motherhood Archives - Page 2 of 7

When Your Best Friend Moves Away

August 26, 2015 4 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CloudPetsForever #CollectiveBias

Often times in motherhood and parenting, we encounter things head on for the very first time. Baby’s first steps and first words, first goal or dance recital on stage, first band concert or first dance, and so on. There’s a lot of firsts, am I right? And if you have more children, you are lucky enough to do those firsts all over again. One of the firsts we have encountered more recently is when your best friend moves away. If you haven’t encountered this one yet, let me tell you it’s hard and emotional. But there’s also ways to make that big change a little less sad.

My daughter’s best friend happens to be her cousin. Though there’s an age gap of 9 years, these two are thick as thieves and they love each other something fierce.

My niece is a military kid, which means her home has been all over the world… quite literally. We’ve been lucky enough to have this spunky girl living near us for the past 5ish years, which has made these cousins’ relationship that much stronger. When we found out that she and her family would be moving to Italy for the next three years, it was super bittersweet. How exciting and what an experience for them! But boy oh boy, I know a little girl who is really, REALLY going to miss her best friend.

Of course we plan to write letters and send postcards and FaceTime as much as possible, but with the time difference, it’s going to be rather difficult to do on a regular basis. When we are awake, more than likely they will be asleep. So when I found CloudPets™ at Walmart, I was SO excited!! This is a new, one of a kind product that keeps loved ones in touch when far away. There are 5 adorable and soft CloudPets™ to pick from and they come with a free app and are equipped with parental controls. CloudPets™ play features include: messaging, toy interactions, games, and stories. My daughter and her cousin are able to send, listen, and record messages to each other.

I cannot tell you how excited my daughter gets when her unicorn’s heart lights up, letting her know she has a new message to listen to. She simply presses the unicorn’s paw (hoof?) to hear the message and she presses the other paw to send a message back. This is PERFECT for these two to keep in touch. My niece can leave my daughter a message, even if we are sleeping, and my daughter has something exciting to look forward to in the morning and vice versa. It will make the transition SO much easier when her best friend moves to Italy. I can also see us using our unicorn CloudPets™ when my husband goes out of town for work! You can see more about how they work HERE.

CloudPets™ are available at select Walmarts but will available nationwide soon. Be sure to grab 3 AA batteries while you are there!

So I’m curious. How would you use your CloudPets™?! And which one would you pick… the dog, cat, bunny, bear, or unicorn?

Filed Under: kid-friendly, motherhood, parenting, tips

Printable Grocery List for Kids

July 29, 2015 6 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AHugeSale #CollectiveBias #Safeway

With back to school season upon us, we are busy prepping for the year. I’m sure most of you are doing the very same. With organizing the home and doing the school supply shopping also comes grocery shopping. It’s important to stock up on those healthy snacks, foods, and drinks so that you are prepared to start the school year off right. The grocery store can often be a dreaded chore, especially with children in tow. I’ve found that involving them in the grocery store process can not only be fun for them, but can help momma’s sanity while trying to conquer a packed grocery store with ‘bored’ kids. Enter in… this Printable Grocery List for Kids.

I made this simple grocery list right on the computer, printed it out on card stock and laminated it for durability (that baby gets thrown into my purse) and for multiple uses (pair it with a dry erase marker).

The list I made is pretty generic, but you could easily make lists for your kids to fit their ages and your needs. I used pictures/clipart of the items to make the cuter, but picture clues are also great for beginning readers. For your older kiddos, you can actually have them write the list at home before heading to the grocery store. For multiple kids, consider giving them different lists so that they each have their own responsibilities, which helps to avoid arguments.

Not only does the list keep the kids busy, but it gets them involved in the process and teaches them an important life skill. And while the kids are busy with their lists, you are able to focus on those awesome deals to save you some money. We were able to shop Safeway’s Huge Anniversary sale and took advantage of the BOGO Steak Sale and stocked up on Life (Buy 4 save $2) and Gatorade ($0.58 when you buy 12)! Love a good deal!

And since I had a helper with me rather than a hungry, bored kid, our shopping experience was fun, educational, and went by quickly. You can easily download the grocery list I made so that you can print one off for the kids to use on your next trip to the grocery store. Slips right into your purse or grocery bag!

I shopped Safeway’s HUGE Anniversary sale, but you can be sure to check out what great deals are available at Albertsons, Vons, Osco, or Amigos too!

Safeway is my go to grocery store. Shop the HUGE Anniversary sale and stock up on your favorite brands 7/29-8/11. I’d love to hear how your family stock up for the school year!

Filed Under: kid-friendly, motherhood, parenting, print, printable, tips

Marvel Optics Glasses

July 1, 2015 25 Comments

Recently my daughter and I had our yearly eye exam and were told we needed new prescription glasses. After looking at the frames in the waiting room, I quickly ruled out the over priced glasses. They just weren’t in our budget… especially not two pairs. I decided on Marvel Optics glasses after looking through their affordable prices and the convenience of online shopping and ordering on their site.

Once we both decided on a style of frames we liked, we emailed a copy of our prescriptions and placed order. That easy.

They arrived on our door step several days later in cases and with little lens wipes. They fit great, the prescriptions are correct, and we couldn’t be happier with the convenience and service.

My daughter loves her pink ‘reading’ glasses with Mickey on the arms. I think they make her look older! Not sure how I feel about that one… LOL!

Right now Marvel Optics has a summer promotion running for 10% off all orders with code BEACH10 at checkout. Head on over and check out the large variety of styles for men, women, and kids. They even have sunglasses!

Connect with Marvel Optics on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

This post is a review based on my experiences with Marvel Optics. I was provided glasses to share my opinions, which are 100% my own. I only share products I think my readers will love too!

Filed Under: daughter, fashion, frames, motherhood Tagged With: glasses

Matching For Family Photos But Not Twinning

June 29, 2015 1 Comment

Hi Everyone! It’s Siri of Pumpkin Thieves and Buffalo Wings back to share another fashion post.

A lot of mamas love the idea of matching with their littles and their family for photos. It’s aesthetically pleasing and sometimes they won’t let you do it when they’re older. So take advantage of it now! But where most mamas go wrong is in thinking that to match, their family has to wear everything exactly the same. Today I’m here to give you some tips on matching for family photos but not twinning (dressing exactly the same).

1. Choose at least three colors to be in your outfits.

Back in the day (meaning the 90s and beyond) people thought that for family pictures, everyone had to wear the same color shirt, or worse, the exact same shirt.

That’s not how families work.

Each person is unique in personality and style. So choose several colors as your family’s color scheme and let each family member go from there. Try to NOT all wear the same color shirts. Wearing different colors or shades of colors in shirts helps to distinguish between each person in your photos.

I personally don’t want to be a big blob, so since Svea’s colors in these photos are lighter and mine are darker, you can better see my waistline and make both of us out clearly.

2. If you want to match something exactly the same, have it be a small accessory, like bracelets, cufflinks, belts, or necklaces.

This way, everyone still maintains an individual look, but a sweet, little detail ties you together. Svea and I love our matching bracelets from Just an Armful of Sugar and they give just the right dainty, matching look.

3. Wearing the same item of clothing is appealing, if you can make it unique in color or pattern.

For instance, if three brothers all wear blue polos, but one is dark blue, one is light blue striped, and one is grayish blue, they all maintain their own look, but the article of clothing reminds you that they belong together. Svea and I wore cardigans here, but in different colors and I styled mine with a belt.

4. Only add one pattern.

If one person is wearing stripes, someone else may not want to wear plaid or polka dots. If stripes is the pattern of choice, then stick with them and family members can wear different sizes and colors of stripes. In my professional photographer’s opinion, it just looks cleaner and fresher if you aren’t throwing tons of patterns into a photo. One pattern with some solids is best.

I chose polka dots as the pattern for Svea and my outfits here. I made sure to have them be on a different part of our outfits too, again to match, but not be exactly the same.

Momma’s Outfit Details:

Dress- Downeast Basics, Cardigan- Target, Heels & Belt- Ross,
Bracelet- Just an Armful of Sugar
Svea’s Outfit Details:
Dress- Gap, Cardigan- H&M, Shoes- Freshly Picked,
Bracelet- Just an Armful of Sugar, Hair Bow- Target

Have fun taking family photos and good luck choosing outfits that will help you match, but still allowing everyone to look unique and distinct! I hope these four tips helped you!

Thanks for reading!

Siri {Of Pumpkin Thieves and Buffalo Wings}

Filed Under: family, fashion, motherhood, parenting, photography

DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint

May 26, 2015 Leave a Comment

Hi makers! It is Michelle from Delicate Construction and I am back with another fun kids craft! This is a great activity to have in your back pocket on those long summer days. Most of us have all these things in our cupboard as we speak and this is a fun way to keep the kids busy but still having a blast! Check out this DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint!

This paint is so simple to put together, all you need is cornstarch, water and food coloring or liquid water color (both work, sometimes at the school we have more color options when using the watercolors, but at home I use the food coloring and it works great!).

I do a one to one ratio so if I throw in a cup of cornstarch, I put about a cup of water. There is really no science to this, you just want it to be kind of a milky liquid. After it was all mixed, I poured it into a variety of bowls. Old plastic ones are best.

Lastly, I added colors to each bowl. One thing I should mention is that while both are non toxic, the food coloring mixtures stained hands much more than the water color mixtures. All of it did com out for Avery in the bath that night but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Then you pass out some brushes, older ones if you have them, and let them go to town!

The kids can of course paint the concrete or driveway, but Avery and her friends also had a blast painting a textured wall nearby as well. I love how bright the colors were and how much fun they all had!

The pictures were great and it was such a fun change up from ordinary paint and brush on paper!

I hope you and your kids have fun with this idea this summer!! What is one of your favorite summer activities to do with the kids?

Michelle {Delicate Construction}

Filed Under: contributor, crafts, DIY, kid-friendly, motherhood, paint, summer, tutorial

Pretty in Pink Fashion for Kids

May 23, 2015 Leave a Comment

Hey Everyone! It’s Siri from Pumpkin Thieves and Buffalo Wings back to share another fun fashion post for your littles! Today’s fashion tips feature Pretty in Pink Fashion for Kids.

When I found out that I was having a girl, I pretty much immediately swore off pink. I wouldn’t be that mother that dressed her little girl in pink every day! In my almost snobbish efforts to stay away from pink, I ended up with almost an entire wardrobe for my baby with no pink in it. Then, slowly, over her first year, I discovered that pink didn’t have to be “stereotypical.” One piece of clothing at a time, I discovered that I was falling in love with pink as an essential part of Svea’s wardrobe.

Pink can be lively,

adorable,

classy,

and tasteful!

Whether you have boys or girls, there are so many ways to style pink in their outfits!

Start with a dress or shirt as the main piece of the outfit.

Then add a bow tie or some tights:

Add a cardigan, some adorable shoes, and/or a belt:

Finish off the look with a handsome pink hat or a sweet headband:

Have fun styling pink into your little’s daily outfits! I hope these tips help you to incorporate pinks into your kids’ outfits!

Svea’s outfit: Dress- Carter’s, Flats- Gap, Hair Bow- Sara Ellie Bows, Tights- Carter’s, Stuffed Pig- Merry Love Joy

Siri {Pumpkin Thieves and Buffalo Wings}

Filed Under: clothing, contributor, fashion, kid-friendly, motherhood

Dolly and Me Dresses

May 9, 2015 14 Comments

A couple of months ago for my daughter’s seventh birthday, she received a very special gift from her Amma (grandma). A fancy big girl doll. One that has different outfits and accessories and she even has pretty hair that can be styled different ways. Many of you with little girls are probably familiar with the Our Generation and American Girl dolls. The only the better than having a fancy big girl doll with cute outfits is being able to *match* said doll. Now that would be extra special, right? That’s where these Dolly and Me Dresses come into play…

How cute is that?! I cannot tell you the excitement that hit our living room when my daughter discovered new dresses with mini matching dresses!

Not to mention the matching hair bows… so cute! This hot pink chevron dress with ruffles is pretty and light, perfect for spring and summer wear! The lace sleeves are an added bonus, don’t you think?

With Memorial Day and the Fourth of July around the corner, how perfect is this patriotic pillowcase dress? The corkscrew bows and blingy necklace pair perfectly with this dress.

With summer temps reaching the triple digits in Arizona, I know we will get lots of use out of these adorable dresses this summer.

Outfit details for Dolly and Me:

Hot Pink Chevron Ruffle Dress (Dolly and Me)

Hot Pink Chevron Hair Bows

Pink Chunky Necklace with Rosettes

Red Zebra with Navy Patriotic Pillowcase Dress (Dolly and Me)

Red, White, and Blue Chunky Necklace with Diamond

Patriotic mini corkscrew bows

All from AlwaysUnderPay.com– reasonably priced, great quality, and super fast shipping! This Utah based, family owned business also offers baby outfits and accessories, craft supplies, dance clothing, tutus, and much more! We were very impressed with our first package!

You can find AlwaysUnderPay.com on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter also! And below you can enter to win $50 credit to their online shop! This giveaway is open to US residents who are 18 years or older. The giveaway is open for seven days and a random winner will be selected and announced. The winner has 48 hours to claim their prize and then a new winner will be chosen if needed. GOOD LUCK and keep supporting small business!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was given products to review, but all opinions are 100% my own and I only share products I think my readers will love.

Filed Under: clothing, fashion, giveaway, kid-friendly, motherhood

Three Baby Accessories for Spring

April 25, 2015 Leave a Comment

Hi Everyone! It’s Siri from Of Pumpkin Thieves and Buffalo Wings! Just stopping by to share three baby accessories for spring that are my favorites!

There are lots of fun fashion and baby accessories that become more popular in the spring and summer months, but these might not be your typical “spring accessories.” They’re ones that I’ve found to be just wonderful for my little lady though!

1. Glitter Hair Clips by Little Blooms Handmade

Now that my little miss is running, dancing, and tripping all over the place, her bangs that are trying to grow are constantly in her face. These adorable little clips are perfect for keeping her hair out of her face

and staying in place!

We live in Arizona too, so in the spring when it starts getting pretty hot outside, you don’t want hair on your sweaty forehead. Again, these clips are lifesavers!

2. Bright Patterned Onesies

Spring is the perfect time to break out the stripes, polka dots, and chevron patterns! Be bold with adorable spring colors and patterns! Svea’s onesie here is from Carter’s and they have all sorts of adorable spring patterns!

3. Play Blankets by A Pretty Life Shop

A lot of people have asked if that blankets in my shop are swaddle blankets or toddler blankets.

The answer is both! I call them play blankets because they are roomy, soft, and compact, able to be used for swaddling, nap time, or playtime. I’ve found them to be perfect for my little lady to play outside on! Right now while the weather is so lovely, our play blankets are perfect to bring a snack outside and picnic on or play with some toys on.

Every blanket is sewn and hand-stitched with love. There are several patterns to choose from with lovely spring colors and more coming soon!

Go on!

Get yourself and your little ones dressed up in those cute spring patterns with glitter clips in hair and armed with blankets for playing. Enjoy the fresh air, the flowers blooming, and fun that childhood brings to it all.

Thanks for reading!

Siri {Of Pumpkin Thieves and Buffalo Wings}

Filed Under: baby, contributor, fashion, kid-friendly, motherhood, spring

Watercolor Vase

April 22, 2015 Leave a Comment

Hi Mine for the Making lovelies! Michelle here from Delicate Construction and today I have a super fun Mother’s Day gift idea! Also, if you paired this with your teacher’s favorite gift card, it would be equally as awesome for teacher appreciation. To top it off, this pretty Watercolor Vase is a $5 project!

So, I was strolling around Target and noticed a whole new section… a craft section! Wahoo! There was so much fun stuff in there but my eyes zoomed in on these vases that almost have a ceramic look and feel to them- I had to have one.

I brought it home and knew that it would be a fun art project for my daughter, Avery. So I set her up with paper, water, napkins and her watercolors. I love the way this type of surface absorbs the watercolors instantly so there is literally no dry time!

Avery got to work and I did what I always do when Avery is painting, clean up the kitchen or other quick task. Because that’s #momlife, am I right?

I love when Avery paints things for me because kids have a way of always creating something beautiful. Especially when you set them up for success with the right materials. The way the watercolors started melting into each other was awesome. This wasn’t even a messy project either which was an added bonus.

The final product is something I am in love with and I would certainly be thrilled to receive on Mother’s Day filled with fresh flowers or even paper ones! This one would be a keeper for sure…

Didn’t it turn out so cute? Get yourself to Target’s craft section and grab a couple of vases for your kids to make for Mother’s Day, Teacher Appreciation or for grandparents! Stop by Delicate Construction for more kid-friendly ideas!

Michelle {Delicate Construction}

Filed Under: contributor, crafts, holidays, kid-friendly, mother's day, motherhood, teacher, tutorial

Non-Candy Egg Fillers for Under $10

March 31, 2015 Leave a Comment

Hi Mine for the Making lovelies! Michelle again from Delicate Construction and today I thought I would share how I filled all of the plastic eggs I needed for Avery’s egg hunt for under $10! If that wasn’t cool enough, what if I told you there was no candy involved?! I got your attention now right? Check out these Non-Candy Egg Fillers for Under $10!

My biggest secret? My favorite place, and I am sure yours as well, the Target One Spot! The dollar store would also be a great option but basically I was looking for anything that had multiple items in the package for a dollar. I found lots of great things like small rings, erasers, pens, tape, hair clips and stickers in all of her favorite characters.

When it came to filling the eggs, I just broke everything up into singles and got to work! Things like the erasers I put a few at a time in but the barrettes and such were just one per egg.

The stickers I cut into strips and maneuvered around all of the character so I could get about 4 strips from each sheet.

Once they were all cut, I just rolled them up and stuck them in their own egg as well! Super simple and this one got a huge bang for the buck!

I can’t wait until Sunday when Avery gets to go on her hunt! She is going to have a blast! Bonus points that I won’t have to have extra candy in the house tempting her or me!

Hope you have a Happy Easter!

Michelle {Delicate Construction}

Filed Under: contributor, easter, kid-friendly, motherhood, Teach Me Tuesday, tips

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