some EB favorites....

CLOSED - WINNER CAN BE SEEN BELOW!

I am really enjoying being an Earth's Best blogger!  I just LOVE all of their products.

Some of my favorites so far have been...

 nursery wipes

We have a the travel packs in our diaper bag, our pool bag and in my purse.  I just love them for all quick cleanups when we are out-n-about. We also have a the big canister for highchair and toy cleaning.

Cullen and I both LOVE the veggie crunchin' crackers.  Sometimes I end up with the box on the couch ;) I always share with my bear though!  He comes and digs in himself and only walks away when both his hands are fully packed.  

Another one of Cullen's favorites since he has been about 6 months old are the puree and smoothie pouches,  Cullen still eats 1-2 of these a day.  Sometimes I mix them into his milk to make a juicy milk smoothie or he will just suck the contents out of the pack while sitting in his highchair.  

I try to keep our stash fully stocked!

Those are just some of my favorite Earth's Best products!  I really love them all and haven't ever came across one product I haven't LOVED!

Now for a GIVEAWAY!
This giveaway will include my favorite Earth's Best products!!  If you want to be entered, just leave a comment.  A winner will be chosen the last day of the month!  Just leave a comment to be entered!

WINNER - #8 - LORI!!

whats been going on in the ABC house...

 It was my birthday on Friday, Daddy B brought me home flowers and cards from him and C Bear.  He picked them all out and they were in our wedding colors; pink, green and orange. So thoughtful!  He also brought home steaks and some different pasta salads. Everything was delicious!

For my birthday lunch at my parent's house we had panini's. My Mom lays out a bunch of different lunch meat, veggies and cheese and then we make our own sami's.  

My Mom also made some cream cheese roll-ups and a few of you asked for the recipe.  She made two different types.

taco cream cheese roll-ups:

8 ounce pack of cream cheese

1/2 cup of sour cream

1 package of taco seasons

1 small can of chopped black olives

1 cup of mexi-shredded cheese

mix all ingredients together, smooth over a softshell and roll it up, stick them in the freezer for 10 minutes, take out and cut up.  Sticking them in the freezer makes it much easier to cut them up. You could also add jalapenos if you wanted extra heat.

cream cheese veggie roll-ups:

8 ounce pack of cream cheese

1/2 cup of sour cream

bell peppers, all colors (my mom used yellow, orange, red and green)

a dash of onion powder and garlic powder

mix all ingredients together, smooth over a softshell and roll it up, stick them in the freezer for 10 minutes, take out and cut up.  Sticking them in the freezer makes it much easier to cut them up. 

We also had an amazing turtle pie!

Cullen is so quick, I can't seem to turn my back for a second....

We have been playing outside a lot and Cullen throws an all out fit when we come in almost every.single.time. Sometimes when we are outside he just takes off running down the sidewalk as if he is running away from home already ;) 

 Cullen and I went to the mall on saturday, I hadn't been FOREVER. I think since we moved so that was almost 4 months ago!  I had items to exchange for Cullen and since back to school sales are in full force we stocked up on ALL of this loot! If I told you the teeny tiny amount of money I spent that day you would probably all not like me ;) I know daddyB was very impressed.  We went to all our favorite stores, children's place for stretchies, hanna andersson for soft comfy clothes and pj's, carters for onesies, socks,  and a few solid color pants and zip up's for fall, and of course to gymboree for all those cute airplane clothes, some jeans and shoes.

 I decided to buy some gold jewelry, it was a first for me.  I owned nothing in gold! I have to say I love my new purchases! :)  all from express.

 Cullen has been extra cuddly lately so of course I take full advantage! In that bottom pic he was laying on my lap, such a sweet boy.

I finally found a snack container that Cullen can not get open! I have bought other snack containers for him but he always bites the lids off and then just dumps everything out.  he can't get this one open and to be honest, either can I! haha!

Now cullen can snack on his snacks wherever he pleases or snack on hockey sticks and spatulas. 

 sweetest little sleeper ever!  

I love that he still sleeps like he did when he was a tiny baby...

Today we have a jam packed day, including Cullen's 15 month appt (not looking forward to shots) & I should actually probably be in the shower right now.  I will have a giveaway up tomorrow for more Earth's Best goodies AND I will pick winners tonight for my last two giveaways, I've just been too busy to tend to everything.  I will have a winner picked this Saturday for my most recent giveaway.  If you haven't entered, you still can!

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN --> enter HERE

We have also been spending a lot of time working on our non-profit organization, Beyond the Pond.   There is a chance to win $500!! & we have set up a donation button on our website!  Thanks for those of you who have contacted me about supporting our non-profit and for those of you who have donated!  We appreciate it a lot!  Billy just started designing the website so if it's not perfect yet, it will eventually get there!

http://beyondthepondmn-com.webs.com/

click here for my recent post --> BEYOND THE POND

On top of all that we have still been picking up furniture and painting away, oh and enjoying the waterpark!  Always so much going on! 

Have a great day everyone!!

POWERBALL, chance to win $500...

Billy and I have started a non-profit organization, Beyond the Pond, to support local youth athletes!  
Our website can be seen here --> 
BEYOND THE POND

It would be awesome if you went and "liked" our Facebook page to show your support!

You can like it here --> Beyond the Pond

Our first big fundraising event is coming up soon!  We are hosting our first annual Golf Tournament on August 6, 2012

This is a HUGE deal for us and we are excited and really looking forward to it!

If any of you want to donate a prize or a cash contribution, we would greatly appreciate it. 

All donations can be written off as we are a non-profit company.  I will give you our tax I.D. number if you are interested in making a donation.
You can donate through PayPal!
just click HERE to make a donation!

our non-profit needs YOUR help in order to HELP others!


We also have a fun POWERBALL game going on that Billy set up on the website which is sponsored through his AAA hockey team, Team Combat.
There is a $500 cash prize up for grabs and it only costs $10 to play!
to play POWERBALL go here --->
PLAY POWERBALL
If you have questions, please let me know!

Also, if you want more information on our non-profit organization let me know!  We are very excited about this new adventure in our lives....you know us (daddyB), is ALWAYS.STAYING.BUSY and involved in about a million things at once!

Thanks again, for your support my awesome blog friends!!

find us on facebook ---> 

BEYOND THE POND 

InkaDinkDesigns...

The sweet shop owner from InkaDinkDesigns designed some adorable goodies for me!!  

stationary cards, return address labels and mommy cards!

 i LOVE color and chevron so of course I am in love with the design!

 Here are some other items available at InkaDinkDesigns !!

invitations

birthday collection...

wedding collection...

baby collection...

personalized stationary...

wall art and printables...

Tiffany, the shop owner, is offering one of you a chance to win the same package she created for me including the stationary cards, return address labels and mommy cards!  She is going to customize the whole order to your liking!  You can either chose the same design I have or chose another design from her shop.  Hurry on over to InkaDinkDesigns and see all the other fun items Tiffany has to offer!!  

TO ENTER:

1 .You must be a follower of my blog

2. Go visit InkaDinkDesigns and "favorite/heart" the shop

3. Let me know what design you would pick

4. Tweet about giveaway

5. Follow Chapters of our Life on Facebook

BONUS ENTRY ADDED...
6. Follow Ink A Dink Designs on Facebook

UP TO 6 TOTAL ENTRIES!!

**be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry to count**

The winner will be picked at random in one week - good luck to all!

WINNER IS #10 - Alison from Life and times of Alison and Justin
CONGRATS!!

COOOOOOOKIES....

As said in the cookie monster voice.

I know you know that voice!

If not, I'll have my dad give a recording of it ;)

He talks like cookie monster to Cullen! ha!

I am bringing up cookies and sesame street because Earth's Best Organic works with Sesame Street in a combined effort to promote healthy eating habits for children!  As parents, we all want healthy children and here is some information regarding healthy habits for life...

Did you know that Earth’s Best has a strategic partnership with Sesame Street that includes several Sesame Street themed products and meals? Specifically, Earth’s Best works with Sesame to promote the Healthy Habits for Life initiative. Healthy Habits for Life is Sesame Street's program to help young children and their caregivers establish an early foundation of healthy habits. Earth’s Best harnesses the power and reach of Sesame Street to make overall health and well-being a crucial part of young children's development.

More details on the partnership and Healthy Habits for Life can be found here: http://www.earthsbest.com/sesame-street/healthy-habits.

Just this past month, Earth’s Best and Sesame Street released a brand new organic veggie variety to their line of Earth’s BestTM Crunchin’ Crackers® Wholesome Snacks. Currently available in original and cheddar varieties, each cracker is shaped like Sesame Street® favorite friends, Big Bird and Elmo.

The new veggie variety is made with organic dried vegetables including sweet potato, broccoli and carrots, and each serving contains 2 grams of protein. An organic vegetable cracker that is fun for your child to eat makes it easier to introduce healthy foods into a toddler’s diet! Like all of the Earth’s BestTM line of Sesame Street® products, Organic Crunchin’ Crackers® Wholesome Snacks in a veggie variety is specially formulated with iron, zinc and six B vitamins, nutrients essential to toddlers’ diets, making them a perfectly nutritious treat.

I have another fabulous giveaway to offer to ONE of YOU, Cheddar and Veggie Earth’s Best Crunchin’ Crackers Wholesome Snacks!

All YOU have to do is leave a comment letting me know you are interested!

No secrets around this house, Cullen LOVES the veggie snack AND so do I!  I only introduced them to him 2 weeks ago but he eats every single one I give him.  I eat them as well, they are delicious. I'm sure you and your little one will love them as well! 

Giveaway ends one week from today, best wishes to all!


2 people left 2 comments so I took those away, instead of 21 entries there were 19 TOTAL eligible entries...
WINNER!

life as i know it....

has come to this....

 

making pretties for others and staging, so much fun! 

(we end up wanting to keep half of the items we finish!)

 and A LOT of this....

and more of that....

mixed in a BUNCH of this...

sand, paint, stage, take pictures....

if you live in minnesota and are interested in any of these painted furniture pieces, let me know!!! so much is selling and we just keep re-filling the garage.  

loving this new venture/hobby!
and for other pictures of what i've been up to with my fam see yesterday's post --> instagram pics 

instagram...

if you don't follow me on instagram you are probably missing out on my life! ;) 

and if you don't have instagram i am probably missing out on yours! :(

i think i follow all of my blog/twitter friends who have instagram....there's about 650 of you and i love being able to keep up with you all through pictures! i usually only check instagram before bed but i try to get through as many pics as i can.

for those of you that don't follow me on instagram here is our life in instgram pics from last week (and aunt lisa these are for you as well!!)...

Q-T   BOO-T being a ham...

we ate really well last week, we had mexican takeout, chinese takeout, daddyB made us chicken parm, garlic bread and salad one night and i made a huge taco pizza another night. don't even deny it, everyone likes pictures of delicious food!

all ready for a baptism reception, i rarely am out of paint clothes / comfy clothes with my hair down and full makeup, i miss dressing up and painting my nails and just getting ready daily, NEVER thought i'd say that...

 cullen playing outside at the teddy bear band concert...

 outside at gma and bumpa's house....swimming and playing with the pups

hope i was an old enough adult to park there....because i did

 daddyB and babyC at the park...

 cullen showing everyone who is boss when it comes to eating the most! he had 5 helpings of food that evening at my parent's house....and yes he was eating with 2 forks, i guess he was starving (heaven forbid)! 

 bed head and baby feet...LOVE!

 my sissy took us out for mexican and of course Cullen always went for the BIGGEST chips! he loved the white dip/sauce as well, had it on goldfish and everything else he ate.

that was our week in an instagram nutshell! 

now YOU need to go download the instagram app and come find me, i want to follow you as well!

hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!! :) 

daddyB is about to grill up some steaks for us and i'll be enjoying a bud light lime, num-o.

p.s. giveaway coming up wednesday! && i have TONS of other fun giveaways coming up - i need to hire an assistant to post for me, kidding (kind of).

GIVEAWAY TIME - 3 winners!

You all saw cullen's one year super adorable 'mickey' pictures, right?  

well if not, here they are again ;)  

This super cute crocheted mickey mouse inspired outfit came from Schier's Knits.

& now Kristal of Schier's Knits is offering ONE of YOU has a chance to win one of these outfits!  You can pick either minnie mouse or mickey mouse!

WAY.TOO.CUTE - RIGHT?!?

TWO of YOU will also be given a 25% OFF discount code to Schier's Knits!

In Kristal's shop she has ALL kinds of fun items!

Here are some of my favorites...

TO ENTER: 
leave one comment per entry for it to count
1. be a follower of my blog
2. leave a comment letting me know if you would want the mickey or minnie outfit
3. go to Schier's Knits and "heart" Kristals' shop
extra entries:
4. follow me on twitter and tweet about the giveaway
5. follow chapter's of our life on FB


5 total entries possible, BEST WISHES TO ALL!!

giveaway ends in one week - winner's will be picked at random and notified.  if you do not have an email linked to your comment (blog), please leave an email address.  otherwise i have no way to contact you.
thanks!!

THE BIG WINNER IS CARRIE!

Carrie, I will be in contact with you!

The other TWO winners for 25% off are:
#32 and #13

You two ladies will also hear from me soon!!

Pagie and Tiffany - congrats to all!