Jolly Mom: Recipes | Crafts | Atlanta Mom Blogger | Brand Ambassador | Product Reviews

Now that kids are officially back in school, it's a great time to start thinking about how to get students involved in something positive and larger than themselves. Raising awareness about hunger in your community--especially child hunger--is an important cause that schools and students can help make an immediate difference. Not only will it benefit the people and kids in your community who need the food, but it is also a phenomenal educational experience for kids. Kids will have an opportunity to learn about hunger in their own community, develop leadership skills, and feel a closer bond to their community.





Everything you need to get your school started can be found at SchoolsFightHunger.org-- an amazing organization started in August, 2010 that aims to bring together America’s schools and school families around the cause of ending childhood hunger. It is the first and primary initiative of Schools Serve, the national 501(c)3 dedicated to promoting impactful service programs at schools across the country.

Some things that kids can do include, bake sales, volunteering at a local food bank, and of course--a food drive. Even though Lucas is not in school yet, I plan on reaching out to one of my local schools to help get them involved with SchoolsFightHunger.org and help host a food drive. The good news is that hosting a school food drive and getting schools involved is actually pretty simple. Schools Fight Hunger will even send you a free tool kit with ideas and tips on how to host a successful food drive. Sign up HERE.

As you guys know, ConAgra Foods has made the food drive even simpler with their Fall Child Hunger Ends Here program! They have partnered with Feeding America, Schools Fight Hunger and thousands of schools across the country to donate 5 million meals to Feeding America during this 2011-2012 school year. The program encourages schools to participate in a nationwide food and ConAgra Foods UPC label drive that aims to provide meals to children facing hunger in America.






From now through December, there are two simple ways schools, parents and students can help end child hunger in their own communities:


o Food Drives – Help host or participate in school-sponsored food drives to collect food to be donated to local food banks in each community. ConAgra has set a goal of collecting 2 million pounds of food through the Child Hunger Ends Here partnership with Schools Fight Hunger to donate to local food banks across the country.
o Collect UPCs – Parents can help students collect UPC codes from participating ConAgra Foods brands. For each UPC collected, ConAgra Foods will donate one meal to Feeding America – the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity.

Can you imagine the kind of impact it would make if your school hosted a food drive and everyone brought in one of the products from the Child Hunger Ends Here program??? Not only would it be immediate food for the people in need in your community, but it would also equal one meal for every UPC code collected. That is like having a DOUBLE food drive!

Parents and teachers can visit ChildHungerEndsHere.com to register their school for the program. Each school that participates will be entered for a chance to win one of several prizes, including the grand prize – $10,000 to fund school field trips.

Collect UPCs from these participating ConAgra Foods brands:
o Banquet
o Chef Boyardee
o Healthy Choice
o Hunt’s
o Marie Callender’s
o Manwich
o Orville Redenbacher’s
o Peter Pan
o Snack Pack

Link up your giveaways!

Please make sure to link directly to the giveaway and list the name of the giveaway along with the expiration date. Don't forget to stop by Go Graham Go to link up over there as well!

Baking soda is without a doubt one of our favorite household products. It truly has a use for just about every part of your home--from baking to cleaning to beauty!



Here are some of our favorite ways to use baking soda...

1. Sprinkle in your shoes to kill odor.
2. Sprinkle it on your carpet a half hour to hour before you vacuum to freshen. Kills pet and other household odors.
3. Mix it with a little bit of water to form a paste. Use the paste to soothe bug bites and other skin irritations.
4. Keep a box of baking soda in your refrigerator to eliminate food odors.
5. Keep a big box handy by the stove to extinguish fires.
6. Soak your feet in a bowl of hot water and baking soda to soothe your feet at the end of a long day.
7. Add a 1/2 cup of baking soda in your laundry to keep whites white.
8. Combine it with 3% peroxide to use as toothpaste.
9. Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water and use it as a facial scrub or body exfoliant.
10. Combine with hot water and distilled vinegar in a large bowl and soak sippy cup and bottle parts to get rid of odors.
11. Make your own household cleaners.
12. Get your combs and brushes clean by soaking them in a mixture of warm water, a couple of drops of shampoo, and a bit of baking soda.
13. Sprinkle baking soda on a clean damp sponge and and use to safely and gently scrub bathroom tubs, sinks, tile, kitchen counter tops and cook tops.
14. Baking soda can be used to clean fruits and veggies. Just mix with water and use to clean your produce. Rinse after cleaning.
15. Add a couple of tablespoons to bath water to relieve skin irritations. Can be used in kid's baths too to relieve chicken pox, diaper rashes, etc.

This is a sponsored post for Church & Dwight Co., Inc, the maker of ARM & HAMMER branded products, who is compensating me to try different products. Save $1.00 Off one 12lb or 13.5lb A&H Baking Soda Product.. And be sure to visit The Switch & Save Challenge to tap into more resources and enter to win $25,000.

For Lucas' Superhero birthday party, I made 75 cupcakes topped with Spiderman, Superman, and Batman toppers that I designed. Lucas literally squealed when he saw them LOL!





I actually printed extra and was able to use them throughout the party for the napkins...




and to decorate the mason jar cups for the kids...




It was an easy way to add an extra little touch and tie all of the decor together. Super cute and very affordable since the only cost is really paper, ink, and the lolli sticks for the cupcake toppers.




Of course, I am sharing these cute cupcake toppers with you guys! You can download them HERE for FREE! I'll be sharing the cupcake recipes next week so stay tuned for those...

As you guys know, I am part of the Totsy Mom Committee and a Chuggington Conductor so I was thrilled when I found out that two brands I love would be joining forces this week! Totsy is hosting its first ever Twitter party with Chuggington faves--Wilson, Koko and Brewster. The party is TOMORROW--Tuesday, September 27 from 2-3pm EST at #Pledge2BSafe on Twitter and I'm actually hosting it so I really hope to see you there! Kids are also invited during the first 15 minutes for a fun chance to tweet with the cast!


In addition, Totsy is hosting a HUGE Chuggington sweepstakes on their Facebook page starting Tuesday and the prizes are worth thousands of dollars!! Literally!

Of course, Totsy will also be hosting a sale of the most fun Chuggington gear they could get our hands on, including toys, books, games, dinnerware, DVDs and more available from 9pm EST TONIGHT (Monday, September 26) through 8am Friday, September 30. Don’t miss out- there are even costumes- just in time for Halloween!




I am a compensated member of the Totsy Mom Committee. Affiliate links are used in the above post. All opinions expressed in this article are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

I am always looking for healthy, low cal snacks that I can pop into my purse and take with me on-the-go. That way I won't be tempted to stop at a drive thru or eat some other high calorie junk that I shouldn't be eating!


That's why I love the Special K line of products--from cereal to protein shakes to meal replacement bars. They taste good, are satisfying, and are uber convenient.




Whether your goal is to finally slip into those skinny jeans this Fall or you’re just looking to become a little more fit and fabulous, you might want to try the Special K Challenge. Even though I have never personally tried the Special K Challenge, I have read that it can really help you to lose weight in a simple and manageable way.The Special K website offers lots of support, including great weight loss tips and advice.


How to enter: Upload one (1) photo of yourself to the Kellogg’s® Special K® Facebook wall wearing your favorite pair of jeans and then come back here to leave me a comment with the link to it.


This giveaway will end on September 30, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be drawn using random.org and will be announced on this post. US entries only, please. Read Official Rules.

After this Summer's FABULOUS Family Summer Adventure, we have become HUGE fans of Callaway Gardens! The place is so beautiful and offers so much for families to do throughout the year. For instance, this year they are kicking off the Fall with their first ever annual Harvest Moon Festival. This isn't your typical "Fall festival". This is the festival of all festivals.

 

 

The Callaway Gardens Harvest Moon Festival is a food and music extravaganza like no other! The four-day festival is a celebration of the harvest and of man and nature’s fruitful coexistence, combining farm-to-table foods, eco-centric vendors, cooking and gardening demonstrations, fun and educational activities for children, and of course, this unprecedented lineup of big-name bands. This family-friendly music festival October 6-9, 2011, features musical performances from The B-52s, The Gin Blossoms and John Hiatt, and multiple Grammy-winning Shawn Colvin and also includes Celebrity chef Claire Robinson, host of the Food Network’s popular “5 Ingredient Fix.” 

The Thursday evening Harvest Feast ($62 per person) will feature a cooking demonstration by Claire Robinson, followed by a double-bill of Atlanta musician Nic Cowan and popular recording artist Joe Purdy. Friday boasts some big names with The B-52s, Shawn Colvin, Parachute, Dread Clampitt and Allgood among the acts scheduled to appear. Saturday showcases the bulk of the musical lineup, with the Gin Blossoms, John Hiatt, Shawn Mullins, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, and Mat Kearney among the biggest names to appear on the festival’s two stages.

 

Tickets are $79 for advance weekend passes and Gate price during the event will be $85. For tickets, information and the complete list of confirmed acts, visit harvestmoonfest.com.

Have you ever wanted a way to file away your child’s best creations on your computer so you wouldn't ever lose them? How about a better way to keep track of your expenses for taxes or write-offs? Or how about a way to easily combine multiple pages together into one PDF? Well now you can! The answer is Neatdesk. I recently had the opportunity to test one out and it is AWESOME. It’s basically a really fast multi-page scanner and digital filing system. Using it is extremely easy-- just hook it up to your computer using a USB, open the software on your computer, and voila! It takes maybe 5 minutes to set up. You can easily scan in pages of all sizes--up to a legal size sheet of paper. The Neatdesk just pulls it right in and feeds it through quickly and cleanly. We have used it a ton and have not had a single jam--not one.

 

 

There are so many uses for the Neatdesk--household, personal, kids, and office. I love it because I am able to scan any of Lucas’ artwork and share with family or post it anywhere on the web that I want or just simply file it away for safe keeping. It even comes with software called Neatworks that will categorize and file away anything you scan in, which is especially handy for tracking expenses and finances. The software will actually take the numbers from a receipt or other financial document and organize it in a way that will allow you to track them better.

 

 

It can even read scans which will allow you to search for them on your computer using key words. One of the simplest features, but the one that Mike has used the most, is the ability to scan in multi-page documents like contracts and then combine them into one single PDF. You can arrange & rearrange their order, add to them, and export them to anywhere you want. Really cool. Extremely convenient.

 

 

If there is anything thing that I would like to see in the future from Neatdesk, it would be the ability to scan in wirelessly and to multiple computers. That aside, the Neatdesk is truly one of the coolest & most useful thing in my office. It can take a stuffed file cabinet or a stack of papers and make them disappear. It saves your memories and organizes your mess. At this point, I don’t know what I would do without it. LOVE!

 

See It In Action:

 

For more information, visit Neat.com.

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for compiling the best deals at CVS this week! For the full list, please make sure you stop by Moms By Heart!


Progresso Soup or Green Giant Canned Veggies 4/$5
-$1/4 Progresso Soup Cans 9/11 GM insert
-$1/4 Progresso Soups 8/7 GM insert
Final Price: $1 each
Maybelline Volum’ Express Mascara $6
-$2/1 Maybelline New York Mascara Product 9/11 RP insert
-$1/1 Maybelline New York Mascara Product 8/7 RP insert
Final Price: $4
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch, Frosted Flakes, Mini-Wheats, Crunchy Nut or Special K $2.49
-$.50/1 CVS coupon insert 9/25
-$1/2 Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Cereals 9/11 RP insert
-$1/3 Kellogg’s Special K Cereals 9/11 RP insert
-$1/2 Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats 8/28 RP insert
-$1/2 Mini-Wheats from 8/28 RP
Final Price: $1.99
General Mills Cereal Bars, Fiber One Bars or Nature Valley Granola Bars 2/$5
-$1/2 CVS coupon insert 9/25 (store coupon)
-$1/2 General Mill Treat Bars or Milk’n Cereal Bar printable
-$0.50/1 General Mills Treat Bars, or Milk’n Cereal Cellfire eCoupons
-$0.50/1 General Mills Treat Bars or Milk’n Cereal Bar 8/7 GM insert
-$1/2 Nature Valley Granola Bars printable
-$0.50/1 Nature Valley Granola Thins Cellfire eCoupons
-$0.75/2 Nature Valley Granola Bars 9/11 or 8/7 GM insert
-$0.40/1 Fiber One Bars or Brownies Cellfire eCoupons
-$0.40/1 Fiber One Bars 9/11 GM insert
-$0.40/1 General Mills Fiber One Bars or Brownies 8/7 GM insert
Final Price: As low as $1.50 each
Gold Medal Flour 5 lbs 2/$5
-$1/2 CVS coupon insert 9/25 (store coupon)
Final Price: $2 each
Emerald Dry Roasted or Cocoa Roast Almonds 2/$6
-$1/2 CVS coupon insert 9/25
-$1.50/2 Emerald Nuts printable
-$1/1 Emerald Nuts or Breakfast on the go! 9/11 RP insert
Final Price: $2 each
Campbell or Swanson Chicken Noodle, Tomoto Soup (excludes low sodium) or Chicken Broth 14.5oz $0.59
-$0.40/2 Campbell Condensed Soup 9/11 SS insert
-$0.40/3 Campbell Soups 9/11 SS insert
-$0.40/4 Campbell Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup 9/11 SS insert
-$1/5 Campbell Great for Cooking Soup printable
Final Price: $0.39 each
Pop-Tarts or Rice Krispies Treats 3/$5
-$1/3 Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts or Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps 8/28 RP insert
-$1/2 Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats 8/7 RP insert
Final Price: $1.17 each
Dentyne Pure, Trident or Stride Singles Gum 9-18ct. 3/$3
Earn $1 ECB (limit 1)
-$1/3 Trident Gum 9/18 SS insert
Final Price: $0.33 each
Spend $10 on select Hershey products, earn $3 ECB (limit 1)
-$1/3 Hershey’s Candy Snack Size Bags 9/25 SS insert
-$1/2 Hershey’s Drops/Minis Stand Up Bags 9/11 SS insert (if included)
-$1/1 Hershey’s Kisses Air Delight Milk Chocolate 8/28 SS insert
-B1G1 Hershey’s Chocolate Bars 8/28 SS insert
-$1/3 Hershey’s Candy Snack Size Bags 9/25 SS insert
-$0.50/1 Twizzlers Candy 8/7 SS insert
-$0.75/1 Twizzlers Candy 8/7 SS insert
Final Price: Varies
{Scenario}
(3) Twizzlers 3/$10
-$0.75/1 Twizzlers 8/7 SS insert, use three
Earn $3 ECB
Final Price: $1.58 each
Pledge Polish or Fabric Sweeper 1 ct. or Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Gels 2/$6
-$2/2 Pledge Furniture Care Products 9/25 SS insert
-$1/1 Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair 9/25 SS insert
-$1.50/2 Pledge Furniture Care printable
-$0.50/1 Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair printable
-$1/1 Pledge Furniture Product 8/28 SS insert
-$2/2 Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Products 9/25 SS insert
-$0.50/1 Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Product printable
Final Price: $2
Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout, Windex or Fantastic 2/$6
-$2/2 Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaners 9/25 SS insert
-$1/1 Windex Multi-Surface Product 9/25 SS insert
Final Price: $2 each
Ajax Dish Liquid 16 oz $0.88 (limit 5)
-$0.50/1 Ajax ALL YOU magazine October
Final Price: $.33 each
Spend $15 on select Purina & Friskies products, earn $3 ECB (limit 1)
-$1/2 Purina Beggin dog snacks 7/24 RP insert
-$1/1 Purina Dog Chow or Little Bites 9/11 RP insert
-$1/2 Purina Busy Chew Treats 9/18 SS insert (if included)
-$1.50/2 Purina Busy Chew Treats 9/18 SS (if included)
-$1/24 Friskies Canned Cat Food 7/24 SS insert
-$1/20 Friskies Canned Cat Food 7/24 SS insert
{Scenario}
(2) Purina Dog Chow 3.5-4.4 oz 2/$9
(2) Purina Dog Treats 4-25 oz 2/$6
-$1/1 Purina Dog Chow or Little Bites 9/11 RP insert, use two
-$1.50/2 Purina Busy Chew Treats 9/18 SS
Earn $3 ECB
Final Price: $2.12 each
Excedrin Extra Strength, PM or Migraine 8ct. $0.99
Earn $0.99 ECB (limit 2)
Final Price: FREE
Bausch & Lomb Re-Nu sensitive 12oz $8.99
Earn $7 ECB (limit 1)
-$2 Bausch & Lomb Renu printable
Final Price: FREE

ECB DEAL: Spend $15 ANY Revlon Cosmetics, earn $5 ECB (limit 1)
-$5/1 Revlon Age Defying Product 9/18 SS insert (exp 10/23)
Final Price: Varies
Pantene Pro-V shampoo, conditioner 12.6oz or styler 5.7-11.5oz 2/$6.97
Earn $1 ECB wyb 2 (limit 1)
-$3/2 Pantene Products 9/25 RP insert
-$1/2 Pantene Products 8/21 SS insert (exp 9/30)
-$3/2 Pantene Products 8/21 SS insert (exp 9/30)
Final Price: As low as $1.47
Softsoap Body Wash 15-18 oz, Bar Soap 4 pk., Liquid or Foaming Hand Soap 8-8.5 oz 2/$6
Earn $4 ECB wyb 2 (limit 1)
-$0.75/1 Softsoap Body Wash 9/25 SS insert
-$0.50/1 Softsoap Bar Soap 9/25 SS insert
-$0.35/1 Softsoap Hand Soap 9/25 SS insert
-$0.70/1 Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap printable
-$1/2 Softsoap Body Wash or Bar Soap 8/28 SS insert
-$1/2 Softsoap Body Wash or Multi-Bar Pack 8/14 SS insert (exp 9/25)
-$1/2 Softsoap Body Wash or Bar Soap ALL YOU magazine Sept
Final Price: As low as $0.25 each
Colgate Total toothpaste 5.8-6oz or Optic White 4oz $2.99
Earn $1 ECB (limit 2)
-$1/1 Colgate Optic White Toothpaste ALL YOU magazine Oct
-$1.50/1 Colgate Optic White Toothpaste 9/11 SS insert
-$1/1 Colgate Optic White Toothpaste 8/28 SS insert (exp 9/30)
-$0.75/1 Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste 9/11 SS insert
Final Price: As low as $0.99

CVS/pharmacy Supreme Diapers or Training Pants Jumbo pk. $6.99
Earn $2 ECB (limit 1)
Final Price: $4.99 each
Mars Fun Size assorted 9.34-11.5 3/$8
Earn $2 ECB (limit 1)
-$1.50/1 Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, 3 Musketeers ALL YOU magazine Oct
-$1/2 Mars M&M’s or Dove Chocolate Bags 8/28 RP insert
Final Price: $1.50 each
Izze or Welch’s juice 12-14oz 3/$4
Earn $1 ECB (limit 1)
Final Price: $1 each
Spend $10 on Rimmel Eye Cosmetics, earn $3 ECB (limit 2)
-$1/1 Rimmel Products 8/28 RP insert
-$3/1 Rimmel Accelerator Mascara or Serum ALL YOU magazine Sept
-$1/1 Rimmel Product or Volume Accelerator Mascara 7/31 RP insert (exp 9/30)
Final Price: Varies
Spend $10 on any Physicians Formula Cosmetics, earn $7 ECB (limit 1)
-$1/1 Physicians Formula cosmetic product 6/12 SS insert (exp 9/30)
Final Price: 80% off!
Spend $10 on Conair, Scunci, Revlon, Nexxus, Goody and CVS Hair Accessories or Brushes, earn $3 ECB (limit 1)
Final Price: Varies
Spend $20 any Nuance Salma Hayek Product, earn $10 ECB (limit 1)
Final Price: Varies

L’Oreal Root Rescue $6.99
-$1 CVS coupon insert 9/25
-$5/2 L’Oreal Haircolor Products 8/14 RP insert
Final Price: $4.49*
*sign up for Gold Rewards program and get a free hair color each time you buy five
Spend $10 on ANY Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief, Sensitive Toothpaste or Toothbrush Peroxyl 8oz, earn $5 ECB (limit 2)
{Scenario}
(1) Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief $4.89
(1) Colgate Peroxyl Oral Cleanser $6.99
=$11.88
-$1/1 Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief 9/11 SS insert
-$1/1 Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief Toothpaste ALL YOU magazine
Earn $ 5 ECB
Final Price: Both for $5.88
Arm & Hammer toothpaste from $4.39, B1G1 free
-$1.50/2 Arm & Hammer toothpaste printable
Final Price: $1.45 each
ECB DEAL: Spend $10 on select oral care products, earn $5 ECB (limit 2)
-$1/1 Scope Mouthwash 8/28 P&G insert
-$2/1 Crest Complete, Scope, Oral-B Complete floss or toothbrush 9/11 SS insert
-$0.50/1 Crest toothpaste 8/28 P&G insert (exp 9/30)
-$1/1 Oral-B toothbrushes 8/28 P&G insert (exp 9/30)
Final Price: Varies
{Scenario}
(3) Crest Complete Toothpaste 6.2 oz. @ $3.49 = $10.47
-$2/1 Crest Complete, Scope, Oral-B Complete floss or toothbrush 9/11 SS insert, use three
Earn $5 ECB
Final Price: three for FREE with $0.47 profit
Schick Quattro for Women razor 1ct. or cartridges 4ct. $8.99
Earn $4 ECB (limit 1)
-$4/1 Schick Quattro for Women Refills 9/25 SS insert
-$5.00 off one Quattro for Women Razor or Refill Printable (no longer available)
Final Price: As low as FREE
ECB DEAL: Spend $30 on select Baby Products, earn $10 ECB (limit 1)
{Scenario}
(3) Pampers jumbo pk diapers @ $9 = $27
(1) Pampers wipes @ $3
=$30
-$1.50/2 Pampers Diapers 8/28/2011 P&G Insert
Earn $10 ECB
Final Price: All for $18.50*
*Qualifies for buy 6 jumbo pk diapers, get one free ongoing offer. Can be spread out over multiple weeks/transactions.
All Ocuvite Supplements $9.99
-$5/1 Bausch + Lomb Ocuvite Product 9/11 SS insert
Final Price: $4.99
Align Starter Pack $11.99
Earn $2 (limit 1)
-$3/1 Align Products 8/28 P&G insert (exp 9/30)
-$1/1 Align Products 8/28 P&G insert (exp 9/30)
Final Price: As low as $6.99
Thermacare Lower Back and Hip heat wrap 1ct. $3.79
Earn $3.79 ECB (limit 1)
-$1/1 Thermacare printable
Final Price: FREE + $1 profit!




 

Link up your giveaways!

Please make sure to link directly to the giveaway and list the name of the giveaway along with the expiration date. Don't forget to stop by Go Graham Go to link up over there as well!

If your kids have ever used Moon Dough, you know that you have to roll the dough around your fingers for a while so that it doesn't crumble apart. Honestly, that doesn't bother me because I set Lucas up with his Moon Dough (and Moon Sand) in the kitchen where we have hardwood floors and can easily vacuum up any mess. However, I know that some parents complain that it can be messy. The good news is that Moon Dough has been reformulated! It is still everything kids and parents LOVE--squishy, marshmallowy texture, never dries out, and hypoallergenic except that now it is not as crumbly! 

The new and improved formula is available in these two new sets: 

Moon Dough Breakfast Set

 

 

and Ocean Pals Set

 

 

Another thing I love about these new sets are the push and pop molds. They are much easier to use than the previous molds which Lucas would have to bang on the table to unmold.  

Moon Dough is available at major toy retailers across the country. 

 

 

For Lucas' superhero birthday party, I made all of the kids their very own superhero capes. There's no sewing involved in making these capes either so they are extremely easy to make and at about $2 per cape, they are also very affordable.





What You'll Need:
Felt
Hot glue or spray glue
Velcro iron on strips
Download superhero cape template.


Instructions:



Once you have your cape cut out, then you will need to attach Velcro to the neck. I used the iron on Velcro, but honestly I should have sewn them on with just a few hand stitches to give it more durablilty. The last thing is to decorate the back! Lucas got a spider for his favorite superhero--Spiderman!





For the rest of the kids, we simply cut out shields and stars from felt and attached them with spray glue. Easy peasy!

For this month's Switch & Save Blogger Challenge, I was asked to switch to Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Truth be told, I didn't have to "switch" because I already use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda every single day. We actually keep a nice stockpile of it at our home at all times LOL. It's a staple like milk, bread, and eggs--we always have it. I use it in my baking and cooking...



...laundry, cleaning, and even to make my own household cleaners




It's an amazing deodorizer and freshner so I also use it on area rugs to get rid of any pet or yucky odors. LOVE Baking Soda! It is honestly a miracle product. It has a seemngly endless list of uses, which I have written about before. Check out my article on 15 Ways to Use Baking Soda for some unique ways to put baking soda to work! And, make sure to print your coupon for 50 cents off two boxes of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda HERE.

This is a sponsored post for Church & Dwight Co., Inc, the maker of ARM & HAMMER branded products, who is compensating me to try different products. Save $1.00 Off one 12lb or 13.5lb A&H Baking Soda Product.. And be sure to visit The Switch & Save Challenge to tap into more resources and enter to win $25,000.

Join State Farm, Latina Mom Bloggers, a group of fabulous panelists, and myself as we discuss Latina entrepreneurs. Of course, there will be lots of fun prizes too, including a Kate Spade handbag and $30 gift card!

 

 

Starting your own small business can be both exciting, yet at times can be a nail-biter.

 What types of coverage’s do I need to protect myself and my business?
 How do I prepare for those unexpected “What ifs”?

While there is plenty of information readily available to educate Latinas on how to protect their small business on StateFarm.com, how do you put all this information into perspective?

Twitter Party Details:
Date: Wednesday, September 21st, 2011, at 9 pm, EST
Special Guests:
State Farm agent Crystal Martinez (Texas) Twitter handle: @915AgentCrystal
State Farm Vice President of Agency Janine Chapa (Texas)
Panelists: @JollyMom @Eva_Smith @Mami2Mommy @webcitygirls @BLOGSbyLATINAS @Mcontemporanea
Moderators: @LatinaMomBlogs @Hispanicize @BeingLatino

Fabulous Prizes!

Kate Spade Handbag (Chestnut Ridge Stevie)

 

 

 

Red has been said to be the “Power” color. Couple this accessory with a confident smile and you will certainly be making a statement at your next business networking event. (valued $295)

$30 State Farm Bank® Visa®Gift Card:
Go on; pamper yourself to a “mani/pedi” with this State Farm Bank®Visa® Gift Card. You deserve it!

You must RSVP to be eligible to win prizes. Please RSVP HERE.

For Lucas' superhero party, I designed comic book callout signs with words like KAPOW, THWIP, and BOOM! I printed them, cut them out, and then attached each sign to a wooden skewer using scotch tape. We used these signs throughout the party as centerpieces...



And, also for kids to hold up as a photo opp...



The kids loved them! And, so did Lucas!



Truth is that we had planned or I should say--we set up an entire photo booth with cityscape outside, but then it started to rain so we had to make do with a few of the panels from the outdoor photo booth. I made the cityscape by painting four foam board panels from the $1 store with blue paint. Then, Mike glued on buildings and windows made from construction paper. Easy peasy and affordable!



I'm providing all of the callout signs for you to print for FREE! Download them HERE.

One of Lucas' favorite activities is to pretend that he's a chef. He loves to pretend cook and take meal orders like he's working in a restaurant. It's adorable! Lately, he's also been very much into "grilling". He sees daddy do it so of course, he wants to as well. That's why he LOVES the new Grill & Play Patio Cafe by Step 2. It is his mini restaurant, kitchen, and grill all rolled into one!

On one side, it is a full kitchen with a "stainless steel" fridge, stove top burners, an oven, and a sink with swivel faucet







and even a grill...







The other side has a dining area with seating...









and a countertop that looks like tile...so cute, right??







Oh, and I can't forget about the 40 inch adjustable and removable umbrella that provides some shade from the sun!

and, all of the accessories and food...






What I love about the Grill & Play Patio Cafe is that it can be used both indoors and out and while it has a ton of features--it actually takes up little space. I also appreciate the subdued, realistic colors that fit in very well with our home's decor.







The Step 2 Grill & Play Patio Cafe can be purchased at major toy retailers across the country. Prices vary, but Walmart has it for under $80 right now!