MOTR Recipe: David's Junk

I don't know if this is a real recipe or not, David said someone told it to him and called it "shipwreck" but when I googled recipes for shipwreck, it wasn't even close.  Plus we tweaked it a bit from what he was told, so... I'm calling it "David's Junk"... if you are okay with eating KFC famous bowls, you should not mind this.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, browned, drained

2 packages instant potatoes, four cheese flavor (betty crocker is good)

1 can corn

Doritos (any flavor, but I prefer nacho cheese)

Shredded cheese such as cheddar or colby jack

Find a casserole dish and start layering with ground beef, then mashed potatoes, cheese, corn, more ground beef, potatoes, cheese.  Then crush Doritos on top and bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes.

There can be lots of variations to this, but this flavor combination is by far the best in my opinion!!

Cheerios/Kung Fu Panda Winner

Congratulations to the winner of the Cheerios and Kung Fu Panda giveaway!!

agatewood1

Thanks to everyone who entered and keep checking back for more giveaways!

No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley and The Book of No by Susan Newman book reviews

Elizabeth Pantley is known for her serious of no-cry solution books that help parents effectively master some of the most common difficult situations involved in parenting.  As a complete pushover who hates seeing kids cry, this is right up my alley!  Granted, I have a son who cries over paint peeling on a wall, so I am working on not giving in to this.  I hope she develops a "no-cry no crying solution" because I would be first in line to buy that!

The No-Cry Sleep Solution "has been tested and approved by hundreds of mommies on naptime and nighttime sleeping. Don’t let your baby cry it out the Ferber way; at last here is a way for new parents to effectively reach the goal of getting everyone a good night’s sleep."  I read this, but of course haven't had a baby baby for a couple years now, but will definitely refer to it for any future babies that might pop out.  I am not big on crying it out- I don't fault anyone that uses it, it's just not for me.  It makes ME want to cry!  But, this book is definitely worth a read if you have a baby that is having a hard time figuring out how to go to sleep on their own.

Now this second book was totally written for me!  It is called The Book of No and was written by Susan Newman.  I have THE HARDEST time telling people know.  I'm one of those people that wants everyone to like them and it consumes me when I find out someone doesn't.  I'm a people pleaser, but I have long ago discovered that the majority of the world is selfish and being a people pleaser gets me nowhere but stressed, overworked, underpaid and underappreciated.  Yep, this is a pity party.  Just kidding.  Anyway, in The Book of No, "You’ll never get suckered into saying Yes again. Social psychologist Susan Newman offers 250 scenarios on how to effectively say NO to whatever is getting in the way of you protecting yourself, your boundaries, your sanity, your family, and your life."

I was only a couple pages into the book when I found myself nodding and saying, "oh my gosh, this is totally me!"  This book is definitely recommended for my fellow people pleasers- believe me, it will make you rethink your response when people ask you to do something.  One thing it recommends that you do is keep track of how many times you say yes throughout the week, which also makes you aware of how few times you say no... very powerful stuff!

Lemonade Mouth DVD Review

My kids watch the Disney Channel like I watch Animal Planet- religiously!  And the great thing is that my daughter is at the age where she enjoys cartoons, but also likes Disney movies and tv shows that involve real life actors.  That is why it is always fun when new Disney original movies come out so that we can watch them together and see what new stuff Disney has to offer.  

Lemonade Mouth is the story of how a popular rock band came together after five teens- Olivia, Stella, Mo, Wen and Charlie- from different walks of life meet in detention.  (No, it's not The Breakfast Club.) They quickly realize they all have different musical skills and form a band together. They are faced with many obstacles of being heard as they are in a school where the popular thing to do is sports and everything else is ridiculed or ignored. Throughout the movie they form real friendships, perform at different venues, go head-to-head with their biggest competition- Mudslide Crushers-the band made up of athletes, go through many ups and downs but ultimately manage to stick together. Lead vocalist Olivia narrates the story and recounts the moments that brought this unlikely ensemble together and sparked a revolution for the band and their classmates to stand up and be heard.

"Lemonade Mouth was a teenage band that a lot of people didn’t believe in but they showed that there was more to school that just good grades, rebellious attitudes or sports achievements. They showed their classmates, faculty, community and even their families that they were beautiful kids and talented too. Of course, the music in this DVD is great. The Lemonade Mouth original soundtrack has ranked among the Top 5 of the Billboard 200, No. 1 on iTunes soundtrack chart and No. 4 on iTunes Album chart. The album also ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s Soundtrack & Children’s Music charts. With hit songs like “Somebody”, “Don’t Ya Wish U Were Us” and more you can’t help but find yourself singing the catchy lyrics and moving to the beat while you watch the movie. The highly-anticipated 2-Disc DVD + Digitial Copy features an exclusive extended music scene."

Family Time Factor: Appropriate for all ages, enjoyed most by 4 and up I would say.

MOTR Grade: B

Lemonade Mouth is currently available on DVD!!!

Adventures in Babysitting

Due to a "lack of support" (if you will) and the dwindling school days left before summer and impending inability to substitute teach until the end of August, I have been scrambling to come up with an income to pay my share of my bills, pay my car payment and all the other goodies that come from being an independent single mother of two.

So, I have three talents that I believe I am best at (that are legal) and those are: acting, interacting with animals and faking my way through enjoying the company of small children (which I guess goes along with acting.)  Oh, I guess I like to think I am good at writing, but the grad advisor at Western Illinois University would probably beg to differ.

Anyway, I am constantly looking for drop-in babysitting for my kids, occasional babysitting if you will.  You know, they always say that if there's a niche out there that needs to be filled, it will be a lucrative and worthwhile venture to fill it yourself.  Well, since moving to the second largest city in Iowa (move over Los Angeles, you've been p'owned) I have been annoyed with the lack of options for childcare.  Part time is pretty much unheard of.  Transportation to and from school is even less of a possibility unless you wanna pay a thousand bucks a month, which is not in a substitute teacher's budget.  And what about those occasional times when you need to go to your psychiatric appointment or visit your favorite ob/gyn?  Neither of these are kid-friendly situations and living 100 miles from my parents/most reliable babysitters makes for a hard time for this mom.  I have occasional reliability in friends, but that is a rarity. 

So, on my quest, I have discovered that other parents have this quest as well: affordable, occasional babysitters.  Add this to my recent obsession with craigslist and VOILA! - I have a supplemental income.  I currently have 9 kids in my roladex of children I watch, with more inquiries each day and occasional interviews.  They range in ages 1-9.  (Thankfully the majority are 5 and under because the older they get, the sassier and less afraid of my dirty glares they get.)  Whether it's 3 days a week while a parent works 9 hours, a day here and there for 2-4 hours, before and after school or overnight on the weekend, you name it, I make myself available.  My biggest day was getting up at 6 am, having 5 kids by 8, 6 kids until 4, a two hour break and then two kids overnight from 6pm until 9am the next day.

And in case you are wondering, no I am absolutely not getting rich from this venture... can I get an Amen from my fellow babysitters?  Just like being a stay at home moms, in-home daycare providers, teachers and babysitters are underpaid and under-appreciated. And in case you are hoping to turn me into the state for being an "unlicensed daycare provider," suck it, cause I already checked and what I am doing does not constitute being a daycare provider... (na na na boo boo).

I'll admit, some kids annoy me far worse than others, but in general, the worst behaved out of the group is my son, so it makes the other kids much more tolerable.  And I will be honest and admit that when one of them tells me they love me, my heart melts a little... (but if you tell anyone about this, I will kill you!)  And I can never pass up a hug.  I'm working on getting over my fear of snot and boogers and wiping noses  Plus, who needs a day off?  That's what death is for, right?  And I'm pretty sure other than my own kids, I have Memorial Day free from hitting, biting, kicking and pinching over the fact that someone else had a toy first... which is when the jekkyl side of me wants to just set the freaking toy on fire...

As I'm sure you all care immensely, I will keep you posted on how long my nerves can last with this venture... and if you don't hear from me in five days, assume I have been duct taped to a chair and please alert the local authorities...

What is a friend?

You know, over the past couple days, I have heard the word "friend" used in several different contexts that have left me questioning what a friend is.  What is the difference between a friend and an acquaintance?  What makes someone a true friend and at what point can/should someone be downgraded from a friend?

Dictionary.com defines a friend as: a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

Urban dictionary defines a friend as: A real friend is someone who:

a) it's okay to fart in front of.

b) you don't mind talking to on the bus for at least 20 minutes.

c) can borrow $5 and never has to pay it back

d) you'll actually call up do stuff.  

Interesting.  So, basically I would sum it up as a friend being someone that is giving, you have affection towards and that you can tolerate being around for lengthy amounts of time.  I like this because I can't stand selfish people and if you have ever had a selfish friend, you can feel my pain.  I have spent my whole life trying to stop being a doormat, but on the inside it infuriates me when I give and give and give and my "friends" don't give back in return.  I'm not talking about material things, I'm talking about favors, friendly gestures, shoulder to cry on, you name it.  

I used to say that it was funny that someone wanted to be my "friend" on Facebook, but when I would see them in public, they would never acknowledge me.  But, do I have affection for all of my Facebook friends?  No, not even close.  Would I give them things if they were in need?  Probably, if I was able to.  And would I spend lengthy amounts of time with them all.... eh, maybe not.

But I think that friends should not stress you out.  They should not fragrantly blow you off or make it clear that on their list of priorities you are not in the top 100.  They should not expect you to be their friend despite the fact that you ...................... (omitted because divorce shouldn't involve public mudslinging.)  

I love the friends that I do have though!  Whether it is a smile on a day that I am completely down, loaning me money when I can't afford toilet paper, watching my kids so that I can see my psychiatrist, recommending that I have a much needed night out when I am ashamed of how ugly my face is or even putting me in my place when I'm being absolutely ridiculous.

Am I expecting too much of a friend?  Do you consider many people to be friends, no matter what they give in return or how much they show you are not needed?

I have a hard time putting forth effort in a friendship when the other person does not.  I can only text so many times, stop by so many times or smile so many times before it just doesn't seem worth it anymore.  But the friends that I do have... make my life so much better... and I thank each and every one of them... 
 

Cheerios/Kung Fu Panda Review & Giveaway

Throughout the spring, spin fighter toys featuring Kung Fu Panda 2 characters including Po, Tigress, Shifu, Monkey, Lord Shen, Mantis, Crane and Viper can be found inside specially marked boxes of participating General Mills cereals: Cocoa Puffs® (11.8 oz.), Trix® (10.7 oz.), Golden Grahams® (12 oz.), Reese´s Puffs® (13 oz.), Cheerios® (14 oz.), Apple Cinnamon Cheerios® (12.9 oz.), Cookie Crisp® (11.25 oz.), Lucky Charms® (11.5 oz.), Cinnamon Toast Crunch (12.8 oz.) and Honey Nut Cheerios (12.25 oz.).  I was able to try one of the spin fighters with my kids and enjoy a specially marked box of Cheerios, which is a staple if you're a mom.  It's great for breakfast and for a snack! The spinner toy was pretty neat, but my kids are 3 and 5 and both had a hard time figuring it out, which meant they were constantly bringing it to me to do it for them.  It's a nice little toy to play with outside, but be careful if you get the green spinner as it will get lost easily in the grass. And we are anxiously awaiting the release of Kung Fu Panda 2 in theaters as well!! GIVEAWAY DETAILS: One lucky winner will receive a DVD of Kung Fu Panda, a box of Cheerios and a spinner toy.  US residents only.  Giveaway ends May 31 at noon central time. To enter: 1) What is your child's favorite Kung Fun Panda character? 2) Friend me on Facebook and comment below letting me know. 3) Post a link to this giveaway on Twitter and comment below.  If you have room, please include @hamsterkitten and/or #myblogspark Good luck!!! *This giveaway and products for review were given to me by MyBlogSparkTM courtesy of Dreamworks and General Mills.

Dora the Explorer: It's Haircut Day DVD Review

My kids literally have like 10 Dora DVDs. They used to have more, but I thought it was getting a little excessive. My kids are Dora fiends. Most kids I know are Dora fiends. There is just something about Dora that makes her appeal to every child. As a parent, I love her upbeat attitude, and the fact that she teaches kids everything from Spanish to counting to colors to shapes. It helps them use their memory and critical thinking. My son is 3 and I will hear Dora ask a question and he answers her. I love it!

Dora is a little girl who likes to go exploring. She uses a map to tell her where to go, has a pet Monkey friend named Boots who goes along with her and then there's Swiper the Fox, who likes to steal things and hide them from Dora.

Dora the Explorer: It’s Haircut Day! Episode Synopses:

Dora’s Hair Raising Adventure

Boots really wants to give his mom a picture of himself for her birthday but he’s having a bad hair day.  Thankfully, Dora knows who can help, El Peluquero (the barber).  Dora and Boots set out on a Hairy Adventure to solve a riddle at the Troll Bridge by matching poodles with cool geometric-shaped haircuts, help Señora Gigante brush some birdies out of her hair, and sing a “corta el pelo” song with El Peluquero as he gives Boots a new haircut. 

Happy Birthday, Super Babies

It’s the Twins’ 1^st birthday!  Abuela’s making Guillermo a banana cake and Isabella a strawberry cake – her favorite!  As they wait for the cakes to bake, Dora tells a Super Babies story!  Once upon a time, there was a cake-snatching bear who stole everyone’s birthday cake.  This was a job for the Super Babies!  They bounced across the Bouncy House, caught a ride with Tico through the Piñata Forest, and made it to the Bear’s Castle to get back the birthday cakes and save everyone’s birthday.

Baby Winky Goes Home!

Dora and Boots find a lovable little space creature named Winky.  He came to visit with his family, Purple Planet’s Inky, Dinky, Plinky, Flinky and Al, but he got lost!  Winky must get back to his family before their spaceship takes off.  They set off singing a Spanish hopping song over Hopscotch Bridge, blow giant rocks into bubbles, and float all the way to the top of the Tallest Mountain. 

Dora's Pegaso Adventure

Dora and Boots are playing a game of hide-and-seek with their friends Little Star and some animal constellations: Pegaso (the flying horse), a Baby Bear, a Lion and a Whale.  Suddenly, a meteor shower rushes by scaring all of the animals away!  The sky goes dark except for Little Star and Pegaso.  If the constellations don’t come home to the moon before the sun comes up, they’ll never find their way home!  They race against the sun and take a Pegaso ride to find the animal constellations

Family Time Factor: Definitely appeals to a wide variety. I think it could be enjoyed by boys or girls through age 10. It's also tolerable to parents.

MOTR Grade: A+

Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure is now available on DVD!!!

Little Looster Review

"Getting ready to potty-train your toddler? Try the Little Looster, a revolutionary new potty-training stool! New to market, this stool for the loo means that parents no longer have to clean out those tiny potty chairs, and toddlers can start potty training successfully, right on the big potty without fear of falling in! With June being National Potty Training Month - the Little Looster offers kiddos comfort, cleanliness, and convenience - allowing them to potty train with success! Available online at www.littlelooster.com."

Now having two children who have gone through potty training, I have seen the struggle to get up on the big people potty.  I've never used a training potty because I think they are gross and pointless, so I have just started my kids on the big people potty each time.

The Little Looster is neat because it wraps around the sides and front of the toilet so that kids' feet can rest comfortably after they have a nice boost when sitting down.  This works out nicely in my bathroom as well because my kids would stand on the toilet to wash their hands and now they can stand on this.  

I only have two complaints about this product as I think it was a pretty cool and innovative idea.  First problem is that it is a little too tall.  My kids are tall for their age and my son just became potty trained and he still dangles his feet in front of the Little Looster because otherwise his knees seem like they are up to his chin.  I think being a couple inches shorter would work just fine for all ages.  My second complaint is that it's a little too wide.  I live in an apartment and there is not a lot of leg room around the toilet, so I kind of had to wedge one side between the toilet and the wall.  Were it a little narrower, this wouldn't have happened.

MOTR Grade: B

MMCH: Mickey's Great Outdoors DVD Review

After the reaction my son had the first time he saw Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, I have become a loyal fan! Therefore, any DVD that comes out is a must have!

If you're unfamiliar with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, it's one of the staples on Playhouse Disney and is geared towards toddlers and preschoolers. Both my kids love it. I think it's very educational. Kids learn letters, numbers, colors, vocabulary, but don't realize it because the show is so fun!

MICKEY’S GREAT OUTDOOR EPISODE LIST: 

All-New, Never-Before-Seen Bonus Episode: 

• Mickey’s Fish Story - Daisy wants to find a fishy-friend for her goldfish Goldy – and 

we help her find other goldfish in the Jungle where we’re aided by the mysterious 

conga drummin’ Jungle-Pete!  Boom-boom-bap-boom!   

 Episodes From “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” TV Show: 

• Mickey’s Camp Out - Today Mickey and his friends are going to earn Clubhouse 

“Camp Out Badges” by completing two tasks - setting up camp and fishing for Gummy 

Fish.  Everyone’s planning to camp with a “Tent Buddy”, but Donald decides to camp 

by himself – and he soon learns that camping with friends is much more fun than 

camping by yourself. 

• Mickey and Minnie’s Jungle Safari - Minnie is determined to snap a photo of the rare 

Hula Hibiscus that only blooms once a year.  So the sensational gang go off on a jungle 

safari and explore new territory to find this legendary flower.  

• Daisy in the Sky - On Balloon Day, Daisy grabs a large batch of balloons and gets 

literally carried away along with Minnie and Pluto, who couldn’t hold her down. 

Mickey, Donald and Goofy kick into high gear to save their friends: they use a Giant 

Candy Cane (to rescue Pluto), a Party Horn (to warn animals out of the way), a Piggy 

Bank (to weigh down one side of an elevator so that Mickey can reach the top of the 

lighthouse), and a Toy Hammer (to fix the Ferris wheel).

• Daisy’s Grasshopper - Daisy has a new pet grasshopper named Wilbur, but the playful 

hoppin’ fella hops away – and we help all our Clubhouse friends hop after him and find 

him before the end of the day.  Boing-boing!

About Disney’s Exclusive Mickey Mote:

Disney’s Mickey Mote works with any Disney Preschool DVD that includes the Discovery Mode™ feature – an interactive “Watch & Play” feature on the DVD. All parents have to do is program the remote control – there’s an easy and quick set-up guide in each DVD- and select the Discovery Mode feature on the menu screen. Within minutes, kids will be easily responding to questions, throughout the story, about scenes they just watched by pressing one of four color-coded buttons on the device — a yellow star, green circle, orange triangle or blue square – to click in their responses. Discovery Mode features include two levels of play, which provides more challenging questions as the child grows.

The Mickey Mote can be used with any Disney Preschool DVD that includes the Discovery Mode feature. To date there are more than 11 titles that can be used with the remote control, just take a look at the back of the package to make sure."

Family Time Factor:  Mostly enjoyed by kids 8 and under, but more geared towards toddlers and preschoolers.  (Although my preschooler snubbed her nose at it.)

MOTR Grade: B+

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Great Outdoors is available May 24th on DVD!!!

 

Gnomeo & Juliet Blu-Ray Review

When I saw previews for this, I was so excited!  I was just dying to go to the theater and see it.  Of course, with the economy being the way it is and other issues, my lack of funds prevented me from being able to take A with me to see it.  So, I anxiously awaited the release to DVD and Blu-Ray.  Normally Disney releases blow me away and what's better than a spin on the classic tale of Romeo & Juliet?

Well, I'm sad to say that I was disappointed.  I was let down, cold, alone in a corner shivering from the abyss of emotions I experienced at not being able to find joy in this one thing that I had placed all of my future happiness upon: Gnomeo & Juliet being a great movie.

It was cute, but that's about it.  I was beyond bored and my kids were bored and wouldn't sit through it.  There weren't even many silly parts for me to giggle about.  I didn't like the voice of Juliet as it was not cute enough and although Gnomeo's character was kind of cute and endearing, it couldn't carry the whole movie.

Long story short, there are the blue gnomes and lawn figures on one side of the fence and the red gnomes and lawn figures on the other side of the fence.  Gnomeo and Juliet meet, decide to hang out despite the repercussions involved with their families, fall in love and....

Anyway, I did enjoy some of the music being that it was from Elton John (Lion King rules!) and how excited was I that Ozzy Osbourne was one of the voices?

Bonus Features: 

DVD & Movie Download: 

• Elton Builds a Garden 

• Frog Talk with Ashley Jensen 

• “Crocodile Rock” Music Video, featuring Elton John and Nelly Furtado  

Blu-ray: 

• DVD Bonus plus: 

• 2 Alternate Endings with Filmmaker Introductions  

• Deleted & Alternate Scenes with Filmmaker Introductions, including: 

o 1 Alternate Opening 

o 1 Alternate Scene 

o 6 Deleted Scenes  

• The Fawn of Darkness, featuring Ozzy Osbourne 

Family Time Factor: Good choice for a family movie night as it could potentially be enjoyed by all ages.

MOTR Grade: C

Gnomeo & Juliet releases on Blu-Ray and DVD on May 24th!!!

MOTR Video: Easter Cake Fun

A, L and David finish decorating a homemade Easter cake and decide to eat some sprinkles too.

Bindi Irwin's Wildlife Adventure series book review

If you're unfamiliar with Bindi Irwin, I'm thinking you either live under a rock or are a youngin'.  Bindi Irwin is the smart and adorable daughter of the late Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter who had a fatal and unfortunate encounter with a stingray.

Bindi has since attempted to fill her father's big shoes by letting the world experience the wonderful animal world.  Bindi has made it clear that she shows her father's passion for everything animal.

In that regard, Bindi has began co-authoring a series of books featuring "the characters of Bindi, Robert (her brother), Terri (her mom), and the Australia Zoo (where they live!). The stories are based on Bindi’s real-life adventures, and include animal fact files at the end.  Bindi likes to say that kids will “accidentally learn something” after reading her books!  She also believes that kids will come away with a better understanding of wildlife and what they can do to help conserve and protect the world’s endangered animals."

My 5 year old is enjoying having these books read to her as she loves animals.  They are chapter books geared towards ages 7-10, so as she gets older, she will be able to read them to herself.  

MOTR Grade: B

Olé & Play!: The Songs of Isabella & Ferdinand Spanish Language Adventures Review

I am a firm believer that we need to teach foreign language to students starting in elementary school.  Why is the United States one of the only countries that feels like it is not important?  I think at a young age children should be exposed to Spanish, French and German and be allowed to choose which one they want to proceed with in middle school and on.

I try to incorporate a little bit of foreign language into my children's vocabulary.  Of course there are popular kid's shows like Dora and  Ni Hao Kai-Lan, but I try to give the French or Spanish words of ones that I know when my child says something such as a number or color or noun.  Most parents aren't able to do this, and that's why programs such as Ole & Play are excellent ways to introduce your children to language learning!  While it was a little advanced for my children, I definitely intend to use it as they progress in age.

An innovative Spanish language school for children in Washington DC joined forces with a few musicians to release an album for kids to help teach the language through music, art and culture. Here are a couple recently released articles related to this subject.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/opinion/30kristof.html

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/19/2075762/language-lovers-aghast-over-sloppy.html

MOTR Grade: B-

Liking Myself and The Mouse, the Monster and Me by Pat Palmer book review

Two long time children’s book favorites completely modernized - The Mouse, the Monster, and Me and Liking Myself

Two long-time favorite children’s books, Liking Myself and The Mouse, the Monster and Me are being completely revised and updated.

The original versions of these two heartfelt and powerfully written children's books were uniquely designed, charmingly illustrated in black and white, and hand-lettered on traditional lined elementary school paper. They became international bestsellers in six languages, selling over half a million copies around the globe.  They went out of print in 2000.

Boulden Publishing, in conjunction with Uplift Press, have updated them with bold, new colorful characters and vividly illustrated and revised content, bringing these valuable life skills lessons to a modern generation of kids.

The Mouse, the Monster and Me focuses on the importance of finding a balance between one's aggressive inner "monster", one's passive inner "mouse", helping young readers identify these behaviors in themselves and others. Other issues include: getting in touch with your own strengths; respect, rights, and responsibilities; how to say “no” to trouble; receiving criticism and compliments; and being yourself.

Liking Myself offers advice on how to handle oneself when feeling depressed, upset, or overwhelmed.

Topics include: liking yourself, feeling talk, allowing, letting go, and body talk.

MOTR Review: These books were really perfect for my daughter!  She has a lot of issues with dealing with her emotions and these books were very on target.  And as someone who grew up with no self-esteem, I think it is VERY important for children to have this kind of positive encouragement.  My only complaint is the books were a little long and intimidating for children.  I would have liked to see them made in a larger book than the wide rectangular version they came in.

MOTR Grade: B+

Baby Eistein Discovery Kit Review

If you're a parent, you either have heard of Baby Einstein, have used one of their products, or you need to familiarize yourself with the brand!  Baby Einstein has recently released a group of kits geared towards different age levels.

I was able to review Baby Einstein’s Discovery Kits which would make a great gift for new parents-to-be.  Baby Einstein is a well-known award-winning leader of infant products to seasoned parents.  The Discovery Kits are a perfect introduction and complete experience to help new parents introduce their little ones to the world around them in playful and engaging ways.  The kits include a DVD, a music CD and either a book or set of Discovery Cards to promote discovery and inspire baby’s natural curiosity.  They also encourage parents to look to their everyday experiences as a way to extend the content beyond the kit.  

They have three levels of discovery — Experience (Level I), Explore (Level II), and Expression (Level III).  For those already Baby Einstein fans, they will love these kits that bring back their beloved favorite characters like Vincent van Goat, Neptune and Bard the Dragon.  This product will help you raise a more intelligent and calmer child in my opinion.

MOTR Grade: A-

Great Forward: Redneck Turtle Burgers Recipe

CALLING ALL COOKS; A NEW RECIPE FROM MISSOURI

Red-Neck Turtle Burgers

 

Handmade ground beef patties, topped with sharp cheddar cheese, wrapped in a bacon weave, then the next step, add hotdogs as the heads, legs with slits for toes and tail.   Next step.  Place on an oven rack, covered loosely with foil and baked for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees.  A little crispy, not too crunchy...just how a turtle should be, no?

The Hy-Vee Debacle

So, I'm one of those moms that would rather have blood drawn than take my kids to a store... any kind of store.  They want, want, want and I am broke, broke, broke.  Well, even if I had money, I would refuse to spoil them rotten.  Anyway, this was one of those occasions that my boyfriend insisted that we all go together.  He's one of those strange people that enjoys spending time together, be it the grocery store or shoveling manure off a highway...

Anyway, so we go to Hy-Vee to pick up a couple things.  I was planning to make chocolate chip cookies and was thinking all I needed was the chips, so after grabbing a couple things, the boyfriend realized he forgot his wallet at home and needed to run back to get it.  I panicked like a deer in the headlights thinking, "you want to leave me alone with children in a store?!"  But, seeing as how they were MY children, I couldn't say anything and pretended I could handle it without going crazy.  Anyway, I pushed the cart to the baking ingredients aisle.

Oh, I forgot to mention that when I do take the kids to the store, I prefer to push them both in one of those carts that seats 2 kids, like the little cars and what not.  Normally this Hy-Vee has a couple, but upon entering I saw none with the other carts.  So, that left L to ride in the seat part and A to follow along on foot.  Now, A likes to play this thing where when I'm pushing the cart she pretends it's a bus and jumps on the side.  No biggie I tell myself.

Well, on this particular day whilst looking at the options for chocolate chips (because as you bakers know, there are many kinds!) I leave the cart a foot behind me.  I hear a loud commotion, look back as I notice the cart falling forwards on its front!  Apparently A decided to hang from the handle and tipped the whole thing over onto herself.  I shrieked and grabbed the cart and put it upright.  Both kids were crying and a manager and an employee came running to make sure everyone was okay.  I felt a mixture of emotions.  One was mildly embarrassed that it would seem as though I was being negligent, but A has never done anything like that and being 5 and a half and pretty mature, it would have never crossed my mind.  I was also a little frustrated that A had done this.  I felt as though I should be concerned about their well-being, but I didn't see blood and they could walk, so I wasn't too worried.

The employee and manager seemed frantic and worried, however.  I assuaged their fears as I checked over the kids for injuries.  A had a little scrape and bruise from the cart handle, but was otherwise okay, save for her complete embarrassment (she has issues about looking bad in public.)  The employee went to track down one of the two child carts and we went on our "merry" way.

However-- the manager was very kind and concerned and took down my name and number so he could check on us later, which he did.  I assured him all was well and forgotten.  Then today I received a call from Hy-Vee's insurance company and the pleasant man on the phone wanted to make sure the kids had no lasting repercussions.  I assured him all was well and the bruise was fading.  He gave me the number to call in case anything changed.

Long story not short, but concluded: I was impressed with how the Hy-Vee manager and employee handled the situation.  I know they are also covering themselves in case of a lawsuit, but I could also tell they genuinely cared... which felt good.

Moral of the story:  I forgot to buy flour because I thought I had some, so I haven't been able to make the cookies yet.

Got a Spunky Mom?

***Mother's Day Gift Idea***

Do you have a cool mom that is a little on the feisty, spunky or fun side?  Buy her something that will make her laugh, smile and guarantee you to be her favorite child!  Just look know further than EdenFantasys!

Now, you may look at this site and think, "whoa, my mom is pretty cool and down to earth, but I think this is a little much for me to handle!"  Well, don't be scared, they have some pretty quirky stuff along with their risque line of products.  For instance, if you're a huge dork like I am... er, used to be, you know what mad libs are.  Well, get this, they have adult mad libs!!!

 

They also have gift cards if you want mom to have a choice on what she gets.  And hey, while you're there, feel free to buy something for yourself!  I mean, who likes to shop when they get nothing out of it?  I'm pretty sure I'm going to be their best customer... okay, so that's an exaggeration, but repeat customer is more like it!

Patti Pelican and The Gulf Oil Spill by Lynda Wurster Deniger (book review)

Louisiana author and storyteller Lynda Deniger has published Patti Pelican and the Gulf Oil Spill, a very special and beautifully illustrated children’s book that focuses on teaching and inspiring children to respect and appreciate the environment . 

In this thoughtfully written children’s book, Patti the Pelican and Sammy the Seagull share what happens to them along the shores of Louisiana following the Gulf Oil Spill.  When the oil slick comes ashore, Patti Pelican and Sammy Seagull find themselves in trouble.  With their feathers covered in oil, they are at risk. Their firsthand experience reveals the environmental impact of the dark oily mess that hit the shores and ruined their beautiful habitat.

My Thoughts:  I thought this was a really neat idea to create a book that actually teaches kids about events in the news that don't personally affect them, but are important things to know about.  The illustrations were great and the story was interesting, although it didn't really keep my 3 year old's attention very well.  Plus there are a lot of concepts that will need to be explained, but hey, is there ever a bad time to teach your kids?

This book comes with an audio CD as well.

MOTR Grade: B

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4 Ingredients by Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham book review

***Great Mother's Day Gift Idea***

I love to cook... okay, I take that back... I like to eat tasty things and if I want this to happen I have to buy them or cook them.  And being broke, that leaves dining out opportunities at a minimum.  Well, I like to think I'm good at following recipes.  But, I hate when you realize there are 50 things on the recipe that you don't have and even if I think to take the recipe to the store with me, I always end up forgetting one of the key ingredients.

So, I was super excited to check out this cookbook because it is called "4 Ingredients" and touts itself as having "more than 400 quick, easy and delicious recipes using 4 or fewer ingredients."  Now, in case you are asking yourself this question, salt, pepper and water are not counted as part of the 4 ingredients.

So, I started thumbing through the book, looking for a couple recipes to try.  There are many awesome advantages to only having 4 ingredients, such as less of a mess, cheaper, and easier overall.  They have the book divided up into breakfasts, appetizers, sauces and salsas, light lunches, sides, mains, desserts, for the children, drinks and great combination meals.

I have tried several of the recipes so far, such as Cheese & Garlic Stack, Beer Batter for Fish and Homemade Krispies Squares to name a couple.  This is quickly becoming a staple in my kitchen because it is helping me to add variety to my family's dining experiences as well as being so much healthier for us than getting fast food.  As I mentioned, everything is easy, written for even the novice of cooks, and chances are you have lots of these ingredients already!

Only negative comment is that some of the recipes sound unappealing, but not that many and I mean, who expects to enjoy every single recipe in a cookbook!

MOTR Grade: A

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Volumes 1 & 2 DVD Review

This couldn't have been released at a better time in my son's life!  Being 3, he has recently become obsessed with superheroes!  He loves Iron Man and I had just bought him big boy underwear featuring a bevvy of Marvel characters.  So, upon receiving this collection to review, I think I was more excited for my son than he was- and he was VERY excited!  He immediately asked to watch it and was enthralled for hours.  (No, I don't let the television raise my kids, they watch intermittently while playing unless they are sleepy.)

"When the forces of evil are so overwhelming that no single hero can save the world... the Avengers assemble! Featuring Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Hulk, fans can now own the first 13 episodes of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! in two must-have, collectible DVD volumes, available April 26 by The Walt Disney Studios.

The AVENGERS: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Volumes 1 & 2. Volume 1 includes episodes 1-7 plus an exclusive look at the evolving characters and storyline of Season 2, and Volume 2 includes episodes 8-13 plus another exclusive sneak peek at Season 2 that reveals what makes the Marvel Super Heroes and Villains so unique."

If you have a child who is into superheroes, this is a must for your child's DVD collection!!!

Family Time Factor:  Not to be sexist, but I think this is more of a boy thing, especially because it does not really highlight any female characters.  I think this is great for any age that appreciates Marvel classics in brand new animation form!

MOTR Grade: B+

The Avengers Volumes 1 & 2 is now available on DVD!!!