The Luck of the Irish

March 1, 2018February 4, 2021Leave a comment

St. Patrick’s Day is a big deal in our family. We have Irish on both sides of our family so we go all out in celebrating. In the morning, I usually make little messes around the house and put green food coloring in the toilet so the kids think a leprechaun came by. My older daughter makes a little trap with money inside in hopes of catching one. The girls get so excited when they wake up and think a leprechaun stopped by. Find more creative ideas here.

CfMNDznZ6lwl — Photo Credit via Livingly.com

I also make some delicious St. Patrick’s Day pancakes for the kids. They are easy to make and taste good too. Find the recipe here.

Top o’ the Mornin Lucky Charms® Pancakes — Photo Credit via Betty Crocker.com

After breakfast, we get everyone ready and dressed up in green! We then go to a family-friendly St. Patrick’s Day event. The kids love watching the live bagpipers and Irish dancers. There is usually kid games, crafts and of course tons of food.

After our family outing, we come home and watch one of our favorite movies, Darby O’Gill, and the Little People. The kids love the music and the leprechauns. After the movie is over, the kids start getting restless waiting for dinner to finish cooking. I try to find some fun crafts they can do to keep them busy and entertained, find some ideas here.

screen-shot-2018-01-08-at-10324-pm — Photo Credit via Women’s Day.com

I also include some fun yet educational activities from education.com. They have a variety of worksheets and activities that my girls really enjoy! Here is a free sample for you to try. Just click the attached links to download the PDF files.

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Make spelling practice fun this St. Patrick’s Day as students use their skills! Be sure to check out Education.com for more fun learning resources.

We always end the day with my favorite homecooked Corned Beef and Cabbage. We put it in the crockpot in the morning and let it cook all day. When it’s done it tastes amazing! Check out my favorite recipe here.

Slow-Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage — Photo Credit via Today.com

Overall, we end up having a really fun day celebrating being Irish! What fun traditions do you have for your family?

Valentine’s Day – Celebrating a Day of Love.

February 13, 2018May 22, 202011 Comments

February is here and tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! There are a lot of different ideas about Valentine’s Day and why it exists. A lot of people think that it is just a commercialized holiday for the card/candy companies to make money, but there is a lot of history behind it. The holiday is actually named after Saint Valentine. A lot of the traditions that go along with Valentine’s Day are based on Saint Valentine and has been celebrated for centuries.

The holiday may be intended for couples, but really you can use this day to celebrate anyone meaningful in your life. Whether it’s your best friend, your kids, your parents it really doesn’t matter. Valentines Day is a day of love for anyone in your life that is special to you.

I do enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day with my husband because having a forever Valentine is something to celebrate. I also enjoy celebrating this day of love with my mom and my kids. We all exchange cards and candy just to show we care. My older daughter usually has a party at school, so I buy her Valentine’s Day cards for her classmates and goodies for her to pass out and share. I also get the teacher a cute gift as well.

I dress up my girls in pink and red so they are ready to party in style. I love pink and hearts so decorating for Valentines Day is my favorite part. I get as many decorations as I can to make my home look festive and pretty.

Every year I try to bake some homemade goodies for my husband and kids. I decorate the kitchen with Valentine’s Day decor and put out cupcakes, cookies, and candy. I buy the kids some pizza and we watch a family friendly movie before they go to bed. Once the kids are in bed, my husband and I are able to relax and spend some time together.

My husband and I don’t even attempt to go out on Valentine’s Day anymore. It’s just not worth the stress of waiting two hours to be seated. We usually go out the weekend before or after Valentine’s Day, which we have found to be a lot easier.

We let the kids have their fun with snacks, treats, pizza, and a movie then get them to bed. We then enjoy a quiet dinner by candlelight with some romantic music. After dinner, we usually watch a movie and enjoy some dessert. It’s nothing extravagant but we try to just enjoy the day and keep it simple.

Most of the decor, gifts, and candy I buy are from Target. They have so many cute things available. I usually shop online and choose the pick up in store option. This saves me time and money. I save 5% every time I shop by checking out with my Target REDcard. There’s also this fun new thing called Gift Now that makes shopping even easier and saves you another 5%. If you’re looking for last minute items Target is the place to go.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day! Spend it with those you care about and share the love!

Ju-Ju-Be for Christmas

January 6, 2018December 6, 2020Leave a comment

The light’s have been taken down and the tree has been put away. The holidays are officially over! It’s bittersweet, I will miss the glow of the Christmas lights and driving around showing my kids all the beautiful decorations. The whole season is full of joy and excitement. We enjoyed so many festivities with the kids. We traveled all over town to bring them to all the Christmas events. There were also many quiet nights at home, watching our favorite Christmas movies while sipping hot cocoa. The other part of me is ready to get back to life and is counting down the days until my older two go back to school. Either way, we had a wonderful Christmas and was so grateful to be able to spend it together as a family.

Watching the excitement in my children’s eyes on Christmas morning is probably the best part of being a mom. Their list was short and simple. My daughter said just being with her family is the only gift she really needed. How sweet is that?

One thing she has been wanting for a while was a Ju-Ju-Be Itty Bitty Be and one of the new OOAKPL Silver Keychains. So when Ju-Ju-Be had a huge sale Black Friday weekend, I made sure I got my girls (and me) lots of goodies.

My older daughter was SO EXCITED to find her very own Itty Bitty Be in Super Toki under the tree. It’s a tiny Be Classy that includes a mini changing pad and a messenger strap to wear cross body. She loves that I also included her very own OOAKPL Silver Star Keychain! I told her it made her an official pink lady and that made her day. Her reaction was priceless!

The Super Toki Itty Bitty Be is a vibrant print with Tokidoki superheroes. The inside has the Sweet Victory print with a bright red, blue and yellow. This print is perfect for my daughter.

via Bumwear

She loves wearing it crossbody and takes it everywhere we go. She either carries her wallet with spending money or fills it with shopkins, hatchimals, or other little tiny toys. It’s just the right size for my little pink lady in training.

The Itty Bitty Be is really just the cutest thing ever. It is perfect for all the little pink ladies out there. It comes in so many different prints too. My daughter was thrilled to own her very own Ju-Ju-Be bag, just like Mommy.

Mommy got her first Be Classy from Santa in the Dandy Lines print! Up until now I have only used quicks, lights, and set pieces. This is my first structured bag and what a game changer! I love how it can be used as a purse and a diaper bag.

Left – Tokidoki Tokipops Paci Pod, Right – Tokidoki Unikiki 2.0 Paci Pod

Both of my girls love to use the Ju-Ju-Be Paci Pods. My older daughter clips hers on her bags to store her little toys. She was given the Tokidoki – Tokipops Paci Pod and was so happy! My younger daughter occasionally uses a pacifier, so I will actually be using her Unikki 2.0 Paci Pod for her pacifier. She likes to carry it around like a wristlet or I use it clipped on my bags. I scored both of these Paci Pods for a really great deal as well during Black Friday weekend. The retailer I ordered from also threw in a Tokidoki x Bebe Au Lait tote as a GWP, which I was so excited about!

The Ju-Ju-Be Paci Pods have two elastic bands inside that can hold a variety of items but are primarily used for holding two pacifiers one on each side. They have Teflon fabric protection to help repel stains and Agion treatment to protect the liner from bacteria.

Not only are Paci Pods a cute way to accessorize your bags, but there are so many uses for them besides holding pacifiers.

Cough Drops
Phone Charger
Headphones
Apple Airpods
Chapstick
Small Toys
Car Keys
Eos Lotion
Hand Sanitizer
Jewelry

These are just some uses for the Ju-Ju-Be Paci Pods. They come in a variety of prints, making it fun to collect and to dress up your bags.

Left – Be Tagged in Rad Hearts, Right – Lanyard in Happy Hearts.

All of these fun Ju-Ju-Be accessories made for great stocking stuffers. The Ju-Ju-Be Be Tagged is a great bag tag that perfectly fits a business card or a cute picture.

Other uses include:

Work Badge
Library Cards
Theme Park Passes
Luggage Tag
Pool Cards
Debit & Reward Cards
Gym Pass
ID Cards
Emergency Info
Labeling your child’s Backpack or Lunch Bag

You can also remove the fabric cord and attach a metal chain or key link. You could then attach it to a necklace or a keyring.

The Ju-Ju-Be Happy Hearts Lanyard is the cutest lanyard in my favorite print! Rad Hearts and Happy Hearts was an exclusive pink lady collaboration with Rad & Happy. It was a very limited print but the lanyards are still available online at Ju-Ju-Be. Lanyards can be used for work badges, Id’s, and passes. I attach mine to my keys so I can easily find them.

So overall my family and I had a wonderful Christmas. Not only was it was filled with my favorite Ju-Ju-Be, the best part of it all was sharing the holiday with my family. We are so grateful that we could be together for the holidays. My husband goes on call once a month and sometimes it falls on a holiday which is a major bummer. He works so hard for his family so I can stay home with our three kids. Every moment I can spend with my husband and kids is a true blessing.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and enjoys 2018!

Ju-Ju-Be OOAKPL Giveaway!

December 11, 2017Leave a comment

Ju-Ju-Be is a fashionable brand of diaper bags loved by a large group of ladies called Pink Ladies. They recently came out with silver Ju-Ju-Be OOAKPL Keychains (for a One of A Kind Pink Lady) that are perfect for your keys or to hang on your bags! I’m giving you the chance to win one in my OOAKPL Giveaway! The giveaway is going on now until Friday 12/15! Just head to the link below to enter. You must be 18 and older to enter and in the US only. This giveaway is not sponsored by or affiliated with Ju-Ju-Be. Make sure you are following me on social media when I announce the winner! Please share with all your pink lady friends.

Enter here >> OOAKPL Giveaway!

If you want to find out more about the OOAKPL Keychains then head to my previous blog post – Rainbow Mama Bear & OOAKPL.

Happy Holidays everyone and good luck!

Holiday Traditions with Gymboree

December 8, 2017July 30, 2020Leave a comment

I was compensated for this post.

The Holiday season is officially here! It’s such a magical time of year, especially as a kid! I remember growing up, Christmas was the one time of year I looked forward to. My sister and I would enjoy making our Christmas list for Santa. As the days got closer to Christmas Day, we would be so excited we couldn’t sleep. We would wake up bright and early on Christmas morning, ready to see if we got what we hoped for. Of course, there were more moments that made Christmas so special. We would buy hot cocoa, play Christmas music, and drive around town looking at Christmas lights. We would also spend time baking cookies, watching movies, and spending time around the campfire. The holiday events, visiting Santa, the Christmas parades, and of course the Christmas tree! That was one of my favorite parts of Christmas as a kid, decorating the Christmas tree. I feel like a kid myself around the holidays and there is nothing better than sharing these moments with my own children.

We all have special memories growing up and many of us share those family traditions with our own kids. With all the holiday events, parties, and get-togethers, having picture perfect outfits is a must! Finding affordable and stylish outfits is possible thanks to the Gymboree Holiday Collection. From casual to dressy, you will find the perfect outfit for every occasion.

One thing I LOVE about Gymboree is all the deals. They are constantly having sales, and you can also earn Gymboree Rewards every time you shop. As a SAHM of three, saving money is essential. So I try to look for deals anytime I can. What’s better than getting high-quality clothing for your kids at an affordable price? Especially around the Holidays.

I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of this holiday season and hope you do as well!

Mommy and Me – New Holiday Collection

October 22, 2017November 15, 2020Leave a comment

I was compensated for this post.

Janie and Jack just released their new holiday Mommy and Me collection! The new line is inspired by the special memories created between mother and child during the holiday season.

The Janie & Jack Holiday collection features new, coordinating looks with sophisticated outfits and separates to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

Make the holidays even more memorable with elegant prints and colors that will make every moment picture-perfect. Janie and Jack’s line of clothing is full of beautiful designs and great quality. They also make great gifts for baby showers, birthdays, and more!

There is a variety of elegant pieces to choose from. The collection includes skirts, dresses, sweaters, dresses, pants, and blazers for women and children. Sizes for children range from 0-12 years with prices ranging from $7-$129. Women’s styles are available in sizes 0–16 with prices ranging from $26–$169.

There is certainly something for everyone’s unique taste and style. Check out their website or shop in-store to find more classic and modern looks for every day of the year. You can find sizes 0-6 years in store and up to size 12 online.

With the holidays coming, finding stylish, coordinating outfits for the family is on every mom’s mind. Find the perfect outfit from the newest collection at Janie and Jack!