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Neighborhood Toy Store Day – #ASTRA

Did you know that Saturday, November 10th is Neighborhood Toy Store Day? This is an awesome day to take time to enjoy the amazing events happening in your area, promote shopping locally, and checking out the unique selections of quality toys available right in your own neighborhood!

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How to Create a Cinderella Princess Party – #DisneyPrincessWMT

“Oh, that clock! Old killjoy. I hear you. ‘Come on, get up, you say, Time to start another day.’ Even he orders me around. Well, there’s one thing. They can’t order me to stop dreaming.” – Cinderella… I loved Cinderella as a little girl, but we only had it on an old VHS, so Abby hadn’t seen it yet. Which means that you know I was ALL over it when I heard that it was being released on BluRay, and started planning a fun party to get some of Abby’s friends over to watch it. If you’ve been reading here for awhile, you probably remember that a few months ago Abby had a seizure. It was the scariest thing that I’d ever been through in my entire life. Ever. Full-on Grand Mal seizure, and she wasn’t even two yet. They had hoped that it was just a febrile seizure – related to a fever. Well, I haven’t posted about it here yet, but I’ve talked to some of you on Facebook about it… She’s had more. We’ve been driving a few hours both ways to Seattle Children’s Hospital for appointments, since the doctors here in town aren’t sure what’s wrong. So – saying that life has been a little stressful is an understatement. And it also means that we were in definite need of some fun times. So momma got to work putting a Cinderella party together to help Abby shake things off and have a fun day!

Cinderella toys at Walmart

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Football Party Food: Build a Snackadium with #SNICKERSMinis

“The reason women don’t play football is because eleven of them would never wear the same outfit in public.” –  Phyllis Diller… My home is a football home. I have some serious football lovers living here. Me? I have very little understanding of it all, but I like the food, I love having people over, and enjoy all of the excitement around it all. So in a way, I guess I love football too. I remember years ago, when Mike and I were first dating – His favorite team of all time, the Seahawks, made it to the Superbowl. Since we live just a couple of hours from Seattle, there was a LOT of excitement all over town for that game – it was a huge deal. Billboards all over town, stores were selling out of Seahawks gear, it was craziness. That was the first game I ever really watched – Mike explained how the game worked to me as it was played, and I finally “got” it. Alas, the Seahawks didn’t win {yes, I am a firm believer that those stinky ol’ Steelers stole the game. Sorry Steelers fans!} – but it did give me a much better appreciation for the game. These days, Mike manages his super-serious fantasy football team, we watch the games every week, and we love to have football parties. So that means I needed to come up with some creative new football party foods this year, since football season is in full swing now…

Snickers minis chocolate bagged candy

How to Build a Snackadium for Football Party Fun with #SNICKERSMinis

You might remember the Snackadium that I made last year, using chips and dips. I made that a couple of times for different parties, and it was a HUGE hit. So, I thought it might be fun to try to create a new Snackadium this year made out of sweets instead. My challenge was to find the new NFL bagged Snickers Minis at Walmart, and incorporate them into my dessert display. And I love a challenge! Here’s a list of what you’ll need to do this too:

  • Snickers bagged candy, the minis and the fun size bars.
  • Wilton white and milk chocolate candy melts, one bag each – and you’ll have lots left over for other projects too.
  • A bag of rod pretzels
  • Disposable aluminum baking pan {I forgot this, and had to use an old cookie sheet, which doesn’t look as clean and nice}
  • Fruit dip {or make your own, mix half marshmallow fluff with half cream cheese. So good!}
  • Caramel dip
  • Food coloring
  • Stadium fillers – I used 2 packages of filled sandwich cookies,1 big bag of apple slices, and the rest of the Snickers candy
  • One giant Rice Krispies Treat, cut into squares
  • Toothpicks

And, before you head out to Walmart to pick up all of these goodies, make sure to print out some of the new football party coupons – so you can get extra savings. {See my own Walmart search for NFL Snickers bagged candy on Google+.}  Because us busy mommas on a budget need all the help we can get, right? Once you’ve gathered all of your supplies, you’re ready to get started on your Snackadium.

how to build a snackadium

How to Build a Snackadium

Ok, building a Snackadium takes a a bit of time, but it’s really pretty darn easy to do. First step is to gather all your supplies and Snickers candy. Now, let me walk you step by step through the basics:

  • Playing Field: I used a fruit dip tinted green with Wilton gel color to make the field, and caramel dip on each end to make the end zones. To help keep the edges even, I put down two little wooden BBQ skewers where I want the divide to be – as you can see in the second photo above. Then just take them out when you’re done, and smooth any little shmears.
  • Goal Posts: These look complicated, but are pretty much impossible to mess up, I promise. Take two Snickers fun size bars, and dig a little notch in one side of each one like the photo, so they fit snug around the pretzel rod. That’s your base. Break one pretzel rod in half, and another into smaller sections, to make the top of your goal posts. To put it all together, melt some milk chocolate candy melts – dip each piece in candy, stick ’em together, and arrange on wax paper to cool {once they harden, they’ll stick together sturdy.} My trick: I used a thin book {yep, that’s the Baby Brezza cookbook that Abby and I are in!} – Then I laid the pretzel goal post on it, with the bottom Snickers bars on the stovetop beneath, so the whole thing could lay flat. Worked great!
  • Stadium Walls: Cut your giant Rice Crispy Treat into rectangles – then stick them together with toothpicks, to make a retaining wall around your stadium.

Congrats – The hard part is behind you! You’ve made your football field, set up a wall around the perimeter {love using that word. Perimeter…} and you’re goal posts are cooling down. Let’s fill the stands, and set up the field. Ready? Go….

snickers snackadium

“Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.” –  Erma Bombeck

Filling the Snackadium is simple – just take whatever goodies you’ve got, and fill them inside of your Rice Crispy Treat “stadium” walls. This makes your crowd of fans – ready and eager to see the #SNICKERSMinis players enter the marshmallow dip playing field…. To make the players, you’ll just melt a couple of handful of white candy melts in a couple of different bowls, and add a different color of food coloring to each one. Dip the tops of the Snickers minis in the candy, let cool – and now you’ve got two opposing teams. Grab your cooled candy and pretzel goal posts – put one in each end zone, with the caramel dip keeping them in place. Then place your chocolate football players on the field, however you wanna set ’em up. Now it’s time to cheer – and let the games begin!

Snickers Snackadium

“If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score?” –  Vince Lombardi

Here it is – the Snickers Snackadium! Fun, right? When I make this to bring to parties, I’ll definitely be using the disposable aluminum pans, for a cleaner look. This was just kind of a test-drive, to see how this would all come together. I love it – and I’m sure it’ll be as popular as the chips and dips Snackadium of last year – if not more popular, because I mean, who doesn’t LOVE Snickers, right? Perfect football party snack. Love it!

How to build the Snickers Snackadium

Hope you have fun building your own Snackadium too!

You can find tons more ideas on building Snackadium creations online, there’s an actual site – Snackadium.com, totally devoted to it. There are some crazy-impressive ideas on there that make me feel like SUCH an underachiever, lol. And if enjoyed this little tutorial, I’d love for you to share it with a retweet or a pin!

If you decide to make your own Snackadium this fall, either the chips style, Snickers style, or something totally new – I would love, love, LOVE it if you’d come share pics on my Facebook wall! I might even feature them on my site – I love seeing the amazing creativity my readers have. You guys rock.

Snickers NFL bagged minis

Like Snickers on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter @Snickers too!

{Disclaimer: 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 SNICKERS® Brand #CBias #SocialFabric. All photos and Snackadium creativity here are 100% my own work.}

 

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Planning Tips for Hosting a Perfect Summer Party

There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them… Who loves to party? You know that I sure do, right? I love any type of party – from a fancy wedding dinner party event, to a barefoot camp out on the beach. But my favorite parties happen right here in my home – with my best-est, most favorite-est friends and family. {Yes, I know I just made up a couple of words…. :)} We entertain here throughout the year, but summertime is my favorite, since we have a pretty awesome outdoor space. So if you’re ready to spice up your summer entertaining, keep reading for some of my fave tips for planning the perfect party:

summer entertaining tips

Looking for some ideas to spice up your summer parties, Rentals.com has entertaining tips and how-tos for entertaining at home!

The most important essential for hosting a successful summer party is planning! A great plan doesn’t have to be complicated, but you want to cover all of the bases – cleaning before and after, a theme, menu and drink choices, decorations, games, favors, and guests. So, here are some easy peasy tips to help you plan ahead for your own perfect party this summer:

  • Cleaning: We all know that this is a super important part of having guests over, right? Check out a great post on Step-by-Step Quick Cleaning Tips for your Rental Home – these also apply to home owners too. This includes a room-by-room break down on quickly getting your house ready for guests! And, to make clean-up after the party simple too, read my tips on making any party a one-bag party!
  • Theme: Any party is easier – and much more fun! – with a theme. Whether you go super simple and just pick a couple colors to tie things together, or get more elaborate with a theme like a Summer Luau party, a fun Football party during Superbowl, or  a family game night, a theme makes it much simpler to pick your menu, drinks, games, and other fun party stuff.
  • Food & Drink: If you need some inspiration for super cool party foods and unique drink ideas, check out my boards on Pinterest. You’ll find super fun creations to make for your next summer party – including great ideas for kids foods too.
  • Decorations, Games, & Favors: These are totally up to you… I personally love to make most of my decor and favors myself – with a little help from fun Dollar Store finds, and party packs from Oriental Trading Company. You can also use free printables for many of your party needs, from invitations to banners, to cupcake toppers. Love these.
  • Guests: As I mentioned in Neighbor-Friendly Entertaining Do’s & Don’ts, it’s super important to make sure you invite the kind of guests who will not only be respectful of your home, but also of your neighborhood too. If your guests leave empty bottles and cans along the sidewalk as they leave, your neighbors are going to consider that your mistake – and will rightly expect you to clean it up. Not a great way to make friends in your ‘hood, you know?

So, armed with these great tips, anyone can put together a great plan for their next summer party – or a party any other time of the year. One of my favorite sayings has always been, “Failing to plan is like planning to fail,” because it’s just so true. Yes, a party can be put together on the fly, and sometimes you get lucky. But even a last minute party can benefit from just a few quick minutes of planning – make a couple of lists, divide up the tasks between a few trusted helpers, and things should flow much more smoothly! 

The do's and don'ts of summer party hosting

“Like” Rentals.com on Facebook or follow them on Twitter @Rentals_com to get their latest tips on making the most of your home. When you’re ready for a new place to call home, Rentals.com has the information you’ll need to find the perfect property for your family – choose from rental houses, apartments, condos or townhouses. 

What are your best tips for planning a perfect summer party? Share ’em in the comments!

{Disclosure: Rentals.com and owner Consumer Source, Inc. partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in blogger programs.  As part of that program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products featured, and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.The winner of this giveaway will be randomly chosen and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party. Photo Credit: Chronogram.}

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Neighbor-Friendly Entertaining Do’s & Don’ts

“I am thankful for the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.” – Nancie J. Carmody… As you know, I love to entertain. Especially during the summer months, since we have a pretty great outdoor space with the pool and patio here in our new house. But, while entertaining at home can be a blast, it also comes with quite a few challenges too! So, with a little inspiration from my good friends over at Rentals.com and Apartment Guide, I’ve put together a smart set of solutions for your next party – check ’em out:

neighbor-friendly entertaining tips

“Nothing makes you more tolerant of a neighbor’s noisy party than being there.” – Unknown

Even though our home is on a pretty big piece of land, we still have neighbors that are close enough to hear all of the good times happening out at the patio and pool. And if you’re living in a neighborhood where the houses are really close to each other, or even an apartment building or duplex, then you know that it’s NO fun listening to someone’s big party when you’re trying to sleep! So here are a few tips to solve that problem during the next party your throw at home:

  • Meet & Invite the Neighbors: This is especially important if you’ll be entertaining while living in an apartment – and it’s a great way to meet your neighbors if you’re new to the area. {Want tips on how to break the ice with new neighbors? Easy peasy ideas that really work.} So, DO head on over and introduce yourself, give them an invite to your upcoming party, and be sure to leave them your number if they won’t be able to make it – so that they can let you know if things get too noisy. When approached in a friendly way like this, most people are a lot more likely to overlook a little extra noise. DON’T just party away all night long and expect the neighbors to still love ya in the morning!
  • Plan Ahead: We’re lucky to have a big area out back for parking – but at my old house, we could only fit 3 cars in the driveway. That meant people had to park on the road, which sometimes would block my neighbors parking – which is NOT a good thing! So, if you have limited parking too, DO come up with a plan before the party, and make sure to communicate that to all of your guests. And, make sure that you plan your seating areas well – DON’T put a bunch of tables and chairs right next to your neighbors fence, where the talking and jokes may be loud enough for them to bothered by. Keep seating closer to your own home, and make sure to have areas to move inside when it gets late.
  • Mind the Music: Loud music is part of having a good time, I know. But, if you’re entertaining outdoors, please remember that other families nearby may not appreciate those sweet tunes you love so much when they’re keeping their toddler awake at 11pm. So, be fair to those around you, DO drop the volume after 10pm.
  • Know your Friends: Remember that your neighbors will see your guests as an extension of yourself – if they are outside being obnoxious until late hours, use a lot of profanity where children can hear it, leave empty cans or bottles in the yard or along the street – your neighbors are going to consider that your responsibility. So DO make sure that the buddies you invite over will be respectful of you, and your neighborhood, and DON’T invite that friend who always drinks too much and starts a fight.

With a little bit of extra care and planning, you can make sure that your next party isn’t just fun for you and your guests – you’ll also ensure that it’s a great experience for your neighbors too! Whether they decide to join you in the festivities, or are just pleasantly surprised by the care you take to keep things calm, cool, and under control when guests stay late – either way, you’ve definitely made some new friends in the neighborhood! And hey – maybe they’ll invite you to their next sweet party too, right? Good times.

do's and don'ts of summer party hosting

“Like” Rentals.com on Facebook or follow them on Twitter @Rentals_com to get their latest tips on making the most of your home. Rentals.com is the #1 online source for single family home rentals, apartments and houses for rent. You can also find tons more sweet tips for entertaining in a smaller space on the Rentals.com blog.

What is your best entertaining Do or Don’t tip? Share in the comments!

{Disclosure: Rentals.com and owner Consumer Source, Inc. partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in blogger programs.  As part of that program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products featured, and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.The winner of this giveaway will be randomly chosen and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party.}

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San Diego Fireworks Glitch Sets them all Off at Once

San Diego Fireworks Accident

San Diego 4th of July: Glitch sets off all their fireworks at once

I read this story today on The Atlantic Wire, and it was SO crazy that I had to come and share it with you guys! This was supposed to be the big annual fireworks display, and was planned to last about 18 minutes. Instead, in the biggest epic fail in fireworks history, an unknown technical glitch caused ALL of the fireworks to be set off at the same time! It happened 5 minutes before the show was scheduled to start -and as you can see in this amazing Instagram photo, it was pretty incredible to see that 18 minutes worth of sparkly explosions get packed into one 15 second accidental display. Check it out here…

How was YOUR 4th of July Celebration this year?

I’m guessing it wasn’t as crazy as this 15 second fireworks extravaganza in San Diego! Have you ever seen a fireworks display go wrong before? Share some stories in the comments…

{Disclaimer: I was notified by a comment here that some are offended by the end of this video. I actually didn’t even watch past the firework display the first time – but just viewed it all now. I don’t see the end of the video as offensive to our former president – he’s just sorta being offensive to the rest of the world maybe? :) But – there is a pic of the pres flipping the bird, saying he doesn’t care what others think – set to the music of God Bless the USA. If you’re easily offended please skip that part of the video!}

Love music? Spotify is a digital music service that gives you access to millions of songs. Download it for Free today! Click Here to get groovin’ today – free music for all of your summer entertaining and road trips!

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How To Host a Frozen Yogurt & Cupcakes Party – #TCBYGrocery

Celebrate Summer during National Yogurt Month – with TCBY Frozen Yogurt! #TCBYGrocery – As soon as the weather gets warm around here, we start entertaining a few nights a week. I love putting together a good party – creative decorations, fun games, and good food. Since this month is National Yogurt Month, I wanted to celebrate it with a little Frozen Yogurt and Cupcakes party, and what better frozen treat to use then then everyone’s favorite, TCBY!

cupcakes and frozen yogurt party

“Summer afternoon – Summer afternoon… the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James

We’ve had mostly beautiful weather lately, and are so anxious to get our pool opened up for the season. I had planned a few parties already, and have had people over several times over the past two weeks – but unfortunately, the summer grand opening of the pool keeps hitting big ol’ road blocks. Ugh. First, we were told that we needed a new pool pump, which is a big expense. We ordered one in, waited to have it installed… Only to find out that wasn’t even really the problem. Double ugh. The next week we had several repair companies here, lots of work done, and still no luck. Hopefully by this weekend we’ll finally be able to enjoy the pool at our next party! Definitely looking forward to it – it’s getting darn hot, super quickly around here. A dip in the pool sounds glorious…

TCBY frozen yogurt at walmart

Celebrate Summer with TCBY Frozen Yogurt!

I wanted to put together a fun little shindig for the kiddos, so we headed out to Walmart to pick up the new TCBY Frozen Yogurt – and as you can see, it must have been on everyone else’s list too. The selection was almost sold out – crazy, right? But, there were enough choices for me to pick out a good selection of flavors to please everyone. {Because of course, every kiddo in my house has a different favorite that the MUST have, lol.} I’m a sucker for great packaging, and I just adore the bright, clean, cheerfully designed cartons for TCBY. I also picked up a few extra goodies – candy, cupcake mix, sprinkles, and cones. I wanted to bump things up a notch, make it more fun than a typical after-dinner bowl of ice cream. So I grabbed up a bunch of good stuff, and planned out some super fun ideas.

TCBY Frozen Yogurt

“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” – St. Francis of Assisi

Seriously – can’t you almost taste how good this stuff is, just by looking at the picture? I love ice cream, but to be honest, I’m not too picky about the type. One thing that I do appreciate is a frozen dessert that has big pieces of chocolate or fruit in it – big enough to really taste it. And that’s hard to find. Well – take a look at those deliciously juicy fruit chunks in the Tropical Mango Peach, and the giant bites of toffee and chocolate in the other blends – Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough and English Toffee Crunch. We took a quick bite to sample each one, then I got to work on setting up a fun set of treats for the kids to enjoy after a fun day in the sun, and a simple dinner on the patio – {Salad, baked chicken, and pasta salad.} Lovely.

TCBY dipped cones

“Celebrate summer: sun-drenched days and starlit nights.” – Gooseberry Patch

I started by making dipped sugar cones – I melted down some Wilton Candy Melts in the microwave, and tinted them pink. I rolled the edges of the sugar cones in the melted white chocolate, then rolled ’em in sprinkles. Super simple, but super fun! Then I set them up in dessert glasses to cool, so the candy could harden.

cupcake display

“Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun.” – Kahlil Gibran

Next, I created these fun little cupcakes… I just used some small plastic party cups, filled them halfway with jelly beans {one of our favorite family candies} and set my vanilla bean cupcakes inside each one. Then I topped the cupcakes with the Wilton Pearl Sprinkles, and a few more jelly beans to match the holders. It was a random idea, but I think it came out really fun!! I’ll definitely be using variations on this for other summer parties – I’m thinking some ribbon around the cups next time would be a great touch…

TCBY ice cream faces

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” – James Dent

The kids and I enjoyed our treats out in the yard next to the patio, where we’d been playing in the kiddie pool and slip n’ slide all day. {It’s a good time, but tough to enjoy quite as much when you have a big in-ground pool in view, that you’re just dying to get to use!} See little mister’s messy frozen yogurt face? Yep, he LOVED the TCBY Frozen Yogurts!!! I wanted the total deliciousness of the ice cream to come through, so I kept them simple – a couple big scoops of TCBY in the dipped sugar cones, topped only with a few fun sprinkles. Partnered with the jelly beans and cupcakes – and of course, a big glass of ice cold milk for each of us – I have to say it was pretty much the perfect end to a summer day.

how to make candy coated cones

“Be intent upon the perfection of the present day.” – William Law

Aren’t these so fun? I can tell ya, it’s honestly not that often that we all agree on something around here… Due to a series of crazy life changes, we ended up with a big household – Me, Mike, and Abby. My brother and my two little nephews. And Grandma too… Plus SIX little dogs! So no matter how great I think an idea is for dinner, dessert, snacks, anything – there’s SOMEONE who’s not happy. But these TCBY Frozen Yogurts were a hit with every.single.one of us. Epic, right? {And yes, when I say EVERYONE, I mean it. The dogs were all dying for a bite, and most of ’em got at least a lick or two that dropped to the ground…. And I saw a lot of little wagging tails :)

For more updates on cool products and promotions – follow TCBY on Twitter – @TCBYGrocery. You can also find them on Facebook too. And for more summer fun ideas like these, check out the TCBY Grocery Pinterest page – {and of course, feel free to pin any of my pics to your own Pinterest idea boards too!}

How do YOU celebrate on family night during summertime with your family? Leave me some comments!

{Disclaimer: 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 TCBY. #CBias #SocialFabric #TCBYGrocery.}

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