Top 10 little BIG KID FAV'S (mommy approved)

Life on the other end of toddler hood is almost as bad as i was forewarned. Between the new and improved (and changing on the daily) personal preferences, dropping nap time conflict and mediating the ever prominent tantrum - life has been, well... busy. 

But, lets shine light on the things that get us through- the simple pleasures. 

Here are a list of my top 10 little BIG kid (and mommy approved) favourites... for this week.

yogurt drinks. nuff' said. 

weather you pass them off as milkshakes, yogurt, 'pop' or whatever. they do the trick, crave hanger and are great mini portions

comfy pants- cause really, aren't we all happier in comfy pants. 

Little's move, ALOT. All those cute skinny hipster pants are great for your photo shoot but be real..the daily grind is all about comfort. 

yummy vitamins DHA vitamin (max & ruby) cause they are good for you.

This sweet lemony concoction is treated like a reward at our house- can't get enough. so, "OK... i guess, if you promise to be good"... your welcome. 

Tupperware wipes case. the mecca of all wipes cases is here. 

I haven't met a wipe that doesn't fit in here- if you are reusable i think they would even fit.. keeps wipes wet, and the latch to let them out stays closed and only lets one out at a time. what a concept! 

fun band aids - duh. 

for invisible owies, teddy bears, big boo boos and even your own needs- everything does feel better under the care of a Disney princess.. 

backpack/suitcase- its time.

start letting them haul (some) of their own crap. of course your still the following mule, but it sure helps when your trying to leave the house and their entire stuffy collection can't fit. tough choices. like life. start em young... 

Squeezies for veggies - sneaky. 

my house isn't much of a nutritional palace so i sneak these babies in anywhere i can. No they aren't just for babies.. celebs even carry them in their gym bags for a quick recharge. And no, i don't prepare them myself but by all means.... 

thirty one snack thermal zip cooler- you need one. 

This little cooler pouch is a saving grace for on the go. its small enough to fit in my enormous bag, holds all the snacks and keeps them cool. i love this for carry thing things like the inevitable cheese string and even yogurt drinks! (it also does hold 3 beer- just sayin) i love mine. Check out my friend Erin's ThirtyOne Gifts website for options 

Honest Co. Breath easy rub 

your always in cold season when you have a little one. this rub is awesome. Its child friendly, kids can apply it to their own chest or feet and feel 'big' helping. its safe and chemical free- unlike the nasties in Vick's, you can feel good about this choice. 

SAGO mini app - if you can't beat em, make it educational. 

A friend introduced me to this line of apps geared towards toddlers and inspires interest in numbers and letters- the cute animals and monsters don't hurt either. Its as not annoying and really does a great job teaching age appropriate lessons. 

Tropical Inspired Bridal Shower

I LOVE a good party! Hosting parties, celebrating loved ones, all the crafting, and decorating are definitely a few of my favourite things! I just love all the details and of course, the food. 

This past month I had the honour of celebrating my future sister-to-be! 
It was a special day filled with friends, family and well wishes! The bride and groom will be getting married in Mexico - with not everyone able to attend, I wanted to bring a little tropical heat into the theme to really get inspired and excited about the upcoming nuptials. Here is a little peek....

DIY Banners, tropical details, lots of yummy food, Fruity Punch & Luggage tags for favours to continue with the destination feel...

My favourite DIY was definitely the easily spray painted pineapple also i used one and turned it into a vase for these fresh tropical flowers my mother-in-law brought! (seen above) It really was as easy as you would expect... 

Fresh Pineapple- check! 

Gold metallic spray paint-check! (2 coats to be exact)

Outdoors & Newspaper-check! 

 

We also played an updated version of the traditional 'whats in your purse?' game, with a 'what's in your cell phone?' Here it is for some inspiration and ideas- it was a great way to incorporate things specific to the bride! Turns out we had a winner with close to 100 points!

For a surprise for the bride, Guests wrote ideas for date nights on popsicle sticks and placed them in a box for the bride to take home and share with her groom. Its really funny to read the inpiration and where it came from for years to come! 

Hope you enjoyed a peek at this Tropical Themed bridal shower- It was full of love and memories that we will be talking about for years... 

Egg Roll Bowl

This Egg Roll Bowl was apart of my Cheap Eats weekly meal plan and I though I would make a quick post for those of you who have no idea what that is...here she is! Pretty tasty looking wouldn't you say? 

Its easy, healthy and delicious... even my 3 year old gobbles it up! 

EGG ROLL BOWL 

-One package of ground meat, turkey, pork or beef 

-One package of coleslaw mix, I prefer the Asian mix with bean sprouts but i had broccoli coleslaw mix on hand 

- 2 tbsp ginger, freshly grated 

- 3-5 garlic cloves freshly chopped or grated 

- green onion 

- sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

- rice to serve over (I had brown minute rice on hand) 

Sauce Mix 

- 1/2 cup Soya Sauce (low sodium is ideal) 

- 3 tbsp brown sugar 

- 1 tsp garlic powder 

-In a large skillet brown your meat with garlic, ginger and salt/pepper - once cooked remove and set aside

-Add coleslaw mix, and green onion to skillet on high heat and sauté 

-Once tender add meat back to vegetable mixture and add sauce mixture 

-Combine all elements and add more ginger (if you adore it like me) serve over rice and garnish with additional green onion and sesame seeds 

-Enjoy!!! 

Cheap Eats 1 : weekly meal planning

Meal Planning for me is always a highlight of my week- it lets me be creative and resourceful. 

These days those skills need to work in overdrive! My husband is back to school finishing off his program and with me being a stay at home mom and a government funded budget, we aren't working on much here. Lets be real... 

I'm excited for the challenge, although times will be tight frugality is something we have adopted since we decided I would stay at home with our little one. Surprisingly- we don't go without too much. We are clever and buy smarter. This is going to be tested the next 6 weeks without my husbands income and I'm sure there are those of you that can relate. 

We do have to be ingenious about not eating ICHIBAN every night now that we have another little mouth to feed... Healthy food is important and so are things that won't be wasted. 

My tactic is to lower our meat intake to a few times a week, my husband is away at school so my opposition to vegetables is in the clear and I'm going to take full advantage! Also choosing produce in season and budget friendly items is obviously imperative! 

Have a peek at my new 'weekly FRUGAL meal plan' & Grocery list-  'Pin-able' to Pinterest 

Hope this helps you pinch a few pennies and still feel satisfied in the kitchen! 

What are your favourite recipes a la cheap?? Ill be looking for more next week 

Mommy & Toddler Favourites for DECEMBER

Hello All! I wanted to get this out quickly mid month so perhaps it could inspire you for some gift giving ideas - Ill be doing a separate post for gift ideas for littles but here are a few quick ideas, enjoy and happy shopping!!!! 

I'm loving these products this month and they are also especially festive and would make great treats for any momma or toddler in the family. 

Here we go... 

Frosted Plum Body Butter from Body Shop

This first item is a new-found-find, only around for a limited time! Body Shop got me with this light and delightful scented body butter for the holidays. Its fresh and feminine, fruity and fun. And BONUS they have an amazing sale going on now and apparently this amazing scent now comes in just about everything from bath fizzies to room spray... dance on sugar plums, dance on!!!! 

Purdy's Himalayan Pink Sea Salt Caramels

These inch by inch salted sweeties are divine! I recently shared them with a friend and immediately had to take her to buy some ;) good thing they come in boxes of 20- or i could really over indulge- lol.

These come in milk and dark chocolate not to discriminate and choosing between the two is really like having to choose between the Hemsworth brothers... also great gift idea for just about anyone on your list! 

Lush's 'Ultrabland' facial cleanser

Next product for momma is this luxurious and creamy facial cleanser from Lush. Of course almost everything this place pumps out is amaze balls- but this face wash really is that good. 

It comes in a bucket and is like a modern day cold cream- it removes makeup, cleanses, moisturizes and soothes the skin.. just apply as much as you like- rub it in, leave to sit (like a sweet cocoon for your face) and wipe off with a hot towel.. mini facial! a little pricey for the bucket but i don't use it as an everyday cleanser just a treat once a week. 

Its great for any skin type - so another great pampering gift, give it with some super soft face towels for a quick and simple gift! 

'A Very Marley Christmas' by Josh Grogan

My little guy has really been loving this book as we are getting into the Christmas spirit! 

Its funny and light and it helps that we have our own real life Marley in the house! 

I change the word Marley to 'Wheelie' our dogs name and my little guy laughs at all the mischief that silly pup gets into. Yup its the same Marley from the tear jerking 'Marley & Me' Movie.. no tears here- just great illustrations and fun storyline! 

  

Adventure Play sets

If you have a little girl or boy around 2-3 years of age- this toy is a hit and i love that they make a girl version too! Im going to do a separate post on gift giving for kids but this has been a favourite. 

These ones are from Cabela's but my little guy is blessed to have one from Bass Pro too. They have so many fun pieces and they can use their imagination to play for hours!! If your family is the outdoorsy type- your little will extra enjoy this! 

Gingerbread Bear Paws

I don't think i know a kid that doesn't like these soft cookie treats- this gingerbread seasonal flavour is a nice change. Don't you get sick of having the same goodies for your kids all year!?! 

This is just like the usual with a mild gingerbread flavour. These of course aren't as good as homemade- but sometimes a mommas gotta have a packaged snack at the ready! These are going in our holiday arsenal and maybe the stocking too! 

Thats it for now- a few quick items topping our everyday list, its the little things.. stay tuned for a gift list for toddlers and under. Have a safe and blessed December!