by admin on July 21, 2007
I have found a new obsession, and that is toddler Crocs. Though, I myself would never wear these, they are the cutest things on your little ones feet!
It all started last year on our annual trip to Disney World. I saw a hot pink pair of Disney Crocs with little Mickey heads instead of the usually circle in the tops of the shoes. I gave in to $34.95 for the pair (!!!), but we were at Disney and you know how that goes.
Fast forward to a year later, and we still wear those Disney Crocs almost everyday! My daughter still loves them, and they look better than any other shoe after wearing them for a whole year solid.
Now that we are planning our next Disney vacation for September, I had to get a new pair for her. This time is is for the red and black Mickey’s to match a custom outfit I am getting.
BUT, this time I will not pay $34.95, I only paid $15.95 and you can too!
**You do NOT have to buy Disney Crocs, you can get any type of shoe for you or your toddler for this deal, but the Disney Crocs is what I bought.
1. Goto Shoebuy.com/iwon – This will take $10 off your order
2. Find your crocs and place them in your cart.
3. Open a new window in your browser and go through ebates.com. If you are not a member already you will recieve $10 after you make your first purchase through their link.
Sign up for FREE at ebates.com
This will give you an extra 10% off your shoebuy order
4. Goto your cart and proceed with checkout. MAKE SURE TO REGISTER A NEW ACCOUNT – This gives you and extra 10% off
I choose to pay with paypal and my total with free tax and shipping was $17.95 and I will get another $2 back from ebates…so…my Disney Crocs were $15.95 total!!!
by admin on July 17, 2007
When I was a little girl I remember getting SO excited over my mother making Shake & Bake Chicken or Pork Chops. Maybe it was those commercials? Do you remember those? LOL Anyway, Shake and Bake is actually not a staple in our house and it is actually something I totally forgot about until I saw a buy 1 get 1 free coupon in our Sunday paper.
Sure enough I got the 2 boxes and now I remember why I LOVED this stuff so much as a kid…it is REALLY good!
Luckily, my little girl is at that age where she can actually help by shaking the bag, which also brought back memories of me shaking the stuff up as a child…crazy huh?
So today’s Toddler Meal Monday is simple Shake & Bake Chicken.
What you’ll Need:
1 Box Shake & Bake (or similar brand)
1lb Chicken Breast Tenders
1 Can Green Beans
This stuff is so simple you just moisten your defrosted chicken fingers with water, place in bag, and have your little one shake it up. Place the coated chicken on baking sheet or broiler pan and bake as directed. The tenders do not take long at all to cook. Meanwhile open you can of green beans as heat as desired. Really this meal takes about 20 minutes and is delicious. Your toddler will eat it up for lunch. For dinner, I like to add some yellow rice to make up a meal.
This Shake & Bake method is much healthier than your fried chicken tenders, or processed frozen ones you find in the store…and much better tasting too!
by admin on July 12, 2007
We LOVE pizza at our house (who doesn’t right?) and in general this is unhealthy meal. Recently, I have been trying to cut back on excess fat and calories in our diet and also switch to whole wheat, rather than white flour. With this I realized we could make our own pizzas from home rather than ordering out, and this could be an activity that my toddler and I could do together!
What we used:
1 12″ Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
8oz Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese
1 Jar Pasta Sauce
1 PKG Mushrooms
I had been preparing my daughter all day that she would help me with making the pizzas for dinner so she was extra excited. We went to the store and bought all the ingredients which came to around $10.
They also sell mini pizza crusts which would work great if you have multiple children as they could each make their own homemade pizza.
I started by spreading the pasta sauce on the pizza shell first. Then I gave my daughter a handful of the cheese in a bowl and told her to sprinkle it on top of the sauce. Next the mushrooms went on top. Again, I put a handful in her bowl and she sprinkled on top. For a little one, she did a great job!
I then baked the pizza and took it out when done to cool.
This was a fun activity we will do again and again! I loved how she helped by doing all the “sprinkling” and felt as if she really was a big helper. The best part was getting to eat our creation together!
by admin on July 10, 2007
Now that Summer is officially here, it is time to head to the beach (or lake), and for many this is a new experience for our toddlers.
Here are some Toddler Beach Tips to help you have a fun and safe time out in the sun.
The most important thing you must do before taking your toddler to the beach this summer is to PREPARE…last minute trips with no planning can be a disaster (believe me, I’ve been there!)
You will want to make sure your toddler is fully rested before you even head out to the beach. A cranky toddler = a misrable beach trip.
Start applying sunscreen BEFORE you even leave the house. This is extremely important as toddler skin is very sensitive and burns easily. Taking the time to apply sunscreen beforehand ensures that you can get their whole body covered and not miss any spots. You will also not have to deal with sand getting in the sunscreen and scratching their skin.
I buy the highest SPF I can find, I believe I have a 60. I also buy both the spray and the traditional creme. I will apply the sunscreen before we leave the house, and then use the spray once we get to the beach along with more creme. The LAST thing you want is a sunburnt toddler.
Safety while at the beach is most important. Most often toddlers can not swim and should never be left unsupervised in the water. I personally do not believe in those “wingys”, which should be used only on older children anyway. The one thing I invested in and is a lifesaver (and could be….literally) is one of these swimmers.
There are many different styles, however the one I have is not a vest, but one that your child “steps into” and fits around the body. This is not meant as a flotation device where you should be letting go of your toddler to float, but really worn as a precaution in case they run into the water and get swept in. This swimmer will keep your toddler afloat on their back if needed.
Some things you should pack before a beach trip with your toddler:
-Extra towels
-A large sheet (to lay everything on)
-Plenty of bottled water, juice, sippy cups (whatever your toddler drinks that will keep them hydrated)
-Small snacks (goldfish, grapes)
-Large umbrella for shade (or you can rent one)
-Hat for your toddler that covers their whole head
-Swim cover up (when they are not swimming this will keep more sun off skin)
-Extra set of clothes, swim diapers (if not potty trained)
-Small beach toys like a shovel and pail for your toddler to play with
-Camera for all those great memories!
It is very important to always supervise your toddlers activity at the beach. Even when out of the water, little ones like to get into things. While playing with the sand will be a fun time for your toddler, you will need to be sure they are not eating it! Also sand can easily get into your little ones eyes and it will need to be removed quickly so they do not rub it in more. This is also a good reason to bring extra bottles of fresh water with you.
I try to never go to the beach with my daughter before 2pm. By doing this I am missing the hottest part of the day, but still getting great sunlight. Usually I like to get there around 3:30 and stay and hour or two depending on the weather, and wind. Going doing the peak hours of 11:30-2:00 can be way too much sunlight exposure for your toddler, even with tons of sunscreen it is HOT out there. These would be times to stay away, plus going later in the day gives you less crowds, easier parking, and usually more families, as opposed to a bunch of teens wandering the beach.
Planning ahead is the key to a great day at the beach with your toddler, this along with supervision will ensure a safe trip for the whole family.
