Friday, September 20, 2019

Masters Teas Review

tea

Masters by Adagioteas is fresh, loose tea that you can enjoy in your home. They come in resealable pouches. They offer a large range of fresh tea. They have white, green, oolong, and more. 

I have always been a green tea fan. I do like to try all kinds of teas as well.





They even have a very nice tea ware line. I chose the Nami Cup in Raven. It is the perfect tea cup.



Here is an example of what the loose tea looks like up close.

I enjoyed trying the tea and liked them very much. You get such a nice flavor when you use loose leaf tea.

Head over to Masters Teas website to see all that they have to offer.

They also show you the farmers and regions where the tea comes from. I think it is pretty cool to see where the tea is from.

I learned that if you let your tea sit too long it can become bitter or too strong tasting. You should use about 1 teaspoon per cup. You can taste it as you try them out.


Are you a tea drinker? What tea is your favorite?


Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Cute Winter Coats for Kids


Winter time is coming up soon. It will be that time to buy winter coats for the kids. I really like Tea Collection clothes. They always have adorable designs.

Here are a few cute coats for winter inspiration shopping.



Tea Collection Patagonia Baby Reversible Dream Song Hoody

from: Tea Collection




Tea Collection Patagonia Reversible Dream Song Hoody - $82.95

A wind-proof and water-repellent outershell reverses to super-soft fleece. Includes a snap-on hood for added warmth.





Tea Collection Patagonia Baby Down Sweater - $69.95

from: Tea Collection

My favorite coat is the pink one. We have a couple of Patagonia coats for the kids and they are pretty nice.


Thursday, September 5, 2019

Five Children's Books For Back to School

If I Built a School

IF I BUILT A SCHOOL

     
If Jack built a school, there would be hover desks and pop-up textbooks, skydiving wind tunnels and a trampoline basketball court in the gym, a robo-chef to serve lunch in the cafeteria, field trips to Mars, and a whole lot more. The inventive boy who described his ideal car and house in previous books is dreaming even bigger this time.

AUTHOR BIO

Chris Van Dusen was born in Portland, Maine and received his BFA from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He has created illustrations that have been published in magazines and books and printed on T-shirts and greeting cards. He won the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award for If I Built a House. In addition to his own books, Chris has illustrated Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson and Tales from Deckawoo Drive chapter book series. He lives in Maine with his wife, two sons, and their dog.


PRE-ORDER LINK


We really liked this one. It is so cute and I love that it shows kids imaginations. We all wanted our schools to have something cool inside. What would you want in your school? I remember kids wanting vending machines. Or maybe fast food for lunch.



    


THE KING OF KINDERGARTEN

   
  Starting kindergarten is a big milestone--and the hero of this story is ready to make his mark! He's dressed himself, eaten a pile of pancakes, and can't wait to be part of a whole new kingdom of kids. The day will be jam-packed, but he's up to the challenge, taking new experiences in stride with his infectious enthusiasm! And afterward, he can't wait to tell his proud parents all about his achievements--and then wake up to start another day.
     Newbery Honor-winning author Derrick Barnes's empowering story will give new kindergarteners a reassuring confidence boost, and Vanessa Brantley-Newton's illustrations exude joy.


AUTHOR BIO

 Derrick Barnes wrote the critically acclaimed picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, which received a Newbery Honor, a Coretta Scott King Honor, and the 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Award. He also wrote the bestselling chapter book series Ruby and the Booker Boys. He owns the copy-writing company Say Word Creative Communications and created the popular blog Raising the Mighty, where he "chronicles the experience of bringing up four beautiful Black boys in America." He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and their four sons.

ILLUSTRATOR BIO

 Vanessa Brantley-Newton has illustrated numerous picture books, including The Girl Who Heard Colors (by Marie Harris), Mary Had a Little Glam (by Tammi Sauer), One Love (by Cedella Marley), A Night Out with Mama (by Quvenzhané Wallis), and The Youngest Marcher (by Cynthia Levinson), as well as the chapter book series Ruby and the Booker Boys (by Derrick Barnes) and Jada Jones (by Kelly Starling Lyons). She wrote and illustrated Let Freedom Sing and Grandma's Purse. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

PRE-ORDER LINK


I remember when my kids were in kindergarten. It was exciting for them but scary at the same time. And it was hard to be in class that many hours. Pre school was only a couple of hours a day. So the transition was a little tough. My youngest isn't in school yet. She loves to look at the pictures in the books.





Raise Your Hand

     When Alice Tapper noticed that the girls in her class weren't participating as much as the boys, she knew she had to do something about it. With help from her Girl Scout troop and her parents, she came up with a patch that other girls could earn if they took a pledge to be more confident in school. Alice even wrote an op-ed about the experience for the New York Times! Inspired by that piece, this picture book illustrates her determination, bravery, and unwillingness to accept the status quo. With Marta Kissi's delightful illustrations depicting Alice's story, young readers everywhere will want to follow Alice's lead and raise their hand!

AUTHOR BIO

Alice Paul Tapper, 11, is a Girl Scout and sixth grader in Washington, D.C., where she lives with her mom and dad, brother, and her two dogs Winston and Clementine. This is her first book.

ILLUSTRATOR BIO

Marti Kissi is an illustrator living and working in London. She studied illustration and animation at Kingston University and completed her MA at the Royal College of Art. She now works on various children's book projects as well as covers and editorial pieces for both children and adults.


PRE-ORDER LINK


This is such a wonderful book to inspire girls and to give them confidence in school. 


I'm Trying to Love Math


I’m Trying to Love Math

Do multiplication tables give you hives? Do you break out in a sweat when you see more than a few numbers hanging out together? Then I'm Trying to Love Math is for you! In her signature hilarious style, Bethany Barton introduces readers to the things (and people) that use math in amazing ways -- like music, and spacecraft, and even baking cookies! This isn't a how-to math book, it's a way to think differently about math as a necessary and cool part of our lives!

AUTHOR BIO

Bethany Barton is an author-illustrator and member of the Motion Picture Union. She works on art, prop, and set decoration for film and TV, and has worked on shows such as The Muppets and Blackish. She and her family live in Los Angeles.

PRE-ORDER LINK

I think this one is so cute. Math can be really tough. Now that my kids are in school, math has changed. It is hard for me to help them. I like the way I learned. My daughter likes it now in 2nd grade. It will get harder for her along the way.





Goodbye Friend, Hello Friend!

Change and transitions are hard, but Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! demonstrates how, when one experience ends, it opens the door for another to begin. It follows two best friends as they say goodbye to snowmen, and hello to stomping in puddles. They say goodbye to long walks, butterflies, and the sun...and hello to long evening talks, fireflies, and the stars. But the hardest goodbye of all comes when one of the friends has to move away. Feeling alone isn't easy, and sometimes new beginnings take time. But even the hardest days come to an end, and you never know what tomorrow will bring.

AUTHOR BIO

Cori Doerrfeld illustrated the acclaimed picture book The Rabbit Listened, as well as popular books like Little Bunny Foo Foo: The Real Story and The True Adventures of Esther the Wonder Pig. She lives with her family in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

PRE-ORDER LINK


I think these are great books to add to your kids reading list. My kids have to fill out reading logs each week. I need to find more and more books to read to them.


Have your read any good books lately? What kind of books do you or your kids like to read? Let me know in the comments.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

HuePets Bundle Giveaway

This information is brought to you by HueTrition. All opinions are my own!



Parents..the struggle is real! Our job is to help our kids make good choices in life and so many times we struggle with getting our kids to eat healthy foods! If you struggle with this...you are going to love HueTrition!  The mission of HueTriton is to help your kids eat healthy and have fun doing it! They want to help families and kids lead a healthy lifestyle. They have created HuePets and HuePets 2.0 is now available! Now, not only will your kids have fun eating vegetables and feeding their pet, but the app now has new characters, potions, and more!

I have three kids and each one has a different appetite. My oldest is super picky. My youngest will eat everything. My middle one is a mix of both. I will try anything for them to eat healthier. I love how apps and cute toys can help.



HuePets 2.0, new age program, is the simplest and most fun way to get your kids to eat vegetables!

Huey was developed by pediatricians, nutrition, and chef experts to help you teach kids healthy habits. They believe that there should be no lies or sneaking in vegetables and fruits, but actually teaching kids the benefits of colorful fruits and vegetables by making it FUN! 

Download The HuePets App


HuePets is a digital-first program that consists of the below:

  • A FREE mobile app that turns daily healthy eating into a game- new characters!
  • The app is linked to a website that allows medical professionals, teachers, family, and friends to view patients or kids dashboard of colorful choices and even give out rewards!
  • HuePets educational promotional materials and collectibles—including the Huey Bundle that includes a first edition Huey Plushie, HuePets coloring book, and HuePets lunch-bag. Huey is a mini companion of healthy choices! 

HueTrition's Limited Edition HuePets bundle is now available for pre-order! Bundle includes the official HuePets Coloring Book, the newly released Huey Plushie, and a HuePets Lunch Sack - reserve your bundle now! There are limited quantities!


 


Make sure you also check out their blog for lots of great information about leading a healthy lifestyle. Also, check out their online shop for many useful things to help you to make healthier choices! 

Giveaway Details:

  • Prize: 1 person will win a Huey Bundle!
  • Open to Us Residents Only
  • Dates: Ends 9/30/2019 at 1159pm EST
  • Please note - the bundle will ship in October
Good Luck! 

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Back to School Giveaway




Once again the kids are heading back to school. I thought it would be nice for a little blog giveaway.

2 out of 3 of my kids is going to school full time. Do you have kids in school? Or maybe you are going back to school.

I chose an e-giftcard to Joann Fabric store as the prize. 

You could do so many fun things with fabric or yarn. 

Fill out the easy rafflecopter form. The more entries you do the better your chances are.

Giveaway is open to US 18+ only. I will email prize winner. Prize will be sent via email.

Prize is $25 e-giftcard to Joann Fabric.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, August 5, 2019

Sweet Suite 2019 Toy Event



Sweet Suite 2019 was a really fun event for bloggers, influencers, and YouTube stars to see all the new toys coming out soon. Many toy brands were there. They served some amazing food too.
I am going to share some of the toys that my family would enjoy.




Playmobil has a lot of cool toy sets. I really liked this space one. The amount of detail that goes into these toys are amazing. Playmobil has always made me think high quality toy.



Do your kids like Peppa Pig? My youngest really likes watching Peppa. The toys are pretty cute and it looks as if they will have some good blind bags coming.



Tamagotchi really brings me back to when I was a kid. It is interesting that all the retro toys eventually make a come back. Did you play these when you were a kid?



My almost 3 year old loves watching Cry Babies on YouTube. She loves baby toys in general. These dolls cry.

It is always so much fun to go to this event. A week later you get a really sweet swag box full of toys.
Stay tuned because we will be reviewing new toys.


Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Frozen The Musical

Frozen 


My mom and I took my daughter to see Frozen The Musical for a late birthday present. It was also the first train ride for Nia. It went pretty well. Nia was in NYC before but we took a car last time.

This was her first Broadway play. She really enjoyed it. I was nervous because she usually can't sit still for too long. It was over 2 hrs long and a brief intermission. 

St. James theater

St James theater is located at 44th st which is theater district. There are a lot of great plays in the area.  
When I was a teenager I had gone to a bunch of broadway plays. I have always enjoyed all of them.
When Frozen first came out I thought I was lucky not to hear my kids sing Let it Go a hundred times. Eventually they did get into the movie. I did not bring my 2 yr old because the theater suggests the play be for 8 and over. Nia just turned 7 and I think it worked well.


Frozen Musical

Grandma bought her an Ana plushie doll. Which was cute and soft but certainly pricey.

They also had pretty dolls for around 60 dollars or so.


Elsa and Anna

Overall, it was a wonderful experience. There are plenty of restaurants in the area if you need to get a bite to eat. We stopped into a brick oven pizza shop and there wasn't a wait.

The music was great and I think it translated nicely to the theater. There were added songs that weren't in the movie but those were good too.

Have you seen a Broadway Play recently? What was your favorite?







Saturday, June 8, 2019

My Favorite Places for Yarn and Craft Supplies

Lion Brand Yarn

One of my favorite go to yarn brands is Lion Brand yarn. I really like all of the different types I have tried over the years. I started to crochet during high school. Back then I was obsessed with making scarves. I like making my kids blankets and trying new patterns. Always learning new things along the way. 

I have bought Lion Brand Yarn from their website and also from my local Michaels. 


Honey Silks and Co. is my favorite place to buy velvet ribbon. I seriously adore all things velvet.
I have bought and used her velvet ribbon and recycled chiffon. Both are awesome.

Honey Silks and co

A lot of florists use her ribbon for wedding bouquets. There are so many uses. I like to use the ribbon for wall decor. You can add it to any weaving for new texture as well.


Ganxxet is a great shop for fabric yarn and macrame rope. The fabric yarn comes in a variety of fun prints and solid colors. You can use it to make coasters, baskets, and so much more.
The macrame rope is nice too. So far I have tried the soft rope and I really liked it. I used it to make keychains.


Ganxxet fabric yarn

I could write about yarn and craft supplies all day. Do you have a favorite craft or hobby?

Crochet and macrame are my two favorite things to do lately.






Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Summer Blog Giveaway

Summer Giveaway


Summer time is almost upon us. My kids will be out of school by the end of June.

What are your favorite things to do with your children during the summer?

To kick off the Summer I would like to have a small blog giveaway. I can't believe my blog is over 4 years old. 

You can win a $25 e-giftcard to Victoria's Secret. I love shopping online. 

Enter on the rafflecopter form. Do one entry option or do them all for more chances to win.

Open to 18+, US only.



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Saturday, March 30, 2019

Tips For Parents to Make Meals More Fun

Food, Table, Egg, Hand, Natural, Cooking, Easter


It is important to provide kids with a healthy diet and to follow the nutrition guidelines for children. That said, it isn’t always easy to get kids interested in eating healthy foods. Finding some healthy kid-friendly recipes is a good place to start, but you might want to consider adding a little fun to mealtime.
When you make an effort to do so when putting together easy meals for your kids, you won’t have as many problems getting your kids to the table or getting them to eat healthier foods. If you have a picky eater or simply want to make mealtime more interactive, here are some tips:

Teaching With Food

What could be better than adding some fun to the eating experience while also making it a learning opportunity? As a simple option, you could just cut up fruits and veggies and have them count out how many of each they want. Beyond that, you could use some creative ideas to turn the meal into a learning game.
One option is to turn a pizza into a puzzle your child can put back together. Whether you use store-bought dough or you make your own, a homemade pizza can be turned into a fun puzzle. Once the pizza is done cooking, use your pizza wheel to cut it into different shapes. Mix them up and invite your child to put them back together before they dig in.
You could also use a flour tortilla as the face of a clock to teach your child how to tell time. Using the tortilla as the face, make hands out of carrot sticks or cheese sticks, and then use sliced vegetables to represent the numbers.

Make it Squeezable

Kids have a tendency to like squeezing things like condiments onto their plates. As a parent, you can take advantage of this tendency by putting any pourable food into a squeeze bottle.
If you are serving salad, put the dressings in a squeeze bottle. Salad is a healthy meal, and this is a way to make it more enjoyable for kids. You could buy a range of healthy dressings at the store, or you could take the time to make your own healthy salad dressing.
You could also use the squeeze containers to write messages or draw pictures for your kids. This will make the plate a little more interesting and fun for the kids.

Cut Shapes

With some cookie cutters and a knife, you can cut a wide range of shapes into foods like sandwiches and lunch meats.
With the cookie cutters, you obviously have an assortment of options. You could make stars, hearts, animals, and more. It all just depends on the different types of cookie cutters you have.
If you want to get even more creative, you could use the cookie cutter shapes and a knife to build an entire scene using shaped foods. If you have the right cookie cutters, you could cut a sandwich up into a scene of the night sky. Even if you don’t have a moon-shaped cookie cutter, cutting a crescent moon with a knife is easy to do freehand.

Food Animals

By taking the time to make animals out of food, you can make any meal more fun. In some cases, you could even prepare the food and let the kids make their own animals.
One option is to take cocktail weenies and turn them into little dogs. Just grab some pretzel sticks to use as legs, and you have your tiny, edible dogs.
You could also use toast with jam, sliced bananas and some fresh blueberries to make animal faces out of the toast. When it comes to making animals with food, you have an endless number of options. You just need a little bit of creativity and some time to put it all together.
Even if you have a picky eater, getting them more involved when it comes to eating is a great way to encourage adventurous eating. Sitting down with your child during meals is the perfect opportunity for parents to nurture healthy eating habits and even teach their children basic skills.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Macrame Keychains

Keyring and rope

Macrame is my new hobby. I have always been into crochet and yarn. Now I do macrame also. I bought keyring hardware on amazon. I bought some rope on a website called Ganxxet. They sell so many cones of soft cotton rope. All sizes and colors.

My favorite colors to use are purples and pinks.
You can even make plantholders and wall hangings. Skys the limit when you use your imagination.

Keychain

These keychains are easy to make and add a little boho flair to my pocketbook.

Do you have a hobby or favorite craft?





Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Waiting for Spring Giveaway



Are you ready for Spring? I am. I want to plant a garden this year. Make a playhouse for the kids.
What do you love about the Spring?

Let's have a giveaway. Enter by using the rafflecopter form below.

Open to US 18+. WINNER will get a 25 dollar e giftcard to Victoria's Secret.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Bananas Collectible Toys




Bananas collectible toys are adorable. They come with a crushie inside. A cute little collectible creature. There are 24 to collect in season 1.
You peel the banana open to see the character. The bananas stick together or come apart. It is such a fun gift for your kids. My daughters really enjoyed them.

24 crushies to collect




You can find these toys on Amazon and at Target.
Have you seen these in the store?

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Happy New Year



Happy new year to everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We had a nice Christmas but I am glad it is all over now.

Now that it is a new year, I can make new goals. Although a lot of my blogger goals are the same.

Do you have any new year's resolutions?

I would like to do more crafts. Maybe learn to sew better. Finish more crochet projects. Learn to relax and enjoy the moment.

Let me know in the comments some of your goals.