Dear Parents, No More Burnt Tongues Or Blowing On Hot Food!

The 411 by Maria:

I had the perfect opportunity last week to try out this amazing invention that I have been bragging about to all my mommy friends since the first moment I used it.

Coolit takes hot food and makes it the perfect temperature for your kids to be able to eat it. No more "it's hot, be careful" or ice cubes added to soup which I do so often I have to keep a bag of ice for this very purpose.

You simply put the Coolit bowl in to the freezer and when you need it take it out, put the hot food in it and in less than 60 seconds the too hot food is perfect!

It is 2 x 8 and made of BPA free material. There is a non-toxic gel like most of our cooling cups that already take up my freezer which means it is completely safe to use with your kids food.

We only had it in the freezer for about 10 minutes, the amount of time it took me to make the soup my Goddess requested.

We love the little cloud blowing the cool air at the bottom.

The hot soup sat in there for 60 seconds before we moved it to another bowl.

She thought it was perfect and we didn't even need to add an ice cube.

We love this product and think parents will love it too!

Back to School Shopping the Smart Way

 Ways to keep the Kids and Your Wallet Happy

As summer winds down, preparing children to go back to school becomes priority. From the essential classroom supplies to new wardrobes, back to school shopping can come with a hefty price tag. “Families with more than one child, can undoubtedly understand the small fortune it costs to prepare for the school year,” said Michelle of Swap.com.  “When hand-me-downs are not an option, and wallets have run thin, there is another way to get this years must haves while making a profit on last years items.”

Swap.com is the largest online consignment store for kids’ and children, and has a variety of back to school essentials. Users have the ability to easily sell, buy or swap their children's outgrown or unused items from previous school years.

Michelle shares Swap.com’s back to school essentials to prepare your youngsters for a great year. 

In with the New, Out with the Old.

Children tend to grow a size every season. That means four seasons = four completely new wardrobes for all of your kids.  Instead of storing away last seasons attire in hopes that one day it will come into use, why not sell the items? Chances are, if your child needed the items, many other families will too, even in cases of school uniforms. Many of the “required” school garments are available for resale, and can be found for a portion of the price.

Click these links to browse the many Shoes and Uniforms perfect for getting into school shape!

Essential Gear

Back to school shopping is a nationwide phenomenon. Because of this, many stores sell out of the essentials quickly, leaving a small variety of unwanted items behind. Last year’s backpack and lunchbox just won’t do, an upgrade in inevitable due to the tatter its experienced from a year of use. Many would prefer to hand these items down to the younger child, yet, if one gets a new backpack that usually means new backpacks for everyone. Chances are, not all your toddlers will appreciate big sister’s old Barbie backpack.

Instead of going from store to store to find the “right” backpack for your selective youngster, why not use a consignment shop? Resale shopping offers a variety of options of gently used items. Spending time and money on these products can be much easier and less expensive. 

Click these links to view the variety of Lunchboxes and Backpacks at Swap.com.

Jump Start Their Education

Get your kiddies ready for school with an early start on their education. Swap.com offers a range of products; from flashcards to booksets for early readers, beginning readers, interactive books, learning workbooks to junior novels and more.  Preparing your children ahead of time will make for an easy transition into the next school year. Learning doesn’t have to be a drudge.

Check out Swap.com’s wide variety of EducationalProducts to make back-to-school time a fun time.

Make Money from the Last School Year

While you are preparing for the new school year, don’t forget that last year’s goods can turn into money in your pocket. The gym shoes that your daughter grew out of or the uniforms from your son’s previous school year don’t have to be forever imprisoned in the attic.

The Untold Story Of Millions Of Women In India #VeilofTearsMovie @veiltears

Narrated by Natalie Grant and tells the untold story of millions of women in India who are culturally oppressed for no other reason than the fact that they are women.  This film was shot on-location across the stunning nation of India in some of the most remote tribal villages in the world today.  You can see the trailer, you can go to www.VeilOfTearsMovie.com

Have you ever watched a documentary and wanted to help the people the movie was about? That is how I was after watching Veil of Tears. After watching the movie I had an hour long conversation with my girlfriend about it on the phone. 

As mothers of daughters any country that doesn't treat their girl right is a personal attack on our hearts and we want to do something about it.

Veil of Tears is about an award winning documentary that tells the story of millions of nameless women and children in South Asia who are abused for being born female and the horrific, deplorable way they must live out their days. However, there is a ray of hope in the organization founded by K.P. Yohannan. Sisters of Compassion is a group thousands of female missionaries who go out and help the woman of India by showing Christ’s love and  physically serving the needy, underprivileged and poor. They take Bible college—and often several years of ministry—they go through an advanced six-month course of study, learning about leprosy care, family counseling, hygiene education and other practical ministries.
If you are interested in helping this group serve the woman and young girls of India. 100% of what you give goes into the field. I love writing that!

Whether you want to sponsor a missionary or provide for the woman the missionaries are helping you can find out how on their website.

Ways to Help

I love the idea of sponsoring a missionary. You will  get a packet including your missionary's photo and testimony, along with exclusive updates from the mission field that let you see how your sponsorship makes a difference.

Make a donation today
OR
Order from the store where the proceeds will go toward the Hope for Suffering Women fund

Ordered your free church movie kit. Learn how you can get your church or small group involved in rescuing the women of South Asia. http://gfa.name/1i1Igho

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary movie no monetary compensation was offered or received.

Cast Smash, Surgery Smergery, This Girl Still Rocks!

Goddess had surgery and she is still dancing, acting, singing, and spinning! Kids are amazing. I would be in pain I am sure but this kid just keeps going. No pain killers ever!

FYI this photo is completely acted out. She wanted big sad, watery eyes.
Flowers courtesy of Clary who stopped by to give them to her along with a fruit platter, and snacks for the house. This is the way to this little girls heart.

FYI 2, these flowers still look amazing.

I love her mouth in this photo! She looks like a Kewpie doll

Action shot with my iPhone 4. It is time for a new phone.

It's National Zoo Keeper Week - Enter To Win A Animal Inspired Giveaway That Is Completely Kid Approved

Peter Pauper Press invites you to celebrate National Zoo Keeper Week, July 20-26 and a chance to win two books that celebrate zoos as well as zoo keepers and their dedication to animal care, conservation and education.

The Zoo is Closed Today written by Evelyn Beilenson, illustrated by Anne Kennedy:

It was a warm sunny day
with not much to do.
So Sue and John walked
to the Kalamazoo.

But when John and Sue arrive at the zoo, they are in for a big surprise! What is wrong with all of the animals? From Edward the elephant to Marcel the monkey, the animals have tummy aches and toothaches, runny noses and sore throats. Pete the zookeeper can barely keep up with taking care of them and has to close the zoo. And the next day, John and Sue are in for an even bigger surprise! This charming tale, illustrated with humor and warmth, demonstrates the value of sweet friendship.

What a sweet book about two kids who head out for an exciting day at the zoo but find out that all the animals are sick with various aliments. 

We loved the illustrations and the sweet story of all the animals often humorous aliments. 

Zeke the zebra lies in the shade with the flu feeling black, white and blue. Or the elephant that gets nose drops through a garden hose. Come on that's cute and funny. My kids and I thoughts so anyway.

 

 Then there is....

At The Zoo Scratch & Sketch: An Art Activity Book for Animal Lovers by Lee Nemmers, illustrated by Martha Day Zschock

This fun and easy Trace-Along art activity book allows budding artists (5 and up) to use the wooden drawing tool enclosed to trace the white outlines of favorite animals on black-coated scratch art pages. Kids will be delighted to see lions, tigers, bears, seals, and more come alive in swirls of colors and glittery foil! They can also use the sketch pages in the back to draw their own pictures of favorite animals. At the Zoo Scratch & Sketch Art Activity Book includes a wooden stylus for drawing on black-coated paper to reveal glittering, gleaming colors beneath, wire-o-bound hardcover binding and 20 scratch off, 20 illustrated and 20 sketch pages. 

 What a fun book. Goddess took it out right away because she loved that she gets to use the wooden stylus to scrap away at reveal some awesome colorful pics of some of her favorite animals. Each page has a picture to be scratched off, some interesting facts and 20 sketch pages.

 

I have to admit, I found it fun revealing the glitter pages beneath.

Both books are wonderful but we really loved the idea of the Scratch and Sketch. Perfect for road trips, plane trips, camping or visits to relatives where kids could use a diversion for boredom.  No mess and the stylus comes with it. 

 

Family Finest Take-N-Bake Not Only Easy But Delicious According To My Kids! #FamilyFinest #easydinner #walmart

In the crazy, busy world we live in sometimes it is hard to not grab something while out, eat your food from the drive through window in your car while heading home from a ball game, play date, after school activity or just a fun filled out and about Summer.

Sometimes, it is hard to get kids to sit and eat what you make because they don't want to stop what they are doing to come to the table. Face it, it happens even in the best run households, but sometimes dinner can be anxiety filled. I talk to many friends who tell me the same story. My kids gives me a hard time about everything I make. They never want to eat anything except snacks or they were so busy playing they didn't want to stop long enough to eat.

Well.........check this out.

Family Finest has made cooking for your kids part of the play.  We received a coupon to try one of their Make-N-Bake kits. While we wanted the cookie kit

Doesn't that look like fun?

We got the pizza kit

The kids were excited to come to the table and make their dinner. The best part is that everything you need is in the box.

Handsome opening the box

Everything you need is right there!

Even the pepperoni!

It comes with four personal homemade pizzas made with authentic pizza dough

Italian pizza sauce with the serving size already to go in a convenient and easy to use pack.

Mozzarella cheese. Let me tell you, even if your kids want mega cheese on all four pizzas you will still have some left over. They are generous with the cheese.

Handsome's pizza before it went into the oven.

AND the final product, was so good that there wasn't even a crumb left on the plate. I must mention that I have two very picky kids especially Goddess. She doesn't like anything and is unwilling to try and Handsome is just particular due to his OCD. If it is unfamiliar or tastes different than what he is used to he will not eat it.

Guess what we had for dinner the next night. Yup, the other two pizzas. We have since brought two more packs and have it on my shopping list for my next trip to Walmart where we will get two more.

Check out Family Finest at your local Walmart! You will be glad you did and enjoy a stress free dinner.

Disclaimer: We received a complimentary product for our honest opinion. No monetary compensation was received.