Label Daddy

Jumpstart Your Holiday Shopping!

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:16:00 +0000

I was reading an article the other day that stated most Holiday/Christmas shopping is done the day after Halloween. There is so much that goes into the planning, shopping, and preparing, so I can see why people are beginning to start earlier and earlier.

For all your early planners, Label Daddy has a Pre-Holiday sale just for YOU! What better way to beat the Holiday rush by receiving 20% off your ENTIRE order AND receive free shipping by using the code: HOLIDAY

I don't know about you guys, but we travel a lot during the Holidays. There is nothing better than spending time with family, however, then comes the problem of multiple Nintendo DS systems, multiple sweaters & jackets, multiple sippy cups. Make sure you're prepared for situations such as this with labels from Label Daddy.

So, tell me Mommas (and Poppas):

When do you start Holiday Shopping?
Are there any hot toys your children just HAVE to have this year?

Wordless Wednesday GIANT Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:21:00 +0000

While at Sitscation, our sweet little Blog Team visited Madame Tussauds. I got to go one-on-one with a GIANT!

For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Mins for Mom, Keeper of the Cheerios, and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over.

New Ways for School Fundraising

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:14:00 +0000

With two children in school, we do our best to help out our Elementary. From volunteering during the week, to attending school fundraiser night at local restaurants, every little bit helps with Technology Upgrades, Necessities, Hands-on Learning Outside the Classroom, and much, much, MORE.

We have always collected Box Tops, however, this year they gave my children a little incentive. Each student who filled out a 25-Box-Top form will attend a Pizza Party! A prize like that definitely gets children AND parents involved, in the case they aren't already.

This posed a problem to us, because two children mean 50 Box Tops. We, recently, turned all of ours in so it was a race to the finish line as we talked to friends, family, and Facebook & Twitter followers. Did we fulfill the goal for each child? Check it out!

Yes! You read that right we went an unconventional way by using Social Media to help with Box Tops. We had an AWESOME response and the Box Tops came flooding into our mailbox. Of course, we used our best judgement if we didn't know or trust the individual, but, honestly, I ONLY add friends on social media networks that I know.

Parents, Teachers, Principals:

-What kind of school fundraising programs have you tried?
-What has been successful?
-Which programs did you see little impact from?
-Are you willing to go an unconventional route using social media?
-How about trying NEW Up and Coming Fundraising Programs?

Looking at new ways to raise money for your school, sports team, daycare, or club? Look no further because Label Daddy has the perfect fundraising program for you!

Simple and easy...

We'll provide you with a customized
PDF flyer and an exclusive direct link

Your School/camp will earn a
percentage of each sale
completed via your direct link! That's
it!!! No messy paperwork because
it's all done online.

For more information on this Fundraising program, complete this form and a Label Daddy Representative will get back with you shortly. Have more questions? Email me!

Cook With Me Saturday: Pear Witch Project

toni@juststopscreaming.com (Totally_Toni) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:49:00 +0000

We all know with Halloween come candy, lots and lots of candy. So to change it up a bit and counteract that candy with something healthy why not make it fun for kids. When it looks fun to eat, you are likely to get less complaints right??

So this Halloween give your kids the Pear Witch Project, a fun healthy snack this halloween.

Ingredients
Sharp knife
Fresh green pear (makes 2 heads and noses)
2 raisins (eyes)
1 chocolate chip (wart)
Red apple (mouth)
Canned chocolate frosting
Oreo ice-cream cone (hat)
Large, soft chocolate cookie (hat); we used an Archway Dutch Cocoa Cookie
Carrot (hair) and grater

Instructions
~Cut the pear in half lengthwise and remove the core (a parent's job). Place one pear half on a plate as shown.
~Slice a piece off the top of the pear, cutting away from the forehead at an angle. Shape that piece into a nose; carve a notch into the witch's face to hold it, and set it in place.
~Attach the eyes and wart by carving small circles in the face to hold them.
~Cut a grin from the red apple. Carve out an area on the face to hold the grin, and put it in place.
~To make the hat, use frosting to glue the cone to the cookie. Let the frosting harden a bit, then place the hat on the head.
~Grate lengths of carrot hair and tuck them underneath the hat. Tip: If your child is too young to handle a knife, cut the nose and mouth and have him assemble the face with frosting.

So make healthy fun this Halloween and create this adorable little witch for a fun healthy snack.

~Toni~

*Recipe and Photo from Disney Family Fun. Check out more fun healthy halloween recipes over on Disney Family Fun.

Happy Halloween from Label Daddy!

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Here at Label Daddy we want all of our customers, readers, parents, and children to be safe this Halloween. Are you guys planning a party or will you be out Trick-Or-Treating?

Although, I'm still on the fence about going out Trick-or-Treating this year due to our recent recovery of the H1N1 flu virus, I still have safety on my mind. So, here's a few tips we always take when out on this Spooky Halloween:

-If possible start early in the evening to avoid dark evening hours

-Wear a reflective tape, carry a flashlight or glow stick

-Stay with your parents and/or group

-Remind children NOT to eat candy till they arrive home

-Stick to familiar houses and skip dark unfamiliar homes

-Talk to your kids about Stranger Safety

One more thing to keep in mind, which I have taken to heart with small children, if your children seem scared, uneasy, or just plain tired it's okay to go home. We average about 15-20 houses, if that, every Halloween. My children are still so young and get tired and overwhelmed very quickly.

So, if all else fails have fun at home with a fun Halloween Cartoon, home baked goodies, and pass out candy to your friends and neighbors.

Bwa ha ha ha ha!! <---- That's my scary voice in case you didn't know.

Happy Halloween!
From Everyone at Label Daddy

Habla Espanol? Label Daddy's Got You Covered!

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:49:00 +0000

Wednesday I posted a picture of one of the Label Daddies and Susana. She is, ultimately.. well... me, but in Spain. Seriously! She is our Label Daddy Mommy in Spain, marketing all of our cool kids labels, zipper pulls, & upcoming products.

Why do we need a Label Daddy Mommy in Spain? Well, it's an easy answer. Label Daddy is branching out, marketing in other countries. Spain happens to be our first stop and we are now LIVE and launched in Spanish!!

Wanna check it out? Here's a sneak peek:

Do you know anyone who speaks Spanish? Do you? You can now shop Spanish Label Daddy! Very cool! Visit: www.labeldaddy.es

Don't forget! You can still use promo code LDMOMMY for 20% off your order.

Wordless Wednesday: Spain Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Scott, Label Daddy Owner, pictured with someone really darn cool in my book, the Label Daddy Mommy in Spain! More details to come tomorrow!

For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Mins for Mom, Ordinary and Awesome, and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over.

Halloween Showdown With The Flu

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:16:00 +0000

Guys, I can't tell you enough how much I enjoyed the Sits Girls in Vegas! The conference was amazing, the lights were tantalizing, and the music was rockin. I will always have special memories with the women I met and the fun I had, but one thing I am DYING to forget is getting the H1N1 virus while there.

Yup, my family has gone through a week I'd NEVER wish upon ANYONE. It's tolerable because of the awesome support I've had from family and friends bringing over soup, meds, and fun stuff for the kids.

All this "Piggy Flu" (as my 6 year old calls it) has our family kind of... well... Germaphobic. My children SO don't want to go through this again and we're taking simple precautions. so as not to get it again, such as:

-Getting Rest
-Taking Vitamins
-Washing Hands (a LOT)
-Disinfecting everything
-Staying hydrated
-Eating Healthy
-Labeling our stuff when out

It's no surprise that most families that go through this, go the extreme route, such as our very own Miranda. Her husband got the H1N1 virus and she has taken extra measures that, most people, might find extreme like buying face masks. Check out what she has to say about her Flu Experience and the measures we take as Moms to keep our family healthy:

"I’ve suddenly morphed into this freakish germaphobe and I’m not ashamed. I’ve got a lifetime supply of Lysol sprays, Clorox wipes, plastic gloves and face masks now. I also don’t care anymore if I wipe down the cart at the store and get funny looks."

I'm right there with you Miranda. I hate being sick and it, literally, breaks my heart to see my children sick. I share Mirandas ideas and precautions, however, I haven't bought the face masks yet (I'm sure it'll come soon enough).

I will share one extreme measure I'm taking that has others wondering and criticizing.

I will NOT be taking my children Trick-Or-Treating this year.

I know, I know, but something about going and gathering flu germs from EVERY house in the neighborhood doesn't really appeal to me. Once I explained to my children, we'll have a party here at the house with fun crafts, yummy goodies, and spooky movies (well...not too spooky) they were still left with their jaws dropped to the floor.

So, I wiped their tears away and put it to them like this, "With every candy you receive at other people's house, you might ALSO receive that same flu germ that had you in bed for 7 days, vomiting, tired, achy, and struggling with fever. All it takes is one germ to get back in our system and we miss a WHOLE other week of school."

Harsh.

I know, but I really can't risk it again, not with my precious babies. So, we're on a mission to have a fabulous time here at home on Halloween.

Do you think I'm making the right decision?
Am I taking it too far?

Better yet...

Do you have any fun activities, recipes, or ideas to help us during our "Avoid the Flu Halloween Party"??

Need to stock up on labels for your kids stuff? We definitely don't want them spreading germs back and forth at school. Labels can help! Use code LDMOMMY for 20% off your next order at LabelDaddy.com

Label Daddy Visits Las Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:36:00 +0000

We have had an enormous privilege to meet so many talent women in Social Media since we launched our blog, but there is one group of ladies that are near and dear to our hearts. They are so "near and dear" that we jumped on an airplane and headed out to Las Vegas to meet them.

Do you guys know what I'm talking about?

How could you not?

Sitscation 2009!

Tiffany and Heather, encourage woman daily through their site TheSitsGirls.Com. As a blogger myself, I know how important it is to have support, whether that be through Twitter interaction, Forums, or Comments on your blog. It's our sliding window to new friendships, opportunities, and navigation through this faced paced growth of Social Media.

As a company, Label Daddy is proud to support women on this platform and understand just how important support is to success. That's why we were happy to be a Sponsor for Sitscation '09.

-Were you there?

-Did you stop by our media table?

-What did you think of the Breast Cancer Zipper Pulls?

-Most importantly, do you have fun ideas on how Label Daddy can connect with Spirit Jump? Wasn't Meaghan Edelstein so encouraging?!

As a LOT of you guys know, Spirit Jump had a large impact on Twitter with the hashtag #beatcancer. Out of the brain of an organization called Everywhere, this was a very successful attempt to distribute the largest mass message through social media. They set a record for Charity and raised money all at the same time. How cool is that?!

What is Spirit Jump? A grassroots non-profit organization with a mission to provide hope and comfort to the many men, women and children battling cancer. Spirit Jump accomplishes this by providing uplifting cards and inspirational gifts during this most difficult time. For more information visit: SpiritJump.Blogspot.com

We had a blast meeting the Sits Community, learning about YOUR brand, YOUR blogs, and interacting together. Do you have questions about Label Daddy, school fundraisers, or products? Please leave me a comment or send me a quick email!

Thanks Sits Girls!!

Think Pink with Label Daddy!

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:41:00 +0000

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we're doing our part to help. Use Label Daddy Promo Code: PINK at the check out counter and the Label Daddies will donate 20% of your order to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Not only do you help an amazing cause, but you'll receive the Label Daddy exclusive PINK Zipper Tag free!

Go ahead. THINK PINK this October!

Wordless Wednesday Allergy Notes

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0000

If you're kids suffer from food allergies, Label Daddy has you covered with Allergy Notes. Check out how I keep my 2-year-old safe when he's out and about:

Do your kids have food allergies or work with kids who do? What other items should us Mommas label with allergy tags?

For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Mins for Mom, Ordinary and Awesome, and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over.

Label Daddy Takes On Vegas with SITScation

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:47:00 +0000

On Friday, October 16th, we'll be networking with some of the best bloggers out there at Sitscation '09 in Vegas! Representing Label Daddy will be myself, the resident LD Mommy and blogger at My Sippy Cup Runneth Over and Momma Findings. That's not all though folks, because Toni, from a Daily Dose of Toni will be there as well! Can you say two gals who love to laugh?!

I believe the secret to success, in life and business, is support. You feel encouraged, you feel important, and most of all, you feel like you can do anything in your heart's desire with the support of your family and peers.

That's why Label Daddy LOVES the SITS Girls Community! Tiffany and Heather of SITS took their love for comments and created a one-of-a-kind blogging community that everyone can NOT get enough of. Who new comments had such power?!

Key Speakers at the conference include some awesome women like lifecaster Jen Hinton, whom we had the chance to hang out with at BlogHer '09 and the Sweet Southern Alli Worthington. Those are only two of the amazing women who will be present. We're eager to meet all the attendees, speakers, and guests (whom will most likely be trailing over from Blog World Expo).

We're Vegas Bound and Lovin' It! Are you attending Sitscation '09? Leave us a comment so we can look for you!

Family Fun Friday: Living Room Picnics

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:23:00 +0000

Our resident Family Fun contributor, Toni, is having fun in California with Nestle this week, so I'm going to take on Family Fun Friday instead. Now, I'm all about simplicity (I think a lot of you know that already) so I'm going to kill two birds with one stone.

This is a Family Fun idea, mixed with a Cook With Me recipe.

One thing we do in my house are Living Room Picnics. This idea originated when we first moved to Memphis, TN with my husband's job. We had one vehicle, so this left the kids and myself car less on most days. We came up with fun ideas to keep our imagination going. On rainy days, we'd lay a quilt on the living room floor and eat our lunch. After we were nice and full we'd lay on pillows and talk about all the fun stuff we'd do once Daddy got home and the sun came out.

Each time we did this we'd mix it up other activities such as:

-Playing a memory game
-Dancing to our favorite music
-Watching a movie
-Talking & Laughing
-Painting our nails
-Making Bead Jewelry
-Coloring
-And my favorite................... Napping!

So, what do you eat at a living room picnic? Our faves include: fruit, crackers, cheese, snack mix, and one of our favorites:

Chicken & Avocado Wraps

What You'll Need:

- 3 Tbsp. Light Mayonnaise
- 5 (6in) fajita size who wheat flour tortillas
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled and sliced
- 1 medium avocado, peeled and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 2 cups mixed salad greens

Spread It: Spread Mayo on Tortillas

Stuff It: Layer Chicken, avocado, red pepper, red onion, and salad greens down center of each tortilla.

Wrap It: Roll and fold the filled Tortilla

Recipe taken from the Family Fun Book courtesy of MakingLifeBetter.com

Wordless Wednesday WebKinz Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:07:00 +0000

Monday I talked about how our labels came in handy with my daughters stuff, especially her WebKinz Pony Rose. She is dear to our family and we don't EVER want to misplace her. Check it out:

What do you guys label? Any precious toys that act as "family members"?

For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Mins for Mom, Ordinary and Awesome, and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over.

That Slumber Party Age

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:56:00 +0000

Do you, as a parent, ever get over the anxiety of sending your young child to a Slumber Party? My daughter is about to turn 6 years old, and it seems everywhere we turn, we're invited to, yet, another slumber party.

Although, I'm open to sending her, thoughts race through my head like:

Is she having fun?
Does she miss me?
Are the other girls being nice to her?
Is she feeling left out?
Is she scared in the dark?

Or the worst....

Is she having the best time of her life without me?

I'm one of those Mommas who wants to have fun with her daughter. If she's out having a blast... I wanna be with her. The reality of it is, she doesn't. How is it that she can act 15, but only be 6?

While she was gone I did a few things to ease my anxiety:

Went out to dinner with my Mom & Sister
Had a glass of wine
Hung out with friends
Chatted to all hours of the morning with Hubby

And the BEST of all?

Slept in till 9:00am!

When I saw my daughter standing in the doorway, all smiles, holding on to her Barbie, I was counting down the days till the next sleepover. So, tell me Mommas (and Daddys) what do YOU do while your children are away? Sleep? Movies? Read?

One thing that came in handy was labeling all her stuff for this party. Can I just tell you how many WebKinz clones were there? Abby was the only one who could tell hers apart from the others.

Are you ready for YOUR next Slumber Party? Order your labels at www.labeldaddy.com and use coupon code LDMOMMY for 20% off your next order.

Family Fun Fridays

toni@juststopscreaming.com (Totally_Toni) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:08:00 +0000

What kids doesn't love to watch something explode or bubble over...even I, the mom, love to watch that. Here is a fun activity for you to do before it gets too cold out, the last leg of summer bring a volcano to your backyard.

The Backyard Volcano
by Ann Svensen

Age: Elementary and up
Time: About 15 minutes
Type of Activity: Backyard science

Encourage your children to explore science in their own backyard. Plant a garden, catch butterflies, or better yet, build a live volcano! Sound tricky? You'll be surprised. MaryAnn Kohl, author of the book Science Arts, makes it easy with the following simple instructions.

Materials needed:
· Baking pan
· Soda bottle (16 or 20 oz.)
· Moist soil
· 1 tablespoon baking soda
· 1 cup vinegar
· Red food coloring
· The great outdoors!

Experiment

Step One: Place the baking pan on the grass, and set the soda bottle in the middle of the pan.

Step Two: Mound and shape the moist soil around the bottle to form a mountain. Bring the soil right up to the top of the bottle's opening, but don't get the soil inside the bottle.

Step Three: Pour one tablespoon of baking soda into the bottle.

Step Four: Color one cup of vinegar with red food coloring.

Step Five: Pour the colored vinegar into the bottle. Stand back and watch red foam spray out of the top and down the mountain like lava from a volcano.

Tips for parents
Experimentation is an exciting way to teach your kids about the world around them. But before you get started, Kohl has a few words of advice: "Keep it simple! Begin with materials you have around the house, such as flour, cornstarch, and paints, and, most importantly, let the child do most of the experimenting. You can provide the encouragement." Kohl adds, "Don't worry about not understanding the 'science' that's happening." You and your kids can make your own hypotheses, then look up the answers later online or at the local library.

*taken from FamilyEducation.com

What if YOUR Family Gets the Swine Flu?

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Every morning, before the kids wake up, I turn on the radio. They wake up to some of favorite songs playing softly from the kitchen and Momma drinking her coffee. Yesterday, I got caught in the conversation between Radio Personalities on the Swine Flu.

The discussion was based on the question Would you send YOUR child to school/daycare if you were told another child HAD H1N1?

My answer? Yes.. No.. Probably... I DON'T KNOW!

I guess I'd have to find out, from the school, what steps they've taken to sanitize the classrooms, deal with the sick child, etc. I'll be the first to admit that the Swine Flu scares the living poop outta me! Yes, I said it, the living poop.

I have three young children ages 7 and under. The thought of them being sick kills me anyway, but the media has made the Swine Flu seem just fatal. So, I've compiled a few tips of what we're doing to avoid the flu and contagious germs:

1.) Teach your kids to cough and sneeze into the inside of their arm. My children learned this about a year ago from their school. It's stuck with them ever since.

2.) You've heard it over and over again, but WASH, WASH, WASH. I remind my kids before they leave for school each morning to wash their hands every chance they get during the school day.

3.) My pediatrician told me this last year, "Keep your hands away from your face." Don't rub your eyes, nose, or mouth. It's a good way to spread germs you contacted while in that public bathroom.

4.) Healthy Habits CAN make a difference. Make sure your children are getting enough sleep at night, eating nutritional meals, and getting daily exercise. We have increased our Vitamin C intake and drinking more water as well.

5.) Take your children to get the Flu Shot. We have gotten one every year and have only had very mild and limited cases of strains A and B of the flu.

6.) Label your children's belongings. Label Daddy helps me keep my child's things germ free. We've labeled our snack containers, cups, lunchboxes, coats, and EVEN the hand sanitizer they carry around on their backpack. This will keep other children from using their stuff and passing those germs around.

Do you have tips on how YOUR keeping your children healthy this year? Share them with me in the comment section or email. I might just highlight them through out the Flu Season.

Also, if you haven't purchased your labels for the school year or need more go to www.labeldaddy.com and use the coupon code LDMOMMY for 20% off your order.

Stranger Safety When Labeling Your Child's Belongings

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:23:00 +0000

With our precious children heading to school every day, we, as parents, want to keep them safe at all times. It's hard to do that when they aren't with us throughout the day.

My children are very young and just now starting their school days, however, safety is always on my mind.

Last Winter, I reviewed an educational DVD called Stranger Safety:

All in all, Stranger Safety has been an amazing experience. Both myself and my children learned ways we can be safe together, such as naming 3 adults we can trust when Mommy or Daddy can't be around. As we thought of names, my kids started blurting out people I'd NEVER let pick them up from school, not because they are dangerous, but because they haven't earned my trust to handle such precious cargo. We discussed why we wouldn't pick them as our Safeside Adult and proceeded to choose and remember the ones we can trust. If it wasn't for that segment, my children would trust and go with anyone who says, "Your Mom sent me to pick you up."

When school started this year, I went over all that we learned in our The Safe Side DVD. It's always great to refresh those sweet little brains. I say this, because they couldn't remember all they learned.

As I labeled my child's belongings for school, I was reminded NOT to label the front of their backpacks. Dangerous strangers use this as a tool to "reel" your children to them. Madison looks cute monogrammed or labeled for all to see, but predators can call your child's name to the point of sounding like they know them.

My children's backpacks are labeled with small all purpose labels on the BACK and/or on the inside. I do this so strangers can not read their names or see them easily. Label Daddy's new Zipper Pulls are also great because the name is printed small where strangers can't easily see from steps behind. You can STILL keep track of your child's stuff and stay safe all at the same time.

Parents, I urge you to take steps to keep your children safe especially when they are in public. We want their belongings labeled to avoid losing them, however, do it with precaution and in places not easily seen at bus stops, walking to school, or away from safe adults.

Buy It

To learn more about the Safe Side DVD or to purchase your own copy of Stranger Safety, head over to their online shop. Individual DVD's retail for 12.99 and come with a small set of Safe Side badges!

With that in mind, you can order your Back-To-School pack from Label Daddy by visiting our main site: www.labeldaddy.com and using the Label Daddy Coupon Code LDMOMMY for 20% off your order!

Wordless Wednesday Label Your Flu Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Here's a new way to use your child's labels! We've taken flu safety serious at our house with our handy take-anywhere hand sanitizer.

For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Mins for Mom, Ordinary and Awesome, and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over.

After School Brownie Treat Time

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:54:00 +0000

How is everyone enjoying the 2009-2010 School year thus far?!

We started school two weeks ago and it was full of excitement. My two children woke up early, adjusted to the early schedule, and loved meeting their new friends. Mean ole' Momma and Daddy threw a wrench in all the fun, when we FINALLY found a New House here in Texas.

We didn't have to move out of state again, but only across town to a new school. So, I'm buried in mountains of paperwork, yet again and it feels like school started twice for us. My Kindergartner and 2nd grader joined new classmates, walked down new hallways, and will sit at new lunch tables.

For my anxiety driven son, that's a LOT to deal with. I only hope that our new neighbors, who happen to go to the same school and are in the same age range, make it all worth it for him. We have a new start time, new bus ride, and I plan to jump right in and make it all FUN.

When we lived in Charlotte, NC I did a Brownie Wednesday. If you haven't guessed already, every Wednesday my toddler and I cook up a batch of Brownies and have them warm and ready for them right off the bus. It's something for brother and sister to look forward to and helps ease those nerves.

I don't want the kids to get bored with the same ole' brownie every week so I've searched the internet far and wide for new recipes and ways to change it up. What did I find? I found a really great and easy recipe for:

Caramel Brownies

1 pkg. brownie mix
20 caramels
3 tbsp. milk
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
(we omit these due to food allergies)

Bake brownie mix as directed. In small saucepan, melt caramels in milk over low heat. Immediately after removing brownies from oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Drizzle caramel topping over.

What are your favorite After School treats? Inquiring minds want to know!

Family Fun Fridays: Indoor Fun

toni@juststopscreaming.com (Totally_Toni) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:43:00 +0000

Some of you may know that back in July my oldest son, who is 9, had to have knee surgery so until September 10 (which he is anxiously awaiting) he has been stuck inside. To keep things not so boring and keep the t.v. watching not as much we had to come up with indoor games. Quite a few of those are card games. One of the games we play is called Accordion, that I learned about from Family Education.

Accordion

Materials

* Deck of playing cards

Directions

1. Deal four cards faceup in a row from left to right.
2. Compare each card with the two cards on its left (if available) to see if it matches with either card in number or suit. If so, place the card on top of its match.
3. Moving the card creates a space in the row.
4. Move the cards together to close up the space and check to see if new matches have appeared as a result.
5. Add one new card from your deck to the right of the row. Check to see if it is a match with the two cards on its left.
6. Move the piles of cards accordingly if it is.
7. If not, deal another card to the right of the row.
8. Repeat.
9. The object of the game is to get the whole deck of cards into one pile. This is difficult to do, so ending up with five piles is a good outcome.

This is a fun game that on a rainy day or if your child is sick or for whatever reason they have to be inside you can play. Check out the many other card games Family Education has as well.

Wordless Wednesday: Sunset on Lake Minnetonka

toni@juststopscreaming.com (Totally_Toni) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Beautiful Sunset on Lake Minnetonka. I (Toni) recently had the chance to meet with General Mills to talk about the company and the future with 24 other bloggers. While there they treated us to a dinner cruise (among much more, post coming on my personal blog soon) and this was one of the Sunset pictures I took. It was absolutely gorgeous!

~ TONI

Wordless Wednesday Off to School

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:33:00 +0000

We've been helping you guys get ready for school and now get to let you in on some of OUR school days! My daughter is "funky dancing" to the car on our first day.

For more Wordless Wednesday's head over to A Daily Dose of Toni, 5 Mins for Mom, Ordinary and Awesome, and My Sippy Cup Runneth Over.

Cook With Me Saturday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches

toni@juststopscreaming.com (Totally_Toni) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:48:00 +0000

We are avid lovers of barbeque in this house and any chance we get to make it we do. This recipe is easy and delicious and even the pickiest of eaters will love the yummy barbeque of this sandwich

Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwich

A quick way to have pulled pork, using lean pork ...

See Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwich on Key Ingredient.

Getting Kids Out the Door for School

noreply@blogger.com (Label Daddy Mommy) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:06:00 +0000

School is starting for the 2009-2010 year all across the country and, here at Label Daddy, we're helping you get ready. From packing lunch on a budget to cool label packs for keeping up with all those supplies, we want your kids to start school off right!

Thanks to Charlotte Reznick PHD, we've got some great tips to help your kids out the door those first weeks without anxiety and fear. I'm a Momma of a 2nd grader and Kindergartner and know all too well how scary a big school must feel like to a young child.

Six Tools to Relieve Your Child's "Back-to-School-itis"

For some kids, going back to school at the end of summer can be traumatic. Anticipating a new teacher, classmates, grade, or school can trigger fear, anxiety, and depression--not to mention very real physical symptoms such as stomachaches, headaches, and insomnia.

Fortunately, your child has a whole toolbox to draw from--in her own imagination. Here are six imagination tools parents can use with young children to relieve "back-to-school-itis."

Teach her to balloon breathe. With her hands around her navel, have her breathe slowly and deeply into her lower belly so it presses into her hands like an inflating balloon. The Balloon Breath has dramatic calming effects and facilitates a waking state of focused concentration and receptivity to positive suggestions. This one tool makes all the other ones easier.

Visit his special place. This is a safe private place within your child's inner world where he can work out problems or take a mini-vacation from stress and worry. He can invite a wise Animal Friend into his special place to talk to and help him, or he can even dig for a treasure box there that contains the antidote to his fear.

Draw the fear. Putting an image on paper: (1) makes her fear of separation realer and less frightening than keeping it inside, and (2) makes her fear less likely to grow because there is a concrete picture to work with. Once she has a picture, she can talk to it, find out why it's trying to scare her, strike a bargain with it, surround it with a soothing color bubble, and so on.

Talk to his symptom. When a child suffers from a worry headache or stomachache, these three questions can help eliminate the pain. Have him do deep balloon breathing (diaphragmatic breathing), then ask: (1) What color is it? (2) What shape is it? (3) How heavy is it? After more breaths, ask him again. Continue to breathe and question in rounds. His pain will likely change or disappear. If it doesn't completely go away, ask the ache what it wants him to know, do, or understand to release any more bits of pain.

Picture the future. Artwork is also an effective starting point when you're working with clear end-goals, like getting a good night's sleep or reducing a fear. Have your child draw two drawings--how things are now and how she'd like them to be. Hang the picture in her bedroom; this is a great reminder of her desired goal and the first step toward getting there.

Encourage drama. For kids whose nature tends toward drama, acting out their worries and troubles is a wonderful way to release them. Let them play it out--with puppets, with their bodies, with anything their imagination suggests. It's amazing what creative solutions come up when given free reign.

Charlotte Reznick is a child educational psychologist, an associate clinical professor of psychology at UCLA, and author of a new book, The Power of Your Child's Imagination: How to Transform Stress and Anxiety into Joy and Success (Perigee, 2009, $14.95).

Do you have a special technique to help your child feel less anxious? We wanna know about it! Comment here and we might showcase YOUR tip on our blog in the coming weeks!