S’more Crispy Treats #Recipe

I know that a lot of people love s’mores, I am not one of them. For some reason whenever I make s’mores they never come out right. The chocolate doesn’t melt most of the time and there is always too much graham cracker whenever I make them. True s’mores are not my thing. My children on the other hand love them. So I spent a little time looking through my pantry and thinking about ways to improve the s’more and I came up with S’more Crispy Treats. This recipe came from leftover stuff from my pantry that I threw together on a whim. They are yummy. So yummy that there are none left.

Keeping the kids warm this winter with the JJ Cole polar bundleme #Review

Just because it is winter does not mean that I am any less busy. In fact I seem to constantly be going somewhere these days and I can almost always be found with all three of my children in tow. Traveling with children can seem daunting when the weather is nice; let alone when it is winter and there is snow falling and the temperatures have plummeted below zero. The older children get bundled up with coats, hats, and mittens. Since baby Julia is typically in her car seat or a stroller during the winter the JJ Cole polar bundleme keeps her warm {Thank you to JJ Cole for providing me with a sample polar bundleme}.

Pecan Glazed Pork Tenderloin #Recipe

I love a good pork tenderloin. I have tried it many different ways and have loved the difference a few changes can make to an old recipe. I made this the other night for my husband and he devoured it. Usually when we make pork tenderloin we have leftovers -that was not the case this time around. We ate it all! It was a delicious and very festive meal thanks to the pecans.

A Very Merry Joovy Holiday #Giveaway #SantaInUs

Over the years I have enjoyed being a Joovy Mom and being able to share with you some of their innovative products. They are a wonderful company to work with and the quality of their craftsmanship speaks for itself. Joovy has an amazing giveaway going on right now in time for the holidays and it is all about the little people!

For the #SantaInUs  {Joovy Holiday Giveaway} Joovy is sharing some of their most popular items for little kids.  Included in the prize package are: Foocot ($69.99), BicycooBMX ($139.99), Noodle ($29.99), Toy Caboose ($79.99) and Toy Room2 ($34.99).  

Planning a Christmas Dinner Menu

Every year I host Christmas Eve in my home for my in-laws. This year we are changing things up and I will be hosting Christmas Day instead of Christmas Eve. Hosting a big family holiday takes a lot of work. The hardest part for me is the menu planning. I like to try and change things up a bit with some new recipes as well as some tried and true family favorites. I thought since I was working so hard on putting together a delicious Christmas Menu that you might like to see what I am planning on serving for Christmas Dinner, just in case you are still working on your menu too.

  

A great gift for baby: The CombiUSA All-in-One Activity Walker #Review

I love shopping for babies. It may be because I love babies and everything about them. They are tiny little miracles that usually smell great and have the most adorable giggles ever. I don’t even mind the spit up – they are that cute. When it comes to shopping for a baby it can be a bit overwhelming at times since there are so many options out there. So I tend to like the products that can multitask. The CombiUSA All-in-One Activity Walker is a walker, an entertainer, a jumper, and a safe place to grab a snack {Thank you CombiUSA for providing me with a sample All-in-One Activity Walker}. This sleek little activity walker is multifunctional as well as adorable and we love it!

The Best Christmas Card Ever: Macadamia Nut Craziness!

We have a family friend who is quite the jet setter. His name is Rich and he hops on a plane to travel like most of us hop in a car to run to the grocery store. Rich used to live in Hawaii and whenever he would come to visit he would bring me some sort of macadamia nut treat or Kona coffee. I know – how spoiled am I? The answer was that I was extremely spoiled. And then Rich moved out of Hawaii and my macadamia nut/Kona coffee stopped coming. And then… a box came.

DIY Magnetic World Map Wall Art Project

My son has a pirate themed bedroom. It is not an over the top pirate theme. It is also not cartoonish. It is more nautical than anything else… or at least it was until we took on a magnetic world wall map project.  I knew that I wanted a large world map that my son could interact with in his room and I knew that I wanted it mounted on his wall. So I spent a bit of time thinking about how I wanted to accomplish this and decided on magnets.

5 Tips for Traveling Light with Children {Travel Crib Light 2 #Review #Giveaway}

I love to visit family. I especially enjoy visiting my family over the holidays when the kiddos and adults are off of school and work and have the luxury of just hanging out. I know that traveling light as an adult can be pretty simple and straight forward; when I travel without my children all I need is my carry-on bag and I am good for a week! But when you travel with children, especially a baby, the items tend to add up and pretty soon you can feel as if you are traveling with a three ring circus. But you can travel light with children!

Children do not require as much stuff as you think they need. Babies on the other hand require a bit more gear for traveling. Baby gear comes in all shapes and sizes and can be a bit overwhelming at times. But if you choose to travel light there are some great options out there {Thank you BabyBjorn for providing me with a sample of the Travel Crib Light 2}. I have put together this little list of some of my tips for traveling light with children for this holiday season.

Proactive with the Misfit Shine Tracker from Best Buy #Review

Disclosure: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

After having baby number three I have been making an effort to be more conscientious about my daily fitness choices. Being healthy is a choice and one that I usually enjoy making. So when Best Buy offered to send me the Misfit Shine Elegant Wearable Tracker to review I was very excited. This was an item that I had on my Christmas wishlist, so it was like Christmas came early in my house. I have been testing it out for a couple weeks now and I have noticed that I am making more of an effort to be more active daily.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s new Built To Amaze event #Review

Recently my family had the opportunity to go to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s new Built To Amaze event in Chicago. We took both of the boys this time around. We were thinking that the younger one was old enough to enjoy it and be able to sit in a seat without causing too much of a distraction to the people around us. He did great! My children enjoyed the show so much that on the way home from the event they both asked when we could go back. 

Stokke Scoot #Giveaway

The Stokke brand is synonymous with luxury and the Scoot is no exception to this high end standard. This is a partnered giveaway brought to you by Stokke and my friend MamaB just in time for the holidays! One lucky reader is going to win a Stokke Scoot stroller, in the color of their choice - thanks to Stokke! 

babywearing Love with Julia

I love babywearing. I have been babywearing since the birth of my first born son and have enjoyed babywearing with each of my children. I love the snuggles. I love having them close enough that I can bend my head down and kiss my little ones on the head. I also love that baby smell! I love babywearing. I spent a bit of time this morning looking through some pictures and realized that there are quite a few of me babywearing baby Julia. I guess I babywear even more than I realized… and I change up my carriers too. 

Coconut Oil Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies #Recipe

I love cookies.  My kids love cookies… Everyone loves cookies. It is pretty safe to say that cookies are something that everyone would like to have more of in my house. While I do enjoy the occasional cookie, my thighs and hips let me know exactly just how much eating cookies is costing me. So I have been experimenting once again in the kitchen; this time with cookie recipes. I have been looking for ways of making a healthier – yet still delicious sweet treat. I have gotten rid of butter and instead changed things up by using coconut oil in my oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe.

The Chicago 1893 World’s Fair Exhibit at the Field Museum

One of my family’s favorite places to visit in Chicago is The Field Museum. My children love seeing Sue the Tyrannosaurus as well as all of the other dinosaur displays in the Field Museum. The Mammals of Asia and the Crown Family PlayLab are always a big hit. When I found out that the newest exhibit coming to the museum was going to be the 1893 World’s Fair I knew it was time for another trip into the city.

A Healthy Lunch with the Southwest Tuna Salad Wrap #Recipe #OceanNaturals

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

I love tuna. It is a staple in my pantry and something that I crave frequently. I like to eat tuna in sandwiches, wraps, dips, and casseroles. It is a versatile ingredient that not only tastes good, but is also good for you. It is a healthy lunch choice that is naturally delicious. I am always looking for better ways to prepare my meals and make then as healthy and delicious as possible. Since I use Ocean Naturals canned tuna, it is also quick and easy to incorporate tuna into my recipes in a healthy Eco-conscious way.

 

Let it snow… already?

Let it snow… even though there are still leaves on the trees! Let it snow… even though the day before I was mowing my lawn {okay – truth be told, my husband mowed the lawn, not me}. Let it snow… even though I just blogged last week about the beautiful fall weather I was enjoying. I guess I jinxed it because this week we have enjoyed our first snowfall. Illinois weather is so fickle.
 

Keeping dinner light with Thai Shrimp Noodles #Recipe

I have been on a real seafood kick since my pregnancy with baby Julia. Each baby has altered my taste buds quite a bit. With William I stopped going for the sugary sweet, with Steven I started avoiding red meat, and now with baby Julia I have started to lean towards the spicier foods and seafood. This Thai Shrimp Noodle recipe satisfies the seafood craving as well as the spicy craving {don’t worry it isn’t too spicy}. This is a pretty healthy dinner recipe that is filling and filled with some tasty vegetables as well.

15 Minutes for mom with the Graco Little Lounger #Graco15ForMe #Review

I was recently invited to participate in the #Graco15ForMe blogger event which took place in the home of one of my favorite local bloggers Emily from Baby Dickey. I was able to spend some time with a group of local bloggers learning all about the new Graco Little Lounger in Dakota and all of its awesome features.

I had a lot of fun playing with the Little Lounger and since I brought baby Julia with me I was able to really test this product out during the event. Julia was enthralled with the little stars on the mobile and was a big fan of the adjustable recline option. Since I am all about baby gear, playing around with the Little Lounger was a treat for me as well. Graco was kind enough to send each of us bloggers home with one of our own for further testing.

The Joovy Groove Ultralight is a perfect lightweight stroller #Review

I keep falling more and more in love with Joovy and all of their products. This fall my new Joovy love affair is with the Joovy Groove Ultralight stroller. It should come as no surprise that I love strollers, but not all strollers are built with the same quality and thought that goes into Joovy products and the Groove Ultralight is a great example of this.

Years ago my husband decided that we needed a lightweight stroller, an umbrella stroller. We went out and bought a very inexpensive {cheap} lightweight stroller for my husband to use on quick jaunts to the park or short shopping trips. Well… you get what you pay for and the inexpensive umbrella stroller we purchased quickly became a dust collector in the garage. When Joovy provided me with the Joovy Groove Ultralight stroller for review I knew I could finally give away my husband’s old umbrella stroller. This was a definite upgrade and I now find myself choosing the Joovy Groove Ultralight stroller to use on more and more outings.

Autumn Colors in Illinois

I feel like I have finally gotten to enjoy the Fall colors this year. The trees held onto their green leaves for a good long time before finally giving into Mother Nature and turning various shades of crimson and gold. But once those leaves turned, boy did they turn! For the past couple weeks I have been surrounded by beautiful fall colors everywhere I turn and I have loved it. Usually I have only a few days of beautiful fall foliage before a storm blows through and all the leaves are gone. Not this year! This year I get to fall in love with the Fall colors all around me.

How to make a Quiche: Quick & Easy Quiche #Recipe

I love breakfast foods. They are usually pretty easy to make and are delicious any time of day. I especially like quiche. Quiche is great for a breakfast or brunch get together and it is really simple to prepare. I have had quiche at many a baby and bridal shower and it is one of my go-to dishes to make when I have company over. This is a quick and easy recipe that I hope you enjoy.

Tips for Bathing Baby {Boon Naked Bath Tub Review}

Now that there are three little ones in my home I feel like I am constantly bathing my babies! My oldest has decided that he is now a big boy and at 4 years old he should be taking showers and not baths. My younger son loves taking a bath with all of his bath toys and there are quite a few bath toys. My baby girl has graduated from sponge baths -those lovely damp washcloth “baths” newborns get until their umbilical cord stump dries up, falls off, and heals- and is now ready for bathing in an infant/toddler bathtub {Thank you Boon for providing me with a sample of the Naked 2 Position Collapsible Baby Bathtub}. Since I never seem to stop bathing these babies I have decided to put together a few tips and tricks for a successful bath time.

Family Halloween Costumes: Toy Story Theme

I love doing family Halloween costumes! Every year for Halloween my entire family dresses up. We pick a movie theme and everyone in the family picks a character from that movie to dress up as for Halloween. We do a lot of homemade costumes in our house and this year was no different. The theme for this year’s family Halloween costumes is Toy Story. We chose the Toys Story theme because my kiddos all love ALL of the Toy Story movies and there are enough characters for everyone to be able to pick someone to be for Halloween.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Built To Amaze!

I was very excited to announce that the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ^® Presents Built To Amaze! is coming to Chicago again!

If you missed that post, be sure to use the promo code MOM to receive 40% on weekday shows and 20% on weekend shows. Plus, get even MORE value with FREE PARKING in all official Allstate Arena and United Center parking lots.

I wanted to share a coloring sheet with all of you today. My nuggets love to color and we will be using this coloring sheet as a jumping off point to get them prepared for the show and what they can expect to see.

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

Have you ever been to a Barnum & Bailey show? 

http://MomMart.blogspot.com

How to make a little green alien fleece baby hat #DIY #Halloween

My entire family dresses up each year for Halloween. We pick a movie and each person gets to be a character from that movie. This year we are dressing up as Toy Story for Halloween. My baby is going to be a little green alien, my middle child is going to be Buzz Lightyear, my oldest child is going to be Zurg, my husband is going to be Woody, and I am going to be Jessie. Everyone is getting homemade costumes with the exception of my middle child – simply because we already own a Buzz costume. We are doing Toy Story Halloween costumes and I could not be more excited. I got started by making this little green alien baby fleece hat.

The little green alien fleece turned out remarkably well. So well in fact, all of my children and some other family members have requested that I make one for them as well. From start to finish it took me about 2 hours to make this hat… maybe a little less. I did it during nap time one day and the next day I made my oldest son’s fleece Zurg hat {because you cannot BUY a Zurg costume anywhere! But that is another post all together}. I thought this was super easy to do, so I thought I would share it with you so that you can make it too!

Monsters University on Blu-ray and DVD combo pack October 29! #Review

I was a huge fan of Monsters Inc. when it came out and can remember going to see it in theaters. When I heard that there was going to be another movie with Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan “Sulley”, I knew that I needed to see it and I hoped that I would love it just as much as Monsters Inc. Monsters University did not disappoint. Thank you to Click Communications for providing me with a sample of Monsters University to review, my entire family has enjoyed watching over and over and over again!

Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Every year my family participates in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Each year our team goes to walk and to remember my grandfather who was afflicted with Alzheimer’s. We created our team seven years ago when my grandfather passed away and each year we raise money, walk, and remember. My grandfather was one of the kindest most generous men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He was an honorable man who passed down the value of family and taking care of one another.

Almond Cookie Recipe: A sweet little treat

I have been in the mood for Asian food lately. Be it the tangy orange chicken stir fry I shared with you last week or the shrimp Tai noodles I am planning on making for dinner tonight. I have been craving the tangy goodness of these dishes and have decided that I needed a dessert that would complement them, something simple and sweet. While preparing my dinner last week I took a peek in my pantry and discovered I had everything I needed on hand to whip up some almond cookies. So I did!

Coming to CHICAGO: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Built To Amaze!

I am so excited to be going to see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s new Built To Amaze event coming to Chicago! Last year we had the opportunity to see their Dragons show and we loved it. So when the US Family Guide and Feld offered to send my family to see Built To Amaze I was ecstatic! I cannot wait!

#ad Orange Chicken Stir-Fry a Quick & Easy Dinner #MixNMatchMeals

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

There are some nights that my family is rushing out the door and quick meals are all we have time for. These are the nights that I look for easy meals or fast and easy recipes that my family can enjoy before hurrying off to our next appointment. I try to keep it healthy, fresh, and fun and I try to include the kids in my meal preparations as well.

I found the Tyson Mix and Match Creations at Walmart on a recent shopping trip with the kids and knew I had to give them a try. You can view my entire shopping trip on Google+. The Tyson Mix and Match Creations can feed a family of four for a little over $10.00, which is less than the typical cost of a single meal when dining out. The fact that the meal preparation was so quick and easy is what sold me on the idea. I knew this would be a perfect meal solution for those super busy nights when we are rushing to get out the door.

There are 192 flavor combinations {5 proteins, 6 sauces, and 8 sides} so you can Mix and Match any way you like! With so much to choose from I couldn’t decide, even with the handy little recipe cards on display. I turned the decision for dinner over to the kids. William picked the chicken, Steven chose the veggies, and I knew that the Tangy Orange Sauce would compliment both perfectly. 

Giving the Gift of Sleep with Pampers & Giveaway #DDDivas #DivasSleep #sponsored

This review was made possible by Double Duty Divas and Pampers. I was provided the featured product free of charge to facilitate my review, but all opinions are 100% mine.

As the mother of a three month old, sleep is something I value very highly. Being given the gift of sleep is something I treasure and am extremely thankful for. Since I have a 4 year-old, 2 year-old, and 3 month-old all under one roof, sleeping through the night is unheard of in my house. My new baby girl is still feeding frequently throughout the night so I use Pampers Swaddlers so that she stays dry throughout the night and I can enjoy all the sleep I can get.

When Pampers asked me to put together a “Gift of Sleep” package for someone in my community I knew exactly what I wanted to include in my gift and I knew exactly where it would go.  I have been a loyal Pampers mom since the birth of my son 4 years ago and it is the only brand of disposable diapers that I recommend to my friends and family because of its superior dryness. If I don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to change a leaky diaper that means that I am sleeping more and so is baby. Gifting someone Pampers is gifting them sleep.

My Pumpkin Patch Kids

It is a family tradition to visit the pumpkin patch each fall with the kids. We go, we pick out pumpkins, and I take a gazillion pictures. My oldest is a complete ham and poses for me without my prompting. My middle child takes some cajoling in order to capture a good shot – and even then I am lucky if I can actually capture it on film {or digital… you know what I mean}. My baby girl is not yet able to sit unassisted, so she tends to take a lot more work. I am constantly thinking to myself when I try to capture these moments on camera, “How did my mother do it.”

My mother had five children and my parents took family portraits themselves each year. Usually these pictures were taken in front of a fireplace or a hideous chair, but they eventually captured all of their five children looking at the camera at the same time and smiling. WHAT! I call this witchcraft. Especially in a time that digital was unheard of and people had to wait to develop their film to see whether or not they got a good shot. I was not able to get a picture of the whole family, let alone one in which everyone is even looking in the same general direction. So – I tip my hat to you mom. Well done.

Balsamic Tomato Mozzarella Salad #Recipe

The last time I went to visit my mother she made the most wonderful side salad. It was ridiculously delicious. I must have had at least four helpings of it. As someone who loves tomatoes, this salad was right up my alley and when she told me it was really easy to make I knew I was going to be making this as soon as I got home. Once again my mother was right. This balsamic tomato mozzarella salad is super quick and easy to make and the flavor is soooo good!

The Multifunctional Stokke Crusi Stroller with Sibling Solutions #Review

My family likes to travel and since there are so many of us now, a stroller is a necessity. It is really nice when the necessity of a stroller can be a luxury as well. Stokke recently sent over a sample of their Stokke Crusi stroller with the Sibling Solutions and I must say that it is defiantly a luxury stroller that I wish I could ride around in.

The Stokke Crusi is not only stylish, it is multifunctional. I have had the opportunity to use the Stokke Crusi stroller as a single stroller and as a double stroller and I have to say that there is a lot to like about both. It is a beautifully well crafted stroller that I really enjoy pushing around. The fact that it comes in purple is a big bonus!

I have a craft room!

Boxes are being unpacked and bins are being dusted off because I now have a craft room! We moved our washer and dryer to the basement {as the space for it on the first floor was little more than a glorified closet} and made a nice little mom cave for me to do laundry and get crafty in!

I could not be any happier, as I now have counter space for folding laundry and cabinetry for storing supplies. I have a work space for sewing, scrapbooking, gift wrapping, and getting crafty with the kids. I even have a space for my elliptical {hello winter workouts}. My husband thought of everything when creating this space for me. He even made sure to have an outlet and cable connection for me to mount a television on one wall so I can watch a show while going for a run indoors. It is perfect and there is nothing I would change.

Pulled Pork Sandwich with Broccoli Slaw #Recipe

I opened the front door this morning and there was a bite in the air, it was cold. The kids and I quickly gave hubby a kiss goodbye and sent him on his way and we hustled back inside for some nice warm indoor morning activities. The cold weather got me thinking about some of my favorite fall dinner dishes. One of my personal favorites is my husband’s Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

These pulled pork sandwiches are made in the Crockpot and they are delicious! They smell great and taste even better. They have a nice kick to them without going overboard in the spice department. I love them for a fall/winter meal and since it is a crock pot dish it is really simple to toss in and go about our day.

Feeling Safe and Secure with the Britax Pinnacle 90 Car Seat #Review

My family is a growing family, and with the newest addition of my daughter we have been playing musical chairs with our car seats. I have had to go through and move car seats around and refresh my memory on the specifications {weight/height min/max} for each car seat. My oldest was very excited to be making the move to the back of the minivan where he would get a whole bench to himself. I was not as excited as the placement of his car seat would no longer allow me to use the LATCH system and I would be switching over to securing his car seat with a seat belt.

I spent some time online looking at car seats and happened across the Britax Pinnacle 90 car seat with click tight technology and thought that this could be the solution I was looking for. Needless to say, I was very excited when Britax sent me a Pinnacle 90 car seat sample for review. -Thank you Britax for providing the Pinnacle 90 car seat. It did not take long for me to become familiar with this car seat and to fall in love with how easy it was to install and use!

Make your own LEGO Play Tray #DIY #CraftsForKids

This is the final Play Tray project that I have planned in the Play Tray craft series. I had to wait for my LEGO building plates to come in the mail before I could tackle this project. I ordered these for $5.00 a building plate off Amazon, as opposed to paying $14.99 for one in stores. It was worth the wait though. Once the LEGO building plates arrived my boys were more than ready to get to work on our last play tray!

Boys and Bugs

I have been taking the kids to the park as much as possible lately. I know that it is technically Fall already, but I am holding onto the nice weather we have been experiencing with both hands and as if my life depended on it! I know that pretty soon it will turn cold and we will either have rain or snow {it’s Illinois – you never know what kind of weather to expect.} and park time will be a thing of the past.

Our recent jaunt to the park introduced my children to cicadas and toads, something they had not spent a lot of up close and personal time with before now. The little toad was a huge hit. My boys followed it around for quite a while. When they realized they were not quick enough catch it they asked mom to come to the rescue and pick it up so they could pet it…. Oh to be the mom of boys!

Easy Baked Ravioli #Recipe

There are certain nights throughout the week that I am utterly exhausted and the last thing I want to do is stand in my kitchen trying to cook a gourmet meal while three children try to compete for my attention. On those nights I usually pull out a made ahead freezer meal to cook or I go for one of my staple dinner recipes that I can make blindfolded with one hand tied behind my back. This is one of those recipes that I can whip up in no time and I do not need to be functioning on all four cylinders to create. It is really easy.

Not only is this easy baked ravioli simple and straightforward to make, it tastes good too. There is not a lot to it and everything in it can probably already be found in your kitchen; hence why this is a go-to recipe for crazy hectic nights. I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does and find it just as simple to bake.