Mommy Moments with Abby

Teas' Tea half and half review

2013-05-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

After water tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. On any given day, over 160 million Americans are drinking tea. (Source: The Tea Association of the USA). I also find it interesting that coffee used to be what people who couldn't afford tea, but today coffee is a designer beverage. It would seem, however, given the above statistic that times are switching back! So, why not be a little picky about what tea is your tea!?

Mommy Moments with Abby's review of Tea's Tea: I love green tea, so like I'm going to pass up a review of some right! I made sure to chill the tea once it arrived for flavor. When you live in Arizona anything edible needs time to cool off!

I tested the Grape first. The flavor reminded me of the juice I used to suck out off those popsicle sticks. You remember the one's from your childhood? The purple one is what the grape flavor tasted like, perfect for a hot summer day! Sort of, brought that summer time kid feeling back!

Next, I tested the Green Apple. I could taste more of the green tea in this one. It blended with the Green Apple flavor well. It wasn't sour either, which is something that many green apple flavors have. I enjoyed the clean flavor with little after taste of green apple, instead of a heavy lingering of flavor some drinks come with. I really likes this flavor more than the grape for having with a dinner meal since it wouldn't compete with the flavors of the meal.

While both were good I definitely preferred the Green Apple. Which flavor would you prefer?

Product Description

TEAS' TEA half&HALF is brewed using the finest green tea leaves and slightly sweetened with only 50 calories per serving. half&HALF comes in 5 delicious flavors - green tea & lemon, green tea & green apple (which came in second place at the North American Tea Championships 2012), green tea & peach, green tea & coconut, green tea & grape. SRP $1.99 per bottle for 16.9 FL OZ (500 ml). The half&HALF beverage is available at specialty grocery stores, select Whole Foods, Wegmans and online at www.amazon.com and www.teastea.com.

Green Tea is heralded for it’s many potential health benefits from cancer prevention, heart health prevention, blood oxidation, immune system booster, weight loss aid and more. This article from Huffington Post provides a good and easy to understand overview of all the green tea health benefits. Tea Health Benefits: 8 Ways It Could Benefit Our Bodies

Purchase TEAS’ TEA half&HALF here.

Check out these Fun Recipe idea's for Tea's Tea!

SUMMER CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS OR ADD A LITTLE FIZZ...

We recommend mixing chilled champagne with a splash of half&HALF green tea lemonade or green apple for a delicious Summer cocktail - perhaps for a wedding shower, ladies night or Summer party entertaining.

Pour TEAS' TEA half&HALF into your favorite icecube trays to make ice cube shapes of our half&HALF green tea with peach.

Mix TEAS' TEA half&HALF green tea lemon with Seltzer or Tonic water to give it a fizz. Add slices of lemon for added Summer entertaining.

www.TeasTea.com

www.Facebook.com/itoen.teastea

www.Pinterest.com/ITOEN

www.Twitter.com/ITO_EN

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

#pampermomgiveaway

2013-05-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

Pamper Mom with Natural Products Giveaway

This is a fun Pinterest project, plus it helped me find some cool new products! I thought I'd let you in on this cool giveaway with a prize package that three lucky winners will receive worth more than $350 featuring items from each of the sponsor companies. Check out my entry board and make one of your own, took me a few minutes and the prize is products worth $350 if you win, worth a few minutes! My Pamper Mom with Natural Products Board is HERE.

Looking at these products made me think of tips on health and cleaning that my mom gave me. One way to keep fit and clean a floor is with old

socks! Just squirt some cleaner and water on the floor, slap on some old socks (after you've padded the room of course) and skate you floor clean and your thighs slimmer. What tip did your mom give you?

Back to the giveaway!

So, Here’s how it works:

Name of Contest is Pamper Mom with Natural Products – Contest will launch on May 10, 2013 and run for the rest of the month.

Direction for giveaway

Go to Hylands Facebook page and click on the Pamper Mom with Natural Products link, follow the instructions (create a pinterest board with products from the participating companies and fill out the form on facebook) and don't forget to

follow the participating companies as a thanks for the contest! Winners will be chosen based on the most creative and thoughtful Pinterest boards.

The participating companies are:
Hyland’s http://www.hylands.com
21 Drops http://www.21drops.com
Coola http://www.coolasuncare.com
ZENTS http://www.zents.com
Better Life http://www.cleanhappens.com

ECOBAGS http://www.ecobags.com

Schwinn Windwood Women's Cruiser Bike Giveaway

2013-05-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Summer rides and family memories! What a great way to start off the summer with this fun bike giveaway! Sponsored by: Mom Blog Society | She Informed | My Dairy Free Gluten Free Life | Frantic Mommy Co-Hosted by: Jackie's Reviews | Geeky Gamer Mom | Swank Savings
The classic Schwinn Windwood women's 26-Inch cruiser evokes the simple style and grace of traditional bicycles, making it a great choice for cruising to the store, the beach, or around town. Designed for easy, relaxed riding, the Windwood boasts a sturdy steel frame with a low stand-over height, making it easy to get on and off the bike. The rustproof 26-hole alloy rims and rear coaster brakes, meanwhile, allow you to stop on a dime. And riders will love the classic chrome fenders and rear storage rack. Other details include a comfortable wide-spring saddle, a single-speed design, pneumatic tires, and curved back handlebars. About Schwinn Founded in 1895, Schwinn is an American icon that's long been synonymous with quality and innovation.
The company has built some of the best-known and best-loved bikes of multiple generations, including the Aerocycle, Paramount, Phantom, Varsity, Sting-Ray, Krate, and Homegrown. Today, Schwinn continues to innovate with such releases as the redesigned Sting-Ray, Rocket mountain bikes, and Fastback road bikes. With a continued dedication to quality forever synonymous with the Schwinn name, America's most famous bicycle brand looks forward to providing another century of innovation, freedom, and performance to people of all ages.
I don't know about your but I would love a bike like this!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kidecals!

2013-05-13T22:04:00.004-07:00

If you have kids in daycare or run a daycare from your home like I do, then you know how important it is to label EVERYTHING. I can't tell you how many times kids are brought to my house with the same items that my own kid's have making it necessary to label everything in my own home.

kidecals labels are not just super cute, the stay put on anything from clothing, to baby's favorite lovey to sippy and snack cups.

kidecals is such a fun site for personalized clothing labels! kidecals clothing labels are crazy durable and I love their cute designs. Labels HAVE to be waterproof and washing machine safe. kidecals are dishwasher, washing machine AND dryer safe. They literally do not come off. Ever. kidecals makes the perfect camp, daycare, and anytime labels for this mom, who is expecting her kids to return with every single thing she packed. Check out a few of their awesome options!

Personalized Kids Name Labels:
Kidecals are an absolute must if you've got kids and hate losing their stuff. Label water bottles, clothing, books, toys, sports gear with their trendy and fun designs. kidecals are crazy durable...dishwasher, washing machine AND dryer safe, and they don't damage surfaces.

Fun Mustache Stickers:
My kids are crazy for anything with a mustache, and frankly so am I. We love kidecals fun Partystache stickers to use as drink markers, and the Mustache Chalkboard Stickers are a sassy way to label/organize anything in your pantry or craft room. (They're also fun for labeling foods or drinks at a potluck or party!) Heck with the kids any wedding party would love these for some awesome cameo's or photo bombing candid's!

Chalkboard Labels that you can write on:
Chalkboard labels are the easiest way to get organized fast without having to create new printed labels from scratch. kidecals makes the prettiest designs, and their chalkboard labels are super durable and can even go through the dishwasher! I would love to test some of these out! Great for leaving them notes that say, please put me back or wash me when done, to help remind them of chores!

You can save 15% off Kidecals the most durable waterproof labels on the market use promo code: bestlabels at http://kidecals.com/

1st Birthday Planning

2013-05-10T14:01:00.004-07:00

It's mother's day and it has me thinking of my babies birthdays. After all, they are why I get to celebrate this amazing day! I thought of the anxiety I had when deciding how to celebrate their 1st Birthday. I realized other mom's may be feeling this same anxiety and thought I'd let them know about one of my finds.
Party Pail has a wide selection of decorations for a 1st birthday party. They offer ton of different designs that work for both genders. If you are looking for a particular design or character, chances are that Party Pail will have them. Disney Princesses, Pixar's Cars, Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh are only some of the specialty designs that they have in their 1st Birthday selection. Unlike some other party websites, these designs are actually 1st Birthday designs and they say so right on the plates and napkins. Other websites often advertise items like Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, only to have those items be generic birthday party decorations. With Party Pail, this is not the case. Not only does Party Pail offer one of the best selections when it comes to birthday supply styles, they also offer everything you would possibly need to decorate your party. Their supplies do not stop at plates and cups. In any given style you will find plates, cups, napkins, table toppers, invitations and even molded candles to make sure your party matches from top to bottom. Shipping costs from Party Pail are reasonable, and their shipping times are great. They offer some of the best prices around when it comes to party supplies, and even offer low cost alternatives if you want to decorate on a budget. If you are looking for an affordable and all inclusive way to decorate for a birthday party, then you don't need to look any further than Party Pail.

PS, Don't Forget the cake!

2013-05-09T21:00:00.001-07:00

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

I have always been afraid to try a complicated dessert. Another more than cookies or cake from a box and I get scared.

However, I recently found that creating a delectable dessert masterpiece can potentially be an exciting experience, without it being to complicated. Private Selection™ Upside Down Cakes can make it to the table in three simple steps – 1. warm, 2. flip, and 3. serve – making it easy to prepare a delicious gourmet experience for any meal or occasion. Sounds like a date night made easy to me! They have plenty of new flavors of Private Selection™ Upside Down Cakes: German Chocolate Fudge – with the classically irresistible combination of gooey caramel, pecans and coconut; Double Chocolate Molten – prepared with real butter, eggs, milk, and the finest semi-sweet chocolate; and Amber Honey Apple Spice – topped with apple slices drenched in a sweet amber honey glaze. They all sound amazing to me! Of course that could be because I'm a woman with a sweet tooth, but don't you think they sound good? It turns out that Kroger is executing the “Spread the Love” campaign beginning on April 8, 2013 and running through June 2, 2013. During this time a “Spread the Love” coupon will be available on the Kroger website you can also find the coupon via Facebook to receive a higher value, $2.00 off coupon. Now, Private Selection Upside Down Cakes coupons have helped or inspired me to make some great meals and a good coupon for a dessert just may inspire me to make a homemade dessert to go with my home made dinner. Tell me what your quick dessert solutions are too! It can also be a great way to surprise a boring office party or that potluck you forgot about until the day before?! Really, who is going to be mad at an awesome dessert? Who know's maybe you'll get such a reputation for your amasing dessert that people will be texting you, "PS Don't forget the cake," whenever your invited anywhere!

Private Selection Upside Down Cakes are easy – just warm, flip and serve. The Private Selection brand is a premium private label brand carried exclusively at the Kroger Family of Stores and affiliated stores including: Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Fry’s, Gerbes, Pay Less, QFC, JayC, King Soopers, Owen’s, Ralphs, Smith’s and Fred Meyer. So, check your Kroger Store for this yummy dessert! Private Selection Upside Down Cakes are premium quality without the premium price. Private Selection Upside Down Cakes come in 3 distinct flavors, so there is a cake for any taste. Private Selection Upside Down Cakes taste like homemade, thanks to only using the best ingredients.

• Disclaimer:

Coupon ends 6/2/13. Official Rules. In order to load these coupons to your card, you will need to sign into your Kroger account or set up a Kroger account and enter your card number. Limit one use per digital coupon. Digital offers are not eligible on Manager's Specials, cannot be combined with manufacturer paper coupons on the purchase of a single item, and do not double. Not all items are available in all stores. A limit of 150 coupons can be loaded per household at one time.

Be sure to like “Private Selection” on Private Selection Upside Down Cakes on Facebook and grab that $2.00 off coupon while you are there! You can also follow Private Selection Upside Down Cakes on Pinterest and check out their awesome yummy idea's!

Soup Review

2013-05-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

These warms days with chilly nights make a late night soup meal outside the perfect way to end a day! Sometimes, it is a good idea to eat late and let the kids eat early. A simple meal with some good food can make a great mid-week date-away for you and the hubby!
Mommy Moments with Abby's review of Dei Fratelli Gluten Free Tomato Soup:
I love tomato soup. Usually I eat it during the winter with some yummy grilled cheese! I decided to try something different and have it as a late night dinner. I added my own twist with some home grown rosemary and basil from the garden out front. I grabbed some foccacia bread from the grocery store that I brushed some olive oil on top of so the seasons( rosemary, garlic, basil, thyme, and oregano) and cooked it for about 15 min. Then I Cut it in triangle slices and it made a great side to the meal. Put some tossed salad in a bowl to go with it and you have a great cool night outside with the hubby meal! I loved how the soup had a real tomato taste, that fresh from the garden tomato taste. It was perfect! The crisp air outside, a quiet night, good company, and a good meal. Tell me what your perfect tomato soup pairing would be in a comment!

Product Description

Loaded with a true tomato flavor. Our soup has a nice zesty flavor that will keep you coming back for more -- and is one of the very few condensed tomato soups that is 100% gluten free!

As a fourth generation, family-owned company, our brands thrive on family traditions – just like yours. We take a great deal of pride in knowing that our products are made of the finest ingredients possible and that our tomato products are grown from seedlings that we cultivate ourselves. When the Dei Fratelli family puts a product on our grocers’ shelves for your family, we do so knowing that we’ve taken the same amount of care and attention to quality that we would if we were placing it on our own family’s table.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Pure Fitness Protein Bar Review

2013-05-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

There are some days when I just don't have time to do much. Eating definitely falls into that category, but if I'm going to keep up with 6 kids running a muck all day I have to eat something! Problem is, what to grab that isn't crap! Any suggestions?

Mommy Moments with Abby's review of Pure Fitness Nutrition's Gourmet Protein Bar: The way I see it a protein bar is the best solution for my quick fix meal dilemma. They sent me 3 all natural bars to test out: Peanut Butter & Jelly Crunch, Dark Cranberry Chocolate, and our Banana Chocolate Nut. They are all made with All Natural Products full of proteins to help any busy mom or gym buff going throughout the day. Let me tell you that if it can keep me moving with 6 running/crawling around my ankle's all day it can definitely hold up to your power workout, don't believe me try it yourself!

Ok so, the Peanut Butter Jelly was very chewy and peanut buttery. I was surprised at how crunchy it was since it was so chewy at the same time. It was a blending of unexpected textures that caught me off guard. If you like peanut butter, this should be your go to, get me through the day bar! I really love that it is good for you and natural, so it's not going to kill my waistline like the chocolate bar that seems such an easy go to for energy boost. That it is a meal replacement mean's it can also replace that pop tart in the morning. The Banana Nut is great for that taste of Banana Nut Bread, which is great with a cup of your favorite tea in the morning! It only takes a second to take off the package, so it can be your new grab and go breakfast for those busy mornings. It is also packed with anti-oxidants to help ward off those germs that kids seem to gather quickly. Let's not forget that chocolate craving! For some reason woman seem to be more prone to this than men. It is the perfect protein boost during that mid-month week when your body sends you odd signals for sleep, sweets, and irrational decisions (I think you know what I'm alluding). So, the Dark Cranberry Chocolate is perfect for this craving! It gives you the meal boost with the craving satisfying chocolate taste you desire. Basically, this treo of flavors is perfect for keeping you going and your taste buds happy!

Product Description

You haven't lived till you try one of these protein bars.Packed with 25 grams of whey isolate protein mixed in with unbelievable
amount of clean raw oats, healthy blend of agave which helps regulate blood
sugar, that helps give you sustained energy levels an does not cause fat
storage, similar to sugar.

We also use all natural honey to make this unique protein bar delicious,
moist, and you might forget you were eating a protein bar in the first place.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Crunch

Our Peanut Butter & Jelly Crunch protein bar is made by hand and is packed
with amazing natural ingredients. The perfect sweet and salty taste of this
great bar, we used all natural peanut butter blended with all natural
strawberry, and sprinkled in sea salt to enhance the flavors.

To give it its tremendous crunch we added natural whole-wheat pretzels.

These raw ingredients is what makes this gourmet protein bar unique and
delicious, until the very last bite.

Banana Chocolate Nut

Our Banana Chocolate Nut Protein Bar is made by hand and is packed only with natural

and healthy ingredients such as Chia Seeds. Chia Seeds are one of the best
sources of vegetable protein and its loaded with valuable Omega-3.

To achieve the amazing Banana Nut Bar flavor we use natural cocoa blended
with pure chunks of organic chocolate and hand picked bananas that we
dehydrate ourselves.

The mix of pure chocolate and banana gives this protein bar a unique delicious
taste that is enjoyable until the very last bite.

Dark Cranberry Chocolate

This type of protein is 90% pure whey and is low on carbohydrates, fat, and
sugar while providing you with added health benefits.

To top off this amazing protein bar we added in healthy cranberries and pure
dark cocoa that are anti-oxidant rich to help fight off free radicals.

Our Dark Chocolate Cranberry protein bar is packed full of natural
carbohydrates from raw oats to help keep you full and give you a healthy
source of energy. To give it a sweet taste, we used natural agave and honey
that also made it chewy.

The Cranberries are dehydrated without adding any extra sugar to keep the
pure cranberry taste.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Pool Set Giveaway!

2013-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Intex Family Size Round Metal Frame Pool Set Size: 12-Foot by 30-Inch Giveaway!

Sponsored by: Mom Blog Society | She Informed | Pitch Coaching | My Vegan Gluten Free Life

Would you like to cool off this summer? Why not with a dip in the pool! Check out this amazing giveaway for a pool set! I know I'll be poolside this summer and winning one would definitely put a smile on any families face! Check it out!

12' x 30" Family Size Metal Frame Pool Set (with Filter Pump and DVD) - No one builds a metal frame pool like Intex. With the Super-tough liners and our high quality, incredibly strong metal frames, you will enjoy a pool that is easy to assemble, beautiful to look at, and certain to provide years of fun!

Nobody builds a metal frame pool like Intex
With our SUPER-TOUGH liners and our high quality, incredibly strong metal frames
Filter Pump and instructional DVD included.
Ready for water in 30 minutes
Room for the whole family
You will enjoy a pool that is easy to assemble, beautiful to look at, and certain to provide years of fun

1 lucky winner will win this fabulous pool! For your chance to win simply enter via the Rafflecopter below! Good luck! Must be 18 year of age or older. Open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#ToBeLoved Micheal Buble's Latest Album Review

2013-05-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

To Be Loved, out now, finds the Grammy winner covering songs by Frank Sinatra, the Bee Gees, Jackson 5, Elvis Presley, Van Morrison, and more. In the mix of golden standards are four original songs co-written by Bublé, dipping into his personal life for inspiration. I admit that I was nervous that he would venture away from his typical crooning or the classics and take on a few other music era's plus writing his own songs. It is not something that always works out for the best.
I was curious to why someone so success full would try to re-draw the blue prints for his own success? I mean what woman doesn't want her hubby or boyfriend to take her to see a Buble concert for a romantic weekend? So, why on earth take a risk and change it? "I want to take you on a wonderful journey about love—all different kinds of love," Michael says. "The album swings big time: it rocks, it’s soulful, it’s happy, sometimes a little sad. It’s romantic, it’s yummy, and it’s heartfelt." OK, so since I'm doing a review I guess I'll be the judge on if he hit his mark!

Mommy Moments with Abby's Review of Michael Buble's Latest Album To be Loved:
"Do not think I take my success these last ten years for granted. I was anything but an overnight sensation, which inspires me to deliver big time for my fans—maybe even make some new ones this time out." says Bublé. "I labored over every song, every note and every arrangement because I can’t resist trying to make each record better than my last one." So, was this a labor of love that showed or more like Braxton Hicks, labor without the burst of joy at the end? I would have to say this was a total labor of love! I am a big fan of Michael Buble's so maybe this is a totally biased review, but I was relieved and amazed by his new blending of crooning the classics from different era's with his developing songwriting skills putting some of today's current songwriters to shame with his flowing soul touching lyrics!

I can't imagine how awesome these people must have felt walking off the subway to this show! I would love to walk out of the store or gym to this! It completely helps that this is an amazing song! "Whose Loving You" (the video above) is the perfect Karmic message to anyone who has broken someone's heart and lived to regret it. I'm sure there are a few of you out there who have found love and/or happiness and would love to send this out to an ex who didn't appreciate what they had and let you go. Even without the lyric's the song is extremely beautiful with the blending of Michael's voice and the instruments, you can't help but tap the beat out.
The only disappointment I found with the CD was his duet with Reese in the song, "Something Stupid". It's not the lyrics or the melody or Michael's voice that disappointed me in this song. It was really that I felt Reese's part lacked emotion, and that's hard for me to say because I really enjoyed her voice and passion in past works she has done. I just felt that, while better than anything I could have personally done, it didn't have the passion she has put out before, it just seemed flat. Other than that the entire album is like most things that come from Mr. Buble, amazing!

In fact, if I had the ability to turn the world my way I would magically have Michael appear at our East Coast Wedding celebration in about 2 or 3 years and I would have him serenade us with his song "Close your eyes". I haven't heard or found another song that better describes how I feel about my husband and who he is to me! I'm not very good with expressing my feelings at times and this song makes that easy. It tells me that he has an amazing connection with his wife and that their fairy-tale romance is definitely one that they write stories about! Did I mention I love this song?

The feelings I received from this song seemed to hit their mark when I read what he said about this song and these are good times for the singer, who is about to become a first-time dad. He sounds like a man in love with life. "I wrote Close Your Eyes about my wife and about the power of all the women in my life—my sisters, my mom, my grandma and all women in general. Let’s face it, where would we be without them? I Got It Easy, another original, is basically a song where I count my blessings and is a reminder to me and everyone to appreciate all the good parts of life. I’m a very lucky guy and I never want to forget it." I would say he hit the mark he was aiming for when he wrote this song and I'm glad he has continued to develop his skills in music with these original works! Like all great artists the best ones never stop expanding, growing, and allowing inspiration to flow through them. And to Mr. Buble, no sir, you make us feel so young!

Disclosure:

I participated in this campaign for One2One Network. I received a free copy of the album to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.

Links To Buy Album:

Upcoming TV Appearances:

Dancing With the Stars - 4/30/13
The Ellen DeGeneres Show - 5/3/13

To Be Loved Track Listing:

1. "You Make Me Feel So Young"

2. "It's a Beautiful Day"

3. "To Love Somebody"

4. "Who's Lovin You"

5. "Something Stupid" (featuring Reese Witherspoon)

6. "Come Dance with Me"

7. "Close Your Eyes"

8. "After All" (featuring Bryan Adams)

9. "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" (with Naturally 7)

10. "To Be Loved"

11. "You've Got a Friend in Me"

12. "Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)" (featuring The Puppini Sisters)

13. "I Got It Easy"

14. "Young at Heart"

Mary Jo's Magnificent! April 13, 2013

2013-04-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

After nabbing our shots of the spotted owl at Beatty's we headed to our other favorite birding spot at Mary Jo's! We love her set up! It is so relaxing to just sit and watch the birds. The other birders are usually pretty respectful keeping the conversation quiet, but more then willing to help each other spot a bird, get a shot, or give advise on camera's to get! This visit was no exception!
We walked in and were greated by Mary Jo who invited us to sit with the group around her. We asked what feeder the Lucifer was visiting and she let us know it was at a lower feeder where another group was sitting, so we politely declined her invitation and went down to the other group. We were sitting for a few minutes when we got our bird! The Lucifer is an old friend of Mary Jo's and we came down a few times to see him. On our last visit, late in the season, we finally got a site of him. We came back to get a better photo and did we ever! We also got a lot of other's including a lifer for the hubby's list! Check out the magnificient display of birds we got!

A Shut Up Sighting at Beatty's in Miller Canyon AZ

2013-04-30T13:40:00.002-07:00

On the way back to Madera Canyon during our weekend away in April we decided to stop by some of our favorite birding spots. Our first stop was to Beatty's. We had heard about a Spotted Owl and wanted to see for ourselves. We stopped by the store and asked directions to the bird. We then paid our donations, which for all the work they do is too little if you ask me and I can say that with the feeders we own, then headed off to find the bird. We made sure to be quiet and not to disturb this beauty when we finally found him.
He was asleep in a tree and beautiful! We didn't see the female who was probably in a whole on the nest, but the male was catching his rest before he had to go on the hunt. I had heard a story about some jerk that went off trail to try to get the bird to wake up and turn it's head and can't believe that anyone would want to be so selfish. I didn't get a face shot, but couldn't imagine waking this spotted slumberer. I took my shots and then we headed down to the feeders and got a fun hummingbird shot! They have a great set up for the hummingbirds and it's always fun to go and snap a few shots!

Twin Z's pillow Review

2013-04-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

I would like to start by saying I can't imagine giving birth to twins, so let me commend anyone who has had or is having a multiple birth. I have kid's a year apart and sometimes they do things that I've heard in reference to twinning and that drives me nuts! So, having more then one at the same time would be hard. I can't even think about the complications of breastfeeding! So, what in the world am I doing accepting a review for a product developed for twins?
Mommy Moments with Abby's review of Twin Z's nursing pillow: OK, so the answer to this question is the reason I can have so much respect for those with multiple's. I run a daycare in my home. I have had 3 infants at once before, along with toddlers, and other ages. Plus, that my kid's are so close in age, I think, put's me in a great place to understand and be amazed by mother's of multiples. You see while I get a taste of being a multiple mom, my duplicate age kid's get picked up at the end of the day and I'm left with my two. While my two can, at time's, have similarities to twin's, they are different in age and that means most of the time they will have differences in stage's. I still think all this put's me in the perfect place to test out products for multiple's. So, now that that is cleared up, let's talk about this awesome pillow!

I have a pregger pod (pillow for pregnancy), boppy, and bumbo. When you have 3 babies though, these are often occupied and being rotated through. I have often thought I need more of each of these to satisfy these babies pillow lust! So, I was completely excited when this came in the mail! I loved that it came in a carry case. While, for me, carry case = easy storage during off hours, I can see how for a parent with twins it would mean easier play-dates stays with relatives, and mommy me classes!
I love the soft color for the pillow. The light green is perfect for both boys and girls or having one of each. The material is so cozy I was ready to snuggle up with it for a nap. With two, boppy like, slots in it, it is perfect for keeping both your little one's slightly elevated and snug while you coo and

sing the lullabies of babyhood at them.

I also love that this has a snap that keeps it tight. It makes sure that if you are breastfeeding the pillow can remain snug around your waist or it seems to make the wholes snugger for those smaller preemie size babies! You can unsnap it if you want or need to and just push the snap into the case so it doesn't get in the way or become a teething toy for your growing babies.

While this worked great for the little one's, some just sat there feeling the cover, did I mention it's soft? Other's enjoyed the support and getting to share it with a friend for entertainment purposes. I enjoyed that I could work with two at a time making my job easier! My big kids, enjoyed using it to watch a movie together, not it's intended purpose, but one none the less.

Check out the Twin Z Pillow website and leave a comment saying your favorite color Twin Z. If you are interested in their products you can visit their social media sites:
Twin Z on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Twin-Z-Pillow/241700669231886
Twin Z on Twitter : @twinzpillow https://twitter.com/twinzpillow
Twin Z on Pinterest : http://pinterest.com/twinzpillow/
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/twinzpillow?feature=watch
Twin Z on Instagram: Search Twinzpillow

You can use the Coupon Code: BABY2013 for a 15% discount on orders over $50 - not to be combined with any other offer

Here is the link to a GREAT video about Twin Z.

The Bummer at Bisbee

2013-04-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

The weekend of April 14th we took a trip and stayed in Madera Canyon. I have heard about the shopping down at Bisbee and wanted to take the opportunity to check it out. Lucky for me, my husband indulged this desire of mine. We got down there and things started off well. We got out of the car and then my husband spotted a trolley tour of the town, so we hoped on!

The tour guide was great, he was friendly and honest. When he suggests being careful of the local drivers when walking because they don't slow down for anything take him seriously! He knows the great restaurants to stop at and shared some great stories about Bisbee! We had a great time on the tour, plus the ticket gets you a discount at a few local places.

We took the tour guides suggestion to eat at a place called The Table. The decor was industrial trendy and very interesting to look at, but our favorite decoration was right on the table. They had old Trivial Pursuit Cards!

Seriously, this place was made for us! Our cards were from the 1980's, so we were on even footing (sort of, my hubby is really smart, I mean seriously he is teaching himself Arabic).

We checked out the menu and while it was a little pricey we were on vacation and decided the little splurge was alright. I order the Brie plate and my husband ordered the Mountain Mussels. The food was amazing! The fruit on my plate was super sweet and ripe! The Mussels on my husbands plate practically melted in the mouth and were perfectly seasoned! The splurge was definitely worth it!

The tour guide told us about these crazy, long stairs in Bisbee that ever October their is actually a contest held where people run up them for the best time. Their is even one stairway where the contestants have to carry a huge cube of ice up and down it! I think I'll pass on all of that craziness, asthma and a touch of the I-mnot-that-crazy bug, but I did want to get our picture taken on them because some are painted with great images as you can see.

As we shopped, we found ourselves to be bummed out. As much as the local drivers don't care if you are crossing as warned by the tour guide driver, many of the shop owners were amazingly rude. Some didn't acknowledge you until you were at their register, others interrupted a conversation from the street as you passed by with words that indicated you weren't smart if you walked by their store, others challenged your opinion or seemed to push their own agenda far past what any normal person would see as acceptable.

All in all I was discouraged and found the selection in the shops to be lacking. Many of the shops had very similar products with steep prices. I think I found one shop that could be considered to be a true Antique shop, it was the first we walked into and the shop-keep had on semi-professional wear and made sure to acknowledge us and answer any questions we had which was awesome! The rest seemed to more thrift shops with some antiques mixed in with some garage sale quality items. I stopped going in some after the 3rd disappointing antique shop.

I did find a few shops where we were welcomed and smiled at, even if some we didn't buy from I was happy that some of the people were following proper business etiquette. Their was a bookstore of sorts that while not acknowledged right away, we could see it was because the cashier was busy with a line and when we got up to buy things they were very warm in their reception of us while checking us out.

I found a few things to get as we went store to store, but honestly thought I would come home with a lot more bags and a better experience. We headed back down the road we had gone up and my husband, fed up with the poor treatment we got, headed back to the car. I had one store that I wanted to see because I had read about it and was willing to risk being annoyed one more time to check out. I was glad I did. It was the Olive Oil store. The owner made sure to welcome everyone. He even walked over to everyone he wasn't able to instantly chat with once he was free and made sure they knew about the products they were looking at and that they got a hello. They even yelled Hello to the trolley when they heard it whistle.

Their were a lot of bars in town, but we didn't visit any being that it was morning to early afternoon, so I can't speak on those. If you are interested in checking out the bars, the trolley guide did tell us that they have a great Octoberfest each year, oddly right around the same time of the stair run competition they have. Color me not surprised, after running some of these stairs, I'd probably need a beer too!

So, while as a whole I was disappointed in the shopping that had been hyped up to me before this trip, I will say their are a few diamonds in the rough in Bisbee. Despite the diamonds in the rough we managed to find we left Bisbee with the rest of the places sort of ruining the enjoyment we found in those diamonds. What is the saying, one bad apple ruins the bunch? I guess that doesn't work in reverse and a few good apples can't fresh-on the lot. In the end it was a bummer in Bisbee.

The Mother Company Hosts Round up of Autism Awareness Month

2013-04-29T20:28:00.002-07:00

Do you know someone who has a child or is in some other way touched by Autism? Check out this great Event from The Mother Company!

The Mother Company Hosts

Round Up of Autism Awareness Month with

Anne Kennedy, Karen Simmons, Chantal Sicile-Kira, Lisa Goring, and Lawrence Korchnak.

Los Angeles—April 29, 2013— The Mother Company, a multi-media company devoted to “Helping Parents Raise Good People” is thrilled to host a twitter chat with key influencers in the field of autism to answer questions and engage in conversation about how autism affects all of our lives. The chat will be held on Twitter - just search for hashtag: #MOCOchat and follow @mocomama and follow #MOCOChat the day of for roundtable twitter chat at 4/30,12pmPST/3pmEST.

“Our hope is to engage the community of parents who have kids on the autism spectrum, as well as those who are curious about the many issues at hand.” Says The Mother Company’s Founder, Abbie Schiller. According to USA Today, a new government study reports about 1 out of 50 children land on the autism spectrum. “Autism touches all of our lives and we want to discuss the needs of these kids, many of whom are mainstreamed into our educational system (often without proper resources).” Adds Samantha Kurtzman-Counter, The Mother Company’s President. “We want to be here for the parents, too.”

Please join us for the Twitter chat. Let’s help build that village!

WHAT: The Mother Company Twitter chat to talk about autism in honor of Autism Awareness Month

WHEN: Tuesday, April 30^th, NoonPT/3pmET

WHERE: Twitter! Search for hashtag: #MOCOchat and follow #MOCOChat the day of for roundtable twitter chat about All of Us & Autism. 4/30,12pmPST/3pmEST.

Follow The Mother Company @TheMotherCo

WHO: All of us. We are all involved. Please invite your friends, and spread the word to your networks by tweeting: Join @TheMotherCo

The Mother Company –

Anna Kennedy was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her significant role of service in the Autism and special needs community. She is an advocate, author, and founder of two highly successful schools for children on the autistic spectrum. Both of her sons are on the spectrum.

Karen Simmons, founder/CEO of Autism Today© is the mother to six, two of which have special needs. A best selling author, she’s written four widely cherished books, and two CD’s including, the Gold Medal recipient, and “The Official Autism 101 Manual.” She co-authored with Jack Canfield and others “Chicken Soup For The Soul, Children with Special Needs.” She’s a world leader, speaker and conference coordinator in autism information, research and resources.

Chantal Sicile-Kira is an award-winning author, speaker, and leader in the field of autism. She has been involved with autism spectrum disorders for over 20 years as both a parent and a professional on both sides of the Atlantic. Recently, Chantal founded AutismCollege.com in order to provide more information and training to parents and educators.

Lisa Goring is Vice President, Family Services at Autism Speaks. Her role is to empower families and individuals impacted by autism, promote research funding that yields evidence for best practices, and to advocate for the implementation of those best practices in autism treatment, education, and services. She has two children, one of whom has autism.

Lawrence Korchnak is the Vice President of Development at Autism Society. The Autism Society’s efforts are focused on meaningful participation and self-determination in all aspects of life for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. The Autism Society promotes individual, parental and guardian choice to assure that people on the autism spectrum are treated with dignity and respect.

About The Mother Company:

The Mother Company is driven by the mission of “Helping Parents Raise Good People” with a comprehensive parenting advice website (TheMotherCo.com) and their "Ruby's Studio" children's imprint, which features line of award-winning videos – on DVD and Download – books, eBooks, apps, activity kits and more. In addition to helping children navigate social and emotional issues, The Mother Company helps parents find the tools and discussions to alleviate some of the stress of everyday parenting. The company’s website features world-renowned expert articles from the likes of parenting guru/authors Dr. Andrew Weil, Kim John Payne, Dr. Michele Borba, and Dr. Laura Berman, on topics of discipline, behavior, and family harmony. Additional information on The Mother Company can be found at www.TheMotherCo.com.

Mother's Day Giveaway!

2013-04-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

Mommy Moments with Abby wants to give a huge thanks to Mommy Guru for this amazing mother's day giveaway! I wish I could win some/all of these prizes! Ok guys! Are you ready for this crazy giveaway! Mommy Guru has been working hard to bring you an AMAZING Mother's Day Giveaway with lots of gifts that you will LOVE!

Here are ALL the participating brands and ALL of the details! There will be ONE Winner for each gift!

1. 2 nights at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas $600 2. $250 Gift Certificate to Posh Tots $250 3. Timi + Leslie Abby Bag in Ocean Blue $180 4. Sail to Sable Mommy + Me Tunic $206 5. Lane Boots in Bella $420 6. Temptu Flawless Complexion Airbrush Makeup System $225 7. Tieks Ballet Flats $295 8. Hayden Reis Cross Fit I LOVE Squats Tote $68

9. Zulily Aimee Canvas Beach Tote in Jade Green $60

10. Gyft Gift Certificates $50 Zappos, $50 Sephora

11. Skinny Bikini Turquoise Russian Doll Kaftan $248

12. Goods by Grinn gold foil heart pillow $36

13. Olivia + Joy Trixie Bag $78

14. $100 gift certificate to Lending Luxury $100

15. Lindsay Philips Jordi in Stone with an extra snap in Tabina $41

16. Dogeared I love Mom Pearl Necklace $44

17. Sultra Mind Blowing Gift Set (featuring Temptress and Flirt) - $195 Bombshell 1-Inch Rod Curling Iron - $130

18. Compliment Short Jade Malaysian necklace $42

19. Schwarzkopf Shampoo, Conditioner, Satin Spray, Q10 conditioning treatment $97

20. Essence of Vail Soothing Sleep Gift Box $72

21. Premae Balance Rescue Skin Wash $30

22. Jordache leopard skinny jeans $15.44

23. Origami Owl charms from Amy $60

There will be ONE lucky Mommy Guru winner for each item. There are a lot of ways for you to enter and to gain more entries. To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway ends May 12th at 11:59pm EST open to US residents only, ages 18+. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why you should get a professional cut once and a while

2013-04-26T22:41:00.001-07:00

Most of you know through my how to's on Mom Blog Society's YouTube channel that I usually cut and dye my own hair. This has saved me a ton of money and I've done pretty well at it, but when making a major change I always recommend going into a salon and having them do it. Use it as an opportunity to treat yourself and go to a professional salon.
I decided to make some major changes to my hair. I decided to go from Auburn to Blond and get bangs and layers in my hair. So, I headed to Tony and Guy. They have specialized stylists, one for color and one for cut. I like this because if I'm going to pay for my hair to get done, it is going to be done by someone who knows what they are doing and literally focuses their career on that aspect so it is the best possible.

They managed to keep my hair somewhat healthy by doing a partial highlight. They used the natural method instead of having blunted highlights where you can see the lines of the highlights. This blended better so you can't even tell that I used to be a red head before the color. The underside was left to blend it better and make my eyebrows fit with the new color. I think this also looks more natural since even when the sun naturally lightens hair, usually, the under part of your hair remains untouched by the sun thus it is darker. I loved the color I got!

My cut was approached with several questions to make sure I wanted the bangs, then we jumped right in. She measured out an amount to be the bangs and asked if I thought their should be more or less. Once the bang amount was determined she set to work. She shaped, layered, framed, and shortened my hair. I love that it now has some volume from the layers and the bangs are very edgy without looking odd on a mom of toddlers. They are definitely in style and I love them. They made sure to ask multiple times if the results I was seeing were what I was wanting, but made sure to take what I wanted and apply it to my face shape. So, while I will always do my own hair for lasting a cut or color I will also be making regular appointments to go to a professional in order to both treat myself and make sure that my hair is healthy and my look is clean. So, What do you think of my new bangs?

Prince Charming-Pink Pearl Review

2013-04-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

Mother's day is coming! Are you ready? Why not give her something to remind her of the more fairy-tale aspects of life? Give her something to remind her she is the queen to your castle! Let's cut to the chase, everyone loves jewelry!

Mommy Moments with Abby's review of Sphere of Life's Prince Charming Pink Pearl: I love pleasant surprise's. Like when you expect something boring and end up with something creative! So, when I opened the Sphere of Life box I expected to get a jewelry box, instead I got a silvery sphere. It was really cool and I can see it throwing off anyone who opened it. Plus, it makes a great case for carrying jewelry when you travel!

I love that this necklace comes with a not that fits what the necklace is, and what a great message! A good Kiss can work wonders! Every woman wants to be reminded of the fairy tale moments that marriage can bring through love! Little notes like this are great touches to a mother's day gift!

I almost missed the little logo on the box. I love that it is subtle and while still there it won't take away from the gift presentation nor give away what is inside. I just can't get over how shiny and mirrored the ball looks.

I opened up the sphere, it was a little tight but I was able to get it apart. The gift presents beautifully. The red silk inner-lay of the sphere looks great with the pink pearl inside a small red organza bag.

The Prince Charming – Pink Pearl necklace itself is on a silver metal chain. The small frog has a golden colored crown on his little head and he holds a small pink pearl in his arms and legs! The perfect gift for any mom or for any daughter!

You can check out the Sphere of life for yourself at their social media links:

Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sphere-of-Life-US/347218052038077

Twitter

https://twitter.com/SphereofLifeUS

@SphereofLifeUS

Cafe Press Product Review!

2013-04-25T23:08:00.000-07:00

I am always looking for interesting and fun things for the kids to wear. Not satisfied by the fashions found in stores I like to look elsewhere for things that usually online. After all they grow fast, so if I'm going to get them something fun I have to make sure that I guide their fashion sense to be unique and sensible. I found these fun t shirts online at Cafepress.com.

Check out this fun sweatshirt that everyone can enjoy! It isn't just a cleaver pun but a great way to help your kids remember a figure that will follow them through college, if they take any math classes after high school! Speaking of going to school, I feel it's never too young to start your little one in on some Alma mater pride! So, I was very happy to find an adorable pink and gray t-shirt's boasting the mascot of my husbands Alma mater! I love that they have the mascot as a baby, just like my babies! You can even order custom shirts to best fit your kids personality or your Alma mater!

Another great bonus I found while looking around Cafe Press is that they had fun t-shirts for sports that you don't always find shirts for, especially toddler shirts. My husband played a little rugby in college and with a son that likes to headbutt things like tree's at the park a little rugby may be in my little guys future. So, this shirt seemed perfect for the men in my life! They had a few other great shirts for some other shirts and almost every topic you could think of wanting or finding interesting. I was excited and had a hard time deciding just what to order my little one's, which is the main problem with the site.
Now, if only I had some awesome pajama's to wear as my little one's run about in their hilarious shirts to giggle about while I sip my cup of coffee in my coffee mug, I would be all set!

My little guy says, "Umm, My Dad Rucks! What does your dad do?"

Tell me what shirt you'd get for your little one's in a comment below after you check out what CafePress has to offer!

Daddy Scrubs Tie Review

2013-04-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

Father's Day is coming up and what a perfect way to let the Dad to be in your life know of their new Daddy status? Chances are he won't realize what day it is when you present him this little box wrapped up. It may take a minute to register what this little gift means to him, so have those camera's ready to capture the response to share, one day, with the reason for his excitement. Mommy Moments with Abby's review of Daddy Scrubs Tie: Inside this unique box, he will find a great silken tie in red. A message sure to touch anyone's heart is inside the box making that moment when he opens it extra special. In small print the tie matches the heart and Daddy on the box, letting everyone know of his Daddy Status. It isn't gaudy nor does it give off a feeling of pretentiousness but simple and a great color to allow it to easily fit into his work attire. I love that the word Daddy with the heart can take some of the aggressive feeling off the red which is a power color without losing the feeling that respect should be given. To grab one of your own or check out the other things that Daddy Scrubs has to offer you can check out the links below!

DaddyScrubs links:

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/DaddyScrubs

Twitter : @Daddyscrubs https://twitter.com/DaddyScrubs

Pinterest : http://pinterest.com/daddyscrubs

Tumblr: http://daddyscrubs.tumblr.com/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/daddyscrubs09/

Instagram Search: DaddyScrubs

DaddyScrubs Blog: http://blog.daddyscrubs.com/

Nuby's Ultrasound Contest!

2013-04-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

Spring into Spring with Nuby! Check out their latest contest! Show off your bundle of joy with this awesome ultrasound contest! I know you want to show it off anyway, you may as well win something while your at it!

Using Yoga to Battle Breast Cancer

2013-04-24T22:44:00.000-07:00

Two decades ago, yoga felt like a fad in American society. After more and more have given it a shot, most have begun to recognize the tangible health benefits to doing yoga. Stretching, in general, can loosen the muscles and improve overall physical fitness, and yoga can also have significant psychological benefits.

Recent research has shown that yoga can be especially beneficial for women battling breast cancer. There are numerous benefits to this form of exercise, and it can equip women physically and psychologically to confront their condition.

The Benefits of Yoga

There are numerous benefits to doing yoga for all people, and these benefits can be especially helpful for women with breast cancer. A class usually lasts between half an hour and 90 minutes, and the class consists of posing in a variety of positions while focusing on breathing and relaxation of the mind. There are several levels of yoga classes, from beginner’s classes that mostly focus on breathing techniques and meditation to more advanced classes that require a high level of physical strength and flexibility, along with mental strength.

Essentially, yoga is a combination of significant but safe exercise with mental relaxation and meditation. Both parts of the exercise can be helpful for women with breast cancer, as well as people dealing with other types of cancer. First, cancer improves overall fitness, preparing the body for other forms of therapy that can take a significant toll on the body. In addition, yoga is known to provide higher levels of energy, thereby helping cancer patients overcome some of the fatigue that comes with chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

In addition, beyond the physical benefits, yoga can be hugely helpful for the psyche. Scientific studies have shown that an optimistic attitude leads to a much higher success rate against illness.

How to Get Started

Even if you have never done yoga before, people battling cancer are increasingly turning to yoga as a form of therapy and, as such, there is an increasingly large array of options from which women with breast cancer can choose.

When choosing your yoga class, you should start by asking your oncologist or cancer center staff for class recommendations. Your doctor or medical facility staff should be able to connect with a good option for a yoga class. Yoga instructors who have experience working with women who use yoga as therapy for cancer will be better suited as you enter the world of yoga. If you aren’t able to find a class through your center, choose a beginner’s level class (“hatha”) so that the poses don’t prove to be too strenuous.

In either case, you should talk to your yoga instructor about your circumstances as soon as you start with the class. If the class is not tailored specifically for women with breast cancer (or individuals fighting other forms of cancer), some of the poses may simply be beyond your ability, but discussing this with your instructor can help them work with you to create some suitable replacement routines.

Staying Safe

The most important consideration after joining a yoga class is staying healthy. This should serve as a form of therapy for you, but you should keep in mind that it can be unsafe in certain situations.

For women with breast cancer that has metastasized to the bone, certain poses can carry a high risk, because the bones are more fragile and thus more susceptible to fracturing. In any case, you should be aware of your body’s response to the stretching and posing. If you experience pain, you should immediately leave the pose. Yoga may challenge the muscles, but the challenge should never amount to pain.

Guest Post Author: Valerie Johnston is a health and fitness writer located in East Texas. With ambitions of one day running a marathon, writing for Healthline.com ensures she keeps up-to-date on all of the latest health and fitness news.

Killer Time at Kubo in Madera, AZ

2013-04-24T21:29:00.002-07:00

The weekend of April 12-14 2013 we went down to Madera Canyon in Arizona. We stayed at Madera Kubo, you can check out my review HERE. It was a great place to stay. While we took a day and headed South to Bisbee and then to the Miller Canyon area we really enjoyed checking out the birds in Madera Canyon as well. We had some surprise sightings while staying at Madera, Kubo!
We got to see some fun birds at Madera Kubo and a late night visitor! So, we got to Kubo and had a few birds we hoped/wanted to see. Well, my husband did. I enjoy hummingbirds and owls plus a few other rare and colorful specimen's, if I'm honest the warblers just annoy me because they won't sit still for anything! It's like watching a tree full of two year olds full of sugar without a nap, good luck getting them to sit for a picture. My husband however is the true birder and doesn't mind hunting those little buggers down.

I digress, he/we had some birds we hoped to check out and one of the one's on the list was an Elf owl. Lucky for us the Madera Kubo people had spotted one on the property near where our room was and a nest was suspected not far from them in the canyon off the road. Unfortunately, this little bugger eluded us. However, around 10 or 11 on Saturday we heard what we thought was an elf owl and went out to find

him. As we looked around I saw eye's looking at me and I thought that I had found the owl, but I was wrong. After my husband came to where I was and our headlamps light up what was behind the glowing eye's. My husband was completely excited, I had no idea what I was looking at or that it was rare. We had found a Ringtail!
He was amazingly curious about us even coming over to a tree above where we stood moving back and forth across the branch trying to get away from our headlamp light to see better what we were. We managed to nap a few shots of him and I took a daylight shot of the place we were standing when we saw him you can see all the photo's in the slideshow below.
I would say that was probably the sighting of the Kubo location for us, an unexpected pleasure! Check out all the birds and sights of Madera Kubo!

Kubo's Cozy Little Cut-away!

2013-04-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

The weekend of April 12 through the 14th the hubby and I decided to take a much needed break. My parents watched the kiddo's and fur-babies while he and I headed a few hours south. We decided to book a room/cottage in one of the canyon's we like to hike in, Madera Canyon. We were calling around and finding most the rooms booked for the weekend! Luckily for us, the people at Madera Kubo, called us back to say they would be willing to let us stay in their recently renovated "Tree House". They have a house they are slowly remodeling into places for people to stay. It is unlike their normal adorable cabins, they built those from scratch themselves, as it is a property that is being remodeled. I wasn't sure how to picture it, but having met the owners before and enjoying their feeders before decided to take the change and stay there. My husband had reserves as it wasn't a cabin on their site and recently remodeled can mean a lot of different things. Still off we went....

We arrived late, we had pre-arranged this and since it wasn't some horrible hour like 9 or 10 the owners accommodation us this one time. They had us follow them to the "tree house" I was nervous as we walked up to a building behind the main house still being worked on and into a smaller building on the side. It was located above their property so we could see the tops of many of the tree's to the

main cabins. I was more nervous when we first entered the door to the stairway with blue green carpet, the chair at the top of the stairs was rustically cute, but with the color of the carpet seemed an odd fit, not helping my worry.
Then we entered the "Tree House". I had no reason to worry and felt stupid for being concerned. It was adorable. The perfect Cozy little cut-away for a bird watcher and his wife! It had amazing hard wood floors, a perfectly sized kitchen with granite counter tops, fridge, stove, and microwave for meals. There was a small TV for late night watching, a door to no-where which would be odd except it is glass and screwed shut so it is perfect for the bird watcher in the morning grabbing some breakfast and looking at

the warblers in the treetops, plus a small couch perfect for two. One bedroom with an inviting looking bed and a small/medium sized bathroom with shower and while my husband wasn't fond of the bear/moose carving hung above the toilet I found adorable. The entire place had a modern rustic feel with wrot iron in the bathroom, bear carvings here and there, hardwood floors and natural colors that fit well for the tree top hideaway. Both the unfinished building and the "Tree House" seemed to be made with brick and reclaimed wood from the outside. Instantly, I thought to myself, "How did we luck out to find Kubo's Cozy Little Cut-away in the trees?" We were very comfortable and happy with our newly discovered treasure of a getaway stay.

If you like hiking, bugging, birding, wildlife, or just nature in general it is perfect! Their is a trail down to the main cabin so you can hang out with Cora (she runs the store and cleans the cabins) and check out the feeders down there after the morning warblers settle down. She had a ton of birding stories of sightings and of life. We had a blast and will definitely be staying here again! I was very glad that they offered a place to us to stay and that we had found it when we stopped to check out the feeders a year ago with our kids. Cora was so friendly with the kids and found their dancing adorable. We had even decided to make a note of the place as a possible stay-cation before we spotted a calliope and a violet crowned hummingbird there. While we

didn't see those this trip, too early, we did see a lot of other birds and wildlife.
The only con's I had were: that some of the windows were missing blinds, if your a birder you don't care though since your staring out them all the time looking for birds; they charge for guests that visit you even if they don't stay the night, this didn't affect us though since it was just us and I can see it being a problem due to the great location to spot birds; there is no Wi-Fi; and I've never used a space heater before and kept frying us at night with 80 degree temps, this is more user error though I think than anything they can control without putting a how to use for dummies like me on the counter. The only other con was that Richard, one of the owners, told me they don't have a description of the place! Well, now they do! I just couldn't not write something up after finding out how charming it was and how nicely they treated us!
Vastly, the amazing look, location, price, and hospitality we found here outweighed these minimal possible con's. I highly recommend staying here if you head down to Madera, AZ! If you want to check it out and stay there yourself you can click on Madera Kubo.

Mustache Cookie Cutter Set Review

2013-04-24T14:03:00.002-07:00

We love to cook and the kid's love making food that has flare. Trying to come up with ways to make food with flare can be exhausting though! How many ways can you shape a cookie, sandwich, or pancake?
Mommy Moments with Abby's review of Fuzzyink's mustache cookie cutters: My daughter's nickname is Mrs. Cakes! She loves to cook and has been bugging me to make cookies, so this review was perfect. We made our sugar cookie dough, along with a huge mess, and got out our cookie cutter set.

My daughter was so excited! She exclaimed, "Mustache Cookies! Oh, Thank you mom, I love Mustache Cookies!" We worked on how to press the cutter down, give it a jiggle, move the extra dough away from the cookie, and then put it on the sheet. Flour was everywhere, but in the end we had some great looking mustache's for our efforts! We let them cool over night and then the next day tested them out. Now, my daughter has been saying, "Mustache" after drinking her milk for a while, but I was rolling over when she took a sip of milk, then put her cookie to her face and said, "Mustache".

We had a blast with these and I couldn't help but think of how they would be great for cutting shapes out of sandwiches for a lunchtime surprise, pancakes for breakfast, decorated with chocolate frosting and hints of white frosting for a retirement party, or even as edible photo props for a wedding/party! Definitely, a great way to make food new!

If you like these for your party or fun time with your little baker check them out on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fuzzyink?ref=hl

Product Description

Complete with 3 different styles

Our mustache cookie cutters measure around 4"W x 1.25-1.5"T but vary depending on shape.

Made of 100% stainless steel.

Awesome note: $5 from each sale is donated to the Movember Foundation!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.