Short Girl Problems

Allison is constantly annoyed by the fact that she is short. She is always measuring herself in hopes that she has gotten to the point where she is tall enough to ride all the roller coasters at Cedar Point. Ever since she was 1/4 inch too short to ride a coaster at a different theme park, one in which she left the line in tears, she has been dreaming of the day when she finally grows. While she is *almost* tall enough now for the CP coasters, she took another blow this past weekend.

We were invited to a birthday party at the local fun center. After a fun round of bowling, the kids got to ride the go carts. Of course, you have to be a certain size to ride the bigger ones by yourself. Imagine how pissed she was when she was told she had to ride the "baby" go carts, and the 7 year old that was at the party was told to ride the bigger ones.

Forced Smile All The Way...

 That track was really not fun to go round and round on. I kind of felt bad for her!

The cutoff for the big karts was right at the top of her friends head, so it looks like it will be a few more years before she can ride the big ones by herself, unless she finds a magic pill to make her grow.Or finds a working Zoltar machine and wishes to be BIG :)

Has your height ever prevented you from doing something you love?

Meeting "The King"

Allison loves to watch those old car shows on t.v. with her pop (grandpa), so it really wasn't much of a surprise when she asked if she could attend a car show with one of her friends. What did surprise us was her giddiness when she came home from the show because she got to meet "Elvis!"

 She went on and on for days about meeting Elvis, talking about his performance, his jokes, and the fact that he gave her and her friend one of his famous scarves:

Personally autographed just for her, it's a souvenir she will treasure for quite some time. If an Elvis impersonator can cause that much excitement in a 10 year old girl, I can only imagine the flames the real Elvis sparked in girls back in the day!

Have you ever met an Elvis impersonator?

Celebrate National Cleaning Week with CVS/pharmacy

Happy Spring Cleaning Week! Yeah, ok. I know that cleaning isn't something to get overly excited about, but this week is National Spring Cleaning Week, which includes the word "spring". That's something to get excited about, right?

I have actually been on a spring cleaning kick for the past few weeks. When the weather warms up, I want to focus on spending more time outdoors and less time worrying about messes or organization in my home. Instead of trying to tackle everything all at once, I focus on doing a few tasks over an extended period of time. When the weather started to warm up, we packed up most of the winter clothes and gear and pulled out the summer items. As we were making the switch, we kept a few bags nearby for items and clothing that would be outgrown by next year. These items will be sent to Goodwill or readied for our spring yard sale.

This week I cleared out our toiletry closet. I bought some cheap plastic bins to group like items together (allergy meds in one bin, children's meds in one bin, eye care in another, etc.) for easy locating. I checked the expiration date on all medications and vitamins and discarded those that were passed their date.

Next week I plan on organizing my craft and sewing room using the same approach as I did with my toiletry closet, and then I will help my girls go through their toys to get rid of the ones they no longer play with. My goal is to be completely de-cluttered and have a well organized house by the time summer vacation starts.

In addition to my larger projects, I still have every day cleaning that needs to be done. I don't want to spend a lot of time or money on these tasks, so I turn to CVS/pharmacy for their line of Total Home cleaning products. What I love most about the Total Home line is how convenient they are to use, how well they perform, and that they cost a fraction of what the national brand products do! 

CVS/pharmacy Total Home line offers consumers exceptional, high quality, and reliable products that cost a fraction of what the national brands run. The Total Home line currently has 150 products that have all undergone rigorous quality testing to ensure you are receiving the best products that are also affordable. CVS/pharmacy stands behind these products and offers a full, 100% money-back guarantee to ensure customer satisfaction.

Here is a handy list that will help you check off your To Do cleaning tasks:

Have you started your spring cleaning yet? What spring cleaning task do you dread the most?

*Disclosure- I received the above mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was provided. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

Get Springtime Scented Laundry With Purex Crystals Fabulously Fresh!

I think there are 2 kinds of people out there. Those who love their laundry scented in the wash, and those who don't. I am a scented laundry lover. Actually, one of my favorite scents has always been the one that comes from the dryer vent. Yes, I am a little weird like that, but there's just something about catching a whiff of laundry drying that is calming for me. I am always on the lookout for products that will add a touch of scent to my clothes, and when I was sent a bottle of Purex Crystals Fabulously Fresh to review, I knew I found a product that I was going to be a long time fan of.

New Purex Crystals Limited Editon Fabulously Fresh is the latest Purex Brand laundry enhancer bringing a fresh sensation to your laundry experience. The limited edition bottle and scent will add a colorful escape to your laundry day.

What I love about Purex Crystals Fabulously Fresh:

- Long lasting scent. Clothes smell fresh for weeks, not days.
- Does not reduce the absorbency of towels.
- It is safe for all loads, including children's sleepwear and athletic wear.
- It is simple to use. Just toss a cap full in the wash and you  are good to go!

I mentioned that fresh laundry is one of my favorite scents. I also love to add some of the Purex Crystals to my electric tart warmer to get the whole house smelling fresh without the chore of doing an actual load of laundry!

Purex is currently running a great giveaway on their Facebook page. 1 winner is going to win a $1000 shopping spree. 100 1st place winners are going to win a bottle of Purex Crystals Fabulously Fresh! The giveaway will run through 4/28/2014.

If you would like to learn more about Purex Crystals Fabulously Fresh, or any of the other wonderful products Purex has to offer, be sure to visit the Purex Website. To stay up to date on all offers, be sure to follow them on Facebook as well!

WIN IT! 

One lucky Theresa's Mixed Nuts reader is going to win 2 coupons for a free bottle of Purex Crystals Fabulously Fresh. The giveaway is open to residents of the US, 18+, (No PO Boxes will be accepted), and will run through 4/7. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email before a new winner is selected. *All entries are verified, so please make sure you are properly entering for the entries you claim.

*Theresa's Mixed Nuts is not responsible for late, damaged, or lost prizes. Unfortunately, it has happened, and while I always do my best to ensure proper prize delivery, it is out of my control once it has been shipped. In the event this should occur, I will do my best to troubleshoot, but if that gets us nowhere, your only recourse it to chalk it up to a loss and move on.   

Please enter on the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure- The Purex Brand provided me with a sample of Purex Crystals Limited Edition Fabulously Fresh in exchange for a product review. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own. I was not monetarily compensation for this post.

Throwback Thursday ~ Grandpa #TBT

If I could meet one person, I would chose to go back and meet my paternal grandpa. He passed away a year before I was born, but growing up I heard so many stories about him, I feel he must have been a very interesting man. During his military service he did a little boxing, and this picture of him fascinates me.

Not just the man, but the size of the gloves they wore back then. Look at how thin they were. Nothing like the huge padded gloves they wear today. Getting hit by one of those means you're probably getting knocked flat on your ass. They certainly weren't playing around back then!


Who is one person you would like to meet if you had the chance?

Celebrating Our Disney Side! #DisneySide

Disney has been a part of my life for as far back as I can remember. From my early childhood of watching Mickey Mouse cartoons, to dreaming about a world of princesses and happily ever after, then becoming a mother and seeing the magic through my children's eyes, what Walt Disney created will never cease to amaze me.

We took our first trip to Disney 2 years ago, and we had the most amazing time! My husband was bit by what he calls "The Disney Bug" and has been planning a return trip ever since we got home. Disney has a way of drawing you in, letting you immerse yourself in the magic and getting wrapped up in its fantasy and charm. We all have a little Disney in us, and now you can show off your Disney Side!

Everyone has a Disney Side- that fun-loving adventurous spirit that comes out to play when you’re feeling the Disney magic! Whether you show your Disney Side through fashion, food, or your favorite characters, or frequent visits to Disney Parks, it’s time to let it shine.  Gather your fellow Disney fans, grab your Mickey ears and prepare to sprinkle some pixie dust on those who cross your path as you let your Disney Side take over!

We recently had the chance to host a Disney Side Home Celebration. It was such a great way for my girls to gather up their friends for a day of Disney fun! We were sent some goodies to help get our party started.

Our party kit was FAB-U-LOUS! It had everything we needed to have a jolly good time. Cups, plates, a table cover and streamers helped make it Disney Festive!

We had pizza for dinner, then served up some adorable Disney cookies for dessert.

The older kids had a great time with the party games that were included. We played some Disney Bingo, then had a Disney Trivia Challenge! 

Of course, no party is complete unless you dress the part. Who doesn't love Mickey Ears? Or, I should say Minnie Ears :)

Or adding a few tattoos might get you a spot on Captain Hook's crew!

All of our guests had a great time showing off their Disney Side! Even if you aren't planning a trip to Disney, hosting a Disney themed party is really easy with the Disney Side Celebrations Website! You'll find tools there to help you get started- party themes, activities, and recipes are a few ways they will help you bring that extra bit of magic to your party. Head over all see all the great ideas that will help you get inspired today!

*Disclosure- I received the above mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was provided. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

St. Patrick's Day Parade & Greening of the Waterway!

Our town puts on a St. Patty's Day parade every year, but we have always skipped it. I thought it was going to be warm this weekend, so I decided to drag the kids out to it this year. They weren't too pleased with dear old mom when the winds kicked up and we nearly froze, especially since I got the time wrong and we sat in the cold for an hour before the parade actually started. But, we did have some colorful characters to watch before the parade started.

I love how people got in the spirit, coming out wearing their St. Pat's gear.

 The parade finally kicked off. The cold didn't seem to bother these kilt wearing bagpipers.

Fun Colorful Floats....

And, what's a parade without some horses with green noses and legwarmers? Oh, and a few llamas too?

After a very long and cold hour, we took the girls to our East Race Waterway where they turned the water green!

 

Even through the complaining, I think it was a great way to kick of the holiday!

I hope you all have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day!

$100 Bathroom Fix

We completely gutted the kid's bathroom and redid the whole thing about 3 years ago. I was really loving the results until I noticed my kids love to use the wall as a brace when getting out of the tub. Even though we used a gloss bathroom paint, ugly water streaks were popping up on the paint.

I love home renovation. The planning, the demo, even the scent of construction makes me really happy. What I do NOT like to do, is paint. Painting sucks! I knew that if I repainted the bathroom, I was going to have to do it all over again in another 3 years. Something I was completely not looking forward to! So, it came down to the best solution. Slapping up some vinyl wainscoting.

It went from this:

To This:

I wasn't sure if I was going to like it at first, but now that it's up, I think with the extra white, it really brightens the room up more. For only $100, I get to avoid repainting the bathroom again! Money well spent.

*Do you do your own home renovations, or do you prefer to pay someone to do them for you?

St. Patrick's Day Crafting

My niece and nephew stopped by for a visit last weekend. Since it was too cold to play outside, my nephew thought it would be fun to build a leprechaun trap. All the girls bailed on us, so the boy and I had to fly solo on the project, which was fine because we won't be sharing any treasures we get after catching that little bugger!

We made one last year, but he got away. However, he did leave the girls some rainbow candy treats behind after stealing our gold piece. Allison quickly pointed out he must not know what a rainbow looks like since the colors in the pack were backwards. Whoops!

At least mom was able to get the pudding dessert colors right. I thought it would be fun to top the pudding with some whipped cream and sprinkle them with GOLD. Which was just some Wilton gold colored candy sugar sprinkles.

Since it never fails, St. Patrick's always rolls around and Allison can't find anything green to wear to school. I decided to quickly make these St. Patty's hair pins. 

Just snip off the button loop back, hot glue on to a hair pin, and voila! For less than $2, you've got your green covered.

What are your St. Patrick's Day Plans?

Wordless Wednesday ~ Checkers

I haven't played checkers in years, but couldn't resist playing a game when my daughter spotted this over sized checker board. In case you are wondering- She kicked my butt.

Zucchini Bread Recipe Using LouAna Coconut Oil

For the past few years, my family has been trying to live a healthier lifestyle and consume more nutritious foods. It isn't always easy though. We do like our convenience products and a few sweets here and there, but we have started reading nutrition labels and buying organic whenever possible. However, I grew up in the south, and fried foods have always been a comfort food and a staple in our dinner menu often. On our quest to eat healthier, I have been wanting to cut out the vegetable oil that I normally use. I have been hearing a lot about coconut oil lately, but admit, I've been a little chicken to try it for myself. I really love coconut flavor, but my husband and kids don't. I was worried that it would alter the flavor of our favorite dishes, making it taste like a coconut. When LouAna contacted me to try their coconut oil in a recipe, I almost passed on the offer. But after reading about it a little more, my curiosity got the best of me, and worry turned to excitement.

Coconut oil actually has many health benefits. Not only is it a heart healthy food, it can actually help our bodies resist bacteria and viruses that can make us sick. It can also improve insulin in the body, boost thyroid function, and increase the metabolism.

I was sent a large jar of LouAna Coconut Oil for my family to try.

When opening the jar, I was a little confused as to how to use the product. It was in solid form, which I wasn't expecting from an oil.

I was able to scoop some out with a metal spoon fairly easily though. I had no problem getting it to melt over medium heat. It melted clear, and I did not notice any scent when it was cooking.

I first used it to fry some chicken nuggets. The nuggets brown up nice and golden in the coconut oil, and I was pleased that there was no coconut flavor on them at all! They tasted the exact same as they do when I use vegetable oil to fry them. 

Since I do a lot of baking, I decided to try coconut oil in my favorite Zucchini Bread Recipe. Again, there was no difference in flavor, and the bread had the same consistency it has when I use other oils to bake it.

Ingredients:

3 Eggs

3/4 cup LouAna Coconut Oil, melted

3 tbsp vanilla

2 cups sugar

3 tsp cinnamon

2 cups grated zucchini

2 cups flour 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients together until thoroughly combined.  

Pour into two medium size greased and floured loaf pans. 

Bake for 1 hour.

Completely cool before serving.

LouAna Coconut Oil is great for cooking, baking, frying, and popping corn. It contains no trans fat, no cholesterol, is non hydrogenated, and is a non-GMO food. It's also inexpensive! You can purchase a large jar at your local Wal-Mart for only $5.98!

If you would like to learn more about LouAna Coconut Oil, or any of LouAna's other oils, be sure to visit their website. While you are there, be sure to check out the recipe section, as well as grab a money saving coupon too!

*Disclosure- I received the above mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was provided. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.