As a member of the Chick-fil-A mom panel, we were given coupons to try their new Chicken Tortilla Soup and then challenged to make a fun DIY with their soup containers. Some of the moms did some amazing upcycling projects and created luminaries, succulent wall planters, play instruments, and all sorts of super crafty things, but I went practical. As soon as I saw the containers, I realized they would make the perfect DIY bead storage container. 
Now, I know that doesn't sound exciting because basically I repurposed something that stored soup and used it to store beads, but stay with me. 
I've been redoing our art supplies now that the kiddos are able to craft more on their own and this has involved a ton of organizing. I was previously the only one using the crafting supplies and therefore knew where everything was stored. But, now that they can craft on their own, I needed to give them their own storage system so anyone can find whatever they need and then know where to put it back when they are finished.
Parenting
American Girl fans: DIY Tenney and Logan inspired tin drum craft
Are you as crazy excited about American Girl's new contemporary dolls, Tenney Grant and Logan Everett, as we are? We've literally been counting down to their release for months, and we're so thrilled they are finally here. To celebrate their release, we came up with a Tenney-and-Logan-inspired DIY project to make a tin drum so you can start a band just like they did.
I'm going to walk you through the steps to make your own drum, including two handy little printables you can use to add logos to your American Girl-inspired drums.
To start with, you will need to gather your supplies:
2 large tin {or tin-and-cardboard} cans – we used milk substitute tins, but you could repurpose coffee cans, formula canisters, powdered drink containers, or whatever else you have on hand.
2 long threaded rods (or bolts), 8 nuts, and 12 washers – for securing the drums together
2 printables – for covering the cans {you can download those below}
Scissors, tape, ribbon, and a small drill {optional, you can use scissors if your can is thin enough} 
Introducing Logan Everett, the first ever 18″ boy doll from American Girl
He’s here! He’s here! I feel like we’ve been waiting forever for the release of the new American Girl doll, Logan Everett. The rumors have been swirling for months that a boy doll was in the works and I think I got roughly 50 messages asking if it was true. I’m happy to say that the rumors were true, and Logan Everett arrived this month at American Girl on Valentine’s Day. 
If you know my son, you know he’s one of the biggest fans of American Girl that there ever was. It started when my daughter got her first doll when she was 4 and he was only 2, and that love has grown exponentially throughout the years. He was crazy excited when he was given a boy Bitty Twin we scored second-hand, but I always wished there was an 18” boy I could buy for him. 
You should have seen his face when his sister and I surprised him with his own Logan Everett doll at the Seattle American Girl café last week. Not only was he over the moon excited, but so was his sister who has been dying for him to get his own doll for years and years. She had been plotting since before Christmas about how she could get him a doll if they came out with a boy and Logan was everything she had hoped for for her brother.
Making The Pledge with Entenmann’s Little Bites
Want a delicious on-the-go treat that your kids will absolutely love? Entenmann’s® Little Bites® muffins are baked soft and moist and then packed in easy to grab on-the-go pouches so they can be enjoyed just about anywhere. They are made with real ingredients, and never contain any high fructose corn syrup, which means parents love … Read more
10 winter activities for families in Mt Hood, Oregon
The south slope of Mt. Hood is home to Government Camp, a gorgeous alpine village at an elevation of 4,000 feet. The average snowfall is close to 300 inches which gives you a great chance to enjoy some fun, snowy weather activities for a day or two, or you can plan a longer stay and enjoy all that Mt. Hood, Oregon has to offer.
Here are 10 of our favorite things to do in Government Camp that are kid-approved and fun for families:
The Mitsubishi Outlander 2017 makes all of our dreams come true
A big thank you to Drive Shop USA for this test driving experience. All opinions are 100% ours. 
Do you remember when I made the announcement that the Mitsubishi Outlander was the car for me? Back in 2016 I told you that if I were buying a new automobile, I would buy a Mitsubishi Outlander. It’s now a whole year later and it still rings true. In fact, I’m even more certain about it now than I was back then.
It started with the love of the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and then that love was eclipsed by the Mitsubishi Outlander. I admit I got sold on all the luxuries of the bigger CUV size, but also on the adaptability of the third row seating that is perfect for our on-the-go lifestyle.
The best snow ice cream recipe
On our last snow day, we experimented a bit to find the best snow ice cream recipe anywhere. With only a few ingredients and almost no time to mix up, it's a perfect snow day activity for kids. 
Here's what you need:
Bring home a classic with Pinocchio on DVD and Blu-ray
Pinocchio has always been one of those movies that I could watch again and again, so I’ve been waiting for the day that the elusive Disney vault would open and they would re-release Pinocchio on DVD and Blu-ray so we could purchase it {and finally rid ourselves of one of the last few VHS videos we still own}. Besides our own love for Pinocchio, it was also one of our Grandma’s favorites. After she passed away this last year we really wanted to share her love of Pinocchio with our kids, and were thrilled when Pinocchio was slated for a January 2017 release.
The Walt Disney Signature Collection release of Pinocchio is available January 31st, 2017 and includes hours of classic bonus material and exclusive features including a reinvented rendition of “When You Wish Upon a Star” created and performed by music influencers from Disney’s Maker Studios. It also contains never-before-seen artwork from the film’s Pleasure Island sequence and archival recordings of Walt himself during Pinocchio production.
Not familiar with Disney’s Pinocchio? Pinocchio tells the tale of wood-carver Geppetto’s beloved puppet who embarks on a thrilling quest – with faithful friend Jiminy Cricket – that tests his bravery, loyalty and honesty, all virtues he must learn to fulfill his heart’s desire: to become a real boy.
Parenting: when sick gets real
This post has been sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 
I’ve got three little kids, all of whom have independent schedules and loads of interaction with other kids. This basically means that cold and flu season is a constant struggle to stay healthy, and to minimize any illness that hits home. This year has been especially bad and there hasn’t even been one day that the kids’ classes were full or there weren’t a few last-minute playdate cancellations due to illness.
I can’t have them live in a bubble or sanitize every surface they *might* touch, so what’s a parent to do? I want to make sure they can see and play with their friends and not miss out on crucial lessons, but I definitely don’t want them bringing home every little sniffle that goes through their classes. 
To combat illness, we implement these basic rules for keeping healthy:
1) Wash hands frequently, and make sure kids know how to wash properly.
2) Staying home when we’re sick – no need to send the illness around the school, family, or playground.
3) Keep a good routine. With healthy amounts of activity, good diets, and plenty of sleep, we manage to avoid quite a few illnesses a year.
DIY kids cape from an old prom dress
Have an old prom dress hanging around? Why not turn it into an awesome fancy cape for your little one {or for yourself, if you're looking to make a capelet}? I had honestly thought I purged all my old prom dresses when we moved into this house, but I discovered them tucked away in my daughter's walk-in closet while we were doing our winter cleaning. Since she has the only floor length hanging bars in the house, I remembered I had stashed a few of my nice dresses and my wedding dress in there, but I hadn't realized that there were some prom dresses mixed in.
I donated two of the prom dresses, but one of them was so out of date that it was just begging for a little DIY inspiration. I knew immediately that it would make the perfect dressy cape for my kiddos to play pretend in and the layers would add a level of drama that the kiddos would adore.
Of note: I don't claim to be the best seamstress around, and my sewing skills are basically limited to alterations and simple decor items, but even I could see the potential hidden in this 90's-style strappy number. While your DIY will depend a lot on what kind of material and length of gown you are working with, hopefully you can use this as a rough guide for a simple sewing project. 
Ready to get started? Great!