Apparoo App of The Week: Grandma's Kitchen

Disclosure:  I've partnered with Apparoo - the app discovery service for busy moms. I am compensated for this post but all opinions are 100% my own. 

It's time for the 'Apparoo App of the Week'!

APP NAME:

Grandma's Kitchen

DESCRIPTION:

Grandma's cooking up a storm in this fresh-baked app that stirs kindergarten and first grade skills into the batter. Kids can “bake” compound words, make and decorate a cake, tell time to see when the cake will be ready, and even help Grandma wash the dishes. Reading, math, and pattern-recognition are seamlessly integrated into eight fun mini-games, and live-action instructive cooking tips add to the deliciousness. Customize the games to choose which skills to activate. So hide the knives and step aside – your eensie-weensie Emeril or junior Julia Child will be whipping up dinner – with a side of reading and math! Download it here for only $0.99  

The kids loved this app! In my opinion, kids in various age ranges would love this app, not just kindergarten and first graders. My step-daughter, who's 8, played it for a long time. This would be a fun app to use this summer for refreshing skills learned during the previous school year.

Did you download this app? What are your thoughts about it?

Step-dads Are Dads Too!

Father's Day is right around the corner. It's a great day to remember your father and all he has done for you. Sometimes though, whether through divorce, death, incarceration or negligence, some kids are raised by their step-dads.  In most cases, step-dads do an amazing job, stepping up to the plate to help raise kids. In these cases, I really don't even see the need to call them step-dads. They are a dad just like any other. 

There is a negative stereotype to the concept of a step-dad, just like anything else. There are horrible men that come into a home and mis-treat the children. As a single mother, one needs to be very careful as to who you bring around your children. I haven't met any of these men. I have been very, very lucky!

In our home, JC helps me raise Adrian. JC is with Adrian ALL THE TIME. They hang out and watch TV together. They play basketball together, JC is his coach. They play video games together. JC is Adrian's "Papa" and I wouldn't have it any other way. JC loves Adrian and Adrian loves him. They have a typical father-son relationship and most people don't even realize that JC is his step-dad. 

Now it isn't all clear skies and rainbows. There are days where they spend the whole day arguing and not talking to each other. They get on each other's nerves. Adrian gets jealous of the time I spend with JC. There are days that JC is jealous of Adrian. This happens in all relationships. Most days are great though. JC is a great support system for Adrian. He is a wonderful father to Adrian! 

Blueberry French Toast Bites

Disclosure: I was provided this product and compensation in exchange for this post. However, this recipe and opinions are 100% my own. 

I'm not a huge breakfast fan but I love french toast. It's so delicious. I could have it any time of day. I especially love blueberry french toast. It's my favorite. I was craving french toast the other day but I didn't have any bread in the pantry to make it with. Then I remembered I had a package of Rhodes dinner rolls in the freezer. I know what you're thinking "Frozen dinner rolls for french toast?" but yes, they work and they actually are perfect for this dish. 

To see how I turned frozen dinner rolls into delicious Blueberry French Toast, check out my guest post over at Rhodes blog!

REVIEW: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Around The Clubhouse World DVD

Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this DVD for my review.

PASSPORT TO FUN!

Pack your bags and grab your passport. Join Mickey, Minnie and pals on a whirlwind trip Around the Clubhouse World!. Featuring over two hours of song-filled fun, this global adventure proves it's a small world after all!

Climb the Eiffel Tower in France and say ''bonjour'' to Mademoiselle Daisy and Monsieur Donald Duck. Then, rescue Gondolier Goofy when he goes adrift in Italy's Grand Canal; solve the mysterious riddle of Pharaoh Pete's pyramid in Egypt, and meet a dancing dragon at the Great Wall of China. With your help - and the right Mouseketools - your Clubhouse friends can get their special passport stamped at each wonderful location.       
     

OUR REVIEW:

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is my kids favorite show on Disney Junior. You can never get too old to watch and learn from Mickey Mouse. This DVD is more than just counting and letters, it's geography and culture. My kids loved it and have started a list of all the places we are going to visit one day!!

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Around The Clubhouse World is available now in stores and online. Get your kids a copy today!

School's Over! Let's Celebrate Summer! #SummerGoodies #CollectiveBias

Disclosure: I am a member  of the Collective Bias ® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a  social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. 

With the end of the school year drawing near, there's lots of excitement in our house for summer break! I can't blame the kids for being excited, I remember how long those last days of school were for me. I know they are ready for sleeping in, playing outside, pool time, staying up late and having fun. I decided they needed a special lunch this weekend to celebrate the end of school. We needed to do something special we hadn't done before. Since we love to grill and love to eat pizza, I decided we would have grilled pizza and pool time. I went to Walmart to gather my goodies. I purchased 2 Jack's frozen pizzas, one cheese and one pepperoni, and a box of Nestle Drumsticks, Peanut Butter Variety. #SummerGoodies #CollectiveBias

I was a little nervous to grill pizza since I had never done it before. I do all the grilling in our house but this time, I was nervous. Once I read the instructions, I realized how easy it actually was. I preheated my gas grill to about 400° (lid closed) and then just placed the frozen pizzas on the rack. Close the lid and 15 minutes later, you have the most delicious grilled pizza ever! That's right, you can grill it!

The kids were super excited to try grilled pizza. So excited, that they jumped right out of the pool to try them. The two pizzas were devoured in less than 10 minutes. They were crispy and cheesy and just so delicious!

As soon as they were done, it was back in the pool for more fun!

Now if you have kids and a pool, you know how difficult it is to get them out. They want to stay in there all day. Remember that box of Nestle Drumsticks that I purchased?  Well, it came in handy not only to complete our celebration but to entice the kids out of the pool. 

These boys really enjoyed their reward. The best part about buying the Nestle Drumstick variety pack is that everyone gets the flavor they like. I was all about no arguments during my celebration! 

Are you kids super excited for summer? How are you celebrating the end of the school year? 

Harlem Globetrotters Summer Skills Clinic - Save $10

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received admission to my local summer skills clinic in exchange for this post.

We are a basketball family. We watch it on TV, root for our hometown team, Adrian plays pee-wee basketball and hopes to go pro one day! It's a super serious sport and takes lots of practice and determination to succeed. There is also a fun side to basketball and that's the Harlem Globetrotters. They are amazing. On top of their nation-wide tour, they host a Summer Skills Basketball Clinic for kids. Luckily, they will be making a stop in Miami in July and you know we will be there.

Save $10 Off 2014 Harlem Globetrotters Summer Skills Clinics with code: USFAMILY If you like the Globetrotters, you'll love their Summer Basketball Clinics. Inspired by their show, these two-hour clinics for kids aged 6-12 are taught by actual Globetrotter players and jam packed with games, tricks and moves. Kids at the Harlem Globetrotters Summer Basketball Clinics will:

Spend two fun-filled hours with their friends being coached by two Globetrotter stars. 

Learn more than just Xs and Os as the Globetrotters emphasize how to be a good teammate on and off the court.

Leave with an official certificate, personalized Globetrotter nickname and ticket voucher to the Globetrotters 2015 North American Tour valued at $40.

Have an autograph and photograph session at the end of the clinic.
Spaces are strictly limited so register your 6-12 year old today! Register through this link and save with our exclusive US Family Guide. Automatically save $10 OFF Harlem Globetrotters Summer Skills Clinics with promo code USFAMILY via https://tickets.completeticketsolutions.com/GLB/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::promocode_access_code_url=USFAMILY

Here is the complete list of cities and dates for the clinics

2014 Basketball Clinic Locations:
Arnold, MO
215 Arnold Crossing Arnold , MO 63010
5/28 to 5/31

St. Charles, MO
1095 Regency Parkway St. Charles, MO 63303
6/1 to 6/2

Shawnee, KS
11311 W. Shawnee Mission Pkwy Shawnee, KS 66203
6/5 to 6/8

Lee's Summit, MO
900 NE Deerbrook Street Lee's Summit, MO 64086
6/9 to 6/10

Overland Park, KS
12075 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66213
6/12 to 6/15

Lewisville, TX
4866 State Highway 121 Lewisville, TX 75056
6/5 to 6/7

Fort Worth, TX
2701 Halloran Street Fort Worth, TX 76107
6/8 to 6/10

Gilbert, AZ
97 S. Val Vista Dr Gilbert, AZ 85234
6/10 to 6/12

Mesa, AZ
1844 W 8th St Mesa, AZ 85201
6/13 to 6/15

Austin, TX
12400 N IH 35 Austin, TX 78753
6/12 to 6/14

Pflugerville, TX
1401 Town Center Pflugerville, TX 78660
6/15 to 6/16

Clackamas, OR
8720 SE Sunnybrook Blvd Clackamas, OR 97015
6/12 to 6/14

Lake Oswego, OR
17942 SW McEwan Rd Lake Oswego, OR 97224
6/15 to 6/17

Beaverton, OR
11100 SW Murray Scholls Place Beaverton, OR 97007
6/19 to 6/22

San Diego, CA
6348 College Grove Way #109 San Diego, CA 92115
6/17 to 6/20

San Diego, CA
7715 Balboa Ave San Diego, CA 92111
6/21 to 6/24

Santee, CA
9906 Mission Gorge Road Santee, CA 92071
6/26 to 6/28

Aurora, CO
15900 E Briarwood Cir Aurora, CO 80016
6/17 to 6/19

Broomfield, CO
4650 W. 120th Ave Broomfield, CO 80020
6/20 to 6/22

Katy, TX
1550 S. Mason Rd Katy, TX 77450
6/19 to 6/22

Friendswood, TX
130 W. Parkwood Ave Friendswood, TX 77546
6/23 to 6/27

Houston, TX
8650 Endicott Ln Houston, TX 77096
6/28 to 6/30

Sandy, UT
10365 S 1300 E Sandy, UT 84094
6/25 to 6/27

Salt Lake City, UT
1121 E. Ashton Avenue Salt Lake City, UT 84106
6/28 to 6/30

Issaquah, WA
5712 E. Lake Sammanish Parkway Issaquah, WA 98029
6/25 to 6/28

Lynnwood, WA
18930 29th Ave W Lynnwood, WA 98036
6/29 to 7/1

Hollywood, CA
6380 West Sunset Blvd Hollywood, CA 90028
7/5 to 7/8

Carson, CA
945 E. Dominguez St Carson, CA 90746
7/10 to 7/13

Northridge, CA
19350 Nordhoff Street Unit D Northridge, CA 91324
7/15 to 7/18

Arcadia, CA
125 N 1st Ave Arcadia, CA 91006
7/19 to 7/22

San Jose, CA
1610 Crane Court San Jose, CA 95112
7/5 to 7/8

San Mateo, CA
93 Bovet Rd San Mateo, CA 94402
7/10 to 7/15

San Ramon, CA
4450 Norris Canyon Rd San Ramon, CA 94583
7/16 to 7/20

Falls Church, VA
1000 East Broad Street Falls Church, VA 22042
7/5 to 7/9

Annapolis, MD
200 Harker Place Annapolis, MD 21401
7/11 to 7/15

Vienna, VA
1500 Cornerside Blvd Vienna, VA 22182
7/17 to 7/20

Pembroke Pines, FL
8333 Pines Blvd Pembroke Pines, FL 33024
7/9 to 7/12

Miami, FL
8400 Mills Drive Miami, FL 33183
7/13 to 7/14

Sacramento, CA
8785 Center Pkwy Sacramento, CA 95823
7/22 to 7/24

Sacramento, CA
1020 7th St Sacramento, CA 95814
7/25 to 7/27

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
459 Route 17 Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604
7/22 to 7/24

Paramus, NJ
260 E. Route 4 Paramus, NJ 07652
7/25 to 7/30

Nanuet, NY
5205 Fashion Drive Nanuet, NY 10954
7/31 to 8/3

Orange, CA
2102 N Tustin Ave Orange, CA 92865
7/24 to 7/29

5 on Friday!

It's time for 5 on Friday!!!  Once again, I am linking up with the lovely party hostesses-A.Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, The Good Life, and Hello Happiness! 

[ONE]

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS baby!! This is the fourth consecutive year that the Miami Heat make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. First game is Sunday at 3:30pm!!!

[TWO]

"One, Two, Three, Four, I declare a thumb war" is on repeat all day, every day. Adrian learned it at school, showed Gian and it's been downhill since then! I guess this comes with the #boymom territory.

[THREE]

Books. I love to read but am stuck in a rut. I want to read something but I can't decide on what to read. Please share any books you have read lately that you have loved so I can check them out!!!

[FOUR]

Eating. I cannot stop eating. It is constant, whether a meal or snacking on chips. These past two weeks have been really bad. I don't know why but I am so hungry. It's not like just junk food either, I will eat chips and then want grilled asparagus. I need to figure out a way to control it or I might just blow up!

[FIVE]

I've spent lots of time with my parents in the past week and a half. First, my dad's birthday, we took him to dinner at Outback Steakhouse. He loves Outback. I look alot like my dad right? Then on Mother's Day, we took my mom to lunch at Earl's. I hadn't been but man was it delicious. I had a Peach Bellini that was AH-MAZING!!!  

I hope you have a fabulous weekend! We have lots of pool time planned!!! 

Ivanna's #Instaparty Part 1

I believe everyone should have a birthday party at some point in their lives. It has been my mission to make this possible for my loved ones. If you are an avid reader of my blog, you know about Ivanna. If not, Ivanna is Adrian's cousin on his dad's side of the family. I have known her since she was 2 and I consider her my niece. She turned the big 1-0 on Saturday and I hosted a party for her at my house. She is too old for the whole princess/cowgirl/pirate thing so we decided on an Instagram-themed party!

Ivanna is constantly on Instagram so this was the perfect theme. I created her invites: 

This was the setup. (Excuse me standing right in the middle. I live in a rented home and the house has these tacky mirrors I can't do anything about!). We kept it really simple since she is a simple girl.

This was her favorite part: a big 10 made out of her Instagram pics. This was a surprise, she had no idea I was doing this. I used the Walgreens Photo app, uploaded the pics and they were ready for pickup in about an hour. Fabulous!

She loves marshmallows so I made these super easy marshmallow pops with giant marshmallows I found at Wal-mart. 

I ordered a white cake from the Publix bakery. The bakery called me about four times to make sure my order was right. They just couldn't understand a plan white cake. I love white cakes because you can decorate it your own way. Once again, I kept it simple, a ribbon and some bunting!

I also created these Instagram-themed cupcake toppers. We ordered the cupcakes from the same bakery with the frosting in her favorite light-blue color. I also created the #selfie printable and placed it right next to a photo backdrop I set up for #selfies. 

All Instagram parties need lots of pics!! Here's a pic of Ivanna and all her party attendees. They loved taking pics with the props. 

For the party and social media postings, we used #Ivannais10. If you took a pic at the party, you had to use the party hashtag! The girls loved this idea.

Of course, I had to get a pic of Adrian being silly!!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Ivanna's #Instaparty!!!

Linked up at:

 

Essentials For A Beach Day With Kids

Living in Miami, we are pros at beach days. With gorgeous weather year-round, spending the day at the beach is the norm. When I was young, packing for the beach meant a cute bag, magazine, sunblock and a drink, not so easy when as a mom. As a mom, you need to think about EVERYTHING!! The beach is a great family destination and it shouldn't be a nightmare to get ready for a day of fun!

Here are my beach essentials as a mom of three:

1.   Beach Towels: One per person. I like regular beach towels, nothing fancy for us!

2.   Baby Powder: SUPER IMPORTANT! Baby powder is the best to remove sand from feet and hands.

3.   Baby Wipes: These are a mom staple, just pack them along for the beach also

4.  Wet Happened Bags: I love these bags for storing wet swimsuits. I never leave wet swimsuits on the kids.

5.   Beach Toys: These can vary depending on the age of your child but my kids (ages 8, 7, 6) still play with         basic buckets and shovels.

6.   Beach Cart: This is my life-saver. I pack everything in this cart and just roll it down to our spot. 

7.   Frozen grapes: The kids love these. It really refreshes them. I just stick them in the freezer the night               before.

8.   Beach Umbrella: Ours is over-sized but the kids only come under it when they are eating. 

9.   Beach Chairs : I like 5-position beach chairs. I drag my chair all the way to the water so I can watch             the kids closely. These are a tad expensive but they have lasted for years.

10. Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids & Aveeno Protect and Hydrate. I take separate sunblocks, one for kids,             one for adults. I love the Neutrogena for the kids. Every hour or so, I call them in and just spray them           with the block. No need to dry them off first. 

SUNBLOCK TIP: Apply before leaving the house. This way, it has time to dry on your skin and it serves a base for future re-applications. If you apply at the beach and then go in the water, it just washes off!

Along with these items, I pack sandwiches, chips and fresh fruit for everyone to munch on during the day. Water makes kids super hungry!

The beach cart makes hauling everything out and back to your car so easy! I highly suggest you get one if you plan on going to the beach all the time like we do!

*This post does not contain affiliate links. These are just the items we use!*

What else would you add to the list? What are your beach essentials?

5 on Friday: Mother's Day Edition

Hello and Happy Friday! It's 5 on Friday time and today is a special edition! In honor of Mother's Day on Sunday, my 5 on Friday is all about my top 5 favorite mom moments!

ONE

The day Adrian was born. He made me a mom!

TWO

Adrian's first trip to Disney  right before his first birthday and we had a wonderful time. 

THREE

When Adrian started walking, well actually ran. It was a big moment for both of us. I no longer had a baby and you were mobile!! 

FOUR

New Years Day 2013. We had a wonderful brunch and the day ushered in a wonderful 2013. So much happened and we grew so close in 2013. 

FIVE

I am a mom and step-mom. This is the only picture of us four. JC was able to capture it right at sunset when we were just hanging out and talking. This was a huge moment for me because I realized that whether I gave birth to them or not, I am a mom of 3!

Happy Mother's Day to all my bloggy friends. I wish you a day filled with love and joy!!!

I'm linking up at 5 on Fridays at with the lovely ladies of The Good Life, A Liz Adventures, Carolina Charmand Hello Happiness! Thank you ladies for hosting!

Apparoo App Of The Week: iStory Time

Trying to find great apps for moms or kids can be hard with so many available. That's why I've partnered with Apparoo - the app discovery service for busy moms. Each week I'll be sharing the 'Apparoo App of the Week' with you. Very often they've negotiated to bring you great paid apps at heavily discounted rates and sometimes even free. I'm very excited about this and welcome your feedback on the apps you decide to install.

APP OF THE WEEK:

iStory Time

Sometimes simple is best. No matter how many fancy toys your kid has, they always end up on your lap saying “Mama, tell me a story.” iStoryTime is like a central library for kids’ books, and they wisely left off extraneous features, letting the stories shine. It includes four free books and then you can buy more à la carte, or pay a monthly or annual fee, Netflix-style, for unlimited books. With new books released in the app every week, there is always fresh content to enjoy. Stories can be narrated or silent, allowing your child to read independently when they’re ready. As Leonardo said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” (Da Vinci, not DiCaprio, people.) Download it here for free.

Teaching Your Family About Energy Efficiency? Start With LED Power! #LEDSavings #CollectiveBias

Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as a part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. 

Conserving energy, saving money and protecting the planet are big topics in our household. I try as much as possible to teach the kids about energy efficiency. They are still young (ages 8,7,6) so they don't fully comprehend everything I talk about but they get the idea. One of the most recent topics we have been discussing is LED power and how it will help cut electricity costs in our home. I went online and found an energy consumption calculator to show them exactly how much we would save if we replaced all 20 bulbs in our home with LED light bulbs. #LEDSavings #CollectiveBias

When they saw the $118.04 annual savings, they were impressed. Reaction: "We can buy so many toys with that money!". Typical kid reaction. A couple of days later, we went to Walmart to purchase a couple of GE LED Energy Smart light bulbs to begin our transition. 

When we got home, they were super excited to replace the existing bulbs with our new LED Energy Smart bulbs. They rushed to my bedroom and tried it out on one of my bedside lamps. 

That's a huge difference. I love the new "soft white like" performance. GE LEDs are definitely the new way to light! TIP: 1 LED Bulb lasts as long as 15 traditional incandescent bulbs and uses 80% less energy!

I would like to share with you some of the tips on saving money and conserving energy that I share with my kids. They have been easy enough for the kids to remember and maybe you can use them to teach your kids about energy efficiency!

1. Turn off all lights as you leave the room!

2. Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth.

3. Playing video games all day is not good for you or the planet. Turn off the consoles and go outside and play. 

4. Leave the A/C at 78 degrees. Yes, I know it' s hot outside but 78 degrees will keep the house cool and save electricity. 

5. Unplug appliances and chargers after you use them. I got this picture this morning after breakfast. Proud mom!

Are you teaching your kids about energy efficiency? Any other tips you would like to add to the list? 

Want to find our more about GE Lighting? Check them out on social media:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gelighting

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gelighting

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gelighting

Website: http://www.gelighting.com

5 on Friday

Happy Friday! It's time for 5 on Friday!!!! I'm linking up with the lovely ladies of The Good Life, A Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm and Hello Happiness. Be sure to stop by and check out their linky!!

[ONE]

LOVING my new Samsung Galaxy S5. It was an early Mother's Day gift since my phone was on the fritz. This phone is so fantastic, so many new features and the best one IT'S WATERPROOF!!! WOO HOO!! So important for a mom!

[TWO]

WEARING out my TOMS Crochet Classics. I've had these shoes for almost two years now and I wear them all the time. So comfortable!

[THREE]

OBSESSED with the new Michael Jackson/Justin Timberlake "Love Never Felt So Good." Now this is music. This song makes me so happy! I'm a huge Michael Jackson fan and a Justin Timberlake fan so this is just perfection to me!

[FOUR]

PLANNING Ivanna's birthday party. We settled on an Instagram theme since she is on Instagram ALL.THE.TIME! I've only seen like 2 or 3 online for inspiration so this will definitely be a creative event! I've only been able to design the invite so far. Please feel free to share any ideas you may have!!

[FIVE]

SEARCHING for more "high socks" for Adrian. It's hard to find the socks he wants to wear in his size. This is a total basketball look and is all the rage right now!

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!!! We have all the kids this weekend so we will be SUPER busy!!