MYO: Playdough

If you've never made homemade playdough with your kids, you're missing out on a good time. You can use your friend Google to find one of a million recipes to do so. The no cook methods are the easiest. We've tried several recipes and this one is my absolute favorite. It's super easy, you can your kids can whip up a batch in a few minutes and it will provide hours of entertainment. It also smells divine and is the perfect dough consistency. 

Here's what you need: 

1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 or 2 packets of Kool-Aid drink mic
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 
1 cup boiling water

Here's what you do:

Combine all of your dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Next add the oil and boiling water and mix it with a spoon until it gets nice and firm. Once the dough cools down (it only takes a few minutes), you can dig in and mix it with your hands. If it comes out feeling a little too sticky, you can roll it out on wax paper and add a little more flour.

That's it! Super easy and so much fun!

Premama Prenatal Vitamin Giveaway

My health was never so important to me as it was when I was a "pre-Mama". I think that's the case for most expectant mothers. Our first concern is the health of our unborn child and we're willing to do anything we can to ensure our babies get everything they need...including choking down a gigantic prenatal vitamin every day. 

Now there's a better option. Prenatal vitamins that you can drink. Allow me to introduce you to Premama, a prenatal vitamin drink mix:

Premama is a prenatal vitamin powder drink mix with DHA. It is doctor recommended, 100% natural, is gluten-free, lactate-free, BPA free and contains all the nutrients that you and your growing baby need. You can learn more about Premama here. 

Want to try it? Get 15% off your purchase at www.drinkpremama.com when you use promotion code: Sweepstakes2013

Thanks to the Mama's at Premama and MomSelect, I have a 30 day supply to giveaway ($25 value!) Simply leave a comment on this post to be entered to win. Ends 2/27. 

Be sure to LIKE Premama on Facebook!  

How To Make Oreo Cookie Balls

These Oreo Cookie Balls are de.lic.ious. and so easy to make! 

Here's what you need:

(1) package of Oreo Cookies (knock off brand works too)

(1) package of Cream Cheese (8 oz.), softened

(1) Block Melting Chocolate (I use Vanilla or Chocolate Almond Bark) 


Here's what you do:

1) Crush the cookies up. I dump them in a gallon Ziploc bag, seal it and then crush them - cuts down on mess. Then dump the bag of crumbled cookies into a mixing bowl and add a package of softened cream cheese. Mix to combine completely.

2) Roll the mixture into small balls and place them on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Pop the cookie sheet in the freezer to firm them up for 10-15 minutes. This will help them to stay together when you plop them in the melted chocolate.

3) Melt chocolate according to directions on package. Dip cookie balls in chocolate and place on cookie sheet covered with wax paper. You can top your balls with additional crushed cookies or jimmies (aka sprinkles). Refrigerate and enjoy!

    

Daniel

I can't believe that a month from today this baby, MY BABY, will be five years old. 

He saves me every day. 

A true testament to children being born with a certain special something. A gift. Something you can't quite put your finger on...something that doesn't have a name...but something all the same. 

He intrigues and delights, both me and total strangers, with his unique perspective on the world around him. And his signature facial expressions.

He asked me this morning if he'll still be able to fart in Heaven and before I could answer, proclaimed, "Because I am NOT gonna die if I can't fart anymore!"  

That's my Daniel. He calls the shots. 

"Do I have school this day?" "Can we go to the park this day?" "There are none bread." "May you please make me chocolate milk?" 

I love the way he speaks. Like he's waiting on his green card.  It's so adorable that I don't dare correct him. I want it to last. Dear God, let it last...a few more weeks, a few more months, another year. 

Keep him sweet. Keep him kind. Keep him good. 

He feels the energy around him the way I do and soaks up everyone's feelings the way I do. He is smart and sensitive and he doesn't take anyone's shit. 

He is his Mama's boy. 

I worry about his heart since it mirrors my own.

Someday the world is going to demand more of him than he thinks he can give. I hope I can guide him to grow and know who he was meant to be.

I'm confident this boy is going to grow up and make the world a better place. He is destined for great things. I feel it in my bones and I've seen it in his eyes. 

My little lovebug. It's going way too fast.

 

  

 
 

NEW Purex Crystals for Baby (A Review + Giveaway)

Allow me to introduce you to the newest member of the Purex family:

Purex Crystals for Baby!

Purex Crystals for Baby adds a freshen to laundry specially formulated for baby's delicate skin without affecting the flame retardant properties in children's sleepwear. It is hypoallergenic, dye free and boasts an 87% natural formula.

If you're not familiar with Purex Crystals, they are tiny crystals that act as a fabric softener and freshener. Purex Crystals for Baby has a delicate, fresh scent. You can control the amount of fragrance based on how much you add to your load. They're designed for use in both traditional and HE washers.

I've been using Purex Crystals for over a year and love, love, love them! Especially for bedding and towels. I was recently sent a bottle of new Purex Crystals for Baby to try out and review and I really like the scent. I'd love for you to try it too! I'm givng away coupons for a FREE bottle to (2) lucky readers. Just leave a comment on this post to be entered to win! Winners will be selected and notified by email on Monday, February 11th.

Borax is my new best friend. (Review + Giveaway)

Leave it to me to be late to the laundry party. 

I'm no longer in the dark.

I have discovered............

20 Mule Team Borax.  

I had seen it in the store, up on the top shelf, above the bleach, but I didn't really know what it was. The box says it's a detergent booster, but I figured the only laundry boost I needed was the motivation to get up and actually do the laundry.

I was recently sent a box of 20 Mule Team Borax to review and I can honestly say that it will be a permanent staple in my laundry room from here on out. 

So what exactly is Borax anyway? 20 Mule Team Borax is 100% natural mineral from the earth. Once it's removed from the ground, it's washed, dried and then boxed. There is absolutely NOTHING added to it. No phosphates, no chlorine, no additive chemicals of ANY kind. Borax is actually the common name for sodium tetraborate. It's a naturally occuring substance produced by the perpetual evaporation of seasonal lakes. Pretty cool, right?

20 Team Mule Borax really is a laundry booster. By adding 1/2 cup to every load, it naturally softens hard water and improves your detergent's cleaning power. Over 85% of homes have "hard water". Hard water is water that contains both calcium and magnesium ions. When laundry detergent is added to hard water, some of the compounds attach to calcium and magnesium granules that settle on the bottle of your washing machine tub and head back down the drain without actually cleaning your clothes. Who can afford to waste detergent? Not this girl. 20 Mule Team Borax also keeps stains from being re-deposited back onto clothes AND it neutralizes odors. I wash a garbage man's clothes every day, remember? I know all about the importance of stain removal and odor neutralization.

You came to win a coupon...you had no idea you'd be getting such an education, did you?

I would LOVE for you to try 20 Mule Team Borax for yourself! Simply leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered to win. (2) winners will be chosen at random on Sunday, February 10th and will each win a coupon for a FREE box of 20 Mule Team Borax. 


***Borax provided me with a box of their product in order for me to review it. My participation is voluntary and my opinions, naturally, are my own.*** 

Disney on Ice Presents Rockin' Ever After (Giveaway!)

Christmas time in the Philadelphia area means...


Disney On Ice time! 

Every year, right after Christmas, the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia is taken over by Disney On Ice. This year Disney On Ice presents Rockin' Ever After, which will run from Thursday, December 27th - Sunday, January 6th. 

Click and use password "MOM" for $15 tickets!!!!

I'm giving away a 4-pack of ticket vouchers to see the show. The vouchers can be exchanged for tickets at the Wells Fargo Center Box Office for any weekday performance Monday - Friday, excluding Friday evenings.

Leave a comment on this post to be entered to win! Share this post on Facebook for an additional entry! 

Ends Thursday, December 20th at noon. Winner to be announced Thursday night and notified by email. Winner has 24 hours to claim their prize or prize will be forfeited.