Check this out!

Eighteen25 is having a Spooktacular September on their blog.  Each day, a different blogger is doing a guest post with a Halloween idea.  It lasts the WHOLE month of September and it's really fun to follow along and see people's creative Halloween ideas...  Here are a few of my favorites so far:



 Also, on Brown Paper Packages, there is a similar daily post for the whole month of September - but it's BACK-TO-SCHOOL ideas.  It's called {Back 2 Basics}.  There are some great ideas like the following on that blog:

Go check out both of these blogs!  Then don't forget to go back each day to see the new guest post.  Fun stuff out there...

A few of my FAVORITE things...

Right now, I'm in LOVE with these:

Land O Lakes NEW Cinnamon Sugar Butter!  So yummy on a toasted, thick slice of fresh wheat bread.  But I've also tried it in a few recipes...  I've made up one yummy little treat using the cinnamon sugar butter - I'll share it with you soon!  This is GOOD STUFF!

My new favorite place!  Can't get enough frozen yogurt.  Seems so much more refreshing and healthy than most other treats.  Yesterday I treated myself to a small swirl of Peach Mango Tart yogurt with fresh sliced strawberries and a scoop of graham cracker crumbs!  It was delightful!!

Scunci No-Slip Evolution hair ties.  They are like STRETCHY JELLY bracelets.  These are the BEST hair bands I've ever used.  My oldest daughter has thick, long hair and these bands have worked so much better than anything I've ever tried.  Plus, they don't pull half her hair out when I take them out!  Syd loves them for soccer...  They also work great in my younger daughter's hair which is shorter and more fine than Syd's.

I think I ate at least a small size bag of these EVERY DAY of my entire pregnancy this last year.  They are so yummy!  I took a little break from them after I had my baby, but now I'm hooked again!  They are just so good.  I love the sweet with the salty.  I am addicted!!

And now, if you haven't noticed, 3 out of the 4 items above are FOOD items - treats, nonetheless!  So, it's a darn good thing that my 5th favorite thing right now is these:

Saucony Grid Fastwitch 5's.  I LOVE these shoes.  They are my second pair and they are THE PERFECT running shoe!!  I'm serious.  After my first pair was worn out, it was like torture to run in anything else.  I have put several miles on this new pair and can't wait to wear them for the marathon in a few weeks.  These shoes get me excited to run, for REAL!  Didn't know shoes could do that til I owned these! 

Oh-yeah, can't forget 1 more of my favorite things...

The Halloween Anti-Bac soap from Bath and Body Works.  Love the designs.  Bought both...

The SPooKY HouSe is Sour Drop and the SKeleTOn is Sour Apple.  Such a fun way to add a little HALLOWEEN decor to a bathroom.  You gotta have soap in there anyways, so it might as well be fRigHTfuLLy FuN!

Good Morning!

Here are some BREAKFAST recipes I've been dying to try...

Monkey Bread Muffins by the Pioneer Woman, found here.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes found here from the Recipe Girl.

Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins from Our Best Bites found here.

Whole Grain Banana-Pecan Muffins also by Our Best Bites.  Here.

I love muffins and foods that can be made in big batches and then frozen individually.  It is so nice having things in the freezer, ready to go, that can be pulled out the night before for breakfast the next morning, or that can be put in a lunch box frozen, and will thaw perfectly by lunch time.

Coconut and Cashew Granola from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Here.

{Perfect in a cup/bag to eat on the way to the gym!}

Baked Blueberry Pecan French Toast found here also from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

YUM!  Can't wait to try these!  If anyone tries any of the above recipes, leave a comment and let me know how it goes.  Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day...

Long time, No see!

Wow!  I knew it had been awhile since I last posted, but I can't BELIEVE it's been an entire month!  I have sooo much to share.  First, I thought I'd post all the cool SCHOOL LUNCH stuff I've seen around.  Don't know too many places that haven't gone back to school yet - other than some preschools, most of which start this next week after the Labor Day holiday.  So, we're all in need of good school lunch ideas, right?!  Most days when I make my 2 older kids' lunches I usually just do a 3rd lunch for my preschooler.  Then her lunch is ready when she is and she thinks she's super cool/big to have a lunch like her older brother and sister!  So, here are some fun lunch ideas:

Phineas & Ferb Lunches.  Found here by Susan Yen.

Lunchbox jokes. Found here from All for the Boys.

Quick lunchbox reference sheet from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Found here.

Lunchbox ideas also from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Here.

These fun sandwich ideas can be found here at Family Fun.  They also have ideas on how to pack the perfect school lunch & lunchbox tips as well as creative after-school snacks...

Sandwich on a Stick                                                               Flower Sandwiches

I love adding a little note to my children's lunches.  Just a little reminder that I love them or a reminder to CTR at school, etc.  I just printed a stack of Joke notes to put in their lunches too.  After searching the Internet for creative ideas, it appears that "bento" box lunches are the big thing right now!  I like the idea, cause it means less waste and more fun (my kids love little organizing-type compartments!).  You can find "bento" style boxes all over the web...  

Happy eating to all those little school kiddos out there!