Dial Into Giving Champions For Kids SIMPLE Service Project #DialCFK #CBias

I enjoy giving back to my community and I really enjoy involving my children whenever possible. I was recently given the opportunity to participate in another Champions For Kids SIMPLE Service Project and I could not be more excited about it! This month my family will DIAL into giving to our local homeless shelter and I highly encourage you to do the same.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Presents Dragons comes to CHICAGO!

My family will be seeing the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Presents Dragons event in Chicago and we could not be more excited. My son has never been to a show like this before and I know that it will be a memorable experience for him.

So what does a Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Presents Dragons entail? According to their website there will be some pretty amazing animals in the show. For example, there will be some elephants, some “big cats”, and some horses. There will be trapeze, clowns, and of course a Ringmaster.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Presents Dragons show is coming to Allstate Arena from Nov. 3‐13 and United Center from Nov. 16‐27

My son loves dragons, he adores animals, and he really likes clowns. We cannot wait to take him to his first ever Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey show.

Have you ever been to a Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey show? If so what was your favorite part?

I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre‐Show events.

http://MomMart.blogspot.com



#WW: Pumpkin Patch Time!

My boys were super excited for their trip to the pumpkin patch and I cannot blame them one little bit. I remember being little and looking forward to picking out and carving pumpkins. I love that this family activitiy has become such a fun tradition for my boys.

This year they were a little more selective... only the perfect pumpkin would do.

Home Makeover Progress: Guest room.

The new house is starting to feel way more like home these days with all of the progress we are making. Our latest accomplishment that I would like to share with you is the removal of the wallpaper borders.

I am not a fan of borders. This is my own personal taste and I know that there are people out there that love them… I am just not one of them. Have I mentioned that in the new house there were a lot of borders?



Fourth Bedroom

Nap time not going well?

As my son is getting older naptime is becoming more and more of a struggle and I am not ready to give up the afternoon nap yet. Let me rephrase that – I am not ready for him to give up the afternoon nap yet. When he does not nap he gets a wee bit cranky/whiney and I just don’t want to deal with that 24/7.

So what to do?

Getting it organized!

Moving can make people go mad… Okay, moving can make me go mad! I cannot stand disarray and prefer my home to be picked up and tidy. But just because I prefer something does not mean that it will happen. This is especially more difficult with two little boys at home. Even more so when you consider the fact that they are 3 and 1. Wow!

There are toys on the floor, but I consider the fact that I can still see my floor a success. There are books strewn on sofas where they have been read and discarded, but the pages are not torn or scribbled on …yet. This is all pretty typical and nothing that a quick ten minute mad dash throughout the house cannot fix. It is essentially the everyday disarray of a normal family and I am okay with that.

What I am not okay with is the disorganization of the adult areas of the home. These are the places where items are stored and any mess and chaos rests solely on the shoulders of mom and dad. The children do not play in these areas and there is no excuse for the insanity that is my garage/basement.

#WW: Out of a funk with a laugh or two...

I feel like the last couple of days I have been in a little funk. I strongly dislike this feeling. I am grouchy and uncommunicative. I don't feel like doing anything and at the same time I have a gazillion things going through my head that I need to do. Frustrating, right? Well... laughter is the best way to get me out of a funk. So I thought this Wednesday I would share with you some words that made me laugh....

 Source: YourEcards

My timeout conundrum

Timeout is tricky business in my home. My son really does not like to be put in timeout. When told to go and sit on the timeout step he will yell “No!” and take off, running laps around the house. It is not until he completly understands that I mean business will sit in timeout.

Going to his room for timeout is another battle. It is when he has been really naughty that the “Go to your room” card gets played. And then I feel like it is a battle to get him up to his room. Oh the joys of timeout…

Easy Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes & Chocolate Pieces Cupcakes, just because…#CoolWhipFrosting #CBias

I have been on a HUGE cooking & baking kick lately. I think the change in season is the root cause for this resurgence of domesticity. In other words, the cool temperatures and the red and gold leaves make me want to throw on an apron and create delicious works of art for all to enjoy. And I do mean everyone.

 

This weekend I baked Pumpkin Spice Latte cupcakes with Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting and Chocolate Pieces cupcakes with Cool Whip Chocolate Frosting. It seemed that once I got started I couldn’t stop myself. I baked a ton of cupcakes and ended up enjoying some with my family, and sending little care packages of cupcakes to my in-laws and my husband’s office.

#WW: Getting Ready for Halloween!

We are getting ready for Halloween. What that means for my family is digging out our costume bin where I lovingly save all of our old costumes and trick or treat bags and decorations… But this year my MIL decided that she wanted to purchase new bags for the grandkids and they have been having a blast and a half playing with them!
 

 Peek-a-BOO!

 

Freezer Meal: Delicious Taquitos!

I mentioned earlier that I have been on a freezer meal kick lately and have been experimenting with some recipes and trying some new things out on the family. Some freezer meals have been ho hum, while some have been AMAZING!

I have wanted to make them, freeze them, cook them, and eat them all before sharing them with you. This way we both can avoid the duds and I can share with you my favorites.

Before I share with you this wonderful recipe, let me start off by saying that they are ridiculously delicious and surprisingly easy to make.  After eating these taquitos my husband informed me that they were the BEST thing that I have EVER made… Seriously. So if you have a chance try them. They are perfect for a quick dinner solution and they taste great. 

12 Things I wish I knew before I became a mom

Several women I know are getting ready to become moms for the first time and I could not be more excited for them. I love being a mom! It is such a crazy whirlwind of an experience that I started to recently think back on when I was first pregnant and what I wish someone had told me about becoming a mom. This list originally started as a top 10… but it quickly bloomed into 12. Here goes:

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® are coming to Chicago!

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® are coming to town and you can come too!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents DRAGONS is a once in a millennium event that honors The Year of the Dragon. Circus performers from the farthest reaches of the earth have assembled for Ringling Bros. Presents Dragons to showcase their astounding acts of bravery and astonishing athleticism. Ringling Bros. Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson presides over this fantastical celebratory tournament of circus champions that brings together mystic dragon lore with authentic circus feats. Dragons is a never-before-seen blend of renowned spiritual and real life legends that can be found only at The Greatest Show On Earth!

FREE PARKING in all official United Center parking lots.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey coming to the Allstate Arena from Nov. 1 - 11 and then to the United Center from Nov. 14 - 25.

My readers save 40% on weekday shows and 20% on weekend shows and holidays with promo code MOM3.

Get your tickets now for the AllstateShows & the UnitedCenter Shows!

I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre‐Show events.

http://MomMart.blogspot.com

#WW: A Day Out With Thomas, and two tots!

We took the boys to A Day Out With Thomas last year and had such a great time that when we found out that it was coming back this year we knew immediately that it was something we wanted to do again. It did not disappoint. More likely than not we will continue to take the kids to this event year after year until they are all over the whole train thing.

Bathroom Update: It’s the little things…

I realized that it had been a while since I updated you as to the status of my home improvements… and then I realized it had been a while since we did anything. Oops. The last thing we did was make some much needed additions to the downstairs guest bath.

The guest bathroom is a work in progress, but it is coming along nicely. We added a mirror, floating shelves, and a rug. While these are all small and relatively inexpensive additions, I feel that they really make a difference in this small powder room.

Mr. Negotiator

My son has become quite the little negotiator. When putting him to bed for the night he is always trying to talk us into one more story or just one more minute of cuddles. Everything is a negotiation. Even time-outs seem to be up for discussion. They are not.

My son seems to think that he is calling the shots. He is not.