The Ultimate Comfort Package Sweepstakes

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

This time of year is wonderful for many things. One of those things is getting sick. It just seems to be the prime time and conditions to get sick this time of year. One day the weather is freezing cold, the next it warms up...only to go and get cold again. All of that time indoors, especially with a large family, means a lot of time to share germs. So it seems that someone always gets has the sniffles.

And when I get sick, nothing changes. I don't snuggle on the couch and watch a movie. I get up, take a shower, make lunches and take the kids to school. Sound typical? That's the life of a mommy! So nothing is worse when I am feeling under the weather than constantly having to blow my nose which results in a  raw chapped one. OUCH.

Indoor Spring Planter for Bulbs

 

My favorite flowers come from bulbs. Maybe it is the bright colors of the tulips or the fact that they are easy to grow, but I just love them. The problem is REMEMBERING to plant them! For the past several years I have had it in my mind to plant tulips and always forget in the fall. I keep hearing about forcing bulbs in the winter to grow indoors and would love to try that too, but this year we totally cheated and bought pre-potted bulbs.

Four Lucky Projects for Kids!

 

Here are four fun projects to make with your kids in March!

From San Francisco to Cakes and Heels

 

I was supposed to be in San Francisco this weekend with my sister. Staying in a Victorian home and having lots of girl time, but mother nature had different plans. My sister ended up getting stuck in Kansas City for two days when the airport closed due to a horrible snow storm. And I stayed home.
 

 

Instead I baked a cake with Dallin for his blue and gold banquet, saw him receive his Bear advancemen...t, planted bulbs indoors, went to a gardening class at a friend's home, played card games with my husband, and enjoyed watching Ruby strut around in my high heels. My big weekend turned out to be a weekend full of many small events. Events that I am so glad I got to be a part of! And I still have SF to look forward to someday.

 

What was the best part about your weekend?

Oh! And one more question for you gals. Have you ever been to a Blogging Conference? If so, which one and was it worth the time and money? Thank you! Have a great week, Brandy.

**CLOSED**Warm Raspberry Pound Cake & $50 Sara Lee Giveaway

This Giveaway is now CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner,

TiffanyM February 23, 2013 at 2:17 PM

Shared on fb via your post!

 

I will send you your winnings soon!

Pepper Parrot's Problem with Patience: A Captain No Beard Story

This post brought to you by Carole P. Roman. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

In our last installment of Captain No Beard stories, I shared about Captain No Beard. The captain of the ship, the Flying Dragon, and leader of his fearless group of shipmates: First Mate Hallie, Mongo the Monkey, Linus the loudmouthed lion, and Fribbit the floppy frog.

The Princess Play Apron {Tutorial}

 

What would it be like to go back to a time where you didn't have a care in the world? You could be anything you wanted to be by simply using your imagination. I love living these moments through my children. To see the magic and joy of the childhood years that pass by so quickly. And I am thrilled to share our Princess Play Aprons with you so that you can create them for your little ones too.

Chocolate Shell Cupcakes

 

Cupcakes are just about the most fun dessert to bake. I love the small surface that is so much more forgiving than a big cake. Can you really improve upon the basic cupcake and frosting combo? I think so!

 

 

I decided to try a chocolate shell cupcake to make this year for Valentine's Day. I debated back and forth whether or not I should frost them first, but decided to for-go frosting completely in lieu of the chocolate. And I'm so glad I did. The kids sampled and my 9 year old, who isn't big on desserts, said that they were "GOOOOOOD". Soft, moist, red velvet cake with a smooth chocolate shell. It is just perfect! And heck, I dip everything else in chocolate, why not cupcakes too?

Graeter's Ice Cream {Giveaway}**CLOSED**

**Congrats to the winners, Susan and Rebecca!**

 

Mmm...Ice cream. My kids were thrilled when the FedEx guy dropped off a package of ice cream on our door step. Wrapped in dry ice, ready to eat. When we lived in Ohio we saw Graeter's Ice Cream shops frequently. Graeter's actually opened it's first shop in the 1800s in Cincinnati, just 2 hours from where we were in Columbus.

How to Reupholster a Swivel Rocker Chair

 

I recently received  my Grandmother's sitting chair. The one that I remember her having in her home for YEARS. She rarely watched TV, but when she did it was in this chair. And she usually was working on a sewing project while she was doing so. She passed away in September and this was one of the items left in her home that was going to be given away to a thrift store. This would be my first upholstery project, but I thought that I'd give it a go.

An Affordable Solution: Omeprazole

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

Just a quick post for those of you who like me, never suffered heart burn a day of your life...until you had kids. I didn't even know what it was or how it felt until I was in my 2nd trimester with my first child! It only got worse with each baby I had after that and it didn't matter what I ate or when I ate.

Running Errands With Little Ones

 

 

 I remember going shopping with my mom when I was a child and getting in trouble for playing hide and go seek in the fabric bolts at Hancock's. I think my brother, Jason, said it best when he said that "Going to the fabric store was a wrist-slitting good time." And yet, years later I am putting my children through the same thing! And it isn't just the fabric store. It's the post office, doctor, grocery store, dentist and any number of other places that we go on a regular basis.

Easiest Technique For Frosting Sugar Cookies

These cookies were frosted by a 4 and 6 year old. Curious? Read on...

Perry the Platypus Cake

We have some "Phineas and Ferb" fans in our home so for Aaron's 7th birthday I made him a Perry the Platypus cake. It was extremely simple and he loved it.

You've Got Mail!

 

A few years ago we started doing Valentine's Day mail boxes. The kids loved them. They had seen better days and were missing lids so this year I replaced them with new ones. I added a bit of vinyl to each and labeled them with names and we are good to go for another few years!

 

Starting the beginning of February we set them out and leave little notes and small gifts for eachother. If your flag is up, you've got mail! It is fun to see how excited they get (especially Kaylee who is so dramatic) when they open their box.