Food Fun Family

Monster Favor Boxes and More from Minted

Lolli — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 12:00:22 +0000

This fun Halloween-themed craft idea is brought to you by Minted, but all thoughts are my own.

You probably know Minted.com for their stunning and unique holiday cards, but did you know that they have a blog featuring all sorts of crafts and projects, too? Julep, the official blog of Minted (get it? mint julep?), is full of fun projects and crafts, from crafts to do with kids to wedding favors to decor for your home.

And although it may be time to start making plans for this year’s Christmas cards (I have absolutely no idea what we’re doing, by the way), I’d rather continue enjoying the Halloween pumpkins and witches and monsters for at least a few more days.

Take these Monster Favor Boxes as an example. Are they not adorable? I can picture my kids going absolutely crazy over putting the mouths and pointy-sharp teeth and pom-pom hair onto their boxes. Wouldn’t they be perfect for party favors, gifts for friends or teachers, or just cute Halloween decorations?

I’m actually dying because I discovered that Minted also has party supplies – how cute is the Monsters Allowed party theme, complete with centerpieces, banners, garland and invitations.

I also found an adorable paper strip pumpkin and the easy Halloween washi tape candles. Each of the projects has step-by-step instructions with gorgeous photos.

But these ideas REALLY take the cake…

I love how they’ve paired the perfect crafty project with creative Halloween party invitations from Minted. It may be past time for sending out Halloween party invites, but it’s NEVER too late to make Wizard of Oz-themed Wicked Witch cupcakes. Am I right?

PS – there are tons of other cute card-and-treat ideas on the Halloween party post as well as DIY projects and crafts for every season and celebration.

It’s time to think about Holiday Cards!

Have you thought about your holiday cards yet this year? What’s your holiday card style? Do you take a new family picture each year and order a colorful photo-based card to send to family and friends? Those are the cards I prefer to send out AND receive…but I often run out of inspiration (and time). I love that Minted.com has thousands of talented designers that do the design work for me and all I have to do is upload my picture, add my message and click order.

If you place your order before Tuesday 10/29, there’s a great promo code on the site for 10% off your order. You can even start your order now, get the discount, and add your photo later.

What are you waiting for?

Get Some Holiday Shopping Done; Win an iPad!

Lolli — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 13:57:35 +0000

This post contains affiliate links, but I am a loyal YesVideo customer and LOVE this deal, and I thought a few of my awesome readers might want to take advantage of the holiday specials.

I was on a friend’s blog yesterday when something dawned on me – one of the reasons I love Halloween so much is that it is officially the turning point – the point in time when Back-to-school season and Fall turn into the pre-Holiday season. Once we pack up our Halloween costumes, the holiday shopping begins (because, really? If I don’t start my holiday shopping by November 1, I will inevitably end up scrambling at the end of December to find those last few gifts).

I know first hand that the gift of YesVideo is one that family members will cherish for years to come. Do Grandma and Grandpa have boxes full of old home movies that no one can watch because nobody owns the right player anymore? Are your own childhood home videos lost and forgotten in a closet somewhere?

Imagine how much your own kids would FLIP OUT to see you or daddy when you were their age?

I should stop. I’ve already talked enough about how much I love YesVideo’s video transfer service (but if you haven’t read my previous posts, let me just stress – YesVideo takes your home movies (film reels, VHS, 8mm, slides, etc) and converts them to beautiful digital video which you can view online or on a mobile app. You can also order DVDs (one for you, one for the Grandparents!).

Place an order this week and win an iPad!

I could keep talking about YesVideo’s awesomeness, but the real reason for this post is to tell you about a special promotion happening NOW through November 1, 2013. Place any home video transfer order by 11/1/13 and use the Promo Code “ipad15” to get 15% off your order (regardless of order size) AND automatically get entered to win an iPad and get your entire order free.

It’s the perfect holiday shopping idea – give them the video transfer…keep the iPad prize for yourself. {Good luck!}

Start your order now!

A few rules: Open to individual household orders only; excludes corporate, business and group orders. Valid only for standard transfer orders placed by 11:59pm PT, November 1, 2013 — Videotape and film reel transfers. You may send in your media after this deadline, as long as your order is placed by November 1st, 2013. No minimum purchase required for your 15% discount. Multiple orders will be counted as one when determining prizes.

Free Trick-or-Treat Printables to Help Kids Save for College

Lolli — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 21:24:42 +0000

If everything goes as planned, we’ll be sending our oldest off to college in less than 10 months. We’re currently knee deep in the college application process, so college (an all of the expenses that go along with it!) are forefront in our minds.

That wasn’t the case 10 years ago. In 2003, college seemed like a life time away (which it was, really). But here we are, in 2013, planning to send our oldest away to school.

Did you know that according to the College Board, a “moderate” college budget for an in-state college for the 2012-2013 school year averages right at $22,261. Planning on sending your kids to a private university? Nudge that number up to $43,289. That’s per year.

College tuitions have been increasing steadily (more than a 500% increase since 1985!) with no signs of slowing down. And they’re rising faster than wages – another scary thought.

Get spooked…but NOT by college tuition!

Gradsave is a web app that helps parents crowdfund their child’s 529 savings account amongst family and friends. So on birthdays and holidays and other special occasions, friends and family can donate towards a child’s college tuition instead of spending money on another toy or blanket or clothes that they will grow out of or break or lose. Donations can be one time or recurring (maybe grandma wants to give $10 a month). And, best of all, Gradsave is free to use.

Print out these free trick-or-treat printables from Gradsave to hand out this Halloween…they’ll be one treat that parents will be sure to hold onto.

Click to save this image to your computer and then print off (on cardstock!) for a handy Halloween “extra” for parents!

Note: This post is not compensated in any way. Just something I felt was worthy of passing on!

One-Stop Halloween Shop #TargetHalloween

Lolli — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 10:00:45 +0000

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Target via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Target.

Halloween was easier on me as a mom when my kids were little and I could dress them up in whatever fit from the dress up clothes bin. Now that they are bigger, with opinions and ideas of their own about what they will and won’t wear, Halloween can be a little more tricky, a lot more time consuming, and harder on my wallet.

Most years, I avoid Halloween preparation as long as I can and throw whatever I can come up with together at the last minute. I can’t believe I’m admitting this to my blog readers.

This year, however, I decided to be different. Instead of waiting til the last minute to search for SOMETHING for the kids to wear, we’ve been planning ahead. My youngest two and my oldest knew exactly what they wanted to dress up as this Halloween…my two middle kids had no idea. I headed out to Target this week with my 16 year old (my best shopping assistant) with the goal to knock out at least two complete costumes in one stop.

Project: One-stop Halloween Shop!

My 10 year old daughter has been obsessed with Monster High for the last few years, so I wasn’t surprised when she wanted to dress up as Frankie Stein. She already has a Frankie Stein skirt so I set out to find tights (for her arms and legs), a black Sharpie and a wig to polish off the semi-homemade costume. I found the perfect color of tights in one of my favorite aisles at Target (near the shoes)…

I grabbed two pair in size small before heading over to the Halloween section.

KitKat, my 16 year old, immediately saw costumes that she loved, like the full-body suits in different colors or the banana costume (although she had already planned with friends to be one of the Ninja Turtles). My eyes went straight to the Monster High costumes, and it didn’t take me long before I convinced myself that buying the packaged costume would be a smart move (and so, so much easier!).

I even found a perfect Frankie wig so that we don’t have to worry about spray painting her hair on Halloween.

Just behind the Monster High costumes, I found something that I thought my picky 7th grade son might actually enjoy. I loved that the skeleton suit was simple, a fantastic price, and not TOO scary.

I threw in a skeleton hand trick or treating bag – a perfect fit for just $5 – and his costume was set.

By the end of our shopping trip, we had 4 of the 5 kids’ costumes set – one Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (a simple costume with a t-shirt and ninja mask), one Monster High student, one skeleton with a creepy-cool trick or treating hand, and one DIY outhouse. The ONLY thing I needed for our costumes that couldn’t buy at Target was a boy-sized cardboard box for our outhouse.

I plan on heading back to Target with the undecided child and let her pick a costume because Target makes it so easy.

We even threw a few candies in the shopping cart for good measure…

What are your kids being for Halloween? Have you found their costumes yet?

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Target via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Target.

Free Birds Movie – Kiwi Crate (Plus $25 VISA) Giveaway

Lolli — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 22:00:39 +0000

Note: The following giveaway post is brought to you by Free Birds movie. I received the same giveaway prize pack but all thoughts are my own.

The holidays are FAST approaching (do you feel it, too?!). One of our favorite holiday traditions is heading to the theater the day after Thanksgiving to see a family movie (usually something animated) and this year, there’s a hilarious, family-friendly film coming out just in time to keep that tradition going strong. I am excited, not only because the story sounds like so much fun, but because the voice cast is incredible!

About FREE BIRDS

In this hilarious, adventurous buddy comedy for audiences of all ages, directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!), two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history – and get turkey off the Thanksgiving menu for good. Free Birds opens November 1 in theaters all over!

Starring the voices of Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler, Dan Fogler, Lesley Nicol, George Takei, Colm Meaney, Keith David, Carlos Alazraqui, Dwight Howard <–what an awesome cast!

If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, check it out here:

About the Kiwi Crate Thanksgiving Turkey Kit:

Have you ever heard of Kiwi Crate? We just got our first Kiwi Crate package and fell in love. Kiwi Crate delivers creative, hands-on projects for kids ages 3 and up – and they make a perfect gift for the holidays, birthdays, or any special occasions. Recently featured in InStyle, Parenting Magazine, and US Weekly, Kiwi Crate has also been awarded Dr. Toy 100 Best Children’s Products of 2012, Parent’s Choice 2012 Gold Award, and an Oppenheim Gold Seal Best Toy Award. Kiwi Crate has a whole store full of engaging kits for kids. Each kit includes 2 to 3 hands-on crafts or games for kids to complete.

I love the Thanksgiving Turkey Kit from Kiwi Crate! All the materials are included to create:

Turkey Place Cards: Kids will love decorating and setting the Thanksgiving table with these adorable turkey place card holders.
Turkey Game: Burn off that extra Thanksgiving energy before or after dinner with this carnival-style ball toss game

Connect with FREE BIRDS online

Visit the official website
Like FREE BIRDS on Facebook
Follow @FreeBirdsMovie and #FreeBirds on Twitter and Instagram
Don’t forget – FREE BIRDS is in theaters November 1

Enter to win a FREE BIRDS prize package!

One (1) winner will receive:

Kiwi Crate Thanksgiving Turkey Kit
$25 Visa to see FREE BIRDS in theaters

Each prize pack is valued at $44.95. Enter on the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway will end on 10/24/13 and the winner will be notified via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Perfect Treat for Halloween Parties and Trick-or-Treaters – The Cheetos® Cube

Lolli — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:00:34 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sam’s Club. All opinions are 100% mine.

October is a busy time of year. With school fully underway, sports and clubs and instruments all taking up time after school, and then Halloween….When is a mom to find any time to relax?

I love Halloween. I do. But between getting 5 kids costumed, attending class parties (and making sure that the 3rd graders don't stuff their faces with only cupcakes and candy for an hour before they are sent home?!) and figuring out what to serve the slew of neighborhood trick or treaters…October can be a lot of work!

I just found an awesome product at Sam's Club that will solve two of my Halloween-prep dilemmas: the new and totally fun Cheetos® Cube, a Halloween-themed box filled with 65 individual snack-sized Cheetos® (and with glow-in-the-dark packaging)!

The box is perfect for class parties OR trick-or-treat because it has a perforated opening that allows for easy dispensing and – my favorite part – they are a Halloweeny treat that is not sweet! I always need to find something salty to counteract the sweetness on Halloween, don't you?

The Cheetos® Halloween Cube is only available at Sam's Club during the Halloween season so hurry down to your local Sam's Club and grab a box or two. I know my kids will love me forever when I bring home a box just for their school lunches.

Oh, wait. They already love me forever.

Maybe I can get a little extra work out of them for this one…

Connect with Cheetos®:

Cheetos on Twitter

Cheetos on Facebook

5 Fun Ideas to Celebrate Grandparent’s Day

Lolli — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 00:30:24 +0000

Did you know that Grandparent’s Day is celebrated each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day?

I wrote an article* that was published recently on P&G’s site, Home Made Simple, that gave a few tips and ideas for making this Grandparent’s Day memorable and special – for the grandparents in your life as well as their descendants. *While I was compensated for the article on Home Made Simple, I am sharing this info with my readers today because I think it’s a timely and fun topic.

How often do YOU make Grandparent’s Day the holiday that it deserves to be? Mother’s Day and Father’s Day both get lots of attention, but what about setting aside time each year to honor, celebrate and remember our grandparents? This year, dedicate some time to celebrate your own grandparents, and encourage your kids to tap into the wisdom and heritage of the older generation.

Here are a few of the ideas I mentioned in the article along with a few new ideas to make this Grandparent’s Day amazing!

Make homemade gifts: Do you remember how much your mom loved the mug you made her in art, or the handmade card? Grandma and Grandpa are guaranteed to get even more excited about hand made items – they indicate time and thought…and love!

Create a project together: …and let kids have a memorable experience with the whole family. Not only will a gift made together carry with it the memory of the one who gifted it, but it will carry the memory of the time spent together.

Create a time capsule: Have the whole family gather a few of their favorite things to put into a time capsule along with notes written to each other. Plan a time in the future to open the capsule.
For fun: Ask Grandma and Grandpa what they would have put in a time capsule when they were younger. The kids will love learning about their childhoods.

Bake something: Bake a special treat, as a family, or as a surprise, and enjoy eating it together. Food always impresses, even when it doesn’t turn out exactly like the picture in the cook book or on Pinterest.

Tell stories: Have you noticed that grandparents LOVE to tell stories about the way life used to be? When you get them talking about the good old days, you may be shocked at the funny stories and old family secrets that you uncover. And everyone in the family will probably learn a thing or two about why they act the way they do. After Grandma and Grandpa have had a good walk down memory lane, turn the tables…let the youngest generation tell stories of their not-so-distant childhood and then take a turn yourself, maybe sharing some stories that you remember about Grandma and Grandpa when you were younger!

Remember: If Grandma and Grandpa are too far away to get together on Grandparent’s Day, don’t forget that a phone call, a card in the mail, or a Skype chat can make their day. Even if Grandparents are no longer with us, their memories and stories are worth sharing – don’t let them be forgotten!

My article on Home Made Simple mentions a few additional projects and things to do with Grandparents this weekend, including a guide for saying Grandma and Grandpa in 7 different languages.

How do YOU celebrate Grandparent’s Day?

PS – the happy Grandparents in the picture above are not related to me. This is simply a stock photo that I purchased a while back. So I don’t want to be hearing anything about the striking family resemblance.

The Best Baked Beans Recipe Ever {Kosher and Quick!}

Lolli — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 14:46:35 +0000

Compensation was provided by Hebrew National via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Hebrew National.

I am in shock that the summer is over…although technically we’re still in that transition stage between school starting (and the end of summer vacation) and Labor Day (the closing of the pools – sad!). While we prepare for Labor Day coming up next week (picnic/pool/party time!), I’ve been testing out a few new recipes on my kids – and what better time for a mock celebration than the night after the first day of school?

I’ve been eager to find a baked beans recipe that I could cook along side our typical BBQ/party fare (freshly made, hot off the grill hamburgers and Hebrew National hot dogs, of course!) and this week I came up with a total winner! Several family members went back for seconds and a few of the kids commented that they’d never liked baked beans before I made them. Score!

The Best Baked Beans Ever!

The Best Baked Beans Ever {Kosher and Quick!}

Save Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Better in Bulk

Recipe type: Side dish

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 28 oz can vegetarian baked beans
1 15.8 oz can cannellini beans (or other white beans), drained
2 Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Franks, sliced thin
¼ cup diced onion
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ cup Hunt’s ketchup
2 Tbsp dark molasses
2 Tbsp Gulden’s spicy brown mustard
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir.
Pour bean mixture into a small casserole dish and heat in a 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, or until liquid has thickened.

In addition to these crowd-pleasing Kosher baked beans, one of the BIG things we got in preparation for our Labor Day celebrations was a new ice cream maker. Our old one broke several years ago and we never got around to buying a new one…until this weekend. There’s nothing like homemade ice cream!

Just like the baked beans recipe, I HAD to test out a basic vanilla ice cream recipe (which is kosher, as well!) and will be sharing that soon, too. Nothing sets apart a get together with family and friends like homemade ice cream. Can you tell we had a great time celebrating back to school? We’re all set to have an incredible Labor Day!

Win franks with the #99SummerDays program!

I know that a few of my kids would be in heaven if I won I won a supply of Hebrew National hot dogs. Wouldn’t yours? Entering the contest is easy. First, become a fan of Hebrew National on Facebook and then tell everyone why YOU love Hebrew National…and you could win free franks!

Hebrew National tastes great because, for more than 100 years, we’ve adhered to the highest quality standards. Hebrew National Franks are made with premium cuts of 100% pure kosher beef, and contain no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no by-products, and no fillers. Premium taste and high quality every time, for any occasion. That’s our guarantee. Learn about even more reasons to love Hebrew National, and tell us why you love them, too! Facebook.com/HebrewNational

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Hebrew National via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Hebrew National.

How to Create a Father’s Day He Won’t Forget

Lolli — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:00:05 +0000

Note: I am compensated for the posts that I write for P&G Everyday and other sites, but am not required to share them here. I just thought you’d like to see what I’ve been writing on other sites, especially since this article is so timely. Enjoy!

With Father’s Day right around the corner, I’m sure there are a few moms and kids out there scrambling to figure out how to make Dad’s day special. I wanted to share this article I wrote for P&G Everyday about creating a Father’s Day dad won’t ever forget. Ditch the new tie and create some memories instead!

A Father’s Day He Won’t Forget: Ideas that Go Beyond Gifts

Get ideas for Father’s Day gifts that mean more than a receipt and wrapping paper….

It’s no secret that Dad is a hard person to shop for. Do you find yourself heading back to the mall to pick out a new tie or a “World’s Best Dad” T-shirt every June? Do you have to drag the kids to the store to pick out another cheesy gift?

Thoughtful gifts are always appreciated, but fancy presents aren’t necessary to make the holiday memorable. Father’s Day is a perfect time to create memories and start new traditions that involve everyone in the family.

If you’re scrambling to find some new ideas for Father’s Day this year, consider these ideas that go beyond gifts — and get ready for a Father’s Day he won’t soon forget!

From breakfast in bed to a Father’s Day journal tradition, make this year the beginning of some new traditions. Check out the rest of the article (and all of my brilliant *cough* ideas) at P&G Everyday.

What are you doing for Father’s Day this year? Let me know about your favorite Father’s Day gifts (your own ideas or someone else’s) in the comments below!