Mom On Wheels

So, I was recently given the opportunity to test out some Heelys.  If you didn't know, Heelys are shoes with wheels.  When I decided to order the shoes I thought, I bet my three year-old would love these!  Contrary to my preliminary thoughts, I did not find Heelys in a toddler size.  Okay, so maybe three is a bit young to be coordinated enough for shoes with wheels.  Hmm.  I've already committed myself to testing some shoes, so...guess who's testing some shoes?  Yes.  Me.  Mom.  On wheels.  This could be interesting (and laughable).

Needless to say, I ordered the shoes in my own adult size.  I was surprised at the selection available.  There are colors and styles to fit about any personality.  And a nice thing about these shoes - they're versatile.  The wheel comes out and you can simply wear them as an everyday street shoe.  The wheels are very easy to install and remove.  So, I got my shoes, and they are pretty cute!  I do have a chubby foot, though and would prefer a wider width.  They also aren't very deep, meaning that I feel like my heel should go in farther.  But overall, they were pretty comfortable.  Let's wheel!


Okay, so that didn't last very long!  I have to admit, as an adult in my thirties, I just don't have the coordination that I used to!  I honestly couldn't do it.  Now, I will say that I didn't try overly hard because I recently found out that I'm pregnant with my third child...so, I really didn't want to risk falling on my face!  Unfortunately, I will have to stick to using these as an everyday street shoe.  I think these are great for a kid, not so practical for your typical adult.  I should have gotten them for my 10 year old nephew.  He probably would have loved them!  If you want to try out some cool wheeled shoes, but fear that you lack the coordination, Heelys does offer a tutorial, Skate 101.  I will be enjoying my Heelys sans wheels!

Disclosure:  I received no monetary compensation for this review. I received a product sample for the purpose of my review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sweet Moments® - Review and Giveaway

Sometimes we all just need a moment, right?  A moment to sit back, relax and enjoy a little something that sweetens the day.  Hmmm...chocolaty sweetness.  I definitely have a sweet tooth, so I was more than content to pick up two free bags of Pillsbury^® Sweet Moments^® .  I was disappointed to find that they were sold out of most of the available flavors at the store where I did my shopping!  These sweet little pieces of brownie goodness must be good!  I ended up getting Cocoa Carmel Obsession (which I would have chosen anyway) and settled on Cocoa Fudge Chip for my second bag.  The other available varieties are Cocoa Fudge Escape, Sweet Moments® Caramel Cheesecake, and Sweet Moments® Raspberry Cheesecake.  I would love to try the Caramel Cheesecake ones next.  I'm a sucker for a chocolate and carmel combination!

Sweet Moments® are marketed as bite-sized brownies. I would describe them as a truffle, of sorts.  Call them what you will, but I call them delicious!  If you plan on sharing, you better get more than one bag!  The Cocoa Carmel Obsession were awesome.  Those were gone in two days.  The Cocoa Fudge Chip were just okay for me.  They seemed a bit more dry, whereas the caramel one was very moist.  I have to be honest, I probably won't buy these very often.  The only reason being that these are one of those treats that I would indulge in rather than "eat in moderation".  By indulge, I mean eat the whole bag and regret it in the morning! 

You can visit Pillsbury^® Sweet Moments^® for a sweet $1off coupon if you are ready to indulge!  Or, you can indulge for free by entering this giveaway!  Enter here for a chance to win your own Pillsbury^® Sweet Moments^® prize pack including:

• 2 VIP coupons for the free purchase of any Pillsbury^® Sweet Moments^® variety
• Leather journal
• Fleece blanket
• Coffee Mug

How To Enter:

1. Mandatory - Follow Jessica, The Mom via GFC and comment on this post, and tell me what your everyday "sweet moment" is.  (One entry.)

Additional entries:

1. "Like" Jessica, The Mom on Facebook.  Be sure to comment here with your facebook name for your entry to count. 
2. "Like" Pillsbury^®'s Facebook Page and thank them for the giveaway, tagging Jessica, The Mom.  Be sure to comment here with your facebook name for your entry to count.
3. Tweet this post.  Be sure to comment here that you did for your entry to count. (Can be done once daily.) 

Good luck and have a SWEET day!

This giveaway is open to US Residents, aged 18 years and older. All entries must be submitted no later than August 30, 2011, 11:59 CST.  Winner will be chosen via True Number Generator at Random.org and notified via blog post and email.  Winner must respond to notice within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.  Jessica, The Mom is not responsible if your notice goes into your spam box. 

Disclosure:  Pillsbury^® Sweet Moments^® , information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Great Deal on Propel Zero

Check out Menards through July 31st and score up to six 6-packs of Propel Zero for only $1.75 each!!  That is an awesome price at only 29 cents per bottle!  Price is after 75 cent mail-in rebate (limit 6) and rebate is in form of a merchandise credit check.  Even without the rebate, you're getting a great deal at $2.50 per 6-pack.  That is still only 42 cents per bottle.  I personally LOVE Grape Propel Zero and will be taking advantage of the great sale price at Menards! 

Visit Menards for complete details.

Even If It Makes Me Cry

Once upon a time, I was a 135 pound, size eight, 27 year-old bride to be.  That's a picture of me, then, at my baccalaureate party.  Five years and two kids later, I'm tipping the scales at a much higher number than I wish to share.  I got married in 2006, had my daughter in 2008 and my son in 2010.  I had both of my children via C-section.  But now it's been over a year since my son was born and it's time to lay the "I've had two kids" excuse to rest.

The fact is, I've struggled with my weight since high school.  I've been up.  I've been down.  For most of my late teens and early twenties I bounced around between 120 and up to 150 before I got in decent shape for my wedding.  Keep in mind that I'm only 5'1", so 150 was heavier for me than it would be for a taller woman.  I actually started putting weight back on before I got pregnant with Kaiya.  I was careless.  We had started trying for her right after the wedding and I kind of had it in my mind that I was going to get pregnant and gain weight anyway, so why bother working too hard on my weight right now?  Not the wisest choice on my part.  I was back up to around 150 when I finally got pregnant with Kaiya and gained 50lbs during my first pregnancy.  Yes, I broke the 200lb mark (while pregnant).  I did lose a lot of the weight after she was born, but never got back below 150.  Then came Carson.  At least I didn't break 200 with him, but I did put on about 35lbs.  I lost some of it, but now, 14 months after the birth of my second child, the body of my past seems like such a distant memory. 

Being overweight sucks!  I hate it.  I hate looking in the mirror most days and I hate trying to find clothes that I feel good in.  Some days I am really hard on myself, and it really gets me down.  I do not like the way my body looks.  It affects me on a day-to-day basis.  I know I'm the only one who can fix it.  One good thing is that I still don't have to shop plus sizes.  I promised myself I never would.  If I'm going to keep that promise to myself, I have to fix it now.  I feel like I'm at a point right now where I have to draw the line.  I cannot let it go any longer.  I cannot make any more excuses for myself.  I need to just do it.

Four days ago, I started Insanity®.  This is the first time that I can remember (since my days in the National Guard, anyway) that I've worked out for more than two consecutive days (let alone 4!).  I will do the Day 5 workout tonight and I will do the Day 6 workout tomorrow.  And I will do the entire 60-day challenge, resting only one day per week.   I cried (just a tiny bit) on day 3.  It is a hard workout.  I'll probably cry again.  But I'm sticking with it and I'm going to like my body again.

Follow me on my journey, if you like.  I'll be posting updates and, eventually, pictures of my progress.  I'm not yet comfortable posting a "before" pic, but I think I will be once I can say, "That used to be me."

A Coupon For Just About Everything

I was recently invited to visit a coupon website that I had actually never heard of.  I'm always looking for a good deal, so of course I was curious to check it out.  I went to couponchief.com to see what I'd been missing.  I was expecting another site for clipping traditional grocery-type coupons for food, health & beauty, etc.  Don't get me wrong, I love these sites, but most of them provide the same coupons as the next and I can only deal with so many email alerts in my inbox.  I was pleased to find that couponchief.com is different.

I haven't had the opportunity to do much online shopping lately, although it is one of my favorite ways to make purchases.  But I will definitely be visiting this site the next time I want to make an online purchase from a major (and even not so major) retailer.  Coupon Chief has a coupon code for just about any popular store you can think of.  Planning on doing a little bra shopping?  Click here for a free shipping code at Victoria's Secret.  Looking for a discount on your next electronics purchase at Best Buy?  There's a code for that.  In fact, I did a search on several major retailers (there is a search bar right on the site) and found Target, Verizon, Carter's, Amazon and Hobby Lobby, just to name a few.  There is no guarantee that every code will work and the codes are not provided directly by the retailers, but it appears as though many of them are legitimate.

The codes at couponchief.com are submitted by its fans.  They have a program called pays-2-share that allows you to be rewarded for submitting coupon codes that can be shared on the site.  There is also a blog highlighting current major retailers with codes.  You can create an account to receive newsletters and email alerts.  The site is visually appealing, as well.  It is neat and organized without a lot of clutter.  I'm inclined to not make many return visits to sites full of clutter that are hard to navigate.  The colors are clean and fresh and it had a bit of a retro feel to it.  Overall, I was pleased to add this site to my favorites.  I look forward to utilizing some great discount codes on my next online purchase, and I feel confident that there will probably be one available for what ever my needs might be.

I would love to know if you've visited this site before and, if so, what was your success rate?  Would you recommend it to others?  Stop by for a visit and post your feedback here.  You can also visit them on facebook!  As always, happy couponing!


Disclosure

Classic Entertainment

We had a great three-day weekend at our house, but the weather was a little grim on Saturday and Sunday.  Bored children (and adults).  We made the best of it by having some good, old-fashioned fun!  We built forts and played hide-and-seek!  What kinds of things do you do with your kids to keep the family entertained?  Here are some ideas that came from my childhood.  Classic, fun, and mostly free!

• Build a fort.  Drape blankets or sheets over chairs and couches to make a fun hideout for the kids.  We have a couch on each of two opposite walls.  We also have a large chair and ottoman.  We stick the ottoman in the center of the couches and drape blankets across, tucking them into the cushions and creating a tunnel on each side of the ottoman.  For an easy fort, throw a huge blanket or sheet over your cleared dining table, setting something sturdy on top to hold in place.
• Play hide-and-seek!  A no brainer, this classic is always fun for all ages.  My husband and I take turns with our three-year old daughter.  First, one of us helps her hide and the other finds her (little brother helps in the seek.)  Then one of us hides and the other helps her find us.  You can find lots of great places to hide a little kid!
• Create a club house.  Do you have a large box from a recent appliance purchase or other box large enough to fit a kid?  Turn it into a club house!  Use a razor to cut doors and windows.  Decorate it with curtains, markers, stickers, etc. 
• Make friendship bracelets.  This is great for kids that are a little older.  I loved making these when I was a kid.  You can find instructions on the web for some basic knot bracelets.  Embroidery thread can be found at most craft stores.  We used to make them and trade them.  Do a mom and daughter bracelet!  These can be for boys, too.  Just use boy colors and call them wristbands!
• Play store.  Get out some canned and boxed goods.  Put them out on a table, or shelf, within your little one's reach.  Grab the toy shopping cart and go shopping!  My daughter likes to use my expired coupons and we use her child's laptop as a cash register.  The mouse is the scan gun.  Take turns shopping and checking out.
• Play restaurant.  Let your little one seat you and take your order.  Then they can use play-dough to create you a culinary masterpiece!

There are lots of things you can do with your little ones.  The most fun are usually the things you can remember from your childhood.  Small children love to do just about anything a grown-up does.  So, think about the normal activities you do as a grown-up and turn them into a game with your kids!  Get creative and have fun!

Aunt Lisa's Mojito

*This post is intended for readers 21 years of age and older.*

My favorite summer-time, grown-up beverage is definitely the Mojito!  The Mojito is a cool, sweet, minty refreshment that I've enjoyed since first drink during a visit to my husband's Aunt Lisa's.  There are lots of recipes on the Internet for the Mojito, and I've tried a few, but this is definitely my favorite.  With warmer weather just around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to share.  This would be a great addition to your Memorial Day Celebrations!

For one 2QT pitcher of Aunt Lisa's Mojito, you will need:

A 2QT pitcher
Fresh Mint Leaves (at least 50)
Ice
White/Light Rum
Simple Syrup (dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1/2 cup boiling water, and chill prior to mixing)
Limes and/or Lime Juice
Seltzer or Lime Seltzer





Put a handful of mint leaves (around 40sih) in the bottom of your pitcher and muddle.  If you don't have a muddler, the end of a thick wooden spoon will work.  If you muddle to much, you will have a lot of floaters in your glass.  I provided a picture of before muddle, and after.  You are basically just mashing them a bit to extract the mint from the leaves.

 

  

Add ice to the the mint leaves, in your pitcher, to about 3/4 full.  Pour 1 cup of rum over ice.  Add 1/2 cup of lime juice (either fresh squeezed or bottled - I used bottled just because its easier) to your chilled simple syrup and add to ice mixture.  Top off the pitcher with Seltzer (I used Lime Seltzer -yum).  Stir with a long wooden spoon.  Pour over ice into tall glasses.  Garnish with mint and lime.  Now kick back and enjoy!

Remember to always drink responsibly!!

And The Winner Is....(Blog Design Makeover)

Thanks so much to all of you that participated in the Blog Design Makeover giveaway! 
The winner is Night Owls Perch!  Be sure to let us know when your page is done so we can check out the makeover!  Congratulations!  Please check your email inbox for confirmation!

Winner selected via True Random Number Generator, powered by Random.org.  (Value 2-67, Result 40).

Finding New Friends Weekend Blog Hop!

I'm co-hosting!  Don't forget to comment so I can follow you back!

It's Sensational Week 7 of Finding New Friends Weekend Blog Hop hosted by Shelly from My Saving Game and Jeannette from The Adventures of J-Man and MillerBug! We are finding some fabulous blogs through this hop and having a great time getting to know so many of you! So thank you for linking up again this week to those of you who are hop veterans and welcome to those who are new! Let's continue to make new bloggy friends and increase our traffic! We do have a few simple rules for you - nothing too tough though. So here we go:

1. Please follow your hostesses My Saving Game and The Advetures of J-Man and MillerBug. Leave us a comment and we will follow you back! (If you already follow us on GFC, we'd LOVE it if you would follow us on Facebook or Twitter.)

2. Please follow our guest co-host who, this week, is Jessica from Jessica, The Mom.

3. You don't have to post our button but we sure would like it if you did. Not only does it help our hop grow so we can all get new followers, but each week we will choose a guest co-host and to be considered you must have our button somewhere on your site! If you post our button and want to be considered for guest co-host, please email me at mailto:jmanandmillerbug@gmail.com.com to express your interest.

<a border="0" href="http://myadventureinmommyhood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9IgRasN2hnZ4LczXPNDHmykVmwNr9TAQu9PTLhAOJEuB_hOCEMzWfP0dABapLc8xk6g_wLKDemCQKIiRUIUog4pPzsvXMtHPbKhxGJgSnb8FeFjE6mOteCStblXyyJ3dEwERk6G2APM/"/></a>

4. You can link up blogs, facebook, twitter accounts, whatever - just be sure to specify what each link is.

5. Hop around and find blogs that you enjoy. Be sure to tell them you are following them from Finding New Friends Weekend Blog Hop so they can follow you back!

6. Have fun!

Winner - 31 Tote Giveaway - Ending 5/9/11

The winner of the 31 Tote is Stefani!  Please contact me at jessicathemom1511@gmail.com to claim your prize.  Include your full name, mailing address and phone number.  The tote will be shipped by the sponsor.

Congratulations, Stefani!

Winner chosen via True Random Number Generator, powered by Random.org.  (Value 1-70, Result 44).

$5 Amazon.com Gift Card FB Winner 5/9/11

The winner of the quickie FB gift card giveaway is Heather C.
Heather, please email Jessicathemom1511@gmail.com to claim your prize.

Winner chosen via Random.org, True Random Number Generator.  (Value 1-6, Result 4)

**Swag Code Alert**

Swag Code worth 8SB in the blogs until 2:30CST!  Easy!

Don't Swag?  Start now! 

100 Photos for $10 Plus Free Shipping!

Snapfish is offering 100 photos for $10, plus free shipping! 

Use coupon MOMDAY100 at checkout, now through May 11, 2011.*


*Complete details at snapfish.com

Kid Speak of the Week, Round 2

She's on a roll this week!

As I return to the dinner table from taking out the puppy:

(Daddy) These kids sure like their cheese!
(Me)  They're gonna be constipated.
(Kaiya) And we won't be able to poop, either!

Ah ha ha!  We got a pretty good laugh about that!

BOGO 50% off plus free shipping at Maurices!

Head on over to Maurices.com and take advantage of Buy One, Get One 50% off all casual tops & bottoms, including plus sizes!  Order 4 items or more online and take advantage of Free Shipping!

If you've never checked out Maurices online, you'll be pleased to find a much large selection of SIZES!  Get your size shipped right to your door for free!   

Find them on facebook, too!

New Blog Design!! Review & Giveaway! ENDED 5/15

Welcome to the new and improved Jessica, The Mom!  I am beyond happy with the makeover results!  I was just spending too much time figuring out the codes and what not, to get my blog looking the way I wanted it to.  Plus, the template was kind of generic and not exactly what I had in mind.  So, I decided to let someone else do the work for me!  Pip Designs did an awesome job!

I found Tara at Pip Designs while visiting another blog.  I thought the design of that blog was super cute and was pleased to find a link to its creator.  I browsed around Pip Designs and found that her prices are extremely reasonable! (I would have expected to pay much more for a professional designer.)  I checked out her portfolio and I liked what I saw.  So, I decided to get started! 

She has an order form right on her site that let's you submit your requests and make your payment.  Communication during the process was excellent!  She contacted me almost immediately to answer some questions and confirm my order.  I think I was most impressed with how quickly she did everything!  My design was complete and installed in two days!  And I was able to view a draft in less than 24 hours!  Being able to view the "test site" while she was working was great.  This allowed me to request minor changes, here and there, throughout the process.  I was able to give a lot of input and make it my own.

Overall, I am definitely a very satisfied customer of Pip Designs!  She also offers other services, such as Etsy Customizations, Twitter Backgrounds, Invitations and Cards, Facebook Landing Pages, Business Cards, Logos and Ads.  If you are thinking about hiring out for any of these types of services, I highly recommend you check her out.

So, who else needs a blog makeover?

One lucky winner gets a makeover from Tara at Pip Designs!

Giveaway details:
1 Blog design package 3 worth $55:

clip art and scrap kit not included
Custom background
Custom header
Custom font for sidebar titles, post date, and post titles
Choice of template
Signature
Button with grab code
Favicon
sidebar title backgrounds
simple post divider
drop down navigation bar with 8-10 main tabs unlimited sub-main tabs
post divider image
post title image
social networking buttons on the sidebar max. of 5

How to enter:

**Remember, you must post a comment here for each entry and you must include your email address in each comment!  Comments without an email address will be deleted!

Required (3 entries):

• Follow Pip Designs via GFC.
• Like Pip Designs on facebook and leave her a comment thanking her for the giveaway.  Be sure to tell her Jessica, The Mom sent you!
• Follow Jessica, The Mom (this blog!) via GFC.

Extra entries:

• Like Jessica, The Mom on facebook.  Be sure to "like" from your personal profile for it to count. Include your fb name in comment.
• Share this post on facebook. (can be done once a day)
• Tweet about this post. (can be done once a day)
• Leave a comment here telling me what you think of the new design.  (Don't forget your email address!)
• Comment on a design that you like in Pip Design's portfolio. 
• Grab my button and place it on your site.  (Or you can add my link to your blog roll.)

Have fun and good luck!


This giveaway is open to US Residents, aged 18 years and older.  Contest ends May 15, 2011, 11:59 CST.  Winner must agree to Pip Design's Design Terms.  Winner will be notified via blog post and email after chosen via True Number Generator at Random.org.  Winner must respond to notice within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.  Jessica, The Mom and Pip Designs are not responsible if your notice goes into your spam box.  Prize provided by Pip Designs.

Kid Speak(s) of the Week

Oh, my 3 year old daughter never ceases to amaze me with what comes out of her mouth!

To me at the dinner table: 
Mommy, what is that?
(Me) It's Teriyaki Sauce.
So does it tear easy, or what?

Last night during a television commercial:
Mommy, why is that girl running on top of cars?  Is she stupid or something?
(Me just laughing)

This morning after breakfast:
Mommy, I'm just gonna go out quick and try to catch that birdie.
(Me) You won't be able to catch a birdie, honey.
Yes I can.  Let me just try.

Has you child amused you lately with his/her spoken words?

Free cup of Yoplait Original yogurt!

According to Yoplait.com, 60% of women aren't getting the calcium they need.  So, they are giving away 1 Million free cups of Yoplait Original yogurt to help close the calcium gap!  Wow, that's a lot of yogurt!  Get your free cup here!

And The Award Goes To...

My first award!  Thanks so much to Chauny Writes for selecting me as a recipient for this award!  It was a pleasant way to start the day.  Please take a moment to stop by and visit her.

ver·sa·tile:

embracing a variety of subjects, fields, or skills; also : turning with ease from one thing to another

Versatile Blogger Award Etiquette:

Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

Tell us seven things about yourself

Award fifteen recently discovered new bloggers.  (Don't forget to contact them!)

Seven Things About Myself:

1. I'm a great cook.
2. I tend to be bossy and sometimes impatient..  
3. I want to lose 50lbs. 
4. I like to do nice things for other people, just to be nice.
5. I was in the Army National Guard for 6 years.
6. I've never been to New York or California.
7. I barely knew anything about blogging before this year!

I come across great blogs everyday, but I had to narrow it down.  Here are the recipients I've chosen to award:

1. Boyz Rule Our World
2. Crafty Card Creations
3. The Imperfect Home
4. Momma's Time Out
5. Nap Time Is My Time
6. Occasionally Crafty
7. Our Crazy Bunch
8. Suzy's Artsy-Crafty Sitcom
9. The Adventures of Curly Tot
10. The Frugal Life of Aimee
11. Twins Plus One, Three Times the Fun
12. The Paper Blosson
13. The Not So Secret Confessions of a Second Time Mom
14. The Tween and Me
15. Finger Click Saver

Please take a minute to stop by and show these great bloggers a little love!  Thanks again!

$35 for $100 Worth of Photo Books, Cards, and Calendars at Picaboo

Head on over to Groupon today and snag $100 worth of product for $35! 

The Story of Bruce

As told by my husband to our three-year old daughter:

Each year, the Easter Bunny puts a litter of baby puppies into a large Easter basket with a soft blanket.  The puppies go with him on his Easter deliveries.  As the Easter Bunny makes his stops at all of the little girls and boys houses, he lets the puppies choose a home they would like to stay at.  This year, a cute little Yorkie puppie sniffed around while they were stopped at our house and he nudged the Easter Bunny with his little nose, telling him that he wanted to stay.  The Easter Bunny had to wake up Mommy and Daddy to see if it was okay and if we could take good care of him.  So we told the Easter Bunny that, yes, we think Kaiya & Carson would really love a puppy and we will take good care of him.  So, after we thanked the Easter Bunny, we put the puppy in small carrier that the Easter Bunny left with us, gave him a little blanket and said goodnight.

The puppy was a little timid with my husband and I at first.  He was nervous and a little jumpy.  We did get up with him twice in the night to go outside, and he whined a bit between outings.  We were a little worried about how he would handle meeting the kids. 

Kaiya woke up early and came trotting into our bedroom and climbed up in the bed with us.  We had a little snuggle time while Daddy went to "start his coffee".  He went to let the puppy out and clean up a little mess.  About the time she and I came out and headed down the hallway toward the kitchen, the puppy had gotten loose from Bobby and scurried out from mudroom, into the kitchen and into our sights.  (So much for our plan of brining him out in an Easter basket and getting a picture of her reaction!)  She immediately stopped, threw her hands up, and said in the cutest little emotional voice, "A puppy!"  I'm a bit of a sap, so I did get a bit teary eyed, only for a moment.  She was so excited! 

To our very pleasant surprise, the puppy toddled right up to Kaiya and I'm pretty sure it was love at first sight for them both!  She was so very gentle and soft spoken as she scooped him right up into her arms.  Bobby and I couldn't believe how calm he was!  So they played for a bit and she toted him in her arms in between finding eggs and sneaking bites of candy from her basket.  We asked her what she wanted to name him.  Without averting her eyes from the puppy, she said, "You name him."  This pleased my husband, the comic buff, who already had a name in mind.  Bruce Banner.  Also know as The Hulk.  Oh, the irony.

Carson was still asleep during the excitement.  He is only one-year old, so we thought it was probably best that they were introduced one at a time.  A short time later, Carson beckoned from his crib.  He wasn't really sure what to think.   He was very curious and seemed to like him from a safe distance.  The puppy was interested, and again, to my surprise, went right up to check him out.  Bobby put his hand over Carson's and helped him pet the puppy.  When he stopped, Carson mimicked this action, putting his hand over Daddy's.  Too cute.

So we had a wonderful day enjoying our newest family member, but had to wind it down and get ready to head to Grandma & Grandpa's house for dinner.  Bruce cried a bit when we put him in his pen and Kaiya immediately grabbed a book off the toy shelf, sat down next to his pen and read him a story.  He went to sleep!  (She continutes to read to him whenever she thinks he's sleepy.)  Kaiya asked us if Bruce would be here when we go home.  We explained (again) that, yes, he is our puppy and he will be with us for a long time.  "Mommy, I love bruce."  Bruce loves you, too!

31 Tote Giveaway **ENDED**

Let me start by saying a big THANK YOU to Michelle.  Michelle is my 31 consultant and has, ever so graciously, offered to become my very first sponsor!  If you've never heard of or owned a thirty-one(TM) product, now is the time!  I purchased a bag a few weeks ago and absolutely love it!  Please check out her latest catalog!

Up for grabs is an Organizing Utility Tote.

This versatile, spacious tote keeps your clutter organized! Great for cleaning supplies or sporting gear.  Use it as an everyday tote or a gym bag!  Seven side pockets are perfect for shampoo, magazines, your MP3 player and water bottles.  Made from extra-tough nylon with stain-and water-resistant lining.  Measures approx 10"H X 15.5"W X 6.5"D

Help me grow, and let me show you that I appreciate your support!  Entries will close once I reach 200 facebook fans!  I hope you enjoy my blog and what I have to offer.  I am still a new blogger, trying my best, with the resources (and time) that I have available to me, to provide a fun and useful blog to my newly loyal fans!  I would love to keep on growing so that I have more opportunities to provide my readers with great product info, reviews, giveaways, recipes, insights, deals, and much more!  I greatly appreciate all of my supporters!

You will snag two entries by doing the following:

• Become a facebook fan .  (Required) (Remember to use your personal page for it to count.)
• Follow via GFC.  (Required) (Google Friend Connect found on blog homepage)

Get one extra entry for each optional task you complete below:

• Share this post to your facebook page(s). (one entry per share, one share per day, per page)
• Tweet this post.
• Refer a fan to my facebook fan page.  (one entry per referral)
• Visit my Give Back Giveaway and become a participant.
• Read any of my blog posts and comment on that post.  (one entry only)
• Place an order with Michelle at thirty-one(TM).  (one entry per item ordered)

**BONUS 5 ENTRIES**  If you have a blog or website, please add my button to your sidebar or add a link to my blog on your blog roll.  (Be sure to comment 5 times to ensure your 5 entries!)  Thanks!

Please be sure you leave a comment on this post for each task you complete!  If you are already a facebook fan or a GFC follower, let me know in a separate comment for each.  Remember - each comment is ONE entry.  You could get a lot of entries!  If you refer someone, be sure to state who you referred in the comment.  Make sure you comment with a valid email address so you can be contacted.  The winner will be chosen via True Random Number Generator at Random.org.

So go ahead, enter!  Good luck to you all and again, I truly appreciate all of your support in my exciting new adventures!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Contest open to US residents 18 years of age and older.  Contest ends at 11:59PM CST on the day that Jessica, The Mom's facebook fan page reaches 200 fans (likes). Winner must have a valid email address to receive prize.  Jessica, The Mom is not responsible if your email notification goes to your spam folder.  Winner must respond to email within 48 hours of notification to claim prize, or another random winner will be chosen.  Prize will be shipped to the winner by said giveaway sponsor.  Comments not deemed as entries to this giveaway will be deleted.  Other comments should be made here.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

I was experimenting with a recipe I had found online, but didn't have all the ingredients for, when I came up with this awesome sweet & sour sauce.  It is, hands down, the best I've tasted!  It is very easy and quick to make, and it makes a large batch.  You could freeze it or jar it in small portions if you want to use it as a dipping sauce.  We had it yesterday with diced boneless pork chops and rice.  I've also made it with chicken.  So delicious!

You will need:

1 can crushed pineapple (I believe it was 16oz) in its own juice (do not drain)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 cup of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2/3 cup of vinegar
2 TBS Soy sauce
3 TBS cornstarch

Set aside 3 TBS of the pineapple juice.  Add the rest of the pineapple and juice to a medium/large saucepan.  Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the cornstarch.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until bubbly.  Mix the set aside pineapple juice and cornstarch together in a small dish until smooth.  Add this to the sauce mixture, slowly, while still cooking and stirring over medium heat.  Continue cooking and stirring for a few minutes, until it has thickened a bit.  Pour over chicken, pork, rice, or use as a dipping sauce for egg rolls, won tons, etc.  Enjoy!

Thursday Blog Hop

I found Momma's Time Out at the Mom Blogger's Club.  She has a Thursday Blog Hop!  Hop along and find a few blogs you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing bloggy love!

Kid Speak of the Week

My daughter to her brother, last night, as she gives him a kiss before bed:

"Sleep tight, Brudder.  Don't let the bugs bite.  If they bite YOU, beat 'em up with a black shoe!"


I love the thoughtful things that come out of childrens' mouths!

For those of you not familiar with this old rhyme, this is how I've always heard it:

Good night, sleep tight.
Don't let the bed bugs bite.
If they do, beat 'em with a shoe,
until they're black and blue.


**Did your little one say something cute, silly, off the wall, etc?  Submit it to me to be considered for Kid Speak of the Week!**

Welcome Wednesday - Blog Hop - Hosted by Take It From Me

Thank you "Take It From Me" for the friendly blog hop!
Please visit them and follow their guidelines for the hop!

Please take a moment to "like" and follow Jessica, The Mom. 
I will share the love! 
Thanks for stopping by!

Folger's Coupon!

Click below and get your Folger's Coupon!  Limit 2.
 http://www.folgers.com/facebook-coupon.aspx?cid=fb_wall_112004

Mickey & Minnie Birthday Party

Our family & friends joined us yesterday to celebrate my daughter's third and my son's first birthdays!  They are pictured here with Daddy.

They each had a personalized T-shirt with their name & age which I purchased from My Preppy Rags on eBay. 

Aren't these invitations cute?  I ordered them from Cupcake Card Invites.  I purchased them through her eBay store and provided her with the personalization info.  She then mailed me the file to print at any photo center as a 4x6 photo.  There were two "tickets" per photo, so each was cut into two.  I loved how these looked.  There are also many other themes to choose from.

The treat bags were super easy to customize.  I bought plain red and plain pink treat boxes from Walmart.  I glued white buttons on the red ones.  I used white circle labels (like for garage sales) on the pink ones and used a hole punch to tie a ribbon on the top.  I purchased ear headbands from The Party Store online and used the hole punch again to put ribbon in for the girls.  The treat bags also had Mickey Mouse Clubhouse coloring pages (from a coloring book I bought at Walmart), Mickey Mouse (for the boys) and Minnie Mouse (for the girls) crayons from The Party Store, Minnie beaded bracelets, also from The Party Store and Mickey Mouse wristbands from Fun To Collect online.



I did the centerpieces (below) using empty formula cans, black spray-painted Styrofoam balls, fabric, felt, buttons, ribbon, crafter's glue, toothpicks, wooden dowels, and tissue paper.  Most of the craft items were purchased at Jo Ann Fabrics.  I was really pleased with how they turned out.

The punchies (confetti) that you see on the table were created by StarLight StarBright Creations.  They were so cute and her prices and shipping time were awesome!  They are a lot bigger than the typical confetti you would purchase at the store.  I was pleased with the size.  She did a custom order for me and was great about it!  She has a lot of other custom items as well.

The Cakes!!  I was so thrilled with the cakes!  We got tons of compliments on them.  Thank you so much to Shannon, the mother of the smiley little girl I provide daycare for.  The Minnie cake was inspired by a photo I found at Simply Captivating Events.  The Mickey cake was inspired by a photo I found at Coolest Birthday Cakes.

I made white chocolate dipped pretzels and chocolate dipped Mickey krispie treats.  Yummy!

Of course, the best part of the whole party was watching my babies enjoy themselves!  They are so precious and grow up so fast!  I love them to pieces!  Here are a few of my favorite pics from the party:

Blowing out her candles.

Carson is being proper with his spoon (lol).....

....and then his auntie stole his spoon!

Kaiya decided spoons weren't necessary for her, either!

Peek-A-Boo! 

Kaiya's favorite present was real diapers and wipes for her baby dolls!  She was ready to go home after she got these and toted them around in the gift bag for the rest of the party.  Such a little mommy!

Carson was very into the tissue paper!  He pulled it out of one bag and then onto the next.  No presents needed! 

Just shootin' hoops, Mommy!

Awww...giving Mommy love.

It was a fabulous day! 

And The Winner Is....Amazon Gift Card Giveaway ending 4/14/11

KAPUMAKA

Please check your email and respond within 48 hours to claim your prize!  Congratulations and thanks for visiting!

The Give Back Giveaway! *Ended 5/31*

Jessica, The Mom and Adventures of The Bauer's bring you

The Give Back Giveaway!

It seems that more and more people are learning how to effectively coupon, are getting some great deals and building some impressive stockpiles.  In light of recent events and coupon controversy, I thought it was a good time to encourage some "give back".

I personally don't have a huge stockpile, but I have a nice starter collection and have been able to donate a few items to our church during a food pantry drive.  But, I am a very blessed person, and I feel like I could do a little more.  I'm sure that at least some of you feel the same way.

Here is what I propose:

Anytime you go on a shopping trip and purchase more than 5 of the same items at greatly discounted prices, take one of those items and contribute it to your newly dedicated "donate stash".  If you bought 10 boxes of cereal at $1 a piece, are you really going to miss one box?  How about those deodorants & body washes that you got for free with double BOGO?  Or the free toothpaste that CVS is always giving away?
I'm going to run a little contest and I hope you will participate and encourage others to participate.  Let's see how big we can make this collaborative donation!

Here's how it is going to work:

1. Start your "Donate Stash" as soon as possible.  Separate it from any other stockpile you have in your home.  Maybe you have enough on hand now to get it started or start with your next shopping trip.
2. Link-up here once to indicate that you are joining this Give Back Giveaway.  (Enter your first name, last initial, participation (example - Jessica H. - participating)
3. For every ten items you donate, link-up once, using your first name, last initial, and where you donated (example:  Jessica H. - donated 10 items to Holy Cross Church in Stockton, IL).
4. This Give Back Giveaway will be based on the honor system.  Should you feel the need to cheat (false link-ups), then shame on you. 
5. For each qualifying link that you post, you will receive one entry to the Give Back Giveaway Drawing.  (A winner will be chosen at random via Random.org.)
6. This Give Back Giveaway will run though the end of May, 2011.  

THE PRIZE
For each participant, Jessica, The Mom and Adventure's of The Bauer's will personally donate one item to a separate dedicated stash (on a rotating basis - one item per participant, up to 100 items per hostess).  The winner of the drawing will provide us with the name and address of a food pantry, church, or other charity of their choice and we will ship the items to them on behalf of the winner.  I will also write up a complete post-article that I will send as a press-release to the winner's local newspaper and provide to any participant to share as they see fit.

*Note:  If anyone else is interested in co-hosting this event, please contact Jessica, The Mom.  As a co-host or hostess, you would personally donate one item for each participant, on a rotating basis, up to 100 items.  (Example:  3 hosts, 75 participants = 25 items per host.)  You would also help promote the event via your blog, website, facebook, etc.

Etiquette 
While I am all about blog hopping and blog networking, this is just not about that.  By all means, feel free to make new friends through this event, however, please refrain from "advertising" your blog, page, service, or product directly in this forum.  You may list your blog home page URL only as an accompaniment to each of your links, in case anyone is interested in checking out new blogs, but please do not include any other links, promotions, requests, etc.  Violations will be deleted.

Please leave links only as indicated above (participation & donations).  If you would like to make any additional comments, please use the comment forum on this post, NOT the linky list.

I would love to see this get huge so we can all just feel great about helping others in need!  Please, please share this post and lets see what a difference we can make!

**NOTE**  I have created a button / link directly on my homepage, in the top right-hand column, for easy access to this post.  Just click the photo to be directed here.




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Cherry White Cheese Cake

Unfortunately, I don't have a photo for this one yet, but I promise to add it next time I or my grandma makes this.  This is my grandmas recipe and a family favorite for sure!  I wanted to post it in time for Easter, since many of us do some cooking/baking for the holidays.  Let me know how you like this one!

NOTE:  This recipe makes two 13x9 cakes.  If you only want one and don't want to waste the other half of the cake batter, try it in a slightly larger jelly roll pan.

1 package of white cake mix

2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened

4 cups of powdered sugar

1 16oz container of whipped topping, thawed

2 cans of cherry pie filling

**also good topped with strawberry or blueberry

Prepare and bake cake as directed on package, using only half the batter.  Cool.  Beat cream cheese & sugar until fluffy.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spread over cooled cake.  Top with pie filling.  Chill and keep chilled.

So yummy!

Easter Recipe Swap Meet

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