Small Talk Six: Six Smiles

Today's Small Talk Six is all about smiling. So here are 6 things that make me smile:

1. The Gibbon's grin:

2. Seeing cakes we've created when they're done (and the kiddos loving them):

3. Kittens, how can you not smile:

4. Goofing around with the Gibbon (and getting Eskimo kisses):

5. Homemade cupcakes:

6. Warm weather and flowers:

Yoplait Giveaway Winners

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

42 7 37 

Timestamp: 2009-02-28 05:14:12 UTC

#42:

gkstratos said...

I walk every day, practice yoga and try to eat organic whenever possible.
gkstratos@yahoo.com

#7:

Barely Domestic Mama said...

I tweeted the contest at http://twitter.com/BarelyDomestic/status/1226413671

#37:

Liza767 said...

I follow on blogger
i love the name of your blog btw

Congrats ladies! I'll be sending you an email in the morning to get your information. Since it's already after midnight, I need to get a little sleep! If you happen to see this before I'm in touch with you, please email me (mommastaci33(at)yahoo(dot)com) with your name and address so you can get your gift bags asap.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Time to Play Thursday: Sand Art

We love Fruit Loops in our house. They're yummy, bright, and make great sand art.

What you need:
Big bowl of Fruit Loops
Ziploc bags
Rolling pin
Baby food jar (or similar small jar)

1. Separate Fruit Loops by color. This takes awhile, but it's a good way to teach colors and sorting skills.

2. Place colors into separate Ziploc bags. Using rolling pin, smash until a fine powder is all that's left. Be careful though not to break the bag-I made that mistake.

3. Pour each color into jar, layering them as you go.


4. Seal jar tightly. You can put a tiny bit of glue around the edge of the lid if you are worried about anyone dumping it on the floor.

5. Display proudly!

Introducing the Gibbon

Little man has dubbed himself the Gibbon. So, from now on, he will lovingly be referred to as such. It's definitely not a stretch. The boy could easily keep up with monkeys and manages to climb and swing on just about anything.

(Image from Wikipedia)

1/2 Price Smoothie Happy Hour

Are you a smoothie lover? My little man would answer that with a loud resounding yes. At TCBY, smoothies are 1/2 price during happy hour. Now, 7 Days a week, from 5-6 pm, you can order your favorite flavor for half price.

The best part is, TCBY makes their smoothies from real dairy yogurt and fruit. The live and active cultures in yogurt will boost your immune system. And, the smoothies come in a ton of yummy flavors like Strawberry Bananza and Black 'n' Bluberry.

Wordless Wednesday: Macro

I just discovered the macro setting on my camera existed:

Warning: Potty Talk

You would think that since we are done with potty training, bathroom talk would be at a minimum around here. And yet, somehow we are always talking about it. Did you go to the potty? Did you wash your hands when you were done? When was the last time you went? Yada, yada, yada.

But the biggest question? Who peed on my seat? I swear, I ask it 20 times a day. There's a big thank you to all the coffee I drink. How hard is it for boys to hit the bowl? I have to admit though, I'll take hitting the seat over hitting the floor (or wall) which both seem to be an almost daily occurrence as well.

I think someone needs to remind my boys that this is not a gas station, and pee on the wall is not a form of art. Oh the joys of being the only one required to sit.

Reclaiming my Space

Even though we moved into this house almost 8 months ago, we've still fought with feeling like it's home. Don't get me wrong, it is a wonderful house, and we love it here, but it still feels "new."

Since living here, little man has been sleeping in our room (in his own bed). His bedroom is one of the only ones we decorated, but he has wanted nothing to do with it, and rarely even uses his playroom either. We all have a habit of converging in the living room and staying there all day.

So, in a four bedroom house, one is being used. Today, my goal is to change that. I'm shuffling toys around, so that there are more in his bedroom, adding more decor, and organizing like crazy. I'm hoping that it will make the room more appealing. My ultimate goal is to have him sleeping in his own room by next week.

Wish me luck as I try to reclaim my own room! I'm off to continue on with my rearranging trek.

Monday's Amusing Moment

We're sitting in a next-to-empty Wendy's, chowing down on some chicken nuggets. Little man and I were checking out the kid's meal bag, which had photos of some crowns on it. One tall and skinny, one short and fat, and one in the middle. Asking which he wanted, he pointed to the middle one.

He asked which I wanted, and I chose the tall skinny one, which any princess would want. It was completely adorable. His response: Momma, your head is too fat for that one. Then holding up his imaginary tape measure he announces, you need the fat crown.

The lone college kid nearby, burst out with laughter, and really, who could blame him? I guess momma and her fat head should just eat at home from now on.

What's Going On

Over at Thoughts from the Toilet Bowl, Sarah has started a meme called Show Me the Funny. I was so excited to see that she highlighted one of my posts from the week. Be sure to stop by and check out the others featured!

At 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires, Karen reviewed some super cute shoes from Stride Rite, and is giving away a pair too. Stop by soon, because the giveaway ends 2/24.

MomDot is giving away a $100 gift certificate to My Wonderful Walls. You should check out their Kids Murals and Nursery Art. Amazing!

Sara over at Momma Findings is giving away 3 Honey Kix prize packs. My little cereal eater would go crazy for these. The giveaway ends 2/28.

Over at Mommy's Quiet Time, Bloggymommy talks about little girls and bullies. Though I can't relate yet, I'm dreading the day when I have to deal with that too.

Have you checked out The Launchpad from MomDot yet? Head on over, check out the groups, discussions, and meet some wonderful bloggers.

And don't forget to enter my Yoplait giveaway, which ends a week from today.

The Pumpkin Porch

I've seen people getting grief because their Christmas tree is still up in February. Back in January, my dad started this big fuss because I still had pumpkins on my front porch. Yes, I get it: it's sad, and lazy. They should have been thrown away months ago. But they did look pretty under the snow.

In my defense, we rarely use the front door, meaning I rarely take notice to what's on the porch. Today, I went out to get the mail, and this is what caught my eye:I was speechless. I'm still speechless, and a bit disgusted. But, ya'll will be proud to know that they finally made their way to the dumpster. Say bye-bye to little Jack-o-lantern.Now I just need to hose pumpkin snot off my steps. Wonderful.

Time to Play Thursday

Earlier in the week, I shared a list of ideas of things to do with preschoolers. One of the little man's favorite activities is making homemade play dough.

Our recipe is really simple:
1/4 cup salt
1 cup flour
1/4 cup water

I let the little one dump the salt and flour into a bowl, then he uses a spoon to scoop in the water. You can just pour it in, but it keeps them busy longer doing it in spoonfuls. He is also in charge of kneading the ingredients together until it reaches play dough consistency. I usually end up adding a bit of water later, as this recipe dries out easily.

After he's played with it for awhile, usually an hour or more later, we create little volcanoes. We fill each with baking soda, than pour in some vinegar.

We also add in a few drops of food coloring or some sprinkles to make our eruptions look pretty. And, waa-la, some magical, bubbling, homemade fun.

Yummy Yogurt & A Giveaway

In our house, we all love yogurt. But, we all eat it in our own special way. Little man loves his extra sweet, hubby likes his smooth, and I like mine with fruit and granola mixed in. Yummy!

Recently, we had the chance to try Yoplait Yo-Plus Blueberry Acia. I have to say, everyone was able to enjoy it. It had that hint of sweetness the little one likes, but it was smooth and fruity too, making hubby and I both happy as well.

With only 110 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per serving, it's a great way to start the day. It contains vitamins A and D, calcium, and fiber. Plus, Yo-Plus Blueberry Acia contains live and active probiotic cultures to help keep your digestive tract healthy.
If you're like me, you may be wondering if Yo-Plus is safe for children. According to Yoplait's site, the natural probiotic in Yo-Plus yogurt is a kind of bacteria that is among the first to develop in an infant's digestive system. This probiotic, Bifidobacterium, is safe even for young children and infants. In fact, it's one of the most widely studied probiotics with proven safety at all age ranges.

Want to get buy it?

You can save $1.oo by printing a coupon out.

Want to win?

I have 3 Yoplait gift bags to give away to some lucky readers. Each bag contains a coupon for a free 4-pack of Yo-Plus yogurt, a Yoplait cooler tote bag, a water bottle, and a nutrition journal.
How to enter: Leave a comment here telling me what you do to stay healthy or maintain a nutritional diet. I want to hear your tips, your favorite healthy snacks, etc.

Extra Entries:

• Post my button in your sidebar
• Favorite me on Technorati
  
• Follow me on blogger
• Follow me on Twitter or tweet the contest
• Blog about this contest for 5 extra entries.

Please leave each entry in a separate comment. Giveaway will end at 11:59 pm EST on Friday February 27th. Please leave your email in your comment if it's not visible on your profile. Winners will be announced in a post and emailed, and must respond within 48 hours. Open to US only.

Wordless Wednesday: It's a Jungle Out There

Thrifty Shopping

I love shopping at thrift stores. There is always something there worth buying, even if you have to dig a bit to find it. The prices are unbeatable, and there is so much variety all under one roof.

We go about once a month to our local one, since it's still a bit of a drive. But after an hour there, we managed to buy:

17 kid's books, all in good condition
3 shirts for hubby
3 shirts for the little man
2 pairs of kid's pants
3 pairs of pants for me
1 sweater for me (from Express even)

The total? $29. I'd say that it was a pretty good trip.

The thing with thrift stores is you never know what type of people you'll run into.

First, there was Mrs. Mumble to Myself. I, unfortunately, was caught beside her for a good twenty minutes while I rummaged through bins of books. She picked up book after book, commented to herself about it, then made her decision to keep or put it back, after a long discussion with herself. It was rather mind numbing to listen to.

Then there was Grandma Talks Too Much. You know the one, the old lady who corners you for no reason and tells you her whole life story. I'm not sure it was necessary for me to know that she needed to buy metal dog food bowls because her dogs kept eating theirs or that her sister just had surgery. Blah, blah, blah.

And last was the mom with the screaming kid. Oh wait, that was me. Little man was so upset that the thrift store no longer carries toys. Me, I had to fake my sympathies for him. I was completely thankful I no longer had to hear him begging for toys that look a little too well loved or games that were missing half the pieces. I was more than happy to promise him an extra book to replace any toy he had hoped for.

Do you shop at thrift stores? What's been your best find?

Preschooler Play: No Batteries Included

I've been thinking of ways to make our lives a little simpler. And I've realized that sometimes the hardest thing in minimizing tv and video game time is coming up with fresh ideas. The weather here is still far too chilly to be outside for long, so we have to find ways to entertain ourselves indoors.

Here's a few of the things we have done to keep busy and have fun:

1. Read: a book, a magazine, anything.
2. Grab some crayons & color
3. Build with Legos
4. Play with a box-it can become a rocket, a car, a cave
5. Tell stories
6. Play dress-up
7. Count something, count everything
8. Have a picnic, indoors or out
9. Bake and decorate cookies or cupcakes
   
10. Make a card for someone special just because
11. Write a letter
12. Play “I Spy”
13. Make fossils
14. Make homemade clay
15. Create fun and edible necklaces
16. Create your own sand art
17. Play with playdough
18. Play ball-roll it, kick it, throw it
19. Play “Simon Says”
20. Sing a song
21. Finger paint
22. Play in a sandbox, or with rice or birdseed inside
23. Let them dig through a glob of shaving cream, or run cars through it
24. Make a treasure hunt for them to follow
25. Race cars
26. Make slime
27. Make your own music
28. Dance
29. Build a fort
30. Create your own pretend store
31. Play with or make puppets
32. Make an obstacle course
33. Play sink or float in a tub of water
34. Make masks from paper plates
35. Sorting games, using anything
36. Paint with string
37. Play with flash cards
38. Play bean bag toss
39. Play memory or matching games
40. Just talk!

What's your favorite thing to do with your kids?

Winners of the Cocoa Puff Tees

Here are the winners, drawn at Random.org:

#2: Cat from 3KidsandUs

#11 Valerie from Sweeps4Bloggers

#19 Sara from Momma Findings

#24 Suzanne from So, you don't get any phone calls from me...

#31 Lori A. (No blog)

Congrats ladies! You will be recieving an e-mail from me shortly, and must respond within 48 hours! Thanks to everyone who entered.

Small Talk Six: Happy Valentine's Day!

Over at MomDot, today's Small Talk Six meme is all about romance. This means I have to think of the six most romantic or unromantic things that have ever happened to me.

The first time hubby sent me flowers:

Our wedding day:

Going to a friends wedding, a nice getaway for a few days:

Relaxing together at a lake one night on vacation:

Hubby getting me tickets to see Emerson Drive as a gift:

Getting humongous Valentines that you know weren't created by a little one alone:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Farm Girl

It seems that the experiences we loved as a kid are the same ones we want to share with our own kids. And for good reason, of course. Thinking about all the things I did as a kid brings a smile to my face: sledding, playing pirates on the swingset my dad built, curling up with a flashlight and a good book.

I grew up on a farm. Simply said, we lived in the middle of nowhere. Being farmers, my parents didn't have a lot of money, but we never went without. We always had food on the table, always had something to do, and never knew just how tight things were.Being a farm girl definitely defines a bit of who I am. I can stack hay and carry grain with the best of them. I know how to tend to the animals, and I know how to create my own fun. Growing up, we made our own games and found ways to entertain ourselves. That's exactly what I want to pass on to my son, the ability to use his imagination, the power to play with things that don't require 4 AA batteries. I want him to see thinks simply.

To Work or Not to Work...

Today hubby brought up the idea of me going back to work. The little one will be starting kindergarten in the fall, and it seems that I am expected to find a job then.

Here's the thing about me: I hate being told what to do by anyone. Maybe it's the 5 year old in me, but being told to do something makes me want to do the exact opposite. I need it to by my decision, when I'm ready.

Granted, I went to college and finished up my degree while he worked. He took full responsibility of earning the money for awhile, but I've done the same for him when he was unemployed. The thing is, I like being at home. I want to be here to send my son off to school, I want to pick him up in the afternoon, I want to be that mom.

I just don't see the balance being there anymore. If that makes any sense. I'm fighting the idea of being away from my little one for a huge part of the day, and wanting to make the most out of the time we will see each other. It's so hard for me to see my little one suddenly seeming so grown up.

Any advice? How did you handle you kids going off to school for the first time?

Wordless Wednesday: Zoo Edition

Check out more Wordless Wednesday at MomDot.

Friday Night Live at MomDot

Over at MomDot, they are gearing up for a huge Friday Night Live this week. In celebration of Valentines, and to bring a little luck to readers on Friday the 13th, they are hosting a one night only blog party.

Sponsors include:
Macy's
Blinc
Things Remembered
Casio Watch (Courtesy of MommyGoggles)
Flip Ultra (Courtesy of The Posh Parent)
PediPed
Kuster
Trembini
Fruit Roll Up
And Dyson Divas

The party starts at 9:30 EST on Friday!

Daddy's Home

The hubby's been off work for almost a month. It's not that he doesn't have a job, he does. And it's definitely not that I don't want him there, I do. Somehow, he hurt his shoulder right after Christmas, and he doesn't think he can handle all the lifting and slinging he has to do at work.

It's been just shy of a month. Four long weeks. The little one and I have our routines when he's not here during the day, and lately, we are really missing that. It's hard to suddenly have him around all. the. time.

Honestly, I am at my wits end. I've been to work more often than he has in the past month, and yet, I'm still basically solely responsible for making the household run on my own. Cleaning, laundry, dishes, bills, bathtime, bedtime. Cooking on occasion is about the extent he is contributing.

I could scream at him to do something. Instead, I tend to mutter cuss words at him under my breath. I shoot dirty looks at him from across the room. I make snide little comments when I get the chance.

I need him to go back to work. I need my days back to just me and the little one. I need my old routine. I need him to get off his behind and help out. I just really need to feel like I'm not in this alone.

Oh, and the little one's take on it?

Today: Mommy, can you loan daddy some of your money? I really want to buy (insert whatever was on the commercial I was ignoring). Daddy hasn't been to work in a long time, he needs your money.

Love it. At least the 4 year old knows where I'm coming from.

Skin MD Review

All winter long, I fight dry skin. Between chilly winds and heaters going full tilt, my skin is cracked and painful from November to March. I’ve tried tons of lotions, but have disliked most of them. With sensitive skin, many lotions either cause rashes or make my skin feel like it’s on fire.

Recently, I was able to try Skin MD Shielding Lotion with sunscreen. I’ve never heard of a shielding lotion before, so it was a completely new idea to me. Basically, Skin MD creates a barrier to keep out irritants that dry skin. According to Skin MD, it works by boosting the natural protective abilities of your skin.

Between work and being a mom, I am constantly washing my hands, so they have become incredibly dry. However, after using Skin MD, I was able to see a noticeable difference. My skin not only felt smoother, it also felt moisturized. No more itchy, scratchy, scaly hands.

One thing that really made me love Skin MD was the fact that it was not greasy at all. I hate lotions that make my hands feel slimy, and Skin MD did the exact opposite. It left my skin smooth and soft. Skin MD definitely carries through on it’s promise that it “exceptionally enhances your skin’s hydrating and protective abilities.” We love it!

Small Talk Six

Today, MomDot is starting a new meme for mom blogs call Small Talk Six. Each Saturday, they will post a topic and participates will post 6 words, 6 sentences, 6 phrases, 6 photos, 6 paragraphs, 6 videos, etc.

This week they want to know 6 songs that get me up and dancing when no one is looking.

Bad Day as sung by the Chipmunks: Maybe it's the fact that we listen to this constantly, but these obnoxious voices take me back to when I was little and I still dance every time.

Baby Got Back: No real explanation needed, right?

Creep by TLC: I loved these girls! I'm sure I still have the cd around here somewhere.

Hot Momma by Trace Adkins: It's a definite pick me up song that gets my booty moving.

'Fore She Was Mama by Clay Walker: One of those songs I can relate to so well.

Gangsta B*tches by Eve: I go back to my teeny bopper years when my best friend and I would cruise around trying to pick up boys, dancing along to it in the car.

What's Going On?

There's so much going on in the bloggy world this week. With me being out of the house so much, I feel like I'm missing so much. But, I've been doing my best to keep up with everything.

Over at MomDot, the Friday night live show is going on tonight at 9:30 EST, so be sure not to miss out. One of the topics will be how to make money on your mom blog. The Recovery is one of the sponsors tonight. They carry some amazing products for postpartum recovery and c-section recovery.

Over at 3 Kids and Us, Cat has begun her Bloggy Baby Shower, as she counts down her final weeks of pregnancy.

At the Not-So-Blog Blog, Bridgette is gearing up for her Mardi Gras Mambo which will start 2/9. Be sure to grab a button to spread the word.

And don't forget to enter my contest below for a chance to win one of five Cocoa Puffs tees.

Breakfast Time & A Giveaway

I am not a morning person. Morning and I should never even share the same sentence. This creates problems because the little one loves waking up at the crack of dawn. Of course, the crack of dawn to me is any time before 8 am.

Our morning routine is pretty simple around here. Momma makes her coffee first thing and finds some breakfast for the little one. While I chug sip my cup full of wake up, the little one happily munches away at a bowl full of cereal.

At first, I felt guilty that I wasn't up before the sun fixing a pancakes and eggs for everyone. I mean, that's what all the moms do on tv, right? But in real life, I seriously doubt too many momma's play short-order cook in the mornings.

After reading that 75% of kids don't get enough calcium and vitamin D, and that Big G Cereals provide both nutrients, I stopped feeling so guilty about our cereal-raiding habits in the morning. We love Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Cocoa Puffs in our house. You can always finding them lining our cereal shelf in the pantry.


Over at the Big G Cereal website, they explain that most cereals have roughly 100-130 calories per serving and provide at least 10 important nutrients. Cereal is the number one source of whole grains in America, and Big G cereals contain less than 12 grams of sugar in each serving. A bowl of cereal is a simple way to provide your kids (or yourself) a healthy morning meal.

Win It

I have been given the opportunity to offer 5 Cocoa Puffs Vintage Ringer Tees (in children's large) to 5 lucky readers.

To enter, visit the Big G Cereals site and leave me a comment with one fact you learned over there or a favorite cereal in your house.

Extra Entries:

• Post my button in your sidebar
• Follow me on blogger
• Follow me on Twitter and tweet the contest
• Blog about this contest for 5 extra entries.

Please leave each entry in a separate comment. Giveaway will end at 11:59 pm EST on Friday February 13th. Please leave your email in your comment if it is not visible on your profile. Winners will be announced in a post and emailed, and must respond within 48 hours. Open to US only.

Wordless Wednesday: Sledding

See more WW over at MomDot.

Mommy

Mommy?
What?
Mommy?
What?
Mommy?
Yes?
Mommmmyyy?
Do you need something?
Mommy.
Okay then.

Such is life with an easily distracted 4-year-old.

Feeling Like I'm MIA

For the past few days, and the week to come, I've been in and out of the house, trying to take care of one thing or another, one person or another. Last Friday, my grandma went in for heart surgery, while under the anesthesia, she suffered a minor stroke. Luckily, within a few days, she had regained her speech and full use of her right side.

For those of you who remember, my dad went through this same surgery back in November and suffered a heart attack during it. Needless to say, he is still recovering, making her current state even harder for him to deal with. A lot of the responsibility has fallen to my mom, and now, as she goes back to work, it falls to my sister and me.

My grandma came home this past weekend, and is doing considerably well. But, someone has to be with her at all times. So, that is where I've spent my afternoons, and will continue to until she feels well enough to be on her own.

I know it sounds so selfish, but it is hard on me to suddenly be away from home more than 40 hours a week. To miss out on afternoons with my son, to rush home to get dinner ready before I need to get GM ready for bed, to not have the freedom to do what I want or need to in an afternoon. The cleaning is not getting done, the dishes have piled up, and the laundry is fighting it's way out into the hallway.

I have sat at her dining room table, searching my brain to name birds at the feeders outside the window, finished reading the first book I've opened (that doesn't rhyme) in over a year, and sat in silence quieter than anything that ever occurs in our house.

I'm trying my hardest to only see the good in this, and to not worry about what I'm missing at home, what needs to be done. But then I come home and realize how long it will take me to catch up on the housework while a 4-year-old is repeating his recap of the afternoon in my ear over and over, and it's hard to see only the good anymore. This is only day 3, I could be in for a very long week.