Peanut Blossom

Gearing up for the Disney photographer

A huge portion of what makes me so excited about our trip to Disney is the photographic opportunities I'm going to be given. Our time with Handyman Tim is so limited and precious, I can't wait to document him having a fantastic time being playful with our girls. This is truly an adventure for all of us and it is something I hope to remember for a long long time.

So yes, I'm feeling a lot of pressure here. I debated long and hard whether or not to drag my full DSLR into the parks with us. In the end, it really just wasn't an option not to. While I may be jealous over other hobbyists who have more expendible income to afford professional gear, now is the time I'm actually quite grateful for my relatively small and light Canon Rebel. 

If you'd like to see the 7 items I found essential for my camera bag for our big Disney trip, head on over to Develop where I'm reviewing them all.

5 ways to surprise your kids at Disney World

Yesterday I talked about how to get your kids excited before you go to Disney. Today I have 5 tricks up my sleeve for once you get there! The best benefit of these tricks is that they'll help you save a little money in the process because you'll be taking advantage of sales vs. buying at the inflated prices on site.

1. Pre-shop for souvenirs at the Disney Outlet: We are lucky enough to have an official outlet near us. If that doesn't apply to you, start stalking the clearance bins at your local Disney Store. When I first popped into the store with this goal in mind, I was so confused. Isn't the whole point of a souvenir that you picked it out on your trip and brought it home? It made no sense to me to pre-shop for these items even if they were significantly cheaper than at the parks. 

Enter the nicest sales clerk I've ever met. This kind lady gave me SO many ideas for our trip. She talked me into picking up Disney character bubble blowers for entertaining the kids while we stand in line. I plan to keep them in our backpack and only pull them out as a surprise at the last minute. I also got each girl a light-up battery operated fan for cooling off during the hot days and for light sticks during the evening parades. Each of these things was priced at less than half what we would have spent at the park.

2. Character T-shirts: Where is it more fun to wear a Mickey Mouse shirt than AT the park? All the fun of it is in wearing it on vacation, right? I'm a stickler for washing all items of clothing before the girls wear them, so this had a sanitary benefit to it as well! I got clearance priced shirts at the outlet mentioned above, but I know that Kohl's, Old Navy, Target, and Walmart all carry Disney-themed apparel as well. I wrapped up the Peanut's t-shirt as one of her birthday gifts and used it to announce that we were going on our trip but you could easily sneak these into suitcases only to be given upon arrival or for wearing on the trip there.

3. Character Pajamas: My girls LOVE love love to wear matching pajamas. I thought they'd be over the moon about wearing Disney jammies on our vacation so I picked up a pair of them at the outlet as well. I'm going to wash them all up and hide them until our first night in Orlando.

4. Swim Gear: I lucked out and hit the outlet when they were having a sale on swimming gear. I picked up Mickey Mouse goggles for the Peanut and a tote bag for swimming gear for $6 total. I also found red and white polka dot sunglasses and sunhats at Gymboree (thank you Gymbucks!) Thankfully the Disney color palette makes it super easy to find things that feel like "official" gear at a much cheaper price! Just think Red, White, Black, and Polka Dotted and you're all good! And with our trip just before the start of summer, they'll be using these items all summer long. Practical!

5. Don't forget mom and dad!: The biggest surprise of all for our kids will be the morning daddy shows up with a big bright Mickey on his shirt. Handyman Tim does NOT dress like this but agreed to wear a themed shirt I found at the outlet during our vacation. I love his playful attitude, anything for his girls! I know the Peanut will be thrilled to be matching her daddy. This is such a special phase and I know it won't last forever. I'm so grateful we're taking advantage of her sweet preference for dressing alike now while she loves it. 

5 Ways to Kickstart the Disney Magic

I am so excited to share with you that we are taking the girls on our very first trip to Disney World next week. Handyman Tim has been working an insane schedule that has been hard on every last member of the family. We've all had to sacrifice precious time together and it has definitely taken it's toll. I decided that we all needed a little Family Togetherness Bootcamp type experience and where else is a better spot to do that than Disney??

Tim has never experienced the Disney Parks before. He has no idea what he's in for. The Peanut knows we are going but can't even imagine what she is about to see. Little Pea is just happy to be along for the ride. I'm the only one who knows and appreciates what this trip will be like so I've been doing my best to get everyone excited for this big unknown. 

For the last two months, I've been looking for ways to give the girls little teaser items to be used on our trip. So today I'd like to share:

5 Ways to Kickstart the Disney Magic Before Vacation!

1. Matching outfits from Etsy: According to friends who have visited the parks far more recently than I have, it is a pretty big deal to let your little princess dress up to play the part at the parks. Neither of my girls are overly into the Princesses, we don't own any of the costumes already. I couldn't imagine spending the money on expensive costumes just to dress them up in hot and scratchy tulle and satin for an amusement park visit.

Luckily for me, both girls LOVE Minnie and Mickey Mouse. I was able to find these adorable halter tops and ruffled shorts outfits on Etsy.  They are all cotton and much more comfy and breathable than any costume would have been. I love the cheerful polka dots! I know my girls will love wearing them this summer even after our trips. Money much better spent!

2. Disney Pin Trading Lanyards: This is another new-to-me item that didn't exist during my last visit to the parks ages ago. Disney has been offering these adorable metal pins for trading since 1999-ish. The kids (or parents too) can trade pins with anyone else they find willing at the parks. There are castmembers that walk around wearing lanyards of Official Castmember pins that are looking to trade with guests. This sounded like something the Peanut would love to experience but starter sets of 4 pins and a lanyard ran about $30. That seemed super high to me and the sets came with such cute pins that I knew the Peanut wouldn't want to trade! Kind of missing the point, right?

I took to Ebay and was happy to discover several sellers offering huge lots of pins for a fraction of the price. We acquired a random assortment of 25 pins for about $15. I didn't care if they were cute or not because they are meant to be traded away. To make it more fun for the girls, we put a single pin inside of each plastic Easter egg along with a few coins for our Disney Jar. They hunted for their pins on Easter morning and it was a huge hit.

The day before Easter, I realized they still didn't have anything to pin the pins on since I hadn't purchased lanyards. In a fit of inspiration, I decided to sew my own. I used this tutorial from Simply Cotton here and followed it almost exactly. The only difference was that I cut my fabric 3 inches wide and instead of folding each side in half way, I only folded them in 1/4 way so that the final width of the strap was a full inch. It's the perfect size. I cut them to be about 24 inches long so they are just right for my girls' necks.

3. Birthday Pins from the Disney Store: The Peanut's birthday was on March 28. Little Pea's will be just a few days after our trip on May 6. When a sales clerk heard I was there shopping for supplies to announce the trip to the Peanut on her birthday, she told me about their special birthday pins. If you're going to be celebrating that occassion on your vacation, you can pick these up for your child. Write their name on the space and have them wear them to the park. I'm told they'll receive special Birthday Girl treatment. I'll have to report back as to just what that might mean!

4. Disney Gift Cards for Special Occassions: The Peanut just lost her very first tooth last week. The Tooth Fairy in her infinite wisdom decided to bring a gift card from the Disney Store in just the right amount for the Peanut to pick out the stuffed animal she's had her heart set on ever since she heard of the trip. (It was her first tooth afterall. I'm sure the Fairy won't be this generous next time.) The gift cards can be set for any amount and can be used at any Disney Store on or off the parks. I've even heard they can be used for snacks and beverages and anything sold at the parks so it would be a great stocking stuffer, birthday treat, Valentine gift, Easter basket filler, etc. etc.

5. The Birnbaum Disney World Guide for Kids: My neighbor just recently told me about these adorable guidebooks made specifically FOR kids. They release a new one every year and her daughter has one for each of the years their family made the trek. It is part guide, part activity book, part scrapbook. The Peanut was thrilled to receive her very own copy since Mommy has had a mile-high stack of guides sitting on the living room table for weeks. At age 5, I feel she is just a smidge too young to get the most out of the book, but I don't regret the purchase at all. Ages 7+ might enjoy it far more. 

So you got an iPad for Christmas, Now What?!

  

Let's get one thing very straight: You are never too old for toys.

When my mom and dad would confer over what to get my sister and I every year for Christmas, my dad would always stop to ask, "But what toy will we be giving them?" That question is posed each and every year and has instilled my love of all manner of gadgets and techno gizmos. I still love to find clothing, perfume, kitchen items under our Christmas tree, but Handyman Tim knows the fastest way to my  heart is to give me a toy.

It was with great glee that I accepted an iPad a few weeks ago. Tim had been the owner of it for over a year but just didn't enjoy using it. Often it sat quietly in his hotel room untouched. He finally decided to put it in more eager hands. While I stared in disbelief as he passed it over, he said, "I thought it would be a great replacement for my laptop and I just haven't enjoyed using it like I thought I would." 

And then the angels wept.

I hope Handyman Tim never reads this post. He may regret handing me this awesome toy. But for your sake, I knew I had to share this. Did you get an iPad for Christmas? It seems most ladies in my Facebook feed seem to have unwrapped one of their very own in the last few weeks. Some were greeted with glee like me, but I did see a few, "What do I do with this thing now?!" exclamations. 

I'll be sharing different iPad tips over the coming weeks but today I wanted to start you off with the number one thing you absolutely need to put on your iPad right this very second:

Stop what you're doing and download Flipboard to your iPad right now. They have a version for iPhone too but the display size of the iPad is what makes this truly magnificent.

If you're an avid blog reader like I am, you're probably used to the list-style display of most feed readers. Hook up your Google Reader account to Flipboard and it turns your blog reader into a print-style magazine:

You can display your blogs by folder, by feed, or all of them mixed together:

My blog feed is extremely photo based. I buy my cookbooks based on the photography included, I make my decisions on what to cook based on the photo. Why wouldn't I want to see my blog feeds by photo?! I LOVE this easily scannable format. You swipe the screen and it turns like pages of a magazine. 

No internet browser works this way. This kind of interaction with your blog feed can only  happen in a unique app such as Flipboard. Why would you want to go to the Safari browser window to read via a traditional web site when you can have them fed to you in this gorgeous display?? 

And Flipboard doesn't just hook up with Google Reader. I set my account to grab my Facebook, Twitter feed, LinkedIn account, Instagram feed and Flickr photostream. Instead of seeing all the text based links and hashtag mess of a normal Twitter feed, look at how it pulls the images right out of the links themselves:

When I discovered how much more fun it was to read my social media outlets via Flipboard, I sat quietly squealing in our living room. Handyman Tim noticed and just shook his head and groaned. 

Stay tuned for more iPad tips and suggestions in the weeks to come. For now, Flipboard should keep you plenty busy. But are you interested in having that super cute Valentine's wallpaper for your very own iPad or iPhone? Check out Zina's post over at Let's Lasso the Moon and download yours there!

Stock your pantry: Gnocchi soup with lemon and dill

Our kitchen is running on fumes today. I am due a very large and very extensive trip to the grocery store but I am still in the middle of making the list. Lunchtime waits for no one and I had to come up with something out of what felt like nothing. How I love my pantry stash! Out of a few random ingredients, I was able to make homemade soup and fresh bread from the oven for a quick and relatively healthy (albeit starchy) lunch for the girls and myself.

Want to know the best part? All the ingredients came from Costco! You could honestly stock up on all these ingredients in bulk and have a great little emergency meal on hand at all times. I've had this trio of gnocchi from Costco sitting in my cupboard for months but haven't been sure what to do with them. They made an amazing soup filler: light, fluffy, and very satisfying in place of noodles or rice.

And a side note, if you haven't already tried the french bread loaves from the freezer section at Costco, I HIGHLY recommend them. $10 for 10 loaves. They are flash frozen in France and shipped here. You just thaw for 10 minutes on the counter and bake them for 10 minutes in your oven. I am a total bread snob and they have my absolute seal of approval.

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Gnocchi soup with lemon and dill
recipe adapted from Enlightened Soups by Camilla Saulsbury

Ingredients:

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I had to use the organic chicken stock I had on hand despite the higher sodium)
1 16 oz package of dried gnocchi
5 carrots, peeled and diced
Garlic: use one whole clove or just a very few pieces of Penzey's freeze dried minced garlic
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 tsp dried dill
salt and pepper to taste

Frozen french bread loaves

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the chicken broth (or stock), diced carrots, and the garlic in a large saucepot and bring to a boil. Gently simmer for 10-15 min until the carrots are tender. Remove the garlic clove if you used a whole one.

By now the oven should be preheated. Put the french bread into the oven and set the timer for 10 min. Add the potato gnocchi to the saucepot and simmer while the bread bakes. With 2 minutes left on the timer, squeeze half a lemon into the pot, add the dill, salt, and pepper, and stir.

When the bread comes out, the soup is done.

How to spell "Mom": S-U-C-K-E-R

I have been at my wit's end with both my girls and their sudden and forcible pickiness. During the last couple months they seem to have clamped down on the selection of healthy fruits and vegetables they allow to pass those sweet little lips. 

So what's a mom to do? Pull out all the stops. I cracked open an Annabel Karmel cookbook I've had waiting. The thing I love the most about her books is the variety of produce she manages to work into each dish. The photography is gorgeous and super appealing as well. Knowing full well that the recipes take quite a bit more time to prepare, I sat the Peanut down with "Finger Foods" and allowed her to pick ANY recipe she wanted. Her dish of choice was the Welsh Rarebit Rabbit.

We talked about how if I went through the effort to buy the ingredients and put it together, she absolutely HAD to eat every last item on the plate whether she liked it or not. I got a slightly scared, slightly skeptical look but she agreed. Off to the store we went. 

Have you ever had Welsh Rarebit? I have not. Even I was a bit skeptical about this one: It involves shredded cheddar, an egg yolk, a bit of milk, and worcheshire sauce mixed together then spread over an english muffin and broiled. I put my doubts aside and started prepping the veggies.

The plate in the picture above is exactly what I served each of my girls for lunch this afternoon. And shocker of all shocks, both plates were CLEAN when the meal was over! My fussier than fussy girls each ate: snow pea pods, cherry tomato, raw carrot, green onions, and two servings each of blueberries. Are the quantities tiny? Yes. Does it even count as a single serving of vegetables? Probably not. But they tried it. 

I asked the Peanut what she thought of her meal when she was done. "Mommy, I didn't like it." I laughed out loud at her response. But then she surprised me with, "But some of the parts were ok." I asked her which ones: "The tomato, bunny ears, bunny eyes, and the carrot." So apparently the Welsh Rarebit part was the part she didn't like. Even funnier if you ask me.

I told her how proud I am that she cleared her plate of all the things she had been nervous about and promised that since she was so adventurous we could experiment with another recipe from the book sometime.

Do I cook like this every day? HA! No. Was I willing to try this crazy experiment to get some new veggies in? Definitely. I count it a success.

So I may be a sucker for those gorgeously unattainable serving suggestions, but there is definitely something in the magic of presentation.

An unconventional reading list for a new year

With all the new year's resolution lists popping up all over the web, I took a look back at what I wrote about at the beginning of last year. I had completely forgotten about that post and rereading it made me laugh a bit at myself. It was so refreshing to see that I set out into 2011 with a fairly relaxed attitude towards life. I'm amazed at what I was able to accomplish last year all without having actually set out a specific list of goals and deadlines. 

It is completely possible to make very large changes outside of formal resolutions. If you're feeling pressure right now because you want to try something new in 2012 but you don't even know where to start, please don't stress. Give yourself permission to experiment this year instead. It was truly the best thing I ever did. 

I'd love to share with you my recommended reading list for soul searching in this new year. I read all of these in 2011 and what an amazing difference they made for me:

1. The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau: This book truly gets you thinking about how you want to spend your life and how to prioritize what is most important to you.

2. Linchpin by Seth Godin. Please read my review of it here before starting it, there is a small disclaimer. An eye-opening book for sure.

3. Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith: Yes, this is a business book. Yes, it focuses on developing relationships online. But, the lessons apply towards being a decent person as well. How I represent myself online is just as important as how I live my life offline. They are one in the same. If you are interested in absolutely any kind of writing online, I highly recommend reading this book.

Is there something you'd add to this list? If you read any of theses, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. 

I'm excited about the adventures I have planned for this new year. I hope you have something thrilling on your list too. Resolutions and change do not have to always be about improving on a negative, it's a great idea to focus on the positive too.

Stock Your Stash: What to get your traveling man

 

Today is week 3 in the Stock Your Stash series and we're focusing on that special man in your life. If you'd like to get caught up on previous weeks, you can check them out here and here.

My contribution for this topic is as close to a post written by Handyman Tim as y'all are probably ever going to see here on the blog.

I really struggle every year to come up with ideas for my guy so it came as no surprise  to me when this was a difficult subject to write about. In a bolt of inspiration, I decided to just ask Tim to give me his approved list of items. As he started rattling off ideas, our theme became very clear. 

Behold!

The 100% Handyman Tim Approved Gift Guide for the Travelling Man:

1. iPhone/iPad: This is really two separate objects, but Tim insists these are essential items for any husband/dad on the road. The iPhone has become a crucial lifeline for Tim and our girls when he has to be out of town. We video chat with him every night and he can help virtually tuck the girls in at night and blow them kisses face-to-face. No, it's not nearly as good as the real deal but I've seen it send the Peanut to sleep with a smile on her face enough times to agree with him about it's "essential" categorization. 

The iPad has been a portable movie theater, library, laptop, photo album, and gaming center that keeps him entertained and relatively happy when sitting in a lonely hotel room or on a plane. Pricey though it may be, it has been worth every penny to provide a bit of comfort to a man who has to spend so much time away from home. 

2. Subscription to Audible.com: Tim is an avid reader, of the audio version variety. Whether he is on the road or even at home traveling to the local office, he spends a long time in his car commuting. He has managed to read 200+ books in the last 4 years all thanks to Audible. While his headphone habit may occassionally drive me crazy, I can't argue that it has been a great source of pleasure for him and I love being married to someone who is so well read.  

3. Bose noise cancelling headphones: This is something Tim has been begging for for years. Sadly, he still does not own them. He insists these would be heaven sent on more than one flight he's had to endure. If you can find it in your budget, I'm sure your travelling man would adore these.

4. Swiss Army Backpack: Forget the rolling luggage or briefcases, Tim swears by a laptop backpack. It was a running joke in our family that every year another bag would be on his wish list. He's tried out more than his fair share of them. The backpack takes the cake. It's easy to carry, easy to get through security, easy to store above or below the seat on a plane, and easy to tote when rushing to miss a close connection. 

5. Cordless Drill, 18volt preferibly Dewalt: And what would a gift list be from a handyman without a tool?? When I asked him, "Why a drill?" He responded: "Why Not?" Well ok then. Of course he had to clarify: "Not just "a" drill, but a cordless 18 volt Dewalt." He sounded a little like the kid from A Christmas Story asking for his Red Ryder BB Gun if you know what I mean. I guess this item speaks for itself. Apparently.

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None of these feel "just right"? As always, you can check out more ideas from my partners in crime:

Zina at Let's Lasso the Moon

Carrie from Diet & Ridicule

Colleen from Flee Fly Flown

Free Desktop Organizer: December edition

Can you believe tomorrow is December 1?? Well just in the nick of time, Miss Zina from Let's Lasso the Moon and I are back with the holiday version of our desktop organizer image file. 

I'm in love with the red and aqua theme, it is one of my favorite Christmas color palettes. So fresh and wintery and festive. 

So go on and grab your copy of this sweet little organizing trick:

1680 x 1050 Screen Resolution

1440 x 900 Screen Resolution 

1366 x 768 Screen Resolution 

1280 x 800 Screen Resolution

And if you're needing to figure out your screen resolution, try clicking on this super quick link:

What is my screen resolution?

Capture the season: Macro shots of your decor

Over the next few weeks, I've decided to share some photo tricks for capturing great holiday moments throughout the season. I'm not talking just The Big Day but all the little things that make this time of year so sweet and memorable. Some tips (like today's) will be more for the DSLR owner and run more advanced but I promise to share some easy peasy tips for the point & shoot owners as well. 

Today I want to share my first attempt at true macro photography. I was inspired over the last few weeks by the ladies on the Bloom Forum to give "Poor Man's Macro" a try. I've seen that method mentioned here and there but never really dug into exactly what it entails until now. After playing with it over the weekend, I'm kicking myself for holding off for so long!

The true macro lenses I've had my eye on run between $450 - $700. Not exactly in my budget. But $6 sure is! There are two ways to manage this effect:

1. You can mount 2 lenses on your camera using a coupling ring. I mounted my 50mm lens onto my camera body as I would normally do. Then I screwed on the coupling ring on the front of the lens. Then I mounted my 85mm lens to the end of the 50 with both faces touching each other and the back of the 85mm lens facing out. You can see the ring I purchased here. Total cost: $6.95.

This system really gives you an intense amount of magnification if you're wanting to capture something truly tiny. When I flipped the lenses around so that the 85 was attached to the body and the 50 was on the end, it was even more intense. Look at these comparisons SOOC:

85mm 1.8 lens attached to the body of my camera with a 50mm 1.4 lens reverse mounted on the end:

50mm 1.8 lens mounted to my camera body with an 85mm 1.8 lens reverse mounted on the end:

That is the same ornament in both images. You can see just how seriously close the double lens method can get you to your subject. Unfortunately, in the second example, you see the harsh vignetting that is nearly impossible to avoid. In the pinecone image at the top, I just edited it out as best I could by cropping. 

2. You can mount a single lens onto your camera body backwards using a reverse ring adapter. I haven't tried it yet but I'm hoping St. Nick will stuff my stocking with this one next week. From the examples I've seen, it appears you can get even more of your subject in the frame with the single lens. You also should be able to avoid the vignetting. I'm very excited to play with this method next.

If you know how to shoot in manual and have one of those rings, you can definitely play with macro. Here are my tips:

Look inside the cap: In order to figure out which size ring to get, look inside the cap of the lens you want to use. My 50mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.8 were both a 58. BUT, my 50mm 1.8 was a 52. Be sure to double check.

High ISO, low aperture: Light is going to be the biggest issue. In order to get enough of it into these shady pictures, I had to shoot at ISO 3200. My aperture was set at f/5. Any lower and focus would have been a significant problem. This particular tip might change if you're attempting the single lens method.

Be sure to have enough light: I took a few of the light bulbs from the string of lights and tucked them around the pinecones to provide plenty of light.

Shoot Very Very Close!: The tip of my lens is almost touching the pinecones I'm shooting so close.

Forget autofocus: To focus the image, I moved my camera back and forth microscopic movements until the area I wanted in focus became clear.

Brace yourself or better yet use a tripod: I was able to brace myself against the wall and the tree branches helped cradle the camera to keep me steady for all my ornament/decoration images. 

With these tips in hand and an adapter on your camera, just imagine all the holiday images you can capture! What would your tree trimmings, floral centerpieces, Dickens village houses, wreaths or even the snowflakes outside look like up close? Images like these give texture and fantastic detail to any  holiday album or scrapbook and make fantastic screensavers for your computer! I know I am going to be looking at everything differently from here on in.

Stock Your Stash: St. Nick's Morning

 

Welcome to the second post in the Stock your Stash series. If you missed the first round, you can get all caught up here.

This week we're talking stocking stuffers for St. Nick. Does your family celebrate St. Nicholas Day? I know not everyone is familiar with this tradition, so you can check out a little snippet of an explanation here.

Growing up, St. Nick always brought my sister and me a wall calendar for the coming year and a box of chocolate covered cherries. He usually filled our stockings with Lifesavers and chocolate coins and tubes of M&Ms. My mom always said it was a perfect little teaser holiday to get us in the Christmas mood. 

Now with kids of my own, St. Nick has taken on a little bit of a change. When the Peanut was just a year old, a wall calendar and cherries didn't seem exactly appropriate. St. Nick came up with a substitute that was much more fitting and luckily it has grown with her over the years. 

When each of my girls empty their stockings this year they will discover:

- a new Christmas picture book
- a single holiday movie for the family to enjoy
- matching Christmas pajamas
- an ornament for the tree

And in lieu of too many candies I don't really want them indulging in (anyone else STILL have Trick or Treat bags laying around?!) St. Nick brings us a family treat platter for sharing. 

Oddly enough, this treat basket was the item that was the most memorable for the Peanut last year. She has specifically asked whether I think we'll be getting it again this year.  

Items found on our festive red platter include: 

- "Snowballs": white cheddar puff balls
- Yardstick of popcorn kernels
- Red velvet pancake mix
- Raspberry white chocolate & Eggnog flavored scone mixes
- Eggnog streusel muffin mix
- Holiday shaped pasta
- Peppermint chocolate piroutte cookies
- Peanut butter filled, chocolate covered pretzle bites 

I use this collection to make several festive weekend breakfasts during December and we celebrate will little holiday themed meals and snacks all month long. These are all treats I'd likely find myself buying anyways over the course of the month. Bundling them together and putting them on a bright red platter underneath our stockings just makes them stand out as that much more special. I love that it also promotes sharing our treats together. 

What does your family enjoy most? Your gift basket could include:

- Hot cocoa and new mugs with fun pepperment stir sticks and marshmallows

- Holiday baking basket with packaged cupcake wrappers, mixes, and various sprinkles or cookie cutters and parchment paper

- Gingerbread house decorating basket with plenty of candies for coating it roof to base

Chances are likely these are things you'd be doing this season anyways. It's just all in the presentation!

Are you looking for other St. Nick ideas and Advent inspiration? 

Let's Lasso the Moon is sharing a fantastic printable with activities and games to do with your kids that will make more of the Christmas season.

Diet & Ridicule is sharing some healthy ideas to fill stockings for St. Nick. 

Then be sure to check back again the coming weeks as we really dig in on the holiday shopping lists!

Stock Your Stash: Gift guide for kids

Have you started your holiday shopping yet? I have several friends who are already done but I haven't been quite that on the ball this year. Since I know I'm not alone, I've partnered up with some blogging friends to bring you a fantastic gift buying guide starting today and running right up until the end of December.

We'll be featuring guides by recipient, today's theme is what to get for your peanuts! Or, should I say for the peanuts on your list.

For years, I've taken the route of quality over quantity with my girls. They have more than their fair share of toys, but I try to limit the clutter and find more memorable items even if it means spending a little more and buying a little less. My list of suggestions will not necessarily be found on Amazon or Toys R Us but if you're looking for something memorable or unqiue, I hope you'll be pleased with what you find here.

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Pint-sized Paparazzi:

My 1st Camera: Think your child is ready for their own camera? I wrote an entire post about our experience here. Christmas is a wonderful time for this very special gift. 

Custom Camera Strap: With that first camera, this is nearly essential. If you can sew in a straight line, you can do this project in an hour. See my DIY camera strap tutorial here.

Just Like Mommy Camera Bag: Is mommy toting a fancy camera bag purse? Why not let the little one join the fun? Vera Bradley carries tiny padded purses (the Little Betsy style is featured in the photo to the left) that are just the right size for her to tote her camera and other small items. Be sure to check out the colors on sale for the best deals. This turquois one is available for $29. 

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Kitchen Helpers:

The Right Tools: Every kitchen helper needs the right tools for the job. I'm a big fan of these adorable aprons from Chasing Fireflies. The Peanut loves her kitchen apron and at some point I'll be buying a set of personalized ones for the girls to match. I also love this tiny tool set from Paula Deen. They are the right size for little hands but are actual kitchen utensils, dishwasher safe. You can buy similar small and colorful items from World Market if you're want to customize exactly which tools come in the set.

Cutie Cupcake Kit: Assemble a cupcake kit for your tiny baker and fill it with cute paper liners, candy sprinkles, a small frosting spreader, and a sweet little plate to put her masterpiece on before it is devoured. I always wanted an Easy Bake Oven but a brightly colored kit like this along with the promise of baking together would definitely suffice.

Kiddie Cookbook: There are tons on the market but I have my eye on You Can Cook by Annabel Karmel. I love Annabel's books and used them when feeding the girls their first foods. Most recipes were big hits and the photo/illustration stylings are so sweet and appropriate.

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Art vs. Craft:

My 1st Sewing Machine: Ever since reading Fanny to the Peanut I've been waiting to give her a very first sewing machine just like Fanny receives for her birthday. We're not quite there yet, but I've bookmarked this tiny sewing machine for when the day comes. Include her own copy of Fanny and some fabric and thread and this would be an amazing holiday gift.

Coloring Outside the Lines: Another book on my wishlist for the Peanut this year is The Coloring Book by Herve Tullet. The reviews on Amazon are fantastic and I love the concept of teaching her color theory. She is such the little artist and spends hours with her art box. I bought an old-fashioned metal lunchbox with Hello Kitty on the front and filled it with crayons, colored pencils, and markers in every color. She has a safe "Little Pea-proof" place to store her tools and totes it all around the house. Make your own art box and include it with this book for a fabulous kit.

Paint Your Own Fairy House Kit: Collect an unpainted birdhouse from a craft store, some paints and some glitter and label it Tinkerbell's new abode. Perfect winter craft that can be saved and put outside in your garden come spring time.  

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Simple Stocking Stuffers:

Stripey Straws from Shop Sweet Lulu: The Peanut went NUTS for these when I got a care package of them from my mother-in-law for my birthday. Santa will be bringing a package all her very own in her favorite color. 

Doodle Roll: Perfect for tossing in your diaper bag or purse, this Doodle Roll is the perfect solution for your artist on the go. 30 feet of paper rolled up into the dispenser with a spot to stash some crayons. 

Flower headbands by Banner Boutique: I stocked up on a few of these last winter and the girls look darling in them. Unfortunately, ours are all pink and clash with their Christmas red outfits. I'm scoping out the sweet white and sparkly versions they have available, we just love them.

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Looking for more inspiration?

You're in luck. Go check out:

Zina at Let's Lasso the Moon who's sharing her educational take on children's gifts today.

Carrie at Diet & Ridicule is sharing her fitness themed gift ideas for your kids. I love the creative ideas for keeping the whole family healthy!

And be sure to come back again in the coming weeks as we cover the rest of the recipients on your list! 

Make the most of your iPhone camera: My fave photo apps

Welcome to the final day of "We {Heart} iPhones Week!" I hope you have been enjoying the shares from our guests the last few days. Now it's my turn to chime in on apps. In honor of the cute phone case from ClickinMoms (the winner of which I'll be announcing in just a few more hours--last call to enter here), today I'm giving you a peek at my favorite photography apps. 

When choosing my apps for this list, I had a specific audience in mind:

Busy mom on the go who may or may not have photography as a hobby.

I have found that most apps listed under the "photography" category in iTunes are for people who have the time and interest in editing and putzing around with their images. I most definitely do not. If I'm going to spend time editing, it's going to be on images from my DSLR in Lightroom on my desktop. My camera phone is for fun snapshots. They are what they are, I'm not even remotely concerned with white balance or exposure.

So with that in mind, here are my absolute favorite apps for making the most out of your phone's camera:

Instagram:

I love love love this app. It is fast and fun. There are other similar apps out there (Hipstamatic, I'm glaring at you) that attempt to turn your phone into a fun camera with filters and "lenses" but they are all painfully slow. With Instagram, you snap the photo and then can select your filter later which really speeds things up. I love that this allows you to see which filter looks best on your particular image. Once you've chosen, it is easy as pie to share that photo to Facebook, Twitter, email, etc. 

Something to keep in mind: Photos you take in Instagram are saved in your Photo Album as well. I've been known to take the photo there and then hop over to my social media channel of choice to share through that app instead (Flickr, Facebook, email, etc.) I think this is a super neat feature of the app.

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Batch:

This is a new to me app. I don't have a ton of experience with it, but from what I've tested I love. The peanuts' grandparents have a nearly insatiable lust for more more more photos of the girls. With Batch, I can easily select a whole collection of snapshots and send them as a group via email. They display like a little photo album. Very handy. Even handier for those of you who may enjoy sharing photo albums on Facebook (which is also an option within the app.) You can even tag your people right in the app before it loads to FB. 

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Flickr:

The Flickr app is far from perfect, but I do enjoy it. I'm really active with my photo project participants over there and I love being able to look for their most recent uploads via my phone. I can also check in on comments made to my own images. If you join me for Project 2012 (more details coming soon!), you can rest assured I'll be keeping up with you via this app. 

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Golden Lite:

This app is so useful for natural light lovers like myself. All my backlit images from my natural light workshop were taken during the "golden hour"--2 hours after sunrise or 2 hours before sunset. Golden Lite tracks those times for you so you can plan to be on location at just the right moment. I really gave the app a workout during my class and what a difference the right timing can make!

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Postcard on the Run:

I so wish I had this app when we were in Mexico earlier this year. I can't wait to go on a real family vacation to try it out. Basically, you snap a photo with your phone, load it into the app, type out a message and add a snail mail address and they print and create a one-off postcard to be mailed to your recipient. Prices range from $.99 - $1.69. LOVE this.

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Cam Scanner with Evernote:

I'm an ex-magazine hoarder. I have such a hard time recycling my Martha Stewart Living and Better Homes & Gardens magazines. I discovered Cam Scanner a while ago and it has made it far less painful to rid my house of the clutter. I use my phone to take a picture of the article I want to remember within Cam Scanner. The app then cleans up the image so it is more readable and I can then file away the image in Evernote. You can read more about Evernote here. So handy!

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ClickinMoms: 

I was obsessed with the ClickinMoms' forum before, but now that they've released their app I'm a goner. The app only works if you have a forum membership, but it brings the tutorials and conversations into your pocket and on the go. I confess most of my downtime spent in doctors' waiting rooms or drive-thru lines is spent reading up on things here. It may not directly use your camera, but it is one of the best photography apps out there.

Must-have Educational Apps from Let's Lasso the Moon

Today I'm happy to introduce my friend Zina from Let's Lasso the Moon as we continue our celebration of "I {Heart} iPhones Week." Zina may blame credit me for her love of all things Apple, but she is responsible for a good portion of the apps on my phone. I guess we're square then, huh Zina?

And one last reminder, if you haven't entered for your chance to win the super cute iPhones case that looks like a camera, today is the last day to enter! I'll be drawing the winner's name tomorrow morning. So don't miss the chance, go leave a comment on this post here.

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I am an Apple fanatic. I have to admit that every Apple product I own has been purchased because of a recommendation by one Mrs. Tiffany Dahle.

My iMac, yep Dahle recommended. My iPhone, yep that dang Dahle again. I *really* didn't think I "needed" an iPhone. However, once I had it in hand I realized quickly that my life had changed f-o-r-e-v-e-r. Sitting in a doctor's waiting room for twenty minutes? Suddenly, no problem. Child demanding everything-single-flippin item in the grocery store? Hand them an iPhone.

Over at Let's Lasso the Moon our goal is to keep the light of curiosity alive despite current educational system dilemmas. With that being said, I would argue your iPhone is much like your TV set, you can use it for good or evil. Sure, Angry Birds will keep your child entertained. One could even stretch it and say "they are learning about geometry." Still, there are much better educational apps out there for your iPhone or iPad that will actually make learning FUN. Oh how I'd love an iPad in the house.

Below are 9 wonderful educational apps that come kid-recommended. Our collection is ever changing, so please take a moment to share your child's favorite app in the comments below. I'd love to check out some new additions.

Happy Downloading,

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 Word BINGO By ABCya.com
Recommended for children ages 5 and older
Cost $0.99 | Check out screen shots
iTunes Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Let's Lasso the Moon Review: Our girls (5 & 6) love this game. The silly monsters that land on a square when you select the correct word make them laugh. I like it because it helps the girls practice their Dolch Sight Words. The game is nice because it also has room for your child to "grow into it." There is a fun version of word Tetris as well as a spelling game. All and all a wonderful find. A good friend of mine who was a kindergarten teacher and now is a math specialist actually recommended the ABCya.com site to us. There are great games there for free, too. We found the apps originally on the site. ...........................................................................................................

Math BINGO By ABCya.com
Cost $0.99 | Check out screen shots
iTunes Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Let's Lasso the Moon Review: Another great app by ABCya.com, same concept. Again, it is a wonderful game your child can grow into. Currently our girls just play the addition and subtraction bingo, but it also includes multiplication and division. ...........................................................................................................

Teach Me Kindergarten
Cost $0.99 | Check out screen shots
iTunes Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Also available: Teach Me Toddler &
Teach Me First Grade

Product Description: TeachMe: Kindergarten is an educational iPhone app which teaches four different age appropriate subjects to Kindergarten aged children: sight words, addition, subtraction and spelling. Parents can select which subjects they want, set different difficulty levels, and even choose specific questions. Parents can review performance history for each subject to check how their child is doing.

The app keeps children engaged with a rather unique reward system where children earn a coin for every three correct answers. Coins can then be used to purchase stickers to place in fun sticker scenes or to purchase items for the new virtual aquarium. Sticker scenes can be exported as wallpaper or emailed to family and friends. The simple and intuitive user interface is designed to be child friendly, which allows children to play without help from an adult. An animated teacher (Mimi Mouse) gives verbal instructions and feedback to the child which makes learning fun.

Let's Lasso the Moon Review: This is by far our girls FAVORITE iPhone app. I love it because with the directions from Mimi Mouse the girls can play the game without any assistance from me. They start out at a basic level for all four sections and slowly work up to more challenging questions. The most entertaining part of the game is the fish tank. It is simply adorable. Your child can save up gold coins (earned by answering questions correctly) and purchase items for their tank including: different fish, statues, and gravel. You can also buy fish food. When you drop in a pellet the fish all race to eat it.

If you tap on the iPhone it sounds like you are tapping a tank and the fish all hide from the noise. Our girls play the game mostly for this unique reward system. I also like that it teaches them about spending. For example, you can buy sand colored gravel for $2, but if you want the kick-butt rainbow gravel you need to save up $10. We just started Teach Me First Grade and are growing to love it, too. ...........................................................................................................

Super Why by PBSKids.org
Recommended for children ages 3 to 6
Cost $2.99 | Check out screen shots
iTunes Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Let's Lasso the Moon Review: If your child enjoys Super Why! They will love this app. It is very graphic and has all the same fun word games that they play on the TV show. The app is a bit pricier than most, but I consider the extra $2.00 a donation to PBS. If you don't already have it bookmarked, check out the Super Why! website. It has great games for free too. The only thing I dislike about this game is it has background music, to my knowledge you cannot turn it off on the app. However, if you are playing games on the website you are able to mute the background music. The app is really cool, but our girls don't play it often. We do spend a lot of time at PBSKids.org though. ...........................................................................................................

FirstWords: Animals
Cost $1.99 | Check out screen shots
iTunes Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Recommended age: If your child is old enough to ask for your iPhone, they're old enough for First Words Animals!

Let's Lasso the Moon Review: I laughed when I saw the recommended age; I completely agree. This is a great game for little ones, despite the low customer rating. It is a fun way to teach your child the basics of using a touch screen computer. An image pops up and the child spells out the word by dragging and matching the appropriate letters into the shaded letter boxes. Our girls started playing this when they were three or so and still enjoy it to this day. Our ladies are way beyond letter recognition, but I figure it still helps them with their spelling. Definitely a great "starter" app for your little one. ...........................................................................................................

ABC Pocket Phonics
Recommended for children ages 3 to 6
Cost $2.99 | Check out screen shots
iTunes Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Let's Lasso the Moon Review: If your child has gone to a Montessori pre-school they will be familiar with the letter writing section of this game. It is an electronic version of the sandpaper letters they've been practicing with at school. This is a great app for basic and more advance phonics, as well as simple fill in the blank spelling. At first glance it looks kind of boring, but our girls really enjoy it. We quickly bumped up from the free light version to the full version! ...........................................................................................................

Toddler Teasers
Recommended for children ages 2 and up
Cost $1.99 | Check out screen shots
iTunes Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Let's Lasso the Moon Review: This was one of the first apps we bought for the girls. It is pretty basic and a good way to get your toddler started on learning their letters and numbers. The apps looks like they've been updated since we used them last, but the basic concept appears to be the same. Basically, the phone tells the child a number or letter and they select it from a group of three. It is a good starting point if you are looking for something simple. We used both the numbers and letters apps. ...........................................................................................................

iBird Backyard Plus
Recommended for children of all ages
Cost $2.99 | Check out screen shots
iTunes Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Let's Lasso the Moon Review: I am absolutely smitten with this app. If you are a nature lover it is a great way to learn about the different birds in your backyard. The best part is they offer wonderful illustrations and real photos of the birds for identification. You can search by location, size, or color combination. The part my girls love? They have audio for all of the birds. Despite this being an adult app sometimes my girls will just look through the different birds and play songs. It has been a great tool for hiking trips.

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Tic Tac Toe
Recommended for children of all ages
Cost FREE | Check out screen shots
iTunes Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Let's Lasso the Moon Review: One day we were at a restaurant and I suggested we play Tic Tac Toe on the back of a menu. Both of my girls stared at me with confusion. They honestly didn't know it was a game you would ever consider playing off-line. Cracks me up. We love this version of the classic. It lets you start with X or O and allows you to label the players. We have had a lot of rotation on our iPhone, but this has always been a standard. Go get it now. It's free.

"Never leave home without your apps!" from Colleen at Flee Fly Flown

Day 3 of our "We {heart} iPhones Week!" welcomes my friend Colleen from Flee Fly Flown who is popping by to share her favorite travel apps. Colleen is a vetran globe trotter and I love her point about which apps are useful even without a cell phone signal. Great suggestions, Colleen! 

If you haven't already, don't forget to stop by this post here to enter to win your very own iPhone case. The giveaway runs until Friday, it isn't too late.

A good chunk of the population can’t get through a single “normal” day without the apps on their smart phone, I’m no exception. What about on the special days? When you’re traveling somewhere new, exploring another corner of the world? Even if your phone plan doesn’t work in your destination, chances are, there’s a few apps that can help you on your journey using your wireless connection or no connection at all.

Besides the entertainment factor (I can’t tell you how many hours in the airport I’ve spent playing Angry Birds), here’s a few of my go to “on the road” apps.

- Taking a plane, train then automobile? Consolidate all of your travel details within the TripIt app which allows you to sync all of your vacation elements into one organized list.

- Don’t speak the language? Try using Google Translate to help you communicate. Better yet, try Jibbigo which works entirely on your phone, so you don’t need to worry about a wireless connection wherever you are. Both apps work on iPhone and Android.



In the same vein, if you need help reading or interpreting a menu, use Google Goggles to snap a photo of a menu, and it will translate either the words or characters and help explain what it is you might be ordering. It’s great for signs, landmarks, and more while you’re at it.



- For the Foodies, be sure to download the Zagat On the Go app to find the best restaurants while traveling. Yelp also has a great app for your local and on the go food discoveries, however, for now, you’ll find the most restaurants and recommendations domestically, vs. internationally. I have a feeling that will change eventually!



- Math not your forte? Make sure to bring along your handy dandy XE Currency Converter app. This one requires wireless connectivity, but these days, it’s relatively easy to find a signal.

- History Buff? Explore the streets you walk along with History Pin. You’ll see photos of the same place from times gone by.



- Speaking of exploring, many tour companies now offer apps that help enhance your in person tours or supplement them. CitySightseeing is one such example. Their app helps you find the nearest pick-ups among other great features. If you already know what you want to do, but don’t quite know how to get there, have Google Maps tell you how to get there. They’re usually pretty efficient.

And of course, there are many more helpful apps for travel, this is the tip of the iceburg! Feel free to share your favorites in the comment section below!

Bon voyage!
 

P.S. Don’t forget to bring along your power adapter / converter for your phone charger!