Hasbro Monpoly Junior Review - Game Night Fun

Well it's been a while since I've had a chance to get on here and actually write something! I did start this post one evening 2 weeks ago and forgot to save it so that was sad. 

We've been really enjoying the new Monopoly Junior game that I was sent by Influenster! And I just love receiving free & relevant items to review! This one was a hit!

{Gluten Free} Halloween Rice Krispie Squares

I've been slacking pretty bad around here. You will note that even the pics I'm using in this post are just cell shots. The blog is getting some unintentional neglect as our hockey season is in full swing with two little guys, and then there's swimming and homework and laundry, oh and did I mention they still want dinner EVERY night?! Yikes. 

I did find a few spare minutes though, and I threw together these amazing little festive treats that the kids just love!

         

So cute, right?? So this is simply simple. And so quick to make, you'll look like a rockstar in 15 mins or less!

I'd like to say it was fancy, but I just used the recipe inside the box of gluten free Rice Krispies, and then I topped them with the cutest sprinkles and pumpkin Peeps (I did NOT know Peeps made pumpkins!! What a pleasant surprise!)

       

How festive! I love these! I stashed a pan away for myself! Haha!

{Gluten Free} Mini Pumpkin Pie Cakes

It feels like FOREVER since I've shared a recipe! I'm not even going to look back and see how long its been! This one is better-late-than-never, but I have a few reasons for that.... Its been crazy busy here this fall. So that's one. The second reason is that I have tested this recipe several times and its finally tweaked to perfect (if I do say so myself!). The third and most important reason is my little bambino who just absolutely loved to be held (by me) pretty mush all the hours that he is awake.... And he's not a fan of sitting still for me to blog. 

In case you didn't know it, I'm a pumpkinaholic. I love pumpkin almost as much as my kids and chocolate and so I have been seeking really good pumpkin recipes that are gluten free. For those of you who eat a gluten free diet, you will understand just how important 'good' recipes are. There are a lot of different products out there, and recipes, but its hard to find DELICIOUS ones. I have pretty much perfected this recipe and I am excited to share it!

Tutorial: Get your lashes on! (Quick & Easy!)

If you want the secret to long, full, beautiful lashes in minutes, you've come to the right place! As you can imagine, with the busy schedule that comes along with having four boys, I don't have much time to dedicate to anything else. Occasionally I get the chance to clean up a mess before the next one lands, but in general its go, go, go! So when I discovered the 3D Fiber Lashes from Younique, I was sold on everything about them! My absolute fav feature is how quick you can apply the lashes! It only takes minutes! 

Here's a quick step-by-step tutorial on applying these great lashes! (I did this in the car with the kids loaded because we were early for the bus! I figured I might as well make good use of the time!)

Not Just Lashes - Younique Review

I am quite excited to share more about the Younique products that I have been able to test this week! I have been pleased with each product that I have tried. Stephanie and I got together just the other day and played with various items from her presentation kit. We did a little photo shoot and without further adieu, here is a little summary of the products we tried out!

Amazing Lashes -- Younique 3D Fiber Lashes

I'm working on a few more posts to get you as excited as I am about these amazing products from Younique! In the meantime, I'm going to share some before/after shots of just how fabulous these lashes look! 

If you missed it, check out this post! I've been helping out my friend Stephanie with her new business, and I'm happy to report that she's been having amazing response to the company and products that she is representing! 

The 3D Fiber Lashes are absolutely amazing! These lashes will replace the fakes in your life! And I've been wearing mine everyday, you decide what kind of a look to wear by using more or less!

Fabulous Product Alert! 3D Fibre Lashes & Much More from Younique

I've got a new love in my life. 

There. I said it. 

I'm totally OBSESSED with a new product and I'm so excited to share I can hardly stand it! 

Back to School - Successful First Week

We survived the first week! And it was even pretty great! I think we were all equally excited about the return to school (well I might have been just a little more excited than the boys). Its been so great to get back into routine and schedule! The weather has stayed beautiful, even nicer for a few days! The littles and I are enjoying our alone time while the big boys enjoy their friends at school.

The first day was a bit of a mess. I neglected to read the bus paperwork thoroughly and so we waited at the old bus stop instead of the new one, so we ended up driving to school (thankfully its very close by!).  The following bus photos were captured on the second day.

This post has taken longer than I thought but the first week was tiring! Between school and various other plans/activities I have finally found a few minutes.... And just now as sat down to write this, crazy toddler stuck a popcorn kernel up his nose. Nice. 

Here are a few more cute shots of the first week.

This was wee baby being super cute finding his toes while the rest of us were busy getting ready the first morning.

Ethan was playing with a friendly butterfly while we waiting at the wrong stop.

Look at us all smiley. We hadn't yet noticed that we were at the wrong bus stop yet.

I thought it would be hard for this little to see his brothers leave, but he was quite the opposite! He enjoyed his first day alone playing in his brothers' room and touching their stuff!  It reminded me of Home Alone where Kevin thinks that he's not alone in the house so he's shouts out, "Buzz, I'm going through all your private stuff, you better come out and pound me!".  Anyway...

Here he is enjoying the iPad, alone.

Here he is scaling the fridge for a snack, alone.

The only slight issue is that school seems to be too early for wee baby when he's been up all night. Actually, pretty much every morning I have to wake his little butt up to make it on time.

All in all a great first week of school was had by all. 

Oh, and I did get the popcorn kernel out of the nostril before I started writing.

Do you have little ones going to school? 

When did they start back?

How was the first week?

Lancôme Grandiose Mascara

I am excited to share my latest VoxBox goody from Influenster. I received this Lancôme Grandiose Mascara free to review from Influenster! I was super excited as I am always looking for a great new mascara, but am generally nervous to spend the $$$ to trial them, so I tend to stick with what I know.

First of all, I love products that look unique! This is one of the best mascara tubes I have ever seen! I just love everything about it... The shape, the shine, the Lancôme flower in the handle! It's beautiful and that is a great selling feature in my opinion. Look at this beauty: 

My Unsolicited Opinion: The ALS article that went too far

I have seen this article shared on Facebook several times and I've been holding my tongue.... But it just keeps being there, slapping every person affected by ALS in the face, and their family & friends & healthcare providers and anyone else this disease has impacted. Here is the link if you want to read it:  

http://www.macleans.ca/society/health/why-the-ice-bucket-challenge-is-bad-for-you/

This article irritates me for two main reasons:

1) This disease is not preventable, not curable. Many of the causes of the competitive diseases in this article are lifestyle related, preventable & manageable. (ie. smoking, diet, sedentary lifestyle, stress, etc.) I say many because I acknowledge that genetics and other inborn defects are absolutely causing chronic illness and therefore some of these illnesses are less/not preventable. 

2) Who is this guy to decide that one chronic & terminal illness is less important than another? They're all horrible. If you have ever seen or cared for an individual with ALS, you will appreciate the how serious and terrible the condition is, and I doubt that you would say that it is a less deserving cause.

A few other thoughts:

"Only about 600 people per year die (of ALS) in Canada". 

--- So it's less important? How many deaths per year would make it a charity worth your money? Is there a guideline? 

"ALS research is not an urgent need".

--- That's a pretty strong statement. I wonder how the author would feel about the urgency of this illness if he were unable to feed himself because he had lost all motor function of his limbs (and I suppose unable to type such an insensitive article)?

As far as the article implying that its just a fad or a dare, aren't lots of different campaigns for different charities similar? I donate to the Cancer Society because they come to my door. I donate to CHEO because Walmart cashiers ask me when I shop. I donate snowsuits to CPAN because the Scottish lady on the radio gets to me every year. All of those campaigns put you on the spot in essentially the same way that this one does. This is just another campaign for another worthy cause and they nailed it. People are gaining awareness and it's voluntary just like any other campaign.  

I say good for ALS for creating such an amazing campaign to achieve the purpose that they set out to! (Probably blew their goal out of the water, in fact!) 

And hopefully this can be a motivation to other worthy causes for future fundraising and awareness efforts! (How about if the millions of smokers out there save their cigarette money and donate it to cancer research instead? Or next time we are tempted to go through the McDonald's drivethru, how about take that $15 and send it to the Heart Institute instead? This guy's article seems to imply that the population doesn't have enough money to go around, however people are making choices that are leading to the top killers... And paying for it.)

ALS is not preventable, it is difficult to manage, it is incurable and terminal. I think that's worthy of my 56 second video and my money.

I just wanted to put this out there. It's sad and absolutely insensitive that this article is spreading the message that it is.  #ALSIceBucketChallenge 

Summer Lovin' - What We've Been Up To

It's been quiet around here (and by here I mean the blog, not our house!). This summer is sailing by, and with only a couple of weeks left until school, we are trying to squeeze in as much fun as we can! I can't believe I started out the summer feeling nervous overwhelmed completely terrified about being alone all day with these four high-energy rug-rats... one of whom spends a good part of his days attached to me. I definitely can't believe how awesome its been. Now, don't get me wrong, there are days when its all I can do to remember to eat/drink something in between feedings, diaper changes, spills, endless mountains of laundry and dishes, and driving the boys around to their activities, etc. etc. All things considered, I think it has gone pretty well!

Without much further ramblings, I'd like to share a little bit of what we've been up to over the past 6 weeks....

10 School Year Calendar Ideas {Perfect Pins}

The summer seems to be sneaking away from me. We have had a full & busy summer, and over the next couple of weeks we will be trying to develop some kind of routine as we get ready for the boys to go back to school. Some days I'm sad with the anticipation, other days I'm counting down. Its always a bittersweet time. On one hand, it will be nice to have a bit more time for the wee boys & for myself, but on the other hand, I will miss the big boys tremendously.

As today was a day where I'm feeling that back to school can not come fast enough (and when I'm hoping that tomorrow will be different!), I got to searching for some organizational tools to get back into the swing of things. So without further ramblings, here is a great collection of school year calendar systems to help you organize time for school activities that are just around the corner!

Creamy Dilly Cucumber Bean Salad

I'm still in salad mode while the weather stays nice. I love salads of all  kinds, and I love trying new things! If you missed them, check out my recipes for Greek Quinoa Salad, Taco Bean Salad & Cranberry Arborio Salad.

In the past few weeks the neighbours' garden has had a surplus of cucumbers. First of all I'd like to say this makes me sad & sentimental as we have not found the time for our garden over the past two summers. I loved my garden. I really wanted to have a small one this year but there are just not enough hours in the day with my little army of boys around here. My hope is that next summer the two older boys will be excited & helpful with a little garden. But I digress, I'd like to thank my neighbours for growing too much and sharing. It also makes me very happy to have fresh produce from their lovely garden and I love the inspiration for new recipes to use these fresh veggies!

Fruity Chocolate PB Popsicles

I'm almost out of ideas for the rest of the strawberries that are hanging around here. Tonight I decided to make some popsicles for the week that the boys and I can enjoy in the heat. This recipe is delicious! 

Outdoor Furniture Re-Do

Last weekend I completed a project that I had started last summer. Well, I suppose I didn't really start it. I picked up a set of outdoor furniture for $20 with great aspirations of doing a makeover and creating a gorgeous set for around our fire pit... and for probably 96 reasons I ended up putting it off and then eventually forgetting about it until summer was long over and I was no longer motivated to do it seeing as we couldn't enjoy it with the snow that was looming. I'm sorry for mentioning that dreaded word, by the way.

So for the past few weeks we have been staring at this ugly furniture and I've been hoping to sneak in the makeover... and I finally did it this weekend!  I have to say that the finished product is even better than I had imagined it! I have a sore back as most of this was done with a little baby wrapped to me. He certainly prefers to be held, and so that was pretty much the only way to complete this project. I can't say I mind, he's super cuddly... only my back is paying for it a bit because of the bending, etc. required to paint the furniture.

10 Homemade Iced Tea Recipes {Perfect Pins}

We've been loving the summer weather, and loving the days that we've been able to spend outdoors. In an effort to keep hydrated without a ton of sugar, I've been searching out homemade iced tea recipes that I can make ahead and have in the fridge. I've made a few of my own recipes and I am hoping to share one or two soon but in the meantime, check out these great Pinterest finds!

Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake

Yesterday I stopped at a roadside stand for more fresh strawberries. I seriously can't get enough! I thought I would share this basic & delicious idea today. Its a perfect summery dessert for breakfast enjoying alone while the kids play outside entertaining! Other than baking the cake, the rest only takes minutes to throw together. Looks seasonal, tastes delightful!

10 DIY Popsicle Recipes {Perfect Pins}

Its been really hot so far this summer & I'm not complaining! I'm just looking for ideas to create frozen treats for cooling down. I love how easy these recipes are to make, and I love them as an alternative to brand treats that are probably packed full of things I'd rather not talk about. I'm not saying we don't enjoy a good freezie from time to time, but its nice to have these homemade, fruit-filled popsicles on hand for the kiddos!

Easy Homemade Strawberry Jam

Strawberry season is here (well I guess its almost over)! We took our little men and went picking last week. We also brought the neighbour kids. Can I just suggest that you do this when you're planning to go picking? I didn't have to do anything! I just gave all the little people little baskets and set them loose in to the patch. They were competing to see who could fill their basket faster and that worked out quite well! They had a blast and I got 8 litres of fresh strawberries in under 45 minutes.

It didn't look like a lot at the time but when we got home and I got to washing them I quickly decided that we couldn't possibly eat all of the berries before they went bad. So we started jammin'. Hahaha... I really find myself entertaining at times. (Sidenote, its hard to type entertaining. Or is that just me? My fingers got all messed up both times there. Try it.)

Removing Crayon from Clothes

I was feeling quite motivated one day this week and was kicking some serious butt where laundry was concerned. I was almost to the end of it all when I went to take one load out of the dryer when it happened. I could see that the entire load of clothes was speckled with blue ink. UGGGHHHHH! I figured that I had missed a pocket in hubby's work shirt (those army shirts have 45 or something pockets, I must have missed one or two... And there was a little pen spring in the lint trap so that was the last clue.

I headed to the hairspray, and I sprayed all of the affected clothes (can I just say that most of it was new boys' new summer buys .. grrr..). I ran out of spray and I had to run out to the store and grab another! Anyhow, I got all the clothes sprayed and threw them in the wash. Easy right? Because hairspray takes ink out of clothes! Hooray!  They wouldn't all be ruined! 

When the wash was done, I went to switch over to the dryer and I realized that a lot of the blue ink was still there.... WHAT!? And that's when I saw it. The blue crayon wrapper. It was staring right at me. OH NO!  I was wrong about the ink. Some child of mine must have had a crayon in his pocket (and I never check their pockets because I figure they are 5 & 6, like what would they be putting in their little pockets??).

Life Lessons: Take Care on the Roads - And Always Pay Attention

Yesterday was a regular day. I got up with the boys, got them off to school & sitter, and headed out to visit my Grandma with the baby. I have been wanting to get to see her for a couple of weeks and I finally had a quiet day to do so. I packed several shades of nail polish to give her a manicure, and had the camera ready for photos of her with little one. It was a going to be a wonderful day. But it *almost* wasn't...

DIY Father's Day Photo Gift

Looking for a last minute Father's Day gift? The boys & I made this great gift in no time at all (well maybe like 8 minutes). Quick & reasonably easy, this is perfect for and Dad or Grandpa. 

10 DIY Father's Day Gifts {Perfect Pins}

I am a lover of all things DIY! And I totally love homemade gifts, especially for occasions like Father's Day. There's nothing more special than an item made with love by your kids! If you've been searching for crafty gift ideas, look no further! Here are 10 of the cutest ideas out there!

The boys & I are working on a gift that I will share a little later. In the meantime, check out these awesome DIYs & get inspired!

10 Ideas for a Successful Yard Sale {Perfect Pins}

I've been getting things together to crash a friend's yard sale next weekend, and I'm really glad I started. I have realized that I'm way more of a hoarder than I had originally thought. But that's ok, I'm hoping to unload a lot of things next weekend. Its crazy how much clothing accumulates with all these boys. As things are passed down the line, the dressers overflow. #3 has 3 times as much at the others!

I'm also seriously asking myself if I've used an item in the past 6 months, and if the answer is no then whatever it is goes in a box. No fooling around this time. I really want to make better use of our storage areas and closets. This is helping BIG TIME!

Bright Flower Cupcakes

Some of the most fun parts about being a Mom are the silliest. I love making treats to send to school. I love how happy it makes the boys. I love when they tell me things like, "You're the best Mom ever because you make the best cupcakes!". Like really, this is truly true in their little hearts. You're score on the scale of Mom-Awesomeness immediately jumps if you make the best cupcakes.

The last class celebration was Easter, and I decided to make a double batch of these cute cupcakes and send some for both of their classes... (what else do you spend the night doing when 39 weeks pregnant?)

Simple DIY Washi Tape Greeting Cards

Happy Weekend!  I'm excited to say that I survived the week! This is very exciting for me because this was the week that my hubby went back to work after a wonderful three weeks off. It was busy, but the adjustment of 3 to 4 boys went way smoother than I could have anticipated! 

Now that we are in more of a permanent routine, I'm happy to have some time to post! (Well I sort of have time... This is my third attempt at finishing this post...)

Without further ramblings (and in case any of the four little people that I share the house with require something), here are the fun and easy Washi Tape Greeting Cards I've been itching to share!

imPress Manicure by Broadway Nails

I received my very first VoxBox yesterday and I was so excited I couldn't wait to try out the product!  

Welcome the Newest Monkey!

He's Here! He's Here!

Washi Wreath Night - Washi Anonymous

This week was very exciting for some friends and I. We have decided to start a craft group and we are going to have either monthly or bi-monthly get togethers where we will create something wonderful. We decided that for our very first event, we would plan a craft that we would all do and see how it went. In future, we will probably do some nights with a plan and some where we just bring whatever we are working on and go to town!

Since a few of us are totally addicted to washi tape, we called our little group Washi Anonymous. We even made a Facebook group to organize and plan and inspire each other. I am so happy that we have started this group for a number of reasons. Now that we have had our first event I am pretty sure the #1 reason I love it is for the awesome girl time! We crafted and chatted and ate yummy snacks! It was so refreshing!

10 Easter Brunch Recipes {Perfect Pins}

Here's a quick collection of Easter Brunch ideas. Its a little last minute, but I couldn't resist sharing! 

It looks like my baby won't be making an appearance before the Bunny comes, so I might actually get a chance to try out a few of these recipes for Sunday morning!  

10 Easter Crafts for Kids {Perfect Pins}

After a couple of weeks off from Thursday's Perfect Pins, I'm excited to share this week's awesome finds! With everything that was going on in my pregnancy, I slacked a bit...

So, are you getting ready for the Bunny's big visit?? Here are a list of 10 of the very cutest kids' crafts I could find for Easter! I am excited to try a few of these on the upcoming weekend (we'll have a backup plan in case the weather is rainy).

I'm totally loving the handprint/footprint ones that would be perfect keepsakes!  There's quite a few of them in various forms.  Hope you enjoy these and find something to do with your own little ones!

1000 Facebook Likes Giveaway!!

So, as promised, I am finally celebrating my 1000 Likes on Facebook!  And you're going to love it!! 

One winner will enjoy a $25 Plum Box from Pick Your Plum!  That's right!!  I'm so excited to share this giveaway with you!!

Simple Easter Centrepiece

I'm getting things ready for Easter, and I realized that I had been wanting to make a centrepiece for quite some time now. With all the nesting I had been up to, I had stashed away a lot of my crafting goodies to get the house organized. Earlier today I remembered about the idea I had a few weeks ago and so I picked up the rest of the supplies I needed from the Dollarama and got to it this evening!  And wow, I'm super glad I did! This project turned out so great!

The boys helped a little with the washi tape (they love it as much as I do!), and they love the finished project. The couldn't wait to show Dad!... And I think he secretly loves it too. Hehe!

DIY Baby's Nursery Sign

Here's a cute and easy little project that my wonderful friend and I made during my exciting hospital stay! She brought all the supplies and surprised me with this project.  It couldn't have turned out cuter!  What a better way to put in an evening than with washi tape and a glue gun?!

I really hope that when we use this on the baby's door, the boys get the message! Maybe we will start hanging it in preparation and they can practice...

37 Weeks - Pregnancy Update

Yesterday morning, I woke up to overcast day. The past few have looked bright and sunny and springy from my hospital room. I have not been permitted to leave the building, so I have been enjoying it through my window. This week marks 37 completed weeks of pregnancy!  I can't even believe it. I can't understand where the time has gone, although I feel like it may have passed more quickly because we have been running against the clock, waiting for this placenta previa to move. So that likely explains why it feels that it has gone so fast.... I've been wishing the time slower so that there is plenty for the miracle I've been waiting for.

The time in this hospital room has been long. I am glad that I packed for it. I had packed yarn to finish baby's blanket, my laptop to enjoy some Netflix and to keep posting, books and magazines, and snacks to get me through. I also have amazing friends who have been here helping me through the time, bringing me delicious food & treats, and activities to pass the time. Its been so wonderful to have the support and love from my friends and family, and I am sure that this would have been an absolutely horrible experience without them!