Young At Heart Mommy

Managing Motherhood Through Love & Laughter

100 Day Picture Challenge: Day 20

100 Day Picture Challenge
Day 20:
 A picture of somewhere you’d love to travel

 I know most people will probably choose some exotic location on a nearby island but for Day 20 I am going with Colorado. If I had to get on a plane right now and had the luxury of telling the captain to fly my anywhere- this is right where I would go. After living in Colorado for a few years it really did grow on me. I would give anything to be back there. The beautiful landscapes, change in seasons, and sights to see can’t be beat.

Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway!

Welcome to the Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway!

Bright Starts and Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom have teamed to offer an amazing Bright Starts Sunnyside Safari Collection giveaway to one lucky reader!
This includes the Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair, Playard, Plug in Sway & Swing, Portable Swing and Saucer making this truly the Ultimate Baby Shower Gift.
Special thank you to the wonderful bloggers who made this possible including our co-hosts: To Sew with Love, The Lucky Ladybug and Mom Blog Society.
This collection is adorable! I love the Safari theme and the bright colors. My favorite piece is the Sunnyside Safari Portable Swing. It has multiple swing speeds and the bright blue elephant is too cute. The thing I really like most about all of these great pieces is they can be found at Walmart! Not only are you getting a stylish collection for your little one, but also for a great bargain.

Big smiles and bright adventures go hand in hand in this exciting, fun-filled collection!
Take a walk on the sunny side-where baby gear goes together in delightful new ways. It’s a win for infants and parents alike, with irresistable jungle characters adorning an array of fun coordinated products you’ll use every day. Each piece of the collection does its job charmingly, with non-stop fun at an unbeatable value.
The Bright Starts Sunnyside Collection is available at Wal-Mart!

Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair
A good high chair is a must for moms, and Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Chair Top High Chair is as good as they come! It does what a full-sized model does and more, adjusting to four different heights (and nearly any table), reclining to three positions, and converting to a booster seat for smooth transition to the toddler years.
The reversible seat pad is made of stain-resistant fabric you can wipe clean or machine-wash. The removable Stay Level Tray™ remains flat even when the seat is reclining. All this, plus the friendly characters of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Make mealtime and snack time more enjoyable for baby and you. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

  • Convenient 2 piece reversible seat pad is made of stain resistant fabric that is wipeable and machine washable
  • 4 height positions to fit most table sizes
  • 3 position recline
  • Removable Stay Level Tray™ remains level even when seat is reclined
  • 3 locking positions to grow with baby
  • Built-in holders are convenient for drinks or snacks
  • Converts to booster for easy toddler transition
  • 5 point convertible safety harness

Sunnyside Safari™ Playard
A bright, sunny place for baby to rest, play, get a quick diaper change and spend a few moments with some friendly jungle pals! That’s the Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Playard. This playard includes a removable bassinet with our time-saving One Less Step™ feature for easy fold-and-go mobility.
There’s a convenient changing table, a handy side storage pocket, easy-roll wheels, a travel bag, plus a colorful toy bar to delight baby. And like all Bright Starts™ products, this playard is an unbeatable value. Part of our coordinated Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

  • Removable bassinet with One Less Step™ to quickly fold and go
  • Convenient changing table
  • Toy bar with 2 fun toys
  • Side storage pocket
  • Wheels for easy portability
  • Includes travel bag

Sunnyside Safari™ Plug in Sway & Swing™
Some swings go back and forth. Some go side to side. This one does both—and does it with music, toys, and delightful jungle style. With a seat designed for 180° rotation, allowing three swing directions, the Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Plug in Sway & Swing™ uses our unique TrueSpeed™ technology to sense baby’s weight and adjust for consistent speed—so it grows along with baby.
The swing also boasts a volume-adjustable 20 minutes of melodies and nature sounds, an overhead mobile—even an AC adaptor to save on battery expense. And it features the fun and engaging characters of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

  • Seat rotates 180° for 3 swing directions
  • TrueSpeed™ technology maintains 6 speeds as baby grows
  • Mobiles with 2 playtime toys easily pivots out of the way
  • 20 minutes of melodies and nature sounds with volume control and auto shut-off
  • AC adaptor saves money on batteries
  • Swing time with 3 settings: 30, 45 and 60 minutes
  • Whisper Quiet™ operation
  • 5 point harness
  • Machine washable seat pad
  • Non-slip feet

Sunnyside Safari™ Portable Swing
Find baby’s favorite speed with this innovative portable swing. The Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Portable Swing is a win for parents and babies—from its machine-washable padded seat right down to its bright yellow, non-slip feet. With six distinct speeds to choose from, you’ll find it easy to suit your little one’s mood—and our patented TrueSpeed™ technology keeps those speeds consistent even as baby grows.
The Comfort Recline™ seat gives you a choice of two positions, and WhisperQuiet™ operation makes this swing silent in use. Wrap it all up in the super-fun animal decor and you’ve got a perfect travel companion. Part of Bright Starts™’ Sunnyside Safari™ Collection. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Features:

  • TrueSpeed™ Technology maintains 6 speeds as baby grows
  • Comfort Recline™ seat with 2 positions
  • Whisper Quiet™ operation
  • Easily folds for storage or travel
  • 5 point harness
  • Machine washable seat pad
  • Non-slip feet

Sunnyside Safari™ Saucer
This is where babies go for serious fun. A Walmart exclusive, the 7-activity Bright Starts™ Sunnyside Safari™ Saucer offers entertainment options galore—and a lighthearted jungle theme with fun characters you’ll adore.
The seat rotates a full 360° for endless interaction with the activity stations. Twin overhead toy arms provide even more entertainment options. And the three different height positions make this one saucer your baby won’t soon outgrow. Four link loops mean still more toys can be attached. Part of the Sunnyside Safari™ Collection, this saucer will quickly become a family favorite. Start the fun with Bright Starts!™

Product Features:

  • 3 adjustable height positions allows entertainer to grow with baby
  • Seat rotates 360° for nonstop interaction with 7 activity stations
  • 2 overhead toy bar arms with mirror, hanging toy and fabric crinkle leaves
  • Hanging elephant toy
  • Bendy giraffe teething stalk
  • Bead chaser with easy to grip textured beads
  • Lion popper with spiraling beads
  • Rotating ladybug barrels with fun textures and beads
  • Rocking toucan on leaf stalk
  • 4 link loops for attaching more toys
  • Lays flat for storage
  • Built-in toy tray is easy to clean
Giveaway starts on May 7 at 12:01AM and ends May 28 at 11:59PM. Open to the US residents only; must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
Enter to win the Bright Starts Ultimate Baby Shower Giveaway including the Sunnyside Safari Collection on the rafflecopter form below.

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100 Day Picture Challenge: Day 19

100 Day Picture Challenge
Day 19:  
 A picture of something you love to do

As i said in Day 1 of the picture challenge, something I love to do is scrapbooking. I started really scrapbooking about three years ago when Toodie was born. I had tons of pictures packed away in boxes just sitting in the closet. I always found myself taking them out to look back on memories and realized I needed an easier way to enjoy them. Once I started it became a hobby i liked to do in my free time. Now that Toodie is three even she appreciates flipping through the pages and seeing herself grow. Scrapbooking is the perfect way to display photos and keepsakes. There is so much freedom with what you can create and once you start it gets pretty addicting. It’s hard for me to even walk in a Michael’s or other craft store without buying a ton of  themed stickers! I just love it..

Silly Saturday

Toodie woke up a big grouch this morning. She tossed and turned all night and woke up three times randomly crying. I guess she didn’t sleep well and it has made her agitated.  Her mood soon turned around when she found this Halloween pony tail hair piece lying around the house. I’ve never seen it before but it has now become a dress up piece for her. It looks hilarious because she has brown curly hair and all you see in this big frizzy blonde ball on top of her head. It’s a magical weave that has turned her into a big goof ball. Two hours later and she still won’t take the thing off her head. In person it actually looks like roadkill .. but with crimped hair. I hope she doesn’t refuse to take this thing off when we go out later!

Cinco De Mayo: Margaritas With A Twist

 Blood Orange Margarita

 3 oz tequila
 2 oz orange liqueur
2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
4 oz fresh-squeezed blood orange juice
1 oz agave nectar syrup
Blood orange slices for garnish
 

Watermelon Margarita

4 oz. of watermelon-infused tequila
2 oz. frozen limeade
2 ice cubes of  infused tequila 
1 1⁄2 oz. Cointreau
Watermelon wedges for garnish

 
Pomegranate Margarita

½ oz. pomegranate juice
Salt crystals

3 oz.  tequila 
1 oz. lime juice
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
½ oz. pomegranate liqueur
Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Grapefruit Margarita

     3 cups ruby grapefruit juice
     2 cups of tequila
     1 cup orange-flavored liqueur
     1/4 cup of sugar
     Slices of grapefruit for garnish
                                                                                    

Strawberry Margarita

2 ounces of  Grand Marnier

1 1/2 ounces Tequila
2 ounces lime juice
2 1/2 ounces strawberry simple syrup
Lime slices and strawberries for garnish
Sugar for rim
Triple Citrus Margarita 
2 1/2 cups cold water
1  12 oz. pkt Crystal Light Sunrise
1 14 oz. pkt Crystal Light Lemonade
1/2 cup Tequila
2 tbsp. Lime Juice

Lime wedges for garnish                  

100 Day Picture Challenge: Day 17

100 Day Picture Challenge
Day 17:  
 A picture of something that has a huge impact on your life recently

You may be thinking .. how in the world could that tiny potty have an impact on your life? Well if you have a child or you are going through potty training yourself, you will probably understand. Toodie has been in the beginning stages of potty training for a few months now.  I never thought we would get to the point where she was willing to go and remember throughout the day to take her business to the bathroom. Somehow we actually made it. She uses the potty ALL day and most of the time initiates it on her own.  It seemed like we were struggling so much in the beginning that it made me wonder if we would ever succeed. I really give most of the credit to her teacher at school. She may only go two days a week but since she has been attending, using the potty has become a second nature. She never wears her pull ups at school and always has panties on when I pick her up. I was even surprised that she never had an accident, not even during nap time. If you have children then I am sure you know potty training can be a struggle. For most it doesn’t happen over night and it’s not easy. Only a parent could truly understand how much of a positive impact having your child potty trained can have on your life and theirs!  I feel that Toodie has been doing so well with the potty that soon enough she will master it. When this happens it will give be a huge relief and weight off my shoulders. I will be able to enroll her in school full time, continue working on my degree, and also start working again!

Easy Peasy Corn Salsa

 
Ingrediants:
1/4 cup green onions  (coarsely chopped)
1/4 cup of cilantro (coarsely chopped) 
2 cans of sweet corn
1 1/2 limes (juiced)
1 4.5 oz can of chopped green chiles
1/2 cup of ranch dressing
8 crispy corn taco shells or Tostito chips

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  • Chop green onions & cilantro
  • Juice your limes

  • Bake taco shells for 3-4 minutes or until crispy
  • Combine corn, green onions, cilantro, chile, spicy ranch dressing, and lime juice in large mixing bowl. Let mixture chill in fridge.

  • Break taco shells into larger pieces. Serve salsa over the shells or scoop up. 
 

It’s very important that you let the salsa chill in the fridge before serving. All the ingredients need time to firm up otherwise it will be soupy. As you can see everyone was too impatient here and there was no refrigerator time! But it still came out very good and the flavors worked well together.

 

100 Day Picture Challenge: Day 16

100 Day Picture Challenge
Day 16:  
 A picture of someone who inspires you

 I didn’t think there was a better person to choose for Day 16. Today I am supposed to be showing you a photo of someone in my life who inspires me. My daughter inspires me every single day. She makes me a better person and has shown me what is really most important in this world. They say that having a child changes you forever, it changes your world. This is absolutely true and I can say without a doubt in my mind she has given me a wonderful purpose. Toodie inspires me to be the best mom I can be, even with my faults. No parent is perfect and although we strive to be so, it’s not always possible. I have learned so much from her even though she is only three. She teaches me everyday about love, compassion, and how to appreciate the small things we sometimes take for granted.  My Toodie girl is a ball of sunshine and I am thankful that I get to wake up every single day to her beautiful smile. She truly does inspire me to live, laugh, and love. Life is too short to do anything else.

Plant A Tweet With Lowes & Get A $10 GC!

Design your own Twitter flower and if you are one of the first 10,000 people to reach 50 points through your social media actions you get a $10 Lowe’s Gift Card!
 Here is the point chart and how you can earn
 
10 pts: design your own Plant A Tweet & post to Twitter
10 pts: Follow  Lowe’s on Twitter
1 pt: Each Retweet of your tweet
5 pts: Pin your plant to Pinterest
1 pt: Others repin on Pinterest (daily limit)
4 pts: Link to Foursquare
1 pt: Foursquare Lowe’s check-in (1 per 24 hrs)
As you earn points you will see your flower start to blossom. Everyone’s will look different. When you first begin you will be able to design your own plant from its flowers right down to the stem. This is what mine came out as once I reached my 50 points. There are still well over 9,000 gift cards to be redeemed so get planting!

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