Smart Solutions for Busy Moms!
Enter to win summer giveaways – Trips, swimwear, cash – maybe even a brand new Canon Rebel camera to capture all of the great memories of the fun you have this summer: That’s what you could win today when entering this list of awesome summer giveaways. Have fun, and good luck!
If you’re in the Seattle area, then you know that the Seattle Art Museum is a must-see place for families. We’ve been several times when we visit that side of the state – {we’re about 2 1/2 hours from Seattle, but head over often, for Abby’s trips to Seattle Children’s Hospital or to visit grandpa.} And now, they’ve got some serious fun planned for your kiddos this summer – check it out:
Welcome to our End of Summer Giveaway… Enter to Win an absolutely adorable Child’s Camping Tent, in your choice of either Ladybug or Turtle design, and the super fun {and super helpful for you!} Copy-Kids Eat Fruit and Vegetables DVD! Abby has just adored this video since we got it months ago – and I love the great messages it teaches her!
And a big thank you to all of the other AWESOME blogs who’ve joined in – for making this giveaway possible! Giveaway Ends 8/23 at 11:59 pm EST! US residents only. Enter on the Rafflecopter Below and Good Luck!
Healthier Summer Cocktails – Yep, it’s possible!… You know how much I love to entertain in the summer, right? We love having a house with a pool and big patio, since it’s the perfect gathering spot for all of our fave friends and family. I live in Central Washington state, and it gets HOT here. Like, upper 90’s all summer, with plenty of 100+ days. I think the hottest we’ve had so far was 110 a couple of weeks ago. That means that we spend a ton of time in the pool, and cold beverages are a must. So, since I finally lost a bunch of my baby weight on Nutrisystem, I am always creating new healthier alternatives to my favorite summer dishes and drinks. Keep reading to see my best new drink ideas that won’t pack on the calories…
All of these drinks are healthier for you because they use the new C&H Light: Sugar & Stevia Blend. Less sugar = skinnier drinks for summer entertaining, without losing the flavor, or getting that artificial taste. Half the calories of sugar, and only 5 calories per serving. Rockin’, right? I use it to make a simple syrup that I use to mix my drinks with. I mix 5 big ol’ teaspoons of the C&H Light with 2 cups of warm water. Shake it up, let it dissolve, then flavor it if desired. This makes a great mixer for any drink! Here are a few faves that I use it in:
For more ideas on how to make flavored syrups using C&H Light, check out my fave resource, How To Flavored Simple Syrup, on Mix n’ Sip. So many awesome ideas, and I always think of a new drink to try when I’m looking at that list! {Yes, I create a new themed drink for every party I host. I’m that type of girl…. Lol.} Making your own syrup saves you a ton of money when you don’t have to buy a bunch of mixers, and it’s way healthier for you too, since you’re avoiding lots of weird, unnatural ingredients, and getting way less sugar.
C&H® Light is an all natural pure cane sugar and stevia blend with half the calories of sugar. That’s over a 350-calorie savings in each cup! By blending pure cane C&H® Sugar with a naturally sweet extract from the stevia plant, we have created a delicious sweetener with no artificial ingredients. C&H® Light is the ideal sweetener — a perfect sweet taste and half the calories of sugar! You’ll also find it packaged as Domino Light – and it’s great for baking too. Baking is as easy as cutting it in half – if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, all you need to do is use 1/2 cup of Domino® Light OR C&H® Light. Easy peasy!
How to make 4 skinnier summer cocktails – including the Caramel Appletini! sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/08/5-heal…
#recipes— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) August 9, 2012
{Disclaimer: I received compensation for creating this content for you – this is sponsored project from Global Influence. All recipes, ideas, and opinions are 100% my own.}
This summer – stay cool with family movie nights!… I love, love, LOVE family movie night here in our house. Every other week I pick a new movie we’re excited to see, put together a fun themed dinner and snacks menu, then save time and money by renting it that night, right when we’re ready to watch it, through Movies On Demand! It’s a simple and inexpensive way to make regular weeknights a little more fun for me and the kids. Plus – I’m a big fan of On Demand for most of my other movie watchin’ needs too – I’m one of those people who has a tough time with places where you pick movies to be mailed to you. I’m never in the same mood when they arrive, they sit there for a week, then I send ’em back and get more that I’m not really in the mood for either, lol. So being able to pick my movies right when I want to watch them is a much better solution for me!
There are loads of great movies available right now in Movies On Demand – like John Carter, Mirror Mirror, and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. And one that looks totally hilarious – featuring one of my fave funny guys Jason Segel – is available to view until 9/29… And you can WIN a party pack to have your own movie night with friends too!
To make your experience of this laugh-out-loud comedy even more awesome, we’ve got everything you need to throw your very own “You Don’t Have To Leave Your House-Party!” This at-home viewing kit includes a branded backpack and koozie, bags of candy, potato chips, a t-shirt that says “The first step to finding your destiny is leaving your mother’s basement”, “Hello, My name is Kevin” nametags and wood glue (trust us, the last two will make sense when you see the movie). So fire up the big screen and invite your friends over—you might even get inspired to leave the house.
So – get your entries in today, share this giveaway with your friends online too, and make sure to catch Jeff, Who Lives at Home, and the other great summer movies in the Movies On Demand line up this month. {Get the whole Movies On Demand schedule on their site!}
{Disclosure: This sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. I was compensated for my time investment and work on this campaign. Thoughts are my own. All prizing for MSM giveaways is handled by a third party unless otherwise noted. For this reason prize fulfillment can take up to 90 days after the winners information is received.}
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Looking for some ideas to spice up your summer parties? Rentals.com has entertaining tips and how-tos for entertaining at home. They’re also the #1 place to visit when you’re ready for a new place to call home – Rentals.com has all the information that you’ll need to find the perfect property for your family. They can help you choose from rental houses, apartments, condos, and townhouses. And to kick off the summer entertaining season with you – in addition to bringing you great entertaining tips, they’re also going to give one of you lucky readers a free $50 AMEX Gift Card to throw a fun summer celebration with your fave friends and family!
Use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form to get your entries in – Remember, you can do as many, or as few, as you want. Each entry gives you more chances to win – so the more you complete, the better odds that YOU will be the lucky winner! And, if you’re feelin’ lucky today, check out the other prizes I’m giving away this month, listed in the sidebar.
Some of you may remember my trip to the Nike Campus a few months ago – I was invited to bring my nephew with me, who is a seriously amazing little sports super star. He just impresses me so much… Some people have two left feet, and are super clumsy. Well folks – I have three left feet I think. Lol. I can’t run, jump, catch, or throw. So when I see him beat team records and win all his games – It’s an amazingly proud moment for this auntie. Which is why when I found out aboutSkyhawks camps coming to our area, I knew right away I had to get him signed up and involved with this….
One of the things that I love most about these camps is their focus on safety. Kids are by nature little risk takers, and when they get into competitive sports, that drive can get the best of them, and guide them to bad decisions. But the Skyhawks team totally encourages safe, fair, and positive interaction – starting with the way that the coaches meet all of the parents in the parking lot during drop off time, through guiding the kids into the rec area – until the kids are released back into their parents care again. Seriously great.
Skyhawks Sports Academy offers week-long sports camps for children between the ages of 3 and 12. Since 1979, over 1.5 million children have attended a Skyhawks Sports Camp. For over 30 years, Skyhawks has been committed to providing a safe, fun, and skill-based experience for kids. Our camps and programs are offered locally throughout over 500 communities. The format includes traditional week-long summer day camps and year-round after-school programs that range from 45 minutes to 6 hours in duration, per day.
{Disclamer: I was provided with a complimentary item as a thank you for sharing this information with you guys. Only the best products, sites, and services make it onto this site – Yep, this camp is that good!}
"The phrase "working mother" is redundant." I'm Meagan - a Momma, a Blogger, a Freelance Writer, and a total Social Media Junkie. I love sparkles and … [Read More...]
