Looking for a fun and free activity for your kids!? Check out Home Depot’s FREE kids Workshops! The next workshop is focused on the upcoming movie “EPIC” and your child will be building an herb planter! It’s on May 4th! Home Depot also has 2 more upcoming workshop’s in June & July!
So far, my daughter built a bird feeder, here she is painting it.
She received her very own Home Depot apron, pin for her build, and a certificate! She is very proud of her accomplishments!
Head here or go to Home Depot’s site for more information!
This is what I call our greenhouse disaster. We had storms go through a couple of weeks ago and destroy our cheap greenhouse. I know even the large, well-made greenhouses on larger farms often get completely blown over in bad storms, but still it’s very disappointing to say the least because we also lost many of our transplants.
“This sponsored post was made possible by The Motherhood and Avocados from Mexico. I have been compensated for my time and work on this campaign, however all opinions are 100% my own.”
Last Friday night four Chicago area bloggers gathered together to experience Cinco de Swap with Avocados from Mexico. We each made an avocado dish (or two) to pass and share. There was one blogger who had never tried avocados before. The majority of us were trying new recipes from avocado macaroni and cheese, avocado ice cream, guacamole and avocado fries. For some fabulous photos of the dishes served visit Frosted Fingers!
Did you know that avocados from Mexico are available all year round? I didn’t know this. I also didn’t know this when I chose a recipe for BLT sandwiches:
Fresh avocado in sandwiches, on toast or substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce your intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.
I also did not know that one ounce (3 slices) of an avocado has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, making it a good choice to help meet nutrient needs! I find that amazing.
However, I did know that avocados are full of good fats our bodies need. One of the reasons I would feed it to my little ones as babies – my older girls to this day love avocados. It makes for a very easy to prepare meal. Just wash it, cut it open, de-pit it and start spooning baby bites into baby’s (or your) mouth! Easy peasy! Our younger crew didn’t even notice the avocados on the avocado BLT turkey sandwiches.
Not very many in my family liked the avocado fries. I thought they tasted good, but liked Michelle’s (of Honestly and Truly) idea of serving them with a yummy dip.
Avocado Recipes
Here’s the link to the recipe that inspired our Avocado Fries. However, we did not fry them, we baked them and we used olive oil instead of canola oil. We also used regular bread crumbs seasoned with our own spices.
I’m always on the hunt for free and fun activities for my family. Lowe’s has a fantastic program called Build and Grow. On my daughter’s first visit she received a Lowe’s apron, a hammer & protective goggles to borrow and her project. When she/we finished the project we returned the hammer and protective goggle and she was given a certificate and a patch for her apron! She loves the iron on patches that she earned and loves to show them off on her apron.
So, far we’ve built 2 monster trucks and a “Croods” the movie planter. Our next build is a sweetheart frame on May 11th.
Click here or head over to Lowes.com and search for Build & Grow to sign up at your nearest Lowe’s for the next free activity for kids!
This is our second oldest daughter milking. She’s our chief milker at the moment until we train the next one in line to milk. I have helped with milking but I think my nervousness unsettled Eclipse because she seemed jittery and moved a lot. Then again maybe I’m being paranoid and she was just antsy in her new home since I haven’t milked since the first week. Eclipse does seem to do better for our daughter, whom the cow loves I might add! Over the weekend, Eclipse watched the children go from one end of the property, down the tree line to the other end and mooed in their direction after our daughter went over with her younger siblings. Then when our daughter came back across the field, Eclipse followed her again by walking the fence line to greet her – if that isn’t affection, I don’t know what is!
Since Eclipse has been on pasture her cream (and milk) has been slowly increasing. Today the girls got 6 cups of cream from two gallons of milk and made two pounds of butter! The photos below are not all of the same day. The milk bottles are actually some of our very first. The butter photos are from today. All they do is put the cream in a pint or quart sized jar and shake it until it forms butter. The girls like to shake it until it forms a ball, which eliminates the need to shape the butter by hand! Pretty smart, eh?
Click on the image to make it larger and brighter.
It’s a fun milking and making butter! My husband is very happy not to have to stop for milk after work!
New from RIDEMARKERZ, it’s XTREME CUSTOMZ! Have a great time building and customizing XTREME Customz rides!
Watch them in ACTION!
Get ready to build and customize the toy car or “RIDE” of your dreams. Choose from a wide range of body styles (about the size of a cell phone) and interchangeable, snap-on parts to transform your RIDE from mild to wild. With so many choices, it’s easy to Mix. Match. Make it Your Own.
XTREME CUSTOMZ RIDEZ comes in two sizes:
1:48 scale ~ about the size of a cell phone
XL 1:18 scale ~ about the size of a football
All parts are interchangeable across 1:48 scale RIDE bodies. All XL 1:18 parts are interchangeable across 1:18 scale RIDE bodies, including RIDEMAKERZ Disney-Pixar Cars RIDEZ.
1:48 scale XTREME CUSTOMZ RIDEZ even have a 4-mode adjustable chassis so you can customize the way you cruise. Choose from Race, Lifted, Jacked, and Off-Road…all with the push of a button! 1:4
Our Party and Review:
We had a fabulous time at our XTREME CUSTOMZ RIDEZ party. All the boys had a blast! We received 10 BATMAN starter kits.
The boys had an exciting time outing the cars together and playing with them. We had races and even a style show where the boys showed their tricked out cars and what they could do! What fun!
Here are some of the boys just receiving their XTREME CUSTOMZ RIDEZ!
They could not wait to open them and enjoy building. Each child built the BATMAN car…some needed more help than others, but overall the build was not difficult. The instructions were very detailed and outlined exactly what to do.
Here is the PDF file of the instructions…Batman PDF… to see how easy and detailed the instructions were to follow.
I had plans to show a Batman cartoon to compliment our RIDEZ but the boys were too wrapped up in playing with the cars to even think of a cartoon! This was great to see them interacting rather than watching television!
Each boy got to go home with his own custom ride and wish list! ~ Our group of boys are partiers and the moms loved the wish list provided by RIDEMAKERZ … this will make birthday party gift giving easier among our group!
Overall, EVERYONE had a blast…boys and mom’s included! Thanks RIDEMAKERZ for making our party a HUGE hit!
You can learn more about XTREME CUSTOMZ by RISEMAKERS by visiting www.xtremecustomz.com
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product from Mommy Parties/ Mom Select in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
Would you ever think to use diaper rash ointment to treat acne, bug bites, excema, rashes, or poison ivy? You would if you have ever tried PINXAV diaper rash ointment. PINXAV, pronounced “pink salve,” contains Zinc Oxide, just like other diaper rash ointments, except it contains more of it. PINXAV also includes aloe, lanolin, vitamin E, menthol, and other natural products. PINXAV is primarily used as a diaper rash ointment. It protects the skin, aids in preventing diaper rash, relieves chafed skin, and helps seal out wetness. It should be applied with each diaper change, especially at bedtime and naptime.
I personally tried PINXAV on a rash on my inner arm. It’s a seasonal rash I get that I have never found a cream that provided complete relief. I put a dab of the ointment on the rash and was pleasantly surprised that it is a pink ointment. I love pink! The ointment is quite thick, but it rubs in very easily. Let me tell you, a little bit, and I mean a little bit, goes a very long way. I put maybe a dime size amount and it covered almost my entire lower arm. I used PINXAV on my rash morning and night for 5 days, and was blown away with the results. After the first day, my inner arm no longer itched. After 3 days the rash began to fade, and after 5 days the rash was almost nonexistent. I still cannot believe it! I started using PINXAV on my son’s cheeks. He has sensitive skin and his cheeks get red blotches on them in the evening. I put just a dab on his cheeks at night and it is starting to clear up. I like how gentle the ointment is. It also smells very nice. I can defintely smell the menthol in it, but it is not too overpowering. The ointment makes your skin feel extremely soft, even hours later. It was definitely unexpected coming from a diaper rash ointment!
PINXAV is an all around great product to always have on hand. I cannot wait to try it on my new baby’s bottom; I am confident it will work miracles. Not only can it be used for diaper rashes, but also for heat rashes, chafing, poison ivy, psoriasis, acne, jock itch, minor burns, and many other ailments. PINXAV is for the entire family, which is why I would highly recommend it. They are so confident in their product that they offer a money back guarantee. Trust me, you won’t be dissatisfied. This would make an excellent gift to a new mom or even a veteran mom who has never tried it. PINXAV is available in either a 4oz tube or a 16oz jar and can be purchased at many Target and Wal-Mart stores, but it can also be ordered on their webiste:
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
As you know, my mom was here for three weeks in March and she’s a smoker. Her first week here right on her birthday she received ecigarettes in the mail. She was anxious to try them. Not because she’s interested in quitting, but because she could smoke inside at the airport or wherever smoking is prohibitive instead of standing out in the cold. It’s my desire she’ll want to quit and slowly reduce the amount of nicotine she inhales, since the ecigarettes do have strong, full, medium, light and no nicotine.
In the ecigarettes kit she received 10 samples of two different flavors of refills, the ecigarette and the adapter. Her samples were the full and medium strengths. The first time, she only took a few drags with the full strength and she said she could have gone out and had a cigarette after using the ecigarettes. We initially thought she could have benefited from having the strong to start out with. Then she tried smoking an ecigarette and took ten drags and said she felt satisfied.
She said it was different smoking with the ecigarette. To be honest, she coughed on her first drag! Mom said that they left an after taste like cigarettes, but old cigarettes. I forgot to ask her if that gradually went away. It’s hard writing a review from another person’s perspective.
For me, it was weird to be near mom while she smoked with the ecigarette because I still had the same reaction as if she was smoking. The vapor I saw reminded me of smoke and my gut reaction was to not want to breath it in or want my children near it. The rare skeptic in me reared it’s head. I was skeptical because when mom smoked she still had to blow out the vapor. I wondered what was in it, was it harmful? Yeah I needed to do more research because I didn’t want to have a false sense of protection from harmful odors and what I was breathing in. Nevertheless, when I did get a whiff of the vapor it smelled like vanilla, the flavor she tried while she was here. It also did not make us cough as cigarette smoke would.
The FDA has not approved ecigarettes nor have there been any clinical studies done. So there is no evidence to prove or disprove any claims about the ecigarettes being better or “healthier”. However, smokers seem to really benefit from them. Even my little sister wanted to try them because she wants to quit smoking. Forgot to ask mom today if she shared any with little sis. Overall, my mom had a fairly positive experience and enjoyed trying something new. She ended up using the ecigarettes when she woke up in the middle of the night so she wouldn’t have to get up and go outside to have a smoke.
I’d recommend you to encourage your smoking relatives to give them a try, especially if they are looking quit smoking.
Our family drinks and goes through a lot of milk in a week so we’ve been looking at the possibility of getting a herdshare cow (the kids will own a portion of her milk “shares” and we’ll sell “cow or milk shares”, which is where other people desiring raw milk will buy shares of her, that is if IL doesn’t change their raw milk laws). We have been researching dairy cows or rather our daughter has been, and even went to visit a Guernsey dairy farm in Wisconsin, nearly two hours away, in November. The economical benefits to owning our own cow would allow us to supply our family with milk for 8-10 months out of the year, plus all the other dairy products we enjoy – butter, yogurt, ice cream and cheese, as well as providing others with fresh milk too.
Then a couple of weeks ago while my mom was here we came across a Craigslist ad for a Guernsey for sale locally. It was a person we bought some of our bookcases from just after we moved into this house. The reasons we like this cow is she’s local so less travel time, less stress on the cow. The owner is raising the cow the way we want to, which is a huge factor to us wanting her. The cow was also affectionate to our daughter the first time she went in her pen, which resonated with us…so….we bought her!
Pictured at her old home.
Eclipse is a 5.5 year old Guernsey. She has given birth to three calves, the third one was born last year. Even though it’s been a year since her last birth she is still giving a couple of gallons of milk per day. We are really impressed, but we are newbies so it doesn’t take much to impress us She is being fed pasture, hay and fodder (sprouted grain). We *think* the fodder is what is helping her give milk for so long between calves. Either that or she’s just a faithful milker! Here’s to hoping she likes us as well as she did her former owner.
The children are hoping her first calf with us is a heifer (female) so they can buy back the herdshares and make Eclipse our family cow. If she has a bull calf, then he’ll be processed for beef and shared among all the shareholders. We hope to get Eclipse bred this spring or summer, Lord willing. First we have to figure out when she cycles, which can be hard to determine when there’s only one cow. Or so we’ve been told.
While I grew up surrounded by cows, I have very little experience taking care of them, especially a dairy cow. Growing up I watched them being milked and took their yummy milk from the cooler of our neighbors milk parlor, but not once did I take care of one or milk one. I took care of my pastor’s beef cow when he and his family went away a couple of times, that’s my extent of caring for a cow. Other than that my experience is limited to visits to neighbors farms in my hometown in Nova Scotia, having the cows lick my rubber boots and runny a muck through their pastures as a child.
We are excited but a little apprehensive, as cows require a set routine and it’s a whole new animal to acclimate to our farm. So do you have any experience with cows?
Stay tuned to more adventures of milking a cow, making butter and even fencing….from our fledgling little farm….
Introducing PackIt – the freezable personal cooler that keeps your food colder, fresher, and safer for longer than you could ever before – up to 10 hours! There’s no need for ice that melts or for bulky, toxic ice packs. Simply store your folded PackIt in the freezer until you’re ready to PackIt and go!
The Original Cool.
Thanks to PackIt’s patented freezable gel-liner you can keep your lunch cool – for up to 10 hours!
The Personal Cooler is perfect for school, work, the field or anywhere! Simply store the cooler in your freezer for a 12 hour period, pack with the items you want to keep cool and enjoy!
Features:
Keeps food and drinks cold up to 10 hours.
Patented freezable-gel is permanently built into the liner.
PVC/lead-free, non-toxic, earth-safe, & reusable.
Folds compactly in the freezer for storage.
Dimensions: 8” x 10” x 5” (8” x 5” x 2” folded)
PackIt Personal cooler is available in a variety of patterns and colors.
Reasons to LOVE PackIt
Cooler
PackIt keeps its contents cooler longer – up to 10 hours in fact – and it eliminates completely the need for ice or gel packs
Safer for both you and the environment
PVC-free, BPA-free, lead-free, non-toxic, earth-safe and reusable
Lift a burden off your budget
Over a 30-year career, a person can save nearly $100,000 by packing a lunch
Trendy with the times
Save money, eat healthy and look good while doing it
Download PackIt’s 30 day Meal Planner on their website.
Versatile and durable
Perfect for school, work, sporting events, golf, the beach, baby bottles and so much more!
Our Review:
We were pleased to review the new PackIt Personal Cooler in purple.
We must admit we LOVE our PackIt! I have 2 older versions of the PackIt lunch bags…but like this new personal cooler option much better! The primary difference is in the handle. In this new version the handle has a strap that can attach to other bags. It has a convenient lock clasp on the handle, which I use to attach the PackIt to my daughters lunch bag. This is SUCH A NICE NEW FEATURE! Since I have 3 children and 3 PackIts…I may have to upgrade the other 2 PackIts to this new handy version!
PackIt not only stores lunches effectively but also folds nicely for storage in the freezer. The bag conveniently folds up and takes little space in the freezer.
One other added bonus is cleaning! Cleaning is a breeze! The instructions say “Hand wash with mild soap and warm water. Allow to air dry completely with flap open before freezing to prevent frost from forming on cooler. Do not use bleach. Please note that PackIts are not washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, or microwave safe.” We found that these instructions keep the PackIt clean and tidy and have not had any issues thus far.
What about keeping lunches cold? This product is AWESOME!!! There are many times when my children bring unfinished content from their lunches home and after a long school day the items are still cold and fresh.
One feature I do like is that there is no sweating… when I used to pack the traditional ice packs in our old lunch bags the ice packs would sweat as they dethawed and make a wet mess all over the contents and the lunch bag… PackIt does not sweat! AWESOME!
Overall, we are PackIt fans! We might have to try some of their other products aside from the lunch bags…as there are so many options…from wine coolers to picnic bags.
For more information about PackIt and other variations of the bag please visit:
Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.
She is being fed pasture, hay and fodder (sprouted grain). We *think* the fodder is what is helping her give milk for so long between calves. Either that or she’s just a faithful milker! Here’s to hoping she likes us as well as she did her former owner.
