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Tommee Tippee Spill Proof Cup (Review)

19 Mar

Picture 6

The adorable designs would be great for an Easter basket stuffer!

The adorable designs would be great for an Easter basket stuffer!

My girls have the busiest schedule.  We are constantly on-the-go whether we are headed to school, play dates, or dance classes.  I usually throw a sippy cup of water for the girls in my purse or stroller and run out the door.  More times than not, water ends up all over the place.  I recently received the Tommee Tippee Spill Proof Cup.  The girls love the adorable designs of their cups and ask to use them all the time.  The other day I put them in my bag to take to dance and to my surprise they didn’t spill.  I had my oldest daughter turn hers upside down and shake it to see if water would come out and it didn’t. Ideal for Toddlers on-the-go.

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20130319-211752.jpgAbout the cup (info from the Tommee Tippee website):

Our Explora Truly Spill Proof Drink Cup has a sipper spout specially designed to help your toddler practice open-cup drinking – and it’s non spill. The Truly Spill Proof Drink Cup looks just like a fashionable grown-up cup, with a sipper spout that encourages open-cup drinking action. What’s more, it’s insulated too, so your toddler’s drinks stay cooler, fresher and more thirst-quenching for longer.

  • Lid interchangeable with all Easiflow cups
  • Insulated to keep drink cooler for longer
  • 9 oz. Truly Spill Proof Drink Cup – great for on-the-go drinking
  • Dishwasher, microwave and sterilizer safe
  • Suitable for babies aged 12 months +
  • BPA-free

Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation for this post.  I received a set of cups for the purpose of this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.  Information in italics are from the Tommee Tippee Website.

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Friday Fun: Popcorn Pals

18 Jan

20130117-202720.jpgFriday nights used to mean a late night out with friends, now they mean snuggling on the couch as a family and watching movies. Of course, we have to have popcorn with our movie otherwise it wouldn’t feel like a movie theater. I had to share these amazing popcorn bowls because many friends have asked where I bought them. My mom purchased them for my girls when we went to Disney World last year. I have searched online because they would make a great gift and are perfect for movie nights. I found these adorable Disney popcorn buckets at Your WDW Store. The set includes four small buckets (Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy) and one large bucket with Mickey and friends. These buckets will also come in handy for National Popcorn Day which is celebrated tomorrow. :)

Image from Your WDW Store.

Image from Your WDW Store.

Disclaimer: I have never ordered from this site. It was the only place I have found other than at Walt Disney World parks to purchase these adorable popcorn buckets.

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Bed Time Wars

27 Jul

Bed time is the hardest time for us, especially in the summer.  Last night, we started our bed time routine at 5:30 and yet my youngest was still awake at 10 o’clock.  Our bedtime routine usually consists of a bath, brushing teeth, some IPAD time on the couch, then we slowly transition to the bedroom for a book and a game of 5 things (we come up with 5 things and the girls make a story).  And yes it is the 4 of us in the room on the bed. It usually takes an hour to an hour and a half to get both of the girls to sleep. Recently, both have left the room wanting water, a trip to the bathroom, or one last book.  It is a very tiring process, leaving little time for my husband and I to catch up on shows and talk. The next issue is the middle of the night, at least one if not both of the girls comes crawling into our room and we have to bring them back or give into little feet kicking us in the back.  And then comes morning…sometimes my friends are still at the bar when the girls are waking up for the day.  I try to tell them that 5 is not a reasonable time, especially when they go to bed at 10 some nights but they are full of energy (the kind I get when I have my triple shot latte).  How in the world do I get them in bed at a reasonable time, to sleep through the night, and stay in bed until a reasonable time?

I was shopping yesterday and stumbled across the Zazoo Kids Photo Clock.  The clock has a display of a sun when it is a proper time to be awake and a moon when it is time to rest or be sleeping.  I have heard about a similar clock but what I love about the Zazoo Clock is that it can be personalized and if the alarm clock does not work for the girls it can be used to play music, videos, and audio books.  It can also be used as a cute digital picture frame.  See the Zazoo website for more information.  It retails for around 89.99.  A little more than I would like to spend but if it will get my girls to have a regular sleep schedule it’s worth every cent. Now I just have to decide if I want to try it. :)

Disclaimer:  I did not receive compensation for this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.  All photos and information about the product is from the Zazoo website.

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Silly Goose….

24 May

My 2-year-old runs around telling my 3 1/2-year-old and her daddy that they are a “silly goose”. She has quite a personality and is always acting “silly” so I may have called her a “silly goose” once and now she has it stuck in her head. Last week, I was at a Stella and Dot / Rowe party and purchased a great pair of earrings from Stella and Dot stylist, Brianne, and scooped up a couple of the Jane Jenni plates from Wendy, founder of Rowe (a new company with unique gifts and awesome vintage jewelry). I was so torn on which plates to choose for the girls(see photo on right). I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I am HORRIBLE at making decisions. I ended up passing up the “silly goose” because I didn’t like the color and went with “social butterfly” for my 3 1/2-year-old, and “cutie pie”, for my 2-year-old.

When I got home I started re-thinking my decision so I decided to look up Jane Jenni to see if I could order the “silly goose” plate online. Well, I found so many adorable products: lunch boxes, forks, cups and plates with so many fun personalities that remind me of my girls and now I am back to being indecisive again.

I spy a father’s day gift…my husband reads the girls Goldilocks every night before bed . Image from Jane Jenni

Love this lunchbox! Image from Jane Jenni

Party Animal Fork/ Cupcake Topper. Image from Jane Jenni

What is your favorite Jane Jenni?

What’s your personality? Image from Jane Jenni

Choosing their favorites.

“When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade”

13 Apr

When ever we go out to eat Maddie always asks for lemonade.  While I was visiting my parents a few weeks ago, it was about 80 degrees one day and there were a few girls with a lemonade stand at the end of the street.  It got me excited for warm weather and made me want to move to the suburbs so the girls could set up  their own lemonade stand on hot summer days.    I was looking through a Chasing Fireflies catalog I got in the mail and came across the cutest lemonade stand supplies.  I started thinking about how the girls could set up their stand and found recipes for snacks they could make to sell.  I’m not sure who is more excited about the idea of having a stand, me or the girls. Here is the stand I have in mind for US for the day we move to the suburbs or maybe we’ll just take a trip to my parents and set one up there:

Cardboard lemonade stand $78 (Image from chasing-fireflies.com)

Personalized decals for lemonade stand...I wish I could put two names on there. $28 (Image from chasing-fireflies.com)

Lemonade dispenser $128 (Image from chasing-fireflies.com)

What we would have:

Lemonade (flavors would change)  Maddie loves strawberry lemonade.  Here is a recipe I found from Emeril on foodnetwork.com.  We are going to try this weekend because the forecast says 80 on Sunday and Monday.

Image from foodnetwork.com

SkinnyTaste’s Pink Lemonade Confetti Cupcakes:  The girls saw the picture of these cupcakes and wanted to go out and get one.  I am definitely going to make these for them soon and would be perfect if they have a lemonade stand.

Image from SkinnyTaste.com

Taste of Home’s Soft Lemonade Cookies:

Image from tasteofhome.com

Lemon Square Bars from AllRecipes.com:

Image from allrecipes.com

All this recipe searching is making want to start baking all these delicious treats.  The girls and I better get to the store to get the ingredients. :)

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Soup From A Straw

10 Apr

Eating Beet Soup with Mushroom Ravioli

My girls LOVE soup so much they could eat it for every meal.  It doesn’t matter what vegetables are in it they will slurp it all up.  The only problem with soup: it is challenging for them to eat.  They get frustrated when the broth falls off their spoon when they attempt to take a bite.  It usually takes a few tries before they get a good bite and then the soup contents usually end up EVERYWHERE.  Recently, the girls started using a straw to drink the broth and then they use their spoon to eat the rest of the contents of the soup whether it is pasta, veggies or meat.  It has worked out well and has left their table clean.  Last night the girls had soup for dinner.  While they were eating I decided I would surf the web for a straw/ spoon combination so they don’t have to keep switching back and forth between straw and spoon.  I came across the Sip-N-Spoon Straw during my search.  It looks ideal for cereal, milkshakes, smoothies, and SOUP.  I will have to get a set for the girls.

Sip-N-Spoon Straw (Image from perpetualkid.com)

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Eating Out: Cups for Kids, Meals for Kids, Why Not Utensils for Kids??

5 Mar

Whenever we go out to eat, the girls have difficulty using the adult size utensils and throughout the meal one or more of their utensils usually ends up on the floor. I always wonder why kid-friendly restaurants have kids cups, kids meals but never any kids utensils. Over the weekend, I was looking through a One Step Ahead magazine and stumbled across this child size flatware set that would be perfect for restaurants to set for children who dine.  Unlike most utensils for kids which are bright-colored or have a character on them, this set is made of “durable, high-gloss stainless steel which inspire grown-up manners” (One Step Ahead).  I am going to have to invest in a set for when we play “Fancy Restaurant“, when we have friends over for a nice dinner, or to take with us when we go out to eat.  Kid-friendly restaurants should definitely consider investing this great utensil set.

Disclaimer:  I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

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It’s a plane, It’s a train, It’s… Time to Eat!

16 Feb

I have a few baby showers to go to over the next couple of months.  I came across this adorable Oogaa mealtime set which would go perfectly with a food theme gift.  Unfortunately I had already purchased gifts off their registry or I would have definitely bought this set.  The Oogaa mealtime set is perfect for babies learning to eat as they are introduced to new foods.  I can’t even tell you how many times I pretended the spoon was a plane and had to “ZOOOOOMMMMM” it into the girls mouths.  I never did a train “chugging” into the tunnel (mouth), but I am sure they would love that too.  I still find myself “pretending” to get them to eat the last couple of bites.  Not only does it help get the food into their mouth but they get a kick out of it too.  Maddie saw me writing this post and asked for this set.

The Oogaa mealtime set retails for $16.99 and comes with a 9oz bowl and 2 spoons (1 plane and 1 train).  The spoons and bowl are silicone and come in a variety of colors.  They are safe for dishwasher, microwave, oven, freezer & electric sterilizers (Oogaa.com).  

Image from Oogaa.com

Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation for this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.  I have never seen or used this product up close, but it was too cute not to share.

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GREEN*UNIQUE*SANDWICH

10 Jan

We go through sandwich baggies like crazy in our house.  I use them for snacks and sandwiches for the girls when we are on the go, meeting friends for a picnic in the park, and when Maddie brings lunch to school for days she stays after.  Not only do I use them for food, but I use them to store Maddie’s play jewelry and small parts to her toys.  I throw out so many bags because I have used them for food or they are ripped easily when the girls play with the toys.  I was on Etsy today and stumbled across handmade reusable sandwich bags by WasteNot Saks.   All bags are hand made with a cotton exterior and a nylon interior and are machine washable. A few of my favorites (images from WasteNot Saks):

Pink Elephants WasteNot Sandwich Sak

Rock On WasteNot Sandwich Sak

Fruit Stand WasteNot Snack Sak

Other sites to find reusable sandwich and snack bags:

ReUsies: Check out their cute prints and their drying rack.

Doe Eyed Two Pack, Image from ReUsies.com

LunchSkins: Check out their super cool prints Sub-size Bags

Snow Flake LunchSkins Bag, Image from LunchSkins.com

Not sure how they will work for the toys but GO GREEN, SAVE MONEY and give your child a UNIQUE look to their LUNCH and SNACK!

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FunBites For Every Meal

19 Dec

Meal time is a constant struggle in our house.  First I have to prepare the meal, which is difficult when the kids are battling for attention or screaming.  Then having to cut it in pieces because they love to use forks and are unable to cut themselves.  And getting them to eat the meal is another battle in itself, primarily for my older daughter, Maddie.  Pela, my youngest, will eat almost anything in front of her but Maddie is the complete opposite.  I am always looking for new ways to encourage the kids to eat, whether, they help pick the menu, help prepare and cook the meal, or getting creative and making shapes or faces with their meals.

I recently was introduced to FunBites.  I received a sample, for review, a few days ago and have used it for almost every meal since opening the package.  The first time I used  FunBites, Maddie was a little reluctant to eat it because she did not want to mess up the shapes.  She also only wanted squares, which surprised me because she is always drawing hearts.  But after a few minutes of talking to her and watching Pela eat the fun, bite-sized shapes, she ate hers.  Now she asks for “funsize”, what she calls it, when I make breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Some information about FunBites:

Created by Bobbie Rhodes, mother of 2, who found herself spending a lot of time cutting food into tiny, bite- sized shapes to make meal- time fun and less stressful.

Image from FunBites

FunBites  creates bite-sized magic featuring a cutter that quickly cuts food into small bites, curved blades that make cutting simple and a matching popper that instantly pops! out fun-shaped bite-sized pieces – so hands are clean, food is untouched.

Available in two fun shapes Luv it! (creates one big heart created from 10 geometric shapes) and Cube it! (creates 12 bite-sized squares).

FunBites is BPA free, works on any surface and is top shelf dishwasher safe.

FunBites has been a great addition to our meal time.  With a simple rocking motion you can turn food into bite-sized shapes for any meal.  We have used it on omelets, bread, pancakes, pizza, quesadillas and even pork chops.  The only meal I had difficulty using it on was the pork chops but managed to break through but needed to pull a few pieces a part. It was still easier than cutting it into small pieces.  FunBites is small enough to fit in your purse or diaper bag to bring along when you go out to eat.  They are also great for a last-minute stocking stuffer. Visit www.funbites.com to purchase and to find out more.

Thank you  FunBites!

FunBites for Breakfast:

Ham and Cheese Omelette Squares with Heart Bread and Butter

Yummy FunBites!

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Our Pancake Person

FunBites for Lunch:

MomMadeMeals Pizza Pocket with a FunBites touch.

FunBites for Dinner

FunBites Soy, Ginger Pork Chops (a little tough to cut but managed to do it)

Loving FunBites!

Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation for this post.  I did receive a LuvIt! and CubeIt! FunBites for review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

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