Thirsty Thursday: Chilling Jack-O’ Lantern Smoothies

Chilling Jack-o’-Lantern Smoothies Recipe

By Pillsbury

Chilling Jack-o’-Lantern Smoothies
"Pumpkin faces creatively “carved” with chocolate make this beverage a big hit!"
-prep time 15 min / total time 15 min / ingredients 6 / servings 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips
4 plastic cups (8 to 9 oz each)
3 containers (6 oz each) Yoplait® Original 99% Fat Free orange crème or harvest peach yogurt
1/4 cup frozen (thawed) orange juice concentrate
1 can (11 oz) mandarin orange segments, chilled, drained
1 banana, sliced

Steps
-In small microwavable bowl, melt chocolate chips on High for 1 minute or until melted. With tip of knife, spread chocolate on inside of each plastic cup to resemble eyes, nose and mouth of jack-o’-lantern. Repeat with 3 more cups. Refrigerate 5 minutes or until chocolate is set.
-Meanwhile, in blender container, place all remaining ingredients; cover and blend until smooth. Pour into chocolate painted cups. Note: It works best to place the cup on its side when painting the face. Serve with a green straw to resemble a pumpkin stem or garnish with a mint leaf.

Guest Blog Post: Halloween Treats for Babies and Toddlers

Halloween doesn’t just have to be a fun time for older kids, babies and toddlers can enjoy it too! While they can’t eat the same sweets and treats as older siblings, you can still provide them with healthy and safe alternatives so they don’t feel left out of the fun. Keep them entertained with fun activities and toys and they’ll enjoy Halloween just as much as the rest of us! Here are some creative ideas for celebrating Halloween with your little ones.

1. Little Toader LOL! Sucker AppeTEETHERS
This adorable toy is perfect for babies and toddlers who are teething. The patented, silicone teething toy looks just like a real lollipop! While it safely and effectively soothes baby’s sore gums, it will look like your baby is enjoying Halloween candy just like the rest of us!

2. Sticker Activity Books from Kids Love Play
Toddlers love playing with stickers and these activity books come with over 150 stickers to choose from to help them dress up fun characters in cool costumes — just like Halloween costumes! Kids can choose from books to dress up pirates, princesses, heroes, ballerinas and more and maybe even get some ideas for Halloween costumes of their own.
  
3. Glow Sticks
Glow sticks are great for lighting up the night on Halloween but they’re also great for entertaining little ones (over 3+). Kids love wearing them as bracelets and necklaces but you can also use them for arts and crafts projects, placing them in balloons or pumpkins and more. Just make sure you keep a close eye on kids when they play with them so they don’t break them open. Always first inspect them and make sure that there are no leakages or cracks and never let your child put them in their mouth.

4. Pumpkin Baby Food
There’s nothing like pumpkins to get kids in the Halloween spirit! Pumpkin is loaded with vitamins, calcium and antioxidants making it super nutritious for babies and super yummy as well. Try making a pumpkin broccoli puree or baked mashed pumpkin and spice baby food.

5. My First Pumpkin Play Set
GeniusBabies.com offers an adorable play set for ages 0 and up that kids will love. The play set comes with four fun pieces in a sweet pumpkin carrying case. The pieces include a ghost that squeaks, cat that meows, spider that rattles and a candy corn that crinkles. The toys are super soft and safe for babies and toddlers.

6. FunBites
funbites(R) is the first state of the art kitchen tool that instantly cuts kids’ food into BITE-SIZED FUN SHAPED PIECES. funbites(R) is 100% MADE IN THE USA and BPA free. They are perfect to get even the pickiest eaters to try something new and eat healthier. funbites(R) make mealtime and snack time more nutritious, a little easier and a lot more fun. Use on any kid-friendly food from pancakes, fish, cheese, and bread to waffles, watermelon and burgers! funbites(R) are perfect for Halloween too!


7. Halloween Cookies
Making cookies in fun Halloween shapes like ghosts and bats is easy and a sweet treat for youngsters. You can keep them simple with no frosting or add a little bit of icing made with non-toxic food coloring. Put a different spin on cookies by making pumpkin oatmeal cookies shaped like pumpkins! Here is a great healthy pumpkin cookie recipe from Vital Days.
 
8. Halloween Books
There are plenty of Halloween-themed books for babies and toddlers that will definitely become favorites during this special time of year. Check the kid’s section of your local bookstore for a Halloween display and you’ll likely find a Halloween version of your kid’s favorite series like Biscuit, Corduroy or the Berenstain Bears. Just make sure to pick a book that’s not too scary!
   

*This post was previously published here on the little toader site!

About AppeTEETHERS Teething Toys:

Teething is one of the most painful development processes for babies and is just as tough on parents. AppeTEETHERS^TM teething toys were designed with humor in mind, but safety is our number one priority. With children of our own, we understand the safety concerns with any item that your child puts in their mouth. AppeTEETHERS^TM are patented, silicone teething toys free of BPA, Phthalate, PVC and lead. They provide the perfect amount of resistance to sooth baby's sore gums, and best of all the cute one-of-a-kind designs will surely make you chuckle!

More details can be found on: http://www.littletoader.com/about/appeteethers/.

Easy last minute DIY Halloween decor ideas

Easy Halloween Garland

DIY Hanging Ghosts

 

Halloween Balloons

No Carve Pumpkins

Framed Spider Web (Download Free Printable!)

5 Healthy Halloween Ideas from Pinterest!

 "Jack O Lantern": Naval orange and pumpkin seed salad. 

Pin It

Spider Deviled Eggs

Pin It

Candy Corn Fruit Cups

 

 Pin It

Vegetable Skeleton

Pin It

Banana Ghosts and Orange Pumpkins

Pin It

Thirsty Thursday: Five Halloween Mocktails

The Domestic Diva: Bloody Mocktail

The Daily Goodie Bag: Swamp Juice

 

Iced Pumpkin Juice Mocktail by Coryanne Ettiene via Celebrations.com

Bat Juice Halloween Mocktail by Coryanne Ettiene via Celebrations.com

Wicked Cherry Fizz from Intoxicologist 

Also check out:

7 of the Best Halloween onesie's for Baby from Etsy!
Thirsty Thursday: Witches' Brew
Five Family Halloween Group Costume Ideas
5 of the Cutest Baby Halloween Costumes 

Perfect Pretty Pregnancy Halloween Costumes!

Adult Fairy Maternity Costume Deluxe

Witch Maternity Costume

Maternity Pregnancy Skeleton Print Cotton T-shirt 

 

Angel Maternity Costume Mommy To Be

BLACK CAT - Short Sleeve Black Maternity T-shirt

Jack-O-Lantern Maternity T-Shirt Maternity Dark T-Shirt

7 of the Best Halloween onesie's for Baby from Etsy!

1. My First Halloween Onesie via BoutiqueLane 

2. Halloween onesie with Bow Tie, Vest, and Spider web print for Boys via kottoncactus

3. Baby's first Halloween onesie and leg warmer matching set in pumpkin orange and black stripes via zoeysattic

4. Fall Pumpkin Monogrammed Onesie or Shirt via KalamityKids 

 5. Pumpkin Face Baby Onepiece via CausticThreads

6. Halloween onesie with Candy Corn Applique from DOUGHTENDESIGNS.

7. Happy Halloween Custom Tee/Onesie from REMwear

Also check out:
Thirsty Thursday: Witches' Brew
Five Family Halloween Group Costume Ideas
5 of the Cutest Baby Halloween Costumes

Guest Blog Post: Jessika from Scentsy + A Giveaway!

If you haven’t heard of the company Scentsy, let me tell you that you are missing out! Scentsy is a direct selling company that sells products that are an alternative to traditional wick burning candles and also offers other fragrance enticing products. The company is still fairly new, being founded in 2004 by a husband and wife, Orville and Heidi Thompson. Instead of your run of the mill candle that has a wick that you light with fire, Scentsy has warmers that use a low wattage light bulb to warm wax cubes in a tray to spread the aroma of the wax cubes put into the warmers tray. This makes the Scentsy warmers much safer than a candle lit by fire. 

There is no open flame to endanger children or pets or in the worst case scenario start a fire! Besides warmers and scents that go along with them, Scentsy also offers “ on the go” items such as Scent Circles, travel tins, scent packs and room sprays. They have a bath and body line, Layers by Scentsy that provides you with bath and body products available in your favorite scents. These rival your “big name” store products and are fantastic! 

My personal favorite items by Scentsy are the holiday warmers and the incredible scents of the season. There is nothing better to help get you in the holiday spirit than the smell of baked apple pie or apple cider cascading through your home. I have also become a fan of the shower gel and hand soap that Scentsy offers through their Layers by Scentsy  line.  I used to buy from the stores at the mall for these body products but found that Scentsy costs the same if not less.  Definitely a great alternative to the higher end products found elsewhere. Just about any product you purchase from Scentsy makes for a great gift. Especially with the wide selection of warmers they offer, there is a warmer and scent to fit everyone’s personality! Scentsy also now offers gift bundles  so you don’t have to worry about finding the right box and bow, they do it all for you! 

Great meeting you all and now for the fun part - a giveaway! For the prize, I have a Bundle of Joy gift set! This bundle  includes one warmer (pink or blue, your choice) and three Scentsy bars. The warmer has an attachment mini plaque where you can write either the babies name or birth stats to commemorate their birth or both, so  the parents and child can always have that as a memory. The three scents that come with the gift bundle are Newborn Nursery (baby powder scent), French Lavender and Sweet Pea and Vanilla. Once the winner has been chosen  a personalized greeting card to say whatever the recipient chooses will also be included with the gift bundle! We have two hosts for the giveaway: a big thank you to Baby Bump Bundle and beautiful expecting mama Samantha from Hooah and Hiccups!

 To be entered into the giveaway, check out the rafflecopter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Jessika:

I started selling Scentsy products in February 2013 after our family moved to Texas. Being a Mother of three young children I wanted to branch out without having to physically be away from them. I am an Army wife of almost 11 years and with lots of moves within those 11 years, it’s not exactly easy to have a traditional 9-5 job per say. Being a consultant with Scentsy Fragrance has allowed me to broaden my horizons as a business owner and as a contributor to our growing family. Most importantly it has allowed me to concentrate on my “mommy” duties the same as I did before but have fun not only being a Mom but by also running my own business with wonderful people!   Products can  be found  and ordered directly off of my business website http://jessikamurray.scentsy.us. The site is always available so you can place an order any time of the day. I ALWAYS have my phone available so I can receive text messages and emails instantly and get back to my customers as quickly as possible. Never hesitate to email with questions about my job or purchasing Scentsy products  at Jessika.murray85@gmail.com. I love nothing more than helping and interacting with my customers; they truly become more than customers, they become friends.

   

Thirsty Thursday: Witches' Brew

Witches' Brew 

Via Betty Crocker 

Prep Time 5 min 

Servings 16 

Ingredients 

1 quart lime sherbet, slightly softened 

1 container (12 oz) frozen limeade, thawed 

1 bottle (1 liter) ginger ale 

Gummy worm candies, if desired 

Lime slices, if desired 

Directions 

1. In punch bowl, mix sherbet, limeade and ginger ale. 

2. Pour into glasses. Garnish each glass with candy and lime slices. Serve immediately. 

Expert Tips from Betty Crocker: 

• Swap the lime sherbet and frozen limeade with orange sherbet and frozen orange juice concentrate for a different flavor.
• The sherbet will float to the top, so stir the punch before pouring each serving. 

Recipe/Image Source: BettyCrocker.com

Also check out:

Candy Corn Drink
Pumpkin Smash Smoothie
Pumpkin Spice smoothie

Guest Blog Post from My Chic Bump - Take your Maternity Look from Day to Night

   

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

       

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Follow MyChicBump on Bloglovin‘, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Head on over to their blog to see our guest post about 3 of our fashion favorites which includes this giveaway! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Upcoming Event in Boston: What Every Mom-To-Be Needs to Know about Prenatal Yoga

Active Boston mom-to-be's - there is an upcoming event to consider attending! 

Where? Exhale Spa at Battery Wharf, in the North End/Waterfront area of Boston!

When? Saturday October 26, 2013 from: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM  

What?  Prenatal Yoga: What Every Mom-To-Be Needs To Know with Jennifer Prohaska

Price? $40

Details? "Practicing yoga throughout your pregnancy has many wonderful benefits; it can help to reduce stress, alleviate pain, and prepare you for the physical demands of labor. You do not need to find a "prenatal" class to reap these rewards. This workshop will focus on how to modify your practice so that you can attend any yoga class with confidence. You will learn how to adjust your yoga asanas to accommodate your changing figure, review unsafe postures, and explore calming breathing exercises designed for relaxation. This workshop will help you feel comfortable and knowledgeable modifying in future yoga classes. This workshop is ideal for expectant mothers and yoga teachers who would like to learn more about prenatal modifications."

Call 617.603.3100 or Sign Up Here!

 *Also check out our Fit BumpBundle, for a fit pregnancy for the entire 9 months!

Five Family Halloween Group Costume Ideas

1. Flinstone’s
2. Superheroes
3.  Safari
4. Smurfs
5. Crayola Crayons

You may also like:
5 of the Cutest Baby Halloween Costumes

Baby Hugh loves....music!!

And I mean that in a booty shaking sort of way. There is quite possibly nothing cuter than a little boy with rhythm. He may look like his father but there is no doubt where his dance moves come from!

As his first birthday fast approaches, I am on the hunt for the perfect gift and think the Hape Xylophone is a good starting point. Any opportunity for Hugh to make music himself, I am a fan of. That coupled with the bright, fun colors and that it is made of wood makes it a must have.

And how cute are these music inspired Doodle Pants! And it will just mean I can see that diaper covered booty shaking moves even better.

I am obsessed with Pop & Lolli and what better way to get the house ready for the birthday party than with their awesome Congratulations and Celebrations Birthday Party Wall Decal.

If you are the lucky winner of the $100 Bumblebean gift card giveaway you will have so much fun shopping on the site.

In case you missed other things Baby Hugh Loves:
Sleep
Hummus
A Seat at the Table