Gluesticks

Homemade BBQ Sauce For Dad

2013-05-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

Before I share this post, be sure to check out the deal today on Pick Your Plum! Personalized spatulas (set of 2) would make an awesome gift and addition to the BBQ sauce idea that I am posting below!

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The daddy in our home is a grill master. We love when he is in the mood to bbq for us! The kids and I had fun making him a batch of homemade bbq sauce. We made a big batch of original, split it up, and made 3 variations.

Summer Picnics Made Easy with Fresh & Easy

2013-05-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

My boys are creating summer "bucket lists". I told them to write down EVERYTHING they want to do and we could go over the lists and make one for our family. Zoo trips, park days, swimming, Jelly Belly Factory, Six Flags, play dates with cousins and picnics are sure to top the list this year.

With being on the go so much, we seem to pack lunches several times a week during the summer. It saves so much money vs. eating out. I love finding quick lunch ideas to pack in the morning while we decide where we are going to go for the day.

Gifts For Dad

2013-05-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Today I'm sharing a quick round up of gifts that we have made for the daddy in our home. Stay tuned for this year's gift idea....I'm excited to share it!

Each photo below is linked to the original post.

Mini Tool Box

We made these little Altoid tin tool boxes as a Christmas gift one year. The kids were too small to write their own coupons, so I helped them. It was such a fun little gift to make and give!

100 Days Of Play: Ice Excavating Activity for Kids

2013-05-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Ice excavating is one of our FAVORITE outdoor activities! There are so many different ways you could take this as far as themes go.

Our Trip to World Market ...for Dad!

2013-05-20T01:00:00.001-07:00

This post brought to you by World Market. All opinions are 100% mine.

Father's Day is coming up, but it is fun to celebrate dad even when it is not a designated holiday. The daddy of our home is pretty awesome. We think he is pretty special.

One of Dallin's cubscout requirements was to write a letter to a family member and let them know why you respect them. Dallin's went as follows:

"Dear Dad, The stuff I respect about your job is that you serve our contrey and you rescue people. Sencerly, Dallin"

He is a doting father, a gentle father, and a firm father. He is the dad that every kid deserves. In January his work schedule changed. He went from working during the day to working nights. He works late and sleeps late which means that we really don't see him at during the week. The schedule isn't forever, we know this, but it has still been hard. The only time we have together as a family is on the weekends.

One thing that he is especially good at is working the BBQ, and after a LONG week finishing up the new sprinkler system and landscaping back yard, we thought he deserved a nice end to an exhausting week! He mentioned that he'd like to try making a cola chicken. So when the girls and I were at World Market we checked to see if they had any racks that would work for that. We also grabbed some other items or our weekend BBQ.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

2013-05-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

This is one of my FAVORITE pies. My good friend, Stephanie, shared this recipe with me. She always makes two pies at a time and usually gives the second one away. We've were the recipients of the second pie a couple of times when we lived in Ohio.

I like this recipe because it isn't sickeningly sweet like the strawberry glaze usually used in pies. It doesn't taste like sugary syrup...it tastes like strawberries.

CB2 Modern Furniture Sweepstakes #CB2NovogratzBrasilSweepstakes

2013-05-17T13:00:00.001-07:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CB2. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you haven't heard of the amazing CB2 collaborators Bob and Courney Novogratz, you are in a for a treat today. AND you can enter to win a trip of a lifetime to stay, with three friends, in their vacation home in Brazil!
Robert and Cortney Novogratz. are known for their bold, colorful style as seen on their popular TV home design shows. Their eye is playful, their mix of modern with vintage is fresh and unpredictable. Their latest collection debuts May 2nd, and was inspired by their vacation home in Brazil.

Easy Mod Podge Confetti Vase

2013-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Kaylee has been sick with an annoying stomach bug that over-stayed its welcome. After days and countless movies (I really don't want to think about how much TV she watched), naps, and stories, she was ready to do something fun today! It was so nice to see her running around the house and acting like her normal self. She pulled out her watercolors and art supplies and had a great time. We topped off the afternoon with a fun little craft. She is 4, so this a great project for any age.

Kaylee has an unhealthy obsession with flowers, so I decided to enable the obsession a bit more and help her make her own little vase.

Supplies Needed:

Vase or glass jar

mod podge

sponge brush

tissue paper cut or torn into any shape

A New Road Trip Destination!

2013-05-15T19:01:00.001-07:00

This post brought to you by Missouri Department of Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.

I grew up in California and for those 20 years I never traveled East of Utah. Even then, I had only been to Utah three times. We didn't get out much. Enter handsome active-duty military husband from Alaska. My husband's family was completely different. He grew up in a tiny town of Alaska so it wasn't a big deal to drive 6 hours into town several times a year. They did two cross country road trips when he was a child and he saw more of the country than most people do in a lifetime. So when we got married WE TRAVELED. Within the first year we went to Hawaii, Florida and Alaska. I hadn't ever imagined living outside of California. I couldn't imagine it since I didn't have anything to compare it to, but my eyes had been opened.

We soon moved to Alaska for 4 years and then to Ohio. I was pretty bummed when we got orders to Ohio. Ohiiiiiiio....what's out there in the Midwest? Corn? Clearly, I needed to make a trip out there. We absolutely fell in love with the Midwest. The people (SO friendly and welcoming), the beautiful 4 seasons and the abundance of things to do and places to see within driving distance.

A few years later my sister and her family moved to Missouri. We had gone to Illinois, Iowa and Indiana, but visiting her in Missouri was a new stop on our road trip.

Mombo Nursing Pillow Giveaway! CLOSED

2013-05-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

**CLOSED**

Congratulations to the winner, Crystal!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Comfort and Harmony for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Today I have the fun opportunity to share some darling newborn photos with you, review the mombo nursing pillow , and offer a giveaway for YOU! It's a 3 in 1 post kind of day. Awesome.

Since my babies are all out of the nursing and infant stage, I enlisted the help of a friend who gave birth to a darling baby boy just three weeks ago to try out the Mombo nursing pillow and infant positioner.

Cue darling baby…

Warm, Flip, & Serve: New Upside Down Cakes from Private Selection

2013-05-14T17:00:00.001-07:00

This post brought to you by Private Selection. All opinions are 100% mine.

Life can be unpredictable and BUSY! With helping with homework and making dinner, the evening becomes the most hectic time of the day. I work hard to make healthy meals for the family, from scratch whenever possible, but I rarely have the energy to make something completely from scratch for dessert. And dessert is not something that I am willing to sacrifice!

What are your quick and easy go-to desserts? I like semi-homemade desserts. The kind that you add touches to like fresh fruit and whipped topping to a store bought cake and call it good. The ones that are EASY.

The same goes for when we are asked, last minute, to bring a dessert to a potluck. I rarely make something completely from scratch. Cue Private Selection Upside Down Cakes.

Make Your Own Yogurt Drinks

2013-05-13T07:20:00.000-07:00

I buy yogurt almost every time I go to the grocery store. Fridge packs for school lunches, larger tubs to scoop out and add to smoothies, and whole milk baby yogurts for Ruby. I eat it every day too. My kids love the drinkable yogurts that come in a 6-pack, but I rarely buy them because I think they are over-priced. Then I got to thinking that all it is is yogurt diluted down. How easy is that? It would sure taste better if we used our favorite yogurts instead of the crazy flavors that they sell for kids like blue raspberry, etc.

Huggies® Little Hands, Big Plans

2013-05-10T02:00:00.001-07:00

This post brought to you by Huggies®. All opinions are 100% mine.

As a parent, I have dreams for my 4 children. I want them to grow up healthy and happy and find something that they are passionate to pursue. I want them to get an education. It doesn't have to be at a university, but I want them to learn a trade that they are interested in and find a job they love. I want them to be strong in their faith, and experience many things and go many places. These are some of my dreams. All parents have dreams for their children.

Spaghetti with Brown Butter and Mizithra Cheese {a lighter version}

2013-05-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

My all time favorite pasta dish has always been the Spaghetti with Brown Butter and Mizithra Cheese that is made at the Spaghetti factory. Until I had it there, I hadn't ever heard of Mizithra (or Myzithra) cheese. The flavor is amazing! I splurged and bought a package of cheese when we went there last time, but I have also purchased it from the specialty cheese section at the grocery store. If you are local here to Sacramento you can find it at Sprouts.

My kids absolutely love it and I love that it only requires 3 ingredients to make a quick dinner that everyone is excited to eat. Here is my lighter version of the dish (much less butter left on the plate this way). The Mizithra Cheese blend at the Spaghetti Factory has Parmesan cheese mixed in with it. Mizithra is very pungent and I prefer it mixed with the Parmesan. It's the perfect blend. So when I make it on my own I grate up both hard cheeses and blend them together in a 3 to 1 ratio (Mizithra being the smaller amount).

A Dress Up Box For Our Girls

2013-05-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

A place for everything and everything in its place. Finally!

I posed a question to my facebook readers a couple of months ago, asking them how they organize the dress up clothes in their home. Clearly, our system was NOT working! The over-flowing pink bucket made it hard to find anything without dumping it all on the floor. Needless to say, it was always a mess in their room.

I received many wonderful suggestions and links! It was fun to go through them, but one definitely stood out. When I saw this dress up box from Craftiness is Not Optional, angels sang.

Homemade Pinata Party Favors

2013-05-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

I have the fun opportunity to teach preschool in my home twice a month! Some friends and I do a co-op and we are each teaching about a different country during the month of May. I chose Mexico.

We had a great time learning about our neighboring country, the food, music, customs...and pinatas!

When I was coming up with me lesson plan, I had the ridiculous idea to help the 6 children (3 and 4 years old) paper mache a small balloon and each make a pinata. Yeah, that idea lasted about 2 seconds until I decided to do a more realistic project for children that age.

The kids each made one of these little pinatas to take home and here is how we did it!

Happy Birthday to...Me! {$5 Birthday Bundle from Safeway}

2013-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm one lucky girl! My sweet husband and kids always spoil me rotten on my birthday and this year was no exception. It was quite the party. Homemade gifts, cards, games, dinner, treats, limbo, and lots of love. What more could a girl ask for?

$5 Birthday Bundle from Safeway!

Safeway has a fun promotion going on. The birthday bundle! Now through May 21st when you shop in the baking aisle, you can get 2 liters of 7UP brand sodas, a box of Betty Crocker Cake Mix, Betty Crocker frosting + 24 rainbow candles for only $5. What a deal! We decided on a German chocolate cake mix, coconut pecan frosting, and a variety of 7-UP flavors.

As I've gotten older, I don't look forward to my birthday with the same excitement that I did as a child, but having children in our home brings all that magic to life. It is so fun to see how much fun they are having as they make all of their little preparations.

Here is how we put the $5 Birthday Bundle to use!

We baked up a few small cakes:

a round cake

an oval cake

6 cupcakes

Then we turned them into a teddy bear. It was so easy to do and they had fun frosting him and adding candies for the details.

They added an overload of rainbow candles and my cake was done!

We had french dips for dinner, along with one of my favorite drinks. Sherbet floats. Just a scoop of sherbet (raspberry in this case) with Cherry 7-UP. Sooo good.

30-something never looked so good.

The Birthday Bundle is available at ALL SAFEWAY, VONS, or PAVILIONS stores from April 24, 2014 until May 21, 2013. Be sure to use your store's loyalty card to ensure the $5 deal.

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and SAFEWAY but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #BirthdayBundle http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.

May Day Flower Cake

2013-05-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

We are preparing a fun little tea party for Kaylee and her closest 4 and 5 year old girlfriends. It just happened that the day we scheduled it happened to be May 1st. May day! She is so excited. We are expecting 6 little girls to show up at noon for sandwiches, yogurt, fruit and this sweet daisy cake that Kaylee made.

Here is how she did it!

Video Tour of Our Creative Space

2013-04-29T08:37:00.001-07:00

It has been over 6 months since I posted about our new creative space and I thought it might be fun to do a quick update on how it has worked for us.

A lot of times when I organize a space I absolutely love it...at first, but then it proves to not be as functional as I had hoped. It looks so pretty, but then it all falls by the wayside when functionality takes over. This, for the most part, hasn't been the case with our room. There are a few more items in the room that weren't originally there, but it has worked out really well.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwiches

2013-04-27T19:40:00.003-07:00

Looking for a quick treat to put together to fill that late night craving for chocolate? What? You don't eat after 7pm? I wish I had that much will power. Well, for the rest of us, here is one of my favorite treats. And I made these at 7:30 tonight because I realized that I didn't have any sort of dessert in the house. And it's Saturday night. And I wanted some.

Homemade Poppy Seed Soap Recipes

2013-04-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Making homemade soap can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be. As for me, I choose the easy route. The combination of colors, scents, and textures is endless and it only takes a few ingredients to make a completely unique blend that you can claim as your own. I have always made the melt and pour type soaps and had fun making some poppy seed variations recently.

A fresh lemon poppy seed soap for kitchen use. The fresh lemon scent easily removes the lingering aroma of onions and garlic during dinner prep. The poppy seeds feel like little exfoliants against my skin, scrubbing, while the shea butter softens at the same time.

And a sweet almond poppy seed soap for upstairs to pamper my tired, dry hands. The shea butter makes it feel as though I am washing my hands with lotion.

Here is how to make your own soap in less than 30 minutes.

6 Gifts for Teachers

2013-04-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

We love our teachers and have been blessed to have some pretty great ones in our lives. Here are some ideas that we have made in the past that would be nice to receive as a teacher for Teacher's Appreciation Week!

White Cloud Diaper Playdate

2013-04-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of White Cloud Diapers.

Ruby and I had a fun Mommy-daughter date last week. A play date sponsored by White Cloud at Francesca's (one of the SITS girls!) home. I was thrilled to be able to meet her and she was just wonderful. One of the nicest people I have ever met, so down to earth.

I was a bit nervous to attend because I haven't EVER attending anything related to blogging and don't know any other bloggers other than those who have family blogs. Things were going great as I prepared to go to the event. We were on time, my GPS was taking me directly to Francesca's home when I heard Ruby spit up in the back seat of the car. So I pulled over to the side of the road and cleaned her up. I learned a lesson that day. Do not feed your toddler a sippy cup of milk first thing in the morning while riding in the car. She was fine, but her shirt reeked! Luckily she had a onesie underneath, but she still smelled when we arrived a few minutes late to our play date. We looked as though we had planned to have matching white tees and jeans. Nope, it just worked out that way. Luckily things only got better from there!

Guest Post: Children's Room Decor

2013-04-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

A Guest Post today on Gluesticks. If you have a post you'd like to share, click the "Get Featured" tab and send it to me for review!

Break Boundaries, but Not the Budget When It comes to Your Child's Room

“Hello Gluesticks readers. My name is Eva Stephen. Many thanks to Brandy who featured my work on her wonderful blog. Today I am going to show how parents should style bedrooms for their children. Stylish living spaces doesn’t mean to have lots of cash in hands, and spend lavishly but they can do so even within budget. I hope all the parents and children like my contribution. Here it goes J ”

Your child's room is the center and heart of their own world – the living room belongs to the family, of which they are an important component part, but their bedroom is the place where they are the biggest and most important person. As a result their room must reflect their personalities and tastes, being tailored uniquely to them.

Homemade Bean Bag Chair

2013-04-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to make the kids a bean bag chair for quite some time...and I finally did it! It was much easier than I thought it would be and they love it. Especially Ruby.

It's the perfect place for her to plop down and snuggle in. The other kids love it too and it caused a couple of tantrums the first week we had it.