When I think about my own children and their unique qualities, I was actually surprised at how different each one of them are and how uniquely they display different characteristics of my husband and I the good ones and the bad ones

My son

no attention to detail like me
loves to eat like me
social, outgoing, and loud. You can’t *not* notice him… we’re not sure where this came from
smart like his dad
musical like me
naturally funny like his dad
stubborn I want to say like his dad but perhaps both of us
negotiator like me

My daughter

quiet and shy like me and her dad
notices everything like her dad
smart like me
not an athlete like her dad
honest to a fault like her dad
beautiful like me
smile to die for like me
beautiful singing voice like me
goofy as all get out like me

And with all of these characteristics they bring complete joy and magic to my life. My daughter’s most magical moment for me was that she was born with her amazing smile, I adore her smile. They say children don’t smile until they are a few months old, she was smiling from the first second. My son’s magical moment happens every time someone walks up to me and says, my child loves Miles. He wins people over and his amazing ability give me great joy. For our family the absolute most special magic and joy they brought into my life was how they influence my husband to be the father I always knew he could be.

Of course they drive me crazy and I make mistakes yelling at them. I’m not perfect, they’re not perfect, parenting is not perfect, but we’re a family and love each other and support each other and learn from each other no matter what.

I saw the movie The Life of Timothy Green at an early screening thanks to Disney

I always make chocolate chip cookies, so I wanted to try something a little different when my 5YO requested cookies as dessert one evening. These are not particularly sweet, but we really enjoyed them.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

2 eggs
¾ cup honey
¼ cup butter
½ cup apple sauce
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups oat flour
¼ cup ground flaxseed
1 cup quick oats
2 cups Sun-Maid raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF. Lightly butter a cookie sheet.

* I made my own oat flour in my Vita-mix dry container. I used steal cut oats and ground them on speed 7 until the grains where powder.

2. In a stand mixer combine ingredients in order of appearance.

3. Spoon mixture onto cookie sheet and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool at least 3 minutes before serving.

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.

This photo was taken at Animal Kingdom on the Wild African Trek By Someone from Walt Disney World. I have permission to use this photo. You should consider taking the Wild African Trek next time you go to Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom.

This photo was taken at Animal Kingdom on the Wild African Trek By Someone from Walt Disney World. I have permission to use this photo. You would consider taking the Wild African Trek next time you go to Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom.

I took my kids to the grocery store to pick out some vegetables and while we were there the red cabbage (we call it purple in our house) caught my eye. I asked my daughter if she wanted me to buy it, so I did. We used it with our Santa Fe Chili Marinade Recipe. Letting your kids participate in the shopping experience makes it more likely that they will eat what you make. It also helps to let them help in the kitchen (not my best quality but we try to cook together).Lawry’s took the fun in the kitchen one step further. You can create a dinnertisement video. Now, What is a dinnertisement you might ask? I had to ask myself the same question. Dinnertising is all about making meals interactive and fun for kids. You pick a recipe, add your name and Lawry’s creates a fun video for you to share with your family and friends. You could be features on Rachel Ray.

Our actual dinner was created with pork chops. I cut them into cubes marinated it for 30 minutes and then cooked it on the stove top.

Pork Santa Fe Chili Marinade On Bed of Cabbage Recipe:

Ingredients:

Two large Pork Chops
half a bottle of Lawry’s Santa Fe Chili Marinade
Sliced Cabbage
Ponzu sauce

Directions:

Cut up the pork
Marinate for at least 30 minutes no longer than 24 hours
Cook until pork is done
Serve over a bed of cabbage

If desired use Ponzu sauce to enhance flavor (not that it’s needed) or as a dressing for the cabbage. Now if you go and make your own video like we did

You could be featured on Rachel Ray and win the following:

Enter to Win:

• Rachael Ray Lasagna Lover Stoneware
• 2 Zak Designs Serving Spoons: Either happy or surprise spoons
• Lawry’s NEW Marinades and Spice Blends: Mediterranean Herb Seasoned Salt, Fire Roasted Chile & Garlic, Roasted Garlic Salt, Santa Fe Chili Marinade and Mediterranean Herb and White Wine Marinade

To Enter:

You need to create your own dinnertisement leave the link below. You could be featured on Rachel Ray

Your kids want to have fun, and you want them to learn…PBS has the best of both worlds with PBS KIDS apps! Here are some of their top apps for kids this summer.

• Science fanatic? Try Sid’s Science Fair ($2.99 – iPhone & iPod Touch), the app encourages kids 3 to 6 to explore and experience science.

• Augmented reality makes FETCH! Lunch Rush (Free – iPhone & iPod Touch) super cool. Based off of the web-series Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman, it teaches kids ages 6 to 8 math skills while blending a virtual world right on top of the real one.

• Healthy eating can be fun too!  Everyone’s favorite aardvark ARTHUR helps kids ages 4 – 6 learn healthy eating habits on the go with D.W.’s Unicorn Adventure ($1.99 – iPhone & iPod Touch)

• Dinosaurs? Trains? It doesn’t get better than that! Dinosaur Train Camera Catch! ($1.99 – iPhone) is the latest PBS KIDS app to utilize virtual reality. Kids “catch” the dinosaurs with their phone’s camera function in a designated pattern, building patterning skills. Dinosaur photos will be stored in a child’s private gallery.

• Continue the Jurassic fun on the iPad with All Aboard the Dinosaur Train! ($1.99 – iPad) The Dinosaur Train is getting ready to leave and needs passengers! Players need to match the passengers with the right train cars, challenging them to problem-solve by estimating dinosaur sizes and comparing them with the train cars’ capacity.

You can find these and all of PBS KIDS’ apps here: http://pbskids.org/mobile/

What has been that one special day in your life? Can you at least pinpoint the top three? How about for your child? I can tell you one such day for my 5YO was when his brother’s birth almost 3 years ago. For Spencer, it’s the same!

Everyday Spencer is boy who is as strong as a bear and as funny as a monkey, among other things. BUT his parents have left him with grandma and have returned soon making Spencer something he has never been before … a brother! This One Special Day is a great book for soon-to-be big brother and sisters. My sons (even the younger one) love to read this book over and over. My older can even read it to my younger; and to me it’s just sweet that they’re sharing THIS book in particular.

One Special Day: A Story For Big Brothers & Sisters is all about the specialness of your “bigger” child. The specialness is even echoed in the book’s inner cover starts with Spencer alone doing activities and if you flip to the back Spencer is with his younger sibling riding in a wheelbarrow, banging on pots, mimicking, eating popsicles, playing in the garden, and hugging. If you aren’t captivated yet, you soon will be …

This book is an interactive book giving your child a chance to “read” the book with you as not all of the text is provided. When Spencer is as strong as a bear he is really, “as strong as a” with a picture of a bear; your child is drawn to complete the sentence and read with you. As you can tell from the cover, Spencer is like a bear, horse, giraffe, elephant, monkey, tiger, pig, and bird until one special day!

I just can’t say enough about this book. This is a must own in any children’s library and especially those of soon-to-be siblings, but beyond that it’s a keeper! Just to get your children excited and reading on their own. Not only is One Special Day: A Story For Big Brothers & Sisters cute, it’s very original which is why it will survive the purge of other sibling books from your at-home library. As I said before, it’s a keeper!

One Special Day: A Story For Big Brothers & Sisters is available now at your favorite bookstore or on Amazon. Get it for yourself or add it to your baby registry for the big brother or big sister in your house.

My Mom Start Review Grade of the One Special Day: A Story For Big Brothers & Sisters Book: A+++++

In addition to this review, I’d also like to thank the distributor, Disney, for the extra copy which was donated to an under privileged school in my community.

DISCLAIMER: A book was provided for review, but all thoughts in this post are my own and not influenced by the author, publisher, or distributor.

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.

Source: rufflemint.com via Jenny on Pinterest

Source: roses-and-teacups.com via Melinda on Pinterest

Source: modeofgrace.blogspot.com via Melinda on Pinterest

· The Derby is frequently referred to as "The Run for the Roses" because a garland of red roses is awarded to the Kentucky Derby winner each year. The horse’s garland is made up of 554 roses, but you’ll only need a few to set the pace. Show off a dozen long-stemmed beauties in a treasured vase, or cut your roses short, in the French style, to keep a low profile among your food presentation. Carry out the theme with red napkins, candles, or paper party ware.

Hats with roses

Source: blog.zap2it.com via Lena on Pinterest

Source: womenxone.com via Melinda on Pinterest

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Honey-Roasted Ham Biscuits

Ingredients:

1. 1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
2. 2 cups Hormel® Cure 81® diced ham
3. 1/2 cup honey mustard
4. 1/4 cup finely chopped honey-roasted peanuts, divided

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Separate biscuits. Place in muffin pans, pressing gently into bottom and up sides of pan.
3. In bowl, combine ham, mustard and 2 tablespoons peanuts; mix well. Spoon ham mixture evenly into biscuit cups. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons peanuts.
4. Bake biscuits 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown

This post is part of the campaign with Hormel Family.

This photo was taken at Animal Kingdom on the Wild African Trek By Someone from Walt Disney World. I have permission to use this photo.

You ride in a caravan after you hike for about 30 minutes and it’s full of adventure.

Maybe I should start at the beginning. First thing is you have to get all dressed up in your hiking gear along with your harness for the chord that keeps you safe as you hang over crocodiles and hungry hippos.  I felt like Indiana Jones as I courageously crossed the rickety bridge with missing planks. 

I’m trying to think about what my favorite part was and I’m torn between watching the Hippo play in the water or if it was eating the amazing food. The food was outstanding, like eating at a 5 star restaurant, as if I’ve ever done that before (I haven’t by the way, but the food was AMAZING). There was smoked salmon, shrimp, fruit, pita and hummus. I’m getting hungry again just thinking about all this good food.

The food was good and hanging out with friends is always the best.

What animals will you see? You’ll see Lions, Cheetahs, Giraffes, Hippos, Alligators, Monkeys, Ostriches, Flamingos, Elephants, and Antelopes. You will have a great time, I did. I love doing adventurous things. I always thought I was shy and scared, but I’m finding that I am a thrill seeker that loves doing things. I love going outside and just living life to the fullest. This was an amazing adventure and I’ve seen animals closer than I ever thought I would. Enjoy these photos taken by Disney.

		Wild Africa Trek VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

This was made possible thanks to Disney Studios and Walt Disney World Resorts.