Semi-Homemade Sticky Buns

This post is sponsored by the Puff Pastry brand but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

If anyone knows me, they know I love breakfast/brunch.  I also love sweets.  So when I can combine the two and eat my sweets for breakfast - hey, that's a win for me!  But let's face it, I'm an adult and I eat what I want when I want.. ha!  I just feel less guilty when it's a "breakfast sweet".  ;)

For this recipe, I used Puff Pastry.. making this a semi-homemade treat.  I love how light, airy, and flaky Puff Pastry is, and how easy it is to work with!  It's so versatile that it can be used for breakfast, dinner, sweet, savory, appetizers.. there are so many options.  Anyone can make this recipe, it's that easy.  They were all gone by the next day because my kids (and husband) couldn't keep their hands off of them.

Semi-Homemade Sticky Buns

            For the Sticky Buns

• 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 package (2 sheets) Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry

            For the Filling

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 400ºF.  Use a stand or hand mixer, cream 1 1/2 sticks of butter and 1/3 cup light brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Divide the butter mixture between between a 12-cup muffin tin.  Divide the chopped pecans and sprinkle on top of the butter mixture in the tins.  

Unfold the first sheet of your Puff Pastry and brush the whole thing with melted butter.  Sprinkle half of the cinnamon and brown on top.  Roll up the pastry tightly, starting with the edge closest to you.  End it with the seam side down and cut off the ends.  Then cut the roll into 6 equal pieces and place into the muffin tins with the spiral side down.  Repeat with the second Puff Pastry sheet.  

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the muffin tin on top of that to catch any spills.  Bake the sticky buns for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are firm and golden.  Let cool in the pan for just a few minutes before inverting them.  Make sure to scrape any extra toppings from the tins - don't let that good stuff go to waste!

As you can see, my kid is about ready to go in for the kill.  These didn't last long at all.. and I plan on making more very soon!  We have family coming in for Easter this year and I think these will be part of a perfect brunch!  

The Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets are perfect for these little treats.  And these are fun for kids to help with also - Clara loved sprinkles on the pecans!  Easter is coming up, you should make a test run beforehand.  ;)

Vitality Blend Banana Breakfast Smoothie

This post is sponsored by Viance Nutrition but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

I am a huge smoothie person.  I love them any time of day, but especially in the mornings because I find that they're easy and quick for when I need to get out the door.

To make this Breakfast Smoothie recipe, I used Viance Vitality Blend.  It's a meal replacement shake, but I made it into this delicious breakfast smoothie.  No more worries about getting good nutrition in the morning.  After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right??

I've been making this smoothie every morning for about a week now, and I love it!  It keeps me satisfied all morning and best of all, I know I'm getting the fuel and nutrition that my body needs to keep going through the day!

This recipe is easy, and tasty!  If you give it a go, let me know what you think!

Vitality Blend Banana Breakfast Smoothie

• 1 Scoop Viance Vitality Blend
• 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1 banana, frozen
• Handful of ice

Blend until smooth, and start getting that nutrition in!

They also have a handful of other wonderful products.. such as their greens formula which is exactly like juicing (but without the mess) and their brownie bites.  They are the perfect snack to take on the go!

Check out Viance, you'll be happy you did!

Valentine Gift Round Up

I think Valentine's Day is just a fun little holiday.  Especially now that I have kids.. but I truly think kids just make everything more fun.  ;)  I had the chance to review a few products from Uncommon Goods for this Valentine's Day, and let me tell you.. if you haven't ever heard of them or bought anything from them, you NEED to!  They have some fun and unique gifts and products.  There's definitely something everyone would love.  If you need a last minute gift for Valentine's Day.. or any day.. you must scope this out!

A little background on Uncommon Goods.. it was founded in 1999 in Brooklyn, New York.  They feature unique items like household gifts, jewelry, and other handcrafted items.  They make it their mission to support and give independent artists and designers a platform.  They also have various nonprofits including RAINN, American Forests, and Reach Out & Read.  How cool is that?!

Some of my favorite things from Uncommon Goods are the Cocoa Butter Truffles Bathtub Soaks, the Oven to Table Entertaining Platter, and the Garlic Grater and Oil Dipping Dish.  If you want to peruse the Valentine's gift section... here is a great start:

• Valentine's Gifts
• Valentine's Gifts For Husbands
• Valentine's Gifts For Women

Everything I have bought from Uncommon Goods has been of the best quality, plus their customer service is outstanding!  You can't go wrong with buying a gift from there, because I guarantee you it will be something unique and special!

Have you ever bought anything from Uncommon Goods?  If so, what? 

Healthy Hydration with detoxwater

I recently had the opportunity to try out detoxwater™, a healthy hydration alternative that not only quenches thirst but supports your overall health... and yes, it does taste good!  It comes in three delicious flavors - Original (Lychee & White Grape), Mangaloe, and Pinamint.  Mangaloe is definitely my jam.

I'm all about better myself and my health, not only for me but for my family as well.  Detoxwater™ has just 30 calories per bottle and provides all the quality benefits of aloe juice.  It's known for immune support, healthy digestion, healthy skin, and nutrient absorption.  I'm pretty sure it's worth all that!

The ACTIValoe® in each bottle of detoxwater™ delivers the plethora of health benefits associated with drinking the most premium aloe in the world.  I like drinking it any time of the day.. but especially in the morning, when I'm getting ready to take on the day.  

If you're wanting to take a step in a healthier direction this coming New Year... this is a great place to start.  I like to keep them at home.. in the fridge, by my bed.. at work, and even my gym bad.  It's great for after those long, hard workouts for sure!  

If you're interested in stocking up on detoxwater™ for yourself, head over to their website and type in the promo code ALOE30 to get 30% off the product.  That's a pretty darn good deal!  

Be sure to visit detoxwater™ on Facebook and Instagram.. as well as their site to learn more about their story.

This post is sponsored by detoxwater™, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Reminiscing {with WaterWipes}

This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.  I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

The first year of my kids lives.. are some of the sweetest, scariest, messiest moments of my life.  They are the moments I wouldn't trade for anything, no matter how frustrated or tired I was, I would stop and look at the sweet little faces who didn't want anything but me.  Their mama.

Thinking about that now, it's really something.  I stayed at home with Clara for the first two years and boy those could be some trying times.  But I wasn't "just" a mom.  I was everything to them.. I was their whole world.  I was the first person they wanted in the morning and the last person they wanted at night.. and at about 5 different times in the middle of the night. ;) And that is the most important job I could ever have, even still as they grow.    

Watching them grow and learn is absolutely my favorite part of being a parent.  Growing to laugh and smile.. learning to crawl and feed themselves.  It's like a never-ending heart-bursting life journey.

I mean, look how fun they are to feed.. and cute, too!

I wish I would have had WaterWipes with my daughter, but I am thankful to have them with my son.  WaterWipes are all-natural... chemical free and contains only TWO ingredients:  99.9% pure Irish water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract.  They are gentle and easy on delicate and sensitive skin (which my son does have).  They are proven safe for newborns on up.

I love this video that was put together.. moms who use WaterWipes and love them.. reminiscing on their childs first year.  So many emotions!  If I have any advice for a new mom.. it would be to just breathe it all in.  The days are long, but the years are short.  Enjoy that soft baby skin, those chubby cheeks, and all the milestones.  And take care of of the delicate skin with WaterWipes.  ;)

You can visit WaterWipes on Facebook, WWW, and Instagram!

A Mom Must-Have (TempTraq)

Here it comes.

Weather change, sickness, sniffles, and fevers.  It's inevitable, so you best be prepared!  I always make sure I have vapor rub, fever meds, and lots of kleenex stocked in our home.  Don't forget the thermometer to keep track of temperature spikes!

Then there's TempTraq.  This is a genius new gadget... it's a wearable Bluetooth temperature monitor patch that you can put on your child and it will continually keep track of their body temperature for up to 24 hours.  There's no need to wake them or disturb them while they're resting to check the temp.  It works with Apple OR Android phones through the TempTraq app and can also keep track of when your child eats, drink, and takes medicine in addition to the temperature monitoring.

All you have to do it apply the soft patch (totally comfortable!) under your childs arm and it will send alerts to your phone through their app.

There have been times - this one time in particular earlier this year - Sam was just 10 months old and his temperature was slowly rising even with meds.  I always felt awful for having to disturb him when he would finally fall asleep and I would have to stick the thermometer under his arm again.  I'm looking forward to having this stocked in my house this season, so I can give him all the sicky cuddles without making him uncomfortable every couple hours.

This little gadget is completely safe to use and is an FDA cleared medical device.  All my pregnant friends, this is definitely something I would want on my baby registry, too!

Pumpkin Painting Fun {with WaterWipes}

“This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.”'

Fall is such a fun time of year - I absolutely love it!  There's just so much to do.. pumpkin patches, hay rides, apple cider, all kinds of fun baking, pumpkin carving, and pumpkin PAINTING!  We opt to do the pumpkin painting instead of pumpkin carving while the kids are little.  It's so much easier, and they have much more fun with it - Clara was not a huge fan of the "pumpkin guts" when we tried carving one year.  ;)  

I bought the kids each one of their own pumpkins.  Clara requested a "big" one and I got Sam cute lil' one.  It was Sam's first time painting on his own and I think he just loved it!  They all spent a good 30 minutes working on their little pieces of art.  I let Clara use the the "grown up" (acrylic) paint.. and Sam, of course, was using the washable finger paints.

As you can ONLY imagine... this super fun activity time.. left me with a huge mess.  But not to worry, WaterWipes made the clean up pretty darn easy.

One of the things that I LOVE about WaterWipes is that it is completely chemical free with only two ingredients - 99.9% pure Irish water and 0.1% grapeseed oil extract.   It's perfectly safe and natural.  The perfect thing to clean off all that paint Sam was covered in!

I make sure I have a pack of these wipes wherever I go - the car, diaper bag, at home.  With kids, who knows what kind of messes you'll run into!  I've even gifted them to friends!  It makes a great baby shower gift.  :)

Check out WaterWipes:

Facebook | Pinterest | WWW

Keeping it Clean {with WaterWipes}

“This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central.  I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.”

WaterWipes!  Who knew there could be a brand of simple baby wipes that I would just love so much.  Have you ever heard of them?  If not, let me tell you a little bit about’em.  These wipes are so pure and so gentle, they only contain two ingredients: 99.9% pure Irish water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract.  They are completely chemical free, making it the perfect wipe for your babies delicate skin.  If you’re looking for a safer option for your newborn or little one, WaterWipes would be a great fit!

Speaking of pure... This Pure Love video made by WaterWipes is wonderful.  It shows the beautifully unique connection between a mother and child.  Grab your tissues, because if you're like me (pretty much anything with babies makes me cry) you'll need them!

Heartwarming, right?!  Ugh, I just love mushy stuff like that. 

But back to the actual wipes.  These are great for ALL babies, newborn and up.  They are even gentle enough for those with eczema.  I wish these were around or that I'd known about them when Clara was younger because she did have a mild case of it.

We use WaterWipes for all kinds of reasons around our house - to clean up a quick mess, wipe off dirty hands and faces, and of course baby bottoms.  We even like to keep some in the car for on the go, because I swear my kids like to make the worst messes while in the car, anyone else?!

Perfect for situations like shown below.. and this is fairly "clean" compared to most times!  ;)

You can purchase WaterWipes online at places such as Diapers.com & Amazon or in store at Target or Babies"R"Us.  These are the most gentle wipes you could us on your baby - we love them!

Visit WaterWipes:  Facebook | Twitter | WWW

Christmas 2015

I hope you all had a beautiful, wonderful, relaxing Christmas.  The holidays are my favorite time of year - especially now, with two children.  It's more exciting with kids.. seeing their faces Christmas morning and doing all the fun holidays crafts.  I'm always a bit sad when it's all over with, but I'm looking forward to a new year and a new start.  I know it's been quiet around here, but I have lots of plans for 2016 - here's to hoping I can make it all happen.

Tylenol: How We Family

I have received information from the makers of TYLENOL®.  The opinions stated are my own.  This is a sponsored post.

This holiday season, TYLENOL® is continuing to celebrate all families and how they come together during this special time of the year. The video is a compilation of real moments from real families that showcases joy, laughter, surprise, and unconditional love. 

If this video doesn't get you right in the feels, then I don't know what will.  The holidays have always been my favorite time of the year.  It gives me the warm and fuzzier, thinking of all the traditions and memories I get to carry on with my own little family.  One of those is being gathered in the kitchen with my kids, while they help me cook and bake.  It's something I treasure and something I hope they treasure for the years to come.

How do YOU family?

#HowWeFamily

Say More with Hershey's KISSES Deluxe

"I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Hershey's KISSES Deluxe.  I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation."

Can you even believe that Christmas is just a couple weeks away?  The same time every year and yet it still sneaks up on me - even moreso now that I'm busy with two little ones this year.  

But today I want to tell you about my new favorite chocolate candies.. Hershey's KISSES Deluxe.  These are no ordinary KISSES.. these, my friends, are twice the size of original KISSES.. with a whole roasted hazelnut in the center, surrounded by delicious and smooth milk chocolate.  My 4-year old found my stash and likes to steal them from me, so good luck keeping them all to yourself! ;)

But you should't just keep them to yourself anyway, these sweet treats are a thoughtful way to show your affection to those around you.  The mailman, a friend, coworker.. I've picked up a few of these Hershey's KISSES Deluxe, as a way to "say more".. to say, "hey, you're appreciated".. because what better way to do that, than with chocolate?  ;)

Hershey’s KISSES Chocolates are the #1 holiday chocolate, helping millions of American families connect with one another through longstanding traditions of baking, crafting and sharing.  This holiday season, KISSES Deluxe will allow people to elevate their holiday season and “Say More,” creating a rallying cry to take the time to talk with friends and family in more meaningful ways. Heartfelt stories will be shared through videos and on Hershey’s social channels, along with information on how to #SayMore to the ones you love.

*I-C will randomly select fifty winners from all program entries and will handle fulfillment of the winning prizes.

Hershey's KISSES Deluxe Giveaway

Visit Hershey's KISSES Deluxe Website, Facebook, and Twitter!

Peach Lemon Iced Tea with Milo's

“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Milo’s Tea, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #HolidaysWithMilos  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

I'm a northern girl living in the south.. and if there's one thing I've noticed.. it's that they drink sweet tea with everything.  All year round.  I've gotten used to keeping Milo's Tea in the fridge at all times for my husband (who is from Arkansas).  We love Milo's Tea because it's all natural - using no preservatives or additives and only fresh ingredients, which is what makes it different than other beverages out there.  They also have the No Calorie or Unsweet option if you're into those.  ;)

Walmart is always my go-to for our favorite tea!

With the Christmas holiday coming up, there's absolutely NO doubt that there will be tea served with dinner.  My husband will more than likely be enjoying his Milo Sweet Tea.  Me, on the other hand.. I always prefer more fruit drinks.  So I decided to try out a new recipe, and I must say, it's a keeper.  

Peach Lemon Iced Tea

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 ripe peaches, sliced (or you can use frozen)
1 lemon
Milo's Tea

Bring sugar, water, and peaches to a boil in a small pot.  Then lower the heat and continue to stir and crush the peaches for added flavor.  Once you dissolve the sugar, cover and remove from heat.  Let the peaches steep and add flavor for about 30 minutes.  Then strain your simple syrup into a bottle.

To serve, I prefer to add it to the glass as I'm drinking.  Pour yourself a glass of Milo's Tea, and then top of with a little simple syrup.  Add some fresh peaches and lemons and stir.  Enjoy!

Buy 2 gallons of Milo’s Tea for just $5 on rollback while supplies last at Walmart!

How To: Organize Your Phone Photos

Do you hoard photos?  Unload them all on your computer and then overwhelmed when it comes to printing, weeding through them, and backing them up?  I'm especially bad at this with my cell phone pictures..

I was so tired of seeing the dreaded "storage almost full" box pop up on my phone - I take SO many phone pictures because it's always on me and so convenient.  I was tired of missing moments because I haven't yet cleaned off my photos and my storage was full.  So I was on the hunt for a GOOD way to print those off and have them in our home to look at any time.  I mean, what good do they do if they're locked up on my computer anyway?

I've looked into so many photo books, it has made my head spin.  But then I heard about Chatbooks, and once I tried it was so ECSTATIC.. because it was easy, convenient, and I was finally getting all my photos printed.  Grab the app for your phone and you can make Custom Books or you can make Ongoing Series Books - I do the Ongoing Series.  I add in the photos as I go.  It's $8 for a 60-page soft cover book, or you can upgrade to a hard cover book for $13 and there's always free shipping.  It's a 6in x 6in book, and I love how the spine of the book has the dates on it.  Each page has the date of the photo on it also, so it's just a continuing book of your life basically.  ;)

Also, I keep ALL of my photos backed up in two different places (because I'm a freak like that and would have a severe meltdown if I lost them, ha) - I use an external hard drive and then I also use Amazon Cloud Drive because we use Amazon Prime and it comes with unlimited photo storage.. score.  :)  When I back up my photos I make a year (ex: 2015) folder, and then I make monthly subfolders and organize them that way.

I love that you write captions underneath the photos!

Once you reach 60 images, Chapbooks sends you an email giving notice that the book will go to print in 3 days.  In that timeframe you are able to edit the title, cover photo, edit captions, or delete images if you want to.  Then off it goes.  I love that automatically goes to press because then I won't forget to order, etc - it's all taken care of for me and in a couple weeks I'll have it in my mailbox.  Easy peasy.

They also have good customer service - which is a two thumbs up in my book.  All in all, I love them and am SO glad I found them.

Clara loves flipping through them and enjoying the memories - totally worth it to have them printed instead of just sitting on my phone or computer where they don't get enjoyed as they should!  Have you used Chatbooks?  Do you use a different photo book service, or how to use organize/print your cell phone pics?

My Favorite Thanksgiving Tablescapes

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Wayfair. All ideas and opinions are 100% my own.

The holidays are my favorite.  And I especially love Thanksgiving.  Good food, good family time, good time to kick back.. relax.. and not have to rush or worry.  These days should be enjoyable and not stressful - but I still love to decorate and have things looking nice for guests.  That's why I like to keep it SIMPLE.

And these simple Thanksgiving tablescapes are some of my favorites...

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What do you like to do for your Thanksgiving decor?  Are you a simple gal, or do you like to dress it up a bit more?  Either way, I guarantee Wayfair has what you need - I absolutely LOVE their decor selections!

Flavor on the Go {& a giveaway}

“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Folgers. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

Coffee.  My BFF when I need a good pick-me-up.  In the mornings, in the afternoons.. coffee is always there for me when I need it.  ;)  I am the absolute worst morning person.  I've wished I was a morning person.. I hoped and prayed and tried and tried... but I'm just not.  Early days just do not agree with me, but somehow they're a little easier when I wake up to the smell of coffee laced with vanilla or caramel.  The smell is heavenly and instantly helps me perk up and get out the door a bit quicker.  The days when I'm out of coffee (heaven forbid) are the absolute worst.

Also, these little things are absolutely perfect to stick in your purse or diaper bag when you're on the go.  Take them with to a friends house, to church, or to work.. perfect for spicing up that coffee a little bit.  :)  My absolute favorite is the mocha.. what would be your go-to flavor?

Folgers knows each of us likes our coffee our own way—and they’re helping us brew exactly what we want. Folgers Flavors lets us customize our coffee any way we like it.  They have come out with four yummy flavor - vanilla, hazelnut, mocha, and caramel.  Making your coffee in the morning will be a cinch!  And they're great for on-the-go or taking to the workplace.  They require no refrigeration, so you can enjoy your coffee any time - just the way you like it!  And they come in a convenient, portable squeeze container. 

Visit Folgers on Facebook and Twitter.  And watch this hilarious #RemixYourCoffee video!  Visit Mike Tompkins YouTube page, too!  He'll put a smile on your face - just be careful not to spit your coffee out.  ;)

The best part of this whole thing?  One of you can win 2 bottles of Folgers Flavors!  US Citizens only, 18 yrs or older.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“Contest entrants are only eligible to win once per sweepstake, per household as part of a campaign sponsored by Influence Central.”

Where would you take this?  Would you use it at home or on the go?  What's your favorite flavor?  Be sure to let me know in the comments - and tell your friends about the giveaway!

No Cord, No Bull - The Best Vacuum For Me

As you may (or may not) have known, after 6 years of renting.. we bought our very first home.  It was exciting, nerve-wracking, stressful, and fun.  We've been here a little over a month now, and I'm still trying to get everything in it's place.. but it will get there.. eventually.  Ha!

Getting all moved in was way more work that I had initially anticipated - especially with two kids.  I think sometimes I can be a little too ambitious for my own good, haha.  The house had been vacant for a few months already by the time we moved in, and it needed some real good top-to-bottom cleaning.  And there's one thing that needs to be REAL good in my cleaning supplies closet.. and that would be the vacuum.  With two kids, a dog, a husband.. I need a real good vacuum.  ;)

Enter the Hoover Air Cordless Lift Upright Vacuum.

This vacuum meets all of my requirements and then some!  It has a removable canister, powerful suction, reusable filters, easy to switch between carpet and hard floors, light and easily portable, and best of all... it's CORDLESS!  I've never had a cordless vacuum before.. but I know one thing, is that I never want to not have a cordless vacuum again.   No cord means you have freedom to move about your home with ease; no plugging and unplugging, no winding and rewinding and most importantly, no tripping, tugging, or tangling!

He's a mama's boy, so he's at my heels at all times.. but thankfully there's no cord for him to get into!

Guys, this whole cordless thing has me on some weird cleaning cloud nine.  I'm no longer trying to wrestle my baby away from the cord.. I can go from room to room in our new house without having to stop and plug in the vacuum in each one.  And Hoover Air Cordless Lift Upright Vacuum comes with two lithium batteries... so while you're using one, the other can be on the charge.  :)  The batteries last quite a while.  I was able to vacuum my whole house, plus take the canister off and vacuum out my car and it still had power left on it.  I'd say that's pretty good!  LithiumLife batteries have double the capacity of our standard 18-volt lithium Ion batteries which means longer runtime and fade-free power.

All in all, this Hoover does a fabulous job at cleaning up after our messes.. it's exclusive WindTunnel 3 Technology uses three channels of suction to lift and remove deep down embedded dirt.  It's so lightweight and convenient - definitely a great choice for busy moms and new homeowners!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Making Science Make Sense with Bayer

I’m partnering with Bayer on today’s sponsored post as a part of their company-wide, award-winning initiative Making Science Make Sense® (MSMS).

Science was always one of my favorite subjects when I was in school.  I was always pretty intrigued by it - and I thought it was fun (yes, I was one of those people who loved school)!  I had wonderful teachers, all through out middle school, Jr. High, and high school.. who encouraged me and helped me along the way, and for that I'm so thankful.

Clara is in preschool now and loves learning and going to school everyday... she's like a little sponge.. and I hope she continues to love it as she gets older, just like I did.  And every day I pray that she will have great teachers who will encourage her also, just as her pre-k teachers are doing!  I would love to say a HUGE thank you to her teacher.. for doing so much to help my little one grow.. and Clara would like to say THANK YOU too!

But it's important to keep the learning fun going, even when not at school.  It doesn't have to be complicated or intricate..  So parents, here are just a few ideas to have some scientific fun with your kiddos at home:

1.  Lay out in the back yard at night and do some star-gazing.  Learn about planets and constellations.  Then afterwards you can do a fun little art project, such as this Q-Tip Star Art.  

2.  Find a local science museum.  These are fun because kids love being hands-on.  Our local museum, the Museum of Discovery, is amazing, and Clara loves it!  There's always special events going on for kids and they have lots of fun things for kids to tinker with.  This would be great to do on a weekend or during a school break!

3.  Bake something!  This is a favorite in our house... because, yes.. baking is a science!  You could teach your child what baking soda does while making a batch of chocolate chip cookies (hey, and then you get to eat the cookies - yum!).

There are so many more things you could do - those are just a few ideas!  If you have any more ideas you'd like to share, just post them in the comments below!

Who sparked your scientific creativity, or your child's scientific creativity?  Was it a parent?  An Aunt or Uncle?  A teacher?  From September 9th to November 25th, Bayer is asking people of all ages to share a thank-you message to that person who has helped science make sense in their life.  Take a photo with a handwritten message, or a video and submit to SayTkU.com and on social media with the hashtag #SayTkU.  For each thank-you message shared, Bayer will provide a child with a free admission to a STEM venue - such as a trip to a local hand-on science museum.  Bayer is committed to providing access to one million hands-on science learning experiences for kids by 2020.  How amazing is that? 

For more information, please visit their Facebook, Twitter, and Website!

Five Months

I'm a few weeks overdue on this one.. I did actually take the photos (kind of) on time, though... so that counts for something, right?  Ha!  I can hardly believe how much he has grown these past months.  He weighs 18 lbs.. the same weight that Clara was at her one year check up!  So it's safe to say that he's my chunky baby.. and I'm loving it.

He's rolling over.. I can't leave him alone for 2 seconds or he will be on the other side of the room getting into something he's not suppose to.. and he's SO close to crawling.  He will get up on his hands and knees and rock back and forth.. he's just gotta figure out how to move those knees forward.   Soon, little buddy.. it will be very soon.. and then you'll truly be everywhere and into everything.

I adore that gummy smile of his and I'm soaking that up as long as I can.  He's definitely a Mama's Boy.. and it melts my heart.  He's going 5+ months strong of exclusive breastfeeding now and I couldn't be happier about it.  Goal is 1 year, so it's looking pretty good that we'll make it that far.  :)

Is it possible that my baby is already almost half a year old?  Oh Sam, we all love you so much.