Watermelon Juice…Sipping on Tsamma!!!!!

Watermelon tends to be a summertime favorite. Slice it, dice it, cut it into chunks, drizzle it with honey, squirt it with lime juice, sprinkle it with mint…DELICIOUS! Not only is watermelon delicious, it’s a great treat alternative to popsicles, ice cream, and other sugary summertime snacks for your little ones. While I’ve tried just about every recipe with watermelon that you can imagine…I’ve never tried to make watermelon juice; and, now I don’t have to!

My watermelon growing friends at Frey Farms have created a new drink that is taking the juice market by storm! TSAMMA Watermelon Juice! While water and milk are my toddler’s main beverages, juice is an occasional treat. Instead of apple juice try this fun alternative. You can also use it to make your own homemade watermelon popsicles!!! Pour it into the molds, stick in the freezer…fun summertime treat! Or, if you’re a traditionalist, a watermelon slice is pretty delicious too! We like to think they grow in our backyard!!!

TSAMMA and Frey Farms didn’t ask me to give them a shout out…I just think they’re pretty awesome people with some great products! Available at Earth Fare, The Fresh Market, Whole Foods, and a ton of other local grocery stores. My little one likes to pick her own! For tips on how to pick the perfect watermelon check out this earlier blog…HOW TO PICK YOUR WATERMELON

From,

 

Hazelnut S’mores…in the oven!!!!

A little sweet treat never hurt..especially not when it’s S’mores!!!! Don’t feel like starting a camp fire, firing up the grill, or even leaving the kitchen? Indoor S’mores it is!!! You can stick with the traditional Hershey Chocolate bar, but if you’re looking for a gourmet twist try switching things up with Nutella. Get your little ones involved. They can line up the crackers and pile on the marshmallows.

Hazelnut S’more Ingredients: 

1. graham crackers

2. Marshmallows

3. 1 jar of Nutella Hazelnut/Chocolate Spread

4. Cookie Sheet

5. Oven

How to Roast your S’mores in the oven: 

1. Break your graham crackers in half and place them on a cookie sheet

2. Place a marshmallow on half of the graham crackers

3. On the remaining Graham crackers spread a thick layer of Nutella

4. Place the cookie sheet in the oven on broil

5. Keep a very close eye on these goodies. They can burn in just a second. When you notice that the marshmallows are starting to turn a light brown on the top (literally less than 30 seconds) pull them from the oven and put your halves together!!!

Come rain or shine these indoor S’mores are tasty every time!

 

From,

Unicorn themed ideas for little girls…plus a giveaway!

Looking for some fun and fanciful ideas for the summer for your little girls???? UNICORNS! It doesn’t get much more whimsical.

1. Best Unicorn Book

My daughter has been spell-bound by unicorns lately. It all started with a new book. I have to say this is now one of my favorite reads! It’s not too long and the story is heartwarming. Since purple is also a favorite color in our house, this book makes the best read list everyday. Uni the Unicorn is all around town but just click this link and you can snag it from Amazon.

2. Unicorn Photo Shoot

Yep, this is all the rage! Take a pony shoot and transform it into something mystical. Many photographers are now offering this type of session in the spring and summer with live ponies. My daughter just had her shoot with Hannah Hilliard Photography outside of Indianapolis, but don’t worry…another session is right around the corner, and there are still a few available spots! Oh, did I mention that my styling business, The Borrowed Boutique, is offering wardrobe options??? Shoot me a message if you’re interested.

3. Unicorn Clothing

If you’re looking for a super cute online boutique that carries all the best brands, then my friend, Emily, at The MerrryLoveJoy Company has got you covered! She knows a thing or two about unicorns as well! Check out her unicorn inspired apparel and stay tuned to win some unicorn goodies!!!

4. Unicorn Toy

Jellycat Unicorn plush toys are just too cute!!!! And, one of these cuties could be yours! Enter to win one of these stuffed animals and one of these fun necklaces from The MerryLoveJoy Company at this LINK.

5. Unicorn Inspired Party

I know I keep gushing about The MerryLoveJoy Company, but this online shop also makes party planning easy. Soon to make its debut to the website…you guessed it…unicorn themed party products! 

Childhood passes too quickly!! I love that my little one still believes in make-believe. Today Tinkerbell landed on her head and Peter Pan flew through the window! A purple unicorn and a pink hippo decided to join us for lunch! Embrace it! Before you know it the fairies will have flown the coop.

From,

 

The Magic of Glitter…how to make your photos sparkle!

Pixie Dust Please!

Not Between My Toes!

 

My Favorite Laugh…

So all you need is a dark backdrop, some bottles of glitter, a cute tutu and a camera (and an excellent vacuum)! Find a local photographer near you and see if they have any Glitter Mini Sessions scheduled, or make a special request. Your Little One will love it! You won’t even have to ask her to smile. Boys can get involved too. Grab a top hat and a bow tie. Let him pretend to be a little magician!

Wardrobe and Styling: The Borrowed Boutique (yep…that’s my online styling and boutique rental shop): Tutu Du Monde Center Stage Onsie tutu, Show Stopper Shorts, Tank, Sweater and Ballet Slippers

Photography: Sweet Plumb Photography

(Safety Note: Please don’t do this with any child who isn’t able to follow directions well. I wouldn’t recommend this for any little one under the age of two just due to the concern that they might put glitter in their mouth or not understand to close their eyes. Also, make sure that you are not pouring glitter directly into their face since glitter does have sharp edges, and if it gets into their eyes it can cause irritation and possibly even small scratches on the surface of the eye if they rub. You never want to use powdered glitter since this can be inhaled and cause irritation to the lungs. Instead, make sure that you are using the large square flakes of glitter. Sorry, to spoil the fun with a disclaimer but don’t want any babies having injuries!)

From,

Christmas Tradition Contest!

It’s time for you to give me some ideas!!! The Mom in Me, MD is looking for your favorite Christmas and Advent traditions. Leave a comment below detailing one of your favorite traditions. The top FIVE ideas will be featured on an upcoming blog (and if your idea made the cut…you will get credit! Yes, an honorable mention:) Spread the holiday creativity. I know most of you have some great ideas for other moms out there! In order to qualify, make sure that you are following The Mom in Me, MD on Pinterest. I’ve even included the link for you here:  http://www.pinterest.com/themominmemd/

From,

 

Cinderella might be a little jealous…

We are into week three of ballet classes right now, and Ayla is loving it! She doesn’t quite have the enchante or plie down yet, but her twirling is fabulous. This mommy is loving it too…an hour of time where someone other than me is coming up with the activity!

Gymnastics, which is her absolute FAVORITE, is creating a slight amount of confusion. On Mondays, Ayla is encouraged to hang on the gymnastics bar for as long as her little hands can grip (about 3-5 seconds!) On Tuesdays, in ballet class, hanging onto the bar puts a little one’s tutulicious hiney on the most wanted ballarenia list. Ah, so much to sort through as a 2-year-old.

While some moms love mommy-and-me classes (myself included) others find playdates sufficient. To each their own, but I’m loving the time that we spend together being ACTIVE. I’m also loving the structure and discipline that Ayla is learning from someone other than just me. Waiting in line is becoming more of a norm. Listening and following instructions is expected, and she rises to the occasion each class. Of course she isn’t perfect…what 2 year old is? Even today we had a melt-down over taking off her Tutu du Monde Sparkle and Fade ballet slippers (which were really meant for her upcoming Christmas pictures, but that I just couldn’t keep in the box). I can’t blame her. They are stunning. I think even Cinderella might be a little jealous of these sparkly slippers. I know this mama was!

Click on these links to learn more about the benefits of Dance and Gymnastics for Toddlers and check out the hyperlink above to be smitten by more fabulous Tutu Du Monde.

From,

 

Berry Picking…Mommy & Tot style

Every Thursday needs some berries! Today, Ayla and I headed out to Spencer Farm to pick our own raspberries with some other mom and tot friends. We missed strawberry and blueberry picking this year, so I was determined to get my raspberries.

Since this was Ayla’s first time picking berries, this mommy was a little over excited. I told her all of the great things we would make with the buckets of raspberries we were about bring home-jam, pie, trifles, scones, tarts. The list went on and on.

I grabbed the largest picking container and some smaller cardboard cartons as well…just in case we started to overflow with berries.

 

Ayla was off to a great start! She quickly learned which berries were ripe-by test tasting each and every one that she picked.

A wee bit of a meltdown when we had to leave the raspberry field!

Guess which is baby’s crate!!! In Ayla’s words, “all gone.”

Instead of buckets of berries, we left with one small carton of semi-smooshed raspberries, and a full-tummied baby covered in raspberry juice. I think I may set more realistic expectations next year! Regardless, the trip was a blast.

From The Mom in Me, MD

great expectations…derailed by motherhood-wouldn’t have it any other way!

 

 

 

 

Retro Toy Cooktops that can Play Anywhere…giveaway details included

Recently, Green Toys was generous enough to ship me two of their new retro toy cooktops (One for a giveaway, and another for my daughter, Ayla, to play with). These cooktops are too cool! Not only are they super cute…they are incredibly practical for play. Because of their small size, they can go anywhere! Ayla has used hers in her playroom, her bedroom, the living room, the kitchen, the grass, and the car. These cooktops are a great toy option for road trips. Because they don’t take up much room, these can be thrown in the trunk and then pulled out for play in any hotel room or lobby. Bring along a pan and a spoon and you are good to go!

In addition to being travel friendly, the Green Toy Retro Cooktop is dishwasher safe-perfect for any mom who doesn’t want any extra hand-washing (that would be this mama!) I love this company because their mission is to provide children with safe and eco-friendly toys. All of their products are made from either recycled or eco-friendly materials…the cooktop included. Check out these products on their website for more details and to purchase. They come in both pink and aqua. If you are interested in winning a free cooktop…click the link below for giveaway entry details. Who wouldn’t want a free toy! Although I was given both of these cooktops free of charge, all of my opinions are always my own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway SORRY EVERYONE!! GIVEAWAY ENDED!

From The Mom in Me, MD

Organic Farm Buddies: Your Baby’s New Best Friend!

Babies always need something to chew, hold, slobber on, and kiss! While perusing a super cute baby boutique in Traverse City, Michigan, I came across one of my all time favorite organic toy and teether lines…ORGANIC FARM BUDDIES! This line was created by Apple Park, a United States based company committed to creating eco-friendly and adorable products for our kids. 

I purchased Penny The Pig-Blankie. She is part stuffed animal, part rattle, and part blankie! My daughter loves her! Organic Farm Buddies also come as rattles, stuffed animals, and as gift sets. The best thing about each of these creatures is their personality! For example, Pork Chop is a little pig dressed for Karate.

Apple Park has a series of Picnic Buddies as well as super adorable teething toys. The wild mushroom rattles are one of my favorites, and who can pass up an apple seed rattle! Pair the apple seed rattle with a little book on Johnny Apple Seed, and you’ve got one super cute baby gift!  Put the wild mushroom rattles with a fairy onsie…cuteness! 

Each series of toys gives you the opportunity to talk with your child about animals, nature, and healthy food. Apple Park has made things just a little more awesome by creating free stories and activities for your child’s little buddy. They also have a book about their Picnic Buddies. You can check it out on their website. All of these images come directly from their website. You can also find these cuties on Amazon. 

From The Mom in Me, MD

Shadows Aren’t Just For Peter Pan: creative ways to engage your child

Peter Pan may have the corner on this market, but it doesn’t mean that your little one can’t have fun playing with his shadow too! My daughter was ecstatic today when she found her shadow following her along the wall. Shadow play is a great way to engage your child’s creativity and help her learn about the world around her. At different developmental stages your child will have a different understanding of shadows. Initially, your little one will think that a shadow or the image created by light is a real object (concrete thinking). But, as your child reaches new milestones and starts to develop abstract thinking, he will recognize that these images aren’t “real” objects. This is what makes shadow play so much fun and it never gets old! Your child will have a different understanding and experience at different developmental ages and stages.

Ayla Kissing Her Shadow!

Shadow Play Day: 

Pick a day to dedicate to shadow play! Use the ideas below or any others you can think of.

Story Time for Shadows!

Peter Pan of course makes the list, but here are a few more books with fun shadow stories. Grab these books from your local library or purchase them online at Amazon. Reading with your little one is always a great way to engage!

1. Guess Whose Shadow?

2. Nothing Sticks Like a Shadow

3. What Makes a Shadow?

4. Shadow Games-this book is really cool! It has die-cut monster shapes that you can use in front of a flashlight

5. Moonbear’s Shadow

Let’s get groovy with your little one’s shadow! 

1. Find a sunny spot in your house, and let your child play with their shadow against the wall

2. On a cloudy day, pull out a flashlight and shine it on the wall. Let your child stand in front of it and make fun movements.

3. Have your child lie down on a piece of butcher paper or a large sheet of white paper. Trace and cut out their “shadow”. Let them decorate it for fun.

4. Go outside and trace your child’s shadow with chalk on the sidewalk. Help your child color it in.

5. Play shadow tag with your child. Invite the neighbor kids to join in on the fun. Every time the child who is “it” touches or reaches another child’s shadow…Tag!

6. Create a mini dark room theater with a white sheet. Shine a flash light or desk light on the sheet and let your child place objects in front of the light such as finger puppets or toys. Show your child how to use her own fingers to make animals (example: bunny ears).

Snack Time in the Shade!

If the weather is nice, find the shade of a tree for snack time. You can point out to your child that the shade is really just the tree’s shadow!

A Special Movie Night for Shadows! 

That’s right…pull out the classic Peter Pan for family movie night! This will be a fun way to end the day. You can have your child point out every time he see’s a shadow in the movie. (I only recommend this for children ages 2 and older. Screen time for younger ages has been linked with learning delays.)

Finding fun and new ways to engage with your little one is always a blast! Leave a comment with any shadow play ideas you can think of or have tried! I love to hear ideas from other moms.

From The Mom in Me, MD