Our new adventure-Fairy Garden!

I have been looking for something our family could do together and found a delightful fairy garden store on our latest travel. So far we have the following:

Originally we had planned to put in the backyard but now I think we will get one large planter. Do you have a favorite place to find fairy garden items? I am very excited to add more things to our garden as we grow.

West Virgina-World's Largest Teapot!

Hi All! Time for us to take another short trip before school begins. This week's adventure was to Chester, West Virginia to visit the world's largest teapot.

It was one of the more adventurous trips we have taken in some time. Off the side of the interstate you will find a very large teapot.

We happened to be there during the annual teapot festival so my daughter was excited to order food from the giant window...I really do think they should offer tea all year long!

Down the road we were also able to explore the Fiesta Ware Factory. The best part was the "graveyard" of broken ceramics and seeing all of the fun things you can do with the bowls and plates.

I would say it is a great weekend trip to get off the map for a few days! Have you ever been? What are your favorite finds in Chester, West Virginia?

Healthy snacks delivered to your door!

Since going back to work full time I have been trying to find a way to make our weekly errands easier on everyone. I used to have to go to three stores or more looking for snacks that my daughter would eat and were portable. She likes to change up snacks so often it is hard to keep up and buy in bulk so it made for a very time consuming shopping experience. While at my mom group a few weeks ago one of them suggested a great solution to my problem-Graze. It is an awesome service to get snacks by mail that has over 100 options!  My favorite part of the snack box is that you have a say in what you would like to have in your box. You simply tell Graze what you like and they send a customized snack box. Here is the box that we received:

My favorite in the entire box was the pretzels with dip and the mix of freeze dried fruit. My daughter actually tried rhubarb and loved the way it tasted! I like that the containers are all sealed and I can throw it in the book bag or my purse for a healthy afternoon snack pick me up. The snacks are the perfect portion to be satisfying and perfect portion control.

Other highlights of Graze boxes are that they contain no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Another great way to eat your Graze box is using as a mix in for a fuller meal. We often mix our seeds and freeze dried fruit into some homemade yogurt for a great breakfast! 

Order your Graze box here with zero commitment as they do not require you to get a minimum subscription. This is a great way to introduce your family to new foods without buying large portions.   What is your favorite Graze box snack?

Tsum Tsum party time!

I cannot believe little miss is going to be 8 in a few short weeks! This year our family party is Tsum Tsum which is not an easy task. My first goal is to create birthday favors on a budget! I really wanted to capture the essence of a giant tsum tsum without the cost of buying a favor box so I began to think and found the perfect solution-toilet paper rolls!

For this project you will need:

Toilet paper or paper towel rolls
Construction Paper and Glue or Paint
card stock for end of roll
 Printer for the faces
small prizes

Step one:

We decided it was easier to use toilet paper  to keep all characters consistent. Once you have the tsum tsum faces printed you hot glue to one end of the toilet paper roll.

Step two:

We then covered the tube in glue from a glue stick and rolled it in normal colored printer paper:

Some of the paper was a little lumpy so we trimmed close to size on the others and made sure the seam of the paper was on the bottom of the roll. We also tucked the paper in the end for a more finished look.

Step three:

Fill with prizes. We used erasers, small plastic animals, a foam key chain, and necklace. Be sure not to over stuff of the head will be pushed off.

Step Four.

Glue the end with the face down and place card stock or thicker paper on the end. Do not flip the tube until it is completely dry or everything will fall out.

Step five:
Once dry flip over and trim off the excess paper. Enjoy your tsum tsum its a great favor and a craft everyone can help with!

Relax and enjoy Kneipp

As we get closer and closer to my daughter's birthday and Easter I begin to get more and more stressed. We also have her First Communion this year so it will be 4 parties back to back for half of March and April! With that being said I am always trying to find ways to relax and recharge before taking on the day. My new go to product is Kneipp lavender bath oil.

 

Just a tiny cap full can turn your entire bathroom into a relaxing oasis. My husband loves how the oil is light yet carries over  our home to create a light fragrance.  My daughter's favorite product is the lavender bubble bath. 

I like that the smell is not overwhelming and she can relax without me worrying about hurting her body with a fake product. The bubble bath is blue and does need to be applied under running water-my daughter once applied directly to the skin which can leave a slight tint....lesson learned always read the label!

Kneipp products are vegan and sustainable.  I always like to support a company that creates healthy products for the environment and your body.  There are so many choices including products for men, women, and children. We also love the bath salts and lotions for a grease free finish.  Have you ever tried Kneipp? It is available on Amazon and on the Kneipp Official Store!