Nifty indeed (Tote and Tee)

Since I featured some awesome shoes below I thought I would go ahead and feature some ultra cool knee socks and tights too!

Wanna ROCK those legs this fall?

Head over to Tote and Tee and check out their complete line of socks and tights.

Be sure to check out the TEE'S too.... We own several and they ~ROCK~!

Oh, I've got SOLE

Big time shoe fanatic here....

I especially love buying up shoes that NOT EVERYONE HAS (kwim?)

Check out these cool KICKS!

Camper SPORTY sandals at Sole Food

Flower Moccasins at MILK SHOP

Morgan & Milo Flames at Moxie Kids

25 years and still going strong

Cabbage Patch Kids is celebrating their 25th anniversary by releasing some of the original Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. Can you believe it has been 25 years, already? WOW! I can remember when these dolls first came out. They were sold out EVERYWHERE and my parents had to have their names put on a waiting list just to get one.

Well, 25 years later Cabbage Patch Kids are still very popular. This fall Limited Edition 25th anniversary Cabbage Patch Kids dolls will be hitting the stores. These are special because they are being made with the same exact molds as the ORIGINAL dolls. (See the one we have, above?)

Same Face, Same Clothing and Same names....

They will definately bring back memories!

Be sure to pick up your own ORIGINAL doll before they are all gone!

-Do you remember your first Cabbage Patch doll? Head over to their special 25th memories page and share your own memories with other Cabbage Patch kid collectors.

Baby shower? Buy Personalized gifts!

It seems like the baby showers are in full swing around here. A few of my pals are pregnant and having baby showers very soon. I LOVE BABY SHOWERS and believe I have already told you that before. I am one of those "friends" that likes to show up with something totally unique. I like to hear the oooh's and ahhhh's and "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?". Yes, I am one of THOSE types. Diapers are great but I guarantee everyone will remember a truly unique gift idea. So, what's one to buy when attending a baby shower? Customized baby gifts are cool. Every momma likes to see their little one's name on something. It just makes everything so much more personal. I have seen some super cute baby wipe containers convered in fabric with the little one's initials.....those would be great as personalized gifts for baby. What about a diaper bag with their name on it? It could be filled with all kinds of baby necessaties.

Usually for the GIRL showers, I will make some bows and headbands for a few new outfits. Mom's usually go gaga for matching accessories, ya know.

Cute pacifier clips for boys?? Another FAB IDEA!

Search around, I am sure you will find many personalized new baby gifts.

What a HOOT!

OH ME. OH MY!

I love admiring all the amazing creations over @ Etsy, Don't you?

Shopping for kiddos is so much fun. I love finding ONE OF A KIND creations and pieces that you just want see in stores.

So, when I saw these cute lil "OWL" seperates, I just knew I had to feature them.

You can find both pieces @ pepperplum's etsy shop.

Shoppin' til we drop!

Cool CLAY creations (Easy too!)

Yes, that blueberry tart up there is actually made of CLAY. The Clay is super simple to make and only includes THREE ingredients (FLOUR, SALT and WATER). Head on over to WHIMSY LOVE and she will walk you through the whole process of making Sunshine Clay.

With Love,

A wonderful blogger (The NieNie Dialogues) and her husband were in a bad airplane crash a couple of weeks ago and they would definately appreciate your prayers. Also, if you are able....donations to cover medical bills are being accepted. Just click on the button below for more information.

If you have never been to her blog then I highly suggest checking it out! It is definately a great one.

On Thursday, August 28th there will be silent auctions popping up all over the blog-o-sphere. Please visit Design Mom to see a complete list of all auctions going on.

BID BID BID!

Corn on the Cob CUPCAKES

I thought these were just too cute to pass up!

Check out these CORN ON THE COB cupcakes from Gourmet Mom on the Go.

No more tears during bathtime w/ Lil Rinser

LIL RINSER

If you come to my house during bathtime on any given night then you will probably hear a lot of screaming coming from the bathtub. The Lil Princess acts as if someone is torturing her. You see....She DOES NOT like to wash her hair. NOPE....NO WAY!

She screams and squirms and tries to jump right out of the tub. I have to literally hold her down and rinse the shampoo out of her hair while trying my best not to get any in her eyes.

IT IS SUCH A HASSLE !
Well, not anymore. Lil Rinser is a great little device that will help me contain the monster at bathtime. It fits right on your child's head like a hat (Well, half of a hat) and all you do is pour the water right on the Lil Rinser. It will shield the shampoo/water and your kiddo will walk away with NO TEARS.

We tested our Lil Rinser out tonight during the "DREADED" bath time. My princess didn't quiet know what to think of it but once she noticed that her face was not getting wet she said it was PRETTY COOL!!

Thanks to Lil Rinser, I can now get through a complete bathtub session without flipping my lid.

You can order your own Lil Rinser on their website : www.LilRinser.com

Jazz it up with Unique Skins

My children just adore their handheld video game systems. They like to lug them around everywhere we go which means they usually have to withstand being dropped, banged-up and scratched. I guess you could say they are really LOVED! My daughter's Nintendo DS has definately seen better days but she refuses to part with it so we just have to deal with the poor looking thing.....OR DO WE?

UniqueSkins.Com offers "Unique" skins for your gaming systems. They also offer skins for cell phones, computers, and MP3 players. You can Jazz up just about any device that needs JAZZING up!

The design process is SIMPLE. You just choose which type of "Skin" you would like and then either browse through their designs or create your own. You can upload photos and even add text to your skin design.

I recently received a unique skin for my cellphone. I love it! I actually chose one of the uniqueskins.com designs (Pink polka-dots....fits me PERFECTLY).

Applying the skin was definately not an issue. I un-peeled and stuck it right in place. If you mess up it is easy to remove and start over. I was amazed at the detail that went into the skin. It fit perfectly onto my phone and had all the right cu-outs. AWESOME!

My daughter said she wants to get one for her nintendo ds so I am sure we will be back on the website tonight.

-Visit UniqueSkins.com for your own "unique" decal.

Heads UP! (GIVEAWAY ALERT)

ODANNYSGIRL is giving away a COOL Travel Bib. Head over there and enter!

Dapper Snappers Giveaway

Giveaway has now ended and winner was notified via email. Check the side bar/winner's area for more info.

Michelle (Dapper Snappers creator) is not only offering a special coupon for a FREE DAPPER SNAPPER when purchasing TWO Dapper Snappers -see coupon code below in review- but now she has given me the OK for a GIVEAWAY!!!

Would you like to win a 3pk of Dapper Snappers?

All you have to do is leave me a comment stating which PACK you would choose :

Girl pack

Boy Pack

Giveaway will end Friday August 29th and a winner will be announced.

No more DROOPY DRAWERS here thanks to Dapper Snappers!

WOOOOOO-HOOOOO!!

I can proudly acclaim that my children no longer have "Droopy Drawers"!

You see, I used to dread shopping for two of my three children.

WHY?

Well, if I buy pants that fit in the waist then they are way too short and if I buy pants that are long enough then they are WAY too wide in the waist.

For instance my oldest daughter is 9 and she can still wear some 7's. The ONLY pants that fit her just-right cost nearly $60.00.

I would much rather spend $60.00 on a complete outfit rather than one pair of pants. KWIM??We have tried various belts (most are too big), we have tried pinning the pants with safety pins (looks odd) and I have even tried making my own ribbon belts but she has a hard time with the D-Rings.

We were helpless.....

UNTIL DAPPER SNAPPERS came to the rescue!

Dapper Snappers is another MOM-INVENTED product. (THE BEST INVENTORS are MOMS!)

*A small piece of elastic (many colors to choose from) that has a few button/snaps

*All you do is insert the DAPPER SNAPPER to the back belt loops of your child's pants

*Adjust to desired fit and comfort

The pants or shorts will NOT sag any longer!

I tried the Dapper Snapper on my little man who also suffers from DROOPY DRAWERS syndrome....hee hee

The shorts he is sporting in the photo were bought nearly a year ago and they are still nearly two sizes too big.

Well, I inserted the DAPPER SNAPPER and he was able to wear the shorts for the first time yesterday!!!

I am VERY happy with my Dapper Snapper and plan to order more in various colors.

SAY BYE BYE to sagging pants.

No more HASSLES with belts during potty time.

TOSS OUT those safety pins.

Buy Dapper Snappers RIGHT.NOW!!

COUPON CODE: BUY 2 and get 1 FREE! Use code: rrsyesmymay

Wind Chimes

Now would be a great time to make these windchimes......

Get the instructions HERE. (Ramblings of a Crazy Woman)

Happy ~Black Cow~ Day !

Today is Black Cow (Rootbeer Float) Day.

Let's Celebrate!!!

You will need :

Root Beer

Vanilla Ice Cream

Whipped Cream

Chocolate Syrup

Cherries

Place 2 tablespoons of syrup in bottom of large glass. Add root beer, stirring until liquid is within 2 inches of top of glass. Add a huge scoop of ice cream then the whipped cream and finally toss a few cherries on top.

mmmmm....

Happy Black Cow day!

Create a mini sundae bar (giveaway)

I am gonna wrap up the week by offering up a wonderful giveaway. I just know your kiddos will enjoy making their own ice cream sundaes with this cool kit:

The Sassafras Kids Mini Sundae kit is perfect for your little ice cream lover.

The kit comes with two ice cream bowls, ice cream spoons, paper hats, one ice cream scoop, sprinkles and a rhyming recipe book.

Your kiddo will be whipping up his/her own creations in no time.

This Sundae Kit has become a big hit in my household. My children like to pretend that they work in an ice cream parlor when I let them use it. They have come up with some rockin' ice cream creations like Bubble Gum Blast and Cheerio Surprise.

Some of them aren't THAT bad, either! lol

If you would like to win your own Sassafras Kids Mini Sundae kit just comment below about your favorite ice cream topping.

Giveaway will end Friday Aug. 22nd and a winner will be announced.

Pancake Art

Flaunt your creative side! (I know you have it)

Jazz up those BORING pancakes.

Little Momma and Company shows us how to make PANCAKE ART.

*ooooh LaLa

Look at this cute cat pancake.

And if you wanna see more cool creations, Check out this cool Pancake Art group on Flickr.

Notice the THEME this week?

It's all about the FOOD this week, Moms!

There's another giveaway coming tomorrow. You don't wanna miss it either!

Good Bites Crustless sandwich cutter

Here's another MOM-Invented masterpiece :
Good Bites Crustless Sandwich Cutter

Yep, we have probably all BEEN THERE when it comes to the "Bread Crust" issue. Some kids will tolerate the crust and some kids ......well, they don't do "Crust"! It can be a hassle trying to de-crust the bread during lunchtime. Of course when one kids gets their crust taken off they ALL want it taken off. AY YI YI! Well, Good Bites Crustless Sandwich Cutter is my new BFF. Not only does it take the crust off of the bread but it makes your sandwich look COOL! There are four different "designs" to choose from : Heart, Halves, Circle halves and Quarters.
Good Bites are kid friendly which means your little ones can now cut their sandwiches on their own. NO MESS which means MOM can relax and not have to worry about cleaning up after anyone.
When you are done....Just pop them in the dishwasher as they are dishwasher SAFE! (Major plus in this household)
What's not to love? These are PERFECT!
Grab a few during your next shopping spree. (They are very affordable too!)

~A new Spin on the whole LUNCH issue~

While browsing through some of my favorite blogs, such as Sycamore Stirrings, I noticed that many of them are participating in "Muffin Tin Monday" and serving Muffin Tin lunches.

What is a Muffin Tin lunch, You ask ?

Parents are putting a new spin on the whole lunch situation and serving perfectly sized portions in muffin tins. I must say that some are quiet creative and YUMMY-LOOKING!

What you do is take your muffin tin and fill each slot with something yummy such as carrots in one, Ranch dip in another, grapes in one ....You get the idea?

The kids will love the uniqueness and HEY! Maybe you can even get them to try something different. Kids tend to eat better when it's fun to look at.

If you do decide to try MUFFIN TIN lunches be sure to join Muffin Tin Monday and post your creations on your blog so we can see!!

Lunch w/ a side of LOVE!

I am sure most mornings in your house are pretty much like mine......CHAOTIC!

You are running around trying to get yourself ready along with the kids, make lunches, find backpacks and attempt to chew through half a muffin. If you are lucky you may even get a sip of coffee to wash it down.....IF YOU ARE LUCKY!

The kids run out the door and so do you.

You shout to the kids "HAVE A GREAT DAY, I LOVE YOU!" but do they hear ya?

Well, I have found a great way to TALK with your kids during their lunch.

Kids Lunchbox cards

With Kids LunchBox Cards, It's like shoving a BIG OLE' HUG inside their lunchbox. It's also a great way to brighten your child's day. Say HELLO, Send a special message or a fun riddle.

Kids Lunchbox cards can also be placed in backpacks or reading books for an extra surprise.

Head over to KidsFunCards and check out all the designs they have to offer.

Cocoa Puffs Combos (Giveaway)

This giveaway is now closed. Winner has been notified and you can also check the WINNERS CIRCLE located on the left sidebar for more info.

Thanks for entering!

If you go Cuck-OO for Cocoa Puffs then you will definately like General Mills newest cereal creation, Cocoa Puffs Combos.

Chocolate and Vanilla combined =one YUMMY cereal!

A bowl of Cocoa Puffs Combos provides 12 essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin D and Calcium which help maintain strong bones.

Would you like to try Cocoa Puffs Combos?

Leave me a comment below stating which is your ALL TIME favorite cereal and I will send you a coupon for a FREE FULL SIZE box of cereal.

There will be TWO winners and this giveaway will close tomorrow @ 5:00pm CST.

Flippee-The Toilet Shield

I am amazed at so many of the products on the market today. However, the ones I am most thrilled about are the one's created by MOMS! Afterall, MOMS know the dilemma's we face everyday with raising children and running a household.

So, I just knew I had a great product in my hands when I noticed that the Flippee was created by a MOM just like me!

The dilemma: nasty stains leftover from ACCIDENTS due to potty training

The Solution: The Flippee Toilet shield

Now say it with me..... "AH-HA!" "How come I didn't think of that?"

The Flippee toilet shield was created by a mother of three boys who grew tired of having to clean up ater all those "missed target shots". Oh, you know what I am talking about especially if you have a little boy. They aim ONE WAY and it ends up going in another direction resulting in a big mess.

With the Flippee toilet shield you want have to worry about the mess. The Flippee is installed via suction cups on the side of the toilet and you can raise the shield before "POTTY BREAKS".

Once he is done with the shield it can then be lowered back down under the toilet.

It also has a "Drip Lip" that prevents any excess from hitting the floor.

My son is 5 and still has trouble hitting the "target". Heck, my husband has trouble too (But that is a story for another day!) lol

I installed the Flippee Toilet Shield very easily and showed the lil man how to properly use it.

The first day, I noticed that he would leave it up after using the bathroom but he soon got the hang of it and started lowering it after use.

Guess what? I don't have to clean my toilet as often and the lil man is actually using it like a game. He tells me that he tries not to hit the shield and if he does hit the shield then he loses. HA!

I was so thrilled with this product that I had to show my neighbor. She came in and immediately asked where she could purchase one for her son.

I'm telling you ladies....This is a must-have product for all little boys.

*Prevents odor and germs

*Saves you time cleaning hard to reach surfaces

*Easy to handle

*Creates Awareness with physical boundaries

I only wish that I had this when we first started potty training. They have all sorts of potty chairs and seats designed to go on the toilet but nothing specifically for little boys. It took my lil man awhile to adjust to standing instead of sitting on the toilet. If I would have had this product we could have bypassed sitting altogether.

Head over to Flippee and order your Flippee Toilet Shield today!

TUTU cute

My oldest daughter never has been a GIRLY GIRL. She is more into video games and animals than dressing up and looking girly. I thought my dreams of BARBIE and TEA PARTIES were shattered until our youngest daughter entered this world. You see she is as GIRLY GIRL as they come. Her favorite color is definately pink and maybe a little purple if she feels like it, She likes to run around in my heels while wearing her dress up clothing and she is constantly trying to steal my lipstick. (She is 3 going on 18!)

She always has her toes painted PINK (light LIGHT pink ....THE DADDY RULE!) She never leaves the house without a purse and don't you EVER talk about cutting her long hair. Don't you know all princesses have long hair???

Do you have a girly girl? Does she like dressing up and playing make believe?

I wanted to share these great links/ideas with you. Each one should bring your princess much joy!!

Make your own tutu

Ribbon Wands from The Ribbon Wands Shop on etsy

Fairy Dust from chicbabyrose on etsy

EZ School Supplies

You ever wish you could just press some sort of EASY button when dealing with back to school shopping?

Well, EZSCHOOLSUPPLIES.COM is like pushing that "Easy" button and never leaving your house.

Sounds like a true winner to me!

EZ School Supplies has been serving parents and teachers for over five years with one mission:

" to make life easy for moms when they are shopping for school supplies"

Their service is provided to thousands of schools and parents all over the country.

How does it work?

Schools and organizations register on the website and teachers add their "supply list".

All the parent has to do is log on and search for the supply list.

Once you find your supply list you can order the school supplies directly from EZSCHOOLSUPPLIES.COM.

No more running all over town trying to locate what is on your list because EZSCHOOLSUPPLIES.COM is stocked 26,000 brand name items.

As an added bonus, if your School signs up for the program EZSCHOOLSUPPLIES.COM will give them back a 10% donation to be used towards fund raising.

Sounds pretty awesome, right?

Visit ezschoolsupplies.com for more information.

ooohing and ahhing over this CRAFTY momma!

I am always on the hunt for awesome kid craft ideas, recipes and products. A lot of the ideas I share are sent in via email but most of them are found purely by accident.

I can not even remember what I was searching for when I came across this gem of a blog :

A BIG CUP OF TEA

Needless to say, I am very pleased to have found it.

I recently featured her SCRATCH ART craft idea and loved it so much that I had to go back for more!

Upon my search through her "archives" I found some awesome EYE CANDY.

OH.YES.I.DID !!

Like this:

And THIS

And even THIS

Seeing these wonderful ideas had me itchin' to try them ALL!

I know that you are now ooohing and ahhhing too, right?

Head over to A Big Cup of Tea if you are searching for something to do with your children and check out EVERY.SINGLE.POST because they are all just plain awesome.

Bugalug Stay Put accessories (giveaway)

This giveaway is now CLOSED. A winner has been notified

(Check Winner's circle on the sidebar for more info.)

Thanks for entering!

Are you having a hard time getting that hair clip to stay in your little one's fine hair?

Have you just given up on clippies all together just because they keep falling out?

DON'T GIVE UP!

There is a solution.....

Bugalug Baby

Yes, now your little one can wear beautiful hair clips and headbands without them falling out.

Bugalug Baby offers a huge selection of barrettes and headbands with a special "grippy slip" that prevents them from sliding around.

I haven't seen anything like it either.....

Not only will the clips STAY PUT but they are also very cute!

Simple and Trendy designs will have you coming back for more.

We recently had the opportunity to try one of their SUPER CUTE headbands. I love it because it is made completely of ribbon which means no hard plastic scraping my kiddo's head. Lil Princess usually doesn't wear headbands because they hurt her head but with BugALug headband's you will never even notice they are in your hair. (HUGE PLUS!)

The ribbon has a special enclosure at the end which means ANYONE can wear this headband. You can tighten or loosen as needed.

It did end up in my hair the other day and I must say it looked DARN CUTE! haha

I will definately be ordering more for my lil princess.

The hard part is deciding which to buy!!

(maybe all?) lol

Would you like to win Bugalug Baby barrettes?

I have a pair of "JELLYBEAN" clips that need a home.

All you have to do is visit Bugalug Baby and tell me which is your favorite style.

Giveaway will end on Wednesday August 13th and a winner will be announced.

Prima Princessa (Giveaway)

Giveaway is now closed. Winner has been notified! Please check the winner's circle if you did not receive the notification email. THANKS FOR ENTERING!

If you happen to pay me a visit during "KID BEDTIME" on any given night then you probably find me upstairs watching the LIL PRINCESS perform her twirly dance aka ballet moves.

Yep, every night before hopping into the bed she has to stand in the middle of the floor and perfect her ballet twirl complete with hands in the "Twirly" position as she calls it.

She is getting pretty good....I might add.

So when I heard of the Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake dvd I jumped at the chance to review it.

As soon as it arrived I stuck it in the dvd player for LIL PRINCESS and she was thrilled. I can not even describe the look on her face when she saw the little ballerinas come on the screen.

Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake not only tells a story and teaches about theater but will also teach your little one special ballet moves which was a major plus for my ballet lover.

Watching the dvd is like going to the ballet (ONLY MUCH SHORTER @ 40 mins.) which is great for the little ones and their attention spans.

The whole family will love it!

Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake is the creation of two Stay at Home moms (Stephanie Troeller & Mary Kate Mellow) who were tired of not being able to find BALLET dvd's specifically for children. Enough was Enough and they decided to make their own dvd.

What's next? More dvd's of course! I can not wait.

For more information on Prima Princessa products be sure to visit their website :

http://www.primaprincessa.com/

I have one PRIMA PRINCESSA presents SWAN LAKE dvd to give away.

Would you like to win??

Simply leave me a comment below as your entry.

Giveaway will close on Tuesday August 12th and a winner will be announced.

Pinwheel cookies

These look too pretty to eat!

Oh, who am I kidding? I am sure my kids would inhale them like any other cookie.

They are NEAT-O, eh?

Find the recipe HERE at A Pinch of This a Pinch of That

Fleas quit biting my kids!

Here lately we have been dealing with ticks and flea bites. I have never had so much trouble with these insects before moving here. The only animal that we own is a cat and believe me the fleas and ticks are NOT coming from her. However, just about every neighborhood dog ends up in my yard thus causing the flea and tick issue to get out of control. Do you have this issue? If you are like me and want to know how to get rid of fleas be sure to visit FleasControl.com. I, for one, am getting sick of the flea bites on my children's little ankles.
*Sponsored Post*

Definately for the CRAFTY mommas out there

These are just too darn cute!

make your lil one's shoes LIGHT UP

(click on photo for tutorial)

via Craftzine magazine

*School* snack ideas

Looking for after-school snack ideas?

Here ya go....

Crispy Cheese Stars

Sandwich on a Stick

Cookie Dippers

Vanilla wafers

Favorite yogurt flavor

(allow child to dip cookies into their yogurt)

Crafty goodness

Here are some great crafty ideas to share with the wee ones this week:

Feather Duster Puppets courtesy of Makes and Takes

Rock Neighborhood courtesy of GlitterGoods

homemade Chalk Paint courtesy of Little Momma and Company

FYI : Giveaway winners

I am trying to come up with an easier way for keeping track of Giveaway winners. I will be adding a GIVEAWAY winners section on the sidebar. So, the next time you enter a giveaway and want to know the outcome just look for the WINNERS section and if your name is there YOU ARE A WINNER! I will still email you to get your address info......but this way if my emails happen to land in your BULK/SPAM folder (which happens way too often) you can just contact me.

*Maybe this will be better for both parties*

~Back to School ~ Woo Hoo !

Even though my kiddos are homeschooled we still plan some sort of Back to School bash with friends and family. I also like to give some sort of "GOODY" as a way to welcome a new school year for their friends.

Some of the past GOODIES we have passed out included:

*A box of pop-tarts wrapped up real pretty with a bow (I know how hectic mornings can be so I figure a QUICK breakfast is a must!)

*Personalized pencil boxes filled with pencils and CANDY!

*Mini snack baskets (After School snacks)

I am trying to come up with an idea for this year though. School will start back on Thursday for most kiddos.

I was thinking about making up some cinnamon buns for our closest neighbors. I could put them in a little tin and wrap them up with ribbon in Primary colors and maybe attach a few school supplies to the top.

Do you have a Back to School party? If so please share your tips. We would love to hear them!

Also, don't forget the NEW teachers.....

Here is a great link for a Back to School Survival Kit.

Oh, and check out this cute idea:

Crayon Plaques with your teacher's initial. I am sure she would love to display this on her desk. (make it now while crayons are so cheap too!)

Find directions HERE