Eclectic Momsense

ADVANCE AUTO PARTS MONSTER JAM®

2012-02-24T09:41:00.004-07:00

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam® is coming to the Tucson

Convention Center just in time for Spring Break

Friday, March 9 – Sunday, March 11, 2012

Friday, March 9 – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 10 – 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

**Pit Party open from 11:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.

(Pit Pass required for entry; available for purchase at $10 each)

Sunday, March 11 – 2:00 p.m.

Adult tickets range from $20-$35

Kids tickets are only $10 each.

Get them early, I hear they go fast and they are $2 more the day of the show.

This year’s show features the legendary GRAVE DIGGER^®, celebrating its 30^th Anniversary of car crushing mayhem, along with the Tucson debuts of Spider-man™ and Batman™; Aiden would love this. Tucson's own hometown hero McGruff and World Finals Champion Monster Mutt^® and The Felon.

On Saturday, fans can arrive early and enjoy a special Party in the Pits pre-show experience. For just $10 this opportunity allows the littlest and biggest fans to see their favorite trucks up close, meet the drivers, get autographs and take photos!

Use the CODE: BLOG for $4 off tickets for Friday, Saturday 2pm, and Sunday shows. Discount available at the box office, internet, phones, outlets. Valid on adult tickets in the $20 price level. EXPIRES MARCH 8^TH, 2012.

Will your family be joining in the Monster Jam® fun?

Disneyland 2012

2012-02-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

Aww... Finally feeling up to doing some writing. I came down with a nasty infection while on our trip and I'm barely back to myself, but boy did we have fun despite it.

We began our trip with a visit to the Storyteller's Cafe at the Grand Californian. By the way a gorgeous hotel. A beautiful and convenient place for us to stay our first time on property.

Aiden wasn't the biggest fan at first of the characters. The bears they sent out first put him in complete freak out mode. I think the 7+ foot Brer Bear would probably make me feel the same if I was 2. When Chip and Dale came out though everything was great. He was cracking up at chip and soon became pals with Brer Bear.

It's amazing how your goals at Disneyland change. When we were just a couple it was all about fitting the most rides in. Now it was taking our time to meet all the characters and see all the shows.

One of his favorite parts of the whole experience was seeing all the characters and meeting them. We managed to meet all his favorites: Tink, Pluto, Mickey, and Minnie.

He loved kissing the noses of all the characters.

So awesome, Pluto giving him knuckles.

His Peter Pan costume might have taken a close second, possibly first. He was looking forward to wearing it since I finished making it. We got so many compliments on his cute and simple costume, and he LOVED it.

What trip would be complete for a little boy without trying to remove the sword from the stone. Aiden, however, was convinced he was Heman trying to get the Power of Gray Skull. We went back here several times.

The big reason for the trip of course was our 5K. I talk more about it here on Mamavation Monday.

{Mamavation} Monday

2012-02-12T19:02:00.002-07:00

Weekly Loss: 1.6 lbs.

Total Weight Loss: 19 lbs.

I'd like to report that I am well, but I'm still feeling down and on the mend. Hence, why I missed last weeks Mamavation post. I was out 4 days from work and that still wasn't enough. The infection I had seems to be gone, but I'm still suffering from some nausea (praying it's from the antibiotics) and some post-nasal drip (generally causes me nausea).

I'm almost to my first big goal 20 pounds. The game is changing though as a revelation has been made in the past couple weeks. I'm no longer allowed to "try" to lose weight. My doctor has advised me that it's okay if I do, but he doesn't want me making any effort to do so. Why you ask?, we will be adding to the Denton clan in September. I have lost significant weight since finding out, but several factors I feel are at play: 1. I've been sick, 2. my diet is significantly improved, and 3. I exercise regularly. This all adds up and makes sense. Relieved to know that it's okay.

I'm praying once I'm through this round of antibiotics (amoxicillin), one I haven't taken in years, all the nausea will subside. My first pregnancy was a dream. No nausea I can remember and just some heartburn in the last month. I know each pregnancy can be different, I'm just hoping in the area of comfort it doesn't. I could have gone 2-3 weeks past my due date and been on cloud 9. I feel for the ladies that have nausea for the length of their pregnancy. Mine's all day and it's a real downer on my energy and desire to get anything done. Before taking the antibiotic I was fine.

What are your tricks for getting past the nausea?

{Mamavation} Monday: 5K Wrap Up

2012-02-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

Weekly Weight Loss: 1.2 lbs.

Overall Weight Loss: 16.4 lbs.

What a fantastic run to have as our first. In fact I don't think I can run a non Disney event. 4,000 people packed in around the hub in front of the castle waiting for the run to start. A live DJ playing music while characters cheered us on. The atmosphere itself was motivating. Not to mention the costumes. It was a night run so we started at 10:30 pm. I was a little worried how I would do so late, but I LOVED it. The weather was perfect, minus the wind. There was no hot sun beating down on us, and the air was cool.

The pace of the run was leisurely. We had to keep a 17 minute mile pace to not get picked up. We finished the race below my goal of 45 minutes at 43:45. That's about a 14 minute mile. I was training about 12 minute miles, but that was just one. I'm hoping my next one I can shave off about 5 minutes. Thankfully I managed to hold back the tears as we neared the end.

I had such a great support team that was willing to hang back with me. We all crossed the finish line at the same time. We did lose one of our team members, but she spent the race trying to catch up to us; funny enough was far in front. I hate to run, but could imagine doing another Run Disney. JD would like to the 1/2.

Eggless Raw Cookie Dough

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 Tbsp brown sugar, packed

¾ tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp water

¼ cup chocolate chips

Soften butter

Beat sugar and butter until fluffy (you can use a hand mixer or fork)

Add vanilla, flour and salt, beat until mixed incorporated

Add water (1 tsp. at a time, until the dough is smooth)

Stir in chocolate chips

Chill or enjoy at room temperature

Miracle Soap Scum Remover

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am going to apologize for the pictures of my dirty shower now but, I promise you WILL thank me. It measures up to it's title of miracle, it is truly magic.

In this part of AZ our water is pretty hard. It isn't uncommon for people to have water softeners. The outcome is hard water stains. It makes it very difficult to clean the grime that inevitably builds up. I hate to clean the shower because of this. Even the harsh chemicals weren't able to cut it.

12 oz. Dawn

12 oz. Vinegar

Spray Bottle

Heat the Vinegar

Pour Vinegar into spray bottle

Add dawn

Shake the bottle to mix the two

Coat your shower with the mixture.

Wait I let mine sit the first time for about an hour. I had to use a little more elbow grease. The second round on the floor I let it sit over night. Wiped with a sponge, rinsed, and the stains were gone.

We are making the switch to homemade cleaning products. This one will definitely be in our cleaning supply now.

{Mamavation} Monday: Preparing

2012-01-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

Total Loss: 15.2 lbs.

Weekly Loss: 1.2 lbs.

This past week and the days coming we are preparing for our 5K. That means the costumes are almost made, that's right costumes, the bags are almost pack (LOTS of laundry), and I'm mentally and physically preparing for the run. Here's a sneak peek of my Disney themed costume and my SIL's.

My one struggle this week are these little laddies . That's right yours and my yearly nemesis. I'm not proud that I can level a whole box or a few in one sitting. This year we're single portioning the whole box and limiting when we can eat them. I'm not going to deny myself though. I know that is a recipe for disaster.

We also overhauled the pantry and did some bulk shopping. I'm excited to have a backup pantry with all the essentials to limit shopping to weekly for the fresh stuff. It has already helped so much with planning and prepping meals for the week. My next goal is doing some batch cooking and freezing. What's your favorite batch meal? Share your recipes below.

{Leftovers} 3 Cheese Pasta

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

I hate it when I cook too much pasta. It either stands dry and bare in the fridge waiting to be topped or becomes dry and tasteless. It occurred to me that my favorite recipe for pasta was a nice cure for this dilemma, and also made for a quick last minute meal.

Serves-4

Ingredients:

2 c. pasta (bow tie, corkscrew, and penne work best)

1 c. spaghetti sauce

1/2 c. mozzarella (use more for a cheesier taste)

2 Tbsp. parmesan

1/4 c. ricotta

Mix pasta, spaghetti sauce, ricotta, 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1 Tbsp. Parmesan in large skillet.

Cook on medium heat until heated through, approximately 10 min. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Top with remaining 1 Tbsp. parmesan and 1/4 cup mozzarella.

Cover, reduce heat to low. Continue cooking until cheese is melted.

{Wordless Wednesday} A New Hobby

2012-01-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

I bought a fancy new camera as a gift to myself, I finally saved up enough to get a Nikon D5100. I'm slowly plugging along learning how to operate it but, this is my first DSLR so I'm also learning the basics of photography and how to move into manual modes to get the best snapshot. I'm making a resolution to join in Wordless Wednesday consistently so I can share my images. No sense in taking pictures if you don't share them. This will also force me to start taking pictures more often. The following are ~~just a few~~ a bunch of my favorite ones taken over the first 4 weeks of owning it.

First Successful Bokeh shot, thanks to my dad for helping.

{Mamavation} Monday: ChChChChanges

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Weekly Loss: .4 pounds

Total Weight Loss: 14 pounds

That's right. This house has been brimming with changes the past week. Potty training our son is full ~~underwear~~ underway. We started transitioning him back to sleeping in his room, and eventually (fingers-crossed) on his own. I love getting the extra cuddles in, but when bedtime turns into a 2-3 hour battle I'm mentally exhausted. I've finally reclaimed some evenings to myself and my son is allowing my hubby to put him down without too much of a fuss. You heard about the purging happening over here, phase 2 will soon be underway. We're going back to basics. I'm excited to see what controlled spending will do for our waistline and pocketbook.

With that said it's going to make us think consciously about our buying and meal plans. The necessities mean exactly what we need as a family to survive on. It also means reducing trips to and from the store to conserve gas.

I've started 2012 highly motivated. Ready to take my weight loss to the next step. Ready to bring my blog to the next level. Ready to continue with the healthy household changes.

Now just to sit in the same room with my hubby for more than an hour so we can plan it all out. It's an exciting and busy semester as he finishes up his thesis. Which means we need to schedule like crazy so we each have time to do the things we have to (school, work, cooking, cleaning) and the things we enjoy (date night, crafts, music, blogging).

How's your 2012 looking?

Ruffle Scarf

2012-01-15T20:45:00.001-07:00

I can't take credit for coming up with this one, except my new found motivation from Pinterest. What I love about this scarf is how quick you can turn one out.

Supplies:

1 yd. Jersey knit or XXL t-shirt

Sharp Scissors (I can't stress this enough)

12" bowl

Trace your circles onto fabric. (make sure you can get 8-12)

Cut circles out.

Cut each circle into a spiral. Start about 2" in, making an angled cut. Continue cutting keeping spirals 1.5"-2" in size.

Pull each strand to get the fabric to curl.

Line your strand up and tie together with a scrap of fabric.

Finish with a cute rosette!

31 Spring Premiere

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thirty-One went big screen this year. We watched in style as the newest Thirty-One prints and products were laid out. It was a day of celebration.

February 1st the new Spring 2012 catalog debuts. The excitement this season surrounds the announcement of 3 catalogs (Spring, Summer, Fall/Winter). This gives hostess' 3 chances to party and earn FREE product each year. Our wonderful Hostess Rewards (current) have improved as well, with additional Hostess Exclusives and prints to choose from. Plus when you shop at a party booked off yours, you automatically earn a FREE Organizing Utility Tote. Trust me when I say you can never have too many of this versatile tote.

Improvements:

NEW branded hardware

Higher quality zippers

Enlarged cell phone pocket to accommodate Smartphones

Improved Construction (thermal tote lining, large utility tote seams)

What's New This Season?

I'm in love with the new catalog. My favorite new products are the Medium Printed Rosettes, Mini Utility Bin, and Casual Cargo Purse. I'm loving the Lotsa Dots, and Awesome Blossom prints. I'm not usually much for yellow but this print is cool and crisp, add a yellow rosette and I'm on board.

This week I have witnessed that Thirty-One is more than just a company. They are a group of compassionate people who believe in the power of Celebrating Encouraging and Rewarding. Thirty-One Gives was created to give back the many blessings Thirty-One has experienced. This initiative will support women and girls through a variety of product donations, funds, and partnerships.

Meet the new URU Thermal Tote. A special tote in pink parisian pop, embellished with ribbon detail on the inside. $1 from the sale of this tote ($16) will go directly to the Thirty-One Gives initiative.

Disclaimer: I am an independent sales consultant with Thirty-One, all content and opinions are my own.

{Mamavation} Monday: Kick it in Gear

2012-01-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

It's back to reality this week. I left my cute little man and headed off to work. It is also week 1 of "back to accountability". The pedometer went back on. You know in just 2+ short weeks we will be running/walking our first 5K. Not to mention I have some goals to catch up to.

My migraines have been coming back with a vengeance. While tracking them I have it pinpointed to a few possible foods: milk and chocolate. Well crap, those just happen to be 2 of my favorite things. In the past my headaches coincided with hormones, now I'm almost sure some of them can be attributed to one of these 2 or both.

I'm working on changing my mindset further on food. If it makes you sick don't eat it! Easy enough, right? Not so. I guess it's a lot like childbirth or an injury you tend to block it out of your memory. My desire to eat these foods have long overshadowed the after effects. I'm upping the self talk, because it's cyclical. Eat chocolate, get a migraine, feel useless, don't exercise, don't accomplish goals.

How do you overcome your desire to eat foods you shouldn't?

Oh and did you see me in heels. A rare sighting, until recently. The last pair of heels I owned were for drama and choir. I splurged and bought a comfy pair of heels and snake skin flats. This little lady is feeling sexy this week. Seriously who knew they could elongate and make your legs look so long and your butt look awesome. If you don't own a pair go on the hunt now to find your sexy heels.

Homemade Bagels

2012-01-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

I found this delicious recipe on Pintrest. This was my first attempt at making bagels and it was quite the success. The dough comes out with a slight sourdough taste because of the starter sponge. I hand mixed mine, but you could use a bread machine I suppose or mixer (trying this next time).

Ingredients

Sponge:

1 tsp. instant yeast

4 cups unbleached bread flour

2 ½ cups room temperature water

Dough:

½ tsp. instant yeast

3 ¾ cups unbleached bread flour

2 ¾ tsp. salt

1 tbsp. honey, or brown sugar or 2 tsp. malt powder (haven't tried yet)

To finish:

1 tbsp. baking soda

Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting

Mix the yeast (1 tsp.) and flour (4 c.) together. Add the water (2 1/2 c.). Whisk or stir out the lumps until it forms a sticky batter .

Leave the bowl at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, covered with syran wrap. The mixture should be very foamy and bubbly. I found it took longer ~2.5 hrs. in AZ climate to reach this state. It should double in size and collapse when the bowl is tapped on the countertop.

Dough Time

Add yeast (1/2 tsp.) to the sponge and stir. Continue to add the additional ingredients 3 cups of the flour and all of the salt (2 3/4 tsp.) and honey or brown sugar (1 tbsp.). Continue stirring until all ingredients are incorporated, forming a ball.

Transfer the dough to the counter and work in the remaining ¾ cup flour to stiffen the dough. ~Again in AZ climate I found that I could only mix in about 3 cups total until my dough reached maximum stiffness. Continue working and kneading the dough for at least 10 minutes until all ingredients are mixed in. The dough should be smooth, but not sticky, all the flour should be worked in.

Divide the dough into ~16 balls for standard size bagels. Cover the dough balls with a damp towel, leaving them to rest for about 20 minutes.

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper or a Silpat. Mist each lined pan with oil. Grab your dough balls and stretch a hole in the center about 2". Place the bagel rounds on the oiled pan and spritz the tops with oil. Cover with syran wrap and let the pans sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Next, check your bagels to make sure they are ready to be retarded in the refrigerator. Do so by taking one bagel and dropping in a cool bowl of water. If it floats immediately, remove it from the water pat dry and return it the pan and place them in the fridge. If it does not pass the "float test" pat dry and return it to the pan to continue to set. Check back every 15 minutes or so to see if the tester floats.

Day 2

When you're ready to bake your bagels (they can stay in the fridge 2-3 days), preheat the oven to 500° F. Set both racks in the middle of the oven. Prepare your toppings while you bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the baking soda.

Here's the fun part. You get to see your bagels come together. Carefully drop your bagels in the boiling water. They should float within 10 seconds. Boil each side for 1 minute, using a slotted spoon or strainer to flip and remove the bagels from the water. For chewier bagels, boil longer.

While the bagels are boiling, sprinkle your baking sheet with cornmeal or semolina flour. Top your bagels as soon as they come out of the water.

Place the pans in the middle of the oven, baking at 500° for 5 minutes. Rotate the pans, and flip 180˚, reducing the temperature to 450° F and baking for an additional 5 minutes, or until the bagels

are to your liking.

Remove the pans from the oven and cool the bagels on a rack before serving.

Toppings:
Cinnamon Apple
Cinnamon Sugar
Cheese and Chiles
Parmasean, Garlic, Oregano
Blueberries (might be good mixed in too)
Pears (thinking off adding some cheese)

What toppings would you add? I'm boring and always go plain, although I do enjoy a Chonga bagel.

Holiday Fun

2012-01-05T16:52:00.000-07:00

What an amazing winter break it has been. I'm going to try and keep this update short and let the pictures do the talking.

Christmas was quiet and spent at home with just my parents and my mother-in-law, Kathi. Aiden's presents spilled over beneath the tree. With our Disneyland trip and 5K coming up in just 3 weeks we kept it small for the big kids. We opted to make gifts for each other. JD used his talents of painting to good use; Kathi (family tree), Aiden (mickey), and I (family ABC's) were each given a personalized original. I made superhero capes for our family of 3 and perfectly Kathi and each made a matching red t-shirt scarf (tutorial coming).

I think Aiden's favorite gift was his cute Melissa & Doug Kitchen Santa brought him. Today he made soup for us, we enjoy a nice cup of coffee daily, and he makes some really yummy cupcakes too. Santa knew just what to bring him and it even matched the apron and chefs hat I made him for his birthday. Every opportunity he gets he's whipping up something for us.

Part of the time we spent visiting family. Lazy days lounging and playing at Grandma's, celebrating GG's birthday and hanging out with his cousins, lunch with Aunt Jess and Uncle B we had quite the adventures in Phoenix. One of his favorite activities is playing pretend. Anything from master chef in his kitchen to schwas-buckling pirates fighting Peter Pan and Captain Hook. This kid loves to use his imagination.

Oh and not to be forgotten is date night for mom and dad on New Year's Eve. We had our first adventure at the Tempe Block Party. The Block Party was kind of a bust, but we had fun hanging out with a few good friends playing pool.

We reached a few new milestones too. Finally, we are masterfully using a spoon and fork. Although, when we get eager about the contents we sometimes resort back to diving in with our hands. The family is currently deep in potty training. We are trying our hand at the 3-Day-Potty-Training method. More to come on that, we are rounding up day 2 as we speak.

For me one of the most memorable outings was our 2 trips up to Mt. Lemmon to play in the snow. That's right a short hour trip from sunny 70 some odd degree Southern AZ and we were deep in 4 feet of fresh powdery snow. Aiden had fun going down on the saucer with mom and dad, but wasn't a fan of the toboggan on his own. He didn't seem to mind the cold and enjoyed making snowmen and crawling through the snow banks. It didn't hurt we got to eat delicious pizza from the Cookie Cabin either. I see another adventure in the near future.

Updates:

We almost have all our baby teeth in. Just cutting the last of our 2 year molars.
We ~~are obsessed with~~ LOVE Spiderman.
We are talking in full sentences now. Our favorite phrases are "What you doing?" "What's that, the noise?" "Please to meet you ______." "mmm... the taste, good"
He likes to sing and matches pitch and beat pretty well. He sung Happy Birthday to his GG.
He sings along with the ABC's and chimes in on "p" "s" "x" "z"
He can rote count to 13, but usually omits the number 4. He's starting to count some objects with help.
He recognizes some shapes: circle, triangle, and square. He loves going around and making triangles with his fingers and declaring "triangle!", especially on your nose.

{Mamavation} Monday: Simplifying

2012-01-03T18:39:00.000-07:00

It's a new year, which means resolutions. This year it's simple. I'm simplifying my life. Getting rid of the bulk (many meanings here), paying off debt, and reducing the stress of "things".

We jumped both feet in to the new year and our simplified life. Everything, but the kitchen sink has been put up for sale. We're taking it back to basics. Getting rid of TV's, cutting back on the number of toys, clothing, etc. Nothing extreme, just reducing the clutter.

It feels good to drop the pounds and the extra weight in our household.

Most holidays I indulge my every craving. I give myself permission to plow through the cookies, cakes, and potlucks. This year I had no desire to. In fact I felt the opposite. I did indulge a craving for chocolate cake, but I passed on cookies and candy that came across my path. Simply I wasn't going to set a goal for gaining weight this holiday and wasn't focused on losing either. For the most part it worked.

I'm not disappointed, but I'm also not celebrating. I gained a pound during our little out of town adventure. This just means the holiday season is officially over. The tree is down, the decorations are put away now it's time to kick it in gear. Our 5K is in just 3 small weeks. I can't believe it. Time to kick up the weight training and the walks/runs.

{Mamavation} Monday: Another Year Gone By

2011-12-19T17:54:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the fuzzy black socks, can you believe it is actually cold here in AZ. I'm bundling up and enjoying it while it lasts.

Has it really been a year. So much has happened over the past year, as a family and as an individual. There are so many things I could reflect on and so many changes that have occurred. I started blogging, bought my new camera (screaming inside!), and finally jumped and made a huge leap towards that healthy lifestyle I've been talking about for years.

So with all the huge life events that have happened this year and are to come in the next year, what I'm celebrating are the almost 15 (14.6) pounds I have have lost in just about 4 months. And I'm keeping it off this holiday season and hopefully drop a few more. The new year will bring energy and momentum towards my ultimate goal.

Happy Holidays! What are you celebrating this year?

#ElmersHoldiay #GlueNGlitter : Frugal Gift Under $10

2011-12-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

Supplies:

Elmer's School Glue ($.74)

X-ACTO Precision Scissors ($6)

Elmer's CraftBond Dual-tip Flexible Pen ($2)

Mini-Canvas ($3.97/2)

Tissue Paper

Foam Brush

Hot Glue

Ribbon (Walmart had ribbon for $.47)

I picked up everything at Walmart. For 1 canvas ornament it cost me $2 not including the cost of the glue and pretty new scissors. Ignore the tracing paper, tissue paper is what you want. Most of the supplies I had on hand or were recycled. Grabbed some tissue paper lying around (not too wrinkled though) and had Christmas ribbon in my ornament box.

Found these cute little treasures right next to the rest of the art supplies. They come with an adorable tabletop easel. Perfect gift for year round. Walmart has very affordable art supplies that made this craft possible.

It's easy to find the Elmer's and X-ACTO section in my local Walmart now. Look at those fun colors.

I loved this centering ruler from X-ACTO. For under $2 it was a steal. It is perfect for scrapbooking and any project you need to find the middle of an object. Starts at 0" in the middle and goes up from there left and right. It also has holes in the ruler for precision marking.

In full disclosure I am not the genius that thought of printing on tissue. I found this photo canvas gem on Pintrest.

Wrap an 8.5" x 11" printer paper with tissue. Trim with a border of 1/4" and tape down the edges.

Print out your images on the tissue wrapped paper. Make sure to test first to see which way your printer feeds paper.

Cut out your images, leaving a 1/4" white border.

Mix up your Mod Podge. I used Elmer's School Glue; much cheaper than Mod Podge brand. Most recipes call for 1 part glue, 1 part water. I felt the consistency was too runny. I opted for 1 part water, 2 parts glue.

Spread a thin layer of your homemade mod podge on the surface of your canvas and on the edges. Carefully lay your tissue paper on the canvas, rubbing in a circular motion from the inside out. If you have some tight wrinkles you can tug softly on the corners/edges to smooth out. Fold the overlap over the edge of the canvas and smooth down adding an additional layer of mod podge to the sides only to secure.

I tried the same technique on wood and secured the edges with Elmer's Craft Bond. The end result was cute, but not as seamless on the wood.

Let your artwork dry.

Secure a loop of ribbon to the back with hot glue.

Flip over and admire your adorable ornament you made for just $2.

Make sure to checkout Elmer's Glue 'n Glitter Win the Wall contest. One lucky person will win the ENTIRE Elmer's Memory Keeping Wall from Walmart (that's a $250 value!).

“This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #ElmersHoliday #gluenglitter #collectivebias #CBias ”

DownEast Basics Home: {Review}

2011-12-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to DownEast Basics in the Fall. I was invited to a blogger event and quickly fell in love with their clothing line. To my surprise I found out they also have a home line. Each season you'll be greeted with accessories from candles to greenery, but what I loved was the prices.

I picked up this cute 9" wheatgrass plant for just $6.99. For that price I will be going back soon to order some more greenery to soften our home. This little plant has added so much life to our kitchen, seriously, my husband even said something.

My next finds were 3 cute little 14" bunnies for $4.99 each. They reminded me of the velveteen rabbit.

I loved the quirky little knotted arms. I haven't decided what to do with them yet, but was thinking of donating them to a children's hospital or our local fire department.

I loved all the little accents the DownEast Basics homelike had, like the button eyes.

On my wish list?

This hanging wall clock at $39.99. I have the perfect wall picked out in our den. It's really skinny, but has always needed something. This would fit perfectly.

I love these wire baskets too. The small one would like great on my kitchen counter filled with seasonal goodies. Pumpkins and gourds for the fall, then pomegranates and pinecones for the winter.

The only downside to the home line is quantities are limited. Once it's gone, it's gone. Shop early in the season to make sure you don't miss out.

Preferred Customer Program

Signup for their email newsletter to learn about exclusive deals.

Facebook Fan Deal

Checkout DownEast's Facebook fan page for updates on weekly deals. Deals can be used online or in store.

DownEast Basics provided me with $25 to spend online for my review and honest opinion.

Waffle HashBrowns

2011-12-15T20:30:00.002-07:00

I'm kicking myself now for fighting the Pintrest revolution for so long. I think I fought it because I was already doing so many different "social media" things that I didn't want to learn another one or get sucked in. Well I'm happy to admit that I have been sucked in, but this time it's very meaningful.

Before Pintrest it was Stumble Upon, which still applies at times, but often the crafts and recipes become lost. Buried in the sea of other "thumbs up" sites. Pintrest works like our brains does and helps us to categorize. I'm very visual too so the huge pictures staring at me in the face saying eat me, make me; have become a real motivator. Anyone else in the same boat?

Let's say it's my one week anniversary and I've managed to do a total of 3 of my pins. I'm so excited about this one, in a complete duh! kind of moment.

That's right ladies and gentlemen crispy delicious hash browns in a waffle iron. You know that heavy waffle shaped griddle you bring out maybe once a year to make a "special" chocolate chip waffle breakfast for your kids, that one. Pull it out because this baby has so many more uses. It is no longer the evil step cousin of the George Foreman. This baby can do breakfast, sides, deserts. I'm still thinking of ways to make the list longer. Now on to the real fun.

Preheat your waffle iron to a medium to medium-high setting.

My first batch I did medium and it took longer to cook and came out drier, crispier. The second batch I did the latter and it still came out crispy, but not quite as dry.

Supplies:

Russet Potato (1 potato filled my ~10" iron)

Box Grater

Seasonings (we did salt and pepper)

Oil (we used olive oil, but the recipe I saw called for vegetable)

1. Peel your potato

2. Grate your potato with medium box grater

3. Squeeze and drain the liquid from potato shavings

4. Mix in your seasonings

5. Oil your surface with a basting brush or cooking spray

6. Grab a handful of shavings squeezing out any extra liquid

7. Cover waffle iron with potatoes spreading evenly

8. Close lid and let it do some magic for the next 10 min or so.

9. Check it after 5-6 minutes, pull it off once it's reached your preferred doneness.

after 5 minutes

Final product, promptly slathered in ketchup and devoured!

This idea and many more waffle iron uses can be found on Chow.com or my Breakfast PinBoard.

{Mamavation} Monday: Support

2011-12-11T16:38:00.001-07:00

I learned early on that I needed to be motivated myself to be healthy. It wasn't going to happen if I wasn't in it. No matter how much external pressure there is, I had to have the internal motivation to move forward. Once the ball got rolling though family was an important component. Everyone played their own little part.

My hubby continues to be there every week as I jump on the scale and is a big motivator. He's a big motivator and enabler (mint hershey kisses, yeah.) My dad makes sure every week he lets me know he read my post and is proud of me. My MIL is my Fit Friend and is there for fitness advice and is always sending me yummy healthy recipes. My mom is losing weight too and is feeding my need for new clothes as she slims down. Hope I can reciprocate soon. Even my brother jumps in every once in awhile with a pat on the back. Most people wouldn't know, but he has always been a big support in so many ways. He was proud of our family for making the healthy lifestyle choice. My sister-in-law motivated us to sign up for a 5K. She was the catalyst that got us to sign up for our January run. We're already planning costumes for our RunDisney. Need suggestions for good retailers to get running skirts.

Each one is an important puzzle piece to my success. My son is at the top as he continues to be my motivator to get running.

How does your family support your healthy lifestyle changes?

I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women

{Mamavation} Monday: Holiday Shopping

2011-12-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's week 2 post Mamavation 10 campaign. 7 weeks have gone and I have a whole lifetime ahead of me. I picked the frame above to show that this is just a snapshot. A small piece of the handwork, and life changes ahead of me. Although this "snapshot" shows a .6 pound gain this week I now know that it is only part of the whole. The whole which shows me that I have lost 15 pounds and 11 inches!!!

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't steer completely straight this week. I did venture off the path and indulge in a few bad habits. I am now paying with acid reflux. I will say that I am so happy I did it. I have no desire to eat those foods again. My body did without them for weeks, and now it's telling me that's how it should remain. The other day as we walked through the mall food court I felt nauseous. The smell made me sick.

I'm starting the week off right. Meal plan is done and I've managed to cook 6 dishes for the next few weeks. I hit the gym this morning and got a jog/run in on the elliptical and did some weights as well. I've planned out my gym time for the rest of the week with my hubby. Funny thing is we've lived in our neighborhood 2+ years, gym and all, and this is the first day I've stepped foot in it. Okay I have gone in it before, but just when we first moved in and we were giving everyone the grand tour. It's the first time I've actually sweat in that gym.

I wanted to share this picture from a recent trip I took to the mall. I did some shopping at DownEast Basics. I only left with some pi's, but you can read about that here. What I wanted to share was the fact that those jeans I tried on are a Size 13 juniors. The last time I went shopping at this store was back in September, right before the campaign began. The biggest size they sold in store was a 15 and I couldn't even zip them up. Imagine my glee as I zipped up that same pair of jeans that didn't fit 2 months ago and I actually had room to spare. Again, one excited lady having to ask the clerk to bring me a smaller size.

This week we're talking about shopping on Mamavation TV. It's the holidays and money is on our mind. How much should I spend? Did I spend too much? Thankfully this year our family is doing something different. In fact I hope we continue to do it each year. I asked myself this question, do I remember what I received for Christmas last year. My mind was left blank. I could tell you what I bought my son, what he got from other people, but I couldn't manage to think of one thing I received last year myself, or even what I gifted other people. I do remember 3 Christmas' ago our family opted to have a White Christmas in Colorado. That's why this year we've decided to hold on the traditional sense of gift giving and take a trip together. We'll still have items to open up on Christmas, small stocking stuffers, and a few handmade gifts. I know I'll be able to remember what I got next year because I'll have pictures to hold on too, like these from Colorado.

“This post is sponsored by Reflect It Apparel and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women”

DownEast Basics: Winter Line {review}

2011-12-04T13:58:00.001-07:00

The season of cheer has hit DownEast Basics. I recently had the opportunity to shop at the Tucson Mall location. I love shopping at this store because the staff is always so helpful and complimentary. My hubby ditched me with my son at some point in the shopping spree and the lone clerk helped take pictures of me for a while.

I was met at the front of the store with a beautiful display of winter accessories. Starting December 12th you can snag select styles for just $10. hint.. hint... Good stocking stuffers.

Now through Christmas Eve you can stock up on the basics or put together a cute New Year's Eve outfit. Shop for less when you buy 2 clothing items and get the 3rd for 50% off (clearance included).

I had fun trying on all the fancy and sparkly dresses. I really liked the silver dress paired with the floral belt. The black sequin skirt was really comfy and cute too. I left without both outfits and opted for something more casual...

Really casual actually, I bought the cute jammies in the middle. Until December 11th they're on sale for just $15. I picked up a cute stretch cotton tee for just $8 to go with it.

What I really love about DownEast Basics is their prices and classic style. They have the fancy and fun night on the town clothes, but also lots of basics that can be paired with accessories. Like this really fun purse just $15 through Christmas Eve when you spend $50.

Preferred Customer Program

Signup for their email newsletter to learn about exclusive deals. Deals usually come out once a month and are good for one day only. I recently shopped for 50% off clearance items and scored a dress for $7 and a tank for $2.50!

Facebook Fan Deal

Checkout DownEast's Facebook fan page for updates on weekly deals. Deals can be used online or in store

I was provided with a $25 gift card for my review. As always all opinions are my own.

Tiny Prints Holiday Cards {review}

2011-11-29T08:37:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again. Christmas cards pile and stack your hearth. Card holders topple with the weight of familiar sentiments. Am I the only one that struggles every year to find places to sort these colorful treasures.

My mother-in-law one year used her Christmas tree, not for ornaments, but for cards. A bare branched thin pine soon became a beautiful decoration with good cheer from all her family and friends.

I believe this year we will be stringing ours like garland throughout the home. A decoration we can surely use years to come. How do you display your holiday cards?

Tiny Prints is making my holiday card shopping this year easy. With thousands, yes thats thousands, of holiday and christmas card choices. There is something for everyone! What really caught my eye is their use of 30% post-consumer waste and FSC certified stationary. There are colors, sizes, and shapes for every palate. Don't be overwhelmed because they make selection easy with filters. Narrow your choices by color, shape, paper choices, the list goes on. You're surely to find 1 or 2 or 3 cards to fit your families needs.

I think I've got mine down to 2 style choices, the trifold or circle. Tell me what you think. These are just a few of the choices in these categories. Mine of course will come down to the images we select.

Tiny Prints also offers wedding, Wedding Paper Divas, and business, Tiny Prints Corporate, stationery.

Find Tiny Prints on Facebook and Twitter.

I was provided with 50 Holiday cards for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mommy Parties with Oral B Stages & Winnie the Pooh {review}

2011-11-27T13:12:00.001-07:00

7 Moms, 12 Kids, 1 Dad, Winnie the Pooh, and a whole lot of fun.

Thanks to Oral B Stages we spent the morning lounging in our PJ's enjoying some treats and watching the NEW Winnie the Pooh. Thanks to my hubby and Starbucks barista by night the adults enjoyed some yummy coffee drinks. Kids indulged in some healthy snacks; the apple smiles were the most popular. In fact I couldn't manage to get a good picture before they started flying off the platter.

Once everyone arrived and the plates were filled previews started and a few of the little ones toddled over to watch the feature film. I learned quickly that asking 9 month-5year olds sit in the morning to watch a film is quite difficult. The older siblings quickly found play dough and were lost for the rest of the morning. The toddlers decided to get in on the action later. It was fun seeing a table bursting at the seems while little hands worked hard to craft and make misshapen sculptures.

As the party came to a close gifts bags were handed out. Little hands flew in as they pulled out toothpaste and brushes. Many were excited to share their finds with their moms and siblings. I purchased a couple extra Oral B Stage toothbrushes for the older siblings. My son wanted to help pass out everything when he saw his favorite Toy Story characters on one tube of paste.

Oral B Gift Bags

Oral-B Stage I & II Brushes

Oral-B Stages Pastes

Disney Lavender Wash

Oral B and Crest Coupons

As the parents chatted I discovered we had a Dental Hygienist in attendance. Oral health has always been a huge priority for me. Until I was out of my teens I managed to go without one cavity. As I get older I understand even more the importance of maintaing good oral health.

I have always stressed good brushing habits with my son. When we can, I even floss. Brushing teeth has always been a struggle though. In the past I have found strategies to make the "chore" less stressful on me and my son. I will tell you since starting to brush with our new Stages paste my son has been cooperative, following my cues as I say "ah" and "ee". I had continued to use the training toothpaste as I was concerned with him swallowing too much of the fluoridated paste. Armed with some tips from our friend the hygienist we are now using Oral B stages fluoridated paste.

Here's what I learned. Most adults use too much toothpaste. All you need is a smidgen. Literally, take your brush and barely squeeze the tube as you cover the bristles with a paper thin layer of paste.

I've also been concerned with taken him to a dentist. Our pediatrician recommends when they have 2 top and bottom teeth. I've been dragging my heels as it would be out of pocket. Most general dentists won't see kids under 3. It was suggested to take your toddler with you when you go. This way they can see mommy getting her teeth cleaned. Sit them on your lap and as mommy gets her teeth cleaned, the hygienist can tell them what she's doing and take a peek at theirs too.

I received a party kit containing products to host my Mommy Party. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.