The BEST bites and brews for the Big Game

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Single Edition Media. Babbleboxx full boxAre you getting excited for the Big Game like we are? Even though half of us aren’t even football fans, there’s something about the end of football season that brings everyone together. We look forward to enjoying all the commercials almost as much as the actual game, and most of all, we look forward to another reason to have a party.

But, in our usual fashion, we haven’t even begun to plan for game day. A day or two before we will get a few random texts asking what we’re doing, and typically we end up having people over or going to my dad’s to celebrate.

No matter where we celebrate, planning the menu is a joint effort, and I’m always on the hunt for the perfect foods that are quick and easy to prepare but also are crowd pleasers. When Babbleboxx sent a few hand selected items for us to sample that would be great game day items, we jumped at the chance to check them out and give our thoughts.

Here’s a sample Game Day menu that you can check out for planning your Big Game party – including some awesome coupons to save you money while shopping!

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How to throw an awesome science party for kids

Awesome Science Party tableI’ve never been great at birthday parties. Usually, I slap together an event with a loose theme and some character plates chosen by the kids and then order a few pizzas. I was prepared to do exactly that this summer when I was asked by my science-loving kiddo to throw a “science birthday party” with a very vague description of what that actually was.Awesome Science Party friends So, I got to searching “science birthday party” online. And, you know what I found? There are almost no science themed birthday plates or accessories that make sense for a young child. Luckily, my family loves a challenge, so they convinced me it would be a great idea to throw together a science themed party with absolutely no party store help. No “science” plates, no themed tablecloth, no activity kit to order. Awesome Science Party signMy goal was to throw such an amazing party that it would hopefully get me off the hook for throwing any of my kids a party for the next 5-10 years. I’ll let you know how that goes, but in the meantime I’m going to show you my take on a science party and share some printables I made up. Awesome Science Party veggies

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Spring shopping at Northgate Mall in Seattle

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So, Easter in Seattle was cold and rainy, like usual. But, we didn’t mind because our rain plan was actually our only plan: The Northgate Mall EGGcellent Easter Party for Kidgits members. But, that won’t be a surprise to anyone that knows us, since Northgate Mall is pretty much our holiday go-to plan if we aren’t seeing family.

This past weekend the mall was all done up for Easter for their EGGcellent Easter Party, and as usual, it did not disappoint. There was face painting, treats to snack on, robotics to marvel over, crafts to construct, and even live bunnies to hold. Northgate Mall bunniesWe checked in at the Kidgits Club desk and showed our membership cards to get little goodie bags for the kiddos, and then we headed over to take our annual pictures with the Easter Bunny before we visited the booths. Here’s one of my favorite shots from our Bunny Photo Experience: Easter bunny

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Game day party recipe: RITZ® Crackers sliders with Coca-Cola pulled pork and coleslaw

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BowlTimeSnacks #CollectiveBias Game Day Fuel 3Around here, football isn’t just a sport. From late summer until the last game is played, Seattle becomes a different place as we all unite for our team. Anyone wearing team colors is greeted with a cheer and usually a discussion on how the season is going. This is especially true for game day when we all come together to celebrate, so it’s best to plan for a crowd if you are home watching the game.

This past weekend was my turn hosting and I knew I wanted to do something a little different. I was looking for something you could eat throughout the day instead of a formal meal, and ideally it would be as hands-off as possible so I could get a chance to watch the game, too.

I headed to the store to see what inspiration struck and within minutes I hit on the perfect game time menu: RITZ® Crackers sliders with Coca-Cola pulled pork and homemade coleslaw. It looks delicious, right? Ritz pulled pork sliders

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OREO owl cupcakes were the hit of our Woodland-themed party

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiftDeliciously #CollectiveBias OREOwl cupcakesDo you love holiday baking as much as I do? With so many events, birthday parties, and more this time of year, I look forward to working side-by-side with my favorite little bakers and I plan all year for recipes I want to try. It just so happens that my birthday falls at the perfect time to kick off holiday baking season, so every year we use it as a great excuse to get creative in the kitchen while bonding with the kids.

This year, the kids and I created a fun recipe we like to call OREOwl cupcakes using some of our favorite brands, like OREO. Since we adore owls, this recipe was a huge hit for the kiddos, and it went over really well at my birthday gathering once guests showed up. RITZ crackers party

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Send them back to school on the right note with SOL REPUBLIC {DECK wireless speaker review}

Sponsored post Back to school with SOLAre you in the thick of back to school planning like I am? There are clothes to buy, glue sticks to stock up on, and there are goodbyes to plan for, because back to school is sneaking up on us quickly.

But, what if your baby isn’t quite a baby anymore and those days of construction paper and pencil cases are well behind you? For you, back to school shopping requires some creativity in order to send your child off to school on the right foot. 

Sure, you need the latest sneakers and some updated clothing, but what I think is more important than that is what your child will be listening to. Sending them back to school with a good pair of headphones, earbuds, or even a portable speaker can make those early mornings, bus stop waits, and late nights studying a whole lot more enjoyable if you have your music with you. SOL REPUBLIC DECK speaker at park

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Our Groovy Girls Sweet 16 Tea Party

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We all want our daughters to grow up in a world where they are only limited by their own imaginations. Even in our fast-paced lifestyles, such a place still exists and it’s within the world of Groovy Girls. These colorful soft dolls are full of personality and spunk with a message to girls to be true to themselves.

This year the iconic Groovy Girls from Manhattan Toy Company are turning 16 and they are as big of a hit now as they were when they first arrived in toy stores all those years ago. In fact, Groovy Girls just won the prestigious Parents' Choice Award this year!

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How to host your own upcycling party {Singer VIVO Repair & Create machine}

Upcycling party with Singer
You know those times when everything in your closet just seems so boring? Whether you haven’t been shopping since you were in high school or your body has changed and you’re still wearing your old clothing, chances are you have a stack of clothes in your closet taking up space that you really don’t want to be wearing anymore. 

I know I did, as did my friends, so we decided to get together to make a negative into a very big positive. Instead of going shopping together and blowing a few hundred dollars between us while we updated our wardrobes, we did something a whole lot more fun and cost effective – we upcycled our clothing. 

For those not familiar with the term “upcycle”, the basic idea is that you use what you already have and are not using to create something new and fabulous that you would have otherwise had to buy. Think of it as the greener way to recycle.   

So, to start my party off, I had all of the guests create two bags full of stuff beforehand – stuff they like but want to make amazing in one bag and stuff they really don’t want any more but can still be used for parts in the second.

Welcome to Upcycling partyImmediately upon walking into the party, they were greeted with two felt bins – one to dump their discards into for everyone to use as material, and one for the clothing they would like to upcycle. Once everyone had arrived, we went through the contents of the first bin together so everyone could see what materials they had to work with.

The saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” comes to mind as digging through the discard bin quickly turned into a clothing swap where everyone grabbed a few new-to-them items. Hey, it's green and resourceful. 

But, our purpose wasn't just to swap clothing, we were here to make our clothing awesome, which is why we had this little baby by our side:

Singer Vivo

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Birthdays, holidays and more: growing up a Gymboree kid



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Grow with me Gymboree

You know how sometimes you just look at your kids and they seem so grownup all of a sudden?  Never is that more true that during the summer months when I dig out all their warmer weather clothing from the previous year only to find that everything is a few inches too short and we’re due for yet another clothing run.

With so many birthday parties for friends and family this time of year, I find I’m constantly searching for something nice for the kids to wear that still looks festive and fun.  And, with events ranging from pool parties to pony ride parties, my daughter thinks there’s always a good reason to get dolled up.

In my search for kid-approved clothing that can go from event to event, I always turn to Gymboree as their clothing tends to be the kids’ favorite in terms of fit, style, and flair.  This year was no exception, and I found so many awesome styles that are the first clothing pieces that the kids grab each day.

Items like the Glitter Star Cowgirl boots, which my daughter would wear every single day if she could {and she pretty much does, even in record high temperatures or when we’re going to the beach}. 


Mother Daughter pics

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