Photo products

2011-08-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

I discovered Shutterfly about fours years ago and in that time I have made over 20 photo books, 5 calendars, printed hundreds of photos, and over 30 greeting cards. Can you tell I like Shutterfly? The photo book to the right is one I made last month. I also use them as my photo backup. I upload all of my photos I want to keep safe to Shutterfly. If the worst happens such as my house burns down (or Mt Rainer explodes) I know that all of my photos and photo books can be reprinted.
Truly I find Shutterfly easy to use to make my photo books. Everything is done online so I can start a book on my laptop and later finish it on the desktop (it has a bigger screen which is perfect for reviewing the final version of my photo books before purchasing.) I made a photo book last month and tried the new custom path. Making the photo book was still easy but I had even more control of everything such as photo placement, size, number of photos, overlapping photo or not and the same control for print. I personally like to overlap my photos especially ones taken in public, you never know what a stranger might be doing in the background. I even have a picture of someone picking their nose once in the background of my girls at Disneyland. I adore the picture but not the nose picking kid, I simply overlapped another photo over the kid and it was great.

I have not made greeting cards lately, but a few years ago I made a bunch for gifts. I made a set of 10 greeting cards for different occasions using pictures of my girls. I ordered 3 sets, one for me, the other two as Mother's day gifts for my mom and mother-in-law. They were a huge hit.
Besides the greeting cards you can also print Christmas cards or even party invitations. I discovered Shutterfly after both of my girls were born but I had before I would wanted to use this for their birth announcements.

Have your own blog? Register for a chance for a free photo book from Shutterfly.

In exchange for this post, I will be receiving a free photo book.

Of course as you might be able to tell I am already a huge fan of Shutterfly.

Fijit Dance Party (Toy Review)

2011-08-09T13:59:00.001-07:00

Have you heard of Fijits? They are the cutest, new interactive toy.

As soon as the box arrived my girls were so excited. They had never heard of Fijits before but as soon as they saw them they were so impatience to get the packaging off. Princess G kept pressing the button on the tummy for the demo mode as I opened up the package. Luckily for me the package was not to hard to open. They rest of the day all they did was play with their two Fijits. Princess G named her green one Sage and Princess A named her purple one Willa. The Fijits interactive with set phrases. As the Fijit interacts just watch the tummy, when the tummy is lit up the Fijit is waiting for you to talk. We found it was best to be about a foot or two from the Fijit for the best interaction. It took a few times but my girls learned to only speak when tummy was lit and to speak in a normal voice. The different conversations are weather, how you are feeling and jokes. One additional mode is the dance mode, my girls favorite. All day I hear "dance with me", " your music or mine?" and then dancing. Fijits love dancing and will dance differently based on the type of music they are dancing too. My girls played some of their own music (mostly the Rio Soundtrack) but most of the time they just have the Fijits play the music.
The girls were still constantly playing with their Fijits when we had a playdate Fijit party. Their friends thought the toys were so cool and spent most of the time just dancing with the Fijits, over and over again. I know more than one little girl will be asking their mom to buy a Fijit for them. One of their friends has even asked if the next time my girls go to their house to play if they would bring their Fijits.
My girls have playing with the Fijits all of the time. Since we have two of them it is funny to watch them interact with each other. It does not work perfectly but with a few extra prompts it is fun to watch the Fijits and my daughters all dancing.
Now we have started to find Fijits while shopping. Just yesterday we were in Target and my girls found a shelf of Fijits which they kept turning on.
I highly recommend these fun toys but I suggest that purchase extra batteries. After about a day or so the Fijits started stopping suddenly while dancing and reseting as though they had just been turned on. I replaced all of the batteries (5 for each Fijit) and they have been working perfectly ever since then. Most times the batteroes that come with a toy don't last long so I always make sure I have extra batteries even when toys come with batteries.

I also made a few videos with my girls dancing with their Fijits. I will try and post them later.

wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Mattel Fijit Friends and received product samples, a party kit, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Giveaway: The Help Movie Prize Pack ends 8/22

2011-08-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

ITEMS FOR GIVEAWAY: ( note:Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures– Digital Marketing and Publicity is providing the prize pack)

- THE HELP t-shirt in adult female sizes of S, M, L, XL
- THE HELP pocket jotter & pen
- THE HELP fan
- THE HELP nail file/mirror
To enter: Please leave a comment if you plan on watching this movie and/or read the book.
(If your email is not available on your blog please include it in your comment.)
US Only
Ends 8/22/11 at midnight PDT.

Extra Entries: (please leave a comment for each extra comment)
1.Follow my blog (2 entries, button on the side of blog)
2.Follow me @SillyMommy on Twitter (2 entries, leave your twitter name in comment)
3.Blog about the contest (5 entries, leave link in comment)
4.Tweet about the contest (leave link in comment, may tweet once a hour)
5. Enter another of my giveaways (listed on right near top, two entries per giveaway entered)

Moby by Contigo App Review

2011-07-31T22:42:00.000-07:00

I love my iPhone and part of the reason are all of the great apps available. I admit I like to go to the apple store and explore different free apps. I am always downloading new ones and seeing if they work for me. Most apps are erased after only a few weeks or so. I found an app that I am keeping: Moby by Contigo! Moby lets you share your location with those you select. My husband has been home the last few weeks after ankle surgery. Since he is home I have been able to run errands without dragging my two children (they hate shopping.) Since I also downloaded the Moby app on our iPad my husband can see where I am with a few clicks. He can also send me a message or ask me to check in using the app. Since I tried to do many errands at once my husband can see where I am. If he sees that I am still at the library and he thinks of a movie (he has been watching lots of DVDs since he is still not walking without crutches) he can send me a message to pick it up. Earlier this week I had to attend a meeting in the evening in not the best area. My husband could see if I was still there or if I left and he can give me a call. Of course sometimes I sent my husband a message or just checked in (an alert with just my location and a request for his location) and he did not hear the iPad or it was across the room and not worth the pain to retrieve it. Later when the girls came to check and see if Daddy needed anything and they brought him the ipad he could see all of the messages and/or alerts I sent. The app will save up 25 such messages. I don't care if my husband knows where I am all of the time (I tell him where I am going always) but if you want to go somewhere without those in your Moby circle knowing you can click a button and not share your location. You can also decide to share your location with only certain people. You might want your friends to see where you are on the weekends but only your spouse or kids during the week. My husband has been home or with me so I never explored having someone else checking in but once he goes back to work it will be nice to check on him and see on Moby where he is on the drive home.

When I was setting Moby up I was able to send invitation to others to download Moby too. One thing I did not like is that currently you can only add people via your contacts and they must have a first and last name. That was a problem for me since my husband is listed by a nickname in my phone. Also you can not change any of the contact info once it is imported to Moby. If you need to change something you need to delete the person in Moby and reload their contact info from your phone. I actually sent a message to Moby about this. I was very impressed by how fast they answered my message. They informed me that they are already working on fixing that. Moby is only going to get better.
I highly recommend the Moby app. It works great on my iPhone and iPad and my husband is going to look into downloading it on his work Blackberry (he has to find out if he is allowed to since it is a company phone.)
If my kids had phones I would definitely put it on there phone.
If you decide to try Moby (it is free in the apple store) let me know what you think.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Moby and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Visited China via Michael's free crafts

2011-07-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

We have been meaning to attend many of the free crafts at Michael's. We have only made the Germany one because I need to attend it for ideas for Girl Scout camp.
Today the girls made sand art, you just peel off an area and pour sand on the exposed area which is sticky. The girls had A blast but were so careful it took over 45 minutes.

Finally Caught the Ice Cream Truck!

2011-07-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

All summer we have been trying to catch the ice cream truck and today: Success!

Giveaway: Honey Nut Cheerios Prize Pack (8/6)

2011-07-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Honey Nut Cheerios has been named America's favorite cereal and I can understand. I adore Cheerios and my three favorite varieties are Honey Nut, Multi Grain and Cheerios. I am so dating myself by saying I remember when Honey Nut Cheerios were introduced, I remember the commercials and my mom buying it. It was the year I started kindergarten and I remember my grandmother buying it for my breakfast. I was sent a box of Honey Nut Cheerios along with 2 bowls. I would love to show you a cute photo of my kids eating out of them but they already ate them all. We go through a lot of Honey Nut Cheerios and Cheerios at our house. My family loves them for breakfast, and dessert with milk and plain for snacks on the go. Both of my girls (and husband) like a bag of them in their lunch.

One of my readers will win the same prize pack I was sent!

Giveaway
1 box of Honey Nut Cheerios® cereal
2 cereal bowls
1 Honey Nut Cheerios® t-shirt
1 bee antenna headband

Entry
To enter: Please leave a comment with your favorite Cheerio flavor.
For a second entry share a Cheerios memory.

(If your email is not available on your blog please include it in your comment.)
US Only
Ends 8/6/11 at midnight PDT.

Extra Entries: (please leave a comment for each extra comment)
1.Follow my blog (2 entries, button on the side of blog)
2.Follow me @SillyMommy on Twitter (2 entries, leave your twitter name in comment)
3.Blog about the contest (5 entries, leave link in comment)
4.Tweet about the contest (leave link in comment, may tweet once a hour)
example: I just entered to win a Honey Nut Cheerio Prize Pack ends 8/6 http://bit.ly/oFQmrY #win #giveaway #contest #blogspark
5. Enter another of my giveaways (listed on right near top, two entries per giveaway entered)

Honey Nut Cheerios® cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Giveaway: PHINEAS & FERB Movie (ends 7/26)

2011-07-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

My girls (and my husband) adore Phineas and Ferb. I must admit I like them too. The show has great and catchy tunes, we have a few of their songs on our ipod. We have been seeing commercials for the new Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension. The movie premiers August 5 at 8 pm/7 central.

SYNOPSIS
In the series, there are 2 very separate worlds - Phineas, Ferb and Candace in one world, Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Perry in the other. In the movie, Phineas and Ferb Across the 2nd Dimension (aka PF2D), these two worlds are thrust together for the first time to create a big adventure like we’ve never seen before. After the boys stumble upon Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s lair, Phineas and Ferb unintentionally help the evil scientist perfect his latest –inator, which sends them all to an alternate dimension where a truly evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz (as opposed to our simply ineffective Dr. Doof) has succeeded in taking over the Tri-state Area and plans to travel back to our dimension to conquer it as well. After overcoming the shock of discovering Perry’s secret, the threesome learn to work together and establish a newfound relationship as not just pet/owners, not just friends - but a dynamic team ready to face their greatest challenge yet: to save the world as they know it.

Well if you (or your kids) are excited about the Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension you could win tickets to watch the movie Saturday July 30th in Seattle!

I have 5 family 4 packs to giveaway. Please only enter if you can attend the movie Saturday July 30 in Seattle at 10:30 am.

Giveaway
5 of my readers can win family 4 packs to the movie Saturday July 30th at 10:30am in Seattle.
The movie tickets will be mailed to you so I will need the winners addresses by the morning of 7/27, so please check you emails.

To enter: Please leave a comment with your favorite Phineas and Ferb character (mine is Perry the platypus.)

(If your email is not available on your blog please include it in your comment.)
Seattle area only
Ends 7/26/11 at noon PST.

Extra Entries: (please leave a comment for each extra comment)
1.Follow my blog (2 entries, button on the side of blog)
2.Follow me @SillyMommy on Twitter (2 entries, leave your twitter name in comment)
3.Blog about the contest (5 entries, leave link in comment)
4.Tweet about the contest (leave link in comment, may tweet once a hour)
example: win Phineas and Ferb movie 4 packs of ticket, contest ends 7/26 http://t.co/u5GHn51 #win #giveaway #contest
5. Enter another of my giveaways (listed on right near top, two entries per giveaway entered)

I am receiving a family 4 pack to attend the movie in exchange for hosting this giveaway. No other compsation is being recieved.

Dr. Scholl's Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts Review

2011-06-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

I have never worn inserts but I wonder if I should have. I have the hardest time finding shoes that are comfortable. Most shoes just make my feet hurt if I wear them or try and walk in them more than a little bit. I have narrow feet and high arches. i was given the opportunity to try out Dr Scholl's Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts. The first thing I did was find a Dr Scholl's kiosk (my local Walmart had one). At the kiosk I took off my shoes and followed the directions on the screen. It involved standing on both feet and then each foot by themselves. The machine did some calculations and told me the perfect insert for my feet. Just to me sure I did the whole thing a second time and I got the same results. Once I received the pair of inserts (one for each foot) I tried them out in my favorite shoes. At first it felt a little strange but comfortable. I had complete support in my arches. After a little while I did not even notice that my shoes felt any different except that my feet seemed less tired. Some days I am on my feet all day and others I thankfully get to sit some of the time. To me it seemed as though I can walk (or stand) longer with less tiredness (is that a real word?)

I wish I had know about these sooner and with a price of $50 it is much less than a custom fit at a doctors. If you would like to try them I also have a link to a $7.50 Dr. Scholl’s rebate just for you (http://www.footmapping.com/footmapping/rebate-momscentral.jspa)

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Dr. Scholl’s and received a Custom Fit Orthotics from Dr. Scholl’s to facilitate my review.

Disneyland Day Five

2011-06-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

We started our last day in Fantasyland!
Of course our first ride had to be on Dumbo!

Auntie Babe joined us just as Princess G finished another ride on Roses (a carousel horse) behind us.

Next we tried Casey's Circus Train. I have not been on this ride in years.

Back for another ride on Roses!

We realized that we never got a picture with Mickey so we went to his house to try and find him.

Mickey was in his living room so after taking our picture we wandered through the rest of the house.

Auntie Babe and Princess A decided to try and ride the roller coaster with their hands up the whole time.

At last it was time to battle Darth Vader. Princess G planned on battling him too but she started to feel a little sick on last day (mostly just being over tired.)

Princess A defeated Darth Vader just as we knew she would!

A picture with my cutie!

This is how we got around the parks.

Princess A loved pushing her sister but in crowds I usually took over so we would not rum over anyone.

This is my favorite picture of all of us from our trip.

Too soon it was time to leave!

Here we are back in Seattle at the airport.

Disneyland Day Four

2011-06-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

This morning we waited to see their Auntie.
While we were waiting we found a great group to take pictures with!

Finally Auntie was here! We went straight to the submarine since it had less than a 10 minute wait (it was the shortest time we ever saw so we had to take advantage of that!)

Soon it was time to head over to California Adaventure so we could have breakfast at Areil's Grotto with all of the Princesses. Besides Ariel we took pictures with Snow White, Aurora, Cinderealla and Belle.

After a big meal we explored the backlot area.

The girls love playing in this area, The next spot where you can add your voice to a cartoon or song is thier very favorite!

Eventually Auntie had to rejoin her hich school band for some classes. We decided to hop on the train (to give Daddy's foot a rest.)

We stopped at the house of innovation and Princess A was picked to perform some karaoke.

The girls loved all of the differnt stuff in the house and both would love to move in, of course part of the appeal is that Disneyland is right outside.

We planned on getting right back on the train but it was a very short line so we drove some cars.

Eventually we rode the train to New Orleans Square.

I have never see the Mardi Gras Mickey and Minnie before, they were so colorful.

We staked out a spot to watch the Fantasmic show and ate Gumbo.

While we waited for the fireworks and then the Fantasmic show to start Daddy held our spot while the girls, Auntie and I took turns going on rides and exploring.

The two shows were simply great and well worth the wait!!

Disneyland Day Three

2011-06-08T20:30:00.000-07:00

We started our day being greeted by Minnie Mouse as soon as we arrived.
Princess G decided that she wanted to try Space Mountain so that is where we went first.

She then decided at the last moment that she was not ready so I went with Princess A.

(Princess G tried twice but was just not ready, maybe next time!)

We let Princess G pick the next spot and she wanted to try the ride in Fairytale land.

Just Bliss!!!!

Of course we had to take a ride on her favorite horse 'Roses'.

We can back later in the day to ride her again.

Princess A also picked out a favorite horse.

Then it was off to New Orleans Square, which means a ride on the Pirate of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion.

The girls wanted to climb Tarzan's Tree house so the girls and I left Daddy to rest and off we went. Princess G made it up about 20 steps before I got to carry her the rest of the way up and then down. There really are a lot of steps! Next we decided to go and explore the island, especially since the girls had never been over there before.

They loved all of the caves and the cool tree house!

After a very long time exploring it was time to ride back to shore!

The girls wanted to play in Toon Town.

I love getting a picture of them having tea in Minnie's house.

A rare picture of all of us.

I love this picture with Walt, Mickey and the castle in the background.

For a perfect ending to a great day we enjoyed a Sundae together at the ice cream shoppe on Main Street. It was so yummy!

A Woman Who Helped Me

2011-04-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

Growing up I was always interested in science and math. The school I attended in grade school and even later in high school encouraged girls to get and education but not in math or science. I was not really discouraged it is just that it was not in the realm of their possibility. My mom is very smart but science and math are not her strengths. Despite her not understanding math or science she always encouraged me to pursue my strengths. My mom believed that I could be anything and she pushed others to see it too. She was always trying to get me classes in science and higher math. She eventually got honors science and math classes offered at my high school. of course it was to late for me but those girls after me were able to participate. My mom not only pushed my schools to offer more she found ways to help me gain more scientific knowledge. My mom was consistently taking us to the library and we would do our own experiments. We also spent a lot of time baking which really has lots of math involved. I was always helping my mom figure out how change recipes such as cutting them in half, it really is a bit of a calculation to figure out how to cut 1/3 in half (I know it is 1/6 but have you even seen a measuring cup for 1/6).

Would like to be the one to help someone else? Right now you can purchase a Mother's Day gift (or any gift) from the HOH (Heart of Haiti) collection at Macy's. I even have a special code (CLEVERGIRLS) which will give you a discount of 15% off Heart of Haiti and Rwanda Path to Peace products (the code is good 5/3 - 5/8).

I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. All opinions are my own.

TShirtPrinting.net Review

2011-04-08T22:57:00.000-07:00

Isn't this monkey so cute? TShirtPrinting.net sent a a t-shirt with their mascot, Cheeky Monkey. The t-shirt is very comfortable. I was sent a small which was a little big on me, I mainly use it for sleeping.

TShirtPrinting.net also offers screen printing for personalised T shirts, hooded tops, sweatshirts and workwear. The minimum quanity for personalized printing is 12. I love that you can print as little as 12 shirts. The company has over 20 years of printing experience so you know they will know what they are doing. They also carry some organic shirts.

You can explore their site or even order their free catalog.

This post was written for Family Review Network & TShirtPrinting.net who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Cinderella Ballet

2011-04-07T23:25:00.000-07:00

For our anniversary my darling husband bought tickets for all of us to attend the ballet. I think the girls liked the gift almost more than I did and I loved it!!

The girls love dressing up and of course posing in front of the ballet statues.

It was a lovely ballet and so much fun to watch. I knew the girls would love it as it is the story of Cinderella, Princess A's favorite, and a ballet. We see the nutcracker every year and last year we also saw Coppelia.

Friendship Bread (Book Review)‏

2011-04-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever received one of those baggies full of some beige looking Friendship Bread batter? Two years ago Amish Friendship bread was making the rounds where I live. I got my bag from my daughter's then kindergarten teacher. I was helping that day and she was trying to find someone to take a bag since no one else, who worked at the school, wanted some. I was so excited because I had never heard of Amish Friendship bread and we had a taste and it was so yummy. I faithfully tried to hand out three bags 10 days later, with partial success. After that I figured out that I could freeze it so I did not have to find new people to hand the bags out too. My family loves eating Amish Friendship bread and since I keep the batter in the freezer I can make it whenever we want to instead of just every ten days. Needless to say I was very excited when I heard about a Friendship Bread novel. As soon as I started reading I was sucked into the story. I made the mistake of starting the book near my bedtime which I missed by over an hour. I loved all of the characters and they all seemed so real. I could easily see all of those things happening in real life. Sometimes in books things just come together to easily or too many bad things can happen. I felt as though I was reading about people I could know in my life. I had to laugh too about how the Friendship Bread batter was loved or in some case people would turn the other way when they saw the baggies coming their way. I liked how the simple gift of friendship (with the bread as a starting point) can change peoples lives for the better. In the beginning of the book the main character is struggling just to get through the day. The Friendship Bread is a gateway to new and old friendships that change her live and others for the better. Besides the wonderful story which my mom can't wait to read next are the recipes located at the back of the book. There are many recipes using the friendship batter instead of just baking the regular bread. My friendship bread recipe is a exactly the same as the recipe included in the book (now if I lose my original recipe I can get it from the book!) I really want to try the brownie recipe. I have been making the Friendship Bread for over two years and I must say I never thought to make anything else besides the bread, of course that bread is so yummy!! I highly recommend Friendship Bread, a Novel, not just for the great story (I can't wait for the rumored sequel) but also for the great recipes. As you can see in my picture I made some Friendship Bread (my family already ate that much) to go with the novel, next time I will have to try the brownie recipe! Now this book is being released today so head down to your local bookstore (or online) and get a copy!

This post was written for Family Review Network & Random House who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Kiddie Catch-All Review

2011-04-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

Even though my girls are getting bigger they are still in a car seat or booster. My older daughter is now 8 and can easily reach most of the stuff she wants if it is on the seat next to her. The Kiddie Catch-All worked great for her because even though I am a very safe driver stuff still shifts during a car trip. She does not have to ask me to try and reach for something on the floor at stoplights (they know not to ask when when the car is moving.) Now my younger daughter (age 5) is still in a 5-point harness so she does not have as large of an area she can reach. Usually she would ask her sister to get something for her. Now she has it all right there where she can reach it. Of course it mostly has become a seat for Hippo (her favorite stuffed animal). According to Princess A Hippo likes his car seat because is is so comfy. Princess G likes it because she can snack or play on the DS and Hippo can watch without getting in the way. When I was first was sent the Kiddie Catch-All I was not sure if it would be worth getting when my kids are not toddlers anymore but it really came in handy. I will say as useful as it was for us it would have been even more useful when they were little. I can remember times when they wanted something and since I was driving I could not get it or at least not fast enough before they were upset. The Kiddie Catch-All is so simple but the best ideas usually are.

This post was written for Family Review Network & Kiddie Catch-All who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Bausch + Lomb Biotrue (Contact Solution) Review

2011-03-30T22:08:00.000-07:00

I started wearing contacts when I was in 7th grade. I have never been one to forget my contacts are in. My first contacts were hard contacts and believe me they are much thicker than soft contacts and not as comfortable. When I was in college I started wearing soft contacts. They were so much more comfortable but I still noticed them. I just could not find a solution that I liked. My eyes just always felt dry. I ended up just using plain saline solution. Every time I get fitted for contacts I usually give the newest solution a try. I always end up going back to saline. I may have found my solution (pun intended). Sorry I could not resist the pun. I was pleasantly surprised when I tried the Bausch + Lomb Biotrue. According to the Bausch + Lomb website: the Biotrue formula matches the pH of healthy tears, keeps certain beneficial tear proteins active, and features a lubricant found naturally in our eyes. Now I did not forget that I was wearing contacts completely put I did not feel them the whole time. Usually almost as soon as I wear contacts I start thinking that I can't wait to get my glasses back. I do not wear contacts everyday, I just got out of the habit after having kids. I will now be wearing my contacts much more often now that I found a great contact solution. Do you wear contacts?

I conducted this review while participating in a Mom Central Consulting blog tour on behalf of Bausch + Lomb Biotrue. I received a Biotrue sample and a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Busy and sick!!

2011-03-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have not blogged in almost a week. First I had to help wrap up girl scout cookies sales for my troop. My older daughter had a cookie booth sale. I had a girls scout meeting to plan and run. The girls got sick. Princess A had her birthday party and then I got sick. I actually had to reschedule an art lesson at their school and today I was not able to volunteer in the classroom. The girls are getting better but this head cold I have just will not go away. I have so many posts waiting but I can seem to do more than type in my post using my iPhone. I will try and get on my laptop tomorrow and finish some posts.

Happy Birthday Princess A!!!

2011-03-11T22:14:00.000-08:00

I can not believe that my baby is 8 years old!!

Disneyland: Day Two

2011-03-11T21:37:00.000-08:00

We decided to start the day at California Adventure so we could get fast passes for the World of Color. We also tried Redwood Creek Challenge for the first time.

Princess G became a little scared on the rope tunnels and I ended up carrying her on my back.

Once we were at the bottom she and her sister had a blast climbing, sliding and going through tunnels together.

They both decided to try rock climbing and Princess A even made it all the way across.

Their favorite part was the zip line.

They both rode it over and over again!

Next we decided to try another first: Grizzly River Run!

Princess A and Daddy went and when they were done they had so much fun we decided to all go on (plus there was no line!)

We were all soaked but the girls most of all. They soaked the little shorts they were wearing under their dresses but luckily we had some pants for later that they were able to change into.

They both want to go again but I was wet enough.

As we were all drying off we also tried the Golden Zephyr and the Silly Symphony Swings.

Daddy went on the Golden Zephyr with us but decided that the swing were just too high. The girls and I loved them!

Even though we had fun in California Adventure Park the girls could not wait to get back to Disneyland. We went straight to Dumbo!

This ended up being our longest wait, a little over 20 minutes, but that was mainly due to some line jumpers. The girls both love Dumbo, it was both of their first rides ever at Disneyland.

We spent some time going on lots of rides for the rest of the afternoon.

Eventually we ended up in New Orleans Square where we bough the girls pirate swords. They had been wanting them for a while and we finally bought them.

They both had so much fun posing with their new swords and having mock sword fights.

We headed back to California Adventure Park for the World of Color. We showed up less than 5 minutes after we could enter the area and all the good spots were already taken and it was still over an hour until show time. About 30 minutes before the show they make you stand up and try and get people to squish forward. Every time we tried to sit down they came by and made us stand up. The show finally started and we had an OK view except for a big round lamp light and a guy in front of me that would not stop moving. It is standing room only so unless you get the very limited front area (which can get very wet) your kids can't see unless you hold them. My arms were ready to fall off by the end of the 30 minute show.

The show was fantastic but I am not sure I would go and see it again. The first ending with Mickey was great and it show have been the ending. Unfortunately they then had a mini light show about Tron. It was loud, annoying, too bright and just took away from the real show. The Tron guy just kept yelling about his father and other stuff. If you go, leave when the Tron part starts believe me you want to miss that. If you skip the Tron part it was a fantastic show. It is amazing what you can do with water and lights.

Disneyland: Day One

2011-03-10T22:08:00.000-08:00

Here we are just as we arrived in Disneyland.

About an hour later my sister and her two kids we able to meet us.

My nephew is the little boy in orange to the right, he did not want to take a picture with all of the girls.)

These two were best friends immediately!

We rode on the small world, pirates, and a bunch in fantasy land including the carousel.

Princess G was not able to ride her favorite horse (Rosies) so she was a little sad. Of course right after the picture she was happy again. She really loves on particular horse which luckily she was able to ride eventually.

Here I am with my little sister.

Do you think she looks like me, minus the blond hair?

My sister was getting over a cold so they decided to leave before dinner. The girls were sad to say goodbye. I heard that in the car later they both asked to come back in two days and meet us again. It was wonderful seeing them and hope it is less than a year before we see them again!

After they left we found some dinner and went on a few more rides.

Princess A also had fun pushing her little sister, Princess G all over the park. The stroller is much to small for her but since Daddy's broken foot is still not quite healed we decided to bring it. There is no way I will be able to carry her when she gets tired. We decided not to stay until the park closed at eight since we had been up since about 2 am.

A long but wonderful day!!

Another Stuffed Animal

2011-03-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

Near the end of January we returned a Christmas gift of Princess G's to Toys'R'us. The girls each got to pick out a small toy. Princess A picked out a Tinkerbell in a lantern and Princess G picked out a bath Polly Pocket that came with a boat. They also saw these puppies but my darling husband and I agreed that the girls had to many stuffed animals already. The girls were fine with it and did not mention them again. I thought that was the end of it until a week later. My darling husband had to make a quick overnight trip to Oregon and when he came back he had these. It was also the first time Daddy saw Princess A's new glasses so it was also to celebrate that. I can never leave him alone with the girls in a store with stuffed animals or as I learned a few times (even in Macy's) Daddy will always give in. Usually it is his idea and sometimes I catch him trying to talk them into wanting another stuffed animal!

PTA Reflections

2011-03-05T07:47:00.000-08:00

Both of the girls' photographs won the PTA Reflections at their school and went on to district. They did not win at district but their photos were displayed in a local mall.

This is the picture Princess G entered: Together we can race!

Princess A entered this photo: Together we can make it clean!

New Fruit Trees

2011-03-04T08:23:00.000-08:00

We were in Costco when we saw a bunch of fruit trees. We decided to get two trees, a cherry and the girls picked a sugar plum. They just really liked the name, I hope they are tasty plums. We have never bought trees from Costco, I hope they do well.

Have you tried the plants at Costco?

We were tempted by the blueberry bushes and this week the bare-root roses.

Book Club

2011-03-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

Princess A (and Princess G who tags along) love the book club at the library. They meet once a month and the girls are always so excited to attend.

Does your library have great programs?

Last month we also attended a class on origami there.

Wordless Wednesday: Caught Playing Together After Bedtime

2011-03-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

Tackle it Tuesday: Tangled Hair

2011-03-01T06:27:00.000-08:00

Princess A decided that Rapunzel's hair would look beautiful in a knot. She split the hair into two strands and then proceeded to tie it in knots, over and over again and then twisted it all together. It was a huge tangle!
I turned on the television, grabbed a doll brush and got to work. Surprisingly it only took about ten minutes. Princess G has the same doll but since she did not tie it in knots when I did her doll it only took a few minutes. Do your kid's dolls' hair get tangled too?
What did you tackle this week?

What My Kids Would Miss the Most

2011-02-28T13:37:00.000-08:00

If I was snatched by aliens tomorrow my kids would miss me a lot! The thing I think they would miss the most would be hugs and kisses. I give my kids hugs and kiss all day long. They get them when they wake up, dropping off at school, when I pick them up from school, before swim practice, after swim practice, before and after Girl Scouts, anytime I leave them, bedtime, a second time when they come into our room after bedtime for and extra hug and kiss and of course just because! They would miss my cooking. I am always making them special meal that they love. Tonight we are having waffles for dinner as both Princess A and Princess G requested it. They would definitely miss my baking. I always bake at least once a week, usually a few times a week. Lately I have been baking homemade baguettes for dinner and Madeline's. My repertoire includes cookies, cakes, toffee, cupcakes, pies, rolls and brownies. I am making myself hungry here. I should make some rice crispy treats for them before school gets out today. My girls would miss me reading stories to them. Princess A reads really well (above 6th grade) but she still loves when I read her and her sister stories. Just last night I was reading some library books to them before bed. The Princesses would miss me as their girls scout leaders. I only help out very little for Princess A's Brownie troop but I am the leader of Princess G's Daisy troop. I plan almost every meeting and prepare the crafts. My girls would miss my silliness. I can turn almost anything into fun. Just last week when we spent almost two hours waiting at the doctor's for Princess A to be diagnosed with a double earache I had the girls giggling. We just played silly games and I told silly stories which made the wait a little easier. My girls would miss doing art with me, at school or at home. I am the art docent for both of the girls' classes which means I teach an art project for an hour in their class. For Princess A's class I have already aught three lessons this year. We also do a lot of art at home. We have been trying different mediums such as oil pastels, chalk and water color crayons. They would also miss having me help at school. Both of the girls get so excited when I help in their classroom. I usually help on Mondays and Thursdays and then do the art docent on Wednesdays. sometimes it feels as though I am at school almost everyday. My girls would also really miss having their clothes clean. They go through so much clothing each day. Princess G likes to change socks a few times each day and they can not be re worn, no they need to be cleaned first. The girls would really miss clean cloths, especially since that is the one thing their Dad is not that great at, well that and cooking. They would really miss me when they can't find something. I have that Mom memory where they left something in the weirdest place and when they ask I know right where it is. They can never find something, even when it is where it is suppose to be. Lastly they would just miss having their mom to talk to. Everyday my girls love to tell me everything. Every little thought that they have, everything that happens to them or just stuff that they see. We spend a lot of time everyday just talking. They have lots of questions about things and how they work. Luckily I have a strong science background to share with them. Just this week we were talking about molecules and bile (don't ask about how that discussion git started.) My kids would really miss me if aliens snatched me, so hopefully that does not happen.

What would your kids miss most if you were gone?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

New Glasses

2011-02-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

Princess A wearing her glasses for the first time to school.

She was just so excited that everything was so clear.

She has been really good about taking care of her glasses and she just really loves them. When we picked them out at Sears she grabbed them right away and just knew they were the ones.

First Time Roller Skating

2011-02-26T20:31:00.000-08:00

Princess G tried rollerskating for the first time. She loved it!
Princess A's Brownie troop was having a skating get together and Princess G came too.

Two years ago the troop (they were Daises then) skated together and if you count that time this was Princess A second time roller skating.

They both had so much fun and want to go again. I did not roller skate this time as I am not the best skater and trying to help the both of them balance would be a recipe for disaster. Of course I am more of an ice skater and again I was reminded that I really should take the girls to try ice skating.

Ground Hog Day

2011-02-25T21:04:00.000-08:00

It was so nice on Ground Hog day the girls were both so convinced that spring was coming early. After school they played outside and enjoyed the sun. I also found them twisting these two poor plant's branches together.

Little did we know that we would be having huge snow storms later in the month. Princess G only had school one day last week! They did not cancel school but if the have a delayed start a.m. kindergarten is canceled!

The girls played on their bikes and scooters for the first time in a very long time.

They even set up some tables and made some drawings of nature.

Night & Day Studios Apps Review‏

2011-02-24T23:19:00.000-08:00

I am still trying to figure out which apps will work for me and my girls. I tried three apps from Night & Day Studio, or should say Princess G tried them. She has played with Quibble Kids the most. Quibble Kids is a picture matching game. Basically you have four cubes with four sides (you don't use the top or bottom of the cube.) You spin the cubes until you have four that have the same theme, for example: flower, musical instrument, fruit, and so on. Princess G loves playing it over and over. Next we tried the Kindermusik Radio app. It is similar to Pandora for kids. The app has 100 songs, each with lyrics and a unique activity to do with your child. The first time we tried it we tried the Tell Me a Story section. Princess G wanted to be able to see the word and pictures. She was frustrated and did not want to listen anymore. I tried again a few days later while I was trying to get her to take a nap (she was just at the beginning of her cold.) This time she really liked listening to the music and stories. I like that if I press the iPhone button on top to lock my phone the music keeps playing, that way I am using less of my battery.

Lastly we tried the Charley Harper's Peekaboo Forest app. I am new to apps so I do not know the two previous apps in the Peekaboo series, but this is the third one. In this Peekaboo Princess G explored a forest and found the hiding places of animals behind stumps and foliage. The illustrations are of the mid-century modern illustrator Charley Harper and are simple gorgeous.
Princess G has asked to play with all of three of the apps but her favorite by far is the Quibble Kids, she loves puzzles and this has just enough challenge without being to hard.

This post was written for Family Review Network & Night & Day Studios who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Harry Potter and Last Pacific Science Center Visit

2011-02-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

The girls love Harry Potter and kept asking to go to the Harry Potter exhibit at the Pacific Science Center. Finally we gave in and bought ticket to go. Princess A was picked for the sorting house and of course she was sorted into the Griffindorf house. The exhibit was just great. It was a little crowded but if you just wait you can see everything. Of course the girls wanted to get something at the gift shop. They both picked out Hermione wands (they were out of the Harry Potter ones.) Just as we were taking this picture we ran into Princess G's teacher (she was also Princess A two years ago) and her family. It was a wonderful little bonus as her girls and my girls adore each other.

After the Harry Potter exhibit we enjoyed the rest of the Pacific Science Center. Though we did not know it at the time it was our last visit as members. We planned on one last trip but them my husband broke his foot. Luckily we saw every one's favorites. Here the girls are running in a circle with Daddy.
Princess G loves the potty exhibit. She also likes the water play area nearby.

As always we had to make a visit to the butterfly house.

We also have a tradition of getting an elephant ear in the Seattle Center.

It was a great visit (the Harry Potter was so wonderful) but we probably won't get a membership again for awhile. We are considering a membership to the zoo of the Museum of Flight next.

Goodbye Lucybird

2011-02-22T22:55:00.000-08:00

Our pet Lucybird passed away. My husband has had a few birds before and they always seemed to decline over a few days to a few weeks. Not Lucybird, she was fine when we put her to bed. An hour later, while I giving the girls dessert, she was making a very strange noise. I got my husband and less than an hour later she was gone. Princess A made her the note above to bury with her.
We decided to paint some rocks to place over her burial spots. All of the paint washed off later the first time it rained, I guess I shouldn't of used washable paint. The only rock still marked is the one I wrote her name on with a Sharpie. We picked a pretty spot in the yard that we can see from the kitchen window. She has been gone for a few weeks and I keep forgetting she is gone. The girls were ready to pick out a new pet the next day but I think their Daddy won't be ready for quite awhile. Lucybird was really his pet but we all miss her. The girls tell me that Lucybird sometimes sings to them in their dreams but the rest of the time she is in heaven with their Great-Grandmas. This was the first death they had to deal with in person and it did bring up lots of questions. A few years ago when my husband's grandmother passed away the girls heard about it (they did not know her at all) and Princess A became worried about death. I told her that everyone is suppose to live a really long time (almost a 100 years) but sometimes if you have an accident or something else you can go to heaven early. The 100 number really helped her as she likes to figure out how much longer a person will be alive unless they go to heaven early. (I added the go to heaven early part to explain why younger people can die and to let them know that we still have to be careful so we don't have an accident.) I am really hoping that this will be the only death they have to deal with for a long time.

Rough Two Weeks

2011-02-20T23:41:00.000-08:00

It has been a very crazy and tiring two weeks. It started with my husband being out of town for a week for work. We did fine at home without Daddy though we did miss him very much. In the middle of his trip he called to tell my he hurt his ankle/foot running. He said it really hurt but did not want to go to the emergency room. When he finally got home late Friday of that week his foot was swollen to twice its normal size. We had planned on going to the Pacific Science Center for the last day of our membership but that did not happen. My darling husband actually said we could still go but I said "No." We iced the foot all weekend and kept it up but it did not improve much. I was able to talk him into going to the doctors after work on Monday. They took an x-ray and gave him crutches. He got back just in time to stay with Princess G so that did not have to take her to her sister's Brownie meeting. I got a call from a nurse the next morning and she reluctantly told me that the x-ray showed a misalignment of a foot bone. (I am not sure why she was so reluctant my husband listed in his medical files that medical information can be released to me also.) I then spent the day contacting our new insurance about the orthopedic recommended to us to make sure he was on our plan. Then I spent a long time trying to get him an appointment. At first they wanted him to wait over a week but finally they said they could see him if he could be at their office with in the hour. I called him at work and had him leave right then. He was able to make it in time and he received a walking cast and since his foot and ankle were still so swollen the doctor wants him to come back Wednesday and take another x-ray. The one he already had taken showed a possible bone chip but they need another x-ray to be sure. The best part is that this doctor really got him to understand that he need to stay off his foot so it will heal. It has been hard keeping him resting as I keep finding him trying to clean. Even today I caught him vacuuming. To add to all of this Princess G became very sick and the 3rd night she cried all night because her ears hurt. She has a horrible earache in both ears. The doctor said that if she was in the Olympics her ears would get a 9.9 they were so bad. The antibiotic is messing with her intestines so lets just say she has been in the bathroom many, many times and I have had to clean her up in the shower. Princess A now has the cold and I am hoping it will only be sneezing, coughing, fever and runny nose but not an earache. I can feel the cold trying to get me too. And to add to everything else it is Girl Scout cookie time!! Thankfully I am not the cookie mom for either troop but last weekend I had to pick up over 150 boxes of cookies from two different places (the girls each had about 75 pre-orders for cookies.) I was able to deliver most before they both had to stay home sick from school but I still have a few left. I have a whole pile of posts that I just need to polish up and check one more time before posting. Hopefully I will find sometime between taking care of my sickies to get to that tomorrow. I will also have to get a picture of my darling husband and his huge walking cast!

Sharing Happiness

2011-02-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

I am generally a happy person and I like to share that with those around me. The easiest way to share happiness is to just share a smile. When I drop my girls off a school (or half the time sign-in for volunteering) I say "hello" or "good morning" and give them a smile. It is the simplest way share happiness. As for my family I like to make them things. Sometimes it is baking them a favorite treat such as cookies, cupcakes or even toffee. Lately I have been making fresh bread to have with dinner. Last night I started baking the bread and everyone decided they wanted waffles for dinner. We ended up eating a fresh baguette and homemade waffles for dinner. An interesting combination but it made my family happy. I love baking and I love to share what I bake even more. The girls and I like to make treats and share with friends and family. We sometimes make toffee or friendship bread for their teachers. I always make my mom her favorite cookies when she is coming for a visit. I even make my mother-in-law her favorite molasses cookies. Last week I surprised my family with Madeline's and it was an extra surprise since I had never made them before. My darling husband mentioned that he was hoping I would make a cake next time. Well I made him one that night while he was upstairs with the girls. He was so happy and surprised that I made them that very night. Of course the only frosting I had in the house was orange from Halloween but he did not mind. I also enjoy making non food items to spread a little happiness. Right after I was married I taught myself how to knit and crochet. My girls (and their friends) love when I make them a little something. For a while I was crocheting cupcakes all the time so the girls could share them with their friends. Making something from your heart is a great way to share happiness which is why last month I had my Daisy troop make bracelets and cards to go with each bracelet. After the girls made the cute bracelets (they made them with beads and one large heart bead) we sent them to the Global Genes Project to be handed out to kids with rare diseases and disorders. The girls felt happiness to make something for other kids and the shared that happiness with the kids who will know someone is thinking of them. Sharing happiness is easy, how do you share happiness?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hershey's blogging program, for a gift card worth $25 and some product. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Wordless Wednesday: New Glasses

2011-02-08T21:28:00.000-08:00

Princess A just got glasses and she loves them.

Daddy also got her the giant pink puppy (and another for her sister) to celebrate this momentous occasion.

She is just too cute!!!!!

Dapper Snappers Review

2011-02-01T22:12:00.000-08:00

Both of my girls are thin so it is hard to find pants that fit them or at least not droop. I was sent a pink Dapper Snapper which worked great for Princess G. I usually try to purchase adjustable pants but I can't always find them in the style the girls will wear. The Dapper Snapper has two snaps on each side so you can adjust the Dapper Snapper for two different sizes. The girls almost always wear dresses or skirts over their pants but sometimes they don't. It is nice to know that when Princess G sits or squats people will only see her pants and nothing else. I know we will be using the Dapper Snapper when Princess G wears pants, especially for the Kindergarten Round-up (a school concert.)
As you can see Princess G liked wearing them on her pants. What I really like about them is that they are elastic! Since they stretch Princess G can still take her pants on and off to use the bathroom without touching the Dapper Snapper. Obviously she needs to be able to use the restroom without any help. The Dapper Snapper keeps her pants on snugger similar to a belt but since it is only on the back she does not have to deal with it at all. They also make Dapper Snappers for Moms to be too. The Dapper Snapper is perfect for kids who are on the narrow side so their pants don't droop. They are also great for kids who are skinnier than the kid they are getting hand-me-downs from. My sister has given up lots of clothes my niece wore and she is more solid than my girls so the pants are always too wide. Now Princess G can wears all of the clothes from my niece, especially the pants.

This post was written for Family Review Network & Dapper Snappers who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Punflaykids App Review

2011-01-27T21:55:00.001-08:00

My darling husband bought me an iPhone for Christmas and I have been having fun trying out apps for the first time. I started out with free ones since if your don't like them you only wasted the time to download them. I have a few games for myself but even more for my little princesses. I think they like my phone even more than I do! Whenever we are in the car, waiting somewhere or just because they want to play with my phone. Just today Princess G came in my room while I was cleaning and asked if she could play a game on my phone. I told her she could and she picked Mathomatix: Measurement and played until it was time to pick up her sister. The app has 5 games: Crazy Clock, Scale Tale (which they have not tried yet), Fill Me Up (you drag objects such as sand to fill-up to containers and then answer which has more), Long and Short (Princess G favorite, you pick the longest or shortest, she loves laughing at the really long candy cane, worm and others), and Action Months (Princess G's 2nd favorite, you drag the letters of the month and when you catch all the letters for the month does an action such as dancing or swimming.)

I was also able to review two other apps: Who will rule? (an interactive story) and Mathomatix: Alzebra – Time for fun with Algebra! The girls listened to the story Who will rule? and did not seem that interested (and I did find the child's voice reading the story a little annoying, I would of preferred and older child or adult). A few days later Princess G started listening to the story over and over. She really likes that during the story (she always picks the Read to Me option) that she can touch the illustrations and they do something (she really likes when the ray darts away and the puffer fish puffs.) The same thing happen with the Mathomatic: Alzebra the first time they played it they did not seem to excited but later I found Princess G playing the games a lot. Princess G really likes all of the games but Princess A not so much. She likes the games but unless I specifically ask her if she would like to try them she prefers to play something else. Of course Princess A is 7 and is advanced in reading (currently 6 grade level) and math. I think that the three apps from Punflaykids are perfect for kids 4 to 6 years old, or at least my five year old. The games are perfect for her, fun, not too hard, a little easy and silly. Do you have a great app I should check out, for my kids or myself?

This post was written for Family Review Network & PunflayKids who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

First Reconciliation

2011-01-23T22:07:00.000-08:00

This weekend Princess A had her first Reconciliation in preparation for her First Holy Communion later this Spring. Her sister wore the same dress so they could be twins. We has a small ceremony in the church with songs, readings and a homily followed by cookies and juice. There were suppose to be two additional priest to hear the children's confessions (one was lost and the other's car broke down) so our priest listened to all 45 kids. All together it took almost two hours but in the end it was a nice ceremony and Princess A is one step closer to her First Holy Communion. I just need to find her a dress (I have the veil my mom and myself wore but the dress yellowed and needs to be replaced.)

Wordless Wednesday: Asleep in Their Fort

2011-01-19T22:10:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend the girls made a fort on the couch (the sides fell off) and wanted a pretend sleepover in it (in our house that means they pretend they are going to sleep and an hour later I really make them go to sleep in their own bed.) Well I was reading and thought they went to bed themselves. Two hours later I found them sleeping in the fort. I carried Princess G to bed and Princess A woke up and climbed in her own bed.

(I know Wednesday is almost over, I have been sick for days.)

Giveaway:Lovable Labels Review

2011-01-15T22:26:00.000-08:00

My girls are very good about not losing their stuff but I still feel better using labels and I know have the Lovable Labels to use. I unknowingly bought Princess A one of the most popular umbrella at her school. At least once a month I see that umbrella in the lost and found. I always check to see if it has our label but so far it is never our umbrella. Princess A also uses a water bottle in class. She has one that has her name already on it as part of the decoration but she likes to use the one from her school. Princess A (and a large portion of the students) earned a school water bottle during a school fundraiser. There are usually at least five kids in her class (usually more) that have that water bottle at their desk each day. I made sure to put a Lovable Label on her water bottle, not only so it is lost but also to avoid having other kids drink from her water bottle. The girls bring home enough colds without adding it by sharing drinks (Princess G has a fever right now.) We have used other labels before but I must say this is the best presentation of labels I have seen. Usually labels come in an envelope which works fine (unless they fall out and you have to search for them) but these label came in a folder packet. It is similar to a small book of labels. Once you open the front cover along the top are tabs with the name of each type of label. On the back flap of mine was a little pocket with a rubber like dog tag (you can see it in a picture on the cover of the packet.) Princess A loves her labels and was excited that each type of label had a different color and design. So far we have not had any of the Lovable Labels come off. One previous label I tried came off of Princess G's coat and we found it in her hair. She was a little upset when I had to try and get it out. I was very happy that these labels really stick and don't come off. I highly recommend these labels and right now they are having a special FriendsShip package (120 labels: 30 Sticker Labels, 80 Slimline Labels and 10 Mini Fun Stickies plus and added bonus right now: receive: FREE Friendship Sampler (40 Slimline Labels) for a friend!) Personally I would suggest the Friendship Package if you have two kids. You could get the main package for one and use the bonus 40 Slimline Labels for your younger child. In our house my younger daughter receives lots of hand-me-downs which already have a label with her big sisters name.

Giveaway
One of my readers can win the same Lovable Label set I was sent to review.

To enter: Please leave a comment with your favorite which icon (and its number) you like the best from Lovable Labels.

(If your email is not available on your blog please include in comment.)
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This post was written for Family Review Network & Lovable Labels who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Review: Aveeno Nourish + Revitalize Hair Care

2011-01-12T12:17:00.000-08:00

My whole family has been a fan of Aveeno since the pediatric nurse recommend Aveeno lotion for our daughter's sensitive skin at a well baby visit. I have never tried Aveeno Hair care so I was curious as to how well it would work. I love it and my hair. I was sent shampoo, conditioner and smoothing creme. My hair feels so soft but at the same time I and still style it. I really love the smoothing cream. I have been using it everyday on my hair and the girls. I don't usually put anything in the girls hair because it always feels so stiff but the smoothing creme did not. Their hair was smoother, less fuzz but if you look or touch their hair you would not know I had used anything. I have been using the shampoo and condition on myself for the past week and I could not be happier. I did not realize how much better my hair feels until I used my old shampoo and conditioner. We went swimming yesterday and I still had my old kind in our bag. This morning my hair did not want to cooperate at all. I don't usually wash my hair every night but I will be washing it again and with the good stuff, Aveeno Nourish + Revitalize.

I also really appreciate that the tops of the bottle are different colored. I wear glasses and without them everything is very fuzzy. I never wear contacts in the shower (and obviously glasses) so it is nice to just look down and grab the right bottle the first time. Of course I do have to remember to use the white lid (shampoo)first and the brown lid (conditioner) second. It took me a few times but now I just automatically grab the right one while in the shower.

This post was written for Family Review Network & AVEENO who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Wordless Wednesday: Embroidering

2011-01-11T20:23:00.000-08:00

Playing in the Snow

2011-01-10T22:44:00.000-08:00

We love Daddy but we know he hates the snow, so we were all pleasantly surprised when he suggested we go out to play in the snow. Of course he also suggested we play at the park so that the grass is not trampled all over.
My wonderful husband, torturing himself for us.
(He really does hate snow!)

Princess A had a blast making giant snowballs to smash on Daddy.

I threw a few myself (we have a rule: only hit below the neck and gently.)

Princess G got Daddy (and mommy) with a few snowballs of her own.

They then started to make a snowman, well they tried but the snow just did not stick well.

We only played for about 30 minutes because we did not want to be late for Tangled.

The girls were getting sold but it still took a while to convince them to go home.

As we were leaving Princess G ran back one last time to say goodbye to her snow mountain. It was still there a few days later.

Princess G Won a WOW Award

2011-01-09T22:47:00.000-08:00

Last month Princess G won her first WOW award at school.

When the girls win an award at school I like to give a little gift.

Princess G received a pencil case with name embroidered on it, the same gift Princess A received when she was in Kindergarten. Princess A was sick that day so instead of being in class she was with me at school to watch her sister receive her award. I am so proud of my girls, Princess A won the same award earlier in the school year.

Our Christmas Morning

2011-01-08T09:51:00.000-08:00

The girl opened one gift the night before, they each received a Pillow Pet and slept with it that night.

Santa left the girls a Santa ornament in their stocking, which they put on before even opening the rest of their gifts.

Santa brought just what the girls asked for: Tinkerbell music box, a Bella Sara horse, a mini Tangled doll and Tinkerbell the Great Fairy Rescue DVD.

At this point Princess A remembered that she had set up the camera by the tree to capture a picture of Santa. She checked and there was a picture of Santa in our living room.

It was a magical morning and I even received a new toy: an iPhone4!!!

I have been having so much fun playing with it, my first iPhone!!

The girls are showing off their favorite gifts from Santa, the Tinkerbell music box. The ballerina spins and can be replaced with Tinkerbell.

I hope you had as wonderful Christmas as we did.

Girl Scout Cookie Pre-Sales Started

2011-01-07T20:41:00.000-08:00

Girl Scout Cookie pre-orders have begun (well at least in my neck of the woods) so if you know a Girl Scout order some cookies!

Booth sales start next month, for now you can just place orders for cookies to be deliver next month.

BuildASign.com’s™ Review

2011-01-05T21:49:00.000-08:00

I have never had a banner made and I was a little intimidated at designing one made. I was worried that it would be hard to get it just right and very expensive. I was so wrong. I just designed a banner at BuildASign.com and it was so easy. On their site they have lots of examples and you can pick one of them and make changes or start from scratch. I have a Girl Scout troop and last month they were in a parade with another troop (my other daughter's Brownie troop.) The Brownie troop has a banner which they carried in the parade but it was only for their troop and did not mention the Daisy troop at all. I want a banner that includes both troops so I made one. (I hope the other troop likes it.) It really was so easy. I started by uploading the Girl Scout symbol and pasting it in the corner of the banner. I then, in big block green letters, wrote 'Girl Scouts'. On the next line (in a different shade of green) I wrote 'Troops'. The last line was the the 2 troop numbers. It looks great and I can't wait to see it when it arrives. It really was so easy and fast. I spent more time trying to find the Girl Scout symbol on our local council website that making the sign. I have included a few examples from BuildASign.com but they have so many you should take a look at their site. The example on the right can have an actual photo of the birthday boy included. How fun would that be to have giant banner with your picture. There are so many great ideas to get you started on a banner, sign or even bumper sticker you want.

This post was written for Family Review Network & BuildASign.com who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Wordless Wednesday: Tangled (Rapunzel) Hair

2011-01-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

We went and saw the movie Tangled and we all loved it.

After we came home Princess A taped these scarves together and then to her hair. As soon as I saw the tape I helped her remove the tape and instead we used hair bands to connect the scarves to each other and her hair. Of course Princess G needs some long hair too!

Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic

2011-01-03T23:05:00.000-08:00

We have been to every Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic since Halloween.

My Daisy troop has also been going and once Princess A's Brownie troop came too.
The girls are having a great time at at the end of each project they earn a patch. The patches are for the Lowe's apron but I am putting them on their Girl Scout vests. The back of the vest is for 'fun' patches, and the front is official Girl Scout patches that they earn. The clinic are free so that means twice a month (three times in December) they earned fun patches for their vest and I did not use any troop funds either. Win/Win!!

Polar Express Candy Train

2011-01-02T20:57:00.000-08:00

Princess A's teacher had her class make a Polar Express Train out of Candy.

Since Princess G was done with school by the time they made the trains her teacher was nice enough to invite Princess G to make one too.

They did not have quite enough candy for Princess G to make her own train so she started the train tracks and when the teacher was done showing the class the different steps she gave Princess G her train to finish decorating.

We still have these trains sitting on my kitchen counter. The girls said they wanted to eat them but by now everything is very stale so tomorrow we will say goodbye to the trains (and the gingerbread house.)

Of course once the trains were done it was recess and they girls wanted to go out. The girls love having recess especially since they don't have it together unless I bring Princess G in the afternoon to visit (she only has kindergarten in the morning.)

The Princess' Store

2010-12-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

The girls' school had a holiday store where the students could purchase gifts for their family. The girls came home and created their own store. First they decided what was for sale and laid the items out with prices (they are written on the paper next to each item.) I then let them use the Jr Monopoly money which they handed out to Daddy and I.

Daddy was so sweet he even wore some of the lovely necklaces and rings he purchased from the girls' store.

Our Gingerbread House

2010-12-25T06:28:00.000-08:00

We finally made our gingerbread house. The girls have been looking at the kit for a while and could not wait to get started. Princess A was in charge of the icing and was very good at it.
The girls did all of the decorating themselves (I did smooth the icing/snow on the roof for them.)
Right after I took this picture the whole house collapsed. I was able to rebuild the house but this time we let each step set for over an hour each time. Luckily when the house collapsed only the icicles on the roof line fell off, everything else stayed on.

Here is the front view, notice the door Princess A designed herself.

Here is the back view, Princess A added double doors. The girls designed and placed all of the candies by themselves but I did give them the idea for the candy cane heart.

I must say that using a kit is the way to go. The girls can't wait to start eating the house after Christmas!

Quick, Easy Tips for Homemade Creations and Two Contests

2010-12-24T13:12:00.000-08:00

Today we are going to make some more gingerbread men for Santa, well we are suppose to but so far the girls have been doing other things. Princess G and I were going through the gifts under the tree and guessing what they could be. I always make silly guesses and make the girls giggle. The doorbell rang and it was an envelope of some candy samples. Bake Shoppe Cookie Dough Miniatures, Sun-Maid Chocolate Raisins, Sour Jacks Watermelon and Welch's Fruit Snacks.

It reminded me that I was sent some wonderful quick tips and I wanted to share them:

· For an even more delicious version of Chocolate Chip Pancakes, sprinkle Bake Shoppe™ Cookie Dough Miniatures™ into your pancake batter instead. The result? A chewy, chocolaty, bite-size morsel of cookie dough in every bite. *Note: this works for waffle mix too!

· Make your own chocolate raisin biscuits! Simply stuff a few Sun-Maid® Milk Chocolate Raisins into your favorite store-bought, ready-made biscuit dough or croissants before placing them in the oven.

Adding a creative twist to some traditional after-dinner refreshments will liven up your holiday table and have compliments coming your way:

· For fun-to-eat Fruit Snack Jell-O cups, add ½ cup Welch’s® Fruit Snacks into your favorite flavor Jell-O mix. Place in a medium glass bowl or divide equally amongst glass dessert dishes while stirring in the prepared mix. Chill to set. Top Jell-O with whipped cream and decorate with a few Welch’s® Fruit Snacks for a colorful garnish! (you could also use white cranberry juice and plain gelatin and then you could see the fruit snacks)

· For delicious rice pudding with a twist, top a dish of creamy rice pudding with Sun-Maid® Milk Chocolate Raisins

Use candy to make decorative holiday crafts, gifts or table pieces:

· Make a colorful edible holiday wreath by attaching Sour Jacks® onto embroidery floss or thin all-purpose string. Older kids can use thick plastic craft needles to pierce through the candy. Alternate Cherry (red) and Lime (green) flavors for a festive decoration!

· Purchase a tiered cupcake stand (you can find one for around $10 at most home/kitchen stores) and place colorful paper or foil cupcake foil liners in the holders. Fill each with a different candy: we recommend Welch’s® Fruit Snacks, Sour Jacks®, Sun-Maid® Milk Chocolate Raisins and Bake Shoppe™ Cookie Dough Miniatures™. Place stand in the center of your holiday dessert table and you’ve got a centerpiece that looks great and tastes great, too!

· To make a gift even sweeter, attach snack bags of Welch’s® Fruit Snacks, Sour Jacks®, Sun-Maid® Milk Chocolate Raisins or Bake Shoppe™ Cookie Dough Miniatures™ to holiday gifts in place of name tags.

Start a new tradition with these original recipes, from breakfast through dessert:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed French Toast
Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 slices Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Whipped Cream Cheese as needed
1/2 cup Bake Shoppe™ Cookie Dough Miniatures™, coarsely chopped
2 Large Eggs
1 cup Milk
2 teaspoons Confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
pinch of Salt
Vegetable Oil
Confectioners Sugar for garnish

Directions:

1. Spread each Bread slice with 2 teaspoons of whipped Cream Cheese.

2. Sprinkle the coarsely chopped Bake Shoppe™ Cookie Dough Miniatures™ on two of the Cream Cheese covered bread slices.

3. Combine with the remaining Cream Cheese covered slices, making two closed sandwiches.

4. In a medium sized bowl, beat two eggs. Add the milk, two teaspoons of Confectioners sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt.

5. Heat a large non-stick skillet with a 1/4 inch of vegetable oil.

6. Quickly dip and soak both stuffed sandwiches in egg mixture. Let excess drip off.

7. Carefully place both sandwiches in hot oil. Lower heat and gently fry bread until golden brown on both sides. Stuffed French toast must be cooked slowly to allow filling to become warm and gooey.

8. Serve immediately topped with a dusting of Confectioners sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

Candy Land Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Serves 10-12

Rooted in old fashion tradition, yet with a modern touch, this Gingerbread Cake will be a heartwarming addition to your Holiday dessert table.

Ingredients:
2 boxes Gingerbread Cake Mix
2 eggs (for Cake Mix)
1 can Vanilla Frosting
1/2 cup Welch’s® Fruit Snacks, chopped and divided

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine both boxes and prepare according to directions.

2. Mix in 1/4 cup of chopped Welch’s® Fruit Snacks.

3. Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Pour prepared batter in a greased 9x3 Bundt pan.

4. Place in 350°F oven and bake for 40 minutes until firm and inserted wooden toothpick comes out dry.

5. Cool cake and carefully remove Bundt pan.

6. Prepare frosting by microwaving a 1/2 cup of frosting for 5 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle. Do not heat too long, otherwise frosting will separate- heat 5 seconds at a time.

7. Quickly drizzle the warm frosting glaze over cake with glaze decoratively running down the sides.

8. Immediately sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of chopped Welch's® Fruit Snacks decoratively over cake.

Triple Milk Chocolate Raisin Decadence Cake
Yields 10-12 slices

Decoratively topped and stuffed with Sun-Maid® Milk Chocolate Raisins, this moist show-stopping cake will quickly be devoured with many glasses of cold Milk!

Ingredients:
2 boxes Duncan Hines® Triple Chocolate Cake mix
6 Eggs (for Cake Mix)
2/3 cup vegetable Oil (for Cake Mix)
1 can Duncan Hines® Milk Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup Bake Shoppe™ Cookie Dough Miniatures™
4 teaspoons all purpose Flour
1 cup Sun-Maid® Milk Chocolate Raisins (for topping)

Directions:

1. Follow Cake mix directions as listed. Combine 2 boxes together in a large bowl.

2. Add an additional 4 teaspoons of flour and a 1/2 cup Bake Shoppe™ Cookie Dough Miniatures™ to the prepared mix.

3. Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Pour the mix into a greased 9x3 non-stick spring form pan.

4. Bake in center of oven at 350°F for 45-60 minutes or until firm in center and a dry toothpick placed in center comes out dry.

5. After cake has cooled and spring form pan has carefully been removed, prepare glaze by heating 1 cup of frosting in microwave bowl in microwave for 5 seconds until frosting is thin enough to pour. Do not heat too long, otherwise frosting will separate- heat 5 seconds at a time.

6. Quickly pour warm frosting glaze over cake, letting it decoratively drip on the sides.

7. In a decorative manner, cover top of the cake with Sun-Maid® Milk Chocolate Raisins. Let cool and set.

Contests:
I was also sent information about 2 great contests:

Welch’s® Fruit Snacks “Lunchbox Notes” contest and you could win big, $1000 for a year of lunches! Entering is easy. Go to http://www.welchsfruitsnacks.com/ and click on the “Lunchbox Notes” banner. Follow the link for more information and the rules. I always put notes in Princess A's lunch and she likes to keep them in a box in her desk at school. Contest ends December 31, 2010.

The second contest is a photo contest. Enter photos of people having fun with Sour Jacks® pucker face. It’s easy to enter! Log on to http://www.sourjacks.com/ and click on the “Pucker Face” contest icon. Upload your best Sour Jacks® Pucker Face photo for a chance to win awesome prizes, and see your Pucker Face on Sour Jacks® promotional materials nationwide! Contest ends May 31, 2011.

I was not compensated in any form. I was sent samples to facilitate my honest opinion.

Our Favorite Gingerbread Recipe

2010-12-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

I discovered this recipe two years ago on allrecipes.com and I love it.

This year I shared it with Princess G's kindergarten teacher (she has a week about gingerbread men and at the end of the week they chase them all over the school and then eat them.)

She loved the recipe so much she shared it with all of the other kindergarten teachers.

Gingerbread Men Recipe

(modified from original, the original uses the smaller 3.5 oz pudding package)
1 (5.1 ounce) package instant butterscotch pudding mix (or you can use vanilla or chocolate)
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
1.In a medium bowl, cream together the dry pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the eggs. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; stir into the pudding mixture. Cover, and chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.
2.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets (I used a splat mat). On a wax paper roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness, and cut into shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
3.Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden at the edges. Cool on wire racks.

I really love this recipe because it is not as sticky and the flavor reminds me of gingerbread but lighter tasting. The girls wanted to add decoration before we baked the cookies so we used Nerd and different flavored Tootsie Rolls. Be careful with the Tootsie Rolls because they melt and will spread all over and I do mean all over. We made these cookies earlier this month and the girls gave some to their teachers. We made the dough for these cookies (I followed the original as I had the smaller size box of butterscotch pudding) and Maple Spice cookies and they are chilling in the fridge right now. We are going to make them for Santa.

Our Best Christmas Tree Ever

2010-12-23T21:07:00.000-08:00

We always go to Fred Meyer's for our Christmas tree. This year we misread the price and picked out a more expensive tree than we planned. We went back to the garden area to pick out another one but my husband loved the tree so much we bought it. It really is the best tree we have ever picked!
After letting the tree soak in a bucket over night it was time to decorate. Princess A picked her new Clara ornament Daddy bought them at the Nutcracker this year to put on the tree first.

Princess G picked the same ornament to put on the tree first.

Here is our finished tree!

I really do believe that this is our most beautiful Christmas tree!

Giveaway: Original Pledge

2010-12-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

My husband does most of the cleaning so when the Pledge arrived I handed it over. He is a big fan of Pledge but he usually uses the Pledge Wipes. My husband likes he only needs one product to clean so many surfaces. In our house he uses it on wood, laminate, stainless steel and leather. Pledge can also be used on marble, granite and automobiles. Of course with the holidays lots of cleaning is happening in every one's home.

Giveaway
One of my readers can of Pledge.

To enter: Please leave a comment with a time saving cleaning tip.

(If your email is not available on your blog please include in comment.)
US only
Ends 12/31/10 at noon PST.

Extra Entries: (please leave a comment for each extra comment)
1.Follow my blog (button on side of blog)
2. Follow me @SillyMommy on Twitter (leave your twitter name in comment)
3. Blog about contest (2 entries, leave link in comment)
4. Tweet about contest (leave link in comment, may tweet once a day)
5. Enter another of my giveaways (listed on right near top, one entry per giveaway entered)

This post was written for Family Review Network & SC Johnson who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Christmas Parade

2010-12-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

The girls were in a Christmas parade together.

This was Princess G's first parade, Princess A was in the same parade last year and wore the same costume.

Aren't they so cute as an elf and a reindeer?
The parade was so much better this year, it was warmer and we were closer to the beginning so it was a much shorter wait. They both had so much fun and this year they also handed out candy to the crowds.

Review: Barbara’s Bakery

2010-12-22T19:25:00.000-08:00

I was sent a Gift of NO box. My girls love to snack and when they snack I like those snack to be as healthy as possible. My girls were most excited about the Snackimils because there was a Hippo on the package. Princess G loves anything to do with hippos. I like that the snacks and cereals are free of hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, refined sugar, trans fats, artificial additives, and high fructose corn syrup. The girls like that they taste so good. I did have a taste of the the yummy cheese puffs but with my jaw (it was dislocated last week at the Dentist) I have not been able to try the cereal. I really miss eating cereal, hopefully I will be able to try them next week (well if any is left.)

In honor of Barbara's Bakery's 40th birthday, Barbara’s Bakery is saying NO to the bad stuff, and YES to natural foods, and want you to encourage you to do the same!

Barbara’s says NO to:

■Hydrogenated Oils
■Artificial Flavors
■Artificial Preservatives
■Refined Sugar
■Trans Fats
■Artificial Additives
■High Fructose Corn Syrup

Barbara’s Bakery recently launched a Facebook promotion allowing users to Give the Gift of No to their friends on Facebook. On Facebook, through the end of December, users visit the the Barbara’s Bakery Fan Page to Give the Gift of NO to their friends. It only takes a few simple steps and as a thank you for spreading the Gift of NO, users will receive a Barbara’s product coupon for every three Gift of No’s given!

This post was written for Family Review Network & Barbara's Bakery who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Giveaway: BofA giftcard and Time-Saving Tips For the Holiday Season

2010-12-21T00:16:00.000-08:00

I love the holidays but there never seems to be enough to get every thing done (especially if you lose a few days due having you jaw dislocated just a week and a half before Christmas!) I really meant to get everything done before school was out for the holiday break but I didn't. I dragged the girls to the post office, the library (twice, I turned in the case without the DVD), grocery store, and the mall. They were quite the troopers and I even bought them stocking stuffers and they did not even notice. One nice thing is that with all of the shopping I am doing I can check my bank balance almost anywhere and at anytime. Bank of America has lots of tips and tools to help save time which is especially helpful this time of year.

Bank of America solutions:
Bank on the go: It’s easy to set up mobile banking and secure access to your money wherever you are. Download the mobile banking app and you can check balances, transfer money, pay bills, and locate ATMs. Sign up for text banking and you’ll be able to send a text message to get your balance instantly in a reply.
Make quick and easy deposits: With Bank of America’s Deposit Image ATMs, you simply feed checks or cash into the ATM with no envelopes or deposit slips required. You get images of your checks and a list of cash deposited on your receipt as proof.
Save a trip to the bank: Keep track of your spending by using Bank of America’s online banking: set up alerts, check balances, and transfer money.

I must say I really like using online banking. I am one of those people who like to have my bank account balanced to the penny. It is so much easier for me to see my account information on my computer instead of calling on the phone and writing down which check, deposits or withdraws have posted.

Bank of America also has some great time saving tips that have nothing to do with banking:
Holiday Time-Saving Tips:
Avoid backtracking: Use “route planner” feature on MapQuest, it helps you save both time and money by mapping out an entire journey – with multiple stops – all in one convenient step. You can add up to 26 destinations along any route, and the tool gives you the fastest route.  (I can't wait to use this!!)
Babysitting or playdate exchange: Gain kid-free time to make your way through your holiday to-do list by coordinating a playdate exchange with another family.
 Find a holiday helper:  Save time and relieve stress by finding a holiday helper to assist with household chores and last-minute errands.  (My holiday helpers are my kids. I don’t hesitate to to mention that Santa is watching and asking then to do a little extra around the house.)
Make sure it's in stock: Nothing wastes more time than driving from store-to-store in search of a specific item.  Do yourself a favor and call ahead or better yet check store inventory online before you leave home.  (I already did this a few times this month. I checked online for a toy at Target, and I called ToysRus and Walmart looking for a certain gift for my husband and another gift for my kids. I was able to get the store to hold what I needed or if they did not have it I saved a useless trip.)
Wrap it up: Socialize and wrap up your holiday duties by inviting your friends over to chat, nosh and yes, wrap gifts! Everyone brings a roll of wrapping paper, ribbons and other decorative elements to share with the group.  (I have a wrapping party with my kids. They love wrapping for family and friends. We listen to Christmas music and nibble on cookies.)

Giveaway
One of my readers can win a pre-loaded $50 gift card from Bank of America.

To enter: Please leave a comment with your a holiday time saving tip.

(If your email is not available on your blog please include in comment.)
US only
Ends 12/27/10 at noon PST.

Extra Entries: (please leave a comment for each extra comment)
1.Follow my blog (button on side of blog)

2. Follow @BofA_Tips on Twitter (leave your twitter name in comment)
3.Follow me @SillyMommy on Twitter (leave your twitter name in comment)
4.Blog about contest (2 entries, leave link in comment)
5.Tweet about contest (leave link in comment, may tweet once a day)
6. Enter another of my giveaways (listed on right near top, one entry per giveaway entered)

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Bank of America and received a Bank of America preloaded gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate. The giveaway is coordinated by A Silly Mommy of 2 Silly Girls and fulfillment will be handled by Mom Central Consulting.

mOmma Baby Feeding Products Review

2010-12-20T22:25:00.000-08:00

I was sent the mOmma Rocking Cup and the mOmma Soft Spoon. Before I mention how great the two products are I first have to gush about the packaging! They were both so easy to open. When I first saw the packaging I figured I would need the scissors to cut through the hard plastic and hope I don't cut or scratch myself. Instead the front and back just come apart. There is a small plastic loop that prevents the packaging from opening enough to get the product out but the loop is so easy to cup and to get the product out. Sorry but the easy open packaging really made me very happy!

Now on to the great mOmma products. First the Soft Spoon. It reminds me of a weeble, they wobble but they don't fall down. The part of the spoon that goes in your babies mouth does not touch the surface the spoon is resting on. Besides not falling out it is just fun to use. The spoon is also great when away from the house because it comes with a cover. You could draw a face on the cover and have a cute toy for your baby to play with while getting their food ready. I really like that the cover is easy to get on and off but it never fell off on its own.

The second mOmma product I was sent is the Rocking Cup. The cup, just like the spoon, rocks back and forth. The cup does not come with a separate cover because instead the straw gets tucked into the lid. To hide the straw you just twist the green part of the lid. These mOmma products are so innovative and just plain fun to use. What I like too is that not only are they products you will use in feeding your baby but they are entertaining for a baby so they can be a mealtime toy and feeding product.

This post was written for Family Review Network & mOmma who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Vittorio Grigolo "The Italian Tenor"‏ Review

2010-12-19T10:09:00.000-08:00

My husband loves listening to opera music and he was very excited when I was Sent Vittorio Grigolo's The Italian Tenor. As soon as the CD arrived he listened to the music so he could pick his favorites to put on his ipod. He put the whole album and is still enjoying the music. I love listening to the music too. If I close my eyes I can imagine that I am in Italy. I just feel transported when I listen to the mesmerizing music. A beautiful album that I would recommend to anyone and especially those who enjoy arias.

From Sony:

The Italian Tenor presents arias from three great operatic composers - Gaetano Donizetti, Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini. These include Donizetti's “Una furtiva lagrima” (L'Elisir d'Amore) which was made famous by Enrico Caruso, whose famous performance of the aria paved the way for the opera's return to the repertoire after years of neglect. Equally as beautiful is “Spirto gentil” (La Favorita) in which the lead character laments the loss of his love forever.

I was not compensated for this post. I was provide a copy of the album to facilitate my honest option.

Pacific Northwest Nutcracker

2010-12-18T20:52:00.000-08:00

Every year we attend the Pacific Northwest Nutcracker and every year it is just as magical!

We actually bought out tickets in July when they go on sale. I know it is hard to think of the holidays in the summer but it is our tradition.

Daddy always sneaks off while we are making crafts and buys them something from the gift shop. Here they are holding their Clara dolls from a previous visit and the new miniature jewelry boxes Daddy got them that day. Daddy also purchased a Clara ornament for each of the girls. It was the first ornament on our tree this year.
This year we had a surprise for the girls, at intermission we got to go back stage. The girls were just so excited to see backstage. Intermission is not very long so it was a quick tour but so magical. We got to see how the waves are moved, to touch the 'snow', say 'Hello' to the Peacock and the grown-up Clara. We also saw the Chinese dancers and the Sugar Plum Fairy
practising. As we were leaving we also saw some of the mouse costumes and so much more.
Princess A has not stopped talking about going backstage and even shared it with her class.
There is still time to see the Nutcracker this year as they shows until December 27. It could even be a Christmas gift. Princess G's teacher mentioned that her daughter has asked for tickets to the Pacific Northwest Nutcracker this year. I sent her a link to special offers on tickets and I suggest you check too as the Nutcracker is a great family tradition that we will continue for many, many years!

New Possibilities

2010-12-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

What do you want to happen in the new year? I have been thinking lately that I need to do things a little differently. I love my life but how could I make it better. I realized that I need to take better care of my self. I am relatively healthy but I don't really get the exercise that I should. There have been many health scares and catastrophes in my family lately. My brother-in-law suffered a traumatic brain injury and at one point they thought he would never wake up. Luckily he is practically back to his old self, nine hard months later. If you met him you would never know, as his family we notice small differences, but only small things. My father was also diagnosed with cancer around the same time. Long story short, it is melanoma in his lungs and somewhere in his neck (they never did find the primary location). He seems to be making a full recovery but all of these things made me want to take better care of my self. My first step was to get a physical. Beside being checked when I was pregnant I have not had a full work-up since I was in my 20s, right out of college. I am also going to get a full body mole check next week. Many family members have had skin cancer but, until my dad, it was always Basel cells. Hopefully nothing is found and I am healthy. Assuming that, I need to get in even better health. I have decided to start swimming again. As a child I was on a swim team all through grade school. I was really good at Butterfly that is what I was always assigned for the IM medleys (four person relay and each does a different stroke.) As soon as my girls are back in school in the new year I am going to swim laps twice a week. I do go swimming with my two girls but as they are beginner swimmers I need to be right next to them the whole time we are in the pool.
I also want to eat healthier. We already eat lots of fruits and vegetables but I will admit that I do not eat the recommended 5 servings everyday. I do eat 5 servings on some days but not every day. I want to reach my 80s at least and luckily my family does have longevity. Almost all of my grandparents and great-grandparents lived into their 80s and some their 90s. But I don't just want to be alive I want to be ALIVE. I want to have a full and active life and to do that I need to be health. Now right now I have just a little over 2 hours by myself after I drop my girls off at school before I have to be back. Now next Fall I will have over 6 hours. Soon I will have to think of the possibilities available then.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network blogging program, for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

About OWN: The New Oprah Winfrey Network New shows. New faces. New possibilities.
OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network is a multi-platform media company designed to entertain, inform and inspire people to live their best lives. OWN will debut on January 1, 2011, in approximately 80 million homes on what is currently the Discovery Health Channel. During the OWN launch weekend, viewers will have the chance to see a little of everything OWN has to offer. OWN programming includes original series and specials, all focused on entertaining, informing and inspiring people to live their best lives.

Giveaway: Fancy Pals by Aurora (Perfect Gifts)

2010-12-16T12:01:00.000-08:00

My girls just love stuffed animals and have just started getting into cute purses. Aurora Fancy Pals is perfect because it is both. Each comes with a so sweet plush animal and a cute carrier which they can also use as a purse just like my girls do. The plush animals are just so soft and sweet. We received the black and white puppy and the purple kitten. They both came with a cute pink carrier/purse with hearts on them. Aurora is the same company that makes those oh so cute YooHooFriends (see my previous review). Aurora makes great quality plush animals. They are so soft and so far have held up to lots of love from my girls. What a cute gift for that special little girl or girls in your life. I like that the cute carriers can be used as a purse too. My girls like to use them as a regular purse when they play store (they use monopoly money to buy stuff). They also use them to carry anything and everything. We also have quite the collection of strawberry shortcake dolls (some were mine), ponies, princess dolls, star wars figurines and other stuffed animals which ride in the purse when it has become plane or even a boat in their imagination. Of course they also use the carrier to carry their new friends. They named their new friends, Oreo the puppy and lollipop the kitten.
I was just at Claire's today picking up hopefully the last Santa gift for my girls and I saw a huge selection of Aurora stuffed animals including YooHoo&Friends and Fancy Pals.

Giveaway
One of my readers can win a Fancy Pal of their own.

To enter: Please leave a comment with your favorite Fancy Pal

(If your email is not available on your blog please include in comment.)
US and Canada only
Ends 12/30/10 at midnight PST.
Extra Entries: (please leave a comment for each extra comment)
>1.Follow my blog (button on side of blog)
2.Follow me @SillyMommy on Twitter (leave your twitter name in comment)
3.Blog about contest (2 entries, leave link in comment)
4.Tweet about contest (leave link in comment, may tweet once a day)
5. Enter another of my giveaways (listed on right near top, one entry per giveaway entered)

I was provided 2 Fancy Pals necessary to facilitate my candid review.