Moms

When my sister and I were kids, an oft-repeated breakfast was a bowl of milk with sliced bananas and sugar. It brings back fond memories, and if I recall, my Mom also ate it herself when she was a kid. So far, my kids are going to be a break in that tradition, but there is still time. Lots of it. So when the folks at Fiber One wanted another mix-in idea for their cereal, I wanted to do a riff on our memorable bananas with milk and sugar. And with that, Maple Granola Cereal Bowl with Bananas was born. Healthier and filling, but still just as tasty. Crunchy, slightly creamy, and the perfect way to start your morning off right. For another Fiber One mix-in idea, this trail mix is super simple to make and will take care of your sweet and savory cravings. One more mix-in idea coming next week! Happy weekend! xo Maple Granola Cereal Bowl with Bananas Recipe courtesy of Cate O’Malley Ingredients: 3-1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 4 teaspoons vegetable oil 5 tablespoons maple syrup 1 banana, sliced Fiber One Honey Nut Clusters cereal milk Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Mix the first four ingredients together and lay the mixture flat on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let it cool. In a bowl, pour your milk, add your cereal, sliced banana, and yogurt. *Extra granola will keep in a sealed container. Note: The maple granola is a great topping for yogurt or ice cream too! *I was compensated by Fiber One to create this recipe, which is three-part series.

Today is my dad’s birthday. As I think of him today and the many odd and unexpected blessings that were gathered to me in this last year of his life, the blessings that I am trying to capture here for Sean and for me so that we might recall them on some distant day, what [...]

Susan here… I’m in Disneyland and I just saw the premiere of “Mickey and the Magical Map” and visited the recently opened Fantasy Faire. For disclosure I’d like to let you know that I’m at a media event and my travel, hotel and park pass expenses are being covered by Disney. As always, my opinions and love for Disney are my own. Disneyland is sparkly extra brightly this weekend after the fabulous premiere of “Mickey and the Magical Map” last night and today the ‘Monstrous’ 24 Hour party is in full swing. It was clear that the first audience to see the new live musical performance Mickey and the Magical Map at the renovated Fantasyland Theatre loved the show as they wildly tweeted and shared instagram photos with the world. I was honored to be amongst the lucky group to see the premiere and have a chance to interview a Disney spokesperson after the show. Watch my interview with Eddy Collins below to see why you and your children will love watching “Mickey and the Magical Map” at the updated Fantasyland Theatre… Join me and hundreds of others enjoying Disneyland this weekend on Twitter with the hashtag #JustGotHappier. Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom Pin with me at http://pinterest.com/5minutesformom/ Photo Credit: Disneyland Resort

testThe post test appeared first on Cool Mom - Funny videos on parenting and pop culture.

My husband is having a stressful week. I think he’s over-analyzing a situation and has nothing to worry about, and he thinks I’m glib and annoying. Toe-MAY-toe, toe-MAH-toe. The problem is that when you’ve been with someone for 18 years (our relationship is officially an adult!) their pain becomes your pain; it’s like you’re stressed-out by proxy, but in our case my husband is feeling queasy and I am eating all the guacamole. I have some experience with this anxiety stuff. Just ask my fingernails, my waistline, and my bar bill. What I don’t have experience with is someone I love going through it. I talk to strangers all day long for a living, but I have no idea what to say to my soul-mate other than, “Pass the chips.” What I cling to is knowing that the most horrible, poop-inducing, anxiety-ridden moments of my life resulted in something great. Two premature births, all of my son’s surgeries, and speaking at a keynote in front of roughly 4,000 people stand out in my mind, but they were all necessary and wonderful in the grand scheme of things. Shaking Like a Leaf at the Voices of the Year Community Keynote, BlogHer ’11 These events have taught me one very important lesson; good stuff happens to those who don’t die of dehydration from their nervous poops. So, see? I am not glib. I put forethought into donning my rose-colored glasses. Even if my husband wants nothing more than to rip them off my face and throw them into the street.

As the students filed into the sanctuary for their preschool graduation, the mom sitting in front of me turned around and nodded toward Jackson sleeping in his infant carrier, “I remember when Lucy was the one in the car seat.” Her older daughter had been in Julia’s preschool class and her youngest was standing on stage with Lucy. “Those four years went fast.” Now, half my kids are through preschool. Lucy, the 2013 graduate. Julia, 2009. Yes, that’s the same dress, same shoes. It won’t be long until Phoebe will be stepping into them. I wrote about Julia’s last day of preschool four years ago. I re-read it this morning and realized I could have written it for Lucy today. I hope you’ll read it, too.

I’m trying out a bit of a new thing today, so would be interested to know what you think and if you’d like to see more. I don’t host a lot of video on my site, but when Beauty and the Boutique approached me to see if I wanted to work together, I had a look and really liked the natural, accessible style of their videos. Plus doesn’t Katie have amazing white teeth?? I was hypnotised. So, hands up who wakes up in the morning wishing for a less ‘mother of young children’ type complexion, not to mention a little help with the dark circles? If you’re hand is up, then read on. My first video from Katie, who is a professional make-up artist, stylist and founder of the awesome fashion and beauty online store that is Beauty and the Boutique, is all about improving your complexion. It also demonstrates what happens if you bring a cat to work with you. If you like the look of Katie’s secret weapon for creating a complexion to die for – the 3 Custom Colour concealer palette – you can click here to view it in-store. Katie has searched the globe for those special one off style pieces and amazing beauty solutions that promise to enhance your own unique sense of style and everything you see in store has been personally chosen by Katie. If you’d like to see more from Katie, let me know!  The post Amazing concealer tricks to transform a tired complexion appeared first on Slummy single mummy.

This post has been sponsored by Evolve Media on behalf of Seventh Generation Diapers. All opinions listed are my own. When my kids were little, I only used one name brand of diaper. Honestly, it was the only brand I trusted. I had heard so many horror stories about the other brands and how my friend’s children had suffered severe diaper rashes and more. I did not want my kids to go through that, so I made sure to use something that I knew and trusted. There was no other brand for me at that time. Now — if Seventh Generation Diapers had been around when my kids were little, I would have made the switch without even thinking twice. Seventh Generation’s newest diapers are helping the toxin-free generation go au natural. Incredibly absorbent and naturally kind, they are free from fragrances, chlorine-processing, and conventions. They make childhood an incredibly joyful place to be. Watch this video to learn more about the Au Natural! These diapers are Designed to be Kind™ to baby’s sensitive skin, with everything you need in a diaper and nothing you don’t. Seventh Generation diapers are made with chlorine-free processing and fragrance free material and are incredibly absorbent and naturally kind.  To learn more  about Seventh Generation Diapers, be sure to visit: www.toxinfreegeneration.com So — as a mom — answer this question for me: Have there ever been products in your life that you loved more than any other because of the great benefit they had for your family? We would love to hear your thoughts!

I have received this same prize package to thank me for sharing this information and giveaway with you. All opinions are mine and mine alone. Living in rural Vermont, I love spending time enjoying nature.  We have have two acres of mostly wooded property and I cannot imagine living anywhere that didn’t allow me to enjoy the woods.  A world that isn’t filled with trees is not a place that I’d like to live. One of the reasons that I try to recycle and make eco-friendly choices is to lessen my impact on the world around me. All of the paper, wood and cardboard products that surround us in our homes and businesses come from trees.  We need to give back and protect those trees to make sure future generations can still enjoy them. Image provided by sponsor Help Plant Trees Like the Lorax in that famous Dr. Seuss movie, you need to speak for the trees.  Think about your choices when you make them and consider planting a tree on your property for future generations to enjoy.  That isn’t all you can do to help, though. Since 2008, Odwalla has donated $550,000 worth of trees through its Plant-A-Tree initiative. New for this year, Odwalla has teamed up with The Nature Conservancy’s All Hands on Earth campaign to plant up to 100,000 trees in 2013. To celebrate the Plant-A-Tree initiative, now through the end of May, fans can create their own virtual Odwalla tree at Odwalla.com and be eligible to take home a $10,000 gift card and a year’s worth of Odwalla beverages and bars. Plus, each fan who registers and creates their tree will receive an Odwalla coupon and the opportunity to share one with a friend. I absolutely love Odwalla products and if you do too, you’ll want to enter this giveaway. One of my lucky readers will win an Odwalla Goodness Package, filled with bars, coupons, a t-shirt, tote bag and sunglasses as pictured below. Image provided by sponsor a Rafflecopter giveaway I have received this same prize package to thank me for sharing this information and giveaway with you. All opinions are mine and mine alone. The post Help Plant Trees & Odwalla Goodness Package Giveaway appeared first on Confessions of an Overworked Mom.

When you’ve got a seven year age gap between your kids it can be hard to find something that the whole family want to do. I can say from experience that teenagers absolutely do not see the same attraction in soft play as five years olds. I can’t think why. Who doesn’t enjoy sharing a ball pit with half eaten cheesy puffs and sticky toddlers in a characterless, echoey warehouse? I know I can think of barely a thousand or so things I’d rather do. Bee never really bites my hand off when I ask if she wants to stay with me and Belle in a caravan for the weekend either. Finally though, we have found A Thing! A day out that all four of us are happy to go on – a day out to Thorpe Park. I say all four of us, I will probably be taking more of a strategic role, holding the coats and snacks and taking pictures, as I’m not exactly a rollercoaster fan. It’s not that I’m scared, it’s just that, well, *cough*, they are really high up aren’t they? And they go upside down! That can’t be natural. Boyfriend, Bee and Belle are all big fans though, and I am very happy to watch and bask in the joy of an activity they all enjoy. I’ve never been to Thorpe Park before, but looking at the pictures I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a big hit: Colossus Nemesis Inferno The Swarm We’ve got to wait until the summer for a weekend when we’re all free, but if you fancy a trip to Thorpe Park this half term here are a few facts you may not have known about the theme park now acknowledged as the nation’s Thrill Capital: There are plenty of rides that all the family can enjoy, such as Zodiac and manic carpet ride Quantum as well as the Flying Fish If your kids are after something a little edgier, and if they’re 1m or taller, they can experience the thrill of the newly refurbished X, an illuminated ride through dynamic coloured lighting For extreme thrills, older children over 1.4m can now brave it backwards on the Swarm! Book tickets 7 days or more in advance to save 30% – adults from £30.24, children from £23.52 (under 12). Or even better…buy a bottle of Frijj and you can benefit from 2-for-1 entry at the park! Head over to Frijj on Facebook to find out more. Feel like one day isn’t enough? We now offer over-night stays at the park in our newly opened ‘Crash Pad’ accommodation from £64 per person which includes 2 days at the park and breakfast For more information visit thorpepark.com. The post Planning a visit to Thorpe Park appeared first on Slummy single mummy.