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Summertime Fun with American Plastic Toys!

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Summertime in a busy household can be equal parts fun and exhaustion with schedules to match. But, I absolutely soak up the family time during the summer with kids home from school plus the usual hustle and bustle of this time of year. Here in the Seattle area it has been one of the best summers with warm weather that we have had in a loooooong time. Of course this means many hours of outside play time while momma soaks up the sun. Ahhhhhhh.

American Plastic Toys treats us busy families right with equal parts fun and affordable! Having enjoyed toys from American Plastic Toys previously, they never cease to impress. After receiving sample products from American Plastic Toys at the perfect time for summer fun I gained a new appreciation for convenience.

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Kids Plastic Table
“American Plastic Toys offers a new design to the classic picnic table with this all-in-one-piece square-shaped table and benches. The four sided design is super easy to assemble and does not require tools or screws. The new design is super stable and provides ample room for four children. This colorful table offers terrific play value at a hugely affordable price.”
What I really liked about this is that it is light weight. I can pick it up and move anywhere on my deck and can store it away easily. It is the perfect size for younger toddler age but a little snug for older kids. The table top works great for tea parties but is pretty small for much else.
MomStart.com mom recommended? Absolutely for younger kids! A little snug for older/bigger kiddos but still easy to use and a practical purchase for all.

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Sand and Water Play Set
“The one piece water way has a snap on ‘Wave Maker’ device to propel the four barge type boats. A 9 1/4″” tall 360° rotating crane services both the waterway and the sand pit. Set also includes a flatbed truck designed to hold the cargo units. Three stop gates control the flow of boat traffic. Packaged in a colorful corrugated carton with a full color litho label.”
I love this play set! Great size. Fun colors. Lightweight and easy to use. Easy to assemble with no tools required. You do not getter a better bang for your buck! It fit on top of our APT kids plastic table like a charm and my little playtime pal was entertained for HOURS! Durable and easy clean up to store away for another great day. Love Love Loved this one!
MomStart.com mom recommended? Absolutely! For kids of all ages
American Plastic Toys products are sold in most major North American mass merchants including but not limited to WalMart, Toys R Us, Sears/Kmart, Family Dollar Stores, Dollar General, Meijer’s, Walgreens, etc. Many of our products are also available on the Internet through Walmart.com, TRU.com, Target.com and in many regional retail outlets.
Have a great summer! I’ll see you in the toy isle!

Enjoy the Game All Summer Long While Learning With Flexibility #BrainChase @BrainChase

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This is a sponsored post.

The summer has started for part of the country and the rest will be joining us soon. With that news means you want to keep those little brains active and energized and the game, educational hunt for buried treasure in BrainChase is going to be perfect. I’ve been looking forward to starting up and just recently received an e-mail that it’s going to begin soon. It’s going to start June 22 and an e-mail will be coming out soon with instructions on how to set up your children’s account and pick their extra language. I can’t wait to get her started. SO…….. You can still registerimage

 

Alongside the regular pricing package ($199 for the first registration, and then $100 for each sibling), Brain Chase has now begun offering their premium pricing package ($249 for the first registration, and then $149 for each sibling). The premium package includes Brain Chase registration plus a Brain Chase-branded adventure backpack, a Brain Chase t-shirt and Sunstone of Cortés patch. Later in the summer, these items will be available for a la carte purchase.

 

And….. not worry about being behind.

Maybe…you are worried that your kids are going to spend a week in overnight camp and they will get behind. That’s not the case, BrainChase is flexible. By registering for Brain Chase, your student is committing to do about five hours of focused online academic work each week for five weeks. Because the curriculum is web-based, he or she can complete the work whenever, wherever, and in whatever order he or she prefers. And the characters look really cool. My daughter loves that there are boy and girl characters in the adventure.

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Brain Chase is an online challenge, so you’ll need a high-speed Internet connection. It will work on the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari web browsers. You will be able to complete math, language and reading assignments on tablets. (For the writing assignments, it’s recommended to have a desktop or laptop available.)

And don’t forget about the Teacher referral reward program. Brain Chase is offering a $15 Staples gift card to teachers for each of their students they refer to Brain Chase. Registrants who hear about Brain Chase from a teacher can simply enter that teacher’s name and school name at registration. The referral rewards can add up to substantial funding for classroom supplies – it’s a great opportunity for a class fundraiser through the PTA or other school organizations.

 

A 2011 RAND study explored the phenomenon of summer learning loss and how it can put students behind, which is no surprise – anybody would feel rusty revisiting topics they hadn’t thought about for months.  Brain Chase keeps your kids minds active in a fun fun way! Brain Chase understands falling behind – the summer can be busy. Brain Chase allows students to catch up on missed work from previous weeks. Read more about the flexibility of the program through this post on the Brain Chase blog. Also the New York Times published a company profile of Brain Chase, and the team has unveiled a new TV ad, appearing now to audiences throughout the country.

Family Game Night: Battle Sheep By Blue Orange

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By Summer

Games have changed since I was a child. I’m sure you think the same thing. But have they really? I think it’s just that options have changed from the typical Uno, Yahtzee, Chutes and Ladders, and Candyland. My favorite “new generation” game maker is Blue Orange.

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Our families owns their games like Spot It, YamSlam and TellTale. Now Blue Orange has a new game out, and it’s not just for kids, Battle Sheep. This is a game of strategy and we’ve played with our children for family game night and we’d played with only adult friends during a weekend getaway. The game is simple enough to be enjoyed by all, but it’s all about the strategy:

 

 

Battle Sheep is a designed for ages 7+ though we played with our 5 and 7 year old. I can tell that our 5 year old has no clue what he’s doing, but our 7 year old gets the game’s tactic. My husband and I don’t let our boys win, but we find ourselves trying to out whit one another and also trying to block our 7 year old from a win; in turn our 5 year old has managed to school all of us.

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Not only is this game a fun challenge … but it’s cute! LOOK AT THOSE FACES!

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Blue Orange knows how to make games that are appealing to children with their graphic and simple instructions, and adults because of their strategy.

Each game doesn’t take too long and is dependent upon players thought time to strategize.

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From our family of four, Battle Sheep get eight thumbs up! You can get Blue Orange’s Battle Sheep at your local gaming shop or score great deals on Amazon. In fact, the price is around $30 depending on your retailer, so this is a great NEW game to add to your shopping list for birthdays and dare I say it … CHRISTMAS!

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Summer BBQ Ideas From Chef John Doherty

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Chicken Soup for the Soul BBQ Sauce

Did you know that Chicken Soup for the Soul has their own line of foods? Talk about “Soul” food! Just in time for summer, Chicken Soup for the Soul has teamed up with Chef John Doherty to share some great ideas for using their BBQ sauce. Chef John has an impressive resume, cooking for presidents and royalty in addition to managing the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC. He works with the Chicken Soup for the Soul developing recipes and products, so here are his hints for utilizing their BBQ sauce this summer:

Summer BBQ Ideas:

  • Use Chicken Soup for the Soul barbecue sauce on pizza dough instead of tomato-based pizza sauce for a smoky-sweet note
  • Toss steamed fresh vegetables and canned beans with any Chicken Soup for the Soul barbecue sauce for a delicious vegetable-bean salad
  • Dress up your baked potato with Chicken Soup for the Soul barbecue sauce and melted cheddar cheese for a savory meal
  • Spice up your bacon by brushing a little Chicken Soup for the Soul barbecue sauce on strips of cooked bacon and bake in the oven for 2 minutes for an explosion of flavor
  • Mix 2 tbsp of Chicken Soup for the Soul barbecue sauce to ½ cup sour cream to make a zesty dip for your raw veggies
  • Toss the ketchup for bigger flavor! Add Chicken Soup for the Soul barbecue sauce to your favorite sandwich, burger or wrap

What’s your favorite use for BBQ sauce?

Rimmel London Makeup Giveaway

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Rimmel London Makeup

Makeup provided for review purposes.

When I first started wearing makeup as a teenager, it was so exciting when I got to try new products. I’m turning 30 next month, but that excitement has never diminished – I still love trying new colors, new tools, and new beauty innovations. It’s so much fun!

I recently got a package full of Rimmel London products intended to help you get a great summer look. I started off by applying Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation in color 101, Classic Ivory. This shade was a good match for my fair complexion and gave nice, light coverage. The best part for me is that this foundation also SPF 18 – it’s important for me to have SPF on my face year-round, but especially during the summer. For days when I know I’m going to have a lot of sun exposure, I put sunscreen on first and then this foundation. I burn easily!

Next, I applied Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in Radiant Rose to the top of my cheeks. It has a nice creamy consistency and adds a subtle, pretty hint of color. I don’t tend to wear blush much, because I get overheated easily and my face gets red and flushed – I figure it’s my natural blusher. 😉

For the eyes, I applied my eyeshadow and eyeliner as normal, and finished with ScandalEyes Mascara in black. This does a good job of extended and enhancing the look of my lashes without being too cakey or “Stiff” looking – I actually quite like it.

For my final touch, I penciled in my eyebrows with Professional Eyebrow Pencil in hazel. I only use eyebrow pencils sporadically, but since my hair is currently dyed dark red & black, this color went well over my naturally blonde eyebrows. I thought the color went pretty well with my look – and my favorite part was the fact that this pencil has an eyebrow brush built right into the top of the lid. This is SO handy for me, because my last eyebrow brush wasn’t as convenient and ended up breaking. I always smooth my brows out so it’s nice to have this pencil in my bag to keep my eyebrows groomed even when I don’t fill them in with color!

Here’s my finished look:

Beeb wearing Rimmel London

Rimmel London Giveaway

Three MomStart readers will win a product from Rimmel London’s summer line! Please read the prizing details carefully:

1 winner will receive 1 bottle of Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation in a random shade.
1 winner will receive 1 tube of Rimmel London Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in a random shade.
1 winner will receive 1 wand of Rimmel London ScandalEyes Mascara in a random shade.

Winners will be drawn at random. This giveaway is open to the continental US and ends on August 8th at 11:00 PM PST. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please click here to see our giveaway rules.

Summer is Around the Corner: Special Swimways $5.00 Off Coupon

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We had a few warm days here in Seattle and they didn’t last long enough if you ask me. I’m missing them already, it’s raining again, but that’s not going to keep us out of the pool. I’m a Swimways ambassador and I’ll be reviewing their products all summer long. Plus along the way I’ll be sharing great deals, promotions and events with you.

The main goal I have with this partnership is that I want my children to learn how to swim and not be afraid of the water. They take swim lessons at the YMCA but they are still very afraid of the water. We keep them with the same teacher in hopes that he can build a trusting relationship with them, but it’s a slow process. I know what they really need is more practice. 

I have a coupon for you…It’s a $5.00 off Swimways coupon when you buy any three or more products. While the warm weather may still be a few weeks away, we hope that you are able to use this coupon to get the conversation started early about the importance of learning to swim this summer. We’re just six weeks out from National Learn to Swim Day (May 18, 2013 – I will be sharing additional information about this event soon), and Swimways is already diving into the conversation of children’s water safety.

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I’ll be sharing those tips with you as well. Make sure that you follow strict safety precautions with kids and the pool. There are way too many tragedies every year, keep an eye on those babies. Children are a precious gift!

Bento Box Monday: Featuring Innobaby Containers Pancakes & Meatballs

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By Summer:

(clockwise): orange slices, maple syrup in the innobaby container, silver dollar pancakes, meatballs

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I love innobaby containers. I have a pair of small ones like the one you see here and they’re just so handy to have a REALLY small container. Innobaby is a mom owned small business; I love that. I also love that their plastic products are BPA free. Innobaby now also offers a bento line of containers.

Back To School With Bento Box Monday

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By Summer:

Bento seems to be one of the hot “new” things to do. A fad, yes. Fun, yes. Nutritious, yes. So, Mom Start might as well ride the wave too. Really though I’ve been hot on it for about the past two years sending snacks to preschool. I love the idea of compartmentalizing foods and getting all the food groups in the box so you can see them. I’m not too wild on all the art and stick-in elements; that’s just me! What you’re going to get in my bento posts in real bentos I’ve made and you can recreate and get ideas from. I will list all the foods in the box and sometimes give you some detail. Some bentos are snacks and some of them are lunches. If you don’t know, I’m on a Sabbath year and so these were all submitted way before now so these are my son’s snack or even lunch when we’d had out to the zoo, aquarium, park, etc.

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1 – (clockwise): cheese and potato pierogi, peas, carrots, cutie orange slices, kielbasa links

I cheat with the pierogi. I could make my own, but that takes a long time. I buy mine for Costco; they are Kasia’s. I freeze mine when I get them home from Costco, so I boil them to soften the dough and warm the insides. In the meantime, I melt butter in a pan and sauté minced onion. I transfer the warm pierogi directly from the boiling water to the sauté and brown a little bit.

Get whatever kielbasa you like, but this is NOT real Polish kielbasa. This is wannabe kielbasa. First off it’s made from turkey meat and secondly it’s Jennie-O. If you want to order some REAL Polish meats (from anywhere in the country), I recommend Andy’s Deli. You can also check your area for local European delis if you want to avoid S&H charges which can get pricey.

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.

FridgeX 6 Piece Rectangular Storage Set

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By Summer:

I’d love to be a kitchen guru. Whenever I think I am then I find something else I didn’t know, or something I should have created in the kitchen, or a friend owns a gadget I wish I owned; FridgeX by Ceramcor fits into the latter category.

FridgeX sent Mom Start a 6-piece rectangular storage set ($37.99) which includes an 8 ounce, 20 ounce and 40 ounce container each with cover. This would be a great new home gift or new mom gift! These containers are silicone and are shock proof. Make a meal for a new home owner or new family, and they can freeze it or bake it (up to 430oF) all inside this one dish. Once done these FridgeX containers are easy to clean since their surface is non-stick and stain resistant; this also means you can make that Italian dish you were thinking about – no tomato stains (I bet it helps that the product is already red in color). Storage is easy as the contain collapses flat and the lid interlocks. This is really the newest kitchen product you’ll want to show off or be proud to offer as a gift. You will be that kitchen guru!

 

My only tip is not to use this as your normal plastic ware with you pack for the zoo to give your child a snack. The lid is not backpack proof; I speak from experience. The lid does lock into place for areas such as a fridge or freezers shelf, but not for the movement and unstructured –ness of a backpack. This is just for your information, but having said that I would still highly recommend this product! I just wanted you to know it’s not Tupperware or glad-lock … this isn’t your mama’s cookware!

Make a pot pie, baked ziti, a deep-dish brownie, or keeps a stew in your warming drawer. You really have a lot of options! This is a very versatile dish able to withstand extreme heat and cold. All of these pieces and go directly from your freezer to your oven, and vice versa. FridgeX is made for cooking and beyond. FridgeX is truly one dish cooking … and storage … and reheating. I love cleaning less dishes!

Not only do I hate having one more thing to get into the dishwasher, but I‘d have to waste more water getting the dish prepped for the dishwasher. I don’t have to worry about this with FridgeX. Making FridgeX more ecofriendly; if you follow my posts this is one very important element for me! FridgeX is also 100% recyclable (if it came to that) and is also non-toxic to aquatic life and soil organisms … as well as you and your family!

The 6-piece rectangle multipurpose FridgeX set is not your only option. There are an 8-piece mini-food storage and picnic set, 4-piece tomato and onion storage and baking set (this is my next “I want!” set), and 6-piece round multipurpose set. Shopping on the Ceramcor website gets you free shipping on these FridgeX items.

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.

Tasty Treat: All Recipes.com Beth’s Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

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Sometime you just need an “old reliable” so today I’m giving you the top-rated cookie recipe from allrecipes.com. I simply typed cookies into their search tool and selected top rated and the winner of this title is …. Beth’s Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by Beth Sigworth.

With a little experimenting, I came up with these chewy, spicy, oatmeal raisin cookies. They make your kitchen smell wonderful while they are baking. They almost remind me of Christmas because the spices smell so good. ~Beth Sigworth

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When I’m writing this the rating is 5 stars with 3,200 reviews. There are 173 photos for you to look at if you wish.

All Recipes.com Beth’s Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
½ cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350oF.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins.

3. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12 minutes until golden. Do not over bake. Let cool for 2 minites before removing from cookie sheet to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Make sure you get some, because they don’t last long!

So I have a hard time leaving recipes alone even my first time around. I thought about messing with the sugar but didn’t. In my opinion, too much sugar is used in most sweets. I did use double the butter and no shortening. I also love to mess around with flour, but I played “light” this time and only fuddled the recipe by using 1 cup all-purpose and ½ cup whole wheat. I’d also love to add some walnuts! Lastly, I’m a one bowl kind of girl; I added everything into my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer in this order: sugars, butter, vanilla, baking soda, sinnamon, cloves, salt, eggs, flour, raisins, oats.

My thoughts: “Yum! Could I eat this for breakfast and call it good?”
My DH: “Hum … I think there’s something wrong; I’ll eat these, you make another batch!”

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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.