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Kids Backpack from Lassig

June 17, 2013 by Melissa

Like mother like daughter. Shae is growing up to love bags. Backpacks, coin purses, lunch bags, it doesn’t matter. She spots them in stores or in my closet and wants to take ownership. Can you imagine her delight when I gave her this Lassig Mini Backpack.

Lassig is a German brand of bags and accessories. Their relaxed and functional fashions are coveted by the whole family in over 50 countries. The high-quality bags made by LÄSSIG pass modern mothers’ tests of daily use with flying colors and leave a lot of room for responsibility, fashion and a good conscience.

When I was approached to consider a Lassig product I immediately went to the kid’s products. I’m a sucker for cute designs but I knew I wanted something of substance for when Shae starts 1st grade. Last year’s backpack was cute but was definitely for a preschooler. The Lassig Mini Backpack is made from eco friendly materials free of PVC, nickel, AZO dyes, cadmium and phthalates.

Details likea large main compartment with three inner compartments, zip pouch and a snap hook for keys. the padded shoulder straps with additional chest strap ensure a comfortable fit all year round make this a bag that Shae can grow into for the next couple of years.

I’m eyeing the Green Label Urban bag. Even though it’s built to work as a diaper bag it’s definitely something I could use every day with or without my kids. We are past the diaper stage but I’m all for organized chaos in my handbag with compartments, pockets and hooks.

I hope you check out their selection of kids and family bags and other accessories. You are bound to find something you just gotta have.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs #recipe with Tyson Foods #WhatsYourTopping #CBias

June 13, 2013 by Melissa

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

Cooking is my job. While Rob is usually on weekend breakfast duty the bulk of the dinners and planning is my responsibility. I like to plan out what is going on for the week so that all ingredients are on hand. This week since the kids are on summer vacation I planned a couple meal solutions besides sandwiches. One of them was Pepperoni Puffs. This muffin shaped fluffy bite is a treat for Shaun and Rob and they can often be found in lunch boxes year round.

Using Tyson Foods Diced Pepperoni has never crossed my mind. In fact I had never heard of it before until I was sent to Walmart to shop for it.

Our Walmart is a one stop shopping center. We go there for everything; groceries, household items, sheets, toys and games and more. Shopping for Tyson Foods Diced Pepperoni I thought was going to be easy but finding it turned into an adventure. I stood in the Meats section looking around with no success. I had to ask an employee. We both located the diced bacon (which I also bought) but it took some digging to find the Pepperoni. Finally! On the top shelf, fallen over in a black box we found them. Not an ideal spot for such a great brand I thought. Luckily I bought 2 because when I went back 2 more times there was none to be found on the shelves.

When making the Pepperoni Puffs I snuck a few bites of diced pepperoni and was surprised at the level of spice. This is how I like my pepperoni. The first bag we used was gone in a day or two. It was used for a pizza topping and for pizza quesadillas. We use a ton of sandwich pepperoni in our house so I see having this on hand regularly for adding spice and flavor to a ton of different recipes.
The puff recipe is something I found somewhere online and doctored to suit our tastes. It can easily be adapted to house sausage, bacon or even chicken.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Ingredients

3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 TBLS Italian seasonings
pinch of red pepper flakes
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1tsp chopped garlic
1 cup shredded pizza blend cheese
2 TBLS parmesan cheese
1 cup Tyson Foods Diced Pepperoni
1 cup of pizza sauce, warmed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 24-cup mini muffin or 12 regular size muffin pans with liners.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and seasonings.
Add milk, egg, garlic, cheese and pepperoni and gently blend till combined using wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
Scoop into muffin tins.
Bake for 21-24 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
Serve warm or room temperature with pizza sauce for dipping.

https://lookwhatmomfound.com/2013/06/pepperoni-pizza-puffs-recipe-with-tyson-foods-whatsyourtopping-cbias.html

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Ingredients

3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 TBLS Italian seasonings
pinch of red pepper flakes
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup shredded pizza blend cheese
2 TBLS parmesan cheese
1 cup Tyson Foods Diced Pepperoni
1 cup of pizza sauce, warmed

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 24-cup mini muffin or 12 regular size muffin pans with liners.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and seasonings.
Add milk, egg, garlic, cheese and pepperoni and gently blend till combined using wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
Scoop into muffin tins.
Bake for 21-24 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
Serve warm or room temperature with pizza sauce for dipping.

These are something the kids have eaten for school lunch that doesn’t have to be kept cold or warm, room temperature is just perfect. The mini muffin size makes for a great pop-able treat for after school and for parties. Doubling the recipe is simple so they can be frozen for eating later on. Sandwiches and salads can get boring so this is a tasty alternative

Our Fun with #VisitLancaster

May 30, 2013 by Melissa

Thank you to Girl’s Lunch Out and Lancaster Tourism for providing the weekend away and experiences.

Finding family friendly adventures that everyone can enjoy are sometimes hard to come by. Recently we took a trip to Lancaster County, PA to Amish Country and were pleased at the things available to us. Even though the trip was just me and the girls I know Rob and Shaun would’ve love the weekend too.

In Lancaster County, PA you’ll find outlet shopping, scenic rolling hills, quality furniture makers and of course markets that sell the best products from the local Amish families. What you may be surprised about are the quaint attractions that are geared towards all members of your family.

Strasburg Railroad is home to museum quality, turn of the century steam locomotives, freight cars, dining cars and private cars. The railroad offers 45-minute rides several times a day overlooking the lush farmland of surrounding community. Choose to attend a special event like Day Out with Thomas or Traditional Dinner and Murder Mystery to enhance the excursion.

We were lucky to catch Vintage Baseball during our ride. We hopped off the train to watch a mini tournament of Vintage Baseball teams playing the way they would have played in the 19th century. The teams and crowds were welcoming and many were even in character from that era.

The Choo Choo Barn sounds like something perfect for the smaller kids in your family. but you’d be surprised to find 1700 square feet of animations and creativity with model trains. The detail put into this amazing display can only be truly appreciated in person.

Some of the best portions of the display are
• Amish barn-raising
• Three-ring circus and parade
• Display transformation into nighttime (every 10 minutes)
• Dutch Wonderland, enhanced with new lighting this year
• A house fire and the fire crew that puts it out

This is truly a must see for all ages, not just the train enthusiast either.

image provided courtesy of ChooChooBarn

If you are interested in knowing more about the history and tradition of Amish Country then The Amish Village is something you should experience. With an authentic farmhouse, one-room school house, blacksmith shop and barn you’ll be able to see and learn how the Amish lived and still live to this day.

We were able to see a calf, Freddy and pet his soft hair. This was Sabreena’s highlight, she has a thing for cows.
The entire grounds were open for exploration and education.

Our #VisitLancaster trip was short but packed in so much that I know we’ll be visiting again.

Creating a Memo Board with Cork Tiles #craft

May 29, 2013 by Melissa

I was compensated for this post but all opinions and experiences are my own.

For the last 3 years I’ve made good strides in making changes in our home to add my touch. We’ve purchased new furniture, hung extraordinary artwork, created statement pieces and painted walls. Each project is important to me and serves a purpose even if the purpose is strictly to beautify.

Joann’s Fabric and Craft Stores asked me to create my interpretation of a craft found in their Spring Cape Discovery catalog. Armed with the catalog and a head full of ideas I made my way to my local store to shop.My first trip produced things that ended up getting returned because my measurements were wrong and because my vision changed.

I used this ribbon memo board as my inspiration. The one found in the catalog had a beach theme with shells, starfish and a fishing net. At purchased my own accessories but ended up going with a more modern look in the end. Supplies

Black Grosgrain Ribbon
12 X 12 Cork Tiles
Textured Scrapbook Paper
Adhesives

The project was simple but the planning took the most work. i wanted to make sure my ribbons were not only useful but pretty. Each tile is draped with ribbon in different but complementary directions and decorated with quilled paper roses. Each flower was cut and twisted by hand. All I needed was 1 sheet of paper.

The tiles are now taking up residence next to my small desk in the living room. It’s pretty enough that it doesn’t take away from the rest of the decor but it’s also very useful. My next step is to decorate some thumbtacks with black buttons, a nicer tough than plain silver.

Thanks to Joanns for giving me the inspiration to add this touch to my work space. Don’t forget to check out their extensive project ideas when in need of your own inspiration and sign up as a preferred customer to receive notice of great sales and money-saving coupons.

Comfort in the Kitchen with GelPro Ergo Series

May 27, 2013 by Melissa

Washing Dishes, chopping veggies or stirring a hot pot are not top in my list of favorite things to do. In fact these very specific things are literally a pain in my back, my lower back especially. We have ceramic tiles in our kitchen and they aren’t very comfortable to stand on for very long times. There is no give in them as there are with some hardwood and cork floors.

Mats made for the kitchen are helpful, they offer some cushion. But Gelpro mats offer a whole new kind of cushiony comfort. The even better Ergo Comfort Rug™ is a brand new product starts with an incredibly soft designer accent rug that sits on top of a therapeutic comfort mat with a built-in non-slip rug pad. The ¾” high-density comfort mat will not bottom out like memory foam mats and prevents pain and fatigue caused by standing.

The Ergo Comfort Rug™ is easy to care for, just vacuum, spot clean or machine wash as needed. These rugs add warmth and comfort to any kitchen, bath or laundry room.

As you can see the dogs love it too. It’s just big enough for them to take up the space next to me if I’m on it. Shae and Shaun call it the foot cush.

Each night it get beaten, swept and vacuumed and it still looks great. My parents have had Gelpro mats in their kitchen forever and now I know why. I’d love another one for my prep space at the island but for now I just scoot it over if I know I’m going to be there for a while. Rob actually doesn’t like it. Since he’s so tall it makes it uncomfortable for his to wash dishes for an extended time as he has to lean to reach into the sink. #TallManProblem I say.

These rugs are 22” x 34” and retail at $69.95 online or at stores like Bed Bath and Beyond other Kitchen and home retailers and the best thing is they are proudly Made in the USA!

Our #VisitLancaster Stay at Bird-in-Hand Family Inn

May 16, 2013 by Melissa

Amish Country, Lancaster County is a pretty popular tourist destination here in the US. In fact it looks like 10 million people knew better than me because I had never been to Lancaster, PA before. Even sadder to learn is that it is only an hour from me.

Luckily we were invited to visit Lancaster a couple weekends ago. I used it a chance for a girls weekend, just me, Shae and Sabreena.

The day started early but it quickly turned very enjoyable. The ride into the different world was an experience all on its own. The scenery, farms, rolling hills, cows, cows and more cows, the buggys and the quaint homes and shops were hard to miss.

The Bird-in-Hand Family Inn was situated right on the main road but was tucked away enough to be peaceful and relaxing. We were greeted with smiles and treats for the animals in the petting zoo.

I didn’t do much research on the hotel before arriving so when I found out they had an outdoor fire pit, pond with gazebo, miniature golf, basketball courts, large playground and a complimentary 2-hour Amish Farmland tour I was shocked.

Settling into our room was easy. It was spacious and clean and best of all had plenty of towels. We relaxed a little before heading out to the petting zoo and playground. The other parents and I chatted while the kids burned off energy before dinner. The playground nicer than most I’ve seen in communities at home and was large enough to accommodate lots of kids but it lacked a smaller structure to keep the toddlers safe from the older kids.

Dinner at the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant was decent buffet food. I discovered corn nuggets, YUM. The girls didn’t agree but whatever. The service was lack-luster to say the least. Servers were hard to find, cashiers were heavy on eye rolling at patrons and quick to judge mediocre tips in front of others. For such a large restaurant I thought there would’ve been more variety, Sabreena ended up ordering off the menu. She enjoyed her burger but was hoping for more than just the burger. It was a warm day and our water glasses stayed empty for a long time. In fact Sabreena spilled her ice and instead of someone coming to help clean up she was handed a stack of napkins and cold shoulder. I wish the smorgasbord had the same level of welcome and acceptance that the hotel did. These were two very different experiences at the same establishment.

The swimming pool was amazingly gorgeous. The boast of an “indoor pool” is usually a construction of a second thought cinderblock room with a pool not big enough to hold 2 families comfortably. These indoor pools, yes POOLS, we’re definitely spa worthy. There was ample room for lounging, jumping, splashing and flipping.

photo courtesy of Bird-in-Hand Family Inn

I think we may have had either too much food, swimming, sun or a combination of everything because around bedtime Shae got sick. She threw up the Jell-O she was so excited to eat at after dinner. Unfortunately she didn’t make it to the bathroom in time. We called the front desk and they immediately came up to help with the clean up. And my help I mean clean it up all by themselves. The gentleman was polite, incredibly quiet since it was after 10:30pm and gracious even though his task utterly sucked.

It took a long time to get to sleep because I was then panicked Shae would be sick again but by the time I relaxed and Shae crawled in bed with me we slept like babies. I found the beds to be comfortable and we even slept with the windows open. I would never do that in another hotel anywhere. It was a serene environment that just begged for sound sleep. I was wondering why I was hearing the clip-clop of horses around 2am though. Do the Amish work through the night?

There will be another visit to Lancaster, PA. I’m sad it’s taken me 38 years to visit but I’m hoping to get Rob and Shaun there in the next few month. I’m thinking Fall would be spectacular. If you followed along our trip on Instagram and Facebook you’ll see many more pictures from the weekend. Just look for #VisitLancaster for mine and the rest of the families experiences.

Thanks to Girl’s Lunch Out, Bird-In-Hand Family Inn and Lancaster Tourism for welcoming us “city folk” to your gorgeous worlds away from home.

Dunkin Donuts Seasonal Flavors

May 14, 2013 by Melissa

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Dunkin’ Donuts. I received a Dunkin’ Donuts Party Kit to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.”

The weather is warming up so that usually means I change my eating and drinking habits. Sitting on the deck with a steaming cup of coffee at the sun beats down on me isn’t very pleasant. I like to switch to cooler drinks that are more refreshing.

Dunkin Donuts knows how I think as is introducing new flavors that fit right into the season.

There’s nothing better than sharing the wealth with friends when you’re introduced to something fun and new.

Getting friends and family together for a Sunday afternoon is easy when you offer them goodies to take home. I was able to give each guest a reusable tote with a pound of coffee, Dunkin Donut’s coffee coupon and a large reusable cup.

Coconut
Sometimes you feel like fresh coconut coffee flavor. And sometimes, you really feel like it.

Triple Berry
You know what they say, “Three berries are better than one.” That’s a saying, right?

Strawberry Shortcake
Just one sip of our strawberry-flavored coffee and you’ll agree: Dessert should come first.

We served up iced coffee (strawberry shortcake and coconut) and snacks on a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

We gave our guests the options of iced with creamer or without. Rob likes his iced coffee without the addition of milk but definitely sweetened. The comments from our guests ranged from

Subtle sweetness that could be enjoyed cold or hot.

Tastes more like dessert.

I’m not a coffee drinker but I could have one of these every day.

These flavors are only around for a short time so stock up now while you can still find them.

The Many Steps for a Green Lawn with @HomeDepot #digin

May 7, 2013 by Melissa

This is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own.
Getting our backyard lawn to a state that we are proud of wasn’t hard but needed the right steps. We listened to the advice of the experts from Home Depot and following maintenance schedules so that we guaranteed ourselves good results.

One month after the first mow, application of fertilizer/feed and using a Flexogen garden hose by Gilmour to water we have the greenest lawn we ever had in this home. It took a few steps with a few products but it was worth it to give us something we want enjoy all summer long.

We started with a cleaned up yard. The kids helped pull weeds and toss rocks out of the grass. The shrubs were trimmed back and the garden beds were cleaned of weeds.

The grass was treated with Scotts Turf Builder 15.97 lb. Fertilizer with Plus 2 Weed Control We had heard some horror stories about this product from people saying it burned their lawn. The research we did found out that they were not applying correctly. We’ve had success in the past so felt confident in applying again.

In fact within days we saw a decrease in weeds and increase in plusher grass. We back up to a large community space that is filled with weeds so keeping them away from our yard takes a couple extra steps. We do some spot treatments using a weed and crabgrass killer. This works great for those mutant dandelions and spaces under the deck stairs or along the fence line. With just 2 applications the changes are incredible.

Another obstacle we have to contend with are the dogs. They are little dogs so their damage isn’t threatening to the entire look and health of the yard. We are filling in the bare spots with an repair seed.

The side yard was its own beast. The shrubs were so overgrown. Right now we have a mix of boxwoods, butterfly bush and peonies and everything has flourished just with a little extra care and nutrient. I’ll be honest and say I don’t spend too much time tending to that part of the house. It’s green when it needs to be, covers the dull concrete wall as people pull up and that’s all I cared about. This year I want flowers and shrubs that impress.

It’s home improvement time, and The Home Depot has everything you need to #DigIn for Spring. No matter what projects you want to tackle, they have great values on all you need. They’re ready to help you with renovation ideas and expert advice, too.

Get over $300 in email exclusive savings each year, sneak peeks on new products, monthly lawn & garden ideas for your region and access to The Home Depot’s gardening experts. Click here to join the world’s largest garden community today! Or go to homedepot.com/gardenclub to see some of the many benefits of membership.

Everyday Smokey Eye with Smashbox

April 30, 2013 by Melissa

We all can’t pull off red carpet inspired makeup. In my regular day I’m lucky if I wear makeup twice a week. The other days moisturizer and lip balm are my staples. BUT when the time comes I really indulge and sit in front of mirror and play with color and shape.

The smoky eye is one of those things that I’m not perfect at applying but using Smashbox Photo Op Eye Enhancing Palette in Soft Box gives me all the right shapes in one beautifully put together palette.

This is how I played with it. A soft smoky eye that could get me through a day of errands or dinner with Rob. This is with NO eyeliner, no mascara or lashes.

Smashbox is known for its saturated colors and long lasting wear. The neutral colors complemented each other and went well with my skin tone and can easily be combined with other colors from other brands. When I first started the browns were too dark but instead of washing away the base I already had I just buffed until it was muted enough for my liking. The gold shimmer was something new for me. I never realized metallics could offer such brightness without gaudiness.

The palette comes with a LARGE mirror and double ended application brush. I typically throw away included brushes but this brush actually was large enough that is was usable.

Smashbox Photo Op Eye Enhancing Palette in Soft Box is available online for $39. Don’t forget about its sister palette in Smoke Box.

CocoonKids for KlaasKids Safe Internet Browsing

April 16, 2013 by Melissa

It’s been said before that we are a very tech focused household. With mulitple laptops, smartphones, iPods, tablets and gaming systems in the house it’s definite that at least 1 person is plugged in at any given moment. Being a blogger you can imagine the amount of clicking around the internet that I do for reading, researching and browsing. That’s just the way it is for us.

The kids though don’t have as many reasons to be browsing the internet willy nilly. We’ve used different software and USB tools to monitor the kid’s web usage but over time it seems to become more of a irritant than anything else.

CocoonKids for KlaasKids is a different approach to safe internet access for kids since studies show 90% of children age 5-8 have access to a computer. In 1998 The Children’s Online Privacy Protection was drafted to protect kids online privacy. But since then the invention and explosion of technology with smartphones, WI-Fi, social media networks and mobile accessibility has made our children more susceptible to predators of a digital kind.

Simply doing a history search of the visited sites on your computer for that day puts you a step behind any activity that your children may have been involved in. Stop the potentially harmful activity before it can even happen with the Coocoonkids for KlaasKids toolbar.

A quick free toolbar download creates a safe internet browsing space for your kids. With preselected approved sites by you at their fingertips you never have to worry about them accidently clicking read more links or flashing blinking lights. Their space will be populated with the websites, blogs and activity sites you know are safe.

Using the already approved White List is a great starting point especially for littler ones. ABCMouse.com, Disney.com and StarFall.com are some of our daughter’s favorites. Clicking on a link that will take your child outside of the approved site will show them this.

This requires a password, your password when signing up. That password will allow access to THAT page just that time. It does not automatically add it to your approved sites. Clicking through that temporary site doesn’t work to access other sites. Each subsequent unapproved site click requires a password. Kids can’t bypass the installed toolbar without a password.

Sign up today for a FREE Cocoon account to experience these CocoonKids for KlaasKids Benefits
• Protects kids personal data from marketers and predators
• Protects the family computer from harmful downloads of viruses and malware
• Helps parents manage their family’s online lifestyle

*Installation on the Firefox web browser is required as the CocoonKids for KlaasKids works as an add-on toolbar.

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