Thrifty Thursday: Free Cold-Stone Ice Cream Today!!

September is Make-A-Wish Month and you can join Cold Stone Creamery for the 9th annual World's Largest Ice Cream Social! You will receive a 3oz portion of Kate's Creation FREE at participating U.S. locations from 5-8pm on September 30th.  TODAY!!!!

CLICK HERE FOR INFO!

What's in Kate's Creation?:
Features the Gold Cone Flavor of the month, Caramel Apple Ice Cream, mixed with Chocolate Shavings, Graham Cracker Pie Crust and Apple Pie Filling.

Enjoy!

Wing-it Wednesday: Halloween Costumes

So I think for my daughter's Halloween costume she is going to be a cookie :)  She LOVES cookies!  So we will see  how it turns out!  Here are some pictures of what it's supposed to look like.  If you want more free patterns go to www.make-baby-stuff.com  It's free and cute stuff :)

Cookie Costume Materials:

• Tan felt
• Dark Brown felt
• Thread
• Stuffing

Afterwards...Cookie Cushions!

(pictures are courtesy of www.make-baby-stuff.com)

Toddler Tuesday: It's a Crayon Tree!

To those of us that have toddlers, we all know that they get bored quickly and we always have to be coming up with new ideas and fun activities for them to do.  Well, here is a simple activity that would be really fun to do together!  I'm going to do this with my daughter sometime this week!  Yay! :)

Have fun!

It's a Crayon Tree! Wow...look what's growing on this tree!! You and your toddler will have a blast making this crayon tree. Adult: take a paper towel roll and use some scissors to punch/poke some holes around it just big enough for a crayon to fit snuggly. Then let your toddler take some of her favorite color crayons and put them in the holes. It is easier to put them in tip first. Yay! You have made a crayon tree! Supplies Needed:- Paper Towel tube - Scissors - Crayons  Tips/Suggestions: - Once you have made the crayon tree, you can put the rest of the crayons away so that your toddler only has a few out. Tell her that she can color with just the crayons that are on the tree! That makes clean up easier! - As your toddler is putting the crayons in the holes, talk about the color name - You can count the number of crayons that your toddler puts in to make the tree. (this fun craft idea is from http://www.toddlertoddler.com)

Meal-Time Monday: Zucchini Supreme

6 cups zucchini or summer squash

1/2 c chopped onion

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 cup grated carrots

<medium box of stove top stuffing

1/4 cup melted butter (goes with stuffing)>

Cook veggies together 'til tender. Drain. Fold gently into sour cream and soup.  Combine stuffing and butter, spread 2/3 of mix (stuffing) on bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan.  Add veggie mix.  Sprinkle remaining stuffing over top. Bake @ 325 for 30 min or 'til bubbly.

ENJOY!  :)  (This is a family favorite!  Even my kids will eat it!)

Thrifty Thursday: My Coupon Binder

Here is my coupon binder!  I am very proud of it!  In order to "coupon" you need to be organized.  So this is my first step in the process!

If you need ideas on how to organize your coupons you can go to www.coupondivas.com and watch some of Kitty'a tutorials, or you can also check out www.theobsessiveshopper.net.  Both of the these women know where it's at :)  They are helping me get pumped and ready to go to save money!  We really need to start saving money because we went over the past 3 months on groceries and also in our miscellaneous category as well.  So...HERE'S TO SAVING MONEY!  Whose with me?

Does anyone have any feedback on what "coupon-ing" method works best for you?  Please Share.

Wing-it Wednesday: Desitin vs Sunscreen

Which one is better to block out the sun?  Obviously my daughter thinks that the desitin IS sunscreen :)  But hey, I guess either one would work.  What a funny girl!  I love being a mom :)

Toddler Tuesday: Potty Training

I have started potty training my daughter and I found these free potty training charts online that you can print out.  Of course since K LOVES "Cars" (the Disney movie)  I printed out that chart for her.  They have a lot of cool free stuff (tutorials, charts etc.) along with other things for purchase.

K also LOVES stickers so for right now, any time she sits on the potty she gets to put a sticker on her chart.  She thinks it's pretty cool.  However, she has yet to "go" on the potty.  I feel a little lost as far as how to start this whole process.  I mean stickers on charts are good, but if she doesn't "go" than what do I do?  Does anyone have any advice or tips for a "new-to-potty training" mama?  

http://www.pottytrainingconcepts.com/CTGY/FREE-Potty-Training-Charts.html

Website Makeover!

Well, I promised I would tell you when the website finished it's makeover... it's done! :)  It still looks about the same, but now I can accept credit cards as well, so that is great!  And it's a little easier to navigate!  Check it out!  Give me your feedback!  Do you like it?? Yes? No?  :)  Is there anything that would make it better?? Thoughts?  Have a great Monday!

The New and Improved:

www.kinderkeepsakes.com

Meal-Time Monday: Tortilla Soup

You might want to double this if you are serving more than 2-3 people.

2 Chicken Breasts (diced)
1/2 cup onion (diced)
2 tablespoons of oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 teaspoon of Salt
4 cups of chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cilantro
1/2 can of corn (drained)
4 corn tortillas (sliced into strips)

Cook chicken in oil w/onion and garlic 'til done
Add-
 Rotel diced tomatoes and chilies, chicken broth, salt, cumin, dried oregano, and cilantro.

Bring to boil
then add-
corn (drained), and corn tortillas

Simmer for 20 min

Then, serve with corn chips, grated cheese and sour cream.

YUM! Enjoy!

Friendly Friday: Pretty Sweet Bows by MJ

MJ Fowler

I am a homemaker and proud mother of two wonderful children. Besides crafting I enjoy music, sports and baking.

My really good friend MJ is the owner of Pretty Sweet Bows by MJ.  She is amazing!  She makes the cutest bows you have ever seen!  My girls and I love all of them.  The thing I really like about MJ's bows is that they can be used for little babies all the way up to little girls!  They are very versatile.

I made sure to get doubles of some bows so that when I did pigtails in my daughters hair I would have matching bows.  

Pretty Sweet Bows are vital to any little girl's collection of bows!  They are unique and very durable.  Kyrah, has a tendency to pull her bows out of her hair all the time and all of the MJ's bows have stood up very well to all that tugging and pulling!  She can custom make any bow that you want.  She has endless possibilities in store!  She is great to work with and is very professional.  Her prices are the best I have seen and her bows are absolutely adorable!  And best of all she is always coming up with fresh and new ideas for her bows.  So there is never a dull moment in the Pretty Sweet Bows store.  So go check it out!  You won't regret it! :)

Thrifty Thursday: Date Night

Even Mom and Dad deserve a date night.  Or should I say...especially because Mom and Dad are parents they deserve a date night away from the kids.  It is very important for their relationship as husband and wife to, at the very least, go on a date with just each other twice a month.  (If you can swing it, it should be once a week).  It does help you become better parents as well!!

The problem is though, because we have a families there really isn't much money to spend on date night.  DO NOT WORRY!  There are a lot of fun things you can do as a couple for free or very little money.

I know my hubby and I have to do that all the time, because we only have 2 kids and yet all of our money is going towards diapers, bills and food on the table.  But we find that if we are really frugal and set aside just about $5 a week towards date night, we can usually go out together about twice a month and do something fun.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:
*Go on picnics
*go to the park
*wait for movies to come to the "cheap seats" in the theater
*have friends over and everyone pitch in on dinner and a movie.
*find some local free entertainment in your area (concerts in the park etc.)
*do a puzzle together
*play games with other couples (we love card games!)
*come up with fun ideas together
*fly kites
*work on a fun project together

My goofy, adorable, fun hubby and I  (we are on a date at the park--FREE)

GET READY!!

HAVE FUN!! 

               START DATING!!   again...

Company in town...

I just wanted to let everyone know that I did not slack off and get lazy as far as posting goes.  I have company in town so I will catch up with my postings by Monday.  Monday should be a fun one because I will be posting "Thrifty Thursday", "Friendly Friday" and "Meal-Time Monday"!  So please keep checking back!  Have a great weekend everyone!

PS-  the website is getting a make-over!  Soon I will be posting the new look!  Fun things to come!

Wing-it Wednesday: Anything and Everything...but most of all SMILES!

On Wednesdays I have decided that  I can blog about whatever I want! So today the topic is going to be about smiles.  Don't these smiles just melt your heart?  I love being a mom!  It is the best job in the entire world! I wouldn't trade it for anything.  These smiles are what makes the sleepless nights and crazy days all worth it!  So, don't forget to cherish these special times with your kids!  

They are priceless!

Toddler Tuesday: My baby turns 2!

Well, I can't believe another year has come and gone.  My little girl is now 2 years old today.  Her birth was a dream come true.  It took us longer than expected to get pregnant with our little one but she was definitely worth the wait!

Now that she is two she has become very independent and wants to do everything all by herself.  She wants to put on her shoes all by herself, even if they are on the wrong feet.  She insists on drinking out of a "big girl cup" even though half of the water ends up all down the front of her shirt instead of in her mouth. She is learning new words every day and it always surprising us with how smart she is.

She now has her own "big girl bed"!!  And she could not be more thrilled about it!  She loves it! She also sits in her own booster chair at the table with us too.  Crazy how things change so fast!

K has also shown herself to be an incredible big sister.  She always wants to be there to help her sister whenever she can.  If S is crying she comes to tell me "S, hungry!"  She also has to make sure that S always has her little Hippo Luvi Blanket to keep her company.  It is a must!  K also loves to read to her sister and lets her play with her toys.  Sometimes she thinks that she is old enough to pick her up all by herself, but I have to remind her that S is little and K needs help if she is going to pick her up.  Still...I love the adorable bond that these two girls have together.  S just loves when K comes around and is always smiling up at her and laughing.  K, you are a wonderful big sister!  Thanks for taking such good care of S.

We are also going to try and start potty training within the next week or so, so I am sure that my next Tuesday post will be all about "POTTY TRAINING!"  We'll see.

Pushing baby S in the stroller all by herself!

K dressed herself today :)

She loves her new bed!

Today for K's birthday we woke up and made pancakes and then went to the park.  K LOVES the park!  The pictures were taken with my cell phone so they aren't great but at least they are a memory.  We'll do the presents and a party this weekend.  But today was still a fun day!  :)

We love you K!  Mommy, Daddy, and S all wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  Thanks for being such a special part of our family! :)