Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Z Curve Bow & Zing-Shot Launcher-Review



My step son got a chance to have a great time with some new toys from ZING toys. He is eleven, almost twelve and loves to play with all sorts of things still. He definitely is a game console kid but, he also likes to play with his four year old sister and with his friends outside.

I showed him the toys and asked him what he thought. He thought they were "cool" and went outside to check them out. The Z-Curve bow and the Zing-shot launcher are all made with soft foam ammunition so these are safe for indoor and outdoor play. This is especially great for us these days as our temperatures go well above 100 degrees!

With the Zing-shot launcher the red "ammo" can shoot up to 45 feet with a quick load system designed for a friendly sling shot war between two active kids. He really liked the Z-Curve bow that enabled him to focus on a target and try to hit it. It's something he can do as target practice and something he can use to help with his aim. And of course, if he hits a person or animal by accident, no harm can come to them. That is something that I love as a parent!

One more thing I wanted to mention is that these are very affordable! The Z-Curve bow retails for $19.99 and the Zing-shot launcher retails for $9.99. Lots of Summer fun to be had.

Wordless Wednesday-New Friend

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Making Tuesday Tasty-Garlic Rosemary Pork Marinade

I love grilling this time of year and I love some yummy garlic and herb marinades. Here is just one of many versions of this marinade. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 boneless pork loins
Mustard-garlic rosemary marinade:
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup minced shallots
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon chipotle chili sauce

Directions

Rinse the pork loin medallions, place in a bowl. Combine the marinade ingredients and coat the pork loin pieces evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Grill the loins for about 5 to 8 minutes on each side. As the pork cooks, brush with marinade. Transfer the pork to a heated dinner plate and serve at once.

*courtesy of foodnetwork.com*

Friday, June 24, 2011

Fantastic Giveaways!

The Funky Monkey is giving away a GORGEOUS hand dyed tutu dress! Hurry ends July 2nd

The Not So blog and Pampers is giving away a 300 gift card to one lucky winner to host a baby shower for someone that could use it! Hurry ends 7/14/11.

Two Of A Kind Working On A Full House blog and Flixlab is giving away an ipad 2 to one lucky winner. Hurry ends 6/25/11

Trekaroo blog is giving away a Monday Madness trip! Win a two night stay at a Southern California Embassy suite of your choice! Hurry ends 7/10/11.

Mommy Mandy is giving away a Hoover MAX Multi-Cyclonic vacuum! Hurry ends July 6th!

Princess Costume Review


My daughter is a very typical little girl when it comes to her imagination and desire to play dress up. She loves the color pink! I know, big surprise there. She has many dresses that are for nicer occasions that we were either handed down or picked up somewhere. She only has one actual costume style and that's a fairy.

She loves them all, and changes probably about four times a day on average. Some people are probably already searching for costumes for Halloween already and some people are probably like me and want princess costumes, or some other really fun costume for their child for play.

I let her help me pick the fairy costume previously and this time I wanted to surprise her so I picked one out I knew she would love! Two prerequisites are pink and princess with my girl. I found the perfect one called the Princess Rose Child Costume. We got it and she had to try it on immediately. She was so excited. I pulled her hair up in a ponytail and then curled some of it. I made a cute little fluffy bun and took some pics. She has worn it every day since we've received it and I'm so glad she can have a good time, even while playing by herself!

*thank you wholesalecostumeclub.com for the awesome costume for review*

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Wordless Wednesday-Little Brother

Getting Mom's Place Fixed Up

Guest post written by Don Williams

My brother and I have been working hard to get my mother's old house in Maine fixed up and cleaned out. My mother is now living in an apartment home with other folks her age. The house was getting to be too much for her to handle, so we helped her find a good apartment community to live in. So far, it has been a great match for her. We had a lot of help from our friends getting all the junk out of the house. We also hired painters and found help from http://www.HomeProImprovement.com to get the exterior looking up to par before we help my mother sell the place.

We have been happy to help my mother. It's the least we can do. She has been there for us through thick and thin, and this I s the very least we can do. The house we are working on is the house we grew up in, so we've had a lot of memories come to surface recently. It's a little bittersweet getting this house ready to go on the market, but it had to be done. The earnings should be enough to help mom for a while.

Making Tuesday Tasty-Beer Can Grilled Chicken


It's Summer time and that means grilling! I love to grill and I love grilled food. It helps keep the heat out of the house and gives things a lovely flavor. Here's a Neely's grill recipe that is sure to please.

Ingredients
Beer Can Chicken Rub:
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
For the Chicken:
4 pounds chicken, washed and dried
Vegetable oil
Beer Can Chicken Rub
1 (12-ounce) can beer

Directions
For the chicken rub:

In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together and use for the grilled chicken. You can store extra rub mixture in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

For the chicken:

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.

Rub the chicken and its cavity down with the vegetable oil. Season the chicken with rub mixture, remembering to season the cavity. Pour out 1/4 of the beer and sit the chicken on top of the beer can. Place the chicken in the center of the hot grill and cover. Cook the chicken for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Once cooked, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

*recipe and photo courtesy of foodnetwork.com*

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Coloritbynumbers.com Review


My four year old was given the chance to play with a really fun application that I downloaded from coloritbynumbers.com. She played with the princesses and the animals. She LOVED the princess application of course, since she is a four year old with a huge imagination and flair for the girly. She was able to listen to music while matching her numbers with the color coded. She was fascinated by this and thought this was a special treat since she really doesn't do any applications or games on the computer.

What I Liked

I really like the fact that once these are purchased you can access them whenever since they are down loadable coloring books. Each book contains the option of coloring by numbers for your little one to learn how to count and match with the colors. The illustrations are of good quality and the child has the option to erase color, color by numbers, or color in the colors they choose. It's available in multi-languages, and contains music and sounds for atmosphere while the child is coloring.

I thought these were very reasonable since you can keep them on your computer for as long as you like and they have something for every child. Available for Mac, OS X, and Windows based computers so check it out.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Exciting Giveaways!

My Four Monkeys is giving away a Pampers Shower prize pack w/a $300 American Express gc! Hurry ends 6/27/2011!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Wordless Wednesday-Hamming It Up!

Making Tuesday Tasty-NY Style Pizza Dough


I found this recipe online for a traditional thinner crust, bendable/fold able style dough. I found this one and it had a good review so I'm going to cross post it here. I love a good pizza dough, and I would rather make it sometimes knowing that I can make a size of pizza that I want. I also would like to put whatever veg and ingredients I want on it too! I need to get the kids involved in making this and have fun.


Yields: 1 large or 2 small pizzas
Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time:

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

2 1/4 teaspoon (1 package) instant dry active yeast
1 cup warm water (not hot!)
1/2 tablespoon sugar
3 cups bread flour, or as needed
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Add the water, yeast, sugar, and a 1/2 cup of the flour into a mixing bowl. Stir well and let sit for 20 minutes. It will get bubbly.

Add olive oil, salt, and 2 cups of the flour, and mix with a wooden spoon until it's together enough to turn out on to a lightly floured work surface to knead.

Knead for about 10 minutes, while adding more flour a little at a time, to produce a soft, elastic and slightly sticky dough. Do not add too much flour, just enough to keep it from sticking to the work surface as you knead.

Form the dough into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl. Drizzle a few drops of oil and coat the top of dough to prevent the surface from becoming dry.

Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm spot for 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

Punch down the dough and divide into 2 balls and place in large zip lock plastic bags and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to use, remove from fridge, and let the dough come up to room temperature before using.

*recipe courtesy of about.com, photo courtesy of recipepizza.com*

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Disney Cuddly Body Suit-Review



I recently posted a press release on the new Disney cuddly body suits. I received two of the body suits to check out since I have a little baby and, really wanted to give them a try. I was sent a really sweet Winnie The Pooh printed body suit and an orange body suit for my little guy. He is three and a half months right now and is very long in the torso so I thought this suit would make a great addition to his wardrobe!


Turns out I was right. The cuddly body suit comes with two levels of snaps for adjust ability. My baby isn't heavy so he doesn't really meet the weight requirements for the larger sizes but, he can comfortably fit lengthwise in 6 months already. I love that the cuddly body suit offers the snap adjustment because he is right at the first level of snaps in a 3/6 month age range body suit. They are well made with a reinforced trim, they are 100% cotton, have a lap shoulder for easy dressing, a tag less neck, and have a lot of really cute Disney characters available as well as plain white or single color.

My take is that these are high quality body suits with room to grow. The characters are really cute and I definitely like the color choices you get. I also like that they are 100% cotton and breathable! Oh and a bonus is that they are really affordable and sold through Amazon.com right now. Happy Shopping

*thanks to Disney for the body suits to review*

Do You Have Enough Insurance?

Insurance is such a big one these days. I question if we have enough, do we have the right amount, do we have the right kind? It's all pretty stressful right now! I want to have the type of life insurance I need so that either my husband or I will be covered in the event of death.

I've been looking into the types of life insurance. I see that there is whole life, term life, and universal life and all of them get pretty confusing but, I am trying to narrow down which one suits my family and I. I like that some of them have flexibility to borrow from them and that one of them earns interest that can even pay my premium charge!

I definitely need something affordable because we are on a very tight budget at this time. We need all the help we can get to make sure that we are covered since we have small children. I've checked into Aptus Insurance and will probably be getting a quote soon, they've given a lot of good information on the types of insurance available.

I also worry about my grandma. My grand father just passed away and they've been retired for some time. Her insurance isn't very good and as she ages, she gets more use out of it. I wonder if there are medicare supplements that can help her so that she doesn't have to pay so much out of pocket? I need to look into this more!


Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Amazing Giveaways!

Health, Beauty, Children and Family blog is giving away a Pampers Shower/$300 American Express Gift card to one lucky winner to throw a baby shower! Hurry ends 6/28

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Wordless Wednesday-New Lovey

Death Without Regret

I lost my mom almost two years ago, and recently some people that I'm very close to have lost very significant men in their lives. I am reminded that I don't have a promise of a certain amount of time. It's been said many times over, don't waste what precious time you have.

Remember that we are not promised tomorrow, and though we may end up in a better place, our loved ones will be left with whatever we left unfinished. Tell your tale, say your sorry, tell them you love them, grip them in your arms and just listen to the quiet. You will not regret, and you will not have unfinished business if you take care of it now!

People are always so worried about appearance that they forget the smallest details that really matter when all is said and done. It is such a sad way to end a relationship if you do.

Making Tuesday Tasty-Pulled Pork

A pulled pork recipe that contains pork tenderloin instead of pork butt or shoulder. It's leaner and comes out juicy due to simmering in the sauce and shredding with a fork.

Ingredients
3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound, cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
3 cups (6 ounces) broccoli slaw
6 whole wheat hamburger rolls, split
In a large Dutch oven heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne and cook until toasted, 1 minute more. Stir in the broth, ketchup, 1/3 cup vinegar, and molasses. Bring to a simmer and add the pork. Simmer, covered, until the pork is just cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar and the mustard. Add the broccoli slaw and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Remove the pork to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes. Increase the heat on the remaining sauce in the pot to medium-high and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Shred the pork with two forks into large chunks and add back into the thickened sauce. Toss well to coat. Let stand 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, to let the pork absorb the sauce. Serve on a bun with the slaw on the sandwich or on the side.

*Thank you foodnetwork.com for your recipe*

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Balboa Baby Nursing Pillow-Review



I am a nursing mom for the second time now that my son is here. He took to it with absolutely no problem and has been a nursing champ since birth. He is three months old now and is getting heavier, so my preferred method of nursing is lying down.

Obviously, it's not always convenient to lie down and feed your baby when you have many other things to do and places to go. I have a Boppy nursing pillow from when I had my daughter four years ago but, to be honest she slept on it more than nursed on it. It's really floppy and doesn't provide the lift that I often need to position the baby close to my breast.



I contacted Balboa Baby to see if they would be willing to let me try their nursing pillow. It's a great shape for a cradled baby and it comes in a number of beautiful, modern patterns. Once they agreed, I waited for it to come and was happy to see that it shipped quickly and with no problems. I had excellent service from the beginning and was excited to check this pillow out! I also had a fun time browsing their site and looking at their other items like their nursing covers, and baby slings.

I requested the Coco nursing pillow and have loved the pattern especially since I received it in person. The material is a nice crisp cotton and is very vibrant. It's removable and machine washable, which is totally necessary. The pillow is firm, almost feels like memory foam but, it doesn't "squish" down like memory foam. I've nursed my son in a few different positions and have had no problems with adjusting him. I generally do either the football or the cradle hold for him and it works great. It definitely helps with comfort levels for both my baby and I because I'm not having to bend or strain anything and can have my hands free and he is able to nurse at breast level to stay latched well. Finally, this is approved by Dr. Sears as a safe and comfortable product.

Thank you Balboa baby for the nursing pillow to review.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

DISNEY launches Cuddly Body Suit

DISNEY BABY LAUNCHES DISNEY CUDDLY BODYSUIT™

Features Patent-Pending Design that Grows with Baby,
Now Available on Amazon.com

GLENDALE, Calif., June 1, 2011 – Disney Consumer Products (DCP) today announced a dedicated collection of Disney Baby brand products designed to equip parents with the essentials they need for Creating Magical Moments Right From The Start™. The collection debuts with the Disney Cuddly Bodysuit™, an infant bodysuit made of Disney Huggable Soft 100% Cotton™ with a second row of snaps that allow the bodysuit to “grow” with baby, available on Amazon.com/disneybaby this month and at select retailers this fall. Developed by Disney “Momgineers” in collaboration with leading licensees and manufacturers, the Disney Baby collection provides mom with conscientious products for every stage, including Apparel, Nursery, On the Go, Bath time, Feeding, Discovery and Celebration. A multifaceted online resource for families, the Disney Baby brand now offers a new consumer facing website DisneyBaby.com, Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/DisneyBaby), YouTube Channel (www.YouTube.com/disneybaby) and Twitter account (www.Twitter.com/DisneyBaby).

The Disney Cuddly Bodysuit is the only infant bodysuit made of Disney Huggable Soft 100% Cotton and features snaps that grow with baby, outfitting baby with comfort and style through the first magical year. Disney’s research found that infant bodysuits are a wardrobe staple for baby, with the average mom purchasing more than 35 bodysuits in the first year alone. The Disney Cuddly Bodysuit, however, is an infant bodysuit that grows with your baby, as the design features two rows of snaps for an inch of longer wear. As babies typically grow in length fastest, the second row of snaps provides both comfort for baby and convenience for mom. For a demo video and a look at the Disney Cuddly Bodysuit’s styles and features, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGNPZ1gCxSc

“As a mom of an infant and a toddler, I know firsthand the information overload and uncertainties that come with transitioning into parenthood all the while trying to bond as a family,” said Jessi Dunne, executive vice president, Disney Moms and Babies for Disney Consumer Products, who has also been dubbed Disney Baby’s ‘Chief Momgineer.’ “Disney Baby aims to provide great products based on our research with moms, that deliver ease, convenience and quality with a touch of Disney magic.”

In addition to features that grow with baby, Disney research indicates softness, design and durability are the top attributes mom looks for when purchasing an infant bodysuit. The Disney Cuddly Bodysuit delivers on all of these features - transitioning the infant bodysuit from an expendable item to a quality wardrobe essential allowing parents to “Welcome Your Little One With a Cuddle!”

Features of the Disney Cuddly Bodysuit include:
SOFT: Disney Huggable Soft 100% Cotton for a super soft feel against baby’s sensitive skin;
LASTING: Holds its shape through repeated washings
RELIABLE: Consistent sizing for a reliable fit
EASY: Lap shoulder neck opening make countless outfit changes easy
THOUGHTFUL: The tagless neck label won’t scratch baby’s delicate skin
BETTER FOR MOM: Snaps that grow with baby for extended life
ADORABLE: Over 85 magical styles to choose from, including white and solid colors with no characters, playful patterns and character-inspired designs

“With the incredible variety of styles and offerings in the Disney Baby collection, and the uniqueness of the Disney Cuddly Bodysuit, we believe our customers will respond enthusiastically to this offering, and we’re proud to be the first to bring this mom-friendly and adorable bodysuit to moms and babies,” said Stacy Kerr, director of clothing for Amazon.com.

The Disney Cuddly Bodysuit ranges in price from $7.99 to $12.00, $19.50 for a 3-pack, $27.00 for a fashion color 4-pack to $24.99 for a 5-pack in white, and is available in 0-3mos, 3-6mos, 6-9mos sizes. The full line, featuring characters, prints, white and bold non-character solids, will be available first on Amazon.com/disneybaby in May and at select retailers in Fall 2011.

For more than 80 years, Disney has been a leader in the business of family and togetherness. Recent consumer research conducted by Disney through comprehensive in-home testing and in-person focus groups found that pre- and post-natal moms are looking for a brand to rely on as they experience the magic of beginning and expanding a family and bonding with baby. Disney Baby answers this need by providing infant essentials for every stage, in addition to a one-stop resource for moms with DisneyBaby.com, part of Disney’s Babyzone.com, providing mom-to-mom advice, community forums and exclusive promotions.
About Disney Baby
Disney Baby provides parents with the essentials they need for Creating Magical Moments Right From The Start™. Through parent-inspired designs, developed by our own team of Disney Momgineers, Disney Baby offers today’s parents everything they need to bond with baby at every stage. The Disney Baby line includes essentials for Apparel, Nursery, On the Go, Bath time, Feeding, Discovery and Celebration. The Disney Baby collection’s debut item is the patent-pending Disney Cuddly Bodysuit, made with Disney Huggable Soft 100% Cotton™ and featuring snaps that grow with baby for longer wear. For more information, please visit www.disneybaby.com or join us at www.YouTube.com/DisneyBaby, like us at www.Facebook.com/DisneyBaby and follow us at www.Twitter.com/DisneyBaby. You can find the Disney Cuddly Bodysuit™ available for purchase on www.Amazon.com/Disneybaby.

About Disney Consumer Products
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) and its affiliates that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home décor and books and magazines to foods and beverages, stationery, electronics and fine art. This is accomplished through DCP's various lines of business which include: Disney Toys, Disney Fashion & Home and Disney Food, Health & Beauty. Other businesses involved in Disney's consumer products sales are Disney Publishing Worldwide, the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines, and www.DisneyStore.com and www.DisneyStore.co.uk, the company's official shopping portals. The Disney Stores retail chain, which debuted in 1987, is owned and operated by Disney in North America, Europe, and Japan. For more information, please visit www.disneyconsumerproducts.com or follow us at www.youtube.com/disneyliving, www.facebook.com/disneyliving and www.twitter.com/disneyliving.