Food Fun Family

June Blogging Prompts #BlogPrompts

Annie — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 11:00:08 +0000

Welcome to summer!! Now the stress of getting kids awake and ready for school is replaced either with “hurry up and go to all the bazillion summer sports stuff” or “seriously, leave me alone for like ONE MINUTE.”

Either way, for you bloggers like me, that leaves little or no room for creativity. Lucky for you, I found a babysitter, tuned Pandora to my girly-pop-happiness and created a complete list of fab prompts!

There really aren’t any rules for these blogging prompts. Pin the post and stop by for ideas whenever you need one. Link back to this post if you want, tweet and share it with your fellow blogger-blocked friends! For a few prompts I list just a word. I hope this word sparks an idea for you. So if I write the word “problem” you can either write about a problem you faced this week, or maybe you can solve a common problem other parents face.

June Blogging Ideas:

1. What you see

2. Wasting

3. You and me

4. Radio

5. Your favorite place to eat

6. Vintage

7. Nighttime parenting

8. What are you looking forward to?

9. Ever after

10. Jazz/Jazzy

11. Classic

12. When you feel special

13. This did not just happen

14. Beautiful you

15. Bright

16. The missing piece

17. The most repeated phrases in your house

18. The habit you do that you know you shouldn’t

19. Confession

20. If you had courage you do this

21. A question you still don’t know the answer to

22. Things nobody told you about parenting

23. Romance is…

24. The water

25. One thing you don’t do enough of

26. Your biggest time wasters

27. Something you did that you never thought you would

28. Sharing

29. Do you parent like your parents?

30. Masterpiece

Live Entertainment on Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas Cruise Ship

Annie — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 21:30:46 +0000

What makes taking a cruise so much more fun than just flying to your destination? The atmosphere of the ship, the food, and the live shows! With a cruise, it isn’t about the destination, it is about the journey. And on Royal Caribbean cruise lines, the entertainment is fun, exciting and what memories are made of.

Recently I went on a Brandcation press trip with 40 other bloggers to experience the Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas cruise ship. While on the 4-day cruise, I tried to attend as many live shows as I could. I am going to share my favorites with you. If you are ever curious about taking a cruise, I definitely suggest it! The ship is one huge party and it really makes traveling to your port way fun.

Encore: An Ice Spectacular

I loved the music in this show! It was full of my favorite musicals like Phantom of the Opera and Evita. The cast was all super talented. There was even a performer from Vegas that amazed the audience as she performed with hula hoops.

Love & Marriage Game Show

If you have ever seen The Newlywed Game, you will know how this show is set up. Our cruise director Jerome was hilarious! They choose volunteer couples from the audience to participate – a newlywed, a married-for-awhile, and a I-hope-I-stay-married-that-long older couple. I haven’t laughed this much in so long. It was hilarious!

Photo credit: Royal Caribbean

In The Air

I feel like this show could have been missed. Or I should have taken sea sickness medicine before attending. This show is full of aerial acrobats and modern dancers. They told the audience that unattended children should not sit in the front row – and for good reason! It was a pretty intense show. There was one scene with demented pirates and the faces the dancers made to the people in the front row was pretty frightening. Plus, most of the action happened above the front row with lots of swinging on ropes and cables. With all the acrobatics and the swaying of the boat, I went straight to my room and went to bed. I passed a little boy that got sick on his way out of the theater.

Saturday Night Fever

Before attending this live musical, I had not seen the movie. I loved this show! The actors and actresses were all super talented. I loved the songs and costume design. But what set this show apart from other live shows was the fantastic set design! I wasn’t allowed to take pictures during the show, but through a combination of lights, mirrors, and strategically placed trap doors in the floor, they transitioned between scenes seamlessly. I left the show singing and dancing and ready to “stay alive.”

The Quest: Adult themed game show

On the final night of the cruise, I attended and participated in The Quest. Jerome was the perfect host, he really new how to have fun and play up the audience! The Quest is definitely only for adults and only for adults that are not easily offended by mature themes.

Basically, it is an adult-themed scavenger hunt. The 3-sided arena was split into 6 teams. Each team appointed a male and female team captain. Then, Jerome asks for something from the team and one of the captains has to go show it to Jerome with their number in order to receive points. One time he asked for a picture of the white house, another time a tattoo. Then after the audience was warmed up, he started asking the more “crazy” stuff – our male team captain had to wear 4 bras from our team on his head. And a girl from our team had to wear 4 men’s pants/shorts. That photo above? That is me with lipstick on my face.

What about you? Have you been on a cruise? I’d love to hear what shows you went to and what you thought!

April Blogging Prompts #BlogPrompts

Annie — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 12:00:13 +0000

April is a month for renewal. As the spring rains pour down, it nourishes the ground. However, the benefits of the rain aren’t often seen until the sun appears to warm the ground and urge the seeds from their hiding spots.

I hope these writing prompts will be the sunshine in your cloudy mind this month! Let your brain “storm” away (see what I did there? LOL) and feel free to be as creative as you want with any of them.

1) How do you beat the blues on a cloudy day?
2) Where do you go when you are sad?
3) Something white
4) Renewal
5) New birth
6) Overcoming a least favorite
7) World Travel
8) The letter A
9) Hunger
10) Artistic expression
11) Cleaning your mind
12) Breaking bad habits
13) Creating new habits
14) The college degree you would go back and get if you could
15) Roommates
16) Being late
17) Organization
18) Reminders

Be sure to check out all of our previous blogging prompts and come back on the first Sunday of evert month for more prompts to get you writing more. Have fun with it!

March Blogging Prompts

Annie — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 13:00:10 +0000

Do you have Spring fever too? I am itching to be outside in the sun, if only it would warm up! Here in Kansas, it is still very cold, much too cold for March.

I know with my desire to just be out of my house, I will be referencing this list of blog post ideas. Plus, this is the last 3 months of the school year, which means lots of activities and long days. The less thinking about my blog topics, the better.

I can’t wait to read what you write! Please share it here!

And remember, these are only ideas! So please take them and use them however you want. Be satirical, be raw/emotional or informative. Let these just be idea-jumpers, the post is entirely up to you.

The color green
Have you ever helped someone make reach their dreams? Share it!
What is something from your childhood that you passed down to your children?
Finish this sentence (in a blog post) “If I could teach my children one thing before I leave, it would be ______”
How do you stay organized?
Describe the last kind thing you did and what was the result?
The worst piece of advice I ever received as a new parent was:
What does the word “friend” mean to you?
Write about sibling rivalry
Share one thing you learned about yourself from your most recent employment.
Are you a night owl or morning person?
The word soft
A childhood memory
Nutrition/Food
An embarassing moment
Either a concert you went to and loved or never went to and regret missing
Your favorite TV show
Something unbelievable
A movie you think everyone should watch
Your first date
Would you rather hire a maid or a cook?
Your favorite book

What will you write about this month?

Remember to come back the first Sunday of each month for more blogging prompts. Have some fun ideas? We love comments and suggestions! Use one of these #BlogPrompts? Be sure to leave a link in the comment section below so we can come read!

Bridal Registry One Stop #TargetWedding

Annie — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 13:00:27 +0000

Note: This post and giveaway is sponsored by Target, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.

Eight years ago, I married my true love, Josh. And this year, my little sister is getting married to hers. And while her and I are totally different in almost every single way possible, we agree on one thing – Target is one of the best places to compile a bridal registry.

I remember that feeling of giddiness as I held the barcode scanner in my hand and strolled the aisles of possibilities with Josh. He pointed to a Kitchen Aid mixer and I paused, unsure of the need for one. (I was a naive 20 year old, I have since realized the error in my thinking). I wanted to create a beautifully decorated home with cute wall hangings, clocks, and coordinating linens. My husband, however, was more practical. Slow cookers, stand mixers, coffee pots and new dinner ware sets were on his list. Together we combined to create a dynamic couple – me the dreamer, him the realist. Target provided every item on both our lists from the beautiful to the necessary.

My little sister is the opposite of me. She is one of the most practical people I know! She is also quite the Type A personality. She enjoys registering for her wedding at Target because it is easy to shop at for every guest, it has everything she needs and it is simple to do!

Did you register at Target for your wedding?

How would you like to win a $25 Target Gift Card? Well, here you go!

Enter to win a $25 Target Gift card

Target has been so kind to offer one Better in Bulk reader a $25 gift card (and you don’t have to be planning a wedding any time soon, either!). All you have to do to enter is to visit the Target Wedding Catalog and tell me what gift you would love to give at your next bridal shower.

Enter on the Rafflecopter form below before 2/24/14 at midnight, when a giveaway winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sparkle Save Some Serious Coin

Annie — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 16:43:16 +0000

This post brought to you by Walmart. All opinions are 100% mine.

You could win a $100 Walmart card in their Sparkle® Save Some Serious Coin Sweeps! Plus, read below for how to clip a $1 off coupon for Sparkle® paper towels. {And who couldn't use $100??} $100 at Walmart can buy a week's worth of groceries, some spring clothes for your kids, cleaning supplies, and any other last minute things you need (like birthday gifts).

Entering is super easy! Just go to the giveaway page at Walmart to enter. Then you just enter your birthday, email address, and fill out the form and you are entered! And they draw one winner every day!

The sweepstakes runs until March 15, 2014, so good luck! There is a limit of one prize per person and one entry per day. Go back and enter every day. It was super simple for me to enter. Check out the screenshots – it took only a few minutes out of my day. I hope I win…$100 is pretty awesome.

How to get your Sparkle® Paper Towels Coupon!

At the bottom of the Walmart giveaway page, there is a link to a Sparkle® coupon! Click the link and it takes you to a page full of Walmart coupons. The Sparkle® coupon is the first one and is for $1 off a package of 6 paper towels or more.

Happy savings! This is definitely the time to hop on the website and not only save some money, but enter to win free money. Tell all your friends and family members about the $100 giveaway too. If they win, maybe they will share? Hey, you can hope.

Red Carpet Beauty Giveaway #OnMyWay2Fab

Annie — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 13:00:02 +0000

The 2014 People’s Choice Awards brought out the fun and funk side of the most loved entertainment stars. Since this awards show is voted on by the public, stars felt more relaxed and let their personality really shine.

This post is sponsored by Walgreens. All opinions are my own.

Here are some of my favorites and a few tips for how you can snag these looks for yourself!

Taylor Swift was all about the eyes! Her bold, smokey eye color brought out the stark contrast of her bright blues. And her beautiful earrings matched that shade perfectly.

To get this look: Go with browns and dark blues for eye color. And really pump up the volume of your lashes! COVERGIRL Bombshell Volume by LashBlast Mascara is a must-have product for making your eyes stand out for your night out.

I am slightly jealous of Jessica Alba’s natural beauty. She has such flawless skin and perfect smile. She went with attention on the eyes too (love her lashes!). I love her understated accessorizing, the simple earrings and no necklace, a great combo for a lovely lady.

To get this look: Find a skin care routine you love and stick with it! Drinking plenty of water will help your skin stay hydrated and glow. When playing up your eye makeup, go softer on the lips so the attention stays on your eyes. And don’t ignore your smile! Crest 3d White Vivid Radiant Mint Toothpaste is an easy way to remove surface stains so your smile is as stunning as you are.

Glee’s Naya Rivera win’s for “Best Hair” in my opinion. My hair will never have that much luxurious volume, that is amazing. It looks so effortless, and yet awe-inducing at the same time. And just like the others in this post, she overstated her eyes and went more neutral with her lips.

To get this look: It is all about the shading. Accentuate your cheekbones and be careful not to over-bronze as you do. For your hair, apply a volumizer to damp hair and blow dry with a thick round brush. If your hair is damaged, try the Pantene Damage Detox Cream. It is the first total hair system to reset damaged hair to look and feel like new. It instantly renews hair with lasting smoothness.

Jennifer Hudson was a fan favorite for best dressed! I could not agree more. Look at her flaunting her healthy (and hard earned) figure in that form fitting white dress. And she contrasting accessories and nails were a fab choice. She broke away from the crowd and chose to accentuate her lips in a fun bright color.

To get this look: Try out fun lip colors. Find a color that makes you feel sassy and confident. For nails, pick a color that contrasts with your outfit instead of matching it. Studio 35 Nail Polish Remover Pads are great for if you happen to paint your nails then change your mind and want a different color – it happens!

GIVEAWAY

Great news! One Better in Bulk reader will win everything you see in the photo above! This includes the following products:

· COVERGIRL Bombshell Lip Perfection Lipstick

· COVERGIRL Bombshell Volume by LashBlast Mascara

· COVERGIRL truMAGIC Pore Minimizer

· Crest 3D White 1 Hour Express Whitestrips

· Pantene Damage Detox Cream

· Crest 3D White Vivid Radiant Mint

· Oral B Toothbrush Advantage 3D White Vivid Soft

· Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash

· Venus and Olay Sugarberry Exfoliate Razor

· Olay Regenerist Microsculpting Cream

· Pet Shoppe Dog Toy

· Delish Chocolate Bar

· Studio 35 Nail Polish Remover Pads

· Studio 35 Blender Brush

TO ENTER:

Enter on the Rafflecopter form below through January 28. A winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. US addresses only, please. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

January Blogging Prompts

Annie — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 13:00:46 +0000

Sometimes, all you need is an idea – a word, a phrase – to help you feel like the writer you are and to begin sharing a fun post. I am the same way. So I decided that once a month I would create a list of writing prompts for you to choose from. Anytime you are hitting “Blogger’s Block” and want something new to write about, stop by this post and pick one!

If you want to pin this post, here is the banner:

Some of the prompts are straight-forward, others are open-ended and can be taken any way you wish. Have fun with them! And come back each month. A new set of prompts will be posted on the first Sunday of every month!

10 Blogging Prompts for January:

Share your favorite winter memory
What does the phrase “Choose happy” mean to you?
What was (one of) the first blogs you read?
Write about warmth
What keeps you going when you get run down?
Pick one word that describes your parenthood experience. Why did you choose that word?
What one quality do you appreciate most in your children?
Write about the color pink
Finish this sentence – “I feel happy when ________”
Describe in beautiful detail something tiny – almost forgettable – that happened today.