Archive for Fun Stuff

Dye Job – Easter’s Coming!

Posted by Brande on March 28, 2011
in All Natural Products, Articles, Eco Friendly Products, Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Holidays, Seasonal Stuff

I was looking at my Food Network Magazine(April 2011) and found on page 115 a great way to dye Easter eggs with stuff you may have at home. The article goes onto say…

“This year’s egg-dyeing kit might already be in your pantry: We tried dyeing eggs with ingredients we had on hand – candy, spices, fruit – and ended up with this amazingly colorful half dozen. To make your own, boil 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar, add your “dye” (12 Now and Later candies, one 7-ounce box of Red Hots, 1 tablespoon Jell-O or Kool-Aid, 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries or 2 tablespoons turmeric) and simmer 15 minutes; strain into a mug for dyeing. Experiment with ingredients in your own kitchen: If it’s something that stains your clothes, chances are it’ll work wonders on an egg!”

I made 2 different dyes on Saturday. One blueberry (on the left) and the other to the right is mixed berries (strawberry, raspberry, & blueberries). Here’s the proof….

It works! I left them in the dye for about 20 minutes. They are lighter than the packaged dyes you will get at the store, but at least you know the ingredients in these dyes! I was thinking about maybe trying beets. What are your ideas?

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St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted by Brande on March 17, 2011
in Articles, Education, Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Fun Stuff, Holidays, Seasonal Stuff

I’m far from Irish, but like many other people I will be Irish for a day! I’ve got my corned beef & cabbage in the slow cooker. So, join in on the fun!

Who is St. Patrick?

http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-history-971546/
People all over the world celebrate on the 17th day of March in honor of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Some cities have parades, most revelers wear green, and a few families commemorate the day with traditional Irish fare for their meal. However, everyone may not know who St. Patrick is.

Born in Britain during the 4th century, St. Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish raiders when he was a teenager. Although he was able to escape after six years and become a priest in Britain, he later chose to return to Ireland as a missionary, in order to help spread the teachings of Christianity to pagans. According to Irish folklore, he also used a shamrock to explain the Christian concept of Trinity to the Irish. In spite of continuous opposition from pagan leaders, he continued to evangelize for thirty years while baptizing newly converted Christians and establishing monasteries, churches, and schools. He died on March 17th and was canonized by the local church.

St. Patrick’s Day was first publicly celebrated in Boston in 1737 where a large population of Irish immigrants resided. Nearly 200 years later, the first St. Patrick’s Dayparade in the Irish Free State was held in Dublin in 1931. During the mid 90’s, the Irish government also began a campaign to promote tourism in Ireland on March 17th.

While many Catholics still quietly celebrate this day of religious observance by going to mass, St. Patrick’s Day slowly evolved to become a celebration of Irish heritage. Through the years, along with legendary shamrocks, many symbols were included in festivities that are reflective of Ireland’s folklore, culture, and national identity (think leprechauns, ethnic cuisine, and wearing green).Other places that join in on this celebration include Japan, New Zealand, Argentina, and Canada, along with many cities across the United States.

Here’s a fun family dessert for everyone to help out with also from Family Fun Magazine! I’ve made them, and they are really cute! http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-recipes/st-patricks-day-desserts/clover-cupcakes-687369/

Clover Cupcakes

It doesn’t take the luck of the Irish to make these St. Patty’s Day treats look so sweet — just a clever baking technique.

Ingredients

Cupcake batter
Cupcake tins and liners
Aluminum foil
White frosting

Green food coloring
Toothpick
Green licorice (we used Twizzlers Rainbow Twists sold in a pack with other colors)

Instructions

Place paper liners in 32 standard muffin cups, then fill each halfway with the batter.
For each cupcake, roll three balls of foil (ours were 2/3 inch in diameter) and insert them evenly around the perimeter between the liner and the tin, as shown.
Bake the cupcakes for a few minutes less than the package suggests (because there’s less batter per cup than usual), or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the cupcakes to cool, then remove them from the tin.
Cover each with green frosting (our ratio was 1 teaspoon of green food coloring to one 16-ounce can of white frosting).
Use a toothpick to draw leaf veins, and insert a 2-inch-long piece of green licorice for a stem.

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2D or 3D Frame Review

Posted by Brande on March 16, 2011
in Baby Products, Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas

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.

Z-Access Display Frame made by the Lewibelle Company developed this product. Upon visiting their website at www.displayit3d.com, they have 7 different colors. The have 2 styles of frames 6″ x 4″ Frame with Base and the one I’m reviewing a pink 6″ x 4″ “Rotating Frame-Within-A-Frame”. It is a wood frame with film insert so, it stretches. It has two (2) “U” shaped clamps to keep the frame together. According to the instructions enclosed, “The 6″ x 4″ frame size will normally display items with volumes up to thirty-seven (37) cubic inches. This volume relates to an item size of up to 5″ x 3″ x 2.5′.” It can hold an object up to three (3) pounds. They go on to state that the films are tear resistant and the films can be replaces. However, I wouldn’t be poking at it with anything sharp.

My Review:

The instructions are understandable and the frames opens and closes with ease. All you need to do is turn the inside frame (Picture 1) and pull off the two (2) “U” shaped clamps (Picture 2), put your object inside, and put the “U” clamps back on. Slide on the base, and your all set.

Picture 1

Picture 2

The hardest problem I had was trying to decide what to put in it. Finally, I selected one of my daughter shoes she had as a newborn. Picture 3 shows the frame with shoe head on. Picture 4 shows the frame from the side, you can see the shoe “sticking” out.

Picture 3

Picture 4

I removed the shoe to see how the film stretched. It did a little, but not enough to where I couldn’t put something else in it. I would suspect if you were to put a baseball in it for an extended time, it would stretch further.

I love it and have gotten many compliments on it. I’m buying this frame for the next baby shower I attend. Check out their site at www.displayit3d.com. This is a great gift for a sports fan also!

Opinions are my own.

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Tail Wags Review

Posted by Brande on March 12, 2011
in Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Safety, Sports

Name the first thing that comes to your mind when I say Tail Wags. If you said helmet covers, your right! Tail Wags Helmet Covers, Inc. was started by Karyn Climans in January of 2006. Straight from the Tail Wags site, here’s Karyn’s Story.

http://www.tail-wags.com

“Years ago, Karyn suffered a serious ski accident. She was lucky to be wearing her ski helmet because it saved her life! The foremost goal of her company is to help prevent unnecessary injuries and it is her passion for safety awareness along with her imaginative flair, which are the key ingredients for Tail Wags’ success.”

“Initially working out of her basement, Karyn started Tail Wags with 6 different helmet covers: the Red Devil, Beaver, Leopard, Bunny Rabbit, Zebra and Raccoon. These are still some of her best sellers! Today, there are some 40 animal characters to choose from and Tail Wags are sold both online and in stores throughout North America and overseas.”

My biggest question was how do you come up with the company name of Tail Wags and sell helmet covers? Here’s the answer I got from http://www.tail-wags.com

“The company was named Tail Wags in order to celebrate the swinging action of the helmet cover’s tail while the wearer is out riding, skating, skiing – being active, and having fun!”

Makes sense to me!

I have to admit, the first time I went on the site. I giggled. It’s something new and different. More importantly, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my daughter safe.

I received the Fairy Princess helmet cover for my daughter. I opened the package and my daughter immediately put it on her head without her bike helmet. (I wish I had my camera close). She loves playing dress up and if she’ll keep her bike helmet on her head being a Fairy Princess…well, Karyn did her job! Thank you Karyn! Here’s a picture of ours. (I tried to get a picture my daughter with it on and she just wasn’t in the mood today.) I’ll post it another day!

The helmet cover is micro-fleece. It needs to be hand washed and laid flat to dry. The cover stretches nicely and is snug to the bike helmet. My only concern with this particular cover (Fairy Princess) is the “jewels” on the crown. I was picking at them, and they seem secure on the crown. I’m not sure if they are big enough to cause a choking hazard, but as always be careful. All in all, I would recommend it, especially if your child doesn’t like their “normal” helmet.

Tail Wags Helmet Covers come in Adults and Childrens sizes. So, the whole family can join in on the fun!

Check out their site at http://www.tail-wags.com

All Comments are my own opinion.

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Springtime Means Mudtime

Posted by html404 on March 7, 2011
in Family Stuff, Fun Stuff

Springtime means mudtime here in our area of the country. Our children have been eager to get outside and play, but since the snow is melting and temperatures are creeping up our yard is a mud pit. Take a look at the area beneath our swingset:

I tend to discourage the children from going outside, take them for a walk or stress the importance of staying on the driveway to play….just to avoid a mass of mud being tracked into the house.

What tips do have for avoiding the mud this spring?

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Movie Review Monday: DreamWorks – MEGAMIND

Posted by Brande on March 7, 2011
in DVDs & CDs, Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Movie Review Monday, Movies

Last week, I purchased Megamind at our local supermarket. The only reason I bought it was because I printed a $5.00 coupon off the web and it was on sale. I was a little skeptical, but thought I’d give it a try. I wasn’t sure if my daughter would enjoy looking at a blue bad alien guy with a big head. I was wrong about that and the whole story. I can hear it now, Oh Mom! Anyway, my family and I finally sat down to watch Megamind on Friday night. It had moments where it was a little slow, but surprisingly I enjoyed it. Especially the soundtrack! It has original music by Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balf. Other favorites were Bad to the Bone, Crazy Train, and A Little Less Conversation (the remix). I’m ready to buy it on i-Tunes, I enjoyed it so much. I’m not always the biggest Will Ferrel fan, he’s kind of like Jim Carey. He can either be great or REALLY annoying. Picking Will Ferrell was a great choice for the Megamind character, he has so many “voices” that he can change into. I was laughing because the character that Jonah Hill (Hal / Tighten) did the voice of (to me) almost looked like him. Mostly, if your is into a family friendly movie night this is a good current movie. Most of the ratings I’ve read are giving it 7 out of 10 or 3 stars. Here’s the story direct from the MEGAMIND website: (www.megamind.com)

Megamind is the most brilliant super-villain the world has ever known… and the least successful. Over the years, he has tried to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way — Each attempt, a colossal failure thanks to the caped superhero known as “Metro Man,” until the day Megamind actually defeats him in the throes of one of his botched evil plans. Suddenly, the fate of Metro City is threatened when a new villain arrives and chaos runs rampant, leaving everyone to wonder: Can the world’s biggest “mind” actually be the one to save the day?

I’ll let you watch the movie to see if Megamind he saves the day! And…..get’s the girl?????

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Cheap Fun With Kids Over Spring Break – Thrifty Thursday

Posted by html404 on March 3, 2011
in Fun Stuff, Guest Post, Thrifty Thursday

Spring Break is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with your kids while having fun in a variety of ways. These outings can be expensive, but with some advanced planning, these extra family activities can cost next to nothing.

New and Different Food

Stop by new places, broadening your children’s experiences and respect for food from a variety of cultures. Try sukumi wiki or chapati at an African restaurant, then try out authentic wood-fired gourmet pizza at a place similar to this restaurant in West Linn, Oregon.

Eating in restaurants is a luxury for families with strict budgets. However, there are ways to expose your children to foods from cultures around the world without running out of funds. Use a coupon for the restaurant you’d like to try, or go on a night where kids can eat free with paying adults. Instead of eating at the restaurant itself, get a take-out order of something special and eat it at home with a variety of vegetables, fruit and bread.

Nature-Loving Field Trips

The outdoors offers many opportunities for exploration. Take your children on a simple hike at a local park, using a field guide to identify local flora and fauna. Once this has proven successful, take them on a more strenuous hike, packing a lunch and stopping for a picnic.

If the weather in your part of the world is warm enough, consider taking your children camping for a few days. Hiking can then become a traditional part of your camp-out experience, along with s’mores around the nightly campfire.

Your Inner Artist

Use spare cardboard, paper and other craft items to unleash your inner artist with your kids. Take advantage of the time of year and give these crafts a spring or Easter theme, decorating your home in honor of the season. Experiment with different mediums and techniques, such as oil pastels, watercolors, clay and wire to make truly original works of art.

Neighborhood Play Date

Spring Break is a great opportunity to connect with family, friends and neighbors. Schedule a play date or potluck dinner and invite those who are part of your larger community to share the time with you. Enjoy food and adult conversation while kids play indoors and outdoors. For your kids’ best friends, a play date can turn into a sleepover for some free Spring Break fun!

Rollin’ Along

If you’d like to have more fast-paced family fun, consider a local skating rink. Generally, if there’s a local community center in your area, they charge less to rollerskate or rollerblade, especially during Spring Break. This fun activity can provide your entire family with valuable exercise and wear your kids out at the same time!

Kelly Wilson is a busy mom and freelance writer. For delicious, authentic gourmet Sicilian-style pizza, visit BJ Willy’s, a restaurant in West Linn, Oregon.

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Faith and Family Reviews Giveaway- Doozy Cards

Posted by html404 on February 11, 2011
in Fun Stuff, Giveaways

And since no on else entered Karen won! Thanks to Karen for entering and to Doozy Cards for sponsoring this giveaway!

Doozy E-Cards is a company created by a mom for people who are too busy to send cards, but want to let people know they care here is what she says:

“I know the importance of finding effective ways to let people know how much they mean to you. Online Greeting Cards let you “make someone’s day” with the click of a mouse. My name is Chandler Chandler, President of Doozy Cards LLC Greeting Cards and I want to welcome you to Doozy. I’m a wife and the mother of 3 boys: a 12 year old with more homework than most students have in college and two younger ones!”

The Doozy E-Cards team have created fun E-cards that are for every occasion from birthdays, Holidays, just because E-cards, E-cards for kids and more! From humorous to cute they have every E-card imaginable!

Enter to win a free year of membership with their fun, cute and witty Doozy e-cards. ($19.95 value)

Mandatory Entry: Tell me what E-Card you would like to send first.

Extra Entries (Please be sure and leave a comment and link for extra entries):

1 Entry:Follow Faith and Family Reviews On Twitter(http://twitter.com/faithfamilyrevw)

1 Entry:Follow Doozy Cards on Twitter.

1 Entry:Like/Friend Faith and Family Reviews on Facebook.

1 Entry:Like/Friend Doozy Cards on Facebook.

2 Entries: Follow Faith and Family Reviews on Google Friend Connect (on the our right side bar).

2 Entries: Tweet about this giveaway, but only one tweet per day please. Include your tweet url with your comment. You may write your own tweet or use this one:

Giveaway: Enter to win a free membership to Doozy Cards!! 2 winnners! @faithfamilyrevw! http://faithandfamilyreviews.com/?p=6551 Please share! Thx!

5 Entries: Blog about this giveaway and link back 1 Entry: for every comment you leave anywhere else on this blog, but please leave a link with your comment!

Details:

This giveaway will run from February 11th-February 25th 2011 at midnight CST. The winner will be chosen through Random.org. Winner will be contacted via email on or before March 1st and will be asked for their e-mail. Winners will have 48 hours to send me their info at [ffr] [giveaways] [at] [gmail] [dot] [com] (without spaces and parenthesis). This giveaway is offered to international.

Thanks and have fun!

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Review ~ Eco Bling reusable shopping tote

Posted by Professor on February 9, 2011
in Eco Friendly Products, Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Shopping, Uncategorized

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.

I received the Eco Bling bag featured above to review. I personally LOVE the idea of reusable bags, not only are they eco-friendly but they are cute too! One thing that sets this bag apart from other reusable bags is the cute design on the face of the bag. Even though it is a “brand” symbol on the front it is much cuter than the grocery store emblem plastered across the front of many bags I own. I feel very stylish when I pull this bag out to carry goods home! The only downfall of the facial design is the color…white…white gets dirty very easily, and although the bag can be washed I find it gets dirty very easily.

One plus to this bag is that there is a little pocket on the inside, which can fit keys, credit cards, or a wallet. The pocket is a very handy feature. The bag is also very large …the height of the bag is wonderful; it far surpasses the height of my other bags, making it very deep. It can easily hold a large cereal box or two with room to spare! However, I do have to say that the width leaves something to be desired. I personally like wide box bottom bags, but this is a personal preference …the eco bling bag is the standard width of most reusable bags …so if you have never experienced the luxury of having a wide box bottom bag…you will not miss the feature! I also wish the handles on the bag were larger so that I could throw it over my shoulder…as designed it has to be held in the hand or over the elbow.

Overall, this is a delightful bag, one that I will definitely add to my stash of reusable bags when I go on a shopping adventure! Kudos to Eco Bling for making a fashionable shopping tote!

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77kids Holiday Event

Posted by html404 on November 21, 2010
in Children's Clothing, Fun Stuff, Giving Back/Charity

Faith and Family Reviews received a stipend and gift cards for participating in the following event, thanks to The Motherhood.com and 77kids by American Eagle. While we consider it a privilege to work with companies, our thoughts and opinions are our honest opinions of the event and store.

A few weeks ago we were invited to a holiday event with American Eagle’s 77kids brand. We were very excited to receive another opportunity to work with them! Yesterday was the event and we attended a VIP kick-off party at the new Chicago area 77kids store. We got a sneak peek at the magical window displays, received free treats and got a really good look at the store itself.

The 77kids staff worked around the clock for a week to get the store ready for their November 18th opening, just three days ago. The store looked great and very festive for the season. I have to admit that I loved their winter clothing selection.

We joined other area moms and their kids as we toured the store. The children were able to explore the neat dressing rooms with “windows”, play on bean bag chairs, sit in the little birdie chair that symbolizes the 77kids brand (our youngest daughter loved that it was pink and located in the little girl section!), and use the store’s camera to take some very unique looking photos, which were printed out at the register. Then we enjoyed shopping with the gift card we were provided especially for this event. Our older girls got socks, gloves, pj bottoms and a camisole, while our youngest was a bit spoiled by yours truly (well, to be honest she tends to be spoiled by all of us!) and received a dress and leggings. Our boys got new watches and at the risk of being unpopular among our readership, I didn’t buy our two little guys anything. They really didn’t need anything. As it was, I went over my alloted gift card, but the children did so well that I wanted to treat them to something they actually needed. Besides, who doesn’t like something new now and then? Last night I did a few freelance jobs to almost pay for the overage anyways. Thank God for work-at-home opportunities.

Below you will find some fantastic photos from our morning at Schaumburg’s 77kids store:

The only disappointing thing about this event was the miscommunication that occurred preventing us from enjoying breakfast at the store with the whole Chicago group. But, hey, we live in an imperfect world and things like this happen. Everything else was great, as you can see from the above photos.

Giving Back

In addition to kicking off the grand opening of their new store, 77kids is outdoing themselves on the charity front as well. They are donating to local children’s hospitals. So this is where we need your help. If you go to the 77kids holiday microsite and create a digital snowflake – it’s easy, fast and fun – and with 100,000 snowflakes, 77kids will donate $25,000 to the Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago! This is a wonderful opportunity for all of you to get involved too.

Keep your eye open for our upcoming giveaway of a 77kids gift card this week!

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