Danielle – Page 26

Finding Time For Lunch: Useful Tips for Keurig Users

October 20, 2015 by Danielle

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Campbell Soup Company for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Whether I am working outside the home in an office or inside the home as I am now, one time of day that I almost always forget about is lunchtime. Because of work that has to get done, another customer reaching out for help, or a child sleeping on me, lunchtime hasn’t been a priority for me even though it should be. Luckily with the new Campbell’s® Fresh-Brewed Soup® Broth and Noodle Mix, I can brew up a delicious snack within a minute or so and eat on the go or at my laptop. And with the small noodles and diced veggies, I can also feed my daughter at the same time. Win-win!

Campbell’s new products are almost effortless to use. Simply pour the package of noodle and vegetable mix into a mug, add in a seasoned chicken broth mix k-cup to the Keurig, and brew! Let the soup sit for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are soft and enjoy a nice hot cup of soup. and just in case you were worried, the soup does NOT taste like coffee and their coffee will NOT taste like soup.

Looking to turn this snack into a little more at lunchtime? Consider doctoring up your Noodle and Vegetable soup with a few additions.

Turning Your Campbell’s® Fresh-Brewed Soup® Broth and Noodle Mix Into A Meal

Shred some roast chicken (or other protein) and stir in
Add in some fresh spinach
Add hot sauce or sriracha
Top with sliced green onions
Enjoy!

There are many different combos to add to your @campbells soup to create the perfect lunchtime solution for your busy life.

I love the convinience of having A delicious line of soups made at the touch of a button with your Keurig® brewer. Perfect to enjoy anytime as a satisfying snack! Not only does it save me time, but it’s also easy to prepare even if I only have one hand free.

Need more lunchtime inspiration? Check out these delicious Campbell’s recipes.

What are your quick fix meals for lunchtime?

Filed Under: In the Kitchen, Lunch, Uncategorized

13 Thanksgiving Crafts and Decoration Ideas

October 19, 2015 by Danielle

Yes, I know Halloween is right around the corner and I haven’t even finished my son’s Minecraft Spider costume, but my mind is skipping over to Thanksgiving already and I’m planning out our Thanksgiving meal. In addition to planning out the meal, I also want to include a few handmade crafts and decor ideas to the table and home to create a festive time for everyone! I’m already eyeing those rice krispy treat corns and our pinecone turkeys for the kiddy table dessert.

A few years ago we also had great response to our turkey napkin rings as well. They aren’t just for the kiddy table either! The adults enjoyed them as well.

We’re also going to help set up a fun Thanksgiving meal for my son’s school so we’ll be using a few of these crafts as things the kids can do after their party. Keeping things simple and creative will make them even more excited about what we have in store. Plus their parents will have a cute momento from that year’s holiday.

13 Thanksgiving Crafts and Decoration Ideas

Yellow Inspired Thanksgiving Table from Made with Happy

Disguise a Turkey from Create-Celebrate-Explore

Easy Thanksgiving-Themed Rice Krispies Treats from Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care

Thanksgiving Treat Boxes from Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care

Pine Cone Turkey Craft Place Cards from The Simple Parent

Grateful Turkey Box with Printable Note Cards from About A Mom

DIY Hanging Turkey Hands from JadeLouise Designs

Fun Ways to Eat Healthy For Kids During the Holidays from Simmworks Family

Turkey Craft for Little Kids from Family Food and Travel

Handprint Thankful Trees from Adventures in Wunderland

DIY Thanksgiving Hot Wheels from Desert Chica

Thanksgiving Place Cards – Free Printable from Home Cooking Memories

Thanksgiving Humor: Turkey as it was never meant to be from Still Blonde After All These Years

Do you decorate the home for Thanksgiving?

Filed Under: Crafts/DIY, Holidays, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized Tagged With: decor, holiday decor, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving crafts, Thanksgiving decor

Tips On Securing Volunteers At Your Next Fundraiser

October 18, 2015 by Danielle

Today we’re sharing tips on securing volunteers at your next fundraiser with help from our sponsor, VolunteerSpot. You can read on to find out our success at our most recent Fall Festival fundraiser.

As I’ve mentioned, over the past few months I’ve worked on the committee to plan and run the Fall Festival at my children’s school. Over the span of 6 months we worked hard at finalizing all of the details about the festival, including how to secure volunteers for the various game booths, food booths, and more. From the beginning we knew that our volunteers would make the event a success.

And they did! From the parent volunteers who manned the booths, to the church volunteers helping to sell raffle tickets, to the teacher volunteers who helped sell tickets and everyone else in between. Our event was a success because of those supporting and helping run it. Along the way we learned a lot about what we did right, what we did wrong, and how to make next year amazing.

Tips On Securing Volunteers At Your Next Fundraiser

1. Make It Easy –

It all starts with signing up volunteers. And that needs to be easy. Early on into our planning our Volunteer Coordinator set up a VolunteerSpot account and was able to set up shifts for all volunteers for each day of our festival. We were able to share the link via email, posters, social media and our website to allow volunteers to choose a shift and sign up. It also allowed us to keep track of each volunteer and send them reminders before the event. Plus? It’s easily accessible on mobile and desktop!

2. Have A Point Of Contact –

At the event we printed off our volunteer list from VolunteerSpot and as volunteers came to the event they checked in with our Volunteer Coordinator 10 minutes prior to their shift start. By having the Volunteer Coordinator share her contact information (email) with the volunteers, she was able to field questions, pass along information, and create a smooth and easy experience for all. She was also a friendly face to check in with at the event. For those who were new to volunteering at the event, they didn’t have to search for yet another person they might not know when they arrived.

3. Give Clear Instructions –

Communication really is key so we would also give the volunteers a run down on how each booth was running and if we ran into anything in the previous shift. Along with checking in, each volunteer was given written instructions on what was expected and how the area they were in was being run. We not only had clear signage at each booth sharing how to play each game but also instructions for the volunteers on how to take care of game tickets coming in as well as what prize tickets to give out.

4. Provide Childcare –

One bit of feedback we had received in years past was that our parents could not volunteer their time because they lacked the proper childcare for their shift. So this year we reached out to the preschool staff to ask if they were willing to provide childcare at the event. Not only would we be able to help our parent volunteers, but we were also able to market our preschool to potential families looking to send their little ones to our school.

5. Thank Your Volunteers –

After any fundraiser, there’s nothing more powerful than a heartfelt, handwritten note. Now while it may sound like a lot of work, thanking your volunteers personally will let them know just how important they are to your cause and how much you appreciate them.

Have you had success when recruiting volunteers? What are your tips?

Filed Under: Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: education, funding, fundraising, School, school funding, sponsorships, volunteering

Ways To Find Me-Time As A Busy Mom

October 15, 2015 by Danielle

Life is busy. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a little me-time. These ways to find me-time as a busy mom are sponsored by Texture. Use Texture to enjoy your me-time when you find it and catch up on all of your favorite magazines.

I don’t know about you but my life is busy. This week marks the end of a very long few months for me as I help my son’s school plan their Fall Festival.And it’s about to get even busier as we head into the holidays. Not only are the holidays busy because of friends, family, and events, but it’s also my busiest time of the year as a digital influencer.

For me, I know what my limits are and how much I can handle. But without a little me-time, I woiuldn’t be able to handle much. As a mom of three, all in different stages, I’ve come to realize that I need to take advantage of any me-time I can get. Even when that means asking someone for help watching the kids while I take care of myself. If I don’t take care of myself, how will I take care of the kids, right?

Finding breaks when I can may get a little tricky, but by taking advantage of even the little bouts of quiet I have in my life, I’ve been able to reduce my stress and relax a bit. And I just found an app to make breaks a lot more enjoyable. Now with Texture, I have all of my favorite magazines right at my fingertips. So when a break presents itself, I take full advantage! Including those few minutes I have in the bathroom alone to myself with the door closed (and locked). I may or may not go in there just to get a break sometimes. Hey! It works…

Ways To Find Me-Time As A Busy Mom

1. Find Time For A Hobby You Love

I have many hobbies that I love. Sewing, crocheting, DIY projects, cooking, etc. But one thing I don’t have much of is time. So I incorporate my hobbies into my lifestyle. As part of the planning committee for our Fall Festival, I took over a few crafty things on the list so I could get my creative juices flowing and create things.

Whether it was building an easel sign, creating a cardboard cut out for the photo booth, or painting a banner, by volunteering and committing to a group of people, I “made” myself find time for my favorite hobbies. By either scheduling time for your hobby, or volunteering your skills for a local school, church, or organization, it’s easier to make the time available for yourself.

Need ideas? You’ll find plenty when you subscribe to Texture through the Next Door app. Not only do you get all of your favorite magazines right at your fingertips, there’s also ones in there that may inspire a new hobby!

2. Challenge Yourself

Similar to finding a hobby, consider creating a challenge for yourself. When I first got married I knew nothing about cooking and baking. I mean I could scramble an egg and make some toast but I was nowhere near comfortable in the kitchen. So I brought it upon myself to learn how to cook. I would take recipes from my favorite magazines like Cooking Light or Bon Appétit and choose 3 new recipes a week to try out. I’d make a list of groceries I needed to buy and slowly began not only learning how to cook, but also stocking my shelves, spice rack, and fridge with the staples our house needed for meal time.

Recently I also started to challenge myself to eat clean. Not only for me but my kids as well. By trying to prepare whole foods and reduce the amount of pre-packaged items I bring in the house, I’m starting to change my kids way of thinking. This is a HUGE challenge for me. With the help of Clean Eating magazine, I’ve been able to get a few tips on incorporating this new lifestyle easily. Now this may not sound like me-time to you, but if I can get 10 minutes to read a magazine I’m interested in, and get tips on recipes to try or snacks to eat, it eases my mind and reduces the stress that may surround change.

3. Take Advantage Of Naptime

It’s hard for me right now because my 8 month old usually naps on me, but I take full advantage of naptime when it comes. As I type she’s happily nodded off in dream land and I can watch her eyes flutter and hear her little sounds. Naptime equals me-time. And each time one my kids stopped taking naps, I shed a little tear. During naptime I not only work, but I also take advantage of the down-time and grab my Surface Pro 3 to catch up on the fun magazines I have in my library on Texture. I have an article on Wired open up right now that I’m dying to finish about Marvel.

The one thing I don’t do during naptime unless absolutely necessary? Clean. It’s just not worth my me-time. It’s all about balance, right? And cleaning can happen either when the kids are playing outside or another time I find during the day. My sanity is a little more important than a clean house so I choose taking a moment to relax a bit or work.

4. Hire A Sitter

I’m pretty lucky. I have family around that I can call and ask to help watch my kids if I just need to get out of the house. Whether it’s getting a pedicure or massage, taking a walk to the park, or sitting outside catching up on the latest issue of National Geographic, having that time available and knowing that my kids are somewhere safe in loving arms is important.

I’ve even done a little exchange with friends where I’ll go to their house or they’ll come to mine. My girlfriend would bring all of her mail over and sort it as I watched the little ones playing in the playroom. Or I’d get an article written while she played with them outside. There are a lot of ways that one can find a few minutes to decompress before jumping back into life.

How do you find me-time?

Running October 1-29, anyone who uses the Texture app will be entered to win their choice of either a GoPro HERO4 Session, a Tory Burch Quilted Clutch, or an Xbox One. Every other day, we’ll be randomly selecting a Texture user to win.

To enter, users just need to visit http://bit.ly/1RiAnnj, start a free 30-day trial, and use the app.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Texture.

Filed Under: Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: magazines, me-time, Next Door, Texture

Fall Favorites: Pot Pie + Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

October 14, 2015 by Danielle

This shop featuring our fall favorites including Pot Pies and this delicious brussel sprouts with bacon recipe has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PotPiePlease #CollectiveBias

I have a confession to make. I never had brussel sprouts until two years ago when I had them at a restaurant event. One of their specialty sides was their fried brussel sprouts with pancetta. And oh my word were they good! That’s when I started making brussel sprouts at home. And I’ve finally perfected the recipe. I don’t know why but eating them just feels comforting. Savory, tasty, good.

The best part? They pair perfectly with all of our favorite fall meals. Including our favorite pot pies from Marie Callendar’s. They go with just about every variety too. So when my husband wants to enjoy a delicious turkey pot pie but I want chicken, we can still enjoy the same side dish with our meal. I always keep a bag of brussel sprouts in the fridge and pot pies in the freezer for that last minute comfort food meal.

The best part about keeping a well stocked freezer – with plenty of Marie Callendar’s pot pies – around this time of year are the guests we have stopped by unexpectedly around the holidays. I already know that both my mom and my brother are making their way out here in a two months so instead of planning then when everything will be crazy, I plan now and grab a few extra when we’re at Walmart.

You can find Marie Callendar’s pot pies in the Dinner aisle of the freezer section. They’re super easy to spot next to the other Marie Callendar’s meals in the freezer.

Oh, and a little bonus tip: you can use pre-cooked bacon in this recipe OR regular bacon. Whatever floats your boat. Also? Pancetta is a welcomed substitution as well. Yum! This meal takes a total of 20 minutes to take and that’s more than welcomed around the holidays so we can spend more time with our family instead of in the kitchen.

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
4-6 pieces bacon, diced
1 pound brussel sprouts, sliced
drizzle of olive oil

Grab a large skillet and heat on medium high. Add butter and cook until it is browned and smells nutty.

Add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add bacon. Reduce heat to medium and toss in brussel sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil. Let saute for about 15 minutes or until brussel sprouts become golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!

What’s your go-to comfort meal to have on hand in case guests come over during the holidays?

Filed Under: Appetizers & Sides, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: bacon, brussel sprouts, easy recipes, Keto Friendly, LCHF, Low Carb, Recipe, Recipes

5 Ways To Show Your Dog Affection

October 13, 2015 by Danielle

Finding ways to show your dog affection should be easy. I’m serving my dog The Nutro™ Company as part of a sponsored series with Socialstars. And to appease his wishes. Because, you know, he’s a little demanding. I kid… #HonestToDog

This old boy. He’s getting slower. He’s not as active. And he’s more interested in naps these days then long walks. But that doesn’t mean we stop showing him affection. Dogs are easy. Feed them, water them, clean up after them, and most importantly, love them. I’ve grown up with dogs for the majority of my life and through each relationship I’ve built with my pets, the relationship I have with my dogs has come to be the strongest.

Perhaps it’s their undying affection. The fact that no matter what, as soon as I open the door from a long day out they’re there wagging their tail (some wagging their whole body!) and ready to shower me with love. And that would make anyone feel good.

But I have to be honest. Sometimes I walk through the door and am trying to rush in to get dinner started, or put away groceries. And this old boy is standing in my way waiting for his love. Waiting for a simple pet on the head and some acknowledgement. And instead I rush past wondering why he has to always be in my way. But as soon as I get to where I was headed I realize what I did and am immediately filled with guilt. He just needed a pet. Just needed some love. So I’m going back to basics and re-teaching my family how to show Scout the affection he deserves.

The kids don’t need much re-teaching. The baby is obsessed with him and even says some form of “dog” when reaching out to him (something along the lines of daga at the moment). And the big kids love to walk him and give him treats.

He doesn’t “play” much anymore but when he does, it’s when the kids rile up the chickens and get him excited too. Or when we take him to the beach and he can frolic in the waves. They tire him out. We don’t go often enough anymore because sometimes the walk from the car to the water is exhausting for him. I’m considering getting a beach wagon. You know, for the dog.

But there are still a few things that he absolutely loves. And that’s what I’m going to try and focus on.

5 Ways To Show Your Dog Affection

Stay Active – whether it’s walks, runs, or simply heading off to a dog park or beach, dogs are active pets and require exercise. This is an added bonus for us humans because it forces us to get up and go. And just because my dog is slower with old age, he can still enjoy a bit of swimming in the ocean.
Praise and Reward – now reward doesn’t necessarily mean treat, it can also equal a fun ball, or a chew toy. And even a nice, long scratch or massage. Basically when your dog is behaving, shower them with love to reward them for their good behavior.
Fun Activities – I don’t know about you but I like to bring my dog out and about. So we try and include him in the fun activities we do as a family. Whether it’s walking around a street fair, taking a hike, or a leasurely walk with the family to Dairy Queen around the corner, he comes with.
Snuggle – I don’t know about your pooch, but the one thing mine LOVES is a good snuggle. He’s 85lbs and pretty lanky but he *thinks* he’s a small lap dog and will always jump at the chance to climb into my lap. Giving him a few snuggles every now and again changes his whole demeanor.
Acknowledge – I know this is a given but as I mentioned before, it can be something that escapes my mind. So I am making a conscious effort to acknowledge my dog each and every time I walk into the door. He waits for me patiently and is excited by my presence, so why shouldn’t I reciprocate?

With all of the praise and love I show my dog, I know the most important thing is to make sure he’s healthy. And that means feeding him a nutritious diet. Luckily I have NUTRO™ Rotations™ dog food to take care of his dietary needs. Not only do we have a great dog food to offer him, but we can offer him variety through the NUTRO™ Rotations™ line of foods. We can even feed him a similar meal to our own! And when it comes to travel, we can bring it along and not have to worry about running out and having to offer another variety when on the road.

Only NUTRO™ Rotations™ offers a solution to feeding variety with digestive stability. That means when you switch up from the Lamb and Potato recipe to the Chicken and Brown Rice recipe you don’t have to worry about slowly introducing the new recipe. NUTRO™ Rotations™ dog food, an exciting new way to add some variety to your dog’s diet, lets you confidently switch from one recipe to another with no transition between bags – it’s that easy. And I like easy!

How do you show affection to your pooch?

For more ideas on how to feed your pooch well, visit The Nutro Company on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

®/™Trademarks of © The Nutro Company 2015

Filed Under: Pets, Uncategorized Tagged With: dog food, Dogs, Nutro, pets

The Importance Of Bedtime Stories

October 9, 2015 by Danielle

This post is sponsored by First 5 California but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Ever since my kids were babies there’s one thing we always do. And that’s bedtime stories. From the time they could crawl into our lap for some last minute snuggles before bedtime, they’ve soaked in the time we spend right before shut eye exploring a new book or story. From simple baby board books pointing out different animals or places to go, to us reading them classic Dr. Seuss or Robert Munsch books, to them reading us their first books, this time with our children is cherished.

Books are important. And reading to our kids are just as important. Did you know that, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, simply reading to your child every day will give them a higher success rate in school? And by simply having books in the home that are easily accessible, you can encourage your child to read more. We believe in this so much that we have a bookcase in just about every room in the house… including the kitchen!

The Importance Of Bedtime Stories

By not only having books in the house but reading every day to your child (even just 10-20 minutes a day!) you can encourage literacy in your child and set them up for success. Even if they aren’t reading yet, having the love of hearing a good story from you, and bonding with them in the process, will help them in the long run. Here are a few great stats to prove the importance of bedtime stories:

1. Practice!

According to the National Education Association, having kids read a lot is one of the crucial components of becoming a good reader. Young readers need to become practiced at recognizing letters and sounds. The only way to get good at it is to practice. Twenty-six percent of children who were read to three or four times in the last week by a family member recognized all letters of the alphabet. This is compared to 14 percent of children who were read to less frequently. By practicing at home with those who love them, they can have a safe area to practice reading without feeling like they’ll be judged for not knowing a word or a letter.

2. A Partner In Education

As a parent, I want to play an active role in tehir education. By starting to read to them young and creating a a time for us to read as a family during our bedtime routine, we’re sharing our love of reading and learning with our kids. The substantial relationship between parent involvement for the school and reading comprehension levels of fourth-grade classrooms is obvious, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Where parental involvement is high, classrooms score 28 points above the national average!

3. Finding A Love For Reading

I remember when I first started to love books. The feeling of starting to read a good book that whisks you away into another world, another time, another universe. It’s an amazing feeling. And I cannot wait for my kids to jump in as well and experience that love. The U.S. Department of Education found that, generally, the more students read for fun on their own time, the higher their reading scores. Finding that love of reading can impact their future education.

Great Bedtime Story Books (4-8 Years Old)

Adventures

Freddy & Frito And The Clubhouse Rules – Introducing the adorable pair – Freddy, a fox, and Frito, a rart – in a story about the joys and struggles of friendship. In her exuberant debut as author/illustrator, Alison Friend illuminates a truth about friendship: showing that best friends stay together both in fun times and in frustrating ones, too.

The Big Ideas Of Buster Bickles – No one appreciates Buster Bickles’ big ideas until his uncle invents a machine that turns his imagination into reality! Robot dinosaurs and ice cream mountains are only the beginning in Emmy-award winning animator Dave Wasson’s debut picture book – with a “What-If” machine, anything is possible!

School Time

Just a Teacher’s Pet – Join Mercer Mayer’s classic and loveable character, Little Critter, as he learns a special lesson about being a teacher’s pet in this I Can Read story!

Goose Goes To School – Goose is back in an all new school adventure! In this heart-warming follow up to GOOSE, readers will delight in Sophie and Goose’s next fun-filled adventure.

Eva and Sadie And The Best Classroom Ever – Sadie teaches Eva all about school in this adorable follow up to EVA AND SADIE AND THE WORST HAIRCUT EVER! Sadie learns that even though she’s a great teacher, it’s okay for Eva not to know everything before she starts school. After all, that’s what Kindergarten is for.

All About Pets

Itty Bitty Kitty – Ava wants a pet, but Mom and Dad say she’s too little. So when she finds a kitty, Ava decides to name him Itty Bitty and keep him a secret. There’s just one tiny problem: Itty Bitty starts growing and growing and growing… until he’s neither itty nor bitty!

Who Wants Broccoli? – Meet Broccoli, a lovable but rambunctious dog who wants to find a home. Broccoli lives at Beezley’s Animal Shelter and dreams of playing in a yard with a boy. Will Broccoli find his perfect home? A story inspired by Val Jones’ own adopted labradoodle, Fergus!

Two Girls Want A Puppy – Cadence and Emi desperately want a puppy, but their dad isn’t quite sure they’re ready for all that responsibility. With a little determination and a brilliant plan, the girls show their dad that they are ready to adopt one. Based on a true story abou two sisters and their creative plan to adopt a puppy!

The Berenstain Bears

The Berenstain Bears: When I Grow Up – It’s Career Day at the Bear Country School, but Sister isn’t sure what she wants to be when she grows up. A friend of the Berenstains, Professor Actual Factual takes Sister and Brother Bear on a special Bear Country job tour. Whether it’s firefighter or artist, farmer or astronaut – there is sure to be a career to capture Sister’s imagination.

The Berenstain Bears Are Superbears! – When Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear pretend to be their favorite superhero characters, they use their imaginations to find adventure all around the house. But when a neighbor falls off his bike, the SuperBears discover the true power of lending a helping paw in this brand new I Can Read story!

The Berenstain Bears Get Ready For School – It’s a busy morning in the Bear family house. Brother and Sister are getting ready for school, and they need lots of help finding their backpack, books and pencils in time to catch the bus. Share in the hustle and bustle with this exciting new lift-the-flap storybook.

Start Reading Early

Need more ideas on how to interest your child in reading OR to find great resources on the importance of reading to your little ones early? First 5 California is on a statewide mission to inform, educate and inspire parents and caregivers to talk, read and sing to their little ones starting from the day they are born.

Science tells us that 90% of the brain is formed by the age of 5, and recent research also reveals that more than 80% of a child’s brain is formed by age 3. As you know from being a parent, these early years are the most formative and life-impacting. You want your child to have a larger vocabulary not only do better in school, but are significantly less likely to make poor choices in the future.

The experts at First 5 California refer to the brain as a muscle that needs exercise – and that means “working out” through talking, reading and singing regularly. Talking can be as simple as narrating the day; reading doesn’t always need to be via books; recipes, newspapers and road signs are great (aim for 30 min/day total – can be broken up into 5-10 min increments throughout the day) and singing doesn’t require carrying a tune (First 5 California has a great children’s radio station on Pandora that can help!).

You can rely on First 5 California as a free trusted resource and partner to help give their children the best possible start to life. First5California.com/parents is full of informative tips and activities – everything from brain development facts/myths and brain-stimulating activities for ages 0-5 to healthy, easy-to-make recipes and general wellness information.

Need a comfy spot for your little ones to read in? Check out my Kids Reading Nook Ideas (and other great ways to encourage reading) by clicking on the photo below!

What’s your child’s favorite book? What’s yours?

Filed Under: Education, Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: books, early childhood education, education, literacy, Reading

Mom’s Night In: Halloween Inspired Book Club Party

October 9, 2015 by Danielle

Sitting back with friends enjoying delicious glass of wine and some yummy goodies is one of the best ways, I find, to unwind and relax after a long week. There’s something about the conversation with friends and laughter that follows that warms my heart and leaves me feeling relaxed. As I mentioned previously, I hosted a girls night in recently. We hadn’t done a book club get together and it was about time we started up again!

By the way… you don’t actually HAVE to finish (or even start) the book to attend book club. It’s more of an excuse to get out and do something with friends instead of staying at home. But I have found that it’s very motivating to at least try and finish a book before the next meeting. Even when that means reading during nap time, or right before bed while my husband reads my kids stories.

This time of year is perfect for Halloween-inspired books, so if you’re looking for a great book club suggestion, check out the various lists of Halloween books perfect for adults to indulge in and scare the crap out of you.

I may have alluded to the fact that wine is a staple at every book club meet up. While it’s not necessary, it does make the night a bit more fun! Especially as we chat about the happenings around us as well as discuss the books we’ve (tried to) read. I love having both a red and a white on hand to satisfy everyone. I personally love this cabernet sauvignon!

And paired with the wine is the delicious food. I opted to make some “Bloody Fingers” in the form of steak and brie sandwiches with a drizzle of Sriracha sauce on a puff pastry. Literally that simple. 4 ingredients and they pair so well with the cabernet sauvignon. Also served was an artichoke spinach dip (recipe coming soon!) and for a little dessert, the chocolate peanut butter ball monsters I made. It was the perfect amount of food for our little group!

“Bloody Fingers” Steak and Brie Bites

1 sheet puff pastry
1 steak, cooked and sliced thinly
1 wheel of brie cheese
Sriracha sauce

Defrost puff pastry. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cooking sheet with parchment paper. Grab one sheet of puff pastry and unroll/unfold. Using a knife, cut into half length-wise and thirds on the fold lines. Then cut each third into half. You should have 12 rectangles. put rectangles on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Once finished, carefully pull baked puff pastry apart into two pieces. Top each piece with steak, a slice of brie, and drizzle with Sriracha sauce. Enjoy with a glass of wine!

I also got a little festive with my chalk markers and the plastic wine glasses I picked up at the dollar store around the corner from our house. Non breakable and easy to decorate! The best part? The designs wiped right off with a baby wipe.

My girlfriends told me that next time they want to decorate their glasses so I plan on making it a thing now to put out the chalk markers and let the guests doodle on their glasses to mark which one is which.

The food spread was simple, wine yummy, and friends amazing. Definitely a night I needed!

What’s the last book you’ve read while enjoying a glass of wine?

Filed Under: Appetizers & Sides, Halloween, Holidays, In the Kitchen, Mom's Night Out, Party Ideas, Recipes, Uncategorized

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball Monsters

October 8, 2015 by Danielle

This shop featuring a delicious recipe for chocolate peanut butter ball monsters has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SpreadTheMagic #CollectiveBias

Sometimes I just get the urge to bake and create. Nevermind that I’m completely busy and have a very clingy 8 month old (how did that happen??) at my feet or on my hip all day, I can still find time for simple treats. Especially when that involves gifting them to friends. I don’t know why but after having a baby I feel as if my social life goes down the drain.

Oh, wait! Yes, I do know why. It’s because I can’t go anywhere past 7pm because the littlest needs her mama cuddles. And I’m totally cool with that. These moments won’t last for long and I’m enjoying them every single night. But that doesn’t mean that I can shake things up and invite the girls over to my place for a girls night in! And a girls night in means treats.

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball Monsters are an awesome sweet treat to serve at a Halloween themed party. Not only are they super easy to make (you’re looking at the ingredients below), they taste amazing! Like Heaven in ball form. And? This Peter Pan’s NEW Simply Ground peanut butter gives it the perfect amount of crunch with every bite! Why? Because you have the smoothness of a creamy peanut butter with a hint of crunch. I also needed a container to send leftovers home with the girls so I upcycled the peanut butter container into a cute gift box. Easy peasy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball Monsters

1 jar Peter Pan Simply Ground peanut butter
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
green candy melts

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the peanut butter, butter, and salt in a microwaveable bowl, and heat in the microwave for about one minute or until just soft (check and stir the ingredients every 20-30 seconds). Stir in the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and mix until it has the consistency of a stiff dough (add more sugar if necessary).

Roll the dough into 1 inch round balls. Place on the cookie sheets and refrigerate until firm (several hours or even overnight). You can also place the peanut butter balls in the freezer and freeze until firm (this makes them a LOT easier to dip in the melted chocolate).

Melt the candy melts in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Stir and melt again another 30 seconds. Repeat until melts are completely melted. Dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate, making sure the entire ball is coated with chocolate. Then, with two spoons or a dipping fork, remove the peanut butter ball from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the baking sheet. Add a monster eye or two to the balls.

When all the balls have been dipped in the chocolate, place in the fridge until the chocolate has set. Once set, add more decorations to the balls if you’d like. I choose to add hair to a few of mine using black icing. Once done, serve and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to two weeks. They can also be frozen but probably won’t last that long.

You can taste a little crunch in each bite!

Upcycled Peanut Butter Container Treat Boxes

Once you’ve made your monsters, let them chill out in the fridge until your guests arrive. In the meantime you can make some treat boxes for the guests to bring some chocolate peanut butter ball monsters home.

1. Grab that empty container (or two) of Peter Pan Simply Ground peanut butter and wash it well with hot water and soap. Using a scraper (or a sponge) take the label off completely and throw it away. You should have a perfectly cleaned, clear jar to work with. LOVE the wide mouth of this container for easy cleaning (and scooping out the PB).

2. Now you just grab some sticker paper OR duct tape in whatever pattern compliments your themed treat. we had some fun sticker paper we picked up at the dollar store a few weeks ago as well as some Halloween themed stickers so we used those.

3. Measure out how wide the strip of sticker paper or duct tape needs to be to wrap around the jar. If you’re using an 8.5×11 sheet of sticker paper, it won’t completely wrap around the jar but that’s ok, it’s nice to get a little peek at what’s inside. Cut the strip after measuring and adhere to the jar.

4. Then grab some twine, stickers, labels, or other decoration and decorate the top of the jar. I simply used the lid as a stencil to cut out a round piece of sticker paper to adhere to the top. Then I cut down one of the stickers to fit and whala!

My little peanut butter monsters have the perfect home to travel with my friends. And I don’t have to stare at peanut butter balls all week every time I open up the fridge. I don’t know about you but my willpower this time of year is pretty low so I like to send home as many treats with my friends as possible. Makes it easier on all of us!

Except I still have a few jars of Peter Pan’s NEW Simply Ground peanut butter in my cupboard. Did you know that it contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. And? No need to stir! Plus it comes in a wide mouth jar that makes snacking so much easier. Just open and dip right in! I want to grab a spoon right now.

Check out this coupon for a little savings when you pick a few jars up yourself from Walmart. You can find them in the bread aisle with the other peanut butter.

Do you send leftovers home with your guests after a get together?

Filed Under: Desserts, Halloween, Holidays, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized

10 Easy DIY Baby Costumes

October 7, 2015 by Danielle

Halloween is just around the corner and I cannot wait! Not only because it’s Halloween but it’s my youngest’s first Halloween. I love the holidays with a new baby! So many fun things to experience and do. I remember my oldest’s first Halloweentime. He absolutely loved the pumpkin patches, carving his first pumpkin (and eating the raw squash inside), and the fun party we went to with his friend.

In the spirit of Halloween, I love making my kids costumes most years. Sometimes they’re more difficult than others. However for the first Halloween? I love simple! Because babies don’t need a crazy, bulky, uncomfortable costume for their first Halloween. Here’s a list of easy baby costumes for your little one’s first Halloween!