a continuing story about family life - parenting, cooking, gardening, DIY-ing, crafting, and living near Dallas, Texas
So the time has come and you are asked to bring Valentine’s Day cupcakes to your child’s class party or event. Maybe you tried to sign up for plates and napkins, but you were too late. (ha!) So what do you do when you want a cute, easy cupcake recipe for Valentine’s Day? This is it! View Post
Thank you Allstate for sponsoring this post. I chose to write this post because doing good in local communities is at Allstate’s core.
Our boys are ages 5, 8, and 10 and while some days they frustrate me, most days they make me proud. I am constantly amazed at what they are thinking and doing at their ages. When I heard that one of my kids stood up to others bullying a friend at lunch? Amazed. Would I have done that at his age? Most likely not. When my kids tell me their ideas of how they want to help others, I think how I am pretty certain at their age I was only concerned with myself. And it is not just my kids, it’s across the board. No kid is perfect, and we should not pressure them to be perfect, but it is inspiring to me, as an adult, to see the genuine love and kindness in kids’ hearts these days.
If you don’t believe me, check out this video to see how these kids, inspired by Allstate, are making an impact in their community. Allstate’s dedication to the communities where they live and work is core to who they are and it shows in this video.
This post has been sponsored by Del Monte®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January means a lot of things for different people; but for our family, it means basketball! All three of our boys are playing basketball this season. Ben and I are assistant coaches, so it is getting BUSY! View Post
The nights are becoming cooler and that means it’s soup season! I have made a collection of hearty and filling soups, chowders, and stews made with real food! No condensed soups, processed foods (that you can’t omit or substitute,) just real, delicious food ingredients. If you stumble upon a recipe made with canned condensed soup, there is always a way to make it homemade. Try this recipe for homemade cream of mushroom soup!
Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Peanut Stew with Sweet Potato
Awesomely Fantastic Homemade Chicken Soup
Black Bean Soup in Cumin-Dusted Bread Bowls
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup
Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Kale Soup
Green Posole with Shredded Chicken
Romanian Meatball Soup with Rice
Low Carb Turkey Soup with Zucchini Noodles
Instant Pot Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Thai Turkey Cold Busting Hot and Sour Egg Drop Soup
Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
Spicy Corn and Sweet Potato Chowder
Southwest Chowder with Cornbread Dumplings
Simple Corn and Clam Chowder
Paleo Moqueca Brazilian Fish Stew In The Slow Cooker
Creamy Cauliflower & Crab Soup
Zucchini and Yellow Squash Soup with Rosemary and Parmesan
What is your favorite cold weather recipe?
I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.
There is something about a cup of hot chocolate that makes winter and Christmas THAT much better, don’t you think? Especially when it is cold outside (which often it isn’t in Texas,) a cup of homemade hot cocoa is just comforting. Our two youngest boys really love hot chocolate, so I have made quite a few recipes over the years. I even love to make Spicy Hot Cocoa for those who love a spicy kick or when I have a cough or sore throat.
This post has been compensated by Best Buy. All opinions are mine. Enjoy movie night or the big game with a Vizio TV and these popcorn recipes!
Have you ever sat down to watch your favorite TV show, movie, or sports game and realized that you really needed a TV upgrade? You have your favorite kind of popcorn and beverage, but the image quality just isn’t up to par? It’s time to head to Best Buy and check out the VIZIO P-Series 55” Class 4K HDR Smart TVs.
The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. Give the Gift of Great Sound with Polk Speakers from Best Buy
Star Wars toys and collectibles never go out of style because The Force is strong with boys and girls of all ages.
We’re hosting a Disney Blogger giveaway to give you a chance to win a Star Wars Gift Pack – Holiday Jumbo Toy and Collectible Bundle — valued at OVER $600! Can you believe it?
The Christmas Star Wars Products Giveaway is hosted by: The Positive MOM and Disney Mom Guide and co-hosted by:
Mommy’s Busy, 4 Hats and Frugal, Bert M Anderson, Comic Con Family, My Mommy Style, Fans of Mickey Mouse’s House, Christy’s Cozy Corners, Embracing Diversity, Mamas Mission, Cleverly Changing, WhollyART, Ginger Casa, Wheelchair Daddy, Local Mom Scoop, An Open Suitcase, Unprocessed Jess, Two Married Geeks, Ask Mama Moe, Raising Three Savvy Ladies, It’s Free At Last, Funtastic Life, A Savings WOW, En Tus Zapatos, JA Monkey, Clementine County, Gay NYC Dad, Little Family Adventure, Wife Mother Runner, Pretty In Baby Food, Teacups and Fairytales, The Jedi Father, and Lady and The Blog.
There is no purchase necessary! One (1) fortunate WINNER in the U.S. over the age of 18 will receive a Star Wars Gift pack, with new collectibles and toys inspired by our favorite characters, old and new – a $600+ value. All entries will be verified, so make sure they go through!
So… what Star Wars toys and collectibles can you win? Only the best in the galaxy! Here’s the list of all the goodies your Star Wars Gift Pack includes:
Hallmark Christmas Ornament Star Wars Darth Vader
Star Wars I Am Chewbacca Tank Top
AND…
We are all so excited to join powers to make someone very happy with this amazing Star Wars gift pack!
Which of these Star Wars products is your favorite? May the odds be in your favor!
This post was sponsored by Sphero as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Sphero BOLT and Sphero MINI – The STEAM Gifts Tweens Really Want!
Our oldest son just turned 10 and that has proven to be the beginning age of a very tricky time for gift buying! He wants electronics, of course, but isn’t quite there yet. He does not really want toys, but wants cool gadgets made for him that will challenge, excite, and entertain. Sphero BOLT and Sphero MINI are just what he wants and I’m happy because it keeps him thinking and problem solving.
Upon opening the Sphero BOLT and Sphero MINI, he was quickly able to locate the charging port and start charging, (which was good because I couldn’t find it at all!) While it was charging, we read the inserts together. We downloaded the Sphero Edu app and when they were fully charged, started playing! He grabbed the Sphero BOLT first and got the hang of it pretty quickly. The app is pretty user friendly, and he has had experience with other Sphero products, so he was moving the Sphero BOLT around and having fun with it in no time.
The first day he used the Sphero BOLT, our 7 year old had basketball practice. This is always a trying time for me and the other brothers because they cannot get out on the court to play, so I suggested that we take the Sphero BOLT and I’m glad we did because it provided great entertainment! I wish I had taken my camera because it was a fun thing to see the brothers on the floor playing together while their other brother was at practice! (I WILL be downloading the apps on the iPad or not in use iPhone in the future so I can get my phone back, however… 🙂
As a parent, it is always fun to see what the boys gravitate towards individually. One brother has always liked building with blocks, while the 10 year old likes technology more. The Sphero BOLT provides him with the mental stimulation that he needs to stay engaged and having fun, and I like that he is learning while playing. All three brothers really like interacting with the Sphero BOLT, although it is geared for kids ages 8 and up.
With technology playing such an important role in our lives today, I know that kids need to learn about Science, Technology, Arts and Mathematics (aka STEAM) to enrich their lives and prepare them for a career as an adult. The Sphero products really help with STEAM when it comes to kids at home. They learn at school, but home is “downtime,” where it is a temptation to just veg out in front of the TV or video game. Sphero BOLT and Sphero MINI provide an opportunity to keep learning and keep practicing those STEAM skills while having fun and “playing.” My kids, and many other kids DO think STEAM is fun, but Sphero is helping all kids to see how fun it can be. Sphero is a leader in this industry because they believe play and education work together seamlessly. Their high-tech consumer robots engage children in hours of play through app-enabled driving, games and sports. I was amazed, and I think my son was too, when an hour had passed because he was so engaged!
Sphero BOLT is an app-enabled robotic ball that works with the Sphero Edu app from nearly any mobile or desktop device. Kids can program, discover awesome community-created activities, or just drive and play. The 8×8 LED Matrix animates and displays real-time data. Kids can create and customize games and learn to code by drawing on the screen, using Scratch™ blocks, or writing JavaScript text programs.
The Sphero BOLT also features infrared communication, allowing your robot to “communicate” with other Sphero BOLTs, enabling brand new games and advanced coding tactics. Equipped with Bluetooth SMART and a durable, waterproof shell, Sphero BOLT is a great way to learn and play.
Sphero MINI is a tiny, but powerful app-enabled robot. Use it along with the Sphero MINI app to play games and program it with the Sphero Edu app using JavaScript.
Sphero MINI has a little gyroscope, accelerometer, and LED lights. Colorful, interchangeable shells are available, so you can easily switch one out to suit your mood.
11/28 to 12/1 – Spend $100 and get 15% off – visit Sphero.com for more information.
The holiday season is a time for delicious food and family time. The flavors of the season are to be enjoyed and allow creativity in the kitchen. My favorite Christmas flavors are cranberry, mocha, and peppermint, and these beverages all bring a new dimension to the season!
My guys all love the delicious drinks of the season, from hot chocolate to cranberry drinks. We like to have lots of non alcoholic drinks for Christmas on hand because all of our events are kid friendly. I have made a collection of 20 tasty drinks to satisfy and intrigue all of your family members this season. They’re all non-alcoholic so even the littles can enjoy them (but it would be easy to add alcohol if that’s your wish!) View Post
